Every Orthodox Christian, at least once a day, says the Lord’s prayer: “Our Father…” Everyone knows the words “give us this day our daily bread” very well. Alas, not everyone ponders enough on the meaning of these words. In our prayers, both public and private, we often ask the Lord to have mercy on us …
Category Archives: Fundamentals of Orthodoxy
Transfiguration of the Lord
Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ God, and Thy disciples beheld Thy glory as far as they could bear it; so that when they should see Thee crucified, they would know that Thy suffering was voluntary, and would proclaim to the world that Thou art truly the Radiance of the Father.Kondakion of the …
Few words about love
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.John 13:35 One can hear a multitude of answers to a question on what does it mean to be an orthodox christian. Certainly, to be one you have to be baptized in the Orthodox Church, you have to …
Festive temptations
The holy fathers say that every single good work is not without temptation before it is done, during the undertaking, or after it is finished. The same rule may be applied during the time of the great feasts of the church. Always, something happens: an offence, an argument, an upset, a loss, a deprivation. It …
Orthodoxy in the contemporary world
I would like to offer the audio recording of the lecture that I read at the Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox church in Kitchener, Ontario, on February 24th of this year. It may be downloaded here: Orthodoxy in the contemporary world.File size: 24 mbs. The lecture is in English. http://www.myslipastyria.com/wp-content/uploads/Fr_Viatcheslav_Davidenko_Orthodoxy_In_Contemporary_World.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Palm Sunday
Today is Palm (in Russia – Pussy Willow) Sunday. People come to church with small bunches of pussy willows in their hands. Everyone is in a festive mood. Only one week, filled with wondrous divine services, is left until Pascha. It would be nice to go back in time in order to draw a small …
Consolation in grief
Undoubtedly, everyone in his lifetime was visited by the Lord with grief. Illness, loss, betrayal, slander, persecution, and other sorrows are familiar to many. As a rule, rarely is anyone glad to be visited by sorrow. Rarely does anyone ask God for sorrow. In most cases people are afraid of sorrows and do not wish …
On thoughts
Even as a speck of dust, so is the improper thought in the heart of man. Often, we do not consider the thoughts and ideas that attract us. We do not reason regarding their propriety, wholesomeness, and usefulness. Accepting the enemy’s suggestions indiscriminately, we suffer harm; often little, but at times great harm, maleficent or …