As Of Today Nutrients Are Legally Declared To Be Toxins

Today marks the worldwide implementation of the Codex Alumentarius which is a private trade commission sanctioned by the UN in 1962. This commission which is comprised of big pharma, big agribiz, big medica, big biotecha and big chema have managed through various means to mandate a global implementation of their rules and regulations bringing all nutrients and foods under their total control. As of today, all dairy cows on the planet must be treated with Monsanto's recombinant bovine growth hormone and every other animal on the planet used for food must be treated with antibiotics and growth hormones. All foods, except those grown regionally for local consumption must be irradiated, including organic certified foods. All nutrients, (vitamins, minerals, etc...) except those diluted to extremely low doses cannot be purchased except by physician's prescription. All pharmaceuticals will now be considered nutrients and all nutrients will now be considered pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the seven most dangerous pesticides on the face of the earth that have up until now been previously banned worldwide will again be legal and reintroduced globally for agricultural applications. Gut wrenching GMO foods will replace the global food supply. If this all seems nightmarish, it is and even though you may not see the implementation of these rules and regulations immediately, the flood gates have been opened and we will begin to see a radical global shift in the world's population with literally hundreds of millions of people suffering and perishing prematurely as result of these laws.

The time is truly upon us predicted by our ancient fathers, who stated that a time would come when the world will become insane and those in their madness will turn to those who are sane and say, "Why are you not joining us, have you gone mad?" Sadly enough, the vast majority of the world's population will not have a choice in the matter and will be forced to consume that which will lead to widespread disease and premature death.

We also know that Jesus Christ told us these days must come before His return and they will mark the end of this world as we know it. All of these signs are an indication of man's cooperation with Satan in his efforts to destroy as much of God's creation and the human race as he can before his ultimate demise. In the midst of these difficult times, we need to keep our eyes on the author and finisher of our faith trusting in Him to uphold us, keep us and sustain us as we face the trials and hardships that are upon us.

Oh, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

Home of the Free, the Beautiful, the Plentiful

"By the skillful and sustained use of propaganda, one can make a people see even heaven as hell or an extremely wretched life as paradise."
- - -
Adolf Hitler

Food will be plentiful all over the cities and villages, but all will be poisoned…
Righteous Dimitri Tarabicz

Wisdom of the Desert Fathers

"An old man said, 'I would rather have a defeat with humility than a victory with pride."

The Holy Work Of Acquiring Love

"A dead man judges no one, and it is just the same with the man who is humble"

Our holy Father Longinus lived in the Egyptian deserts during the fourth or fifth century.

The Wrath Of God Perfectly Explained

The wrath of God is the painful sensation we experience when we are being trained by Him. Through this painful experience of unsought sufferings God often abases and humbles an intellect conceited about its knowledge and virtue; for such sufferings make it conscious of itself and its own weakness.

St. Maximos the Confessor

"Third Century of Various Texts"
(The Philokalia)

Another Amazing Saint, Another Amazing Story

...But his enemies were not to be appeased. From the capital came orders to transfer Saint John to desolate Pitius (in Abkhazia). Worn out by sickness, under accompanying military escort for three months in the rain and frost, the saint made his final transferral, – at Comana his powers failed him. At the crypt of Saint Basiliskos comforted by a vision of the martyr ("Despair not, brother John! Tomorrow we shalt be together"), and having communed the Holy Mysteries, the oecumenical hierarch with the words, "Glory to God for everything!", expired to the Lord on 14 September 407...(click on the title for the rest of the story).

The Mystery Of Lawlessness

Lawlessness is a mystery that leads to darkness and death and truth is a mystery that leads to enlightenment and life. Satan works through men and demons to accomplish his workings, copying God who works through men and angels to accomplish His workings. Unless we are yearning after and receiving a love for truth everyday we also will be deceived by the workings of Satan who even now is deceiving the elect with his workings. Reference 2 Thess. 2

The Monk Ioannikes the Great

...The Monk Ioannikes spent 70 years in ascetic deeds and attained to an high spiritual perfection. Through the mercy of God the saint acquired the gift of prophecy, as his student Pakhomios has related. The monastic elder during the time of prayer hovered over the ground. One time he traversed a river flooded to overflowing. The saint could make himself invisible for people and make others invisible: one time the Monk Ioannikes led out from prison Greek captives under the watch of a crowd of guards. Poison and fire, with which the envious wanted to destroy the saint, did him no harm, and predatory beasts did not touch him. It is known, that he freed the island of Thasos from a multitude of snakes. The Monk Ioannikes likewise saved a young nun, who was preparing to quit the monastery on a whim to marry; he took upon himself the agonised maiden's suffering of passion, and by fasting and prayer annihilated the seductive assault of the devil.
Foreseeing his end, Saint Ioannikes expired to the Lord on 4 November 846, at the age of 94.

Basic Christianity 101

"Don't criticize or judge other people. Regard everyone else as an angel, justify their mistakes and weaknesses, and condemn only yourself as the worst sinner. This is step one in any kind of spiritual life."

Blessed Seraphim of Platina

The Apostle James - Brother of Christ

Saint James presided over the Council of the Apostles at Jerusalem, and his word was decisive (Acts 15). In his thirty years as bishop the Apostle James converted many of the Jews to Christianity. Annoyed by this, the Pharisees and the Scribes plotted together to kill Saint James. Having led the saint up on the roof of the Jerusalem Temple, they demanded that he renounce the Saviour of the world. But the holy Apostle James instead began to bear witness, that Christ is the True Messiah. Then the Jewish teachers shoved him off downwards. The saint did not die immediately, but gathering his final strength, he prayed to the Lord for his enemies, who at this while were stoning him. The martyr's death of Saint James occurred in about the year 63.

The holy Apostle James composed a Divine Liturgy, which has formed the basis of the liturgies, composed by Saints Bail the Great and John Chrysostomos.

Comment: The Orthodox Church true to it's apostolic stature and traditions has always in all places and at all times celebrated a liturgy based on the framework that was established and initiated by the Apostle James and the church has never veered from this practice in almost two thousands years. What other Christian group can boast such a wonder as this?

The Monk Ilarion the Great

"By means of smell the saint learned with which passion this or that man was afflicted."...

Small Seeds Sown Can Grow Into Big Trees

The desire of my life has been to please God and is it not our Creator Himself who put this desire within the heart of every man to seek after Him, the One who loved us more than even His very own life that we might know what true love is? How is it that we would not seek this only Friend of man, the Great Lover of man, the One who has given us of all that He is purely because He loves us? Is it too great a thought to embrace that we lowly souls were created by God for His good pleasure that we might know Him as our friend?

As we contemplate His handiwork in the creation, we can observe what the character of God is like in each and every object, animate and inanimate. All that is on this planet has been given to us for our enjoyment that we might enjoy its benefits whether they be rocks or water, plants or animals, every living thing and each material thing was given to us to enjoy because we are His beloved children.

Water makes up seventy per cent of the earth and water also makes up seventy per cent of our bodies. Just as the earth contains the waters so our bodies contain the waters and just as the waters contribute greatly to the beauty and health of the earth, so waters contained within the human frame contribute greatly to the beauty and health of each individual. Just as the waters of the earth can carry the imprint of man's behavior so can the waters contained within a man carry the imprint of his behavior. As a man behaves, so is he and the signature of his influence can be seen in all he touches just as the signature of our Creator can be seen in all He touches. God is love and within His being is contained nothing but love. God has no part in the hatred embraced by man and where ever we see violence, war, pollution and injustice we are observing the workings of man and not God. The Creator of heaven and earth and all that dwells on the earth above the earth and below the earth can be described by one all encompassing word which is love. We are surrounded by God's love which is manifest in the rocks, the trees, the waters and all of life both seen and unseen both awesome and insignificant; all of the material world is a revelation of His love for mankind.

The Great Creator of heaven and earth is also a humble God who has chosen to remain invisible to us and His invisibility is manifest in the manner by which He holds all things together by a force unseen. We can observe the material world and the material universe but we cannot observe the force that keeps every particle of every object animate and inanimate bound together in forms so diverse that we will never comprehend them all. We are told in the inspired scriptures that it is the second person of Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ Himself who holds all things together and He does so by the power of the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. What is most interesting is that God the Father has never revealed Himself to mankind directly but in keeping with His humility He has manifest Himself to us through His only begotten Son and even in this manifestation He came portraying Himself as a Servant of mankind, the most lowly of men, of such a humble stature that He had no place to even lay his head and no place to call His own. He was so lowly and so subservient that He divested Himself of all power taking the form of an infant. In the history of mankind they has never been nor will there ever be an act of humility so extreme as this effort made by God to reach His children.

In considering all this, what is just as mind boggling in a negative way is the manner in which mankind has rejected God's love. How could it be that mankind could embrace the good gifts of God yet not give thanks or acknowledgement to the Giver of all good gifts? How could it be that so many billions not millions but billions of people do not fall down daily and worship the One who gives life and blessings to all both rich and poor, righteous and wicked, of lowly position and high position? God is no respecter of persons and His love is free for all mankind yet man goes about his daily business oblivious this reality and consequently mankind is living delusional, distracted and distorted lifestyles and the only way that men may ever come out of this lifestyle is the through the challenge that God places before them and that will not happen except through those that God has already delivered. So isn't it time for us to do as God did, to be ready and willing each and every day to look for ever so small ways in which to serve others? Even offering a thirsty soul a drink of water will be remembered at the Great Judgement Day and as you have done to the least of mankind, so you have done even to Christ Himself. Unless we sow seeds we will not see a harvest and unless we water the seed it will never grow and who knows but God what may happen with the small and feeble efforts we make each day to sow seeds or to water the seeds that have been sown along our path of daily life. Do not neglect to do good at every opportunity for in every instance that you perform a deed of kindness for someone else you will in essence be performing a deed of kindness to our Creator Himself in the person of Jesus Christ His Son.

Nothing Else In All Creation Can Be Moral But Angels and Man

If God created all things and proclaimed them to be very good then why do we think of germs as bad? Could it be due to the propaganda of modern science, the idol of our age? Has our thinking been molded by our ancient faith, the scriptures and the traditions of our Fathers or has our view of the creation been molded by the modern priests of science?

Germs, viruses, bacteria, yeast and molds are everywhere on, in and above the earth in various forms. In nature when a tree is weakened or compromised from mineral derivation, lack or water or the presence of toxins the immune system isn't able to properly do its job thus making the way clear for microbes to go into a decomposing mode which is part of the grand cycle of life and death. Were it not for the great fall of mankind, the earth would be a perfect place with no provision for the need of death to synergisticly work within the cycle of life. So because of the fall, death has become a necessary phenomena and God in mercy has made a provision for dealing with death when it begins to occur and that provision is decomposition which again in mercy fits perfectly within the natural cycle of nature which encompasses new birth, aging and death. A day will come when death shall no longer be part of this natural cycle, where aging will contribute to greater perfection and glory rather than wrinkles and creaks.

Staying Faithful, Rejoicing Always

"Do you see how many good things temptations and afflictions cause? So if you too want to see, to taste the love of Christ, endure whatever comes upon you -- not whatever you like, but whatever the Lord wants to test you with. What we suffer voluntarily is absolutely nothing in comparison with the trials the Lord sends us against our will. The hostile devil fights us bone against bone and blood against blood, as much as God allows. He fights so much, that one melts and flows like wax before the fire. But when the trial passes, you are totally filled with joy."

Elder Joseph the Hesychast

Read And Weep

Our kingdom is not of this world. The kingdom of this world belongs to Satan. Don't forget that and remember that Satan hates the Orthodox church with a vengeance and he will do all he can to destroy us, first seeking to woo us with riches and power and if this doesn't work then he will rip out our hearts, cut off our noses and gouge out our eyes. This has been the lot of God's people for two thousand years and will continue until the day of Christ's return.

Be not deceived for Satan loves America, it is the apple of his eye for he has built for himself a congregation of heretics and apostates. Followers who read the bible and worship faithfully Sunday after Sunday but who is this god they worship? Where does heresy and apostasy come from? Who is it that woos men into a false belief system, a false church, a false religion, a counterfeit of the truth? Is it none other than the evil one himself? The evil one delights in the American religious system of freedom of worship for men can choose any way they wish to believe and all ways are OK so long as they do not lead to Orthodoxy.

Satan has a strategy to destroy the American Orthodox believer and we need now more than ever to gird ourselves for the struggle that is before us. Now more than ever, we need to turn to the Mother Church rejecting modern innovations immersing ourselves in worship, prayer, ascetic deeds and fellowship of the believers avoiding the distractions and pleasures of this world. Watch yourselves dear brethren and prepare for the time is at hand.

The Demons Have Icons Too

Mankind thrives on images. Images delight us, entertain us, inspire us, grieve us, anger us and all in all have a tremendous influence on our daily lives. Images enter into our minds through the eyes and begin to permeate our very being affecting how we think, act and live. Images have a powerful influence on mankind and rightly so for this is how God made us. He gave us ears to hear with, eyes to see with, hands to touch with, feet to walk with and on and on and on, every part of our being having been given to us as a blessing with which to enjoy Him and His good gifts to us. Our God delights in giving to His children for this is love and God is love.

Modern man loves images as well and has surrounded himself with them via the television, the cinema, the billboard, magazines and newspapers but these are for the most part corrupt images which defile the heart, the mind and the flesh.

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, man was given divine images for sake of blessing us with a means by which to assist us in our contemplation of His holiness, love and mercy. It is through the Orthodox icons that man is taught the wonders of God and the salvation wrought for us through Jesus Christ, His Son. These holy icons ought to be with us everywhere, in our homes, our cars, our businesses, in the public marketplaces and anywhere man congregates. Most of all, they should fill our churches, covering the walls, the windows and the ceilings for their presence will be all awe-inspiring drawing our attention to things not of this world which is most necessary for securing our salvation.

Worldly images draw us into this world.

Worldly images transport us away from God.

Worldly images steal away from holiness.

Worldly images defile us.

Worldly images distract us from salvation.

Worldly images lead us into darkness.

Worldly images harden our hearts.

Worldly images weaken our resolve.

Worldly images are tool of demons.

The holy icons inspire us.

The holy icons lead us into prayer and contemplation.

The holy icons reveal the beauty and majesty of God.

The holy icons teach us the way of salvation.

The holy icons embolden us.

The holy icons usher us into the heavenlies.

The holy icons provide us protection.

The holy icons draw us to the Kingdom of God.

What Must I Do To Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven?

"For repentance is the way and the key to the Kingdom of Heaven, without which no one can enter into it."

St. Alexander of Svir

If repentance is not our constant companion, we will surely become disoriented and lost in the woods where we will become easy prey for wolves.

This is repentance; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

This is our constant companion; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

This is our strength; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

This is our hope; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

This is our life; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

This is our light in the darkness; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

In work; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

In rest; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

In worship; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

In relationships; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

In solitude; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

The mysteries of life will open up to us when these words are on our lips; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

The windows of heaven will open up to us when these words are on our lips; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

The gift of tears will be given to us when these words are on our lips; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

Our minds will be illumined when these words are on our lips; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

Close to death having lost all, health, wealth, loved ones, let only these words be on your lips; "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner".

Oh, How I Long For The Ancient Faith Of My Fathers

The demons adore modernity and its dissipating influence on the church.

Modernity is anti-Christianity.

Modernity is mind numbing and mind stimulating.

Modernity entices with a display of imagery that entertainingly molds and mesmerizes with the precepts and tenets of anti-Christianity.

Modernity leads the unknowing unthinking modern man like a cow to the slaughterhouse.

KISS - Keep it simple, stupid!

"Walk before God in simplicity, and not in subtleties of the mind. Simplicity brings faith; but subtle and intricate speculations bring conceit; and conceit brings withdrawal from God."

St. Isaac the Syrian

Thank Your Guardian Angel Today

"Know that the holy angels encourage us to pray and stand beside us, rejoicing and praying for us. Therefore, if we are negligent and admit thoughts from the enemy, we greatly provoke the angels. For while they struggle hard on our behalf we do not even take the trouble to pray to God for ourselves, but we despise their services to us and, abandoning their Lord and God, we consort with unclean demons."
Evagrios the Solistar

Holy First-Martyress and Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla

The Holy First-Martyress and Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla was born in the city of Iconium. She was the daughter of rich and illustrious parents, and moreover she was distinguished by extraordinary beauty. At 18 years of age they betrothed her to an eminent youth. But having heard the preaching of the holy Apostle Paul about the Saviour, Saint Thekla with all her heart came to love the Lord Jesus Christ, and she steadfastly resolved not to enter into marriage, but rather to devote all her life to preaching the Gospel. The mother of Saint Thekla was opposed to her daughter's plans and demanded that she enter into marriage with the bridegroom betrothed to her. Saint Thekla's fiancee likewise made a complaint to the governor of the city against the Apostle Paul, accusing him of turning his bride against him. The governor locked up Saint Paul in prison. During the night Saint Thekla secretly ran away from her house, and she bribed the prison guards, giving them all her gold ornaments, and so made her way into the prison to the prisoner. For three days she sat at the feet of the Apostle Paul, hearkening to his fatherly precepts. The disappearance of Thekla was discovered, and servants were sent out everywhere in search of her. Finally they found her in the prison and brought her home by force.

At his trial the Apostle Paul was sentenced to banishment from the city. And with Saint Thekla they again began urging her to consent to the marriage, but she would not change her mind. Neither the tears of her mother, nor her wrath, nor the threats of the governor were able to separate Saint Thekla from her love for the Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. Her mother in a insane rage demanded from the judges a death sentence against her unyielding daughter, and Saint Thekla was sentenced to burning. Without flinching, the holy martyress went into the bon-fire and made the sign of the cross over herself. At this moment the Saviour appeared to her, blessing her present deed, and inexpressible joy filled her holy soul. The flames of the bon-fire shot up high, but the martyress was surrounded by an halo and the flames did not touch her. Thunder boomed, and a strong downpour of rain with hail extinguished the bon-fire. The torturers scattered in fear. Saint Thekla, kept safe by the Lord, quit the city and with the help of a certain Christian youth searched out the Apostle Paul. The holy apostle and his companions, among which was also the Disciple Barnabas, were hidden away in a cave not far from the city, praying fervently, that the Lord would give strength to Saint Thekla in her sufferings.
After this, Saint Thekla went together with them preaching the Gospel in Antioch. In this city she was pursued by a certain dignitary named Alexander, who was captivated by her beauty. Saint Thekla refused his offer to enter into marriage, and so for being a Christian she was condemned to death. Twice they set loose upon her hungry wild animals, but they would not touch the holy virgin, but instead lay down meekly and licking at her feet. The Providence of God preserved the holy martyress unharmed through all her torments. Finally, they tied her to two oxen and began to chase after her with red-hot rods, but the strong cords broke asunder like cob-webs, and the oxen ran off, leaving Saint Thekla unharmed. And the people began shouting: "Great is the God of the Christians!" The governor himself became terrified, reasoning it out finally, that the holy martyress was being kept safe by the Almighty God, Whom she served. He then gave orders to set free the servant of God Thekla.
With the blessing of the Apostle Paul, Saint Thekla then settled in the desolate surroundings of Isaurian Seleucia and dwelt there for many years, constantly preaching the Word of God and healing the sick through her prayer. Saint Thekla converted many pagans to Christ, and the Church names her worthily as "Equal-to-the-Apostles" ("Ravnoapostol'na"). Even a pagan priest, seeking to assault her purity and punished for his impudence, was brought by her to holy Baptism. More than once the enemy of the race of man tried to destroy Saint Thekla through people blinded by sin, but the power of God always preserved this faithful servant of Christ.
When Saint Thekla was already a 90 year old woman, pagan sorcerers became incensed at her for treating the sick for free. They were unable to comprehend that the saint was healing the sick by the power of the grace of Christ, and they presumed that the virgin-goddess Artemis (Diana) was her especial patroness. Out of envy against Saint Thekla, they sent their followers to defile her. When they had already approached quite close to her, Saint Thekla cried out for help to Christ the Savior, and the hill split open and hid the holy virgin, the bride of Christ. And thus did Saint Thekla offer up her holy soul to the Lord.
Holy Church glorifies the "First-Suffering" Thekla as "of women the glory and guide for suffering, opening up the way through every torment". From of old many a temple was dedicated to her, one of which was built at Tsargrad (Constantinople) by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine (Comm. 21 May). And then too, the name of the First-Martyress Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla, a prayer intercessor for the ascetic, is remembered during the tonsure of women into monasticism.

The Holy First-Martyress and Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla was born in the city of Iconium. She was the daughter of rich and illustrious parents, and moreover she was distinguished by extraordinary beauty. At 18 years of age they betrothed her to an eminent youth. But having heard the preaching of the holy Apostle Paul about the Saviour, Saint Thekla with all her heart came to love the Lord Jesus Christ, and she steadfastly resolved not to enter into marriage, but rather to devote all her life to preaching the Gospel. The mother of Saint Thekla was opposed to her daughter's plans and demanded that she enter into marriage with the bridegroom betrothed to her. Saint Thekla's fiancee likewise made a complaint to the governor of the city against the Apostle Paul, accusing him of turning his bride against him. The governor locked up Saint Paul in prison. During the night Saint Thekla secretly ran away from her house, and she bribed the prison guards, giving them all her gold ornaments, and so made her way into the prison to the prisoner. For three days she sat at the feet of the Apostle Paul, hearkening to his fatherly precepts. The disappearance of Thekla was discovered, and servants were sent out everywhere in search of her. Finally they found her in the prison and brought her home by force.
At his trial the Apostle Paul was sentenced to banishment from the city. And with Saint Thekla they again began urging her to consent to the marriage, but she would not change her mind. Neither the tears of her mother, nor her wrath, nor the threats of the governor were able to separate Saint Thekla from her love for the Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. Her mother in a insane rage demanded from the judges a death sentence against her unyielding daughter, and Saint Thekla was sentenced to burning. Without flinching, the holy martyress went into the bon-fire and made the sign of the cross over herself. At this moment the Saviour appeared to her, blessing her present deed, and inexpressible joy filled her holy soul. The flames of the bon-fire shot up high, but the martyress was surrounded by an halo and the flames did not touch her. Thunder boomed, and a strong downpour of rain with hail extinguished the bon-fire. The torturers scattered in fear. Saint Thekla, kept safe by the Lord, quit the city and with the help of a certain Christian youth searched out the Apostle Paul. The holy apostle and his companions, among which was also the Disciple Barnabas, were hidden away in a cave not far from the city, praying fervently, that the Lord would give strength to Saint Thekla in her sufferings.
After this, Saint Thekla went together with them preaching the Gospel in Antioch. In this city she was pursued by a certain dignitary named Alexander, who was captivated by her beauty. Saint Thekla refused his offer to enter into marriage, and so for being a Christian she was condemned to death. Twice they set loose upon her hungry wild animals, but they would not touch the holy virgin, but instead lay down meekly and licking at her feet. The Providence of God preserved the holy martyress unharmed through all her torments. Finally, they tied her to two oxen and began to chase after her with red-hot rods, but the strong cords broke asunder like cob-webs, and the oxen ran off, leaving Saint Thekla unharmed. And the people began shouting: "Great is the God of the Christians!" The governor himself became terrified, reasoning it out finally, that the holy martyress was being kept safe by the Almighty God, Whom she served. He then gave orders to set free the servant of God Thekla.
With the blessing of the Apostle Paul, Saint Thekla then settled in the desolate surroundings of Isaurian Seleucia and dwelt there for many years, constantly preaching the Word of God and healing the sick through her prayer. Saint Thekla converted many pagans to Christ, and the Church names her worthily as "Equal-to-the-Apostles" ("Ravnoapostol'na"). Even a pagan priest, seeking to assault her purity and punished for his impudence, was brought by her to holy Baptism. More than once the enemy of the race of man tried to destroy Saint Thekla through people blinded by sin, but the power of God always preserved this faithful servant of Christ.
When Saint Thekla was already a 90 year old woman, pagan sorcerers became incensed at her for treating the sick for free. They were unable to comprehend that the saint was healing the sick by the power of the grace of Christ, and they presumed that the virgin-goddess Artemis (Diana) was her especial patroness. Out of envy against Saint Thekla, they sent their followers to defile her. When they had already approached quite close to her, Saint Thekla cried out for help to Christ the Savior, and the hill split open and hid the holy virgin, the bride of Christ. And thus did Saint Thekla offer up her holy soul to the Lord.
Holy Church glorifies the "First-Suffering" Thekla as "of women the glory and guide for suffering, opening up the way through every torment". From of old many a temple was dedicated to her, one of which was built at Tsargrad (Constantinople) by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine (Comm. 21 May). And then too, the name of the First-Martyress Equal-to-the-Apostles Thekla, a prayer intercessor for the ascetic, is remembered during the tonsure of women into monasticism.

Take Some Time Today To Contemplate The True Aim Of Your Life And Meditate On The Words Of These Most Blessed Saints

"In acquiring the Spirit of God consists the true aim of our Christian life, while prayer, fasting, almsgiving, virtues and other good works done for Christ's sake are merely means for acquiring the Spirit of God."

St. Seraphim of Sarov

"But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

Taken from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians

Man Doesn't Know What He Doesn't Know!

Man cannot attain correct knowledge, undistorted observation or clear discernment without the illumination of the Holy Spirit of God. All men are created in the image of God but not all men live in the reflection of that image. There are two classes of men who reside on this earth; those who live their lives as friends of God and those who don't and within each of these two camps reside subjects who suffer from sundry delusional, deceptive and distorted thoughts of varying degrees. " All have sinned, all are broken, all fall short of living in the fullness of what God intended for us. There is none who do good, no, not even one. God looked to and fro upon the earth and found none who truly sought after Him." As mind boggling as it is, this is a universal principle unaffected by time save for the redemptive work of Christ upon the cross and had it not been for this awesome and incomprehendible act, none, absolutely none of us would be good for anything but the dung heap of eternity.

So, how can it be that man made in the image of God, made to live forever in the fellowship and joy of the Lord could fall into such darkness away from the sweet communion of the Holy Trinity? The answer is simple and it is clear. It was triggered by a collective effort of the cunningness of the devil and the free will of man which God bestowed on us so that we could experience what love is, which is what God is, always has been and always will be.

The question which comes to mind after contemplating this truth is this; "How can God who is love allow for such suffering that has come upon the earth since our fall?" I will tell you the answer. It is because God created us to commune with Him and in so doing He gave us the freedom to choose, otherwise we couldn't know what true love is and there is nothing greater in the universe than true love. This love can be defined simply as, "Giving up all that one has for the sake of another". If this one simple principle were to be applied by all men everywhere, we would be living in a perfect world. The good news is that all who truly seek to know and experience this love will one day actually get to live in it, in a perfect world with a perfect body in perfect union with the Holy Trinity and all mankind and those who don't desire this love will live in a place of perpetual existence experiencing whatever else it is that their heart may have desired. The only problem is that they will be living in this new habitation of their own choosing without the fleshly bodies that they once knew on the earth thus creating quite a dilemma in their quest for sex, riches and power which could only be available to them in their old bodies, thus they will experience great torment for the desires will be present in their mind but the ability to carry out those desires will be non-existent. This frustrating experience has been described most accurately as a perpetual "weeping and gnashing of teeth".

Why would anyone to whom life has been bequeathed not turn to the living and almighty God to escape such a torment? There is no logical answer to this question. Man is a broken creature and in his brokenness, nothing makes sense and as a consequence of man's fall, all his reasoning has been enslaved to his master, the devil and his servants, the demons.

Thus is the condition of mankind up to the present day and it will continue to be so until the day life as we know it ends on this earth. This end will come, not because God has caused it but because mankind has quickened it having brought ruin and havoc upon the entire earth and it will be as an act of mercy towards His beloved chosen ones that God will bring it all to a close so that those who seek after life may forever be with Him and those who seek after life apart from God may forever be with the devil and his demons who share in their corrupt desires.

So you may be thinking to yourself, "I know this, it is simple theology" and my response would be, "Yes it is simple theology but how do you know what you know and how much of what you think you know do you not know?" Here is where it gets downright scary. Think about this; the one enthroned over this world, is not Jesus Christ, it is the prince of the power of the air. So, if the prince of the power of the air is in charge, what does that mean for the human race? It means that he and his invisible demons who have great powers to deceive, delude, distort and mislead are actively working in all places everywhere on this earth to bring all men into servitude to him and it matters not to him if you do it in ignorance or in knowledge. Here is a mystery though. Jesus is the Lord of all, yet not all acknowledge Him as Lord. So then if He is lord of all, why does He not lord it over all? It all goes back to free choice, free will and the basic premise that God in mercy, kindness and love, gave mankind the ability to make his own choices. So, in the midst of this seeming chaos, God has provided an escape from enslavement to the devil and the path to deliverance lies within the holy Eastern Orthodox Church.

It is in the Eastern Orthodox Church that you will receive illumination, power and protection so that you may escape the schemes and plans of the devil. Those who reside outside this holy, catholic and apostolic church can only hope for God's mercy as they clamor about as blind and deaf men seeking for meaning, truth and salvation. The devil will play with you as cat plays with a mouse and you know the end of that story.

Is The Temple Already Built?

The Temple of the Lord and the Holy of Holies in all of it's beautiful adornment is present on the earth and has been for almost 2,000 years. The Lord has been present in His temple and His priests have never stopped ministering since the Great Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into the heavenlies. Where is this temple? Is it in Jerusalem? Yes it is! Is it in Athens? Yes it is! Is it in England, Russia, Serbia, France, Poland, Canada, China, Korea, Japan and America? Yes it is! In every Eastern Orthodox Church and for the first thousand years, every Western Orthodox Church, our Lord and God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit has filled His temple and dwelt within the Holy of Holies to minister to us poor and wretched souls who have sought Him in all humility of heart. God in His majesty and mercy has clothed Himself with the rags of man to become like us so that He might save us from our brokenness which occurred when Adam fell. Now, because of God's mercy, death has been conquered and all men will be raised, no longer held fast by chains of death and we celebrate His sacrifice and resurrection for us at every liturgy in every temple in which He dwells all over the face of the earth. The fullness of the Godhead is dwelling among men now and the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Lord in His glorious raimnent is possible even now on earth as it is in heaven. Just visit an Eastern Orthodox Church and you will see for yourself the beauty of the Lord in the habitation of His people.

The Clothing of God

"...God adorned human nature in this way because He was going to clothe Himself in it. He was to assume it from the blood of the Virgin, transform it into something better, and set it on high above all principality and power..."

St. Gregory Palamas

"Homilies"

My Patron Saint

The Monk Euphrosynos – was from one of the Palestinian monasteries, and he did his obedience working in the kitchen as a cook. Toiling away for the brethren, the Monk Euphrosynos did not absent himself from thought about God, but rather dwelt in prayer and fasting. He remembered always, that obedience – is the first duty of a monk, and therefore humbly he was obedient to the elder brethren. The patience of the saint was amazing: they often reproached him, but he made no complaint and unperturbedly endured every unpleasantness. The Monk Euphrosynos pleased the Lord by his inner virtue concealed from people, and the Lord Himself revealed to the monastic brethren the spiritual heights of their unassuming fellow-monk. One of the monastery presbyters in prayer asked the Lord to show him the blessings, prepared for the righteous in the age to come. The priest beheld in a dream, what is situated in paradise and he contemplated with fear and with joy its inexplicable beauty. He also espied there a monk of his monastery, – the cook Euphrosynos. Amazed at this encounter, the presbyter asked Euphrosynos, how he came to be there. The saint answered him, that he was in paradise through the great mercy of God. The priest again asked, whether Euphrosynos would be able to give him something from amongst the surrounding beauty. The Monk Euphrosynos suggested to the priest to take whatsoever he wished, and so the priest pointed to three luscious apples, growing in the paradise garden. The monk picked the three apples, wrapped them in a kerchief, and gave them to his companion. Having awakened in the early morning, the priest thought the vision a typical dream, but suddenly he noticed next to him the kerchief with the fruit of paradise wrapped in it, and emitting a wondrous fragrance. The priest, having found the Monk Euphrosynos in church, asked him under oath, where he was the night before. The saint answered, that he was there where also the priest was. Then the monk said, that the Lord, in fulfilling the prayer of the priest, had shown him paradise and had bestown the fruit of paradise through him, " the lowly and unworthy servant of God, Euphrosynos". At the finish of the morning the priest related everything to the monastery brethren, pointing out the spiritual loftiness of Euphrosynos in pleasing God, and he pointed to the fragrant paradaisical fruit. Deeply affected by what they heard, the monks went to the kitchen, in order to pay respect to the Monk Euphrosynos, but they did not find him there: fleeing human glory, the monk had left the monastery. The place where he concealed himself remained unknown, but the monks always remembered that their monastic brother the Monk Euphrosynos had come upon paradise, and that they in being saved, through the mercy of God would meet him there. The apples of paradise they reverently saved and distributed pieces of for blessing and for healing.

Bread and Wine - The Purity of the Sacrifice

Unpolluted, undefiled, a perfect lamb.

The first fruits of the wheat.

Modernity has desecrated the Holy Sacrament of communion.

The prosphora has been tainted with elements not of God's creation.

Where does the wheat come from? How has it been treated and grown? Was it grown to the glory of God? Are the ingredients pure and unadulterated? Is the salt pure and natural or is it altered by men who have become Gods unto themselves?

We ought no longer to embrace modernity and it's rebellious practices.

We need to return to the traditions of the ancients and reject the ways of this modern world.

The ingredients of the holy sacraments in some ways show us where our hearts are at. Is the bread pure? Is the wine pure? Where did it come from? Do we care? Do it matter? I should think so!

What kind of lamb did God require for a sacrifice? Was it to be taken from the flock of a foreign people or was it to be from one's own flock? Did God care if it was blemished or maimed or the least of the flock? Do we give God the best of our labors? Does he care?

The devil has cunningly entered into the Holy of Holies and he has done so in the most cunning of ways. He seeks to usurp God and take the place of God and through the spirits that inhabit the darkness of our modern world, he has literally entered into the very elements of the holy sacraments. Albeit God is greater and will overcome, never the less, man in collusion with Satan, albeit unconsciously has become a pawn of the evil one who has tainted the bread and wine with his polluted, dark and deathly principles.

We have in this act, this act which to many may seem innocuous and insignificant, a sign of the times. It is evidence of the near coming of the anti-Christ. It is evidence that he is near, so near that he has already entered into the Holy of Holies and is at this very present time desecrating the holy elements.

We are now in the midst of the end times, it is upon us at this very hour and it will be as God forewarned, a great time of falling away by the faithful, a time when the love of many will grow cold and lifeless. This hour is a time of great travail, suffering and sadness.

We must not lose heart for the Lord is near, nearer than He has ever been to returning for the final gathering in of His beloved flock. The closer we come to His most glorious return, the more intense will be the activity of the evil one, for his time is near end and like a cornered rat, he will now attack with a vengeance as we have never seen before in the history of the world.

Stand firm my beloved, says the Lord and do not lose heart. Gird yourselves with the loin belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, shod your feet with the gospel of peace and place on your head the helmet of salvation. Take up your shield of faith and the sword of God's holy word. The greatest battle that will ever take place upon the face of the earth is about to begin and we can be assured that the victory belongs to Christ, though the battle be long and fierce, exhausting and bloody and even if we perish in the battle we can be assured of this one blessed promise, the dead shall rise in Christ and those who have done well will rise to be with the Lord, their King forever and those who have succumbed and given themselves over to the evil one will forever be with their king but not in glory.

Crush Or Be Crushed

"The heart cannot remain firm in purity, so as not to be defiled, if it will not be crushed by fasting. It is impossible also to preserve holiness without fasting, and the flesh will not submit to the spirit for spiritual activity, and prayer itself will not rise up and act because natural needs predominate. And the flesh will be compelled to become feverish. And from thoughts the heart is aroused and is defiled, and through this, grace departs, and the unclean spirits have boldness to rule over us as much as they wish." St. Paisius Velichkovsky "Field Flowers"

St. Nilius the Myrrh-Streaming 451 A.D.

The Russian translation of the book published on Mt. Athos back in 1912, “The Posthumous Predictions of St. Nilus the Myrrh-streaming,” which has long been famous, contains prophecies by this great ascetic concerning the last days, the world-wide enthronement of the Antichrist, and the tribulations which the world will experience upon the enthronement of the Antichrist. Now we have received the Russian translation of the predictions of this wonderful Athonite recluse which especially pertain to the 20th century. These predictions are truly extraordinary! Here is the text verbatim:

“In the middle of the 20th century, the people of that time will become unrecognizable. When the time for the advent of the Antichrist approaches, people’s minds will grow dim from carnal passions, and iniquity and lawlessness will grow stronger. The world will then become unrecognizable. People’s appearance will change, and it will be impossible to distinguish men from women due to their shamelessness in dress and style of hair. These people will be cruel and will be like wild animals because of the temptations of the Antichrist. There will be no respect for parents and elders, and love will disappear. Christian pastors, bishops and priests, will become vain men, completely failing to distinguish the right-hand way from the left. At that time morals and traditions of Christians and the Church will change. People will abandon modesty and chastity, while fornication and dissipation will reign. Falsehood and love of money will reach extreme proportions, and woe to those who will pile up treasures. Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, secret deeds, theft, and murder will rule in society.

At that future time, due to the power of such great criminality and licentiousness, people will be deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which they received in Holy Baptism, and equally of remorse. The Churches of God will be deprived of God-fearing and pious pastors, and woe unto the Christians remaining in the world at that time, who will completely lose faith, because they will lack the opportunity of seeing the light of knowledge from anyone at all. Then they will separate themselves out of the world into holy refuges, seeking to assuage their spiritual sufferings, but everywhere they will encounter obstacles and constraints. And all this will result from the fact that the Antichrist will want to be master over everything and to become the ruler of the whole universe; he will produce miracles and fantastic signs. He will also give depraved wisdom to people, so that they will discover a way by which one man can carry on a conversation with another from one end of the earth to the other. At that time men will also fly through the air like birds and descend to the bottom of the sea like fish. And when they have achieved all this, these unhappy people will spend their lives in comfort without knowing, poor souls, that it is the deception of the Antichrist. And the impious one! – he will so perfect science with vanity, that it will lead people off the right path and cause them to lose faith in the existence of the One God in Three Hypostases.

Then the All-good God, seeing the downfall of the human race, will curtail the days for the sake of those few who are being saved, because the enemy wants to lead even the chosen into temptation, if possible… Then the sword of chastisement will suddenly appear and kill the perverter and his servants.” (Note: St. Nilus wrote these prophecies around 451 A.D.!)