Category: Theology

Above everything is love. The thing that must concern you, my children, is love for the other person, for his soul. Whatever we do, whether it is prayer or offering advice or pointing out some error, let us do it with love. Without love prayer is of no benefit, advice is hurtful and pointing out errors is harmful and destructive to the other person who senses whether we love him or not and reacts accordingly. Love, love, love! Love for our brother prepare us to love Christ more. Isn’t that perfect? Continue reading “Let us scatter our love selflessly to all”

Pentecost, Troparion, Tone VIII —
Blessed art Thou, Christ our God, Who didst make the fishermen wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit, and through them didst draw the world into Thy net. Lover of men, glory to Thee.

Koniakion, Tone VIII —
When the Most High came down and confused the tongues, He divided the nations, but when He distributed the tongues of fire, He called all to unity. And with one accord we glorify the All-Holy Spirit.

Ascension of the Lord, Troparion, Tone IV —
Thou didst ascend into glory, O Christ our God, having gladdened Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. And this blessing convinced them that Thou art the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.

Kontakion, Tone VI —
Having accomplished for us Thy mission and united things on earth with things in heaven, Thou didst ascend into glory, O Christ our God, being nowhere separated from those who love Thee, but remaining everpresent with us and calling: I am with you and no one is against you.

Listen to Fr. Thomas rejoicing in the enthronement of the crucified One, raised and glorified:

[podcast]http://audio.ancientfaith.com/hopko/stt036ascension_pc.mp3[/podcast]

With this, the Paschal season has come to an end for this year.

Today the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Apostle James, who, according to Tradition rests in Santiago de Compostela.

Holy Apostle James, the Brother of St. John the Theologian, Troparion, Tone III —
O holy apostle James/ entreat the merciful God// that He grant to our souls remission of transgressions.

Or this troparion, in the same tone —
Thou wast a chosen apostle of Christ/ and the only brother of the beloved Theologian,/ O most lauded James./ Ask thou remission of sins for those who hymn thee,// and great mercy for our souls.

Kontakion, Tone II: “Seeking the highest…” —
Hearing the voice of God calling thee,/ thou didst disdain the love of thy father,/ and with thy kinsman thou didst hasten after Christ, O glorious James./ And with him thou wast counted worthy to behold// the divine transfiguration of the Lord.

Patriachal Paschal Encyclical 2011 from His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia, Irenej

 

The Bright Resurrection of Christ, Troparion. Tone V —
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling on death by death, and on those in the tombs bestowing life.

Kontakion, Tone VIII —
Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of hell, and didst rise again as Conqueror, O Christ our God, saying to the myrrhbearing women, Rejoice! and giving peace to Thine Apostles, and offering to the fallen resurrection.

Troparion —
O great and holiest Passover, Christ! O Wisdom, Word and Power of God! Grant that we may more perfectly
partake of Thee in the unending Day of Thy Kingdom.

Exaposieilarion —
Having slept in the flesh as a mortal, O King and Lord, Thou didst rise on the third day. Thou didst raise up Adam from corruption and abolish death, O Passover of incorruption, Salvation of the world!

Kontakion —
Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of hell, and didst rise again as Conqueror, O Christ our God, saying to the myrrbearing women, Rejoice! And giving peace to Thine Apostles, and offering to the fallen resurrection.

Troparia —
In the grave bodily, in hell with the soul as God, in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit wast Thou Who fillest all things, O Christ the Infinite.

Христос васкрсе! Ваистину васкрсе!
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
Kristus er opstanden! Sandelig Han er Opstanden!
Χριστός ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη!

Great and Holy Saturday, Troparia, Tone II —
Noble Joseph … When Thou, the Deathless Life, didst go down to death, then didst Thou slay hell by the lightning flash of Thy Divinity. And when Thou didst raise the dead from the lower world, all the Powers of Heaven cried aloud: Christ our God, Giver of Life, glory to Thee. The Angel…

Kontakion, Tone II —
He Who closed the abyss is seen as dead and wrapped in a shroud and spices; He, the Immortal, as mortal is laid in the tomb; women came to anoint Him, and they wept bitterly and exclaimed: This is the ever-blessed Sabbath on which Christ, Who fell asleep, shall rise on the third day.

Great and Holy Friday, Troparion, Tone IV —
Thou hast redeemed us from the curse of the Law by Thy precious Blood. By being nailed to the Cross and pierced with the Spear, Thou hast poured immortality on mankind. O our Saviour, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, Tone VIII —
Come, let us all praise Him Who was crucified for us. For Him it was Whom Mary beheld on the Tree, and said: Even though Thou endurest the cross, Thou art my Son and my God.

Troparia, Tone II —

(Vespers and Saturday Matins)

Noble Joseph took Thy immaculate Body down from the tree, wrapped It in a clean shroud and spices, and having embalmed It, laid It in a new sepulchre. But on the third day Thou didst rise, O Lord, granting to the world great mercy.

The Angel stood by the tomb and cried to the Myrrh-bearing women: Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself free from corruption.

Great and Holy Thursday, Troparion, Tone VIII —
When Thy glorious Disciples were enlightened at the supper by the feet washing, then the impious Judas was darkened with the disease of avarice, and he delivered Thee, the Just Judge, to the lawless judges. See, O lover of money, this man through money came to hang himself. Flee the insatiable desire which dared to do such things to the Master. O Lord, Who art good towards all, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, Tone II —
Having taken bread in his hand, the traitor secretly stretches it out, and takes a price for Him Who with His own hands made man. And Judas remained an incorrigible slave and liar.

Great and Holy Monday, Troparion, Tone VIII —
Behold, the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find awake and watching, but unworthy is he whom He shall find idle and careless. Beware, then, my soul, lest thou be weighed down with sleep, lest thou be given up to death and shut out of the Kingdom. But awake and cry: Holy, Holy, Holy, art Thou, O God: through the intercessions of the Bodiless Ones, save us. (Sung three times; however, the ending the third time is: through the Mother of God, have mercy on us.)

Kontakion, Tone VIII —
Jacob lamented the loss of Joseph, but his noble son was sitting in a chariot and honoured as a king. For when he refused to be enslaved by the pleasures of the Egyptian woman, he was glorified by Him Who sees the hearts of men and bestows an incorruptible crown.