September 14, 2022 An Orthodox Student Who Defied Hitler and Was Glorified by the Church To many, World War II is about victory over Nazi Germany, military prowess, battles and heroes. But the spiritual aspects of this war are…
September 11, 2022 Why Does Saint John the Baptist Appear in Icons with Two Heads and a Pair of Wings? In icons, Saint John the Baptist often appears with wings behind his back and his severed head in his hands. What is the meaning…
September 2, 2022 How Emperor Constantine Challenges Our Conception of an ‘Ideal’ Saint People like to idealise, and it is hard not to, especially if the person is a saint and an emperor. Among the multitude of…
August 11, 2022 “She Stopped at Every Grave in the Entire Cemetery, Praying for Her Fallen Lieges.” Memories of the Royal Family Daughter of the physician in ordinary E. Botkin, Tatiana Melnik (born Botkina) recalls: “Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna was weakened physically and mentally. Although she…
August 11, 2022 St. Paisios of the Holy Mountain: “The Love of Christ Was Ignited in Me so Strongly that My Bones Melted” Unspeakable Fragrance Two students visited the Elder in his cell of the Holy Cross and spoke with him for many hours on various spiritual…
August 5, 2022 A Visit to Saint Elisabeth’s Hometown Darmstadt For the sisters of Saint Elisabeth Convent, missionary visits to Western Europe are an opportunity to explore the sites connected with the life of…
August 3, 2022 Saint Paisios on How Two Words Once Saved his Troop from Death and Why a Monk’s Way to Help People Is Prayer A nun once asked the Venerable Paisios of the Holy Mountain, “Geronda, what does prayer mean for you personally?” The holy elder gave an…
July 18, 2022 Touched by the Holy Hand: Stories Told by the Artefacts Kept in the House-museum of St. Elisabeth Feodorovna in Moscow One can learn about the life of a saint by reading a book or watching a documentary. However, nothing helps to get to know…
July 16, 2022 Episodes from the lives of the Royal martyrs A lesson in humility The royal couple was taking a walk in a park when a box fell off a carriage carrying mail. Immediately,…
July 8, 2022 Saint John of Shanghai, as Remembered by His Spiritual Children. Part 2 Part 1 The first letter arrived in 1949, on the Feat Day day of St James. Archbishop John wrote: “Dear Zhora and Sima! I…
