Una din bisericile Manastirii Hurezi

“Cine nu se roaga ramane in imparatia materiei”.

Sfantul Ambrozie

Canonizarea Sf. Grigorie Dascalul, 21 mai 2006

Viata sfantului si cuvinte de invatatura gasiti aici. 

Acatistul Sfantului Grigorie Dascalul.

Mai multe imagini din timpul procesiunii canonizarii:

Canonizarea Sf. Grigorie Dascalul, 21 mai 2006; Sfanta Liturghie tinuta de PS Sebastian Ilfoveanu.

Manastirea Cheia | 26 decembrie 2005

“Dumnezeu este “… Singurul Care poate birui pacatul in cei ce vor cu adevarat sa vada biruit pacatul in ei insisi”.

Sfantul Ignatie Briancianinov

Sfânta Mănăstire Putna

Sfânta Mănăstire Putna, ctitoria domnitorului Ștefan cel Mare (1457-1504).

Unui frate făcându-i-se strâmbătate de către alt frate, a venit la avva Sisoe şi i-a zis : mi s-a făcut strâmbătate de cutare frate şi eu voi să-mi fac izbândă. Iar bătrânul îl ruga zicând : nu, fiule, ci lasă mai bine la Dumnezeu izbânda. Iar el zicea : nu voi înceta până nu voi face izbândă. Şi a zis bătrânul : să ne rugăm, frate ! Şi sculându-se, a zis bătrânul : Dumnezeule, nu mai avem trebuinţă de Tine, ca să porţi grijă pentru noi, căci noi ne facem izbândă noastră. Deci, această auzind fratele, a căzut la picioarele bătrânului, zicând : nu mă mai judec cu fratele, iartă-mă, avvo!

*

A spus avva Zenon: cel care doreşte ca Dumnezeu să-i asculte rugăciunea degrabă,

Mănăstirea Sfântul Ioan cel Nou de la Suceava

Ispitele nu ne părăsesc cât trăim pe acest pământ. Însă uneori, avem şi ani de linişte. Pentru această perioadă de răgaz, Avva Visarion a zis: "Când eşti în pace şi nu ai altă luptă, atunci mai mult te smereşte, ca nu cumva bucurie străină intrând, să ne lăudăm şi să fim daţi la război. Că de multe ori Dumnezeu pentru neputinţele noastre, nu ne lasă să fim daţi spre luptă, ca să nu pierim.” (Patericul egiptean).

***

A zis un bătrân : cel ce fură sau cel ce minte sau cel ce face alt păcat, de multe ori îndată după ce a săvârşit păcatul, suspină şi se prihaneste pe sine şi vine întru pocăinţă. Cel ce are în suflet pomenire de rău, ori mănâncă, ori doarme, ori umblă, ca de rugină este ros.

Manastirea Sihastria Putnei

Un frate s-a dus la avva Macarie egipteanul si i-a zis : avvo, spune-mi cuvant sa ma mantuiesc ! Si i-a zis batranul : du-te la mormant si ocaraste mortii ! Deci ducandu-se fratele a ocarat si a azvarlit cu pietre si venind a vestit batranului. Si i-a zis batranul : nimie nu ti-au grait ? Iar el a raspuns : nu. I-a zis lui batranul : du-te si maine si ii slaveste ! Deci mergand fratele, i-a slavit zicand : apostolilor, sfintilor si dreptilor ! Si a venit la batranul si i-a zis : i-am slavit. Si-a zis batranul : nimic nu ti-au raspuns ? A zis fratele : nu. I-a zis lui batranul : stii cu cate i-ai necinstit si nimic nu ti-au raspuns si cu cate i-ai slavit si nimic nu ti-au grait ? Asa si tu, daca voiesti sa te mantuiesti, fa-te mort; nici nedreptatea oamenilor, nici lauda lor sa nu o socotesti, ca cei morti sa fii si poti sa te mantuiesti.

Patericul egiptean

Sfanta Manastire Sucevita

Sfanta Manastire Sucevita- detaliu intrare (icoana de deasupra portii)

Un frate l-a intrebat pe avva Pimen despre supararea gandurilor. Si i-a zis lui batranul : acest lucru este asemenea cu un barbat ce are foc de-a stanga si un pahar cu apa de-a dreapta; deci de se va aprinde focul, va lua apa din pahar si-l va stinge. Focul este samanta vrajmasului iar apa insemneaza a se arunca pe sine inaintea lui Dumnezeu. (Patericul Egiptean)

Sfanta Manastire Secu | Neamt

A povestit avva Daniil faranitul, ca a zis parintele nostru avva Arsenie pentru un schitiot, ca era mare cu faptele, dar prost la credinta si gresea pentru prostimea lui si zicea ca nu este cu adevarat Trupul lui Hristos, painea care o luam, ci inchipuire.
Si au auzit doi batrani, ca zisese acest cuvant si stiindu-l ca este mare la viata, au socotit ca din nerautate si prostime zice. Si au venit la el si i-au zis lui : avvo, cuvant de necrezut am auzit pentru oarecare, cum ca zice ca painea cu care ne impartasim, nu este cu adevarat Trupul lui Hristos, ci este in- chipuire. Zis-a batranul : eu sunt cel ce am zis aceasta. Iar ei il rugau, zicand : nu tine asa, avvo, ci precum a invatat Biserica cea soborniceasca. Caci noi credem ca painea aceasta este Trupul lui Hristos cu adevarat si paharul este insusi Sangele lui Hristos cu adevarat si nu e inchipuire. Ci precum intru inceput tarana luand din pamant, a zidit pe om dupa chipul Sau si nimeni nu poate zice ca nu este chip al lui Dumnezeu, desi este neinteles chipul, asa si painea, pentru care a zis, ca Trupul Meu este, asa credem ca este cu adevarat Trupul lui Hristos. Iar batranul a zis : de nu ma voi incredinta din lucru, nu am vestire in chip desavirsit.Iar ei au raspuns: sa ne rugam lui Dumnezeu toata saptamana pentru taina aceasta si credem ca Dumnezeu ne va descoperi noua. Iar batranul cu bucurie a primit cuvantul si se ruga lui Dumnezeu si el zicind : Doamne. Tu stii ca nu din rautate sunt necredincios, ci ca sa nu ma insel intru nestiinta. Descopere-mi, Doamne Iisuse Hristoase ! Mergand inca si batranii la chiliile lor, se rugau lui Dumnezeu si ei zicand : Doamne Iisuse Hristoase, descopere baranului taina aceasta, ca sa creada si sa nu-si piarda osteneala sa ! Si Dumnezeu a ascultat amandoua partile. Si implinindu-se saptamana, au venit ei duminica la biserica si au stat impreuna numai ei catestrei pe o rogojina, iar in mijloc era baranul. Si li s-au deschis lor ochii cei intelegatori.Iar cand s-a pus painea pe Sfanta Masa se arata numai la catesitrei ca un prunc si cand intindea mana preotul sa franga painea, iata ingerul Domnului s-a pogorat din cer, avand cutit si a jertfit pe Prunc si a turnat sangele Lui in pahar. Iar cand a frant preotul painea in bucati mici si ingerul taia din Prunc bucatile mici. Si cand s-a apropiat sa ia din cele sfinte, i s-a dat batranului carne cu sange. Si vazind, s-a infricosat si a strigat zicand : cred Doamne, ca painea este Trupul Tau si paharul este Sangele Tau ! Si indata s-a facut carnea cea din mana lui paine dupa taina. Si s-a impartasit, multumind lui Dumnezeu. Si i-au zis lui batranii : Dumnezeu stie firea omeneasca, ca nu poate sa manance carne cruda si pentru aceasta a prefacut Trupul Sau in paine si Sangele Sau in vin, la cei ce primesc cu credinta. Si au multumit ei lui Dumnezeu pentru batranul, ca nu a lasat sa se piarda ostenelile lui. Si s-au dus catestrei cu bucurie la chiliile lor. (Patericul Egiptean)

Inca si alt frate cu aceleasi ganduri luptandu-se asa pentru Sfintele Taine, ca si cel mai sus zis batran, indoindu-se si necrezand, de ceilalti frati s-a luat la slujba si povestea, ca a vazut unele ca acestea, fiindca fratii cei ce il luasera pe el, se rugau cu deadinsul, ca sa i se arate lui de la Dumnezeu adevarul lucrurilor, sa lepede gandurile necredintei. Deci dupa ce s-a sfarsit slujba, le-a povestit lor fratele zicand : dupa ce s-a citit Apostolul, indata ce s-a suit diaconul sa citeasca Sfanta Evahghelie, am vazut acoperemantul bisericii deschis si cerul vazandu-se, iar pe diacon inconjurat de foc din toate partile. Apoi dupa ce s-au adus Darurile si s-au pus inainte, am vazut cerurile deschizandu-se si peste dumnezeiestile Daruri foc pogorandu-se si dupa foc multime de ingeri, si in mijlocul lor un Prunc si alte doua fete a caror frumusete nu este cu putinta a spune, caci era stralucirea lor ca fulgerul. Si ingerii aceia stau imprejurul mesei, iar Pruncul sedea pe masa. si dupa ce s-au apropiat preotii sa franga painile punerii inainte, am vazut cele doua minunate fete ca s-au apropiat si au tinut mainile si picioarele Pruncului si cu cutitul pe care il tineau, au junghiat pe Prunc si Sangele Lui l-au turnat in pahar, apoi au taiat bucatele Trupul Lui si L-au pus pe paini. Si indata s-au facut painile Trup. Si cand s-au apropiat fratii sa se impartaseasca, mi s-a dat mie trup curat si neputand sa ma impartasesc cu el, plangeam. Si am auzit glas graindu-mi in urechile mele : omule, pentru ce nu te impartasesti ? Nu este aceasta ceea ce ai cerut ? Si eu am zis : milostiv fii mie, Doamne, nu pot sa mananc trup. Si iarasi glasul a zis : cunoaste, dar, ca de putea omul sa se impartaseasca cu trup, trup s-ar fi aflat, precum si tu ai aflat, dar nu poate sa manance trup si pentru aceasta Domnul Dumnezeul nostru a randuit paini ale puterii inainte. Deci, de ai crezut, impartaseste-te si tu ! Iar eu am zis : cred, Doamne ! Si aceasta zicand eu, s-a facut indata Trupul pe care il aveam in mana mea, paine. Si multumind lui Dumnezeu, m-am impartasit. Iar dupa ce s-a sfarsit sfanta slujba cea de taina, am vazut de asemenea, acoperamantul bisericii deschis si pe dumnezeiestile si cerestile puteri iarasi la ceruri inaltandu-se. Acestea auzindu-le fratii de la fratele cel ce le povestea si umilindu-se pentru atata dar al lui Hristos, s-au dus multumindu-I si slavindu-L pe El. (Patericul Egiptean, Avva Daniil)

Biserica seminarului Manastirii Neamt

Biserica seminarului Manastirii Neamt, in zori.

(Avva Epifanie, episcopul Ciprului) "...zis-a iarasi: de nevoie este castigarea cartilor crestinesti la cei ce pot sa le dobandeasca. Ca si singura vederea cartilor mai pregetatori catre pacat ne face pe noi si catre dreptate ne indeamna sa ne ridicam.

Zis-a iarasi : mare intarire spre a nu pacatui, este citirea Scripturilor.

Zis-a iarasi : mare prapastie si adanca groapa este nestiinta Scripturilor.

Zis-a iarasi : mare vanzare a mantuirii este a nu sti niciuna din dumnezeiestile legi. (Patericul egiptean)[gallery link="file" order="DESC"]

Turnul Sfantului Stefan cel Mare | Piatra Neamt

Aici a trait Mosul Gheorghe Lazar.

Moşul Gheorghe avea la Mănăstirea Neamţ trei monahi, ucenici ai lui din Transilvania, cu numele Veniamin, Pamvo şi cu Damaschin.
Odată bătrânul a venit la ei să-i vadă. Iar ei, fiind tulburaţi, i-au spus:
- Moş Gheorghe, noi plecăm din mănăstirea asta, că ne-am smintit!
- Dar de ce, drăguţă?
- Nu mai este mântuire aici!
Atunci bătrânul, deşi era foarte blând, a strigat tare de trei ori:
- Nu fă tu! Nu fă tu! Nu fă tu!... Că fiecare va răspunde pentru ale sale păcate.(Patericul romanesc)

(Pisania Bisericii construite de Sfantul Stefan cel Mare in Piatra Neamt)

Schitul Vovidenia | Neamt

Schitul Vovidenia, langa Neamt, in zorii diminetii.

Biserica Schitului si paraclisul.

Zicea avva Isidor Pelusiotul, ca viata fara de cuvant mai mult foloseste decat cuvantul fara viata. Caci viata si tacand foloseste, iar cuvantul si strigand supara. Dar daca si cuvantul si viata se vor intalni, fac o icoana a toata filosofia. (Patericul egiptean)

Signs of the Times

Signs of the Times

By Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim Rose

In the following talk,1 Fr. Seraphim speaks to us from almost twenty years ago, and yet his words are quite relevant to our times as we approach the end of the second millennium. Although some of the individual examples he gives are now dated, there are now even more extreme examples of the same phenomena of which he speaks. As always, he humbles his understanding before the holy Scriptures and their interpretation by the Orthodox Holy Fathers, and thus his teaching about the times remains timeless, free of the intellectual fashions and prejudices of this world. As time goes on, the Orthodox world-view from which he received his wisdom will become ever more necessary for the spiritual survival of true Christians.

1. WHY STUDY THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES?

THE SUBJECT of this talk is watching for the signs of the times. First of all, we have to know what it is meant by the phrase "signs of the times." This expression comes straight from the Gospel, from the words of our Saviour in Matthew 16:3. Christ tells the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to Him, "Ye can discern the face of the sky," that is, tell what the weather will be; "but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" In other words, He's telling them that this has nothing to do with science, or with knowing our place in the world, or anything of the sort. It's a religious question. We study the signs of the times in order to be able to recognize Christ.
During the time of Christ, the Pharisees and Sadducees did not study the signs of the times in order to see that Christ had come, that the Son of God was already on earth. There were already signs that they should have recognized. For example, in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament, there is a prophecy concerning the seventy weeks of years, which means that the Messiah was to come about 490 years from the time of Daniel. Those Jews who read their books very carefully knew exactly what this was all about, and at about the time that Christ came they knew that it was time for the messiah.
But this is an outward sign. More importantly, the Pharisees and Sadducees should have been watching for the inward signs. If their hearts had been right with God, and if they had not been merely trying to fulfill the outward commandment of the law, their hearts would have responded and recognized God in the flesh when He came. And many of the Jews did—the apostles, the disciples, and many others.

Saint Silouan on Love

Saint Silouan on Love

The soul cannot know peace unless she prays for her enemies. The soul that has learned of God's grace to pray, feels love and compassion for every created thing, and in particular for mankind, for whom the Lord suffered on the Cross, and His soul was heavy for every one of us.

The Lord taught me to love my enemies. Without the grace of God we cannot love our enemies. Only the Holy Spirit teaches love, and then even devils arouse our pity because they have fallen from good, and lost humility in God.

I beseech you, put this to the test. When a man affronts you or brings dishonor on your head, or takes what is yours, or persecutes the Church, pray to the Lord, saying: "O Lord, we are all Thy creatures. Have pity on Thy servants and turn their hearts to repentance," and you will be aware of grace in your soul. To begin with, constrain your heart to love enemies, and the Lord, seeing your good will, will help you in all things, and experience itself will shoe you the way. But the man who thinks with malice of his enemies has not God's love within him, and does not know God.

If you will pray for your enemies, peace will come to you; but when you can love your enemies - know that a great measure of the grace of God dwells in you, though I do not say perfect grace as yet, but sufficient for salvation. Whereas if you revile your enemies, it means there is an evil spirit living in you and bringing evil thoughts into your heart, for, in the words of the Lord, out of the heart proceed evil thoughts - or good thoughts.

The good man thinks to himself in this wise: Every one who has strayed from the truth brings destruction on himself and is therefore to be pitied. But of course the man who has not learned the love of the Holy Spirit will not pray for his enemies. The man who has learned love from the Holy Spirit sorrows all his life over those who are not saved, and sheds abundant tears for the people, and the grace of God gives him strength to love his enemies.

Understand me. It is so simple. People who do not know God, or who go against Him, are to be pitied; the heart sorrows for them and the eye weeps. Both paradise and torment are clearly visible to us: We know this through the Holy Spirit. And did not the Lord Himself say, "The kingdom of God is within you"? Thus eternal life has its beginning here in this life; and it is here that we sow the seeds of eternal torment.

Where there is pride there cannot be grace, and if we lose grace we also lose both love of God and assurance in prayer. The soul is then tormented by evil thoughts and does not understand that she must humble herself and love her enemies, for there is no other way to please God.

What shall I render unto Thee, O Lord,
for that Thou hast poured such great mercy on my soul?
Grant, I beg Thee, that I may see my iniquities,
and ever weep before Thee,
for Thou art filled with love for humble souls,
and dost give them the grace of the Holy Spirit.

O merciful God, forgive me.
Thou seest how my soul is drawn to Thee, her Creator.
Thou hast wounded my soul with Thy love,
and she thirsts for Thee, and wearies without end,
and day and night, insatiable, reaches toward Thee,
and has no wish to look upon this world, though I do love it,
but above all I love Thee, my Creator,
and my soul longs after Thee.

O my Creator, why have I, Thy little creature,
grieved Thee so often? Yet Thou hast not remembered my sins.

Glory be to the Lord God that He gave us His Only-begotten
Son for the sake of our salvation.
Glory be to the Only-begotten Son that He deigned to be
born of the Most Holy Virgin, and suffered for our salvation,
and gave us His Most Pure Body and Blood to eternal life,
and sent His Holy Spirit on the earth.

O Lord, grant me tears to shed for myself,
and for the whole universe,
that the nations may know Thee and live eternally with Thee,
O Lord, vouchsafe us the gift of Thy humble Holy Spirit,
that we may apprehend Thy glory.

Source: http://silouanthompson.net/2008/03/15/saint-silouan-the-athonite/

(Photo: Painting in Lainici Monastery, Gorj county)

Living an Orthodox Life

These pages are devoted to helping Orthodox Christians living in the world to properly live the Orthodox life, i.e., to practice their Faith. We are all called to an ascetic podvig. Thus, the articles on these pages are geared towards helping us engage in this mysteriological-ascetic struggle.

Also, it is not uncommon today to find sincere, devout people who simply were never told about certain aspects of etiquette in Church, how to greet a priest, how to properly prepare for Holy Communion, etc. By hosting a collection of page containing the "essentials", with some supporting articles, I hope to help a few of us at least become aware of traditional practices.

I should mention that there are small differences in practice between the Russian and Greek traditions. I make note of these differences whenever possible. I caution you against any form of legalism that would see certain practices as the only way. It is always best to submit to the authority of, and be guided by, a spiritual father and/or your local priest. In this way we are kept in balance and can avoid judgmentalism and delusion.

Finally, the term orthopraxis is a transliteration from the Greek meaning "right practice." It is a kin to orthodoxy, which means "right glory" or "right worship."

Of course, you need labor and effort, both mental and from the heart. Do not spare yourself. If you do, you will ruin yourself. Do not spare yourself, and you will have salvation. Abandon a certain wrongful activity that often strikes and afflicts almost everyone: That is, the fact that we spare no labor on any matter except when it comes to that of salvation. We want to think that we have only to contemplate salvation and desire it, and everything is all set. That is not how it happens in reality. The matter of salvation is the most important thing. Consequently it is the most difficult. This is by virtue of its importance and by the labor required. Labor then, for the Lord's sake! Very soon you will see the fruit. If you do not set to work, however, you will be left without anything and be unworthy. Deliver us, Lord, from this!

—St. Theophan the Recluse, The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It, Letter 51

"Theology without action (praxis) is the theology of demons."

—St. Maximos the Confessor

Source: http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/

The Orthodox Church | An Introduction

The Orthodox Church was founded by our Lord Jesus Christ and is the living manifestation of His presence in the history of the mankind. The most conspicuous characteristics of Orthodoxy are its rich liturgical life and its faithfulness to the apostolic tradition. It is believed by Orthodox Christians that their Church has preserved the tradition and continuity of the ancient Church in its fullness compared to other Christian denominations which have departed from the common tradition of the Church of the first 10 centuries. Today Orthodox Church numbers approximately 300 million Christians who follow the faith and practices that were defined by the first seven ecumenical councils. The word orthodox ("right belief and right glory") has traditionally been used, in the Greek-speaking Christian world, to designate communities, or individuals, who preserved the true faith (as defined by those councils), as opposed to those who were declared heretical. The official designation of the church in its liturgical and canonical texts is "the Orthodox Catholic Church" (gr. catholicos = universal).

The Orthodox Church is a family of "autocephalous" (self governing) churches, with the Ecumenical (= universal) Patriarch of Constantinople holding titular or honorary primacy as primus inter pares (the first among equals). The Orthodox Church is not a centralized organization headed by a pontiff. The unity of the Church is rather manifested in common faith and communion in the sacraments and no one but Christ himself is the real head of the Church. The number of autocephalous churches has varied in history. Today there are many: the Church of Constantinople (Istanbul), the Church of Alexandria (Egypt), the Church of Antioch (with headquarters in Damascus, Syria), and the Churches of Jerusalem, Russia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania and America

There are also "autonomous" churches (retaining a token canonical dependence upon a mother see) in Czech and Slovak republic, Sinai, Crete, Finland, Japan, China and Ukraine. In addition there is also a large Orthodox Diaspora scattered all over the world and administratively divided among various jurisdictions (dependencies of the above mentioned autocephalous churches). The first nine autocephalous churches are headed by patriarchs, the others by archbishops or metropolitans. These titles are strictly honorary as all bishops are completely equal in the power granted to them by the Holy Spirit.

The order of precedence in which the autocephalous churches are listed does not reflect their actual influence or numerical importance. The Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch, for example, present only shadows of their past glory. Yet there remains a consensus that Constantinople's primacy of honor, recognized by the ancient canons because it was the capital of the ancient Byzantine empire, should remain as a symbol and tool of church unity and cooperation. Modern pan-Orthodox conferences were thus convoked by the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople. Several of the autocephalous churches are de facto national churches, by far the largest being the Russian Church; however, it is not the criterion of nationality but rather the territorial principle that is the norm of organization in the Orthodox Church.

In the wider theological sense "Orthodoxy is not merely a type of purely earthly organization which is headed by patriarchs, bishops and priests who hold the ministry in the Church which officially is called "Orthodox." Orthodoxy is the mystical "Body of Christ," the Head of which is Christ Himself (see Eph. 1:22-23 and Col. 1:18, 24 et seq.), and its composition includes not only priests but all who truly believe in Christ, who have entered in a lawful way through Holy Baptism into the Church He founded, those living upon the earth and those who have died in the Faith and in piety."

The Great Schism between the Eastern and the Western Church (1054) was the culmination of a gradual process of estrangement between the east and west that began in the first centuries of the Christian Era and continued through the Middle Ages. Linguistic and cultural differences, as well as political events, contributed to the estrangement. From the 4th to the 11th century, Constantinople, the center of Eastern Christianity, was also the capital of the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire, while Rome, after the barbarian invasions, fell under the influence of the Holy Roman Empire of the West, a political rival. In the West theology remained under the influence of St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430) and gradually lost its immediate contact with the rich theological tradition of the Christian East. In the same time the Roman See was almost completely overtaken by Franks. Theological differences could have probably been settled if there were not two different concepts of church authority. The growth of Roman primacy, based on the concept of the apostolic origin of the Church of Rome which claimed not only titular but also jurisdictional authority above other churches, was incompatible with the traditional Orthodox ecclesiology. The Eastern Christians considered all churches as sister churches and understood the primacy of the Roman bishop only as primus inter pares among his brother bishops. For the East, the highest authority in settling doctrinal disputes could by no means be the authority of a single Church or a single bishop but an Ecumenical Council of all sister churches. In the course of time the Church of Rome adopted various wrong teachings which were not based in the Tradition and finally proclaimed the teaching of the Pope's infallibility when teaching ex cathedra. This widened the gap even more between the Christian East and West. The Protestant communities which split from Rome in the course of centuries diverged even more from the teaching of the Holy Fathers and the Holy Ecumenical Councils. Due to these serious dogmatic differences the Orthodox Church is not in communion with the Roman Catholic and Protestant communities. More traditional Orthodox theologians do not recognize the ecclesial and salvific character of these Western churches at all, while the more liberal ones accept that the Holy Spirit acts to a certain degree within these communities although they do not possess the fullness of grace and spiritual gifts like the Orthodox Church. Many serious Orthodox theologians are of the opinion that between Orthodoxy and heterodox confessions, especially in the sphere of spiritual experience, the understanding of God and salvation, there exists an ontological difference which cannot be simply ascribed to cultural and intellectual estrangement of the East and West but is a direct consequence of a gradual abandonment of the sacred tradition by heterodox Christians.

At the time of the Schism of 1054 between Rome and Constantinople, the membership of the Eastern Orthodox Church was spread throughout the Middle East, the Balkans, and Russia, with its center in Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which was also called New Rome. The vicissitudes of history have greatly modified the internal structures of the Orthodox Church, but, even today, the bulk of its members live in the same geographic areas. Missionary expansion toward Asia and emigration toward the West, however, have helped to maintain the importance of Orthodoxy worldwide. Today, the Orthodox Church is present almost everywhere in the world and is bearing witness of true, apostolic and patristic tradition to all peoples.

The Orthodox Church is well known for its developed monasticism. The uninterrupted monastic tradition of Orthodox Christianity can be traced from the Egyptian desert monasteries of the 3rd and 4th centuries. Soon monasticism had spread all over the Mediterranean basin and Europe: in Palestine, Syria, Cappadocia, Gaul, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Slavic countries. Monasticism has always been a beacon of Orthodoxy and has made and continues to make a strong and lasting impact on Orthodox spirituality.

The Orthodox Church today is an invaluable treasury of the rich liturgical tradition handed down from the earliest centuries of Christianity. The sense of the sacred, the beauty and grandeur of the Orthodox Divine Liturgy make the presence of heaven on earth live and intensive. Orthodox Church art and music has a very functional role in the liturgical life and helps even the bodily senses to feel the spiritual grandeur of the Lord's mysteries. Orthodox icons are not simply beautiful works of art which have certain aesthetic and didactic functions. They are primarily the means through which we experience the reality of the Heavenly Kingdom on earth. The holy icons enshrine the immeasurable depth of the mystery of Christ's incarnation in defense of which thousands of martyrs sacrificed their lives.

Source: http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/orthodoxy.aspx

Sfanta Manastire Antim | Bucuresti

Un frate l-a intrebat de avva Pimen : ce voi face ispitelor acestora ce ma tulbura ? I-a zis lui batranul : sa plangem inaintea bunatatii lui Dumnezeu cu toata osteneala noastra, pana ce va face cu noi mila Sa! (Patericul egiptean).

Sfanta Manastire Cozia | Valcea

Bolnita Manastirii Cozia, judetul Valcea

Contra trandaviei, am gasit candva un cuvant foarte frumos. Unii spuneau ca orice muncesti, se duce, nu ramane nimic in urma. Un calugar a raspuns: "Decat sa stau degeaba, mai bine sa muncesc degeaba!"

Cuvânt al sf. Ioan Gură de Aur în noaptea învierii

Cuvânt al sf. Ioan Gură de Aur în noaptea învierii

De este cineva creştin bun şi iubitor de Dumnezeu, să se îndulcească de acest praznic bun şi luminat. De este cineva slugă înţeleaptă, să intre întru bucuria Domnului său.
De s-a ostenit cineva postind, să-şi ia acum dinarul.
Dacă a lucrat cineva din ceasul dintâi, să-şi ia acum plată dreaptă; de a venit cineva după ceasul al treilea, mulţumind să prăznuiască; de a ajuns cineva după ceasul al şaselea, de nimic să nu se îndoiască, pentru că de nimic nu se va păgubi; de s-a lipsit cineva şi de ceasul al nouălea, să se aproprie, de nimic îndoindu-se; de a ajuns cineva numai în ceasul al unsprezecelea, să nu se teamă că a zăbovit.
Că milostiv fiind Stăpânul, primeşte pe cel din urmă ca pe cel dintâi; odihneşte pe cel din al unsprezecelea ceas, ca şi pe cel ce a lucrat din ceasul întâi; pe cel de pe urmă îl miluieşte şi pe cel dintâi îl mângâie; aceluia plăteşte şi acestuia dăruieşte; faptele le primeşte, voinţa o cuprinde; El cinsteşte osteneala sa, laudă buna odihnă.
Pentru aceasta, intraţi toţi întru bucuria Domnului vostru: şi cei dintâi, ca şi cei din urmă luaţi plată; bogaţii şi săracii împreună dănţuiţi; cei ce v-aţi înfrânat şi cei leneşi cinstiţi ziua; cei ce aţi postit şi cei ce n-aţi postit, veseliţi-vă astăzi.
Masa este plină, ospătaţi-vă toţi; viţelul este mare, nimeni să nu iasă flămând!
Toţi să vă îndulciţi de ospăţul credinţei; toţi să luaţi bogăţia bunătăţii!
Nimeni să nu plângă pentru sărăcie, că s-a arătat Împărăţia tuturor.
Nimeni să nu se tânguiască pentru păcate, că iertarea a strălucit din mormânt.
Nimeni să nu se teamă de moarte, că ne-a slobozit pe noi moartea Mântuitorului.
Stinsu-o-a pe ea Cel ce a fost ţintuit de ea.
Prădat-a iadul Cel ce s-a pogorât la iad.
Amărâtu-l-a pe el, Cel care l-a făcut să guste din Trupul Său.
Şi aceasta mai înainte cunoscând, Isaia a strigat: „Iadul s-a tânguit pentru că a fost batjocorit; batjocoritu-s-a că a fost înlănţuit. Luat-a un trup şi s-a văzut în faţa lui Dumnezeu; luat-a pământ şi s-a întâlnit cu cerul; luat-a ceea ce este văzut în ceea ce este nevăzut.
Unde-ţi este, moarte, boldul? Unde-ţi este, iadule, biruinţa?
Sculatu-S-a Hristos şi au căzut dracii.
Înviat-a Hristos şi se bucură îngerii.
Înviat-a Hristos şi viaţa saltă de bucurie.
Înviat-a Hristos şi nici un mort nu este în groapă.
Că Hristos înviind din morţi s-a făcut începutul învierii celor adormiţi.
Aceluia este Slava şi cinstea în vecii vecilor. Amin!

Parintele Gamaliel Sima

Aici este o fotografie de pe 7 iulie 2005 la o cateheza de la Manastirea Sfantul Antim.

Parintele Gamaliel tine cateheze martea si joia dupa Vecernie.

Sunt talcuiti psalmi si versete din Biblie.

Sfanta Manastire Turnu | Valcea

Despre rugaciune

"Un frate l-a intrebat pe un batran: pentru ce, cand stau la rugaciune, mai mult ma trage gandul la alte griji? Si i-a raspuns batranul: diavolul dintru inceput nevrand sa se inchine Dumnezeului tuturor, s-a lepadat din ceruri si strain s-a facut de imparatia lui Dumnezeu. Pentru aceasta se sileste si pe noi sa ne traga de la rugaciune la alte zabave, vrand sa lucreze si in noi ce a patimit el". (Patericul egiptean, Pentru rugaciune)

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Adauga inca si aceasta : omul imprumutandu-se de la om pentru saracie, sau pentru trebuinta inmultirii si dand inapoi, multumeste cu adevarat, dar da inapoi intru ascuns, fiindca se rusineaza. Iar stapanul Dumnezeu dimpotriva, intru ascuns imprumutandu-Se, rasplateste inaintea ingerilor si a arhanghelilor si a dreptilor ! (Patericul egiptean, Sfantul Epifanie, episcopul Ciprului).