Word Magazine December 1970 Page 14 ADVENT “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy in crease;”(ISAIAH 9:1) I understand the significance of the pre-Easter lent, but [...]
Nativity Sermon By St. Isaac the Syrian (d. AD 700) This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world; So let no one threaten; This is the night of the Most Gentle One - Let no one be cruel; This is the night of the Humble One - Let no one be proud. Now is [...]
St. Leo the Great Sermon XXIV. On the Feast of the Nativity, IV. I. The Incarnation Fulfils All Its Types and Promises. The Divine goodness, dearly beloved, has indeed always taken thought for mankind in divers manners, and in many portions, and of His mercy has imparted many gifts of His providence to the ages [...]
THE MAGI In the troparion for the feast of the Nativity of Christ we sing: "those who worshipped the stars were taught by a star to adore thee". In the nativity account according to the Gospel of Matthew we read that when Christ was born there appeared an overwhelmingly bright star in the east. While [...]
The Services of Christmas in the Orthodox Church Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann The Nativity Cycle As Orthodox Christians, we begin the celebration of the Nativity of Christ — on December 25 — with a time of preparation. Forty days before the feast of the birth of Our Lord we enter the period of the Christmas Fast: [...]
The Nativity Sermon of St. John Chrysostom St. John Chrysostom "I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn! The angels sing! The archangels blend their voices in harmony! The cherubim resound their joyful praise! The Seraphim exalt His glory! [...]
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ The Winter Pascha, Chapter 16: The following is an excerpt from The Winter Pascha, by Fr. Thomas Hopko The gospel reading for the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday before Christmas is "the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham," taken from the gospel according to [...]
The Nativity Fast Sayings of the FathersAmma Theodora said that neither asceticism, nor vigils nor any kind of suffering are able to save, only true humility can do that. There was an anchorite who was able to banish the demons; and he asked them, "What makes you go away? Is it fasting?" They replied, "We [...]
Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearers Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, Christ is risen! Today the Church celebrates the memory of the holy myrrh-bearing women. The holy women were faithful disciples of Christ and always remained near the Lord in His earthly service. They listened to his preaching in Galilean synagogues, walked with Him to [...]
This article first appeared in the Adbook for the 1996 Midwest Region Parish Life Conference hosted by St. Elias Orthodox Church in Sylvania, OH Unity of the Faith of the Church Throughout the Whole World by Saint Irenaeus The Church, though dispersed throughout the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received [...]