Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra
This Saint lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, and reposed in 330, As a young man, he desired to espouse the solitary life. He made a pilgrimage to the holy city Jerusalem, where he found a place to withdraw to devote himself to prayer. It was made known to him, however, that this was not the will of God for him, but that he should return to his homeland to be a cause of salvation for many. He returned to Myra, and was ordained bishop. He became known for his abundant mercy, providing for the poor and needy, and delivering those who had been unjustly accused. No less was he known for his zeal for the truth. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of the 318 Fathers at Nicaea in 325; upon hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain of the bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion, but extreme love and piety. The Dismissal Hymn for holy hierarchs, The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock ... was written originally for Saint Nicholas. He is the patron of all travellers, and of sea-farers in particular; he is one of the best known and best loved Saints of all time.
Beautiful Christmas by Megan Elizabeth Gilbert is a 64-page coloring book for children aged 5-12. As they color Christ in the cave or the shepherds glorifying God with the angels, children cultivate their own sensibility to beauty while learning to recognize some of the Church's meaningful symbols, elements, and motifs. ($9.95)
Orthodox Feasts of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary by Hugh Wybrew. Written in a guidebook style, this book explains the feasts of the incarnation from the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the Ascension of Jesus. The author introduces each feast with a detailed but short description of its meaning and origin and includes the festal hymns (in English) from the Vespers and Matins Services. ($15)
Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian by Elder Paisios of Mount Athos. Born around 1840 in Farasa, one of six Christian villages in the Farasa region of Cappadocia, Turkey, Fr. Arsenios entered the Holy Monastery of the Flavianna at the age of 26. With a great need for teachers in the villages, Fr. Arsenios was sent home, where he kept the Christians safe from the Turks and disease, not with guns or riots, but through prayer and common sense. The villagers loved him for his humility and wisdom, and when the time came for the Great Exchange of Peoples, he traveled beside them to Greece. ($32.95)
A Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians by the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese. A must-have, this little prayer book is an old stand-by for Orthodox Christians, especially in these trying times. The book includes daily prayers, occasional prayers, and the Divine Liturgy. ($4)
The Monk of Mount Athos by Archimandrite Sophrony.Staretz Silouan was an uneducated peasant from the heart of European Russia. After finishing his military service in 1892, he entered the Russian Monastery of Saint Panteleimon on Mount Athos. There, he focused on the teachings of the Desert Fathers on Christian monasticism. Archimandrite Sophrony explains Silouan's teachings on topics such as pure prayer and mental stillness, and the struggle with the imagination in very simple terms. ($16)
The Deification of Man by Georgios I. Mantzaridis. In this study on the teachings of Saint Gregory Palamas, Prof. Matzaridis states that "man's true life springs from his participation in the life of God and his communion with Him." The book explains the importance of the sacraments and how they help to keep God in us. ($25.00)
Stewardship Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese invites parish leadership of the New York District and the New Jersey Metropolis to the first in a six-part online/zoom series to help you and your parish leaders create a culture of true Christian stewardship. Learn empirically proven strategies to better engage parishioners and increase stewardship results.
The Department of Greek Education presents the Hagia Sophia Art Contest for children ages 6-14. The deadline is December 31st, 2020 and features cash prizes for first, second, and third place.
As it does every year, Thanksgiving comes and goes quickly. We spend a few hours trying to feel grateful, but then start looking for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals so we can buy more stuff. If gratitude is nothing but a feeling that lasts a few hours, are we doing something wrong? Maybe we're approaching thanksgiving the wrong way. Maybe we spend too much time focused on the “thanks,” and not enough on the “giving.”
In this week's episode of "Live with the Louhs," a radio ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Fr. Nicholas Louh and his wife, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Roxanne Louh speak with Dr. Sue Craven-WIlliams, a Psychologist with an expertise in Eating Disorders.
