In our blog you can find articles with useful information about the Garden of Virgin Mary, the Monasteries, Cells and Sketes, the routes, but also how to visit Holy Mount Athos. In addition, here you will find authentic monastic recipes, fasting and healthy, as well as prayers for various occasions!
The caretakers who lived near Eldress Galaktia recorded her teachings, in order to capture her spiritual wisdom to enlighten the world. In the article you will read Eldress' words in full about what she feels the Lord wants from us.
Wine, as a blessed commodity, plays a predominant role in the life of the Athonite monasteries. The founder of the monastic state of Mount Athos, Saint Athanasius the Athonite, decreed that each monastery should have its own vineyards. Thus, since the 10th century, the founders of the monasteries, recognizing the value of wine, have numerous vineyards in their monastic properties. On Mount Athos, there were no large areas for grain, due to the geographical difficulty and the wildness of the place. However, the microclimate of Mount Athos as well as its special vineyards, are key factors for a distinct wine production, unique throughout the Balkan Peninsula and the Northern Aegean. Even today, a number of monks from each monastery are in charge of the cultivation of vineyards and the production of wine.
What is the Triodion The term ‘Triodion’ has a double definition. On one hand, ‘Triodion’ denotes the liturgical book of the Church, containing hymns with three odes, that are chanted during the period before the Resurrection. On the other hand, ‘Triodion’ is also called the movable period of the...
Wise bywords from Saint John the Golden-mouthed, useful for every faithful. "Respect each other, so you can learn to respect God. He, who is insolent to men, is insolent to God."
Nowadays, mothers, as Virgin Mary did, ‘offer’ their newborn child to the church and to God, when forty days have passed since birth. This act symbolises the Churching of Jesus Christ. Also, the mother goes through the narthex and is blessed for the cleansing by her puerperium. In this way, the path to baptism of the infant is opened, welcoming the child into Christian life and facilitating the mother’s return to the ecclesiastical community.
The Feast of the Presentation is celebrated on February 2nd, as it is the fortieth day from December 25th, when Jesus Christ was born. Our Church honors the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple as an extraordinary feast. Joyful hymns are sung from February 2 to 9, in order to bind the holy event and spread joy and hope throughout the world.
"Three Kings of Orient" stands as a timeless Christmas carol penned by John Henry Hopkins Jr. in 1857. Also, the Carols of Epiphany is a nationwide custom in Greece and is mainly sung by children on the eve of the feast of Theophany. There are many variations in the verses depending on the region, but most carols begin with the verses "Today is the Lights and the enlightment/ The happiness is big and the sanctification...".
The "Holy Epiphany" or "Theophany" or "Eve of Lights" was established in the 2nd century AD and thus it is one of the oldest celebrations of Christianity. The message of this feast is the rebirth of Jesus Christ. In his baptism, Christ made the waters holy, so that they could be transformed into "a gift of sanctification, a removal of sins, a reducer of diseases, a destroyer of demons, inaccessible to the powers that be". Theophany refers to the manifestation of the three persons of the Holy Trinity at the baptism of Jesus Christ and is therefore called Theophany (from Greek Θεο-φάνεια, “appearance of God”).
John's work was not only to prophesy the coming of the Messiah but also to prepare the souls of believers. After listening to him intently, then they would confess their sins to him and he would baptize them in the Jordan River as a sign of repentance. Later, Jesus Christ approached him and asked him to be baptized. John, filled with awe and wonder, hesitated, but Jesus urged him to follow the Old Testament scriptures. Thus, John became a baptist of Christ himself, but also a witness to this supreme event.
It is the first day of the year / Rosemary trees stand tall and near / We start, we start our year congenial / in our ho..., in our holy, white cathedral. / In the beginning, Christ came down. / The Holy Spiritual One. / On earth, on earth He walked amid us. / To our hearts, to our hearts great joy He bid us.
Carols are one of the most timeless customs in many regions. They are usually associated with celebrations of the Twelve Days, that is Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. Essentially, the carols are folk songs and their lyrics express customs that are passed down from generation to generation and are sung even today.
Our Church established two All Souls’ Days for those who have fallen asleep, because many people at times died in the sea or in mountains and cliffs or due to poverty and did not receive the typical memorial services. For this reason, "The holy Fathers, moved by philanthropy, established this memorial service for all devoutly departed Christians throughout the ages". In the Orthodox monastic life, memorial services and in general the memory of death, have a great importance. For this reason, the holy fathers give special attention to kolliva, both in their preparation and consumption.
