#Consecration of Russia

[christianprophecytoday]

February 2024 – Totus Tuus Evangelization Network (TTEN) Interview – Catholic author, Ted Flynn, and his new book about the Marian apparitions at Garabandal, Spain (2nd of 2-Part Series) – MaryRefugeOfSouls

Here is the 2nd part interview with Catholic author, Ten Flynn, about his new book on the Marian apparitions at Garabandal, Spain. This interview is an excellent discussion about what is publicly known about the Miracle of Garabandal. What I find fascinating is that Ted shares two important things that will result as part of the Great Miracle: (1) Russia will be converted and (2) there will be a…

[mockva]

[postcard-from-the-past]

1912 consecration of Alexander III's monument in Moscow, Russia

Russian vintage postcard

[weirdlydauntlesseidolon]

Shocking Prophecy! "He Is The One WHO WILL Consecrate Russia"

[empirearchives]

Hi! I was wondering is there an actual source stating that calling Napoléon "Buonaparte" was meant as derogatory? I've read here (https://mrodenberg.com/2012/09/13/bonaparte-or-buonaparte/) that on Saint-Helena, the British addressed him as that to undermine his legitimacy as French ruler. Also, I know of another historical figure, Prieur de la Côte-d'Or, who not being very fond of him used the same appellation when talking about Napoleon

Hey! Yes, it was definitely used in a derogatory way to delegitimize Napoleon’s rule by denying his frenchness. Napoleon’s brother, Louis, commented on this in his A Reply to Sir Walter Scott’s History of Napoleon in 1829:

Another visible object is, that of desiring to make Napoleon pass as a foreigner in France. In fact, if such were not the intentions of the author, why this obstinacy in writing the family name of Napoleon, Buonaparte, instead of Bonaparte, consecrated as it is by long habit? Certainly the letter O is not more or less noble or French than the letter U, but it is done to impress a foreign character upon Napoleon, and divide his glory from that of France.

The Italian nation is sufficiently glorious for one to be proud of belonging to it, especially of deriving one’s origin from this beautiful country; but when one has been born under the laws of France, grown up on its soil, with no other knowledge of foreign countries, even of beautiful Italy, than that gained with the victorious legions of France, it is rather too ridiculous to receive from an English author the certificate of a foreigner.

The name Buonaparte was being used by the coalitions before the St. Helena years, especially by the British, so there are quite a lot of examples.

To be clear, Buonaparte was Napoleon’s birth name and the name he preferred to go by for over 20 years. He changed his name during the French Revolution during a wave of name changes across France to more revolutionary and patriotic names. That being said, Bonaparte is already listed as his name on his baptism certificate* in 1771 (“Neapoleone Bonaparte”) when he was nearly 2 years old, which is 3 years into French rule of Corsica. On the same document, his father’s name is spelled as Buonaparte.

It’s a little complicated. The spelling of names weren’t very standardized and were subject to a lot of variation. But the usage of the name Buonaparte was definitely intentional among Napoleon’s enemies. You can tell pretty easily when someone is saying it in a bad faith manner.

From the historian Andrew Roberts (Napoleon: A Life):

For decades thereafter, British and Bourbon propagandists re-inserted the ‘u’ in order to emphasize Napoleon’s foreignness, such as in François-René de Chateaubriand’s snappily titled 1814 pamphlet Of Buonaparte and the Bourbons and the Necessity of Rallying Round our Legitimate Princes for the Happiness of France and that of Europe, in which he wrote: ‘No hope was left of finding among Frenchmen a man bold enough to dare to wear the crown of Louis XVI. A foreigner offered himself, and was accepted’ (Chateaubriand, Of Buonaparte p. 5). Even after the British royal family changed the name of their dynasty from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917, some British historians still ridiculed Napoleon for dropping the ‘u’ from his surname.

It becomes obvious when people change how they refer to Napoleon depending on their current stance or relationship with him. For example, when France and Russia were allies, Tsar Alexander I calls him Napoleon or even the Emperor Napoleon. But when the alliances change and Napoleon is removed from power, Alexander referred to him as Buonaparte.

From the historian Marie-Pierre Rey (Alexander I):

Alexander’s use of the Corsican family name of Buonaparte is interesting, implying that for Alexander Napoléon was no longer emperor of the French — and not even French by nationality!

So there were two purposes to calling him Buonaparte: to accentuate his commoner origins as well as his foreignness in order to delegitimize his authority as head of state.

Thanks for the interesting question!

————

* (The baptism document can be found on Archives de la Corse-du-Sud -> Etat Civil -> Ajaccio -> 1771 -> Baptemes -> 6 MI 4/21)

[orthopunkfox]

The Restoration of Slavic Orthodoxy in the Foothills of Appalachia

Belle Valley is a small village nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains on the Eastern boarder of Ohio. The village with a current population of 201 (as of 2020), was originally settled in 1875 as a railroad and mining town. The laborers and their families who carved their living in steel and coal came from Eastern Europe, from Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania, and other slavic nations. The mountains of Appalachia would've been comforting to them, reminding them of the Carpathian and Balkan mountains that wound their way through these settlers' homelands.

It is recorded that those first immigrants worshipped in whatever buildings were available to them, calling a Russian Orthodox priest from the nearby settlement of Robins, Ohio. In January of 1914, construction on a permanent parish began and in 1915, Elevation of the Holy Cross Russian Orthodox Church was consecrated.

Although under the authority of the Patriarch of Moscow, it seems that the Orthodox Christians of the Appalachian foothills in Ohio found a home there no matter what their country of origin. This is especially interesting considering the vast amount of political and social turmoil that wracked the Russian Orthodox Church throughout the 20th century. Yet, by the grace of Almighty God, slavs from Serbia, Russia, Yugoslavia, Romania, Ukraine, Slovania (Yugoslavia), and Latvia were all able to gather together in peace and worship together. With the mining and railroad work dwindling and population moving from small villages to urban centers, the faithful of the parish dwindled and the church was closed in 1967. I found rumors that a Greek Catholic funeral service was held in the parish in the early 1990s but have found no evidence to support this. Either way, weekly divine liturgies ceased and the building fell into acute disrepair.

However in 2020, descendants of the original Belle Valley immigrants (now part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church) formed the Belle Valley Historical Preservation Society for the express purpose of restoring the church. Tired of commuting to various Orthodox churches in the surrounding area, the Orthodox citizens of Belle Valley have registered the parish on the National Historic Register as Holy Cross Ukrainian Orthodox Church and begun the restoration process. As of 2024, they have repaired foundational issues (the parish was sinking and beginning to slide down the steep hill), fixed the onion dome (which will also stop water damage in the interior), replaced the entryway doors, and restored several Orthodox gravestones in the accompanying Saint Michael's cemetery.

The Belle Valley Orthodox community has a priest who visits them to celebrate a monthly Divine Liturgy (held at the community center) and hopes to celebrate the first Divine Liturgy in the partially restored building for Pascha 2025. The Historic Preservation Society will continue restoration projects as funds become available. Their tenacity and indomitability reveal the heart of the Appalachian people and their love of the tradition of their ancestors is a central characteristic of Appalachian culture.

Photos: The no-longer abandoned Holy Cross Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Founded as Elevation of the Holy Cross Russian Orthodox Church in 1914/15, the decedents of the original faithful are working to restore this gem of the Appalachia foothills to its former glory

[hoppityhopster23]

On this Day: Vienna Congress Edition

December 12th, 1814

Political

N/A

Other

• A Luncheon is hosted by Francis I

• Consecration of colors on the Glacis for the

"Emperor Alexander I Regiment." the Banner had been embroidered by the Empress of Russia

• Prince Metternich hosts a ball.

• (12-14th) Crisis at the congress. Metternich resigns.

[orthodoxydaily]

Thursday, June 12, 2025

ICON: MOTHER OF GOD, THE SURETY OF SINNERS

(movable holiday on Thursday of the 1-st week of the Pentecost).

This ancient icon of the Mother of God "Surety of Sinners" of Korets was kept in the castle of the Korets Princes for a long time, and it was called "blessed."

This ancient icon of the Mother of God "Surety of Sinners" of Korets was kept in the castle of the Korets Princes for a long time, and it was called "blessed."

After the death of Samuel, the last of the Orthodox Princes of Korets, his brother John offered to let his sister, Igoumeness Seraphima take the Icon from the Prince's chapel to Holy Resurrection Korets Maidens' Monastery. The solemn transfer of the Icon took place in 1622, on the Thursday after Pentecost. On that day, a Feast Day was established in honor of the "Surety of Sinners" Icon of Korets.

From 1752 to 1795, the fate of the Korets Icon was closely associated with the history of Korets Monastery, which was under the control of the Uniates. According to some reports, the Icon was moved several times during this period, and the "Surety of Sinners" Icon of Korets remained in the possession of the Catholics, who also revered it miraculous.

In 1795, by decree of Empress Catherine II, part of the Monastery was given to Orthodox nuns. The "Surety of Sinners" Icon of Korets was also returned to the Orthodox Monastery. On August 19, 1797 there was a fire in the Monastery. Some of the buildings were destroyed, but the wonderworking Icon was saved.

After the Monastery's restoration, the "Surety of Sinners" Icon was placed in the High Place1 in the new church of the Dormition, rebuilt with materials from the former trapeza. At this time a gilded silver oklad (with enamels) was made for the Icon.

After reconstruction and repairs in 1880, the consecration of Holy Trinity Monastery took place. The nuns of Holy Resurrection Monastery moved, and the Korets Holy Trinity Stavropegial Convent was formed. Its main shrine is the wonderworking "Surety of Sinners" Icon of Korets.

On August 17, 1998, Igoumeness Natalia (Ilchuk) of Korets Holy Trinity Monastery, sent a petition to Patriarch Alelxei II of Moscow and All Russia to include the Korets Icon of the Mother of God in its list of wonderworking icons of the Mother of God in the Patriarchal Church Calendar.

With the Patriarch's blessing, the celebration of the Korets Icon was approved. In November 2001, there was an attempt to steal the Icon, but the thieves managed to take only her precious oklad. Through public donations a new riza was made, which is a copy of the lost one.

More than once the wonderworking Icon revealed its grace-filled help for the suffering – in 1923, on the Feast of the Holy Trinity, a young man who was possessed by an unclean spirit was healed before the Icon. The following year, from the Feast of the Ascension until the Thursday after Pentecost, there were incessant showers in Volhynia. Miraculously, after a Cross Procession around the church with the Icon, the rain subsided.

Many of the faithful who turned to the Queen of Heaven for her help and intercession in case of any disorders, family problems, and particularly "afflictions of the soul," indicated that after praying before the Icon they received spiritual relief and peace, for she is truly the "Surety of Sinners."

The "Surety of Sinners" Icon of the Mother of God belongs to the Hodegetria (Hodēgḗtria) type. It is a half-length image of the Most Holy Theotokos with the Divine Infant on her left hand, Who holds her right hand with both hands.

The word "surety" means one who acts as a guarantor for us before God. The Most Holy Theotokos prays for all of us, good and evil, sinners and righteous, forgiving all, accepting all with equal love.

The inscription on the Icon reads: “I am the Surety of Sinners for my Son Who has entrusted me to hear them, and those who bring me the joy of hearing them shall receive everlasting joy through me.”

The "Surety of Sinners" Icon of Korets is painted on a wooden board measuring 102 x 76 centimeters. In contrast to the "Surety of Sinners" Icon of the Mother of God at Saint Nicholas Monastery in Odrino (March 7 and May 29), the Korets Icon shows the Mother of God and the Divine Infant inclined toward each other with their cheeks touching.

The Icon is located in Holy Trinity Convent at Korets

[lauralot89]

I read The Pale Lady by Alexandre Dumas, and as it turns out the title character is not the vampire, but rather the human narrator, Hedwig.

Side note, I think this is the first story I've read in this quest that has a female narrator in the first person POV.

The vampires in this story continue to bleed from their mortal wounds even after death, and become vampires by making a pact with Satan, presumably doing so posthumously. We are told at one point that vampires can be distinguished from ordinary corpses because they still look alive, but later a vampire is described as looking like a corpse apart from having living eyes, so who knows. The vampires in this story bite their victims on the neck, leaving a single tiny pinprick of a wound, and can make their victims fall asleep.

The plot is that a Polish noblewoman named Hedwig has to flee her home because Poland is at war with Russia, and her brothers have already been killed with her father soon to follow. Hedwig, protected by ten of her father's men, takes off to seek shelter at a faraway convent in Maldovia. However, before they can arrive, the party is attacked by a band of brigands. The leader of the bandits, Kostaki, plans to take Hedwig for himself.

However, the bandits are stopped by the arrival of Kostaki's elder half-brother, Gregoriska, who demands that Hedwig be taken to the castle. We learn that Gregoriska and Kostaki are of a noble family called Brankovan, and that Gregoriska has authority in the castle grounds while Kostaki rules the forest. Hedwig will only be protected while inside the walls of the courtyard. The Brankovan mother, Smerande, allows Hedwig to stay.

Kostaki continues declaring his love for Hedwig on a daily basis. One night, Gregoriska comes to Hedwig in secret to confess his own love. He and Hedwig plan to escape on horseback the next night, as Smerande favors Kostaki and wants Hedwig to marry him. The next afternoon, Gregoriska rides out of the castle's estate to take care of some last minute business. Kostaki, who suspects something, also leaves to confront and/or kill his brother.

At dinner, Gregoriska returns to the castle alone. When Kostaki doesn't arrive, Smerande sends out a search party, who eventually find Kostaki's still-bleeding corpse. At Smerande's demand, Gregoriska vows that his brother's murderer will die.

Once Kostaki is buried, Hedwig starts experiencing a moment of panic each night, followed by sudden forceful unconsciousness. In her sleep, she feels something sharp at her neck. She grows weaker and paler. When Gregoriska arrives at her chamber to tell her that he's going to go join a monastery because he can't marry her now that he's committed fratricide, she tells him what's up. Gregoriska says it sounds like a vampire. Hedwig mentions that back in Poland, they once had seventeen vampires in her village at once, and this does seem similar.

Gregoriska and Hedwig then marry in secret, so that Gregoriska will be able to stay in her room that night to fight the vampire. The vampire is Kostaki, to the surprise of no one. Gregoriska has a consecrated sword, and with it he forces Kostaki to walk backward out of the room, the castle, and all the way back to the graveyard. He begs Kostaki to repent, but Kostaki refuses. They have a swordfight and Kostaki ends up getting impaled and pushed back into his grave. Hedwig mixes the grave dirt with Kostaki's blood and rubs it on her throat wound, which protects her from him forever onward.

Gregoriska has sustained a mortal wound in the fight and dies. Smerande eventually hears the whole story from Hedwig and states that four generations ago, the Brankovan family was cursed when one of them killed a priest. However, the curse has now died out as Smerande cannot have any more children and Gregoriska and Hedwig never had sex.

Smerande then gives her fortune to Hedwig, who lives happily ever after but always remains deathly pale from the vampire encounters.

[christianprophecytoday]

January 29, 2024 - From the Handbook of God the Father (Volumes 2-3) - Special Commentary - Papal Prophecies - By A Soul - MaryRefugeOfSouls

DOWNLOAD THIS SPECIAL COMMENTARY (4 Pages PDF):https://handbookfaith.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/special-commentary-handbook-vols-2-3-antipope-special-conclave-great-ecumenical-council.pdf January 29, 2024For the Greater Glory of Almighty God Blessings beloved ones, This is my follow-up commentary about the recent publication of the very detailed Table of Contents of Volumes 2 and 3 for the…

[thepaleys]

The deaths of the Tsar and Tsaritsa within a year of each other left their youngest son isolated and unhappy. It is said that Pavel knew nothing of his father's affair with Princess Dolgorukaya until after his mother's death, when the shock of discovery made him ill. He and Sergei were not in Russia when Alexander II was murdered: for years Pavel was haunted by an imaginary picture of his dying father's terrible injuries. He clung to his brother; when Sergei went to England to be vetted by his future wife's grandmother, Pavel went too. Queen Victoria liked Sergei but found Pavel more agreeable. Pavel even shared his brother's honeymoon. As the months passed Pavel continued to live with his brother and sister-in-law, and Elisabeth missed him when he was away. He and Sergei enjoyed reading aloud in the evenings, and acted together in productions at the Hermitage Theatre: Pavel's performance as Prince Christian in Boris Godunov was remembered for decades, and the Italian actor Salvini was heard to say that the young Grand Prince was a terrible loss to the stage. Pavel was also an accomplished dancer; it was not long before the gossip of Saint Petersburg began to count the times he danced with his sister-in-law and eyebrows were raised at their unusual living arrangements. The three regarded the rumours with the composure of those who have nothing to hide. In the autumn of 1887 they visited Turkey together and Pavel went to spend the winter in Greece. The next year he accompanied Sergei and Elizabeth again when Alexander III sent them to attend the consecration of the church on the Mount of Olives, dedicated to their mother. They made a pilgrimage around the Holy Land before beginning the homeward journey, travelling via Athens where their cousin Queen Olga and King George of Greece were celebrating their silver wedding. Pavel and Sergei had often visited their cousins in Athens, but this time Pavel had something special on his mind. He proposed to the King and Queen's elder daughter Alexandra, and was accepted. They were married in St Petersburg in June 1889, and the three became four.

"Romanov Autumn" - Charlotte Zeepvat

[namedictionarypublishers]

Name of the Day: Macarius

From What Does My Brilliant Name Mean?, my 550-page name-dictionary ($5.99). https://ko-fi.com/namedictionarypublishers

Name: Macarius

Pronunciation: muhk-KAHR-reeh-yuhss

Languages: Greek, to Latin, to Old English

Meaning: He Honors Peace, Joy, and Blessed Release

Notable Use of this Name: Saint Macarius (c. AD 300-AD 391), born in the African civilization of Egypt, and venerated by the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, began life as a smuggler.  Using camels, he crossed Egypt's Nitrian Desert to transport stolen potassium nitrate, used as soap in ancient times.  After being forced by his parents to settle down and marry, in his hometown of Shabsheer, Macarius used his notorious cleverness to fake an illness, abandon his wife, and flee to Egypt's deserts.  There, he had a vision of an angel proclaiming that the desert would one day belong to him.  Chastened, Macarius returned home to find that his new wife had passed away.  After his parents also passed, a newly-pious Macarius gave his possessions to the poor and consecrated his life to God, as a priest.  His subsequent years of good works were interrupted by a woman in Shabsheer who accused him of fathering her unborn child.  Macarius accepted responsibility, and was condemned by the shocked townspeople, until the woman later confessed that another man was the father.  Everyone tried to apologize, but Macarius retreated to the desert, where he lived as a hermit for decades, ministering to thousands of pilgrims, who called him the Lamp of the Desert.

Public Domain Image: Saint Macarius raises his hands to bless pilgrims in this 1378 icon displayed in the Church of the Transfiguration, in the Republic of Karelia, Russia, and painted by Theophanes the Greek (1340-1410).

No matter what you're going through in life, everything can seem brighter once you learn what your wonderful name really means. Please click https://ko-fi.com/namedictionarypublishers to order your new e-book What Does My Brilliant Name Mean?" ($5.99).

[antiochianorthodoxcumberlandmd]

Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Feasts and Saints celebrated today:

The Holy Martyr Thalleleus

Lydia of Philippi, Equal to the Apostles

Mark the Hermit

Father Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow

John, Joseph, and Nikitas the Monks of Chios

Readings for today:

Acts of the Apostles 12:25; 13:1-12

John 8:51-59

The Holy Martyr Thalleleus

Reading from the Synaxarion:

Saint Thalleleus was from the region of Lebanon in Phoenicia, the son of Berucius, a Christian bishop; his mother's name was Romula. Raised in piety, he was trained as a physician. Because of the persecution of Numerian, the Saint departed to Cilicia, and in Anazarbus he hid himself in an olive grove; but he was seized and taken to Aegae of Cilicia to Theodore, the ruler. After many torments he was beheaded in 284. Saint Thalleleus is one of the Holy Unmercenaries.

Apolytikion of Martyr Thalleleus in the Fourth Tone

Thy Martyr, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Kontakion of Martyr Thalleleus in the Third Tone

With the Martyrs of the Lord thou didst contest and wast shown forth as a valiant soldier of the King of Glory, Who crowned thee for the harsh and bitter tortures that thou didst suffer, trampling down the pride of them that worshipped the idols. O Thalleleus, we therefore praise thine august and blessed remembrance today.

The content on this page is under copyright and is used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion of Martyr Thalleleus (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Kontakion of Martyr Thalleleus (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Father Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow

Reading from the Synaxarion:

Our holy and wonderworking Father Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, was born in Moscow in 1292, and consecrated bishop in 1350. Chosen as Metropolitan in 1354, he was ordained by Ecumenical Patriarch Philotheus. He founded several monasteries, including the first women's convent in the city of Moscow. From the Greek he translated and wrote out the Holy Gospel. For the good of the Church and his country he twice journeyed to the Horde and did much to propitiate the Khan and ease the burden of the Tartar yoke; he also healed Taidula, the Khan's wife. His relics are laid to rest in the Chudov Monastery in Moscow, which he founded on land granted him by the Khan and his wife in thanksgiving. Today is the feast of the translation of his holy relics, which took place in 1485, and again in 1686.

Apolytikion of Father Alexis, Met. of Moscow in the Second Tone

Like most precious treasure hidden many years in the earth, thy venerable and miracle-flowing relics were found, O most blessed Father and Hierarch Alexis; and receiving healing from them, we are enriched and we glorify Christ, saying: Glory to Him Who glorifieth His Saints.

Kontakion of Father Alexis, Met. of Moscow in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Thy venerable and incorrupt relics, hidden for many years, O holy Hierarch Alexis, shine forth unto us from thy sepulchre like an unwaning sun, and through thee we receive grace. Thou dost enrich the whole land and all of us with miracles and blessings by the working of grace. Wherefore, we chant unto thee: Rejoice, O Father, light of Russia.

The content on this page is under copyright and is used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion of Father Alexis, Met. of Moscow (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Kontakion of Father Alexis, Met. of Moscow (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Prayer Before Reading Scripture

Shine within our hearts, loving Master, the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our minds that we may comprehend the message of Your Gospel. Instill in us also reverence for Your blessed commandments, so that having conquered all sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the light of our souls and bodies, and to You we give glory together with Your Father who is without beginning and Your all holy, good, and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from Acts of the Apostles 12:25; 13:1-12

In those days, Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, bringing with them John whose other name was Mark. Now in the Church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind and unable to see the sun for a time." Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

Gospel Reading

The Reading is from the Gospel According to John 8:51-59

The Lord said to the Jews who came to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death." The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, 'If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.' Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?" Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; and he saw it and was glad." The Jews then said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

[parafrazerofhistory]

The Beard of Volos: An Old Russian Harvest Custom

“In Russia [c. 1870s] it is customary to leave patches of unreaped corn in the fields and to place bread and salt on the ground near them. ‘These ears are eventually knotted together, and the ceremony is called "the plaiting of the beard of Volos," and it is supposed that after it has been performed no wizard or other evilly-disposed person will be able to hurt the produce of the fields. The unreaped patch is looked upon as tabooed; and it is believed that if any one meddles with it he will shrivel up, and become twisted like the interwoven ears. Similar customs are kept up in various parts of Russia. Near Kursk and Voroneje [i.e., Voronezh], for instance, a patch of rye is usually left in honour of the Prophet Elijah, and in another district one of oats is consecrated to St. Nicholas. As it is well known that both the Saint and the Prophet have succeeded to the place once held in the estimation of the Russian people by Perun, it seems probable that Volos really was, in ancient times, one of the names of the thunder-god.’” [1]

—J. G. Frazer, Spirits of the Corn & of the Wild, part 1 (The Golden Bough, vol. VII, 1912, p. 233)

[1] Frazer here cites W. R. S. Ralston’s theory about Volos, a.k.a. Veles in Songs of the Russian People, 2nd ed. (London, 1872), pp. 251 sq. “Well known” or not, Ralston’s remark about Elijah and St. Nicholas replacing Perun or Veles in the religious estimation of the Russian people should be thought of as conjectural rather than factual a millennium after the Christianization of that country.

Veles, by Andrey Shishkin (2014).

(Source: Andrey Shishkin, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

[orthodoxadventure]

Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church - Juneau, Alaska

326 5th Street, Juneau, Alaska 326 99801-1113 Website: https://stnicholasjuneau.org/ Service Schedule: https://stnicholasjuneau.org/sunday-bulletin-weekly-schedule/

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church was founded in 1893, at the request of the local Tlingit community. Constructed locally by Tlingit people and Serbian miners in 1893-94, the church was built on land donated by Yees Ganalax and using plans and funds sent from Russia. Furnished, decorated, and outfitted by generous gifts from the Russian Mission Society, the church was consecrated by Bishop Nikolai (Ziorov) in 1894, the church has been a fixture of the Juneau community and landscape ever since.

We invite you to browse the site and share our joy, vision, and hope; all rooted in a firm faith in our Risen Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ.  

If you are in Juneau, we invite you to join us each week as we worship the Holy Trinity in spirit and in truth. [Text from their site]