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[orthodoxsoul]

[orthodoxsoul]

Please pray for the soul of the servant of God Steven, who had a lifetime of struggle with mental illness. He fell asleep alone and separated from his family, who loved him. He wakes in the Light of He who loves us all.

[orthodoxsoul]

[orthodoxsoul]

"The devil is the better than most Christians.

Christians fast from food.

The devil never eats.

Christians keep vigil.

The devil never sleeps.

Christians read the scriptures.

The devil has memorized the scriptures.

Christians believe in God.

The devil has seen God.

But there is one thing that separates the devil from Christians, and that is Humility.

Humility is the only thing that no devil can imitate.”

— St. John of the Ladder

[orthodoxsoul]

[orthodoxsoul]

H/t to Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick. Happy Auxentius Day, y'all

[orthodoxsoul]

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 the day of joy -Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will -Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace -Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake; So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask; So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers; Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY.

The Nativity Homily of St. Isaac the Syrian

Christ is Born!!! Glorify Him!

[orthodoxsoul]

[orthodoxsoul]

Shakespeare & Co. in Paris. One of my favorite bookstores on the planet.

[orthodoxsoul]

Saint "Cat"herine wonders if you can find a cat more educated, more wealthy, or of higher birth than she

[orthodoxsoul]

Nothing visible is eternal -St. Ignatius

[orthodoxsoul]

I can imagine actually. My beloved proyiayia was expecting her first child, my yiayia in 1922. She lived in our ancestral home in Smyrna, Turkey, as many Greeks did at that time. To flee the Turkish persecution, her husband had gone ahead to America. Before he could send for her, the soldiers arrived and killed many men who stood against them while the women fled. My pregnant proyiayia waded into the ocean where her brother-in-law pulled her into a shop he had waiting just in case. My yiayia was born on Samos Island in November of 1922, just a couple of weeks after Smyrna burned.

So many widows and orphans. May their memories be eternal.

Outdoor Bible class for Armenian orphan boys in Nazareth, Palestine, 1924.

[orthodoxsoul]

[orthodoxsoul]

The righteous have no sorrows that are not turned into joy, as sinners have no joy that is not turned into sorrow.

+ St. Dmitri of Rostov

[orthodoxsoul]

It is no bad thing to celebrate a simple life. -J.R.R. Tolkien

Painting is Girl feeding her Bird in a Cage, 1867 by Jacob Henricus Maris

[orthodoxsoul]

[orthodoxsoul]

Understand two thoughts, and fear them. One says,

"You are a saint," the other, "You won't be saved."

Both of these thoughts are from the enemy, and there is no truth in them. But think this way: I am a great sinner, but the Lord is merciful. He loves people very much, and He will forgive my sins. (St. Silouan the Athonite)