#archistratego

[belovedharlot]

soft in all the right places / bear witness as i decay

image: "Is This Living? (2020)" by meka tome

words/text: mine

[blueicarus]

everything everything everything everything

but my everything isn't much - my cup is small and it overflows and depletes too quickly

im willing to give you my everything until i have nothing left to give and then my everything will turn to resent for everything you have taken from me

How much of yourself are you willing to give?

[elkemazel]

[christreginlave]

Архангел Михаил — предводитель небесного воинства (Архистратиг). Прорись с иконы. Россия. Ок. 1600 г. Archangel Michael — the leader of the heavenly army (Archistrategos). Tracing from an icon. Russia. Circa 1600.

[talonabraxas]

"Life is nothing but the expansion of love. We can cultivate divine love by entering into the Source. The Source is God, who is all Love." - Sri Chinmoy

☩ Archangel Michael ☩ Talon Abraxas

The Archangel Michael, also sometimes called Saint Michael, is an enigmatic character. While he is commonly called Saint Michael and an archangel in the Roman Catholic tradition, what exactly it means to be an archangel and Michael’s role in the divine hierarchy is not easy to determine. Saint Michael is only identified as an archangel once in the New Testament, though the Old Testament mentions him more often. But the scattered pieces of evidence of holy Michael across the Bible reveal a very interesting picture of a divine warrior in the service of the Lord, perhaps even as the equivalent of Christ.

Michael means “who resembles God” or “who is like God,” which implies a likeness, most likely of character. The word “archangel” is a transliteration of the Greek archangelos. The term combines “archon,” which means “chief,” and “angelos,” which translates to “messenger” or “angel.”

Both Bible references to an archangel come from the New Testament. The first tells us that Jesus Christ will return with the voice of a chief angel, and the second that the chief angel, who engaged in a confrontation with the devil, was somehow like God. It is common for names in the Bible to say something about the individual’s character, so Michael resembles God.

The story of the angel who confronts the devil can be pieced together from a variety of sources. After creation, there was a battle in heaven. Lucifer, the “light-bearer,” the “morning star,” who was the chief among angels, rebelled against God. Because of Lucifer’s envy, pride, and desire to sit on God’s throne, he did not want to be subject to God or to serve Him. He took a third of the angels with him. Michael was loyal to God and declared he would serve God, for “who is like unto God.”

With the other two-thirds of the angels, he defeated Lucifer and cast him and his supporters out of heaven. Lucifer became called Satan, and those angels who supported him became devils or evil spirits. As a reward for his loyalty, Michael was made the chief angel. Due to this leadership role, the Church named the Archangel a Saint, and the Eastern Liturgy assigned him the title of the “Archistrategos” (“highest general”).

[neallo]

a non-exhaustive list of my personal favorite mello/near fics posted in the year of our lord 2024. complete fics only; maximum one rec per author. this means many of these writers have more gems to offer for mellonear and/or other ships; in more than one case, it was challenging for me to select only one. i highly encourage readers to poke around and read, kudos, and comment to their heart's content <3

click here to see the AO3 collection with my notes!

Archistrategos by veresova (@veresova) M/M | 4,328 words

Mello has several things protecting him: a name, a group of saints, animal instincts, and Near’s maniacal faith.

King and Two Spades by AngelEllipsis (@read-watch-sleep) M/M | 4,793 words

Near finds a discrepancy in the organ failure statistics this year. 0.7% of unaccounted for heart attacks. No one has noticed yet. No one will notice, if his heart give out, too.

the roof by lightningblade (@lightningblade) M/M | 3,692 words

“Not enjoying the party?” he asks, making Near jump in surprise. He clears his throat and tries to look back at his textbook. “Um, not really. I don’t go to those.” “Right,” the other boy chuckles. “Why would you when you have this depressing ass roof space to hang out on?” -or- Near and Mello fall in love with the help of a rooftop, a rusty lawn chair, and some sweet ass origami skills.

And The Starlight Blooms by tsukinousagi (@quicktimeeventfull) M/F | 1,919 words

In which Near attends the concert of her favourite Kpop idol, Misa-Misa of Love:NOTE. She likes the bed. It’s got everything she or anyone else could want. Her phone. Her laptop. Several stuffed animals. A Lego kit, half-finished at the foot of the bed. A sleeve of ginger nuts sealed with an elastic band. Several bottles of water, one of which still has liquid in it. It’s a great place to be. She doesn’t often leave.

In Harmless Indulgence by SaccharineCoffee (@saccharinecoffee) M/M | 1,569 words

Mello treats his scars while contemplating Near's own.

from the world's best-dressed half of the Third L by fullmoonism (@halfmoonism) M/M | 1,943 words

(Like he’s ever needed to. It’s Near on the back of his retinas when he aims his gun, Near on the roof of his mouth when he spits blood, Near on his charred skin when he peeled himself off the concrete in the ashes of the Kira case. So Mello lost. Mello lost, and it’s still Near in the sharp hollow of his head. He doesn’t need Mello to be an anchor when he already is one.) -- As Mello does, he deals with Near's offer to be the (better-dressed) half of the Third L about as well as anyone expects of him. Which is to say: he excels in everything except dealing with his emotions.

veni vidi vici by opaleyedprince (@opaleyedprince) M/M | 3,154 words

The final sixty-two days of the Kira Case are among the most trying of Near's life.

ab imo pectore by eightspringdays (@eightspringdays) F/F | 6,401 words

Because for Mello, hate is never truly just that. If she tries hard enough, she can pretend and think how simple is to pick just one color out of the palette of emotions that Near paints on her. Mello has tried her whole life to cling to it. To think that red is the only thing she sees when Near is in front of her. Rage. Not passion. It could never be that, even if anger also carries a certain shade of twisted love that she tries to ignore. She wants to pretend she’s colorblind. She wants to pretend she never saw anything at all. Ignorance is truly a blessing, but Mello has always been a little cursed. 

near and far between by Le_VI M/M | 4,966 words

“That sounds almost considerate,” Mello says dryly. “Watch it, N, you’re starting to seem vaguely human.”

reunion by bolide (@alarici) M/M | 1,937 words

After the explosion, Near presents himself like a lamb. Instead of staying away, Near takes a risk and goes to meet Mello, first. What happens after is completely to plan.

give up, give in by orphan_account M/M | 796 words

They’ve always fought their battle in close proximity. Near has always given off the sickening impression of minding his own business. Mello has only recently decided to make it less obvious that he minds Near’s business, too.

Convictions by empressofthewind (@empressofthewind) M/M | 10,782 words

Near is adamant that Mello's confinement was never about control. Mello is not so easily convinced.

only you and i by aaxzlyte (@aaxzlyte) M/M | 3,132 words

It's, honestly, exactly what he'd wanted upon initiating this. Mello would take Near's virginity and no one else would get the chance to even look at him. Near wouldn't want anyone else to look at him, because Mello would finally be enough, in some aspect.

floating and falling all at once by squidish (@squidish) M/F | 7,581 words

"I don't suppose you'd like to.. Spend the night here, with me, would you?" Near's face is determined, but her voice is quavering. "I have food that we could eat, and.. You could sleep with me. ..In- in my bed, I mean." Mello is silent for a moment, a little awed. -- In which Near overcomes her first-time jitters, and Mello is head-over-heels in love with her.

Powder Keg by dornishviper (@vriskarlmarx) rated E | 2,014 words

Mello stops by Near's room for a late night visit after getting her photo back earlier that day. Near has a certain... fixation.

Leviticus by vorareromantic (@vorareromantic) rated E | 12,454 words

When Near was thirteen, or perhaps even younger, she had (for the most part) broken out of the programming that Wammy's had worked to instill in their pupils from a young age. The Bible was strict and contradictory, it meant little to her besides the constant pressure and fear mongering. Mello, on the other hand, was as devout as one could be. It was ironic, honestly. Near would be the model Christian if she was a believer. Mello, on the other hand, could practically be the poster child of sin.

[veresghost]

a late submission for @nearsbday day 7 - the devil <3

“Mello has several things protecting him: a name, a group of saints, animal instincts, and Near’s maniacal faith.”

[orthodoxydaily]

SAINTS&READING: TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2025

april 8_march 25

Sixth Week of the Great Lent. By Monastic Charter: Food without Oil

SYNAXIS OF THE ARCHANGEL GABRIEL

The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the All-Pure Virgin is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation.

Gabriel, the holy Archistrategos (Leader of the Heavenly Hosts), is a faithful servant of the Almighty God. He announced the future Incarnation of the Son of God to those of the Old Testament; he inspired the Prophet Moses to write the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament), he announced the coming tribulations of the Chosen People to the Prophet Daniel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21-24); he appeared to Saint Anna (July 25) with the news that she would give birth to the Virgin Mary.

The holy Archangel Gabriel remained with the Holy Virgin Mary when She was a child in the Temple of Jerusalem, and watched over Her throughout Her earthly life. He appeared to the Priest Zachariah, foretelling the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, Saint John the Baptist.

The Lord sent him to Saint Joseph the Betrothed in a dream, to reveal to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod, ordering him to flee into Egypt with the divine Infant and His Mother.

When the Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion, the Archangel Gabriel, whose very name signifies “Man of God” (Luke. 22:43), was sent from Heaven to strengthen Him.

The Myrrh-Bearing Women heard from the Archangel the joyous news of Christ’s Resurrection (Mt.28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8).

Mindful of the manifold appearances of the holy Archangel Gabriel and of his zealous fulfilling of God’s will, and confessing his intercession for Christians before the Lord, the Orthodox Church calls upon its children to pray to the great Archangel with faith and love.

The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is also celebrated on July 13. All the angels are commemorated on November 8.

Source: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

NEW MARTYR PARASKEVA KOCHNEVA (1939)

photo: @ andijaart X

The village of Kochnevo was located 20 versts from the Uisk fortress, which is now in the Chelyabinsk region. It's a 2-hour cart ride to the nearest St. John the Baptist Church. Once it was a magnificent village church, where more than a thousand parishioners from all the surrounding villages prayed. We will tell you about the amazing native of these places, now glorified among the saints, whose memory we celebrate today, on April 8.

In the summer of 1881, a young couple, Stepan Kochnev, 22, and Matryona Kochneva, 20, were married in the St. John the Baptist Church of the Uysk Stanitsa. They were from the large Cossack families of the Kochnevs, it was not uncommon that they had the same surname, since the Kochnev families were then half the village. It is known that Stepan Kochnev was a descendant of the Cossack family Kochnev, who lived in the village from its very foundation. On May 28, 1893, Stepan and Maria had a daughter, Paraskeva. She was the fifth child in the Kochnev family.

The newborn's baptism took place in Kochnevo in a newly built wooden church erected by the residents in 1891. Probably, since childhood, the girl loved to visit the temple, seeing this, the priest blessed her to be the recipient of the baby's baptism at nine. Since then, many parents have called Paraskeva to be godparents for their children.

araskeva was an indispensable assistant in her parents' home. The Guy, as her sisters and mother affectionately called her, was responsive and kind, the work was in her hands. For a long time, her father did not want to marry her off or let her leave the family. In 1915, Paraskeva turned 23, it was a difficult year, Tubersuloaswas rampant in the villages, many lost loved ones. The wife of the Kochenevsky Cossack Alexander Kochnev, Evdokia, aged 29, died of of this illness during Great Lent. The Cossack, who loved his wife dearly, grieved, they had eight children together but only four remained alive. The children were left without a mother, Alexander remembered the meek girl, who had helped his wife with the children more than once in the temple.

Throughout Lent, he prayed, asking God to reveal His will to him, and this was how crucial issues were resolved in Russia from time immemorial. Easter has arrived. Alexander came to Stepan Ivanovich to woo Paraskeva. The father was embarrassed, this was not the kind of life he wanted for his daughter, he was not saving her for that. But Paraskeva agreed, and they began to prepare for the wedding. On April 5, 1915, the Cossack Alexander Grigorievich Kochnev, 27, and the Cossack maiden Paraskeva Stepanovna Kochneva, 23, were married in the Kochnevskaya church. So Paraskeva entered her husband's house, full of children and worries. Soon the baby Mikhail died, and in December of the same year Paraskeva gave birth to her first child, named Alexander. The house was filled with joy. Household chores were not a burden to the young mother, she managed to visit the temple, where she loved to sing and read in the choir. Traces of the family of Alexander and Paraskeva Kochnev are lost after the Civil War. The last entry in 1917 says that Paraskeva's firstborn, Alexander, died. Paraskeva's husband, the Cossack Alexander, was a participant in the civil war, he probably left with the white units, maybe even died. After 1919, neither Alexander nor Paraskeva are listed as residents of the village of Kochnevo. Priest Georgy Antonov, who was arrested in 1932, said during interrogation that he joined the Kochnevsky parish in 1919, at first the parish was renovated, and then he gradually convinced the parishioners not to deviate from their old faith.

Most likely, the renovationist mood of the parish was the reason that Paraskeva left Kochenevo for another place. It is known that the saint found refuge in the church of the village of Voznesenka, which is 50 versts from Kochenevo. She lived there, and served in the temple until until 1937, when she left for the Alexander Nevsky Church of Miassa.

During the Soviet years, the Alexander Nevsky Church in Miass was known for its lack of involvement in renovation. Tikhonites flocked to it from all over the countryside; priests, monks, lay people, and anyone who wanted to serve God and not join the renovationist movement. The accounting documents of the Alexander Nevsky parish for the 1930s have been preserved, and Paraskeva Kochneva was not listed in the clergy or parishioners until 1936. Obviously, she appeared there only in 1937, when priests and parishioners who had not joined the schism were arrested. After their arrest, a church council was assembled at the parish, and Paraskeva Kochneva attended. The authorities refused to register a parish without a priest. Then Paraskeva, who headed the church council, wrote a complaint to the Central Executive Committee, collected signatures of believers, and went to Moscow.

On December 27, 1937, Paraskeva filed a complaint with the Central Executive Committee in Moscow, met with Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), who appointed a priest to the Miass parish. Already on December 29, at the Kazan railway Station, the appointed priest and the Cossack Paraskeva were arrested and imprisoned in Butyrskaya prison. Paraskeva spent more than a month in Butyrka prison. In February 1938, she was sentenced to 10 years in the camps. The saint was sent by stage to the Baikal-Amur railway correctional labor camp at the Lime station. For a whole year, Saint Paraskeva bore all the hardships of camp life, working on an equal basis with men. She had no strength or health left from overwork, and she felt that the end of her earthly life was near. Paraskeva wrote letters to her family. In a letter to her dearly beloved sister Lyubov, she asked to send her a piece of durable and beautiful light fabric, "so that I can sew myself a shirt in which I will soon appear before God." Lyubov Stepanovna was unable to fulfill her sister's request at that time, which she regretted for the rest of her life, remembering her suffering sister Panya. But the Lord fulfilled her request, blessing her to appear before Him in the white robes of a martyr.…

From the research of Elena Turanina translated from Russian.

Isaiah 49:6-10

6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you." 8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’ To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’ “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them.

Genesis 31:3-16

3 Then the Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers and to your family, and I will be with you.” 4 So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field, to his flock, 5 and said to them, “I see your father’s countenance, that it is not favorable toward me as before; but the God of my father has been with me. “And you know that with all my might I have served your father. 7 “Yet your father has deceived me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not allow him to hurt me. 8 “If he said thus: ‘The speckled shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore speckled. And if he said thus: ‘The streaked shall be your wages,’ then all the flocks bore streaked. 9 “So God has taken away the livestock of your father and given them to me. 10 “And it happened, at the time when the flocks conceived, that I lifted my eyes and saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flocks were streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted. 11 “Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, ‘Jacob.’ And I said, ‘Here I am. 12 “And He said, ‘Lift your eyes now and see, all the rams which leap on the flocks are streaked, speckled, and gray-spotted; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. 13 ‘I am the God of Bethel, where you anointed the pillar and where you made a vow to Me. Now arise, get out of this land, and return to the land of your family.’ ” 14 Then Rachel and Leah answered and said to him, “Is there still any portion or inheritance for us in our father’s house? 15 “Are we not considered strangers by him? For he has sold us, and also completely consumed our money. 16 “For all these riches which God has taken from our father are really ours and our children’s; now then, whatever God has said to you, do it.”

[gabrielsellesty]

KEY TO COALESDENCE

O.w.

Wizard nor wizardthrone nor Archistrategos ✨💙

P.s. not gloryhammer

[peonyleaf]

was tagged by @euphcme & @daymork to set up a tree for xmas letters!!! thank you dear dear friends this is just the cutest thing!

feel free to do this & send me the link so i can send all of u messages as well!!! tagging some bffs under the cut 💌🎄🤶

@ohwarnette @softpluto @recapitulation @622am @ga8y @portokali @danielsousa @sunnypeachyy @sushigirlfriend @dioscuries @rcpunzel @laylakeating @milo-is-queer @saltlamp @inalucky @archistratego @twoheartsoneclara @nikov @spiderversegf

[orthodoxadventure]

Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

Commemorated on March 26

Gabriel, commander of the heavenly hosts, we who are unworthy beseech you, by your prayers encompass us beneath the wings of your immaterial glory, and faithfully preserve us who fall down and cry to you: “Deliver us from all harm, for you are the commander of the powers on high!”

The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the All-Pure Virgin is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation.

Gabriel, the holy Archistrategos (Leader of the Heavenly Hosts), is a faithful servant of the Almighty God. He announced the future Incarnation of the Son of God to those of the Old Testament; he inspired the Prophet Moses to write the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament), he announced the coming tribulations of the Chosen People to the Prophet Daniel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21-24); he appeared to Saint Anna (July 25) with the news that she would give birth to the Virgin Mary.

The holy Archangel Gabriel remained with the Holy Virgin Mary when She was a child in the Temple of Jerusalem, and watched over Her throughout Her earthly life. He appeared to the Priest Zachariah, foretelling the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, Saint John the Baptist.

The Lord sent him to Saint Joseph the Betrothed in a dream, to reveal to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod, ordering him to flee into Egypt with the divine Infant and His Mother.

When the Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion, the Archangel Gabriel, whose very name signifies “Man of God” (Luke. 22:43), was sent from Heaven to strengthen Him.

The Myrrh-Bearing Women heard from the Archangel the joyous news of Christ’s Resurrection (Mt.28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8).

Mindful of the manifold appearances of the holy Archangel Gabriel and of his zealous fulfilling of God’s will, and confessing his intercession for Christians before the Lord, the Orthodox Church calls upon its children to pray to the great Archangel with faith and love.

The Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel is also celebrated on July 13. All the angels are commemorated on November 8.

[Text from OCA]

Supreme commander Gabriel, you are the glorious intercessor and servant before the all-radiant, worthy, all-powerful, infinite and awesome Trinity. Ever pray now that we may be delivered from all tribulations and torments, so that we may cry out to you: “Rejoice, protection of your servants!”

[belovedharlot]

hold me like blood in your hands / our love as stain and gore

[mwahnsters]

@archistratego

[elkemazel]

[1-tiger-every-day]

I'm so sad I only discovered this blog so late in the year of the tiger!! nooo

Oh no!! Personally, I'm v happy that you'll be here for the next month and a bit to see me to the finish line! And you can always go through the tag and look at the older tigers, I don't mind at all when people like multiple posts at once, far from it :)

Today's tiger is dedicated to u and anyone else just joining <3 sorry for the quality (or lack thereof) I left my iPad at the office today so did this guy on my phone

[luthienne]

Hello, I love you and your blog is always a delight to have on my dash, I hope your day is great!

thank you so much for this 🥺 i hope yours is too!!! 💗💞💖