9 march – The 40 martyres of Sebaste celebration and a special dish in Romania

40 romans soldiers died for their christian faith in 320 AD, in the time of Licinius, emperor of estern part of roman empire.

According to St. Basil, forty soldiers who had openly confessed themselves Christians were condemned by the prefect to be exposed naked upon a frozen pond near Sebaste on a bitterly cold night, that they might freeze to death.

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The biggest american personality ever(in my opinion) – Seraphim Rose

Who is Seraphim Rose? A man who make me to look with different eyes to America, and, more important, to rest of the world.
Seraphim Rose is one of the biggest personalities of christian orthodoxy in our time, and he was an american.
The life of this man was really an miracle. He used to say: “I was in hell, i know how it is”.

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24 february: we celebrate today the 1. and 2. discovery of the head of John the Baptist

First the facts.

John the Baptist is the biggest prophet in christianity and he baptised Jesus Christ at Jordan River when Jesus was 30 years old.

He was first who claim that Jesus  is Mesiah and send Jesus few of his apprentices who becames first apostles like St.Andrew and St.Peter.

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Unique icon in Romania, Celic Dere: became half clean after 200 years

This icon can be found in Romania, in Celic Dere, a small village with turkish name. It’s considered to be miraculous. Why? Because it was at his arrival in that place, cca 1816, completely dark. After 200 years a big part of her it’s clean without human intervention (if somebody would want to clean the icon would do it 100%). The process was graduated, in time. Memories of old people in the village said that 50, 60 or 80 years ago was just a little clean.

Other unique thing is that Jesus Christ is depicted with closed eyes. I think it’s the only icon in the world depicted like this. People in the village say that the Christ will open the eyes at the end of the world.

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We are now in the Lent period: 40 days to clear our minds before Easter

In Orthodox church is now the Lent period before Easter. It began on 8 february and it ends 3 avril at midnight, on 4 is Easter, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Interesting is that the catholics celebrate this year in the same day.

Its an period with some rules for food(no meat, eggs, fish, milk or milk products – to be more specific nothing of animal origin) but more important for clearing the mind(even just a little bit). in facts, the rules for food are made for this. after a visit to  mc donalds you feel like a satieted pig.

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January 2, St Seraphim of Sarov day. “”Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.”

Who is St. Seraphim of Sarov?(in image, feeding a bear)

Is one of the most beloved saints of Orthodoxy. Lived in Russia and his life was full of extraordinary events.

As a small boy he was healed by a Wonderworking Icon of the Virgin Mary  which convinced him later to become a monk(at the age of 18).

It’s famous for an episode between him and his apprentice. Apprentice asked the saint one day what is the purpose of Christian life. Saint replied: “You must have the Holy Spirit in you. You need to pray always and have an peacefull life to get it”.

“How will I know if I got it?” asked the disciple. The Saint put the  hand on the apprentice shoulder and asked: “How do I look?” Apprentice remained shocked. “You are surrounded by light!”. The Saint said :”If I look like this, me and you are reached this goal”.

Here are some informations from wikipedia:

He lived 19 July 1759 – 2 January(15 january ) 1833, born Prokhor Moshnin , is one of the most renowned Russian monks and mystics in the  Orthodox Church. He is generally considered the greatest of the nineteenth century Elders, and maybe the first. He is remembered for extending the monastic teachings of contemplation, theoria and self-denial to the layperson, and taught that the purpose of the Christian life was to acquire the Holy Spirit.

Seraphim was glorified (canonized) by the Russian Orthodox church in 1903. The date of his death is his major feast day.

One of his “spiritual children,” Nicholas Motovilov, wrote most of what we know about him today.

Perhaps the Saint’s most popular quote amongst Orthodox believers is “Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.”

Facts from his life

One day, while chopping wood, he was attacked by a gang of thieves who beat him mercilessly until they thought he was dead. Seraphim never resisted and was beaten with the handle of his own axe. The thieves were looking for money, but all they found in his hut was an icon of the Theotokos (Mother of God in greek). The incident left Seraphim with a hunched back for the rest of his life. However, at the thieves’ trial he pleaded to the judge for mercy on their behalf.

After this incident Seraphim spent a thousand successive nights on a rock in continuous prayer with his arms raised to the sky, an almost super-human feat of asceticism, especially considering the pain he was already in from his injuries.

In 1815, in obedience to a spiritual experience that he attributed to the Virgin Mary, he began admitting pilgrims to his hermitage as a Confessor. Seraphim soon became immensely popular due to his apparent healing powers and clairvoyance. He was often visited by hundreds of pilgrims per day, and was reputed to have the ability to answer his guests’ questions before they could ask.

As extraordinarily harsh as the Saint often was to himself, he was kind and gentle toward others—always greeting his guests with a prostration, a kiss, and exclaiming, “Christ is risen!” He died while kneeling before an icon of the Theotokos(Virgin Mary) at the age of seventy-three.

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What is orthodoxy?

I’m sure that many people do not know what is orthodoxy. In fact probably now hear for the first time that word. Orthodoxy is definitely the best part of Christianity. Even though this name is also found in the Jewish faith, he certainly belongs to Christianity.

The purpose of this blog is to make known the Orthodox faith and people who have had the opportunity to make contact with her.

Orthodoxy has no Inquisition, no Pope, no characters like Borgia, not opulence that has made many people in today’s to reject christian values because of a wrong image made by the excesses done in the Middle Ages in Western Europe.

There is no austerity and spiritual poverty that is found in the new Christian churches that stud Western Europe and especially the United States.

Do not promises a heaven full of womens made for men, which Osama bin Laden probably reminds his disciples that this promised Mohamed.

Do not ask people to stay in hands to achieve Nirvana … LOL

Orthodoxy is something else.

“Orthodoxy has always been royal way of the Gospel. Kept clean and genuine spirit of Christianity in front of dark mysticism of the heresies from the East, the catholic centralization and rationalist subjectivity of Protestantism from the West. He always kept the measure and harmony, has done nothing wrong.

Orthodoxy is not only theology, is also the true and authentic humanism psychology and sociology. It is a diamond that reflects the all sides of truth” said Father Efrem from Athos mountain.

Come and discover together the church founded by the apostles of Jesus, not by Martin Luther or another pastor, bishop or pope.
You will find 2000 years of history, faith, miracles and destiny saved and 300 million people who would like to have as a brother.

Let’s Get Acquainted…

…with Jesus Christ.Not a myth invented, not a man, not a supernatural man. Not a guru who learned in India (as some fools claim).

Jesus Christ is the Son of God that took human nature. God and man in the same time, in a way that we can not understand. Can not believe it. There is no problem. But investigate first … It might change your mind

…with Mount Athos from Greece, site of most monasteries in the world, with thousands of monks living as apostles lived 2,000 years ago.

…with the great saints that show what God’s grace can make human nature.

with the icons that make miracles even today, icons who are found in Orthodox churches and monasteries.

….with the Virgin Mary that never left a person who asked for help.

…with St. Nicholas, defender of Jesus in front of heretic Arius

…with St. Basil the Great, who first explained the links between Father, Son and Holy Spirit and their equality

with St. Panteleon the Martyr Doctor

…with St Nectarios that cures cancer

…With tens of thousands of martyrs of the communist prisons.

My Dear Reader

I apologize if this blog will take you from your precious time, but you never know how a small word you meet somewhere, somehow, can change your life for ever

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