Traveling light : Luke 22:35 “Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered.”
The packing is almost completed. One can just imagine what it would be like for Britain’s largest family with 22 children. Of course they are from Morecambe. I recall years ago when Pilgrimage to Orthodoxy met with his Beatitude Ignatios ( of thrice blessed memory) in Paris I took a small case for the weekend. On the coach to meet with his Beatitude from the hotel I asked one of our brethren where was his case, he pulled out a tooth brush from his top pocket with the words: ” here it is !” Some of you know him. He now has the longest beard in the Archdiocese! Once again I find myself in that waiting period but making the most, quietly, of the time here amongst new friends.The reception staff ,one Cypriot one Romanian, last evening talked with me about monasteries in Cyprus and Romania. It was a joyful conversation. They said “why don’t you come and live here in Cyprus father? ” I replied with a wry smile” I don’t think my Archbishop or my people would like it!” Such are the vagaries of the English language that a word can have more than one meaning which can be confusing but sometimes revealing! It is important not only that we travel light, but perhaps more importantly that we travel with the Light of Christ , bringing it to all He has given us to meet. Be a traveling light!
After every trial comes a blessing. I went to collect the icon of St Amphilochios. Ioanna had it ready and gave it as a gift. She was so pleased I had introduced her to this saint who she didn’t know that she offered to paint an icon for our Parish. Dimitri from church kindly translated my thankyou letter.I bought some more komboskini and crosses and blessed them on the relics of St Lazarus. As I was praying with my hand on the relics for some of our people I felt a surge of energy through my fingers and joy.
As it was my last full day, I went to my favourite cafe and had prawns with chips and a glass of local white wine. No Octopus! Sophia( I named her) the cat spotted me ( ah here is the clerical guy) sat at my feet pleading once more for the prawns tail ends. Yet again I gave in to her petition.I have so many gifts that I needed to distribute some of them otherwise my suitcase would be too heavy I was given a rose cordial and some basil from my visit to Nicosia.Together with an icon of the Mother of God of Patmos I gave them to the daughter of a priest Pater Makarios who fell asleep in the Lord in 2019.
As I was about to leave the church I saw the Russian lady who I met on the first day in church. We sang some hymns together in Russian and Greek…..others started quite spontaneously joining in with usI shared the last of my icon cards, St Dimitrios to a lady whose son just happened to be called…
” We have no grandmas( giagiades) in this community; you are the Church. ” This was my reply to a group of Cypriot students who, when faced with my request for them to build and decorate the Epitaphion for Pascha ten years ago, exclaimed ” but father our giagias do this in Cyprus.”
Meeting A… today took me back in time to those days when we had to build a church every week…
.. Then, we made our way to the Metropolis where his grace Bishop Nektarios of Kition afforded me more than 30 minutes of his precious time.
The time we offer to others is indeed a grace reflecting the time that God gives to us. We will find when we allow the Lord into our schedule and daily agendas, time is stretched.
We must not think that time belongs to us or even that we can manage time. If we are not interrupted then we are of no use to God or humans. We only have to look in the Gospels to see that our Lord Jesus Christ was continually interrupted in His earthly ministry. Time belongs to God alone.
Metropolitan Philaret writes: “In unforeseen events let us not forget that all are sent by God.” When we seek first the kingdom of God, everything falls into place and time(kairos).
I recall trying to persuade some anxious students to come to church during their exams. I said : Don’t worry God will give you more time, a clear mind and a peaceful spirit for your revision!”
The 20-year-old student studying commercial engineering, Michalis Klapsis from Leipsoi, speaking on T. Stefanidou’s “T-Live” show today, attributed to Saint Luke of Simferopol the Physician and to his icon of him that he always has with him his salvation in the carnage in Tempi, but also that he was found worthy to help and save his fellow human beings, among them a baby.
“Everything I did I did thanks to him,” he declared “… the strength I got to do all this, I believe my patron Saint Luke the Physician gave me because I always carry his icon with me.”
A priest’s son, one of Fr. Christodoulos’ 6 children from Cyprus, and a priest’s grandson
He was on his way back from a monastery retreat in Andros, after he kept there a three days’ complete fast («Τριήμερο» ie. He abstained completely from any food and water for three days) for the beginning of Great Lent, received Holy Communion, blessed his wedding wreath at the icon of Saint Marina since he was planning to get married soon and left …
Kyprianos wed our Bridegroom, Christ.
Our brother in Christ and now our “ambassador”, interceding for us to Christ, Our Lord
Words cannot communicate our gladdening sorrow! The Mystery of Death! We now better understand our Gerondas’ words to always be ready …
Kyprianos’ grandfather, a priest too, knew his fiancée Christina since a very young child, since she was going to Confession to him. Upon learning the news of the engagement, he was filled with joy in the beginning, but later confessed to his grandson that he saw a strange dream where the sacrament of the marriage was taking place between Christina and Kyprianos, but when the time came to exchange the wedding wreaths between these two, only Christina was there but Kyprianos was gone! The whole family were perplexed at this strange dream! What were they to make out of it? Kyprianos’ grandfather told him that the meaning of the dream in his opinion was that there will be no marriage! He was right! They had been warned by God!
Butterfly
(Kyprianos’ recent diary notes)
Man should be like a butterfly,
Picking only the necessary
From this world’s goods.
Food – for example –
One ought to eat
Only what is necessary
Love –
As is proper,
As offered by God
If any abuse occurs,
Our little life,
Given by our Lord,
Shrivels…
Withering jasmines…
Our garden’s sweetness’
Roses and lilies
Delight we miss…
Kyprianos chanting to the Theotokos:
O Most Holy Theotokos
How much do I love Thee!
Grant my wish to chant thy hymns
Until my hour of death
And stand by Thee then!
Now, chanting with the Angels!
* His priest father’s words:
“It is very difficult for a parent to lose a child that he has helped grow hour by hour, day by day. This has always been the worst nightmare of my life since I have 6 children. And now I am called to experience this. I cannot, though, hold any grudge against anyone. … We are all human and we may all make errors. Let us forgive them. This is my consolation. This is how I am helping myself and Kyprianos’ soul. Nobody, nothing can comfort you, no drugs, no psychologist. So, I will forgive all those who are responsible for this so that my soul and my son’s soul are comforted. When I for a moment got upset with the shortcomings and errors, I felt inside my heart that I am betraying Kyprianos. If I held any grudge against my son and he left like this, suddenly, I could never find peace. “A blessed Ressurection. Christ is Risen!” This is what I would say to him. Kyprianos was always very careful with his conscience. He never held any grudges. He has always been like this. Since a baby. A very good child.”
“On Sunday night at 20:00, a vigil will take place where the Psalter will be read. Then, a PresSanctified Holy Liturgy will take place, and those of the faithful who are ready, let them commune the Holy Sacraments on behalf of Kyprianos and all those who died that sudden, violent death. On Monday, 10 am,the Funeral Service will take place at the Holy Churc of the Apostles Peter and Paul, in Avgorou. The request of the family of the departed one is that all who will accompany the funeral procession should be dressed in white. All dressed in white, in the Heavenly Liturgy, revealing Christ’s Light of Truth. Please offer memorials, instead of funeral wreaths, for the completion of the church restoration, In Memory of the soul of Kyprianos”
PS. Christ is Risen! So many families here have ‘lost’ loved ones! So young most of them! May our Lord grant them a rich entrance into His Kingdom and may our Theotokos comfort the hearts of their close ones so they do not blaspheme His most Holy Name! Only yesterday another friend of mine texted me that they are to attend the funeral of their beloved cousin and they only have his leg to bury… 🙏
If you do not learn how to stay calm amidst life’s adventures, you will be constantly vexed, and the cause will be your reaction to what is happening.
So, master the art of staying calm and ‘indifferent’ towards all.
Whatever may come, the greatest temptation and the greatest difficulty and the greatest death, height, depth, whatever that may be, accept it, welcome it; God is in charge, God knows…
Thus, God will synergize with you, so that you enter His Kingdom.
Make peace with life’s adventures.
Whoever does not master how to live and move comfortably amidst difficulties, will never become a man of prayer.
This means that I will not pray for my difficulties to disappear, as most of us do.
But I will pray to make peace with the sorrows and the difficulties that come to me so that I can stay together with God.
Dear Fathers and MOTHER’s, brothers and sisters in Christ,
Χριστός ᾽Ετέχθη! Αληθώς ᾽Ετέχθη! Christ is Born! Truly, He is Born!
Christ is born, Glorify Him!
Please accept my warm greetings for the Feast of the Nativity.
May our hearts become a Holy Manger and the Holy Babe of Bethlehem grant us all his blessings! (St Paisios’ prayer)
On this Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, I extend my love and poor prayers in Christ. In dearest Father Jonathan’s words, “Let us remember in our prayers and through actions, the poor, the lonely, the oppressed, the sick, the housebound, those in prison, all exiles from their land, and those who suffer in war.”
“When God comes to us, May the joy of the archangels be yours,
May the wisdom of the wise men be yours,
May the watchfulness of the shepherds be yours,
May the contemplation of Joseph be yours,
May the humility of the oxen and donkey be yours,
May the brightness of the stars be yours,
May the love of the Holy Virgin be yours,
May the peace of the Christ Child be yours.
Today the earth gives a cave. Today the heavens give a sign!
Today the Magi offer gifts
Today the angels glorify in praise
Today the shepherds hear the proclamation
Today we offer our hearts”
“We worship thy Nativity O ChristShow us also Thy Divine Theophany” Eν Χριστώ
Today, at the age of 100 years old, Sister Eirini (Vasiliki Ralli) fell asleep in the Lord, at the Holy Monastery of Theotokos the Merciful in Patra. «Blessed is the way wherein you walk today, for there is prepared for you a place of rest.» in the company of your beloved patron Saints. Memory Eternal!
Greek yiayia prays for her fellow man each and every day
The Greek yiayia, who feels moved every morning by the beauty of her surroundings to pray for her fellow man, stands in her yard (which has an incredible view of the two waterfalls on the mountain) each day to do just that.
Yet recently, in a moment captured by her grandson Dimitris, and posted on his social media accounts, Anthi decided to pray indoors.
It was raining and the temperature had dropped significantly. Life in the village, which is located quite high on the mountain slopes, is quite difficult under these weather conditions.
Rather than stepping out into the cold, Anthi stood in her kitchen and opened a window to look out on the stunning mountain range before her.
When Dimitris asked his grandmother why she opened the window, she answered:
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE 