Orthodox Churches

On the Virtue of Humility

Third homily on the Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian

O Lord and Master of my life, the spirit of humble-mindedness bestow upon me Thy servant, for blessed art Thou unto the ages of ages. Amen.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Mt. Athos looking to introduce renewable energy sources

Experts of the Greek state’s Center for Preservation of the Athonite Heritage (CPAH) gave a presentation recently on the introduction of renewable energy sources to Mt. Athos. The presentation was given in the Stefanos Dragoumis Hall in the Museum of Byzantine Culture in Thessaloniki together with the Holy Mt. Athos Center, reports Russian Athos.

Ruins of previously unknown monastery accidentally found in Georgian forest

The remains of a previously unknown monastery complex were recently discovered in southeastern Georgia, not far from Pitareti Monastery in Tetritsqaro in the Kvemo Kartli region, according to a statement on the Facebook page of the National Agency for the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Georgia.

The ruins were discovered by specialists undertaking geological research in a forest in the region. The remains are hidden in dense vegetation on top a hill, less than two miles from the northeastern section of Pitareti Monastery.   

According to some information, there are around 375 historic architectural monuments in Tetritsqaro, including the monastic complexes of Pitareti, Gudarekhi, and Pirgebuli; the churches of the Manglisi Cathedral, Gokhnari hall church, the Church of the Mother of God of Tsintskaro, the domed Church of Didi Toneti, the Chkhikvta Church of the Holy Trinity and others.

Art specialists, historians and architects from the agency inspected the ancient discovery together with local residents. It turns out there is no information about this monastery in historical sources or academic literature. The local population does not even know its name.

According to the experts, the monastery was badly damaged, most of it covered over with earth.

Experts believe the oldest building of the monastery complex is the stone church from the 8th-9th centuries, 27.5 ft. long x 16.5 ft. wide. Within the walls of the church were found fragments of stone crosses, and flat slabs embedded into the walls themselves, which are most likely tombstones. Inscriptions from local believers are also visible on the walls in the eastern section.     

Ruins of stone walls and cells were also discovered around the church.     

The National Agency plans to preserve the monastery after conducting a full study of the site, and has already begun the process of granting the object the status of an immovable monument.

Source: Orthochristian.com

Monument to King David gifted by Russian charity dismantled in Jerusalem

A monument to the holy King David, installed on Mt. Zion almost a decade ago by the Russian Charitable Foundation of the St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, was dismantled today. The statue had previously been vandalized several times, reports newsru.co.il.

Gospel of Luke published in Siberian Chukchi language

A new edition in an ongoing series of translations of the Gospel of Luke into Northern Diglott languages has been released, this time in the Chukchi language. The series presents the Gospel in the languages of the indigenous peoples of Northern and Far Eastern Russia with a parallel text of the Russian Synodal translation of the Bible and an accompanying audio recording.

Valaam Monastery tonsures 15 monks during Great Lent

The historic Valaam Monastery in Russia’s northeast has celebrated the rite of monastic tonsure three times so far this Great Lent, in the first and fifth weeks, thus adding 15 men to the monastery’s ranks. The men, previously living at the monastery as novices, have entered the riassaphore stage of monasticism, reports Valaam Monastery.