| Icon of the Mother of God “the Rescuer of the Drowning” Commemorated on February 5 The Divnogorsk-Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God received the first part of its title from where it was enshrined when it was glorified: the Dormition monastery of Divnogorsk, in the former Ostrogozhsk district in Voronezh governance. Its title of “Sicilian” comes from its place of origin, since by tradition this icon at Diva (i.e. “Wondrous Heights”) was brought from Sicily by the pious monastic Elders Xenophon and Joasaph. They suggest that these saints were Orthodox Greeks by birth, and that they had arrived there not earlier than the end of the fifteenth century. Xenophon and Joasaph founded a monastery at a scenic spot above the River Don, near the confluence of the River Tikha Sosna [Quiet Pine River]. The place was called Wondrous Heights by those struck by the form of the chalk columns throughout the hills. It is said that Xenophon and Joasaph lived in a cave (where later the church of Saint John the Forerunner was built), and that they carved out the first church in a chalk column, into which also they put the Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God which they had brought with them. Here is where they found their eternal repose. On the Divnogorsk-Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God, the Theotokos is depicted sitting in the clouds. In Her right hand is a white lily blossom, and with Her left arm She supports the Divine Infant, Who sits upright upon Her knees. The Savior holds a lily blossom in His left hand, and blesses with His right hand. Around the face of the Mother of God are eight angels. The two beneath are shown on bended knee and with hands upraised in prayer. Over the head of the Theotokos is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. The special glorification of the icon began in the year 1831, when cholera was raging. At Korotoyak, 7-8 versts from the monastery, the Most Holy Virgin appeared (as She is depicted in the Divnogorsk Icon) to a certain elderly woman, Ekaterina Kolomenska, in a dream. She commanded that Her icon be brought and a Molieben be served before it. The wonderworking icon was brought to Korotoyak, and after a Molieben before the holy icon, the cholera ceased. By the intercession of the Mother of God, the city of Ostrogozhsk also was saved from cholera. The people of Korotoyak and Ostrogozhsk were also saved from cholera in 1847 and 1848 through the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God, which occurred after a church procession around these towns with the holy icon. According to Tradition, the feastday of the wonderworking icon on February 5 was established already at its original habitation by Xenophon and Joasaph. The Orthodox Church in America 10 февраля 2017 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Also, at the edge of the summit there can be seen mingling with the green of the trees the red roofs of a manorial homestead, while behind the upper stories of the mansion proper and its carved balcony and a great semi-circular window there gleam the tiles and gables of some peasants " huts. Lastly, over this combination of trees and roofs there rises — overtopping everything with its gilded, sparkling steeple — an old village church. On each of its pinnacles a cross of carved gilt is stayed with supports of similar gilding and design; with the result that from a distance the gilded portions have the effect of hanging without visible agency in the air. And the whole — the three successive tiers of woodland, roofs, and crosses whole — lies exquisitely mirrored in the river below, where hollow willows, grotesquely shaped (some of them rooted on the river " s banks, and some in the water itself, and all drooping their branches until their leaves have formed a tangle with the water lilies which float on the surface), seem to be gazing at the marvellous reflection at their feet. Thus the view from below is beautiful indeed. But the view from above is even better. No guest, no visitor, could stand on the balcony of the mansion and remain indifferent. So boundless is the panorama revealed that surprise would cause him to catch at his breath, and exclaim: " Lord of Heaven, but what a prospect! " Beyond meadows studded with spinneys and water-mills lie forests belted with green; while beyond, again, there can be seen showing through the slightly misty air strips of yellow heath, and, again, wide-rolling forests (as blue as the sea or a cloud), and more heath, paler than the first, but still yellow. Finally, on the far horizon a range of chalk-topped hills gleams white, even in dull weather, as though it were lightened with perpetual sunshine; and here and there on the dazzling whiteness of its lower slopes some plaster-like, nebulous patches represent far-off villages which lie too remote for the eye to discern their details. |
| Archaeologists Identify First Century House Where Jesus May Have Lived March 3, 2015 Archeologists in Nazareth say a first century house discovered in the 1880s could be the home of Mary and Joseph where Jesus was brought up. " Was this the house where Jesus grew up? It is impossible to say on archaeological grounds, " writes Ken Dark, a professor at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, in Biblical Archaeology Review, referring to a first century " courtyard house " containing limestone pottery that was first uncovered in the 1880s by nuns at the Sisters of Nazareth convent, according to Live Science . It was Dark who led a team of archaeologists in 2006 that dated the house to the first century. The team also discovered that the people who lived there centuries after Jesus " time believed Jesus was brought up in that house. " On the other hand, there is no good archaeological reason why such an identification should be discounted, " Dark wrote in the article published in the latest edition of the magazine, as quoted by Live Science. The house " had been constructed by cutting back a limestone hillside as it sloped toward the wadi (valley) below, leaving carefully smoothed freestanding rock walls, to which stone-built walls were added, " Dark added. " The structure included a series of rooms. One, with its doorway, survived to its full height. Another had a stairway rising adjacent to one of its walls. Just inside the surviving doorway, earlier excavations had revealed part of its original chalk floor. " After another Jesus-era house was found in Nazareth in 2009, The Associated Press reported that the dwelling and older discoveries of nearby tombs in burial caves suggest that Nazareth was an out-of-the-way hamlet of around 50 houses on a patch of about 1.6 hectares. In Nazareth, Jews of modest means lived and they kept camouflaged grottos to hide from Roman invaders, archaeologist Yardena Alexandre, excavations director at the Israel Antiquities Authority, was quoted as saying. " This may well have been a place that Jesus and his contemporaries were familiar with, " Alexandre went on to say, adding that Jesus as a child may have played around the house with his cousins and friends. " It " s a logical suggestion. " The Christian Post 4 марта 2015 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Смотри также Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Drs. Ingrid Zoetmulder 4. Technique Technique When one thinks of the term ‘icon’, what usually comes to mind is a religious painting on wood. But in fact icons are made of many different materials. From the early period in particular we find icons of ivory, gold, enamel, mosaic or marble. Icons made of cloth – woven and embroidered – also survive. And small metal icons (mostly cast in bronze or brass) were particularly popular in Russia in the 18th and 19 th centuries. Most icons painted on wood are executed in egg tempera, where egg yolk is the binding agent for the pigments. An alternative, encaustic, technique, whereby paint was burned into heated wax, fell into disuse after the Iconoclasm. Materials An icon painter would start by looking for a wooden panel, preferably one free of resin (lime, beech, cypress or cedar, for instance). He would then cut it to the right size: for a large icon, several planks may have had to be glued together. Sometimes he would make a groove in the wood with a chisel (kovcjek), leaving a broad, raised edge (polje) to serve as a frame. To prevent the panel warping, battens were then fixed to the back of the panel. In Russia, the battens (sponki) were slotted into grooves carved for this purpose. From the 18 th century onwards, this was also sometimes done in the lower and the upper sides of the panel. In Greece, the battens were fastened directly onto the back, using nails or wooden pins. The painter would then often roughen the front surface and glue a piece of linen (povoloka) or rough paper on it. The next step was to apply a paste (levkas) consisting of chalk (such as ground marble, or perhaps alabaster) and various binding agents. Many layers of this paste were applied (15–20 was not unusual). They were repeatedly rubbed and polished to create an extremely smooth surface. On this shiny white background, the painter then drew or scratched the outlines of his picture. He would be following an old icon or using a design from a book of examples. Often he knew his subject matter so well that he could draw it from memory. He would then cover the background with gold leaf (or sometimes silver leaf). Now he could start the actual painting, using egg tempera. The colours were made from organic materials or finely ground minerals. Holy relics were also sometimes mixed in with the paint. The artist painted in layers, from dark to light, finally adding some light effects and perhaps some gold embellishment. |
| Finding a minute while he gathered his belongings, I took Volodya into the kitchen, and closing the door behind me, said to him in a whisper, “Augustine is in all probability not the man he says he is! It is very possible that he is a serious criminal! I am not joking. I will leave with him, and you search his things without delay, in case there is a weapon or something.” Volodya looked at me with his eyes wide open, and for a minute couldn’t pronounce a word. Then he opened his mouth: “Do you know what you are saying? Are you crazy? How could you even imagine that I would search through someone else’s belongings?” “Listen,” I said. “Forget about your intelligentsia mannerisms. This is too serious! We could be talking about the lives of your children!” Finally, Volodya began to understand. Without saying another word, I took Fr. Augustine and left with him for the Publishing Department. We talked about something along the way, ate some ice cream—I wanted to give Volodya more time. When I returned, the owner of the apartment appeared before us as white as chalk. I took him quickly into the kitchen, and shouted to Augustine to greet the guests. In the kitchen, Volodya barely managed to whisper: “There are documents in the name of one Sergei (Volodya said his surname), an altar table cross, money—two and a half thousand rubles—a medal of St. Vladimir… What is going on?” “Are there any weapons?” “No weapons.” A ring came from the hallway. Igumen Dimitry from the St. Sergius Lavra had arrived. We heard Augustine greet him, and how they went into the living room. But even with these new findings, I still could not believe conclusively that it was all real. This was shocking! I shared some of my feelings with Volodya. Even after seeing with his own eyes the passport and a large sum of money, he was incapable of believing that Augustine was not the man he claimed to be. Zurab and Elena Chavchavadze arrived. When Volodya and I entered the living room, everyone was gathered. We sent the children out to play. |
| For example, I might in a moment of tiredness or stress snap angrily at my grandchild. If I immediately repent and do not do it again, then we could say that it was an accidental occurrence, and St. Isaac says it is “only slightly taken into account.” This principle applies not only to bad behaviour, but also to good. If on a good day, someone catches me in a good mood and hits me up for a contribution to a good cause, I might give a hundred dollars. However, if this is not something I am continually doing, then St. Isaac says that it also is an accidental occurrence not really revealing anything in my heart. You might call this accidental generosity, but because it is not a continual action, not something I’m always doing, not something that characterizes me, this accidental generosity does not reveal a genuinely generous heart. Why does this happen? Why is it that I can sometimes say some terribly mean things to the people I love the most. Things that are not in my heart, things I do not want to be true. And why is it that I can suddenly be so amazingly patient or self controlled or generous in a particular unusual situation, but then immediately return to my normally impatient, intemperate and selfish self as soon as things return to normal? St. Isaac would chalk this up to human changeability, or to use his word, variableness. That is, human beings are able to change, able to repent, either for better or for worse. Thus, for as long as we live we need to watch ourselves carefully and never allow ourselves to pridefully boast in our mind that we have pretty much got things under control. In fact, St. Isaac tells us in homily 5 that “in each matter about which a man boasts himself, God permits that he change, so that he should be humbled, and learn humility. This is why you must surrender all things to God’s foreknowledge, and not believe that there is anything in this life unchanging.” No matter how holy a person becomes, change for the worse is possible; similarly, no matter how sinful a person becomes, changes for the better is possible. However, with habit in either virtue or sin, change becomes more painful with time. This is why St. Isaac advises us, “While the transgression is still small and blossoming, pluck it up, before it spreads to cover the field.” |
| How intolerable would their accusations have been, at least so far as the Romans are concerned, if the Christian religion had been received and diffused prior to the invasion of the Gauls, or to the ruinous floods and fires which desolated Rome, or to those most calamitous of all events, the civil wars! And those other disasters, which were of so strange a nature that they were reckoned prodigies, had they happened since the Christian era, to whom but to the Christians would they have imputed these as crimes? I do not speak of those things which were rather surprising than hurtful – oxen speaking, unborn infants articulating some words in their mothers» wombs, serpents flying, hens and women being changed into the other sex; and other similar prodigies which, whether true or false, are recorded not in their imaginative, but in their historical works, and which do not injure, but only astonish men. But when it rained earth, when it rained chalk, when it rained stones – not hailstones, but real stones – this certainly was calculated to do serious damage. We have read in their books that the fires of Etna, pouring down from the top of the mountain to the neighboring shore, caused the sea to boil, so that rocks were burnt up, and the pitch of ships began to run – a phenomenon incredibly surprising, but at the same time no less hurtful. By the same violent heat, they relate that on another occasion Sicily was filled with cinders, so that the houses of the city Catina were destroyed and buried under them – a calamity which moved the Romans to pity them, and remit their tribute for that year. One may also read that Africa, which had by that time become a province of Rome, was visited by a prodigious multitude of locusts, which, after consuming the fruit and foliage of the trees, were driven into the sea in one vast and measureless cloud; so that when they were drowned and cast upon the shore the air was polluted, and so serious a pestilence produced that in the kingdom of Masinissa alone they say there perished 800,000 persons, besides a much greater number in the neighboring districts. |
| It is easy to simply scoff at Herod as one of the great villains of the Gospel. Like Judas, Pilate and the people of Jerusalem, we may simply chalk him up as conspirator to the murder of Jesus. But it is important not to be too arrogant when assessing Herod’s actions. Indeed, when we take a moment to consider them, it is easy to see how often we as Orthodox Christians fall into an identical attitude. If we have grown up in North America, we have heard of Jesus Christ from the very beginning of our lives. Whether raised Orthodox, heterodox, non-Christian or atheist, we, like everyone in our society, have met the news of Christ in much the same way as Herod: with curiosity. Can what is said about this ancient man possibly be true? We have wondered to ourselves at the supposed miracles, thumbed through the scriptures, visited churches and spoken with friends and family. Just like Herod, our relationship with Jesus began through hearsay followed up by curiosity. But what follows this initial curiosity is the issue of concern here. Exactly how have we reacted to what we have heard of Jesus? For most reading this magazine, the broad answer is that we have embraced Him and chosen to follow the teachings of His Church. But our reaction to Christ is more than a broad life choice – it is also something established from day to day and moment to moment. And here, in the immediate present, we find our selves, more often than not, adopting Herod’s attitude. For Herod’s great sin did not come from his initial reaction to Christ. Curious, he had an open mind about the man, and even believed that it was possible that he might be a true prophet. He was excited, as we all must be, to see whether what he had heard was true. For this, Herod knows no condemnation. Instead, where Herod misses the mark is in his approach to an answer. Herod, sitting before Christ (almost certainly sitting above him physically as well as politically) begins to ask the questions. Herod places himself as king, and demands that proof come to him in the way that he desires: through miracles and physical wonders. He wishes to stay in his throne, powerful and arrogant, and still be shown the truth as though it is as simple as a mathematical calculation: there for all to see. When he receives no response, Herod simply mocks Jesus and sends him on his way, placing on him a beautiful cloak. Far from flogging or executing Jesus, Herod simply writes him off, sending him away with a gift: a small kindness which only highlights Jesus’ apparent humiliation and serves to build Herod up even further. In giving Christ a cloak, Herod seems to say, ‘you are so great a fool that I do not even have time for anger with you – I will show my contempt through my kindness.’ |
| Many of the apostles left their families and jobs to follow after Jesus. They listened to His teaching. They broke bread with Him. They watched as He was led to the cross. They witnessed His Resurrection. They had 40 joyous days with Him, continuing to learn from Him about what He had come to do for the world. And yet, when He left them and ascended into heaven, they did not immediately go into the cities and start to preach Christ to the masses. None of them had the faith that was necessary to go and be martyred for His name. Something was missing…and that something is manifested today to us as we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Disciples at Pentecost. There is no Christianity without the coming of the Holy Spirit! The experience of God given to us at Holy Pentecost, is the glue which holds all of the works that we have celebrated these past few months, together. What would our faith be without experience? Imagine what our Christianity would be like if we were not constantly having the experience of God? We would read scripture, we would come to Church, we would learn about our Lord’s birth, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and we would chalk it up to an inspirational story about Love…not truly understanding or comprehending in our hearts what God means to mankind. Try to explain to me what love is without personal experience. Can we truly fathom what love is by reading it in a book? Can we learn about love by watching a chick flick on the Hall Mark Channel? No! We learn about love in this life by experiencing it from other people. And in the same manner, we learn about the love that God has for mankind by experiencing it through the Holy Spirit. The events of Pentecost gave mankind the ability to not just read about God in scriptures, but to personally experience Him in our own lives, (and here is the key) if we allow Him to be experienced. One of our biggest faults as human beings is a denial of our ability to experience God in a very real way, each and every moment of our lives. We think that because we don’t always get our prayers answered right away, or can’t hear a deep voice responding to us in a physical sense, that it is impossible to have communion with our creator. And yet, despite our doubts, we see examples of so many men and women throughout the centuries that truly knew God PERSONALLY. St. Paul is a wonderful example of this. He would say often in scriptures: “I know Him in whom I believed.” “I know from experience…” He rarely, if ever, said “I think or I believe” when speaking about Christ. He said with conviction “I know Him” |
| Martinova has explained that the unique murals on the inside of the tomb were painted using the “wet fresco” technique (also known as “true fresco”), a highly durable technique where the wall is plasteredand painted at the same time, with the paint actually consisting of thick colored lime or chalk/plaster. The archaeologists have concluded that the Early Christian Late Roman tomb was part of the southern necropolis of Philipopolis, the richest necropolis in Plovdiv (which according to one ranking is the oldest city in Europe, and one of the 10 oldest cities in the world). The tomb was extracted and restored in two stages – first came the underground stage when the tomb was carefully excavated; the second stage was the conservation and restoration performed by the team of restorer Nikolay Sirakov, which took about 18 months. The first stage was funded by the EVN power utility, while the second was sponsored by Plovdiv Municipality. It is thanks to its murals, however, that the fully preserved 4th century AD Christian tomb in Bulgaria’s Plovdiv has been seen as a truly unique artifact. “If we are talking about “uniqueness” – even though this word has become a cliché – the newly found tombis unique precisely because of its murals which are connected with the Early Christianity in Philipopolis,” says Assoc. Prof. Kisyov, the Director of the Plovdiv Museum of Archaeology, as quoted by the 24 Chasa daily. “It is a very rare occurrence for an entire tomb to be exhibited in its authentic appearance with itsmurals,” he adds. The tomb is 2 meters long and 1 meter wide, and is the only Early Christian tomb of this kind to have been found in Bulgaria so far. The archaeologists believe it was the family tomb of a rich family living in Philipopolis in the Late Roman and Late Antiquity period, at the time of Early Christianity. Another one of the murals on the inside of the 4th century AD Roman town shows another biblical scene in which Jesus Christ (right) heals the paralyzed man. Photo: 24 Chasa daily |
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