feast – Page 2 – Blisswood

Faith, Hope, and Charity

Garden flowers surround this Cross on the Exaltation Feast Day (Sept. 27/14). Along with the traditional red roses and basil, are chrysanthemums, mint, tarragon, tiny sprigs of green olives, (our tree finally produced!) and Chinese lanterns.

Greetings on the Feast Day of Sts. Sophia, and her daughters – Faith, Hope and Love (Sept. 30/17).

Congratulations on your Names’ Day Vera, Sophie, and Esperanza! May God grant you many years of good health, peace and joy in our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Prayer to Sts. Sophia, and her daughters Faith, Hope and Love

O holy and most praiseworthy Martyrs, Faith, Hope and Love, and wise mother Sophia of these glorious daughters: To you do we now hasten in heartfelt prayer; for what better representation can we have before the Lord, than faith, hope and charity, the three cornerstone virtues, which, bearing their names, ye embodied in fact. Entreat the Lord to shield us, save us and keep us in every sorrow and trouble, as One Who is good and loveth mankind. Pray that His glory, like a sun that never setteth, and which ye now see as becometh Saints, be with us in our humble prayers; may the Lord God forgive our sins and iniquities, and have mercy on us sinners who are unworthy of His generosity towards us. Pray indeed for us, ye holy Martyrs, unto our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom we send up glory, together with His Father Who is from everlasting, and His All-holy, and Good, and Life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen. ~ From “Polny Sbornik Molitv” p. 246

Memory Eternal Michael, Nadezhda, and Faith!

Apodosis of Nativity

Festive Nativity Morning Breakfast – by Melania

January 13 / December 31

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

The last day of an Afterfeast is called the Apodosis (Ancient Greek for leave-taking, literally giving-back) of the Feast. Although today is the Apodosis of Nativity, this period of Sviatki (light and holiness) continues its 12 days of Christmastide – preparing our hearts to celebrate Holy Theophany; the Baptism of the Lord – on January 19 /6.

Today is also the feast of St. Melania. Congratulations to a dear friend, blessed to have this patron saint. Happy Saint’s Day Melania! God grant you many years!

Tomorrow is St. Basil’s Feast Day (January 14/1). Celebrations for this special saint include many traditions… And there’s still time to bake a traditional, festive St. Basil’s Day Cake!

With love in Christ.

More Beautiful Than the Stars

Happy Saint’s Day to my goddaughter Cecilia.

Cecilia-strong in faith, rich in faith – Her faith more beautiful than the stars, more precious than gold… ~ St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Greetings on St. Cecilia’s Feast Day! (December 5/November 22)

The two featured photos are from a visit to Rome in 2009. Below the main floor is the Church’s Chapel of Relics. The altar with the candlesticks is situated in front of the crypt. Behind the altar’s screened gate is the repository of the second century martyrs, St. Cecilia and her husband St. Valerian.

The Church of St. Cecilia in Trastevere (a Roman neighbourhood), was originally established in the 3rd century, and built on the site of her home after her martyrdom. At the time of her death, St. Cecilia’s body was interred for five centuries in the Catacomb Cemetery of St. Callixtus. However, in the early 800’s, the Pope returned her “home” again, to her own Basilica.

On the upper floor of the main church and in front of the main altar, is the later addition (commissioned in the 16th century), of a glass case enclosing the white marble statue of St. Cecilia. A marble slab on the floor in front of it, quotes the Italian sculptor Stefano Maderno’s sworn statement, recording her miraculously incorrupt body was positioned as seen, and seemingly asleep when the tomb was reopened during the renovations in 1599.

St. Cecilia is considered a patron saint of music in the west. During her undesired earthly wedding; she heard heavenly music, and sang hymns in her heart to Christ. (In the east, St. Romanos the Melodist is a patron saint of music.)

Here is a beautiful, short, 2 minute YouTube video, with detail of St. Cecilia’s Chapel Crypt.

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. ~ Psalm 42:8

Kontakion in the 4th Tone

Let us in Godly wise, the hosts of the faithful, / sing hymns to her wedded to Christ of her own will, Cecilia, / whose pure heart with virtues was adorned; / for she wholly put to shame the conceit of Almachius, / and she shone bright as the sun amidst them that pursued her / and then appeared to those upon the earth as a divine staff // that strengthened the holy Faith.

St. Cecilia’s radiant prayers continue to God for us, and are as ever-shining as stars in the heavens.

Transfiguration

Free Image – late 19th century photo of Mt. Tabor by the French photographer Bonfils

Greetings on the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ!

Through the fall our nature was stripped of divine illumination and resplendence. But the Logos* of God had pity upon our disfigurement, and in His compassion He took our nature upon Himself. On Tabor He manifested it to His elect disciples clothed once again most brilliantly. He showed what we once were and what we shall become through Him in the age to come – if we choose to live our present life, as far as possible, in accordance with His ways. ~ St. Gregory Palamas

Logos* = Jesus Christ the Word and Wisdom of God

Beautiful Sermon on the Transfiguration by St. Gregory Palamas

When a sunbeam falls on a transparent substance, the substance itself becomes brilliant, and radiates light from itself. So too Spirit-bearing souls, illumined by Him, finally become spiritual themselves, and their grace is sent forth to others. From this comes knowledge of the future, understanding of mysteries, comprehension of hidden things, distribution of wonderful gifts, heavenly citizenship, a place in the choir of angels, endless joy in the presence of God, becoming like God… ~ St. Basil the Great

Memory Eternal dear godmother Eve!

The Feast of Life

Monastery Gardens – Meteora, Greece 2006

Christ is Risen!

Memory Eternal Faith!

Beautiful Beatitudes!

Thou broughtest me into this life as if into a wonderful garden. I see the sky deep and blue, the birds as they chirp in flight; I listen to the soothing rustle of trees and the sonorous sound of waters; my mouth is enjoying fragrant and succulent fruits. How wonderful it is in Thy world and how joyous it is to be Thy guest! ~ Ikos 2; Akathist of Thanksgiving

Glory to Thee for the feast of life! Glory to Thee for the scents of lilies of the valley and roses. Glory to Thee for the abundance and multiplicity of earthly fruits. Glory to Thee for the glistening of morning dew. Glory to Thee for the joyous smile of dawn with which Thou dost waken me. Glory to Thee for eternal life and the kingdom of heaven. Glory to Thee, O God of the ages! ~ The Akathist of Thanksgiving by Metropolitan Tryphon of Turkestan; discovered in the personal effects of Hieromartyr Grigori Petroff (+1942)

Truly He is Risen!

Wellspring of Wisdom

Hawaiian stream flowing to ocean – 2014

Christ is Risen!

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? ~ Psalm 42:2

Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation. ~ Isaiah 12:3

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. ~ Jeremiah 17:7-8

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. ~ St. John 4:13-14

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. ~ St. John 7:37

Truly He is Risen!