Богословие

“Any deviation from Orthodoxy is a damage to clear spiritual vision, as well as a weakening of spiritual powers.” “Those who blaspheme church laws, those who blaspheme Christ Himself, Who is the Head of the Church” Archbishop John In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word At the liturgy on the day of Bright Resurrection, the beginning of the Gospel of John about the Divine Word is read. When everything is fulfilled by the Light of the Resurrection of Christ and the heavens are united with the earth in the glorification of the Conqueror of death, the Gospel proclaims Who He is: “In the beginning (according to the ancient translation - from time immemorial) was the Word” (John 1:1). It was said about the Word in the Old Testament: “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their power” (Ps. 33:6), “Sent His Word, and I healed” (Ps. 106:20). The powerful action of the Word of God is spoken of especially vividly and expressively in the book of the Wisdom of Solomon. However, the Old Testament people by the Word of God meant only the manifestation of the will and action of God. Now John preaches that the Word of God is the Only Begotten Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. Why is the Son of God also called the Word? Because through him the Father expresses His will. The Word of God is not the same as the word of man. A person expresses his thoughts and desires in words. But the word spoken by a person becomes silent and disappears. The desire he expresses is sometimes fulfilled, but often remains unfulfilled. The Word of God is eternal and omnipotent. It is always with God. A man's word is his ministering power. The Word of God is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. It is God Himself. God the Word is the Son of God and loves the Father, and does everything voluntarily according to His will. More precisely, they have one will. God the Father loves His Son and does everything through Him. Nothing was created by the Father apart from the Son. “That’s all it was.” Everything began to be through Him, and without Him nothing began to exist that exists: “All things came into being, and without Him nothing came into being” (John 1:3) (As the 2nd member of the Creed says about this). When the book of Genesis says that during the creation of the world God “said let there be light... spoke let there be firmament” (Genesis 1:3, 6), this means that God the Father wanted to create light, firmament, and so on, and that the Word, His Son, brought this to fruition. The Word of God gives life. It is the source of life: “In Him was life and life the light of men” (John 1:4). The Word of God is Light, through Him God the Father reveals Himself and proclaims His divine will: “This is the true light, which enlightens every man who comes into the world” (John 1:9,5). That Light cannot be hidden by any darkness: “The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not comprehend it.” The darkness of sin took possession of humanity after the Fall, but could not hide the Divine Light. According to the will of the Father, the Son of God sanctified the world by descending to earth and becoming incarnate. “The Word became flesh and dwelt in us” (John 1:14). John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for Him in the hearts of men. He preached about Christ and called to believe in Him, for He is the Son of God. Long before that, the Law was given through Moses. But the Law, limiting evil, could not save people. While outwardly fulfilling the Law, people remained full of evil within themselves. Therefore, the world did not recognize His Creator, the Son of God, who came to earth: “In the world there was no peace, and the world knew Him not: its own came, and its own did not receive Him” (John 1:10-11). The guardians of the Law did not accept the incarnate Word, for His Light was intolerable to them. But the Source of Life, betrayed by them to death, descended into hell, Destroyed it, dispersed the darkness with His Divine Light. Having risen from the dead, Christ opened the gates of the Kingdom of His Glory to all who believe in Him. Those who believe in the incarnate Son of God and accept Him into their soul and heart become children of God. The grace of God spiritually revives them, indwelling them and giving them strength to love the Truth and do the will of the Lord. “And the little ones received Him, and gave them the realm to become children of God, who believe on His Name” (John 1:12). Those reborn by grace, if they remain in it until the end of their earthly life and follow the path indicated by Christ, the True Light, will be worthy to receive a new gift from Him: they will forever enjoy in the Kingdom of the Heavenly Father the vision of the Glory of His Only Begotten Son, the Glory that surpasses everything in the world, while experiencing inexpressible joy and bliss. The same eternal Word of God, by whom the world was created, saved and revived the human race to a new joyful life by His incarnation and Resurrection. The Bright Resurrection is the triumph of God the Word, the day of His victory over hell and death, the beginning of a new life and eternal joy bestowed by Him. Let us sing of faith and worship the co-original Word of the Father and the Spirit, born of the Virgin for our salvation, as He deigned the flesh to ascend to the Cross, and to endure death, and to resurrect the dead by His glorious Resurrection. Only Begotten Son and Word of God, immortal, trampling down death by death, One of the Holy Trinity, glorified to the Father and the Holy Spirit, save us. “God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29). When an object touches fire, it changes: it either burns or becomes hardened. So a person, touching God, either perishes or is saved. Fire is always fire! But when you touch it, you get both ash and steel, depending on what you touch. This happens with a person, and everything depends on what he brings to the Divine fire - in what state he touches God. If you behave like iron, then iron strength will become steel. If it blooms until the straw is weak, it will burn. Every person, sooner or later, will inevitably touch God, and woe to him if he does not prepare for that meeting. Tolstoy approached God carelessly, self-confidently, and not in the fear of God, took communion unworthily and became an apostate. The hour will come when there will be a touch with God's power, whether we want it or not. The shovel is in the hand of the Lord. Grain and straw are thrown with a shovel, and the latter is carried away by the wind, and the grain falls at the feet of the Owner and is collected in the granaries, the straw is left or burned. A meeting with the Lord is inevitable and we must prepare for it. Our sins are straw that burns at this meeting. You yourself must pronounce judgment on yourself in advance and, in preparation for that meeting, separate yourself from the straw, burn away the straw of sins through repentance. Either they are burned alone, or the person himself, who has given himself over to sin, is burned along with them. You need to know about the Last Judgment and treat that day and event as it should. You need to cleanse your soul, you need to pray. This event must be approached clearly and consciously, and not like an animal that hides its head so as not to see the danger. “He (Christ) is the head of the body of the Church” (Col. 1:18) “who is His body, the fulfillment of Him who fulfills all things in all” (Eph. 1:23) Repeatedly in Holy Scripture the Church is called the Body of Christ. “I rejoice in my sufferings for you... for His Body, which is the Church” (Col. 1:24) the Apostle Paul writes about himself. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, he says, were given by Christ “for the work of service, for the building up of the Body of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11–12). At the same time, bread and wine are offered into the Body and Blood of Christ during the Divine Liturgy and the faithful partake of them. This is what Christ Himself established, giving communion to His apostles at the Last Supper with the words “Take, eat: this is My body... drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the new testament” (Matthew 26:26–28). How is it that both the Church and the Holy Mysteries are the Body of Christ at the same time? Are the faithful themselves members of the Body of Christ-the Church and partake of the Body of Christ in the Holy Mysteries? In both circumstances, the name “Body of Christ” is used not in a figurative, but in the very real meaning of this word. We believe that the Holy Mysteries, while retaining the appearance of bread and wine, are the true Body and true Blood of Christ. We also believe and confess that Christ, the Son of the Living God, having come into the world to save sinners, became a true man and His flesh, received from the Virgin Mary, was real human flesh; that in body and soul Christ was a true man, in every way similar to others except sin, while remaining at the same time true God. The divine nature did not diminish or change in the Son of God during His incarnation, just as human nature did not change, but completely retained all its human properties. Immutably and unmerged, forever, “inseparably and inseparably” Divinity and humanity were united in the One Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Son of God became man in order to make people “partakers of the Divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), in order to free man from sin and death and make him immortal. By uniting with Christ, we will receive Divine grace, which gives human nature the strength to overcome sin and death. The Lord Jesus Christ showed people the way to victory over sin through His teaching and grants them eternal life, making them participants in His eternal Kingdom through His Resurrection. In order to receive that Divine grace from Him, the closest communication with Him is necessary. Drawing everyone to Himself with Divine love and uniting them with Himself, the Lord united those who loved Him and those who came to Him with each other, uniting them into One Church. The Church is unity in Christ, the closest unity with Christ of all those who rightly believe in Him and love Him, and the unity of them all through Christ. The Church consists of its earthly and heavenly parts. The Son of God came to earth and became man in order to raise man to heaven, make him again a resident of paradise, returning him to his original state of sinlessness and integrity, and unite him with Himself. This is accomplished by the action of God’s grace, given through the Church, but it also requires the effort of the person himself. God saves His fallen creation with His love for Him, but man’s love for His Creator is also necessary, without which it is impossible for him to be saved. By rushing towards God and clinging to the Lord with its humble love, the human soul receives strength that cleanses it from sins and strengthens it to fight sin until complete victory. The body also participates in that struggle, now being the receptacle and instrument of sin, but destined to be an instrument of righteousness and a vessel of holiness. God created man by breathing a god-like spirit into the animated body He first created from the earth. The body was supposed to be an instrument of a spirit submissive to God. Through it the human spirit manifests itself in the material world. The spirit, through the body and its individual members, reveals its properties and qualities that God gave to it as His image, which is why the body, as a manifestation of the image of God, appears and is called “our beauty created in the image of God” (stichera at the funeral). When the primordial people fell away from their Creator in spirit, the body, until then submissive to the spirit, perceiving its commands through the soul, ceased to obey it and began to strive to dominate it. Instead of the Law of God, the law of the flesh began to dominate in man. Sin, having cut man off from the source of life - God, also cut man himself. The unity of his spirit, soul and body was broken, death entered him. The soul, without drinking the currents of life, could not transmit them to the body. The body became corruptible, languor became the lot of the spirit. Christ came to earth, having fallen again, to restore the image and return it to unity with the One Whose image it is. By uniting with Himself, God restores man to his original goodness in all its fullness. By giving grace and sanctification to the spirit, Christ also cleanses, strengthens, heals and sanctifies soul and body. “Be cleave to the Lord; there is one spirit with the Lord” (1 Cor. 6:17). The body of a person united with the Lord must be an instrument of the Lord, serve to fulfill His will and become part of the Body of Christ. For the complete sanctification of a person, the body of the servant of the Lord must be united with the Body of Christ, and this is accomplished in the sacrament of Holy Communion. The true Body and true Blood of Christ that we have received become part of the great Body of Christ. Of course, for unity with Christ, only the union of our body with the Body of Christ is not enough. Eating the Body of Christ is beneficial when we rush to Him in spirit and unite with Him. Accepting the Body of Christ, while turning away from Him in spirit, is like the touch of Christ by those who beat Him, strangled Him, and crucified Him. Their touch to Him served them not for salvation and healing, but for condemnation. Those who partake with reverence, love and readiness to offer themselves to serve Him are closely united with Him and become an instrument of His Divine will. “Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood abides in Me and I in him,” said the Lord (John 6:56). Uniting with the Risen Lord and through Him with the entire Ever-Bearing Trinity, man draws from Her strength for eternal life and himself becomes immortal. “As the living Father sent Me, and I live for the Father’s sake, and the one who eats Me will also live for My sake” (John 6:57). All who believe in Christ and who are united with Him by surrendering themselves to Him and accepting the Grace of God collectively constitute the Church of Christ, the Head of which is Christ Himself, and those who enter Her are Her members. Christ, invisible to the bodily eye, manifests Himself on earth clearly through His Church, just as the invisible human spirit manifests itself through its body. The Church is the Body of Christ both because its parts are united with Christ through His Divine Mysteries, and because through Her Christ acts in the world. We partake of the Body and Blood of Christ (in the Holy Mysteries) in order to ourselves be members of the Body of Christ (Church). It doesn’t happen right away. Full stay in the Church is already a state of victory over sin and complete cleansing from it. Everything sinful to some extent removes us from the Church and from the Church; That is why over every repentant it is read in prayer during confession, “Reconcile, unite the saints of Your Church.” A Christian, through repentance, is cleansed, united closely with Christ in the communion of the Holy Mysteries, but then again the dust of sin settles on him and alienates him from Christ and the Church, which is why repentance and communion are again needed. Until a person’s earthly life ends, until the very departure of the soul from the body, the struggle between sin and truth continues in him. No matter how high a spiritual and moral state someone has achieved, it is possible for him to gradually or rapidly, deeply fall into the abyss of sin. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to receive communion of the holy Body and Blood of Christ, strengthening our communion with Him and irrigating with life-giving streams of the Grace of the Holy Spirit flowing throughout the Body of the Church. How important the communion of the Holy Mysteries is is shown by the life of St. Onuphrius the Great, to whom, like other hermits who stayed in that desert, angels brought Holy Communion; Venerable Mary of Egypt, whose ultimate desire, after many years of desert life, was to receive the Holy Mysteries; St. Savvaty of Solovetsky and many others. It was not in vain that the Lord said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you will not have life in you” (John 6:53). Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ is the acceptance of the Risen Christ, the conqueror of death, who gives those who are with Him victory over sin and death. By retaining within ourselves the grace-filled gift of Communion, we have the guarantee and the beginning of the eternal blissful life of soul and body. Until the very “Day of Christ”, His Second Coming and Judgment over the whole world, the struggle between sin and truth will continue, both in each individual person and in all of humanity. The earthly Church unites all those reborn through baptism, who have taken up the cross of the struggle against sin and followed the hero of that struggle - Christ. The Divine Eucharist, the offering of a bloodless sacrifice and its communion, sanctifies and strengthens its participants, making those who partake of the Body and Blood of Christ true members of the Body of His Church. But only with death does a person determine whether he remained a valid member of the Body of Christ until his last breath, or whether sin triumphed in him and expelled the grace he received in the Holy Mysteries and connecting him with Christ. He who has fallen into grace, as a member of the earthly Church, passes from the earthly Church into the heavenly Church, but he who has fallen away from the earthly Church will not enter the heavenly one, for the earthly part of the Church is the path to the heavenly one. The more a person is under the influence of the grace of communion and is more closely united with Christ, the more he will enjoy communion with Christ in His coming Kingdom. Since sin in a person’s soul continues to act until death, and his body is subject to its consequences, carrying within itself the seeds of illness and death, from which it will be freed only when it disintegrates after the death of a person and rises already free from them on the General Resurrection. He who is united in spirit and body with Christ in this life will be with Him in spirit and body in the life to come. The grace-filled streams of the Life-giving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ are the source of our eternal joy in communion with the Risen Christ and the contemplation of His Glory. The same consequences of sin, which has not yet been completely expelled from the human race, act not only in individual people, but through them they also manifest themselves in the earthly activity of entire parts of the Church. Heresies, schisms, and disturbances constantly appear, alienating some of the faithful. Misunderstandings between local churches, or parts of them, have troubled the Church since ancient times, and prayers for an end to them are constantly heard in worship. “We ask for unanimity of the Churches”, “Unification of the Churches” (Resurrection Canon of the Trinity, Chapter 8), “Organize discord for the Church”. “Leave discord to the Church” (Archangel service November 8, March 26, July 13) and similar prayers have been offered by the Orthodox Church for centuries. Even on Holy Saturday, before the shroud, the Church cries out: “Thou who has given birth to life, O Immaculate Pure Virgin, quench the temptations of the Church, and grant the world as good” (end of Article 2). Only when Christ appears on the clouds will the tempter be trampled underfoot and all temptations and temptations will disappear. Then the struggle between good and evil, between life and death, will end, and the earthly Church will merge into the triumphant Church in which “all God will be in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). In the coming Kingdom of Christ there will no longer be a need for communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, for all those who have been worthy will be in close communion with Him and will enjoy the eternal light of the Life-Giving Trinity, experiencing bliss inexpressible in language and incomprehensible to our weak minds. Therefore, after communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ during the liturgy, a prayer is always offered at the altar, sung on Easter days: “Oh, great and most sacred Easter to Christ! ABOUT! Wisdom and the Word of God and Power! Grant us the opportunity to partake of You in the eternal days of Your Kingdom.” What Christ prayed for in the Garden of Gethsemane The Lord, having celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples and taught them His instructions, went with them to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26; Luke 22:39). On the way, He continued His last teachings, after finishing which He turned to the Heavenly Father with prayer for His disciples and for those who would believe according to their word (John 17). Having crossed the Kidron stream, the Lord and his disciples entered the Garden of Gethsemane, where he had often gathered with them before (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:1–2). Here He left His disciples, except Peter, John and James, ordering them to sit while He prayed. And He Himself went a little further with Peter, John and James. He wanted to isolate himself as much as possible, and knowing everything that had to happen, He began to grieve, be horrified and yearn (Matthew 26:37-38; Mark 14:33-34) and said to those with Him: “My soul is sorrowful until death, stay here and watch with Me.” And having gone a little further, He fell with His face on the ground and prayed. The Lord interrupted His prayer twice - He approached Peter and the sons of Zebedee. Alas! They were here, but they were not awake: sleep had taken possession of them. In vain did the Divine Teacher convince them to watch and pray so as not to fall into temptation: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38). The disciples fell asleep again as soon as the Savior left them to continue His prayer, which ended only when the hour approached for the betrayal of the Son of Man into the hands of sinners. The prayer tension of Jesus reached its highest degree - the bloody sweat that appeared fell in drops to the ground (Luke 22:44). What did Jesus pray so fervently for? What did He beg the Heavenly Father for, dropping His face to the ground three times? - “Abba My Father! All things are possible for You; Oh, if only You would deign to carry this cup past Me. If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; carry this cup past Me. However, not as I want, but as You do, not My will, but Yours be done. “My Father, if this cup cannot pass from Me, lest I drink it, Thy will be done” (Matthew 26:39, 42 Luke 22 Mark 14:35–36). The Lord Jesus Christ was the God-man. The divine and human natures, without merging or changing, were “inseparably and inseparably” (the dogma of the Council of Chalcedon) united in Him in one person. In accordance with two natures, the Lord also had two wills. As God, Jesus Christ was consubstantial with God the Father and had one will with Him and with the Holy Spirit. But as a perfect man, consisting of soul and body, the Lord had human feelings and will. His human will was completely submissive to the Divine. The Lord subordinated His human will to the Divine - He sought only to do the will of the Heavenly Father (John 5:30); His spiritual food was “to do the will of Him who sent Him and to complete His work” (John 4:34). And there was a task to be accomplished, which had no equal, which even the insensitive inanimate nature had to be amazed at. It was necessary to redeem man from sin and death, to restore man’s unity with God. It was necessary that the sinless Savior take upon Himself all human sin, so that He, who has no sins of his own, would feel the weight of the sin of all mankind and grieve for it as only perfect holiness can, clearly feeling even the slightest deviation from the commandments and will of God. It was necessary that He, in Whom Divinity and humanity were hypostatically united, with His holy, sinless humanity, should experience all the horror of man’s removal from his Creator, the separation of sinful humanity from the source of holiness and light - God. The depth of the fall of mankind should have been revealed with one's own eyes at this moment, for man, who did not want to obey God in paradise and listened to the devil who slandered Him, will now rise up against his Divine Savior, slander Him and, declaring Him unworthy to live on earth, will hang Him on a tree between heaven and earth, thereby bringing Him under the curse of the God-given law (Deut. 21, 22–23 ). It was necessary that the sinless Righteous One, rejected by the sinful world, for which and from which He suffered, should forgive humanity for this atrocity and turn to the Heavenly Father with a prayer, so that the divine Truth would forgive humanity, blinded by the devil, for this rejection of its Creator and Savior. Such a holy prayer could not fail to be heard, such a power of love had to unite the source of love - God with those who, at least now, will feel this love and, realizing how far human paths have so far separated from the paths of God, will have a strong determination - through the Creator who has assumed human nature, to return again to God the Father. And now the hour has come when all this should come true. In a few hours, the Son of Man, ascended to the cross, will attract everyone to Himself by His self-sacrifice. Sinful human hearts cannot resist the pressure of His love. The love of the God-man will break the stone of human hearts. They will feel their impurity and darkness, their insignificance, and only stubborn God-haters will not want to be enlightened by the light of God's greatness and mercy. All those who do not reject the One who calls them, illuminated by the light of the love of the God-Man, will feel their distance from the loving Creator and long for union with Him. And the greatest mystery will happen invisibly - humanity will turn to its Creator, and the merciful Lord will joyfully accept those who return from the slanderer of the devil to their Prototype. The barrier of hostility was destroyed. “Mercy and truth met, truth and peace kissed each other,” - truth came down from heaven, for the embodied Truth shone from the earth on the cross. “The hour has come when all this was supposed to happen.” Mip did not yet suspect the greatness of the coming day. Before the gaze of the God-man, everything that had to be was revealed. He voluntarily sacrificed Himself for the salvation of the human race. And now He came for the last time to pray alone to His Heavenly Father. Here He will make the sacrifice that will save the human race - He will voluntarily give Himself up to suffer, give Himself up to the power of darkness. However, this sacrifice will not be salutary if He experiences only His personal suffering - He had to be tormented by those sinful ulcers from which humanity suffers. The heart of the God-man is filled with inexpressible sorrow. All human sins, starting from Adam’s crime and ending with those that will be committed when the last trumpet sounds, all the great and small sins of all people appeared before His mental gaze. As God, they were always open to Him - “the whole essence was revealed before Him,” but now His human nature experiences all the heaviness and abomination of them. The holy sinless soul is filled with horror. He suffers in a way that sinners themselves do not suffer, who with their hardened hearts do not feel how much sin defiles a person and removes him from the Creator. His suffering is all the stronger because He sees this coarseness and hardness of the heart, that people “have blinded their eyes, but do not see, and do not want to hear with their ears and turn so that He will heal them.” He sees that the whole world is now turning away from God who came to him in human form. “The hour is coming and has already come” (John 16:32), when even those who just assured of their readiness to lay down their souls for Him will be scattered. The God-man will hang alone on the cross, showered with a hail of ridicule from the people who came to see this spectacle. Only a few souls remained faithful to Him, but even they, with their silent grief and helplessness, increase the suffering of the loving heart of the Son of the Virgin. There is no help from anywhere... True, at these moments He is not alone, for the Father is always with Him (John 8:29, 10:30). But in order to feel the full severity of the consequences of sin, the Son of God voluntarily allows His human nature to feel the horror of separation from God. This terrible moment will be unbearable for a holy, sinless being. A strong cry will burst from His lips: “My God, my God, you have forsaken Me in everything” (Matthew 27:46). And in anticipation of this hour, the holy soul is filled with horror and indignation. Even earlier, when the Greeks came to Jesus to see Him, He allowed His human nature to experience the approach of this terrible hour. When these “sheep from another fold” came to Him, the God-Man saw that the hour was already approaching when everyone would come to Him, exalted on the cross. Human nature trembled, His soul was indignant. But Jesus knew that without His suffering the salvation of people was impossible, that without them His earthly activity would leave as little a trace as a grain that lay on the surface of the earth for a long time until it was dried by the sun. Therefore, he then immediately turned to the Father so that He would not allow human weaknesses to take over all the thoughts and desires of his human nature: “Now My soul is troubled, and I say, Father, save Me from this hour. But I came for this hour (but for this reason I came for this hour).” And, as if encouraged by the memory of why He came to earth, Christ prays that God’s will be fulfilled - the human race will be saved: “Father, glorify Your name - glorify it on earth, among people, show Yourself not only as the Creator, but also as the Savior (St. Basil the Great, Against Eunomius, book 4). And I will glorify and glorify again” (John 12:27–28) - there was a voice from heaven, announcing that the time was coming for the fulfillment of God’s hidden Mystery from the ages (Col. 1:26), (Eph.1:9, 3, 9). And now it has already arrived. If before the human nature of Christ shuddered and was indignant at the thought of what was to come, then what did it feel now when, in anticipation of the coming of His enemies and the traitor, He prayed to God alone for the last time? The Lord, knowing that every prayer would be heard (John 11:42), knew that if He asked the Father to deliver Him from torment and death, more than twelve legions of angels would appear (Matthew 26:53) to protect Him. But is this what He came for? Was it in order to abandon at the last moment the fulfillment of what He foretold through the Scriptures? However, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). He burns with the Spirit (Rom. 12:11) and now Jesus, wanting only one thing - to fulfill the will of God. But by its very nature, human nature turns away from suffering and death (An exact exposition of the Orthodox faith, book 3, chapters 18, 20, 23, 24; Blessed Theophylact; “The Ladder” of John, word 6, “on memory and death”). The Son of God voluntarily accepted this weak nature. He himself gives himself to death for the salvation of the world. And He wins, although He feels a feeling of approaching fear of death and disgust from suffering (“The Ladder”, ibid.; Blessed Augustine; An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, book 3, 24). Now these sufferings will be especially terrible, terrible not so much in themselves, but because the soul of the God-man is shaken to the depths. Human sin taken upon Himself is inexpressibly heavy for Him. This sin weighs on Jesus and makes the suffering that is to come unbearable. Christ knows that when suffering reaches its highest degree, He will be completely alone. Not only can no one alleviate them between people - “I waited for the one who grieved and did not find one, comforted one and did not find one”, “and I looked up and did not find a helper, and thought, and no one interceded” (Ps. 68:21; Isa. 63:5) - but even for the full feeling of the gravity of sins, He will be allowed to feel the burden of separation from the Heavenly Father. And at this moment His human will may wish to avoid suffering. Yes, this will not happen. Let not for a single moment His human will diverge from the Divine will. This is what the God-Man prays to His Heavenly Father. If it is possible for humanity to restore its unity with God apart from a new terrible crime against the Son of God (St. Basil the Great, Against Eunomius, book 4), let it not be better for this hour. But, if only in this way humanity can be drawn to its Creator, let the good will of God be fulfilled in this case too. Let His will be done, and let the human nature of Jesus, even in the most terrible moments, desire nothing but one thing - the fulfillment of the will of God, the completion of God's economy. This is exactly what Christ prayed for in the Garden of Gethsemane, “with a strong cry and with tears in the days of His flesh he offered prayers and supplications to Him who was able to save Him from death” (Heb. 5:7). He offered prayers and supplications to the One who could save Him from death, but he did not pray for deliverance from death. As if this is what the Lord Jesus Christ said to His Divine Father. “Abba, My Father, the Father of Him whom You sent to gather into one the people of Israel and the scattered children of God - the pagan people, in order to create from the two one new man and through the cross to reconcile both with You. Everything is possible for You, everything that corresponds to Your boundless perfections is possible. You know that it is natural for human nature to turn away from suffering, that a person would always like to “see good days”... But the one who loves You with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his mind, desires only what pleases Your will, good and perfect. I, who came to earth to fulfill Your wise will and for this partook of flesh and blood, who accepted human nature with all its infirmities, except for sinful ones, would also like to avoid suffering, but only under one condition - that this be Your holy will. If it is possible for the work of housebuilding to be accomplished apart from a new terrible crime on the part of people; if it is possible for Me not to experience this mental suffering, which in a few hours will be joined by the terrible suffering of the human body; if this is possible, then deliver Me from the trials and temptations that have already come and are yet to come. Deliver Me from the need to experience the consequences of Adam's crime. However, this prayer is suggested to Me by the weakness of My human nature, but let it be as You please, let the will not of weak human nature be fulfilled, but of Our common, eternal advice. My Father! If according to the wise economy it is necessary that I make this sacrifice, I do not refuse it. But I only pray one thing: let it be Yours. May Your will be done always and in everything. Just as in heaven Me, Your Only Begotten Son, and You have one will, so may My human will here on earth not for one moment desire anything contrary to Our common will. Let what We decided before the creation of the world be fulfilled, let the salvation of the human race be accomplished. Let the sons of men be redeemed from enslavement to the devil, redeemed at a dear price - the suffering and self-sacrifice of the God-man. And may all the burden of human sins that I take upon Myself, may no mental and physical torments added to this be able to shake My human will in the thirst for Thy holy will to be fulfilled. May I fulfill Your will with joy. Thy will be done." “The Lord prayed for the cup of the voluntary saving passion, as for the involuntary one” (Sunday service, Chapter 5, Canon 8), thereby showing the two desires of two natures, and asking God the Father so that His human will would not waver in submission to the will of the Divine (Exact presentation of the Orthodox faith, book 3, 24). An angel appeared to Him from heaven and strengthened (Luke 22:43) His human nature, and Jesus, who performed the feat of self-sacrifice, prayed more and more diligently, sweating blood. And for His reverence, for His constant submission to the will of the Father, the Son of Man was heard. Strengthened and encouraged, Jesus arose from prayer (An Accurate Statement of the Orthodox Faith, Book 3, 24). He knew that His human nature would no longer be shaken, that the burden of human sins would soon be lifted from Him, and that by His obedience to God the Father He would lead lost human nature to Heaven. He approached the disciples and said: “You are still sleeping and resting. It is over, the hour has come: the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let’s go, behold, the one who betrayed Me has approached, pray so as not to fall into temptation.” Coming out to meet those who came for Him, the Lord voluntarily gave Himself into their hands. And when Peter, wanting to protect His Teacher, struck the bishop’s slave with a sword and cut off his ear, the Lord healed the slave, and reminded Peter that He voluntarily betrayed Himself: “Put the sword in its sheath; Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me? “Or do you think that I cannot now ask My Father and He will present Me with more than twelve legions of angels. How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, that this must be so” (John 18:11; Matt. 26:53–54). And voluntarily drinking to the bottom the entire cup of mental and physical suffering, Christ glorified God on earth - he accomplished a work of greatness no less than the creation of the world itself. (He restored the fallen nature of man, reconciled the Divinity and humanity, and made people partakers of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Having completed the work that “the Father gave Him to do,” Christ was glorified according to His humanity with that glory which, as God, had “before the world was not” (John 17:5), and He sat down with His humanity at the right hand of God the Father, waiting “until His enemies were made His footstool” (Heb. 10:13). Having become “for all those who obey Him, the author of eternal salvation” (Heb. 5:9), Christ, even after ascending into heaven, remains “in two beings, unmergedly cognizable” (Theotokos dogmatist of the 6th tone), “carrying two desires of two according to each nature forever (Sunday canon of the 5th tone, troparion of the 8th canto), but glorified the body cannot now suffer and does not need anything, and accordingly, His human will cannot diverge in anything from the Divine. With this same flesh Christ will come on the last day “to judge the living and the dead,” after which, as a King not only according to His Divinity, but also according to His humanity, with His entire eternal kingdom He will submit to God the Father, so that “God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). Orthodox veneration of the Mother of God The Orthodox Church, containing the true faith, teaches about the Mother of God what Holy Tradition and Holy Scripture have said about Her and glorifies Her daily in its churches, asking Her for help and protection. Knowing that She was pleased only with those praises that corresponded to Her actual glory, the Holy Fathers and hymnals of Herself and Her Son prayed to instruct them in how to sing Her: “Guard my thoughts, O my Christ, for I dare to praise Your pure Mother” (ikos of the Dormition). The Church teaches that Christ was truly born of the Ever-Virgin Mary” (St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, “The True Word about Faith”). “We need to confess that the Holy Ever-Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God, so as not to fall into blasphemy. For those who deny that the Holy Virgin really is the Mother of God are no longer the faithful, but disciples of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (St. Ephraim the Syrian, “To the Monk John”). From legend it is known that Mary was the daughter of the elderly Joachim and Anna, and Joachim came from the royal family of David, and Anna from the priestly family. Despite such noble origins, they were poor. However, this was not what saddened these righteous people, but the fact that they did not have children and could not hope that their descendant would see the Messiah. And so, when one day, despised by the Jews for their infertility, they both, in the sorrow of their souls, offered up prayers to God - Joachim on the mountain, where he retired after the priest did not want to make his sacrifice in the church, and Anna in her garden, mourning her infertility, then an Angel appeared to them and told them that they would give birth to a daughter. Delighted, they promised to dedicate their child to God. Nine months later, their daughter was born, named Maria, who showed the best spiritual qualities from an early age. When She was three years old, her parents, fulfilling their promise, solemnly took little Mary to the Jerusalem Temple, who herself ascended the high steps, and by the High Priest Zechariah, who met Her, by the revelation of God, she was led into the very Holy of Holies, bringing with her the grace of God that had rested on Her in the hitherto graceless church (kontakion of the Introduction). It was a newly built church, into which the glory of God did not descend, as in the Tabernacle or Solomon's. She settled in the premises for virgins that existed at the church, but spent so much time in prayer in the Holy of Holies that, one might say, she lived in it (see the stichera of the Introduction on “I cried to the Lord” 2nd and on “glory even now”). Adorned with all virtues, She set an example of an unusually pure life. Submissive and obedient to everyone, She did not offend anyone, did not say a rude word to anyone, was friendly to everyone, did not even allow a bad thought (abbreviated from St. Ambrose of Milan: “On the Ever-Virginity of the Virgin Mary”). “Despite the righteousness and integrity of the life that the Mother of God led, “sin and eternal death” manifested their presence in Her. They could not help but manifest themselves: this is the exact and true teaching of the Orthodox Church about the Mother of God in relation to original sin and death” (St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, “Exposition of the teaching of the Orthodox Church about the Mother of God”). “Alien to the fall of sin (St. Ambrose of Milan, “Interpretation of Psalm 119”), She was not alien to sinful temptations. “After all, there is only God without sin” (St. Ambrose of Milan, ibid.), and a person will always have within himself what still needs to be corrected and improved in order to fulfill God’s commandment: “You will be holy, for I am holy, the Lord your God” (Lev. 19:2). The purer and more perfect someone is, the more he notices his imperfections and the more unworthy he considers himself. The Virgin Mary, who gave herself all to God, although she repelled from herself every inclination towards sin, felt the weakness of human nature more than others and ardently desired the coming of the Savior. She, in humility, considered herself unworthy to be a servant of the Virgin who had Him to give birth to. So that nothing would distract Her from prayer and attention to herself, Mary took a vow of celibacy to God, so that throughout her life she could please only Him. Betrothed to Elder Joseph, when Her years did not allow Her to remain at the church any longer, She settled in his house in Nazareth. Here the Virgin was honored with the arrival of the Archangel Gabriel, who announced to Her the birth of the Son of the Most High from Her: “Rejoice, full of grace: the Lord is with You. Blessed are You among women... The Holy Spirit will come upon You and the Power of the Most High will overshadow You: likewise, what is to be born holy will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:28-35). Mary humbly and obediently accepted the angel's gospel. “Then the Word, as He Himself knows, descended and, as He Himself willed, moved, entered Mary and dwelt in Her” (Reverend Ephraim the Syrian, “Praise to the Most Holy Mother of God”). “As lightning illuminates the hidden, so Christ cleanses the hidden nature. He purified the Virgin, and then was born to show that where Christ is, there purity is manifested in all its power. He cleansed the Virgin, having prepared him with the Holy Spirit, and then the womb, having become clean, conceives Him. He purified the Virgin in Her purity, which is why he left her as a Virgin when she was born. I am not saying that Mary became immortal, but that, illuminated by grace, She was not indignant at sinful desires (Reverend Ephraim the Syrian, “Word against Heretics,” 41). “The Light dwelt in Her, washed Her mind, made Her thoughts pure, chastened Her cares, sanctified Her virginity” (Rev. Ephraim the Syrian, “Mary and Eve”). “She who was pure according to human concepts was made pure by grace” (St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, “Exposition of the teaching of the Orthodox Church about the Mother of God”). Mary did not tell anyone about the appearance of the Angel, but the Angel himself announced to Joseph about Mary’s miraculous conception from the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25), and after the birth of Christ, with the multitude of the heavenly army, he announced it to the shepherds. The shepherds, having come to worship the Newborn, said that they had heard about Him. Having previously silently endured suspicion, Mary now silently listened and “formed in Her heart” words about the greatness of Her Son (Luke 2:8-19). After 40 days, She heard Simeon’s prayer of praise and a prediction about a weapon that would pass through Her soul. Afterwards I saw how Jesus advanced in wisdom, heard Him at the age of 12 teaching in the church and “kept everything in His heart” (Luke 2:21-51). Although grace-filled, She did not yet fully understand what the ministry and greatness of Her Son would consist of. Jewish concepts about the Messiah were still close to Her, and natural feelings forced her to take care of Him, protecting Him from what might seem to be excessive work and dangers. Therefore, She unwittingly first stood in the way of Her Son, which prompted His instruction about the superiority of spiritual kinship over physical kinship (Matthew 12:46–49). “He cared about the honor of the Mother, but much more about Her spiritual salvation and the good of people, for which he took on the flesh” (St. John Chrysostom, “Commentary on the Gospel of John,” conversation XXI). Mary understood this and, “hearing the speech of God, preserved it” (Luke 11:27–28). Like no other person, She had the same feelings as Christ (Phil. 2:5), resignedly enduring maternal grief when she saw Her Son persecuted and suffering. Rejoiced on the day of the Resurrection, She was clothed with Power from on high on the day of Pentecost (Luke 24:49). The Holy Spirit who descended on Her “taught her everything” (John 14:26) and “guided her into all truth” (John 16:13). Enlightened, She began to work even more zealously to do what She had heard from Her Son and Redeemer, in order to ascend to Him and be with Him. The end of the earthly life of the Most Holy Theotokos was the beginning of Her greatness. “Adorned with divine glory” (irmos of the canon of the Dormition), She stands and will stand both on the Day of the Last Judgment and in the next century at the right hand of the throne of Her Son, reigning with Him and having boldness towards Him, as His Mother in the flesh and as one of the same in spirit, as having done the will of God and taught others (Matthew 5:19). Loving and merciful, She shows her love for her Son and Her God in her love for the human race, intercedes for them before the Merciful and, going around the earth, helps people. Having experienced all the hardships of earthly life, the Intercessor of the Christian race sees every tear, hears every groan and prayer addressed to Her. – Those who work in the fight against passions and are zealous for a godly life are especially close to Her. But even in everyday matters, She is an irreplaceable helper. “Joy to all who grieve, and to those who are offended, to the intercessor, and to those who are hungry for nourishment, to the strange consolation, to the overwhelmed, a refuge, to the sick, to visit the sick, to the protection of the weak, and to the intercessor, the rod of old age. Mother of God Most High. You are, Most Pure One” (stichera of Hodegetria). “Hope and intercession and refuge of Christians”, in “the never-ceasing prayers of the Mother of God”, “who saves through Her unceasing prayer” (Theotokos 3rd tone), “day and night she prays for us and the sceptres of the Kingdom are confirmed by Her prayers” (daily midnight office). There is no mind or words to express the greatness of the One who was born in the sinful human race, but became the Most Honest Cherub and the Most Glorious Seraphim. “The inexpressible God and Divine mysteries in vain in the Virgin the grace manifested and fulfilled clearly, I rejoice and I am perplexed by the image, strange and ineffable, as the pure chosen one, who appeared alone above all creatures, visible and intelligible. Even so, although we praise this, they are greatly horrified in mind and in word, but boldly I preach and I magnify: this is the village of heaven” (ikos of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Church). This tabernacle of God is lofty, for, having given birth to the King Christ, She was exalted above the seraphim. Oh, a height inconvenient for human thoughts to praise! And what is the beauty of that mental chamber of Christ - about this, listen to the sweet-tongued John of Damascus, who speaks about Her as follows: “She was brought to God, the King of all, clothed in the splendor of virtues, as if with a golden robe, adorned with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and Her glory is within Her: for as for every woman Her glory is a husband coming from without, so the glory of the Mother of God is within Her, i.e. the fruit of Her womb." And Damascene also says, turning to Her: “O Virgin, grace-filled, holy Church of God, which Solomon (the All-Wise Creator of the world) who created the world spiritually created and dwelt in Her! She is not adorned with gold, not with soulless stones, but, instead of gold, she shines with the Spirit, instead of expensive stones, she has the valuable beads of Christ.” “Every tongue is perplexed to praise according to its inheritance, but the mind and the worldly one are amazed at singing Thee, Mother of God, accept the good faith of the very essence, for our divine love weighs, “For you are the intercessor of Christians, we magnify Thee” (irmos of the 9th song of the Epiphany). Why was the Prudent Robber pardoned? “One of the evildoers promised to blaspheme Him, saying: If You are the Christ, save Yourself and ours. The other answered him more clearly, saying: “Are you not afraid of God, for you are condemned to the same thing?” And we, then, in truth: we accept what is worthy of our deeds: This one has not done a single evil. And Jesus said: remember me, Lord, when you come into this kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:39–43) This is how the holy evangelist Luke tells about a deeply edifying and touching event, about the conversion and pardon by Christ of the thief hanging next to Him on the cross on Calvary. What did the robber deserve such mercy? What caused such a quick and decisive response from the Lord? All the Old Testament righteous people were still in hell, including St. John the Baptist. The Lord Himself was going to go to hell, though not to suffer there, but to bring the prisoners out of there. The Lord has not yet promised anyone to elevate him to the Kingdom of Heaven; he even promised to the apostles that he would take them into His abodes only when He prepared them. Why is it that the robber is the first to receive mercy, why are the doors of heaven opened to him so quickly? Let us delve into the state of mind of the robber and the environment around him. He spent his whole life in robberies and crimes. But apparently his conscience did not die in him, and something good remained in the depths of his soul. Tradition even says that he was the same robber who, during the flight of Christ into Egypt, took pity on the beautiful child and did not allow his comrades to kill Him, who together with him attacked the holy family who fled to Egypt. Didn't he now remember the face of that Child when he peered into the face of Him hanging next to him on the cross? But whether this was so or not, in any case, the thief’s glance at Christ awakened his conscience. Now he hung next to the Righteous One, next to “Red in kindness more than the sons of men” (Ps. 41, 3), Whose at that time was “the appearance... dishonorable, more humble than all the sons of men,” having “no appearance lower than glory” (Is. 53, 2-3). Looking at Him, the robber seemed to wake up from a deep sleep. He clearly saw the difference between Him and himself. He is an undoubted Righteous One, forgiving even His tormentors and praying for them to God, Whom He calls His Father. He is a murderer of many victims, shedding the blood of people who did him no harm. Looking at Him hanging on the cross, it was as if he saw his moral fall in a mirror. All the best that was hidden in him awakened and was looking for a way out. He realized his sins, realized that only his own guilt led him to a sad end and he had no one to blame. Therefore, the angry mood against the executioners, which gripped the thief crucified on the other side of Christ, and initially himself (Matthew 27:44), was replaced in him by a feeling of humility and contrition. He felt the fear of God's judgment coming upon him. Sin became disgusting and terrible for him. At heart he was no longer a robber. Philanthropy and mercy awoke in him. With fear for the fate of his soul, he was combined with disgust for the outrage that was taking place against the innocent Sufferer. Undoubtedly, he had heard before about the great Teacher and Wonderworker from Nazareth. What was happening in Judea and Galilee was the subject of many conversations and discussions throughout the country. Previously, what he heard about Him passed by his attention. Now, having found himself with Him and in the same position as Him, he began to understand the moral greatness of His personality. Kindness, forgiveness and the prayer of Christ struck the robber. He realized in his heart that this was no ordinary person next to him. Only one who truly recognized himself as the Son of God could turn to God as His Father in this way at the hour of death. Only one who was in close communication with the source of Love or was Himself could not waver in his teaching about love and forgiveness, enduring all the baseness of human slander and the malice of those to whom he did good deeds. The robber remembered everything that he had heard unusual about the one now crucified with him, and a warm feeling of faith arose in his heart. Yes, undoubtedly He was the Son of God, incarnate on earth, but constantly in communion with His Father, the Son of God, not accepted by the earth and returning to heaven, the Son of God, able to forgive people! He began to hope that he would avoid conviction at a posthumous trial. If Jesus prays to His Father for His crucifiers, He will not reject the one crucified with Him. One must turn to Him so that He, who now shares with him the same fate of bitter suffering, will accept him in His bliss. True, turning to Jesus with words of love and sympathy will be met with ridicule from the surrounding crowd, raging and blaspheming Him. To recognize Him as the righteous and Son of God means to attract the attention and anger of the elders of the Jews. Although they will not be able to inflict more physical torment on him than he already endures, how hard it will be to feel only anger around him, how severe the suffering will become for him when the idle people raging here begin to mock him! However, what is the wrath of earthly authorities to him now, what is human ridicule to him now? No matter how hard it is to be rejected by people at the threshold of death, it is even harder to be rejected by God. He is going to God's judgment and he only needs to fear God! In the last moments of life one must do what is still within one’s power in order to gain God’s favor! Let his words at least somewhat ease the suffering of Christ, so that at least one of those who blaspheme will be ashamed and stop slandering Him. Christ, who promised to reward the cup of water given in His name, will not leave him without reward. Let those who revile Christ also revile him with Him! This will connect him even more closely with Christ! He will share his fate here with Christ, and Christ will not forget him in His glory! And so, amid the noise of loud ridicule, slander and curses, he began to exhort his companion, who was hanging on the left side of Christ, to stop slandering Him. “Are you not afraid of God, since you are condemned for the same thing? And we are in truth: we accept what is worthy in deed. Do not do a single evil thing. And then a humble voice was heard from his lips: remember me, Lord, when you come into this kingdom" (Luke 23:40-42). It was the call of a former robber, and now a new disciple of Christ, who believed in Christ when his former disciples abandoned Him. “The theologian thief, but I was rejected” (sedal voice 5), cried out in sorrow after St. Apostle Peter At that time, all the other apostles also doubted the Lord. Even St. John the Theologian, who inseparably followed his Teacher and stood at the Cross on Calvary, although he continued to be faithful to Jesus who loved him, did not then have perfect faith in the Divinity of his Teacher: only after the Resurrection, entering the empty tomb, where lay the shrouds and headcloth entwined around the dead Body of Christ, he “saw and believed” that Christ had truly risen and is the Son of God. The apostles wavered in their faith in Jesus as the Messiah, because they expected and wanted to see in Him an earthly King, in whose Kingdom they would be able to sit “at the right hand and left side” of the Lord. The thief realized that the kingdom of Jesus of Nazareth, humiliated and betrayed to the shameful death, “is not of this world.” But it was precisely this kingdom that the robber was now looking for: the gates of earthly life were closed behind him, and eternity was opening. His calculations with earthly life were over; he was now thinking about eternal life. And at the threshold of eternity, the vanity of the earthly glory of earthly kingdoms became clear to him. He realized that greatness lies in righteousness, and in the righteous, innocently tortured Jesus he saw the King of righteousness. He did not ask Him for glory in the earthly kingdom, but for the salvation of his soul. The faith of the thief, born out of admiration for the moral greatness of Christ, turned out to be stronger than the faith of the apostles, although they were captivated by the height of Christ’s teaching, but they believed in Him even more for the sake of the miracles and signs that came from Him. Now the miraculous deliverance of Christ from his enemies did not take place, and the faith of the apostles was shaken. But the patience shown by Christ, all-forgiveness and faith that the Heavenly Father hears him so clearly expressed the righteousness of Jesus, His moral height that, having believed in Christ for her sake, it was impossible for those who were looking for spiritual and moral rebirth to be shaken. And this is exactly what the robber, who realized his deep fall, longed for. He did not ask Christ to be in His Kingdom “at His right hand or at His left,” but, realizing his unworthiness, he humbly asked only to “remember him in His Kingdom,” to give him at least the last place. He openly confessed the Crucified Christ as Lord before everyone and asked Him for mercy. Humble faith in Christ made him a confessor. By his will, he was even a martyr, for having not been afraid to recognize as his Lord the rejected “King of the Jews” by all, on Whom was concentrated all the hatred of the countless people who gathered in those days in Jerusalem from all over the world for the Easter holiday and, together with their elders and priests, blasphemed Christ, he certainly would not have been afraid to suffer for Him. Thus, the deep repentance of the thief gave birth to humility and with it turned out to be a solid foundation for such a firm faith, which Christ’s closest disciples did not possess at that time. The believing robber demonstrated a feat that none of them was capable of at that time. “Everyone who has confessed Me before men, let us also confess him before My Father who is in heaven,” said the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:32). The thief confessed Christ, confessed Him before the numerous people who mocked Him, confessed when no one dared to do so and when even the few disciples and women who remained faithful to Him only testified with bitter tears of their love for Him. The thief did what the three youths once did in Babylon, who refused to bow to the golden image, which Nebuchadnezzar placed on the field of Deir and to which “all nations, tribes and languages” bowed (Dan. 7:14). The thief believed in the Lord of the suffering, “the confession of the hidden God”, before everyone else he “knew Him and the power of His resurrection, and the participation in His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil. 3:10), before everyone else he understood what the “Kingdom... is not of this world”, understood “what the truth is” (John 18:36, 38). He was the first to understand that there is the Kingdom of Christ, and therefore he was the first to enter it. He was the first to see “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2), the first to preach “Christ was crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks; to those who were called Jews and Greeks of Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:23-24). Therefore, he is the first to experience God’s power and wisdom, the power of the compassionate and regenerating love of Christ, the first “to hear the hearing of the power of the Cross, as if paradise was opened to them” (4 Song of the Canon of the Ascension). Complete repentance for one’s sins and crimes, deep humility, firm faith in the Crucified Lord Jesus Christ who gave Himself to suffer and confessing Him when the whole world was against Him - this is what the crown that crowned the head of the former robber as a winner and ascetic was woven from, this is what the key that opened the doors of heaven was forged from! Many sin and hope for repentance before death, pointing to the example of the prudent thief. But is anyone capable of a feat like his? “The Lord had mercy on the thief at the last hour, so that no one would despair. But only one thing, so that no one places too much trust in His mercy” (Blessed Augustine). “This is his end! What ours will be like, we don’t know, and what kind of death we will die, we don’t know: will it come suddenly or with some kind of foreknowledge? (Venerable Theodore the Studite, “Admonition on the Sudden Death of a Brother”). Will we then be able to be morally reborn in an instant and spiritually exalted like the “companion of Christ”, “who let out a small voice and found great faith”? Will sudden death not take us away, leaving us deceived in the hope of repentance before death? (the word of St. Cyril of Alexandria “On the Last Judgment”, printed in the Great Book of Hours). Therefore: “Sinner, do not put off repentance for your sins, lest they pass with you into another life and burden you with an excessive burden” (Blessed Augustine, “Heliotropion” by St. John of Tobolsk, book 4, chapter 5). Let the example of the prudent thief encourage us not to put off repentance, but to “crucify Christ” (Gal. 2:19) and “repent warmly,” so that we too may experience the “mercy of compassion” (prayer of Simeon the New Theologian). “The flesh has been crucified with passions and lusts” (Gal. 5:24), let us be zealous for our speedy complete internal correction, surrendering ourselves entirely to the will of God and asking Christ for mercy and grace. “O O thief, grant us also repentance, O One who loves mankind, who serve by faith, O Christ our God, and who cry unto Thee: Remember us also in Thy Kingdom” (Blessed are Risen 4 Tone). “Thou hast made the prudent thief worthy of heaven in one hour, O Lord, and enlighten me with the tree of the cross and save me.” Come, people, let us worship the Trinitarian Divinity God is the Holy Trinity. Trinity Consubstantial and indivisible. Consubstantial, i.e. one being, one nature. The Trinity is indivisible; The Son has never been separated from the Father, or the Holy Spirit from the Father or from the Son, and never shall he be separated. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not three gods, but one God, since They have one nature, but not only for this reason. And people have one nature, one nature. But about people it cannot be said that two or three people are one person, no matter how close and friendly they are to each other. People not only have separate bodies, but everyone also has their own will, their own tastes, their own moods. No matter how similar people sometimes are in body and character, it still does not happen that everything is common, everything is the same. The Three Persons of the Holy Trinity have everything in common. The boundless love of the Father for the Son, the Son for the Father, and the same love between Them and the Holy Spirit makes Their will and all Their deeds common. They have one will, everything is done by Them together. Whatever the Holy Spirit turns away from, the Father also turns away. What the Son loves, both the Father and the Holy Spirit love. Everything is accomplished by the Holy Trinity together. The Bible says about the creation of the world: “And God said: Let there be light. And there was light” (Gen. 1:3). What does “speech” mean, i.e. said? This means that God the Father created with His Word, that Word about which the Gospel speaks: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was to God, and God was the Word” (John 1:1) and which is the Only Begotten Son of God. God the Father created everything with His Word, in other words, He accomplished everything through His Son. The Father does nothing without the Son, Just as the Son does nothing without the Father, the Father and the Son are always assisted by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says about the creation of the world: “And the Spirit of God was carried on the surface of the waters” (Gen. 1:2). “Hurled” over the creation, not just hovered over it - the word, which does not have an exact corresponding expression in the Slavic language, in the Hebrew original means “to cover, to warm,” just as a hen, sitting on her eggs, revives them with her warmth and living beings emerge from them. “By the Word of the Lord the heavens were established, and by the Spirit of His mouth all their strength” (Ps. 33:6). Everything that exists was created by God the Father through the Son and brought to life by the Holy Spirit. Or to put it another way: everything that the Father wanted and wants was immediately fulfilled and is being fulfilled by the Son and is inspired by the Holy Spirit. This is how the world was created, this is how everything happened in God’s providence for the world and humanity. In order to save man, who through the Fall fell from God and became mortal, according to the eternal advice of the Holy Trinity, obeying the will of the Father, the Son of God descended to earth, was born by the action of the Holy Spirit from the Ever-Virgin Mary, announced to people the True God the Father and His Divine will, taught true worship of God, having suffered for our sins, descended as souls into hell and, having freed the souls of the dead from there, rose from the dead. Even before His suffering, Christ promised His apostles, whom He had chosen from His disciples, to give them the power to decide and bind - to forgive the sins of people or to leave them on them. After His Resurrection, the Lord gave this gift of grace not separately to any of the apostles, but to all of them together: He created His Church, the guardian of that grace, and united in it all those who believe and love Him. Having promised the apostles to invest them with power from above, having sent them the Holy Spirit, having accomplished everything for which He came to earth, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, receiving for humanity the glory and honor that He had as the Son of God even before the creation of the world. The Holy Spirit, who descended on the disciples of Christ, according to the promise, confirmed them in the faith of Christ and poured out the gifts of God on them with His grace. He strengthened them for preaching and implementing in life the teachings of Christ, for the establishment of the Church created by Christ and brought into action by the Holy Spirit. The Church, which has its foundation on earth and is headed by the Son of God sitting at the right hand of the Father, is mysteriously guided by the Holy Spirit. She internally unites her children and connects them with God. The grace-filled gifts of God, through the Church, are poured out on those who strive to walk the paths of Christ, sanctify and strengthen all that is good in them, cleanse them from sin and all filth, making them capable of becoming receptacles of the radiance of the glory and powers of God. Through the Church, humanity becomes a partaker of the Divine nature and enters into the closest communion with the Holy Trinity. Not only the soul, but also the human body is sanctified and communicates with God through the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, through Whom it is united with the entire Holy Trinity. By the grace of God, with the participation of his own will and effort, man becomes a new creature, a participant in the eternal Kingdom of God. For that coming Kingdom of God, the future nature is also being prepared for the coming cleansing by fire from the consequences of human sins and the curse that lies on it. She receives the beginnings of sanctification by the descent of the Holy Spirit on her during the Epiphany blessing of water and many other church ceremonies, in order to later become a new earth and a new heaven. This will happen when the dates set by God the Father arrive and the Son of God comes in glory to pronounce judgment on the world. Then those who have loved God and united with Him will shine from the rays of the Divine Light and will forever enjoy the uncreated light of the Triune Divinity of the Consubstantial Life-Giving and Indivisible Trinity. To her, God, our Creator and Savior, be glory, honor and worship forever and ever: “Come, people, let us worship the Trinitarian Divinity, the Son in the Father, with the Holy Spirit: the Father gave birth to the Son without flight, co-essential and co-throne, and the Holy Spirit with the Son we glorify: one power, one being, one Divinity. We all worship Him with the verb: Holy God, who did everything by the Son, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit; The Mighty Holy One, who knew the Father and the Holy Spirit came into the world; Holy Immortal Comforter of the Soul, proceed from the Father and rest in the Son: “Holy Trinity, glory to Thee.” In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Now before our mind’s eye are two feasts about which today’s Gospel readings tell us. One feast described in the parable is given by a king full of goodwill and mercy. However, those invited to it did not come when the feast was ready. They preferred to engage in some purchasing, some with their own economic affairs; others, seizing the messengers, insulted and even killed some. The angry king, having severely punished the guilty, sent his servants again to invite everyone they met to the feast. Many people had gathered, and when the king came to see them, he saw one not in festive clothes. The king asked why he came dressed inappropriately, but he remained silent, thereby expressing contempt for the king and unwillingness to participate in the celebration, for which he was thrown out. So there were many invited to this feast, but few were chosen to take part in the supper. The other feast is not an influx, but a real one. This is the feast of the lawless Herod. Apparently, none of those invited refused to come; everyone was dressed festively and enjoyed themselves to their fullest. It took place in drunkenness, revelry, not restrained by shame and conscience, and ended in the greatest crime, the murder of John the Baptist. Those two feasts are images of two orders of life, two kinds of pleasure. The first is the image of a spiritual feast, spiritual pleasure. It is arranged by the Lord. That feast is the Church of Christ. We are invited to that feast when we are called to participate in divine services, especially the Divine Liturgy, and to partake of the Divine Body and Blood of Christ, to do good, to be attentive and sober. We refuse to go to that feast when we do not come to church services, when we do evil instead of good, when we prefer everyday worries and pleasures to divine life. We do not come in wedding clothes when we bring an alien, sinful mood into that life. Each of us is invited to that feast many times a day and refuses each time when he prefers the carnal and sinful to the spiritual and divine. We are also invited to Herod's feast many times a day. We often do not immediately notice that we are being tempted by evil. Sin always starts small. At first, Herod even listened to John the Baptist to his heart's content; he internally recognized the sinfulness of his act, but did not fight against sin and went so far as to kill the greatest righteous man. We go to Herod’s nasty feast every time when instead of good we choose evil, carnal, sinful pleasures, unmercifulness, inattention to our soul, and so on. Having started small, it is already difficult to stop, and if you do not come to your senses in time and do not make efforts on yourself, you can reach the greatest sins and crimes, followed by eternal torment. And now John the Baptist calls to each of us: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” Repent in order to enjoy in the bright, eternal abodes the supper of the Lamb, slain for the sins of the whole world, and not share with the devil the feast of malice and torment in Tartarus (in the underworld) and pitch darkness. The Lord spoke a parable about how a master distributed talents to his slaves, in accordance with the abilities of each. After some time had passed, he demanded an account from them and rewarded those who had earned as much as they had received. But the one who did nothing and brought only the talent he received, he subjected to severe punishment. That master is the Lord God, talents are His gifts, slaves are people. The Lord gives spiritual gifts, gives to individual people, and gives to entire nations. Before the coming of Christ, the words of God were entrusted to Israel. When Israel wavered in faith, when Judah began to fall, the prophet Baruch, a disciple of the prophet Jeremiah, cried out: “This is the book of the commandments of God and the law that endures forever. All who hold on to it will live, and those who leave it will die. Turn, Jacob, take her, walk in the radiance of her light! Do not give away your glory and what is useful to you to another people. Happy are we... that we know what is pleasing to God.” (Var. 4, 1–4). However, Israel did not remain in the covenant of God, and, having rejected the Son of God, fell away from God. The Lord founded His New Testament church, which included many former pagan nations. After the victory of Christianity over paganism, Byzantium became a special guardian of Orthodoxy, in which the Ecumenical Councils and the Holy Fathers of the Church established an accurate presentation of the dogmas of faith and Orthodox teaching. After the fall of Byzantium, the Orthodox faith was most preserved by the Russian people, who by that time had already completely absorbed it into themselves. People's life and state laws, customs, everything was based on the Orthodox faith or was consistent with it. One of the personifications of the Orthodox faith are our churches, and the entire Russian land was covered with them. The church itself is already an image of the invisible universal Church, which we speak about in the Creed: “In one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.” That is why our churches are called churches. The dome rising above the church shows us the aspiration to heaven and reminds us of the heavenly vaults, under which our prayer ascends to God. It reminds us of the invisible sky, the heavenly kingdom of God. Churches are decorated with icons. Icons are not a simple image of a person or event. An icon is a symbol of the invisible. If we see the outer appearance of Christ and His saints, the icon should also depict their inner appearance - their holiness. Even secular images often represent one idea or another to us. Take for example the famous monument of Peter the Great in Petrograd, where he is depicted on a horse, raising his rider high, which depicts how high he raised Russia in many ways. Many other monuments depict one idea or another. If this is so in secular art, much more should it be the same in spiritual art, where the highest, heavenly, and spiritual are depicted. An icon is not a portrait; a portrait depicts only the earthly appearance of a person, while an icon also depicts his inner state. Even if you depict only the external appearance, at different moments the images will all be different. His Beatitude Metropolitan Anastassy told how, as a student at the Theological Academy, he and his other peers were in Kronstadt at the services of the righteous Father John. And when Father John finished the liturgy, he looked brightly illuminated, like Moses when he came down from Mount Sinai. After some time, Father John received them in his cell and was like an ordinary person. Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself once showed us His Divine glory on Mount Tabor, and the rest of the time He seemed like an ordinary person, and people wondered where He got such power and miracles. The icon should depict not only the external, but also the internal life, holiness and closeness to heaven. This is mainly depicted in the face and its gaze, and the rest of the icon should be written in accordance with this. All the attention of our Orthodox icon painters was directed to depicting the state of the spirit hidden under the flesh. The better this was done, the better the icon appeared. There were often shortcomings in the depiction of certain parts of the body, not because this was done consciously by the icon painters, but because achieving the main goal did not always allow them to pay enough attention to secondary aspects. However, even if you take ordinary photographs, especially unexpected ones, many would undoubtedly show unnatural positions of human bodies, which we usually do not notice. You cannot paint an icon only depicting the external appearance of the body, but it must display invisible feats and shine heavenly glory. This can be done perfectly by someone who himself lives a spiritual life, and who understands and is close to the lives of the saints. Therefore, our ancient icon painters always did this and prepared for it with fasting and prayer. The Lord gave many icons painted in this way miraculous power. Of course, every icon after consecration should be revered and should not be treated with disdain and disrespect, which is why we will refrain from discussing the icons already standing in churches, but we must always strive for the best, and, most importantly, not so much pay attention to the external beauty of the icons as to their spirituality. Icons that clearly do not satisfy the requirements of Orthodox iconography cannot be placed in churches and even sometimes in houses. Not everyone with the art and ability to write can paint an icon. Often the mood of the one who paints the icon and the desire to serve God are more important than the art of writing itself. After Peter the Great in Russia, along with the good that was brought from the West, many new influences, alien to the Orthodox spirit, entered into Russia, to which a significant part of the educated Russian class fell, introducing many unhelpful, bad innovations into their creations. This was partially reflected in the icon painting. Instead of imitation of ancient Russian icon painters, imitation of Western artists alien to Orthodoxy began to dominate. The new images, although very beautiful, did not correspond to the spirit of icon painting. A spirit alien to Orthodoxy began to take root in Russia and gradually undermined it. The words of the prophet are now addressed to us: “Do not give your glory to another, or what is useful to you to a foreign people.” Both in life and in church customs, we must return to those solid and pure foundations on which Russia was built and maintained. Our icon painting also reflects them. Icons for our churches should not be painted in a spirit alien to Orthodoxy. Those who claim that Orthodox icons must necessarily be painted with dark colors and with an unnatural body position think incorrectly. Ancient icons were painted with bright light colors and over time they became dark, from time and centuries of dust. But at the same time, we must remember that many saints were indeed dark-skinned, spending their lives in hot deserts, and that indeed many of the bodies were exhausted by many years of exploits. They were famous not for earthly, but for heavenly beauty. May they help with their prayers so that our churches will be a reflection of heavenly glory, and our flock will unite in the search for the kingdom of God and preach the truth of Orthodoxy, both with their churches and with their lives. Why are prayers for kings combined with prayers to the Life-Giving Cross? The Cross of the Lord, as an instrument of our salvation, began to be revered by Christians even in apostolic times. However, during the persecution of Christians, his veneration could only be secret. “Christ crucified” was a temptation for the Jews and madness for the pagans. Therefore, Christians did not openly express their veneration of the cross, so as not to subject it to mockery. They hid the image of the cross or depicted the cross in such a way that the pagans could not guess that this drawing covertly depicts a cross. In 312, Tsar Constantine the Great, during his campaign against Rome, saw in the sky an image of a cross with the inscription “NIKA”, that is, “conquer”. Having made a military banner in the form of a cross, Constantine entered the battle, defeated the enemy and took Rome. In memory of this victory, Tsar Constantine ordered his image to be placed in Rome with a cross in his hand and the inscription: “With this saving sign I freed Rome from the tyrant.” Soon after this, the Christian profession was declared permissible by the Edict of Milan; Tsar Constantine himself set an example of veneration of the cross, ordering to depict himself with a cross even on coins. King Constantine's vision of the cross in heaven was repeated two more times during his further campaigns, which further strengthened his veneration of the holy cross. According to his wishes, his mother is St. Queen Helena traveled to Jerusalem and there she found the holy and life-giving Cross. She brought part of it to Constantinople, and the Byzantine kings, going on campaigns, took it with them, trusting in God’s help. That is why, in wondrous chants glorifying the holy cross, he was also praised for the help that Orthodox kings received through him. At the same time, the Orthodox Church, fulfilling the instructions of the Apostle Paul to pray for kings, even pagan ones, since they are defenders of order and not persecutors of the Faith, has always offered a prayer to God so that the power of the cross will help the kings who trust in the cross. Services to the Holy Cross on Wednesdays and Fridays, on which days the sufferings of Christ are remembered, and on other holidays of the Life-Giving Cross are full of such prayers. They say: “The cross of kings is a power”, “our most faithful kings boast about you, as through your power the Ismailtean people are powerfully punishing”, “victories (giving to the pious king against the resistance and preserving your residence by your cross”, “a tree honorable to the king giving victory to the barbarians”... Such and similar expressions are filled with the services to the cross. It is remarkable that many of these hymns were written by the Holy Fathers, who themselves suffered cruelly from the iconoclast kings; they did not stop praying for the kings, firmly believing that after the evil kings there would be pious kings. The Orthodox Greeks and Southern Slavs did not change those prayers even when under the rule of the Turks or foreign foreign authorities, even if they were of other faiths. What is the meaning of praying for kings in prayers to the Holy Cross when a nation does not have its own Orthodox king? Firstly, Orthodox peoples must pray not only for their Sovereigns, but as members of one body - the Church, also for other Orthodox Sovereigns. Greeks, Serbs, Bulgarians and Romanians enslaved by the Turks prayed for the then only Orthodox Russian Tsar. It is the duty of Russians to pray not only for their own people, but also for their Sovereigns, especially since the Russian refugees living in their countries enjoyed their protection. Secondly, when offering prayers for kings, we pray not only for current kings, but also for future Orthodox kings, for according to the interpretation of St. John Chrysostom, Orthodox Sovereigns will hold power until the coming of the Antichrist, restraining the spread of evil. This is why the Orthodox Church never ceases to pray for “the blessed king granting victory to the opposition.” These words are found in the prayer to the Life-giving Cross, which is especially often used, since it is a troparion, i.e. like a hymn to the days of the Holy Cross. In Russia and in some other Slavic countries, the name of the reigning Sovereign was also inserted into that prayer, but its main content always remained unchanged and the original text, the one that the Holy Fathers wrote: O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thy inheritance, granting victories to the faithful Tsar against the resistance, and preserving Thy residence through Thy Cross. Will human bones come to life? There was no limit to the sorrow and despondency of the ancient Jews when Jerusalem was destroyed and they themselves were taken into Babylonian slavery. “Where is the essence of your ancient mercies, O Lord, in the image of which you swore to David” (Ps. 88:5), they cried. “Now you have rejected and put us to shame... those who hate us have spoiled themselves... and you have scattered us among the nations” (Ps. 43:10-12). But when there seemed to be no hope of salvation, the prophet Ezekiel, who was also in captivity, was awarded a wondrous vision. “The hand of the Lord be on me,” he says. The Invisible Hand of the Lord placed him in the middle of a field full of human bones. And the Lord asked him: “Son of man, will these bones live?”... “Lord God, You weigh these things,” the prophet answers. Then the voice of the Lord commanded the prophet to tell the bones that the Lord would give them the spirit of life, clothing them with veins, flesh and skin. The prophet spoke the word of the Lord, a voice was heard, the earth shook and the bones began to copulate, bone to bone, each with its own composition, veins appeared on them, the flesh grew and became covered with skin, so that the whole field became full of human bodies, only there was no soul in them. The prophet hears the Lord again and, at His command, prophesies the word of the Lord, and souls fly from four countries, the spirit of life enters their bodies, they stand up, and the field is filled with a gathering of many people. And the Lord said: “Son of man, these are the bones of the whole house of Israel... they say... our hope is destroyed by destruction... Behold, I will open your graves and bring you out of your graves, my people... and I will put My spirit in you, and you will live, and I will establish you in your lands” (Ezek. 37:1-14). Thus the Lord God revealed to Ezekiel that His promises are unshakable and that what seems impossible to the human mind is accomplished by the power of God. That vision meant that Israel, freed from captivity, would return to its land; in the highest sense, it indicated the entry of spiritual Israel into the eternal heavenly Kingdom of Christ. At the same time, the future general resurrection of all the dead was also represented here. Therefore, this prophecy of Ezekiel is read at Matins on Holy Saturday, when by His death Christ, having crushed the gates of death, opens the tombs of all the dead. Belief in the resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith “If there is no resurrection... then Christ is not risen; and if Christ is not resurrected... our faith is also in vain” (1 Cor. 15:13-14). If there is no resurrection, all Christian teaching is false. This is why the enemies of Christianity fight so hard against the belief in the resurrection, and why the Church of Christ also affirms the belief in the resurrection. More than once the waves of unbelief rose high, but rolled back before new signs that revealed the reality of the resurrection, the revival of life recognized by God for the dead. In the 5th century, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Younger, doubts about the resurrection of the dead began to spread strongly, so that even among the churches there were disputes about it. And just at that time a wonderful event occurred, the authenticity of which is confirmed by a number of historical records. Back in the middle of the 3rd century, during the reign of Emperor Decius (249–251), by his order, seven youths were buried with stones in a cave near the city of Ephesus. The son of the mayor of Ephesus, Maximilian, and his six friends - Jamblichus, Dionysius, John, Antoninus, Martinian and Exacustodian - confessed themselves to be Christians and refused to sacrifice to idols. Then taking advantage of the time given to them for reflection and the temporary departure of the emperor, they left Ephesus and hid in one of the caves in the surrounding mountains. When Decius returned, having learned about this, he ordered the entrance to the cave to be covered with stones so that the youths, deprived of food and air flow, would be buried alive there. When Decius' order was carried out, two secret Christians, Theodore and Rufinus, wrote down that event on tin boards, which were hidden between the stones at the entrance to the cave. The youths who were in the cave, however, did not know what had happened. The day before, having learned about the arrival in the city of Decius and having prayed fervently to God, they fell into a deep, extraordinary sleep that lasted about 172 years. They awakened only during the reign of Theodosius the Younger, just when there were disputes about the resurrection. At that time, the then owner of that place dismantled the stones blocking the entrance to the cave and used them for construction, completely unaware that there were children in the cave, whom everyone had long forgotten. The awakened youths thought that they had slept for one night, since they did not notice any changes in the cave and they themselves did not change at all. One of them, the youngest, Jamblichus, who had previously gone to the city for food, having prayed to God with his friends, also went to Ephesus to find out if they were wanted and to buy food for himself. He was amazed at the change, seeing churches that did not exist just yesterday, as it seemed to him, and hearing the openly pronounced name of Christ. Thinking that he had ended up in another city by mistake, he nevertheless decided to buy bread here, but when he gave a coin for the bread, the grain merchant began to examine it closely and asked where he found the treasure. In vain did Jamblichus insist that he had not found the treasure and that he had received the money from his parents; people began to flock in and ask where he had found the ancient money. Jamblichus named the names of his parents and friends, no one knew them, and finally Jamblichus heard from those gathered that he was really in Ephesus, but Emperor Decius had long been gone, the Christ-loving Theodosius reigned. The mayor and the bishop heard about the incident, and to check Jamblichus’s words, together with him they went to the cave, where they found the six other youths, and at the entrance to the cave they found tin boards and from them they learned when and how the youths ended up in the cave. The mayor immediately informed the king about all this, who personally arrived in Ephesus and talked with the youths. During one of the conversations, they bowed their heads and fell asleep in eternal sleep. The king wanted to transfer them to the capital, but the youths who appeared to him in a dream commanded him to bury them in a cave, where they had been sleeping in a wondrous sleep for many years. This was done, and for many centuries their relics rested in that cave - the 12th century Russian pilgrim Anthony describes how he venerated them. That miraculous awakening of the youths was then accepted as a prototype and confirmation of the resurrection. The news spread everywhere - several contemporaries-historians mention it; it was discussed at the Third Ecumenical Council that soon took place in that city. That amazing miracle then strengthened faith in the resurrection. The power of God clearly manifested itself, preserving the bodies and clothing of the youths incorruptible for many years. Just as the Lord raised them from sleep, so He will gather the bones and raise up the dead, according to the vision of the prophet Ezekiel. That prophecy, foreshadowing not only the resurrection of the dead, but also the preservation from death of the people who keep God’s law, was also clearly fulfilled over the Russian land. At the beginning of the 17th century, after the end of the reigning family, hard times set in in Rus'. The Russian land was left without power, torn apart by internal turmoil, and was attacked by surrounding peoples, who captured many Russian regions and even the heart of Russia - Moscow. The Russian people became faint-hearted, lost hope that the Russian Kingdom would exist, many sought favors from foreign sovereigns, others pestered various impostors and thieves posing as princes. When it seemed that Rus' no longer existed, only a few still hoped for its salvation, the last call of Patriarch Hermogenes, who was killed there, was heard from the dungeon of the Chudov Monastery. His letter with a message from Archimandrite Dionysius of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery and cellarer Abraham Palitsin reached Nizhny Novgorod. In it, the Russian people were called upon to defend the Moscow shrines and the House of the Mother of God. The certificate stirred hearts, and citizen Kosma Minin, from the porch of the cathedral, addressed his fellow citizens with a fiery appeal to give everything for the Fatherland. Donations immediately poured in and a militia began to gather. The valiant governor, Prince Dimitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky, who had barely recovered from his wounds, was called to lead him. But realizing the weakness of human strength, the Russian people gave themselves under the protection of the Chosen Voivode, and, as the greatest treasure, they took into the army from Kazan that miraculous icon of the Mother of God, which the holy Patriarch Hermogenes had once raised from the ground there, while he was still presbyter Ermolai. The Russian militia moved, relying not on their own weak Forces, but on the almighty help of God. And what really happened was something that no effort had been able to achieve until now. In a short time, Moscow was liberated and on the current day of remembrance of the seven youths of Ephesus, the Russian militia entered the Kremlin in a solemn procession of the cross, from where another procession of the cross came towards them with the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which remained in the captive city. The Russian land was cleared of enemies and impostors, the Russian Kingdom was restored, and young Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov ascended the throne. Rus' was resurrected, its wounds were healed and it went from glory to glory. The Kazan image of the Mother of God, with which Moscow and with it the entire Russian land were liberated, became the greatest shrine of the entire Russian people. His copies, placed in the capital city of Moscow, and then in the new royal city of St. Peter, were also famous for their many miracles. Kazan icons of the Mother of God were in every city, village and almost every house, and the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was celebrated throughout Russia as a great holiday. Now the Russian Land is again shaken to its foundations, the waves of unbelief rise high. Grief grips the hearts and in adversity the Russian people, like the captive Israelites, are ready to cry out: “Our bones were dry, our hope was lost, we were killed.” But the memory of the seven youths who rose from sleep, with the meeting of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, speaks of the almighty right hand of God, and the verb of the prophet Ezekiel from the depths of the centuries thunders with the voice of the Lord: “Behold, I will open your graves and bring you out of your graves, my people... and I will set you on your land and you will know that I am the Lord: I will speak and create, says Adonai Lord! (Ezek. 37, 12, 14). I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century Our grief for our dying loved ones should have been inconsolable and boundless if the Lord had not given us eternal life. Our life would be meaningless if it ended with death. What is the use then of virtue, of good deeds? Then those who say “let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we will die!” are right! But man was created for immortality, and with His Resurrection Christ opened the gates of the Heavenly Kingdom, eternal bliss, to those who believed in Him and lived righteously. Our earthly life is a preparation for the future, and with our death that preparation ends. “A man must die once, then the judgment.” Then a person leaves all his earthly cares, the body disintegrates in order to rise again in the general resurrection. But his soul continues to live and does not cease to exist for a moment. Many manifestations of the dead have given us some knowledge of what happens to the soul when it leaves the body. When her vision with her bodily eyes ceases, then her spiritual vision opens. Often it begins in dying people even before death and they, while still seeing those around them and even talking to them, see what others do not see. Having left the body, the soul finds itself among other spirits, good and evil. Usually she strives for those who are more akin in spirit, and if, while in the body, she was under the influence of some, then she remains dependent on them after leaving the body, no matter how unpleasant they may be upon meeting. For two days the soul enjoys relative freedom, can visit its favorite places on earth, and on the third day it goes to other spaces. Moreover, she passes through hordes of evil spirits, blocking her path and accusing her of various sins to which they themselves tempted her. According to revelations, there are twenty such barriers, the so-called. ordeals, at each of them one or another type of sin is experienced; Having passed through one thing, the soul gets to the next, and only after safely passing through everything can the soul continue its path, and not be immediately cast into Gehenna. How terrible those demons and their ordeals are is shown by the fact that the Mother of God Herself, informed by the Archangel Gabriel of her impending death, prayed to Her Son to deliver Her from those demons and, fulfilling Her prayer, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself appeared from Heaven to receive the soul of His Most Pure Mother and ascend to heaven. The third day is terrible for the soul of the deceased, and therefore it especially needs prayer for it then. Having safely passed through the ordeal and worshiped God, the soul visits the villages of heaven and the abysses of hell for another thirty-seven days, not yet knowing where it will end up, and only on the fortieth day is its place determined until the Resurrection of the Dead. Some souls are in a state of anticipation of eternal joy and bliss, while others are in fear of eternal torment, which will completely come after the Last Judgment. Until then, changes in the state of souls are still possible, especially through the offering of the Bloodless Sacrifice for them (commemoration at the liturgy), as well as through other prayers. How important the commemoration during the liturgy is is shown by the following event. Before the opening of the relics of St. Theodosius of Chernigov (1896), the priest who was performing the reveiling of the relics, exhausted, sitting near the relics, dozed off and saw the saint in front of him, who said to him: “I thank you for working for me. I also ask you, when you celebrate the Liturgy, remember my parents,” and named their names (priest Nikita and Mary). “How do you, saint, ask me for prayers, when you yourself stand at the throne of heaven and give people God’s mercies,” asked the priest. “Yes, that’s true,” answered St. Theodosius, “but the offering at the liturgy is stronger than my prayer.” Therefore, memorial services and home prayers for the deceased, and good deeds done in their memory, such as alms, sacrifices to the church, are useful for the deceased, but commemoration at the Divine Liturgy is especially useful for them. There were many apparitions of the dead and other events confirming how beneficial the commemoration of the dead is. Many who died with repentance, but did not have time to show it during their lifetime, were freed from torment and received peace. In church, prayers are always offered for the repose of the departed, and even on the day of the descent of the Holy Spirit into prayers on bended knees, at Vespers there is a special prayer “for those held in hell.” Each of us, wanting to show our love for the departed and provide them with real help, can best do this through prayer for them, especially by remembering them at the liturgy, when the particles taken out for the living and deceased are lowered into the blood of the Lord with the words “Lord, wash away the sins of those who are remembered here by Thy honest Blood, by the prayers of Thy saints.” We cannot do anything better or more for the departed than to pray for them, offering commemoration for them at the liturgy. They always need this, and especially in those forty days in which the soul of the deceased makes its way to the eternal abodes. Then the body does not feel anything, does not see loved ones gathered, does not smell the fragrance of flowers, does not hear funeral speeches. But the soul feels the prayers offered for it, is grateful to those who create them and is spiritually close to them. Relatives and friends of the deceased! Do for them what they need and what you can. Spend money not on external decorations of the coffin and grave, but on helping those in need, in memory of deceased loved ones, on churches where prayers are offered for them. Show mercy to the deceased, take care of his soul. We all have that path ahead of us; How we will then wish that they would remember us in prayer! Let us ourselves be merciful to the departed. As soon as someone dies, immediately call or notify the priest to read the “sequence on the departure of the soul,” which is supposed to be read over all Orthodox Christians immediately after their death. Try to ensure that, if possible, the funeral service takes place in the church and that before the funeral the Psalter is read over the deceased. The funeral service may not be performed magnificently, but it must be performed completely, without reduction; then think not about yourself and your comforts, but about the deceased, to whom you are saying goodbye forever. If there are several dead people in the church at the same time, do not refuse to have a funeral service for them together. It is better to have the funeral service for two or more dead people at once, and let the prayer of all their loved ones gathered be even more fervent, than to have the funeral service for them in turn and, not having the strength and time, to shorten the service, when every word of prayer for the deceased is like a drop of water to a thirsty person. Be sure to immediately take care of performing the magpie, i.e. daily commemoration for 40 days at the liturgy. Usually in churches where daily sacred services take place, the dead there are remembered for forty days or more. If the funeral service is held in a church where there is no daily service, loved ones should take care of it themselves and order a magpie where there is a daily service. It is also good to send for commemoration to monasteries and to Jerusalem, where there is constant prayer at holy places. But you need to start commemoration immediately after death, when the soul especially needs prayer help, and therefore begin the commemoration in the nearest place where the daily service is held. Let us take care of those who go to another world before us, so that we can do everything we can for them, remembering that “Blessed are mercy, for they will obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). You might be interested in: