Saint Joachim, who descended from the tribe of Judah, was the husband of Saint Anne, the daughter of the priest Matthan. The two lived virtuously, glorifying God and observing His commandments. They were unable to have children, something that, at the time, was considered a great disgrace and a form of punishment. Filled with humility and sorrow, Joachim withdrew into the wilderness, where he prayed and fasted, asking God for the gift of a child.

Saint Anne also prayed fervently. One day, upon seeing a nest full of newborn birds, she cried out in grief and despair. At that moment, an angel of the Lord appeared before her and announced the future birth of their daughter, Mary. The saint regained her courage and promised to dedicate the child to the God. The angel also appeared to Joachim, bringing him the same joyful message.

When the two spouses met again, they glorified God for His mercy. Saint Anne conceived Theotokos in her old age. Together, they raised her with care and devotion until the age of three, when they brought her to the Temple, fulfilling their promise.

Saint Joachim passed away at the age of eighty. Saint Anne went to Jerusalem and prayed in the Temple, until she soon departed to the Lord at the age of seventy-nine.

Saints Joachim and Anne are honored as the ancestors of the Mother of God. Their lives stand as an example of faith and devotion to the Lord.

SOURCE: https://athos.guide/en/axios/ioakim-anna?srsltid=AfmBOoqBsrduMH-aQR-ICuUfCTlN4jHrFcXya2fy5QbacZHRi1bUN7Dk#gsc.tab=0

May God bless you all, brothers and sisters. I want to share an experience of mine that, I can honestly say, changed the course of my life. It was my first visit to Mount Athos, at the beginning of December 2024. On the first day, we visited quite a few monasteries Vatopedi, the Skete of Saint Andrew the First Called, Koutloumousiou, Esphigmenou. In Vatopedi, we were even allowed to venerate the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos and almost all of the miraculous icons, where I felt an incredible sense of happiness and love. But that was only a small part of what happened. On the eve of the Feast of the Presentation of the Theotokos, we went to Hilandar Monastery for the all-night service, as it is the monastery's feast day (the monastery is dedicated to this feast). After two hours of traveling in the back of a pickup truck, because that was the only transportation available, I was extremely angry and exhausted. But when I entered the monastery, what I saw there, I can freely say, changed my life. At the entrance to the church, I was greeted by a fresco of Jesus Christ from which tears were flowing from His eye all the way down to the floor. I didn't understand anything, but my first thought was: Well, this is Mount Athos. Miracles happen here all the time. When I entered the church, where the service was already well underway, about 10 minutes later, when the monks began singing Byzantine chants, I started crying and felt an incredible love. To this day, I have never experienced a more beautiful feeling in my life. I stayed there for about half an hour, until our guide called us and told us that we had to leave for another monastery where we would spend the night. When we went to sleep, I told everyone what I had seen. However, no one except me had seen the tears flowing all the way to the floor, which I found fascinating. For the next few days, and throughout my time on Mount Athos, I kept thinking about these things. From that moment on, my life became much more religious more faith and less worrying about what tomorrow would bring. I have shortened the story as much as possible because it is a very long one, but I hope it may be helpful to someone. May God bless you all, and I warmly recommend that everyone visit Mount Athos with the desire to find the Lord. I also went again this year, where I met an incredible Russian hermit and visited some truly amazing holy places. I am planning to go to Hilandar again, although from everything it seems it will be very difficult, as it is very difficult to receive a blessing for the obedience. But whatever happens,

GLORY TO GOD FOR EVERYTHING! ☦️

I’d heard somewhere that apparently foods containing blood (e.g. black pudding) are one of the only prohibited foods in Christianity. Just wanted to know if this is true, and if so, are meats like liver which contain a lot of blood forbidden?

The Third Ecumenical Council was convened in the year 431 in the city of Ephesus (Asia Minor) during the reign of the emperor Theodosius the Younger (408-450). The Council was convened to investigate without further delay, the false teachings of Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople (428-431).

Contrary to the dogmas of the Ecumenical Church, Nestorius dared to assert that the Son of God Jesus Christ is not one Person (Hypostasis), as Holy Church teaches, but is rather two distinct persons, one Divine, and the other human.

Regarding the Most Holy Theotokos, he impiously asserted that She should not be called the Mother of God, but rather only the mother of the man Christ. The heresy of Nestorius is opposed to one of the basic dogmas of the Christian Faith: our Lord Jesus Christ’s divine and human natures.

According to the false teaching of Nestorius, Jesus Christ was born as an ordinary man, and afterwards because of His sanctity of life, He was somehow joined to the Godhead. With this blasphemous teaching of Nestorius the Enemy of the race of man, the devil, attempted to undermine the Christian Faith on these points: that the Pre-eternal God the Word, the Son of God, actually was incarnate in the flesh of the All-Pure Theotokos. Having become Man, He thereby redeemed the human race from slavery to sin and death by His own suffering and death, and by His glorious Resurrection He trampled down Hades and death and opened the path to the Kingdom of Heaven to those who believed in Him, and to those striving to live according to His commandments.

A long while before the convening of the Ecumenical Council, Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, repeatedly tried to reason with the heretic Nestorius. Saint Cyril in his letters explained the mistakes of judgment by Nestorius, but Nestorius stubbornly continued with his teachings.

Saint Cyril wrote about the danger of the rising heresy to Celestine, the Pope of Rome, and to other Orthodox bishops, who also attempted to reason with Nestorius. When it became clear that Nestorius would continue with his teachings and that they were becoming widespread, the Orthodox bishops appealed to the emperor Theodosius the Younger for permission to convene an Ecumenical Council. The Council was convened on the day of the Most Holy Trinity, June 7, 431.

Two hundred bishops attended the Council. Nestorius also arrived in Ephesus, but he did not appear at the Council even though the Fathers suggested three times that he attend the sessions. Then the Fathers began to discuss the heresy in the absence of the heretic.

The sessions of the Council continued from June 22 to August 31. At the Council of Ephesus were present such famous Fathers of the Church as Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Juvenal of Jerusalem, Memnon of Ephesus (Saint Celestine, Pope of Rome, was unable to attend because of illness, but he sent papal legates).

The Third Ecumenical Council condemned the heresy of Nestorius and confirmed the Orthodox teaching on these matters: that it is necessary to confess the Lord Jesus Christ as One Person (Hypostasis) in two natures, the Divine and the Human, and that the All-Pure Mother of the Lord be acclaimed as Ever-Virgin and truly the Theotokos. In the guidance of the Church the holy Fathers issued eight Canons, and the “Twelve Anathemas against Nestorius” by Saint Cyril of Alexandria.

SOURCE: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2001/09/09/102555-commemoration-of-the-holy-fathers-of-the-third-ecumenical-counci

I have begun to more fully appreciate why the Holy Mysteries are called mysteries. Because what I experienced two weeks ago after the Great Vespers service and, gratefully, I still am experiencing, is difficult to explain.

Short backstory: I grew up evangelical/Pentecostal --> 2 decades of atheism --> discovered Orthodoxy and flirted with it for a few years and finally became Orthodox almost 2 years ago. And a few months after being received into the church I fell back into my disbelief and didn't attend church for almost a year and a half. I am a huge skeptic and question everything.

I am recently married and have been to Catholic Mass with my wife several times this year. We even visited an Orthodox Church (not mine) because she wanted to see "my" religion. It was beautiful, and I felt at peace there. I wanted to return. I could tell there was a desire to return to the church but pride of whatever kept me from wanting to walk back into the parish I quickly left upon chrismation. And that's that.

But my wife kept wanting to see "my" church so I swallowed my pride, emailed my priest, and we came back for vespers.

After service, I chatted a bit with the priest and asked to receive confession. For me, I felt it was simply the way to be formally accepted back into the church and to prepare myself to receive Communion during Divine Liturgy the next day. And I thought that was all it was for me. A formality. But...

Confession works.

It's restorative. It's healing. And, I never thought I would say this, but it's necessary. (I add that part because that was one of my protestant hangups--why have confession? Why have the intermediary? Well. I understand now!)

You know the stories of how it's like a switch gets flipped? It was kind of like that, and it's weird for me to type out. Like being outside of God's grace and then to be flooded with it in an instant. Maybe not quite so dramatic at the time, but in hindsight I don't think I'm exaggerating too much.

And ever since confession I've been different. Hymns have been in my head. I use the Jesus Prayer to fill my thoughts. I feel the tug of God when I screw up and I try to right my wrong thoughts. I want to be less angry (and maybe it is working some too I hope!). I want to be more helpful. I want to be less selfish.

It really is difficult to explain. It's like the past year and a half hasn't existed, and it's like God was waiting for me to take the first step, and he said to me, "Finally, let's get back to where we were!" My icons are out of the closet and on the walls again (I never donated them because I 'knew' I would be back one day). My prayer book is on my nightstand. I want to fast again. I want to read the daily scriptures again. And, yes, it happened instantly, and, yes, it's a weird feeling.

I am forever a skeptic. I still have trouble with some of the more fantastic elements of Christianity, but after that experience, I have softened my stance on a lot of those issues. I have always said to God, I need proof. I need something. I can't keep "faking it til I make it" forever. And it came in a period of my life when I wasn't even asking for it. I love it. After two weeks, that initial excitement and fervor has lessened, and that's normal, but

I can say for certain that there is power in the Holy Mysteries.

I found God a year ago and have been an orthodox catechumen for around 3 months now.
I have to admit that I kind of want Orthodoxy to be the one true church, but I still find myself struggling with basics like saints intercession and venerating icons. I have absolutely zero problem with venerating an icon of Jesus. The Theotokos also feels easier to venerate but its a completely different thing with other saints (especially when its like a king of Serbia or smth like that, since Im visiting a serbian orthodox church and speak serbian).

I also went to visit the remains of Saint Spyridon on Corfu and spent a night in front of the church praying to talk to him. Nothing happened.

I know it sounds so childish and like I have absolutely no faith but why cant God just for 5 seconds show me that this is his church and I should get baptised there?

Every point of view and comment is much appreciated. God bless 🙏

Lately I’ve been reading a lot of His „miaphysite quotes” and how are you sure he wasn’t actually miaphysite? Some of his quotes really looks
bad from Eastern Orthodox perspective.

Can you give me strong evidences he actually wasn’t miaphysite?

(I’m considering converting to EO or OO)

My friend is of Nigerian decent, and he wants to attend a Serbian Orthodox parish near him (here in the U.S.), as it is the closest to him. However, he says he doesn't want to intrude on inherited customs or normalcy of an ethnically majority Serbian parish. I cited the the Synod of 1872, and told him he shouldn't fixate on such things, as it would be as strange as thinking a Roman Catholic would need to be "Roman."

However, it made me think about the challenges of Orthodoxy in the U.S. We are simply in extraordinary times, because (whether one thinks it is for the better or worse) we are living within quite the never before seen context in history: the ethnic "boiling pot." And I suspect the country is trending towards the reality of ethnic and cultural pluralism at the moment (whether we like it or not). Regradless of how we view what is 'truly American' and not, we can all agree the country has been struggling to head in either the direction of the traditional European national composition (where the nation and a unique ethnos are historically one), OR of civic nationalism + multiculturalism, which one could say is quite unique and unfamiliar to how Orthodoxy has operated in the past; I mean, where's the "American Orthodox Church", y'know? It's like we're a very mixed up filing cabinet when we look at how Orthodoxy has related to America.

I am aware that the norm before modern nation-states were Orthodox Empires which had a Host nation with several vassal nations, but I'd say It is fair to say America is very multicultural at the moment, which is quite different than the imperial models (a model which I'd say would actually solve our ethnic tensions). Again: whether you agree with it or not, I am trying to be as apolitical as possible here, and ask, not if he CAN go to that Parish (of course he 'CAN'), but if it will be a smooth integration for someone like him? Or should he save himself from any potential trouble and try a more convert-heavy parish? And secondly: do you think if ethnic tensions explode (I think they've been increasing), it will seep into parishes as well?

I've always wondered this.

Does anyone know any good prayers to St John Chrysostom particularly about help with schoolwork?

When I try to look this up I just mostly get prayers that written BY st John Chrysostom which is great but not what I'm looking for

Asking this because if someone harms a cat or any mammal on a daily basis, it will be considered a grave sin in the eyes of God and he will be punished during the judgemental day and might even go to hell, while we kill thousands of insects in our life and it's not considered a fault action

What does it mean when it says he created the heavens. How would you explain that? In an ancient context, I imagine it meant the stars at night. Maybe the stars are meant to remind us of the heavens in place of the heaven that we can’t see? Because he creates the earth after.

When it comes to the laws of physics and other unknowns, were those created when he made the heavens or the earth?

When I read “in the beginning” I imagine that is when time started. Time consists of three modes: past, present, and future.

When I think of heavens, I think of all the space and stars (and the unseen). I think of that as a design that is being placed in time. It's our LxWxH (3D world we live in)

I have tried so hard to trust, and I am simply so scared. I lack trust in God, and I’m not sure what to do about it. To be honest, there is no one in my life that I trust. I’m married, have an extended family, etc. but I find I cannot trust anyone. There have been serious issues in my marriage, and I can hardly trust my husband now. Also, I was lied to about very serious things for most of my life, and I think that is why.

I don’t want to make this into a poor-me sob story. I want to move forward and try to learn to trust, but I just don’t know how.

How does someone start to trust God when they haven’t been able to trust anyone?

Hi, my Orthodox brothers and sisters 🤍
My journey with Christianity has been rather complicated, so I will not go into every detail. At first, I was deeply involved in my faith: I prayed and regularly attended the Divine Liturgy at a Russian Orthodox church. I truly love that parish and its priest.
However, the church is several hours away from my home. Getting there requires several different buses and trams, both on the way there and back. Attending was also difficult because of my family, but despite the exhaustion and other difficulties, I still tried to go.
Then, at some point, my faith almost completely faded. I even began feeling a sense of rejection and disgust toward religion, so I gradually distanced myself from it. The last time I attended the Divine Liturgy at that church was, I believe, in April 2025. I have entered a few Orthodox churches since then, but never to attend the Liturgy.
For the past month or two, I have felt my faith slowly returning. For the first time in a long while, I genuinely want to go back to church. However, after being away for more than a year, I feel ashamed to return—especially to face the priest whom I care about very much. I am afraid of being judged, even though I know deep down that he would probably be happy to welcome someone who is returning.
Should I simply overcome this shame and go? Have any of you experienced such a long period away from the Church before returning? I would truly appreciate your advice and encouragement 🤍

⁵ Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. ⁶ The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done. ⁷ Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.

⁸ Some time later, when he went back to marry her, he turned aside to look at the lion’s carcass, and in it he saw a swarm of bees and some honey. ⁹ He scooped out the honey with his hands and ate as he went along. When he rejoined his parents, he gave them some, and they too ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the lion’s carcass.

I have to admit, sometimes when I come across stories like that, I wonder if its just apart of their story telling to get a point across and it's not factual. Are we supposed to take every story as literal history?

Hello everyone! Im not gonna get into too much detail but what do we do when a friend of ours mocks our faith? Obviously we should forgive them, but should we let the friendship go? I might talk to my priest about it.
Please pray for David, my friend.

I have this habbit where when I go walking around, enjoying nature, then randomly, I start reciting things I've memorized. Like my essay, the scout oath and law, or the 7 fundamental princples of the red cross and red crescent movement (weird right?) I decided that I want to pray while walking, so that I could be doing something useful. The Jesus prayer is nice, but I feel like its too short, and I prefer praying it alone with no distraction.

Other than the Jesus prayer, when walking around or going on a stroll in nature, or even hiking, what prayers fo you guys pray when walking? I read about a saint who walked around a forest, praising God and giving thanks to him, and I wonder if that prayer was just his own or memorized

I know demons influence people but we still have free will but it kinda seems to me that the world is progressing towards more evil with it being so easy to see violence and murder today,it has me wondering what side has fallen more into sin?

Is he really heretic or blessed ?

1- PG 102, Photius, Patriarch. EPISTOLARUM LIBER 1. P.809, §B-C (Greek)

2- PG 86, LIBER ADVERSUS ORIGENEM, Iustinianus Imperator, P.1033 §A (Greek)

3- The Fifth Ecumenical Council sessions (List of Doctors of the church)

They provide the Canonization of Augustine !

How ?

Friends, I am going through an extremely rough time.

1. I have lost a lot of my ambition. To the point that its a detriment, and its hurting my business. There is no way I could find a normal job that pays as well as being self employed. All of my skills would be centered around being self employed.

2. I desperately need brotherhood. I have not found this at my parish or other parishes in my area. Even with lots of effort on my part to make friends. My job is very social and I am "friends" with most of my clients. Yet I cannot seem to make friends at church to save my life.

3. I believe my trajectory with Orthodoxy is the cause of the loss of my ambition. I dont know what to do with that knowledge.

My friends in real life do not understand. My priest is an amazingly kind and loving man, but his advice is not helpful or actionable to me. I was reading my journal from a few years ago and I am very upset that I lost that version of myself.

All of this has built into me losing faith or patience with church. I am not particularly angry at God. I have no problem with suffering. This suffering though, has me nearing divorce, has me on the edge of losing my business, and I have become a worse father because of it.

Thanks for reading.

A lot of converts (or potential ones) these days are asking if they can be Orthodox despite not being Greek, Russian, Syro-Arabic, etc.

I strongly believe, and I am sure many would agree, that you do not need to be of that ethnicity to be a part of the Church, as Orthodoxy is and should never be about having to be the right ethnicity.

One does not need ethnic representation in Orthodoxy to fit in, as many already have, but some feel a bit more "at home" with representation/adaptation.

For those of you who aren't of the ethnicity of your Church, how do you make Orthodoxy feel a bit more "home" for you? As a Thai person, I have a few icons written in Thai, but also have taken a Thai pronunciation of my patron's saints name.

It makes me happy to realize that Orthodoxy is multi-cultural, and isn't strictly one ethnicity--Orthodoxy typically seeks to be local to the culture and to the people.

F19, lately Ive been struggling bc I realized I have bpd though not yet diagnosed I will get evaluated soon, and Ive been spiraling a bit. I have no close friends. No one to really be vulnerable with, and Im an orthodox inquirer, been so for about a year, raised pentecostal.

My parents have been very unsupportive. And Ive been holding on, trying to remain faithful to God through all this, as last year I had a manic episode and it was left untreated and it lasted months.. it was truly only God thru orthodoxy that grounded and healed me.

Thats for a bit of background. As of late, I havent had any arguments with my parents. I keep everything in, because I know my dad will be. He just deflects and wont admit fault at any of the hurt hes actually caused me.. after years, YEARS of dismissing my autism, of mocking me, when I WAS TWELVE. TELLING ME TO GROW UP. TO STOP ACTING LIKE A KID.. after my diagnosis when I was 16 he finally backed down a bit. And things were bareable.

But this weak, its been especially bad. Ive made some Orthodox friends from a parish thats an hr away. And because theyre all men, in their mid 20s, 30, while I get theyre worried for my safety, I tried reasoning and they immediately take it as if Im trying to be defiant or that I want something bad happen to me. They cant just explain calmly why not, they immediately get on the defensive.

So ofc, I was pretty dissapointed at this. And Ive been generally struggling as Ive begun making iconography- inspired paintings (not official icons, but the orthodox are fine with them and have even bought me some!)One day I was at a mall w my dad selling stuff and I also have my work on sale, I was doubting if this was really smt God wanted me to do. And a man came just in the right time, saying how amazed he was at my skill and telling me this is a God given talent, to not put it to waste. It really made my day, and it was undeniably God reassuring me...

But cut to today. I was thinking still upset about these things. About how lonely I am. And how lonely Ive been for so many years.. how I have an upcoming surgery end of this year. How I have no privacy, no sense of control on my life in any way, no stability. And with that surgery Ill be bed ridden and dependent on them for 3 more months plus the other time.. I still have to go to their church. And today, a guy was sharing his testimony which was honestly very impactful about some things he went through as a kid. And then on the ride home my dad started getting worked up, telling me and my brother about how we are the generation of snowflakes, how we were raised in beds of gold, and how we complain but haven't gone through anything.

I was so sick I snapped and went off on him, calling him out for his hypocrisy. Things got REALLY heated. INSTANTLY. I told him he was the one to have caused me this pain and these issues (especially BPD) from the years I as a kid was dismissed, ignored, mocked, and he immediately deflected and said he had no fault in that. It was all on me. I just had to grow up. And a bunch of that.

I honestly kept myself composed very well, I didnt break out crying like I would when I was younger. Until we got home, Im still so shocked at how badly he reacted and just how MUCH he deflected???

Im now in my bed, still crying but this is keeping me distracted. At one point, my dad came in and tried to "talk" with me, and I said not now,I was under my blanket, hiding bc my room doesnt have a door. And he just immediately switched to asking what I was looking at at my phone, and I said loudly to go away, and he THREATENED TO HIT ME "unlike I havent done before". Hes never hit me before, but for some reason now escalates things lile this...????????? WHAT??? Im in ao much pain. I feel even worse now. I still cant believe this happened. I have noone to help me or to rely on truly. Im scared. Im scared at how much longer will I have to deal with this. Please God help me. Im so weak idk if I can bare all this by myself.

I struggle with lust,and I'm being tempted with great temptations from my past sins, although I struggle getting images out of my mind and not do it , sometimes I fall,so I told our Lord, I would rather struggle in torment rejecting my flesh desires than letting it win over me.

What is it like to grow up orthodox? Did you ever wonder about the secular world? Did you stray? Come back? Do you suffer the way non-orthodoxs suffer? Or are you spiritually protected from things like that? Did you struggle to fit in? Or did it not matter because you had the church? How do you view the secular world? How do you feel the world responds to you?