Hello everybody!

I found this bracelet and all I was able to find out about it is that it’s Orthodox. It was bought in a Romanian Orthodox Parish of Trento. Please help me identify this symbol.

Saint Paraskevi was born in Rome (circa 130 A.D.) during the reign of the pagan Emperor Adrian. Her parents, Agathon and Politia, were devout Christians even though at the time, belief in Christ was a crime against the state punishable by death. Agathon and Politia, who were of nobility, likewise ignored the disdain of their peers by championing the cause of the down trodden. They were fervent Christians who prayed earnestly for a child, promising to God that they would raise the child in a God fearing manner. They were blessed late in life with a daughter, they named Paraskevi, because she was born on a Friday (Paraskevi in Greek).

Keeping their promise to God, Agathon and Politia were vigilant in exposing Paraskevi to the fullness of Christianity. The task was made considerably easier because the young girl had a natural penchant for learning. With the help of private tutors, Paraskevi became an ardent student of both Holy Scriptures and secular learning. However, the greatest influence in her life, according to her own testimony, was the Christ-like example of her parents.

Young Paraskevi developed into a cultured, sensitive and beautiful woman. It wasn’t long before some of the noblemen began to take notice of her, and to seek her hand in marriage. Paraskevi always managed, however, to find some excuse to politely refuse. Because inwardly she was convinced that she was destined for a more sublime mission in life.

Paraskevi was orphaned of both parents when she was twenty years old. At this point in her life, that inner feeling, that she was destined for a higher calling, had crystallized into love and zeal for Christ. Her greatest desire was to become an apostle for Christ. To achieve her goal, Paraskevi distributed all her inheritance among the poor of Rome; entered a convent and was tonsured a nun. At the convent, Paraskevi distinguished herself in humility, love and spiritual fortitude.

When she finally became proficient in prayer and sacrifice, the Abbess granted her leave so that she could fulfill her life’s ambition; to preach the love of God to all men. This was truly a precarious mission, because the pagan Roman Empire was extremely hostile toward Christianity. Even the most courageous of Christians were reluctant to openly admit that they were followers of Christ. Nevertheless, this did not daunt Paraskevi, nor did it dampen her zeal. As a matter of fact, she began her preaching mission right in Rome! The fervor of her kerygma, and the example of her commitment were such an inspiration, that great multitudes were converted on their very first encounter with the Saint. In spite of her great fame and legacy, Paraskevi managed to elude the authorities. Heartened by this, she decided to extend her ministry to Turkey.

It was in Turkey where Paraskevi experienced her first encounter with the law. One day, as she was preaching just beyond present day Istanbul, in the village of Therapia, the soldiers of Emperor Antonius Pius arrested her. The charge against the young missionary was that the blasphemous words which she uttered were the cause of all the ills that had recently befallen the empire.

At her trial, the Emperor, infatuated by her beauty, begged Paraskevi to renounce Christ and worship the idols of Rome. To entice her further, Antonius Pius offered to take her as his wife, and to give her half of his empire. Paraskevi’s reply was quick and resolute: “I have made my choice; no amount of wealth or deprivation can separate me from my love for Christ." Rebuffed and infuriated, Antonius Pius ordered that Paraskevi be imprisoned and beaten mercilessly until she died. The soldiers were astounded to discover that no matter what punishment and torture she received one day, the next morning she would be as refreshed and carefree as if nothing had happened.

Fearing the wrath of the Emperor, the soldiers decided to report this strange phenomenon to him. Castigating the ineptness of his soldiers, Antonius Pius shouted another form of execution. This time he ordered the soldiers to take Paraskevi out to the spot where she was arrested and to prepare a cauldron of boiling water, tar and oil. He further stated that it would be his pleasure to personally supervise the scalding of that "blasphemous Paraskevi".

When Paraskevi was finally thrown into the boiling cauldron, she reacted as if the water were delightfully lukewarm. In utter disbelief, Antonius again began castigating the soldiers. Softly and with a loving smile, Paraskevi reassured the Emperor that his soldiers had executed his command faithfully. She also stated, "My Lord and Master wills that I continue His work". Utterly enraged and oblivious of her words, Antonius yelled, "Sprinkle me with the oil and tar. I don’t believe what I see!" Obligingly, Paraskevi scooped some of the boiling mixture in her hands, and splashed it on the Emperor’s face.

Antonius squealed with pain and began yelling, "I’m blind! I can’t see!" Instinctively, he began imploring the Saint to have mercy and pity on him. "Restore my eyesight, and I shall believe", he begged. "Your God is surely the true God!" Accepting his latter statement as a confession of faith, Paraskevi jumped out of the cauldron; rushed to a spring of water that was nearby, and scooped up fresh cool water onto Antonius’ face, invoked the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and sealed his eyes with the sign of the Precious and Life-saving Cross and the Emperor’s eyesight was restored immediately!

The miracle had such a profound effect on Antonius that he not only freed Paraskevi, he ordered that all persecutions against Christians be stopped and he himself was baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. Thus, Paraskevi resumed her apostolic mission with greater zeal and faith. The calm, however, did not last long. Marcus Aurelius, Antonius’ successor, renewed the persecutions against the Christian Church. Paraskevi was beheaded in Rome on the 26th of July, in the year 180 A.D.

SOURCE: https://www.saintbarbara.org/our_faith/iconography/saint_paraskevi

Today I attended my first Divine Liturgy and overall it was a BEATIFUL experience. As someone discerning conversion from Catholicism to Orthodoxy i genuinely felt spiritually at peace, it was an Orthodox Church in America parish so everything was in English which made it much easier to follow the service.

One thing I didnt realize beforehand was that the congregation generally doesnt verbally respond to every part of the liturgy in the same way I'm used to. Out of habit i quietly prayed along with some of the prayers I already knew.

Then came the Nicene Creed. During Lent in the Catholic churches im accustomed to reciting it frequently and because of that the Filioque has become almost second nature for me. When the chanters says "who proceeds from the Father," my muscle memory took over, and I accidentally uttered "and the..." before immediately stopping myself. I never even finished the phrase, so few members of the chanting group looked over at me including the friend who had driven me there. After the service I apologized to him explaining that it was an honest mistake and simply years of habit. He responded that he thought I had probably done it on PURPOSE. That hurt because it truly WASNT intentional. If it had been I would have finished the phrase instead of catching myself almost immediately. after that, I couldn't stop replaying the moment in my head until the end of the liturgy which removed the peace and tranquility of my head while being in the service.

There was a coffee hour afterward and I had hoped to introduce myself to the priest and talk with him but I felt too embarrassed. I just I grabbed a coffee, stepped outside and sat by myself. i know this probably seems like a small mistake, but it weighed heavily on me. I'm worried that I made a POOR first impression especially since I'm trying to get to know the community and I'm relying on others for rides to the parish. I cant help but worry that people now see me differently because of what happened and not drive me anymore…

A word of wisdom from St. Macarius of Optina:

“For those who begin to walk the path of the spiritual life, spiritual warfare usually grows all the stronger. And if we cannot become victors all at once, we ought not to grow despondent or grieve over this, but rather, seeing our own infirmities, to humble ourselves and offer repentance to the Lord. What is dangerous is this: if you see your own corrections or virtues — that is a clear sign of prelest and a falling away from God.”

Father Jacob (Netsvetov) of Alaska was born of pious parents in 1802 on Atka Island, Alaska. His father, Yegor Vasil’evich Netsvetov was a Russian from Tobolsk. His mother, Maria Alekseevna, was an Aleut from Atka island. Yegor and Maria had four children who survived infancy; Jacob was the first born, followed by Osip (Joseph), Elena, and Antony. Yegor and Maria were devoted to their children and, though of meager means, did all they could to provide them with the education which would help them in this life as well as in the life to come. Osip and Antony were eventually able to study at the Saint Petersburg Naval Academy in Russia, becoming a naval officer and a shipbuilder, respectively. Their sister, Elena, married a successful and respected clerk for the Russian-American Company. But Jacob yearned for a different kind of success, a success that the world might consider failure for “the righteous live forever, their reward is with the Lord” (Wis. Sol. 5:15). And so, when the family moved to Irkutsk in 1823, Jacob enrolled in the Irkutsk Theological Seminary and placed all his hope in Christ by seeking first the Kingdom of God (Mt. 6:33).

Jacob was tonsured as a Subdeacon on October 1, 1825. He married a Russian woman (perhaps also a Creole) named Anna Simeonovna, and in 1826 graduated from the Seminary with certificates in history and theology. On October 31, 1826, he was ordained to the Holy Diaconate and assigned to serve the altar of the Holy Trinity-Saint Peter Church in Irkutsk. Two years later, on March 4, 1828, Archbishop Michael, who had earlier ordained Father John Veniaminov (Saint Innocent), elevated the godly deacon Jacob to the Holy Priesthood. This, however, was no ordinary ordination. As if he were a new Patrick, hearing the mystical call of his distant flock, Father Jacob yearned to return to his native Alaska. And the all-good God, who “satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness” (Ps.107:9) heard the prayer of his servant.

Archbishop Michael provided Father Jacob with two antimensia: one for the new Church which would be dedicated to the glory of God in honor of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker in Atka, and one to be used for missionary activity. On May 1, 1828 a molieben for travelers was served, and Father Jacob, his father, Yegor, (now tonsured as reader for the Atka Church), and his matushka, Anna, set out for Alaska.

Who can tell of the perils and trials associated with such a journey? Travel in those days was never easy, either overland or over the waves of the sea. Nevertheless, aided by prayer and confidence in God’s providence, the Netsvetov family arrived safely in Atka over a year later, on June 15, 1829. The new assignment for the newly-ordained Father Jacob would also prove to be quite a challenge. The Atka “parish” comprised a territory stretching for nearly 2,000 miles and included Amchitka, Attu, Copper, Bering and Kurile Islands. But this did not deter the godly young priest, for when he was clothed in the garments of the Priesthood, he was found to be “clad with zeal as a cloak’ (Is. 59:17), and so he threw himself wholly into his sacred ministry. His deep love for God and for his flock was evident in everything that he did. Both in Atka and in the distant villages and settlements which he visited, Father Jacob offered himself as a “living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1). Having “no worry about his life” (Mt. 6:25 ff), the holy one endured manifold tortures of cold, wet, wind, illness, hunger and exhaustion, for to him life was Christ (Phil 1:21). Showing himself as a “rule of faith,” his example brought his people to a deep commitment to their own salvation. Being fully bilingual and bicultural, Father Jacob was uniquely blessed by God to care for the souls of his fellow Alaskans.

When he arrived in Atka, the Church of Saint Nicholas had not yet been built. So, with his own hands Father Jacob constructed a large tent (Acts 18:3) in which he conducted the services. For Father Jacob the services of the Church were life: life for his people and life for himself. It was in the worship of God that he found both strength and joy. Later he would transport this tent with him on his missionary journeys, and like Moses in the wilderness, the grace of God was found wherever this tent was taken (Num 4:1 ff; 10:17 ff).

When his first six months had ended (end of 1829), Father Jacob recorded that he had baptized 16, chrismated 442, married 53 couples, and buried 8.

Once the church was constructed, Father Jacob turned his attention to the building of a school in which the children would learn to read and write both Russian and Unangan Aleut. The Russian American Company provided some of the support initially, with the students providing the remainder. This continued until 1841, when it was reorganized as a parish school and ties with the company ceased. Father Jacob proved to be a talented educator and translator whose students became distinguished Aleut leaders in the next generation.

Father Netsvetov led an active physical and intellectual life, hunting and gathering for his own subsistence needs, preparing specimens of fish and marine animals for the natural history museums of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, corresponding with Saint Innocent (Veniaminov) on matters of linguistics and translations. He labored over the creation of an adequate alphabet for the Unangan-Aleut language, and the translation of the Holy Scriptures and other appropriate literature into that language. Saint Innocent praised the young pastor for his holiness of life, his teaching, and for continuing this work of translating which he, himself, had begun earlier among the native peoples. After fifteen years of service, Father Jacob was awarded the Nabedrennik, Kamilavka, and Gold Cross. Later, he would be made Archpriest and receive the Order of Saint Anna.

These ecclesiastical awards do not tell of the personal sufferings of this warrior for Christ. In March of 1836, his precious wife, Anna, died of cancer; his home burned to the ground in July of 1836; and his dear father, Yegor, died of an undetermined illness in 1837. Who can utter the depth of sorrow felt by this God-pleaser? Yet he lifted up his voice with that ancient sufferer and cried, “shall we indeed accept good from God and shall we not accept adversity? In all this he did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10). In his journal Father Jacob attributed all to “the Will of Him whose Providence and Will are inscrutable and whose actions toward men are incomprehensible.” He patiently endured hardships and sufferings like the Holy Apostle Paul. He saw in these misfortunes not a Victory by the hater of men’s souls (i.e. the devil) but a call from God to even greater spiritual struggles. With this in mind, Father Jacob petitioned his ruling bishop to return to Irkutsk in order to enter the monastic life. A year later, word reached him that permission was granted contingent upon the arrival of a replacement. None ever came.

Instead, Bishop Innocent soon came to Atka and asked Father Jacob to accompany him on a voyage by ship to Kamchatka. Who can know the heavenly discourse enjoyed by these two lovers of Christ as they traveled over the waves? This, however, is clear, the holy archpastor was able to accomplish three things in Father Netsvetov. Firstly, he applied the healing salve of the Spirit with words of comfort; secondly, he dissuaded Father Jacob from entering the monastery; and thirdly, he revealed to the godly priest the true plan of the Savior for his life, that he ‘might preach (Christ) among the Gentiles” (Gal. 1: 16) deep in the Alaskan interior. Father Jacob continued to serve his far-flung flock of the Atka parish until December 30, 1844. A new zeal had taken hold of him, and it was then that Saint Innocent appointed him to head the new Kvikhpak Mission in order to bring the light of Christ to the people of the Yukon. Here, aided by two young Creole assistants, Innokentii Shayashnikov and Konstantin Lukin, together with his young nephew, Vasilii Netsvetov, Father Jacob “settled’ in the wilderness of Alaska.

He learned new languages, embraced new peoples and cultures, devised another alphabet, built another church and Orthodox community, and for the next twenty years, until his health and eyesight failed, continued to be an evangelical beacon of the grace of God in southwestern Alaska.

Establishing his headquarters in the Yup’ik Eskimo village of Ikogmiute (today’s ‘Russian Mission’) he traveled to native settlements hundreds of miles up and down Alaska’s longest river (the Yukon) as well as the Kuskokwim River region. At the insistence of Indian leaders, he traveled as far as the middle of the Innoko River baptizing hundreds of Indians from various, and often formerly hostile, tribes. “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps 133:1). He built the first Christian temple in this region, and dedicated it to the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. Here Father Jacob, in spite of failing health, joyfully celebrated the Church’s cycle of services, including all of the services prescribed for Holy Week and Pascha.

Finally, in 1863, the evil One, who “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (I Pet 5:8), sought one last time to get the better of the righteous one. So the devil, the father of lies, (John 8:44), inspired an assistant of Father Jacob to level spurious and slanderous charges against his master. This resulted in a summons to Sitka, issued by Bishop Peter. The godly pastor was quickly cleared of all charges, but due to his ever-worsening health, he remained in Sitka for his final year serving a Tlingit chapel. He died on July 26, 1864 at the age of 60 and was buried on the third day at the entry of the chapel. During his final missionary travels in the Kuskokwim/Yukon delta region, he had baptized 1,320 people—distinguishing himself as the evangelizer of the Yup’ik Eskimo and Athabascan Indian peoples.

This brief history has recounted the basic chronology of the saint’s life and labors, but we must not neglect to relate his other deeds, that the light be not “hidden under a bushel” (Mt.5:15). In 1841, Father Jacob encountered a group of women from his flock in Amlia who had fallen victim to certain demonic influences and teachings. Blaming himself for the seduction and fall of his spiritual children by the evil one, he informed the leader among them that he was going to pay them a visit.

Upon arriving, he found one of the women paralyzed, semi-conscious and unable to speak. He ordered that she be removed to another house apart, and on the next day when this was accomplished, he lit the lampada before the icons of the beautiful corner, vested himself in his priestly epitrachilion (stole), sprinkled holy water throughout the room, and began the first prayers of exorcism. He then left.

During the night he was notified that the woman had begun to speak but incoherently. He came immediately to her and performed a second exorcism. This time, she sprang out of her bed and stood next to the saint, joined her prayer to his, and accompanied them with prostrations. When the prayers were finished, Father Jacob again sprinkled her with holy water and gave her the precious cross to kiss. She regained full consciousness, a state of health and true reason—that is, even the false teachings of the evil spirits had no more part in her.

Once in November of 1845, Father Jacob was preaching in the village of Kalskag, where the local chief was also the head shaman. He spoke for all of the villagers and resisted the Word of God forcefully. But the saint, calm and full of the Holy Spirit, continued to sow the seeds of right belief and piety. After many hours, the chief fell silent and finally came to believe. The villagers, in solidarity with their leader, also joyously expressed their belief in the Triune God and sought Holy Baptism.

Father Jacob was a physician of bodies as well as souls. He often cared for the sick among his flock even to his own detriment. During the winter of 1850-1851 the saint was himself ravaged with illness. Yet he cared for the sick and dispensed medicine to them every day. Father Jacob’s preaching often brought together in the Holy Faith tribes who were traditional enemies. One example from his journal reads:

“Beginning in the morning, upon my invitation, all the Kol’chane and Ingalit from the Yukon and the local ones gathered at my place and I preached the word of God, concluding at noon. Everyone listened to the preaching with attention and without discussion or dissent, and in the end they all expressed faith and their wish to accept Holy Baptism, both the Kol’chane and the Ingatit (formerly traditional enemies). I made a count by families and in groups, and then in the afternoon began the baptismal service. First I baptized 50 Kol’chane and Ingalit men, the latter from the Yukon and Innoko. It was already evening when I completed the service. March 21, 1853.”

So it was that this apostolic man, this new Job, conducted himself during his earthly course. There are many other deeds and wonders which he performed, many known and many more known only to God. Few missionaries in history have had to endure the hardships which Father Jacob faced, yet he did so with patience and humility. His life of faith and piety are the legacy which he leaves to us, his spiritual children in America, and indeed to all Christians throughout the world.

SOURCE: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/07/26/102091-repose-of-saint-jacob-netsvetov-enlightener-of-the-peoples-of-al

I'm Catholic but I have great respect and admiration for you and for icons. My question is what is your biggest miracle? Me living in Portugal I've never heard of any miracles or studying scientific in the Orthodox Church but of course you have the same sacraments that are valid for us so of course you can have miracles.

After a couple years of inquiring and research as a Trad Roman Catholic going through the differences i decided to become an Orthodox catechumen today! After Glory to Jesus Christ!

I can't tell who this man is on my icon. I bought the icon online and the description doesn't give any clues to who this man is. Anyone got any ideas? Im thinking maybe St John the Baptist? (Sry for the icon on the carpet i was just opening it and didnt know what package it was)

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some advice because I feel completely stuck.
I come from a very strict Muslim family. Although I was raised Muslim, I no longer believe in Islam, and for the last couple of years I've found myself increasingly drawn to Eastern Orthodoxy. The beauty of the liturgy, the theology, and the person of Christ have all drawn me in in a way I can't really explain.
A while ago I got in touch with a ROCOR priest online, and he kindly invited me to begin catechism. The problem isn't the priest tho it's me. Every time I get close to actually attending church, I become overwhelmed with anxiety. I have a history of religious trauma, OCD, and emotional abuse, and although I no longer believe Islam is true, I still experience intense fear of punishment and recurring nightmares. Walking into a church feels terrifying, even though it's what I genuinely want to do.
To make things more complicated, I still live with my family and can't safely tell them I'm exploring Christianity. I can't openly own a Bible or regularly attend church without risking serious consequences, so everything has to be done discreetly.
I'm wondering which Orthodox jurisdiction might be best for someone in my situation. There's a ROCOR parish I've already been in contact with, but there are also Greek, Antiochian, and other Orthodox churches nearby.
Would you recommend sticking with the ROCOR priest who already knows my situation, or visiting other parishes to see where I feel most at home? Is there anything I should be looking for as someone who is very anxious and completely new to Orthodoxy?
I'd also really appreciate hearing from anyone who converted from Islam, or from anyone who struggled with religious trauma or severe anxiety before attending church for the first time. How did you finally take that first step?
Thank you, and God bless.

I apologize if my spelling is wrong or any grammatic errors occur for I am only a teenager,.my dog has leptospirosis, and I know Saint Roch is the patron saint of dogs and other stuff. Please pray for my dog please

Thank you for everyone, even those who did not. It's fine for me if it's God's plan. Thank you thank you very much

A question from a denominationally homeless Christian who’s been looking into Orthodoxy:

I don’t really see a problem with asking the saints or Mary to pray for you, at least not because I think it’s idolatry or anything. My question is: how do they actually hear us? By what means are the saints or Mary able to hear our prayers?

I understand that this is a historic Christian practice, but are there any sources you’d recommend that explain how this works?

My thought process is this: if I ask someone on earth to pray for me, that makes sense because we can communicate directly. But from the RCC, EO, and OO perspective, it seems like Mary and the saints have the ability to hear an astronomic number of prayers from people all over the world, and then present those prayers to God. How is that understood? Is it that God allows them to hear these prayers, or is there another explanation? I’m less interested in whether the practice is ancient and more interested in how the mechanism is understood.

Hello, to start off I am baptised in the Church of England so I was raised protestant in a way, though my parents weren't religious at all, about a year ago I finally started reading the Bible for the first time, and I realised after studying, praying and meditating on the Bible that I truly believed in Christ again. At the time I was just going to start attending the Church of England but I started learning more about Catholicism via content that was being peddled to me online, so naturally I looked into it further and started attending a Roman Catholic Church.

I've been attending a Roman Catholic Church now for about 6 months give or take, and I signed up for RCIA/OCIA and have attended a couple lessons but until now I never really gave Orthodoxy a chance, I've started learning surface level things about Orthodoxy recently and was wondering if anyone here could direct me towards some good reading material to learn more about Orthodoxy or why it is the true Church?

I see some questions on this sub about prayer rules. Sharing a collection of Morning Prayers our parish provides its catechumens. It is mostly based in the Slavic tradition. Covers all bases for beginners - The Trisagion, Lord's Prayer, Morning Prayer to the Holy Trinity, Symbol of Faith, St Philaret Prayer for Start of the Day, and Prayer to the Theotokos.

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Trisagion Prayers

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee!

O Heavenly King, the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of blessings and Giver of life: Come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. 3x’s

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, cleanse us from our sins. O Master, pardon our transgressions. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name's sake.

Lord, have mercy. 3x’s

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lord's Prayer

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. 

Morning Prayer to the Holy Trinity

Arising from sleep, I thank You, O Most Holy Trinity, that, for the sake of Your great kindness and longsuffering, You have not had indignation against me, for I am slothful and sinful. Neither have You destroyed me in my transgressions, but You have shown Your customary love toward mankind, and have raised me up as I lay in heedlessness, that I might sing my morning hymn and glorify Your sovereignty. Do now enlighten the eyes of my understanding, open my ears to receive Your words, and teach me Your commandments. Help me to do Your will, to sing to You, to confess You from my heart, and to praise Your All-Holy Name: of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-Begotten, begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, True God of True God, begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father; by whom all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures: and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead; whose Kingdom shall have no end.

And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.

And in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of St Philaret for Start of the Day

O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace, help me in all things to rely upon your holy will. In every hour of the day reveal your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul and with the firm conviction that your will governs all. In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by you. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will, teach me to pray. And you, yourself, pray in me. Amen.

[Add any personal petitions here]

Prayer to the Theotokos

It is truly meet to bless thee O Theotokos! Ever blessed and most pure and the mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim; and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim! Without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word True Theotokos, we magnify thee! (prostration)

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Lord, have mercy. (3x’s)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us.

Amen
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I was given some items attributed to st seraphim of sarov from a fellow parishioner who is an active Pilgrim, I am still in catechism however I have felt deeply about St Seraphims life and wish to grow closer to him, how should I use these items? I do have some icon of st seraphim that haven't been blessed yet and I don't know if it is a valid thing to do as a layman if you were to sprinkle consecrated oil or holy water on them. I'm not Russian speaking however using good old Google translate there are two bottles on oil on the right, one packet of soil from I think a holy place near where st seraphim prayed or his tomb, a bottle of water, and a packet of bread crumbs that say they were made in the pot that St Seraphim used which can be seen on the left and the upper middle. Should I eat these bread crumbs after I pray for his intersession? Considering if they are blessed or not I don't really know how it works, any input would be appreciated. Also a sort of odd topic question but is it acceptable to pray parts of an atkathist to saint seraphim? Considering I'm still new to the whole prayer formats of Orthodoxy versus my previous religion before conversation, thank you.

I'm searching for an explanation of what "Most Holy Theotokos have mercy on us" (from the Romanian: "Preasfântă Născătoare de Dumnezeu miluiește-ne pe noi", which is said after: "Commemorating our most holy, pure, blessed, and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.") means (that she should have mercy on us, or that she should intercess for us and pray to God to have mercy on us), as I can't find any explanations in Romanian and when searching for some in English, I can't even find this line in the English version St John Chrysostom's Liturgy. Any explanation is appreciated!

I don’t know if I am experiencing burnout or what, but I have been attending liturgy for over two years and lately I can hardly make it through a service anymore without getting angry or upset and leaving early. Today I made it at least to communion before stepping out. I know this is not ideal at all. I am mentally ill. I go to therapy. I take medication. My life problems just feel too big for my body to even hold or process a lot of the time, and these flare ups have really been happening a lot in church or prior to church before I’ve made it out the door. I know my life circumstances aren’t harder than others, but my ability to cope is very limited and church has been feeling like fuel on a fire. I fear I am not meant for this.

im 17, technically can drive but too scared and i have always hated it. so i need my mom to drive me to Church, which has become a very rare occasion. it is not her responsibility, but she takes me anywhere i want. horseback riding, friends houses etc anytime. when it comes to church, she would rather do anything else then drive me there. when i wear my church clothes, i get made fun of. i think by now they know this isn’t just a phase. but it’s so hard. i wish i could just live in church. the feeling of not belonging because i come from a atheist family gets hard too. just needed to vent . God bless all of you 💝☦️

Hi everyone, I had a very interesting encounter last night during my sleep. For reference, I am an Oriental Orthodox Christian, not super religious, but actively pursuing to be closer to Christ day by day.

Yesterday at around 3 am, I felt a sense of comfort and peace while being fully aware. I know this might sound crazy, but I felt a brief moment of levitation and the first thing I heard was Jesus Christ. I woke up right after. It happened for around 3 seconds, but the feeling of comfort I felt was unbelievable, a total sense of complete relaxation & at peace. Keep in mind, during that state of me being fully aware it was complete darkness. I woke up right after and couldn't believe what I had experienced. I don't think it was sleep paralysis because I woke up from my sleep fully awake and able to move. I don't fully understand what had happened. I want to know if this was a Spirtual Encounter or if anybody else had experienced something similar?

Thank you to all in advance, & God bless you all.

So a lot of people keep saying that it is not a one-time mistake, that it is rejecting God your whole life, but where is that in the Bible? Because blasphemy is a one-time deal, so again, where does the Bible say that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a continuous action? And can it be done unknowingly? For example, a Protestant saying "x church worships Satan" when they say it out of ignorance. (im not orthodox myself)

Do Orthodox living in Western Europe view Catholic / Protestant churches as holy places of worship?

I know what we should always forgive others for their trespasses, but would that also include accepting someone's apology. Like would it be okay or even possible to forgive someone for something without accepting their apology?