On Great and Holy Saturday the Orthodox Church commemorates the burial of Christ and His descent into Hades.
Fr. Georges Florovsky on Ezekiel 37 "O Ye Dry Bones"
Given at the Evening Service by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
On this day, Holy and Great Friday, we celebrate the awesome, holy, and saving Passion of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ
When the glorious disciples at the supper were illumined by the washing of the feet, then was the impious Judas darkened by the disease of avarice.
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?
Advice from four respected clergymen in Russia – Fr. Valerian Krechetov, Fr. Vladimir Shaforostov, Fr. Maxim Pervozvansky, and Fr. Kirill Kaleda.
Let's explore the meaning of each of the solemn days of Passion Week
By St. Cyril of Alexandria
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2017/04/homily-for-palm-sunday-st-cyril-of.html
Excerpt from St. Andrew of Crete's Homily on Palm Sunday
https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2010/03/excerpt-from-st-andrew-of-cretes-homily.html
by St. Luke, Archbishop of Crimea (April 18, 1954)
John 12:1-18 From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. John by Blessed Theophylact
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/04/palm-sunday-gospel-commentary.html
by Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky, +1985) of Eastern America and New York
Lazarus was a close friend of Christ, from Bethany, about three kilometers east of Jerusalem. He lived there with his sisters Mary and Martha, and they often gave hospitality to Jesus (Luke 10:38...
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/04/what-happened-to-lazarus-after-he-rose.html
A Sermon by Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893-1978)
http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_archbishop_andrei.htm#_Toc45953440
This Life of Our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt was written down in the seventh century by Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem.
from "The One Thing Needful," Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko, 1893-1978)
http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/sermons_archbishop_andrei.htm#_Toc45953439
From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/04/behold-we-go-up-to-jerusalem.html
Elder Iosif of the Monastery of Vatopedi
Elder Sophrony of Essex From the book His Life is mine
Many scholars agree the Akathist was composed by St. Romanos the Melodist, who reposed in the year 556.
https://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/m_akathist_e.htm
from The Truth of Our Faith, by Elder Cleopa
https://pemptousia.com/2016/12/on-the-presuppositions-of-our-personal-salvation/
Archbishop Averky of Syracuse and Holy Trinity Monastery (+1976) on The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Great Lent by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
By Metropolitan Philaret From "The Ladder of Divine Ascent," (Boston: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1978)
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/04/saint-john-climacus-and-ladder-of.html
From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/04/only-by-prayer-and-fasting.html
St. John Climacus is honored by the Church as a great ascetic and as the author of a remarkable work entitled, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, and therefore he has been named “Climacus,” or “o...
Under apartheid, ROCOR was dissuaded by the state officials to accept African converts
By Reader Vitaly Efimenkov, a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary, the Slavonic Language Choir Director at the Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral in Los Angeles, CA.
http://orthodoxlife.org/pastoral-ministry/reader-orthodox-church/
By Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/03/annunciation-of-virgin-mary.html
“O Invincible and incomprehensible and divine power of the precious and life-giving Cross, forsake not us sinners.” by Professor I. M. Andreyev
By St. Gregory of Neo-Caesarea
Homily on the Third Sunday of Great Lent by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
by St. John Chrysostom
https://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2013/03/excerpt-from-homily-on-annunciation-by.html
Mark 8:34 - 9:1 From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark by Blessed Theophylact
https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2013/04/let-him-deny-himself-take-up-his-cross.html
Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco
St. Anthony said, "Man's great labor consists in taking all his transgressions upon himself before the face of God, and expecting temptation to his last breath."
Reasons Why Our Intentions to Lead a Better and Holy Life Do Not Produce Results From the Conversations of Metropolitan Gregory of Novgorod
On Wednesday, April 3, the Lenten Retreat for clergy of the southern deaneries of the Eastern American Diocese concluded with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts