December 18, 2024, The Holy Martyr Sebastian was born in the city of Narbonum in Gaul (modern France), and he received his education at Mediolanum (now Milan). Under the co-reigning emperors Diocletian and Maximian (284-305) he occupied the position of head of the imperial guards. Saint Sebastian was respected for his authority, and was[…]

  December 13, 2024, Saint Herman (his name is a variant of Germanus) was born near Moscow in 1756. In his youth he became a monk, first at the Saint Sergius Hermitage near Saint Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland; while he dwelt there, the most holy Mother of God appeared to him, healing him[…]

  December 17, 2024, In the years following 600 B.C. Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians, the Temple built by Solomon was destroyed, and many of the Israelite people were led away into the Babylonian Captivity. Among the captives were also the illustrious youths Daniel, Ananias, Azarias and Misael. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon ordered that[…]

  December 12, 2024, Father Roman was born in Condrita, Bessarabia (Moldavia) on April 2, 1922, the last of seven children born to Cosma and Maria Braga.  Raised by a devout Orthodox mother and in close proximity to the Monastery of Condrita, he grew up in an Orthodox Christian environment.  During his formative years, he[…]

  Usually, when we experience something unpleasant, we want to get out of that situation and cry out to God to save us. But God didn’t come to earth to save us from trials. We should say this: “Lord, this trial is a place of meeting with You. When You said: ‘In this world, you[…]