Orthodox Teaching of the Elders otelders

In this enlightening episode, Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol takes us on a spiritual journey into the profound realm of "Spiritual Tears." Explore the significance and transformative power of tears shed in moments of deep repentance and spiritual awakening. Metropolitan Athanasios offers insights into the cleansing and healing nature of these tears, illuminating their role in the journey towards a more profound connection with God and the pursuit of inner peace. Gain a deeper understanding of how spiritual tears play a vital role in shaping the path of a devout Orthodox Christian, bringing solace and growth to the soul.

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It is important to have a good relationship with the Virgin Mary. This relationship will come up at the time of the exit of our soul. The evil spirits will be kept away and the Virgin Mary will enlighten us to fight at that time, so that we might even earn a crown of a martyr.

This English translation of the Sermon of Metropolitan of Morphou Neophytos given during the 4th Salutations Service to the Theotokos on 16.03.2018 in the Holy Monastery of Panagia of Arakas, Cyprus, was recorded for otelders.org, by Peter Eliades.

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St. Paisios told me: “Read it, little by little, it is so ‘vitamin-rich’ that you cannot read more than two pages and understand them. Then go back, go back and never say ‘I finished St. Isaac’. The end of the perfects is endless. And Saint Isaac the Syrian is one of the perfects, of the great Saints!”

This English translation of the sermon of Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou (Astromeritis, Cyprus, September 27th, 2021) was recorded for otelders (Orthodox Teaching of the Elders) by Peter Eliades. 

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On the Incarnation – A beautiful and profound sermon on the Nativity of the Lord

This is an English translation of the speech on the Incarnation of Elder Joeseph of Vatopedi, Mount Athos, Greece, narrated in English for otelders.org by Peter Eliades.

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Today's Christian Martyrs – A most-beautiful and inspiring lecture about martyrdom in our age 

This is an English translation of the lecture of Archimandrite Aimilianos of Simonopetra (Mount Athos) held in the mid-80s, in Limassol, Cyprus, narrated in English for otelders.org by Peter Eliades.
Special thanks to Fr. John-abouna D'Alton for helping with the English translation.

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This English translation of the sermon of Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol (Cyprus) was recorded for otelders (Orthodox Teaching of the Elders) by Peter Eliades.

Remember to visit our website otelders.org, like us on Facebook at facebook.com/otelders and subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/otelders

Metropolitan Athanasios:

Abba Isaac the Syrian, this great saint of our Church, the hesychast, says that “the key that opens the fountains of the holy mysteries is the grateful heart, the thankful heart". If you achieve in saying “thank you” to God, if you feel the need to thank God for the things He has given you, then know that the Grace will grow inside you. If you do not do this and you are content with what is given to you or somehow you ask for more but without this sense of gratitude then it will take a lot of time until you learn how to rightly assess things and pay thanks to God. [...]

Remember what the martyrs were saying? We thank you Lord that You made us worthy to die for You. They consider their martyrdom as a reason for gratitude. [...]

We cannot understand that we are the ones who are in need of God. God has no needs. Either we go to church or not, either we are saved or not, either we follow Him or not, we do not add something to God neither do we deprive Him of something. God is self-glorified; He has no need for us to glorify Him. It is us who have the need to pray, to study, to run to the church. [...]

As a result, let us all learn how to thank for everything. “Thank You God”, “Thank you God for everything that happens around us, because You are our God, our Father. Because You built this world, the Creation, You created us… for everything we have. When the heart moves in that way of thankfulness, then the struggles become lighter and our trials receive another meaning and our eyes are illuminated and we see our life differently inside the eternal dimension of the Kingdom of God.