Dormition of the Theotokos Resource Page

Dormition of the Theotokos Resource Page

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/search?q=Theotokos

The History of the Small Paraclesis (Supplication) Canon to the Theotokos

There are two forms of the Paraklesis Canon to the Theotokos: the Small Paraklesis which was composed by Theosteriktos the Monk in the 9th century (or some say Theophanes), and the Great Paraklesis. During the majority of the year, only the Small Paraklesis to the Theotokos is chanted. However, during the Dormition Fast (August 1—14), the Typikon prescribes that the Small and Great Paraklesis be chanted on alternate evenings, according to the following regulations:

- If August 1st falls on a Monday through Friday, the cycle begins with the Small Paraklesis. If August 1st falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the cycle begins with the Great Paraklesis.

- On the eves of Sundays (i.e., Saturday nights) and on the eve of the Transfiguration (the night of August 5) the Paraklesis is omitted.

- On Sunday nights, the Great Paraklesis is always used unless it is the eve of Transfiguration.

In the Russian Orthodox Church, the equivalent of a Paraklesis is the Moleben, which is similar in structure, except that the canon is omitted, retaining only the refrains and Irmoi of the third, sixth and ninth odes. When the full service itself is performed, it is called the “Supplicatory Canon” (Molebnyj Kanon). ....... Source 

The Fast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos – Almoutran

The Fast of the Dormition 

of the Holy Theotokos

 

For the first fourteen days of August during each year, the Holy Orthodox Church enters into a strict fast period in honor of the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary. The eminent Orthodox theologian, Father Sergei Bulgakov, beautifully expresses the high regard which the Orthodox Christians have for the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, for her special role in the salvation of mankind, when he affirms, “The warm veneration of the Theotokos is the soul of Orthodox Piety.” St. John of Damascus, one of the great Orthodox fathers, pointed out that when the Blessed Virgin Mary became the Mother of God and gave birth to Christ, the Redeemer of Mankind, she became the mother of mankind. We call the Virgin Mary “Theotokos”, from the Greek, which means “The Birth-Giver or the Bearer of God.” This is the highest title that can be bestowed upon any member of the human race.

The Fast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos – Almoutran

صوم السيدة – Almoutran

( صوم السيدة)

صوم السيدة العذراء هو من الاصوام المهمة والمحبوبة لدى فئة كبيرة من المسيحيين الممارسين مسيحيتهم ويكاد يقال أن لشعب المؤمن هو الذي وضعه وفرضه على روزنامة الكنيسة لانه حتى القرن الحادي عشر لم يكن ضمن الاصوام المعمول بها بحكم القانون الكنسي ، كما لا نجده في أي قانون م 

ن قوانين الصوم وكان هذا الصوم معروفا بالصوم العذراى ويعتبرونه كسند للطهارة والتبتل لهذا اكثر ما يصومه هم المتنسكون والرهبان وهكذا بات الشعب يمارسه على كافة المستويات جاعلا منه مناسبة للتجديد الحياة الروحية وفرصة للتوبة وجعل مريم العذراء من هذا الصوم ليس المثل الحي للطهارة والتبتل بل الشفيع المؤتمن لنوال القوة ......والنعمة من الله لسلوك هذه .

صوم السيدة – Almoutran

PROPHET ELIAS, 

(ELIJAH) 

THE TISHBITE

                                            (Life and Times)

                                                

Prophet Elias, also known as Elijah was born in a remote and little known Village called Tishbe, which lies among the mountains of Gilead, on the other side of the Jordan River. This area is not too far from the country of the Gergesenes, where, in the time of our Lord the devils entered into the swine. (Luke. 8:26-39) The book of Kings of the Bible, make the following record about Elias“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead” (I Kings, 17:1)   He was born and raised by a Jewish family of which we know nothing. His birth place Tishbe, is interpreted to mean a converter and the name Elijah as “My God of power” or “Jehovah is my strength”. We know nothing about his childhood and his life. Most probably Elias was a child with no education or schooling. His fathers name was Sadok while we know nothing about his mother. In the Book of Kings, we find Elias entering the stage of history, abruptly out of nowhere, with a word of faith and power presenting himself to the king saying“And Elijah the Tishbite said Unto Ahab. “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, but according to my word.” (I Kings, 17:1)  

إيليا ومن هو

كان إيليا من الشخصيات العظيمة التى كثرت حولها الآراء والتقاليد ، إلى درجة أن الأساطير فى التلمود صورته بصورة فينحاس بن هرون ، وقد عاد إلى الحياة مرة أخرى لينتقم لمجد الرب الذى حاولت إيزابل وآخاب أن يضيعاه من إسرائيل !! .. أو هو الملاك أو رسول الرب الذى صعد إلى السماء ، بعد أن قدم جدعون تقدمته أمامه ، فمسها بالعكاز وصعد فى لهيبها إلى السماء ، ... وهو الرجل الذى قلده الكثيرون من اليهود زعامة الأنبياء ، والذى رن اسمه طيلة تسعة قرون فى صدور الإسرائيلين ، والذى كانوا يضعون له كرسياً شاغراً عند ختان كل صبى فى إسرائيل ، وعند الفصح، آملين أن يظهر بغتة فى مثل هذه المناسبات ، .... والكلمة " إيليا " تعنى " إلهى يهوه " أو : " إلهى إله العهد " - أما " تشبه " التى ولد فيها فلا يعرف موقعها على وجه التحديد ، فالبعض يقول إنها بلدة فى الجليل تقع فى سبط نفتالى ، ولذا يعتقدون أن إيليا كان من هذا السبط ، وأنه هو أو ربما أبويه ، قد هرب إلى جلعاد من وجه الاضطهاد والوثنية أيام عمرى أبى آخاب ، واستوطن هناك ، ولذا دعى من مستوطنى جلعاد ، بينما يعتقد آخرون أن تشبه هذه بلد فى جلعاد الواقعة شرقى الأردن تجاه السامرة ، وأن إيليا ولد فيها ، ووجد من رده إلى الأصل القينى كيوناداب بن ركاب فى أيام ياهو !! . ومهما يختلف الناس فى أصله أو نسبه ، فإنه من الواضح أنه كان رجلاً جبلياً إذا صح التعبير ، يألف حياة الجبال . وقد جاء المعمدان بعده ، ليعيش فى البرية إلى يوم ظهوره لإسرائيل ،

وهذا النوع من الناس يتسم فى العادة بالخشونة والصلابة

The Place of Holy Relics in  the Orthodox Church Without doubt, matter is represented in the human body in a manner which is most puzzling, most mysterious, and most complex. The brain: What wondrous mysteries pass between its physical and spiritual parts! How vast is the experience of the human race. In no manner can one ever fully comprehend or grasp these mysteries. Indeed, little of this is accessible to the human senses or intellectual investigation. So it is also with the heart of man, formed as it is entirely and solely from cosmic mysteries. So formed, too, are every cell, every molecule, every atom. Everyone and all are set on their mystical path toward God, toward the God-Man. Saint John Chrysostom’s incorruptible hand  Inasmuch as it was created by God, the Logos, matter possesses this same theocentricity. Moreover, by His advent into our earthly world, by His all-embracing condescension as God and Man for the redemption of the world, the Lord Christ clearly demonstrated that not only the soul, but matter also was created by God and for God, and that He is God and Man; and for it, matter, He is all and everything in the same manner as for the soul. Being created by God, the Logos, matter is, in its innermost core, God-longing and Christ-longing. The most obvious proof of this is the fact that God the Word has become Incarnate, has become man (St. John 1:14). By His Incarnation, matter has been magnified with Divine glory and has entered into the grace- and virtue-bestowing, ascetic aim of deification, or union with Christ. God has become flesh, has become human, so that the entire man, the entire body, might be filled with God and with His miracle-working forces and powers. In the God-Man, the Lord Christ, and His Body, all matter has been set on a path toward Christ —the path of deification, transfiguration, sanctification, resurrection, and ascent to an eternal glory surpassing that of the Cherubim.

الصلاة بحسب الذهبي الفم

الصلاة بحسب الذهبي الفم

الصلاة في مزامير داود النبي

كما شرحها القديس

حينما خاطب القديس يوحنا ذهبي الفم شعبه سواء مباشرة من على المنبر أو بالمقالات المكتوبة، كان يستعرض فهمه للطبيعة البشرية ولتقلُّبات الحياة اليومية. وقد كان اهتمامه الأول أن يسمو بشعبه ويجذبهم ليقتربوا أكثر فأكثر من شخص الرب يسوع المسيح. كان يحاول باستمرار، ليس فقط أن يُعلِّمهم كيف يحيون حياتهم متشبِّهين بالمسيح بل وأيضاً كيف يُنمون حياتهم الروحية. وكانت الصلاة من بين الموضوعات التي كان يُكثر الحديث عنها. وفي شروحاته على

......المزامير يتناول هذا الجانب الهام: ”الصلاة“ بتوسُّع، وإن كان ليس على سبيل الحصر.

الصلاة بحسب الذهبي الفم – Almoutran

General Explanation of The Divine Liturgy

General Explanation 

of The Divine Liturgy

By Nicholas Cabasilas

Translated by: Rt. Rev. Athanasius E. Saliba

A resume of the first chapter “General Significance of Sacrifice”
of the book Explanation of the Divine Liturgy

The essential function of the celebration of the Divine Liturgy is the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. The purpose of the celebration is the sanctification of the faithful who receive (during the service) the remission of their sins and become inheritors of the kingdom of heaven. The believers prepare themselves for this Divine and mysterious act by prayers and reading of Holy Scripture.

General Explanation of The Divine Liturgy – Almoutran