What's New on Monachos.net

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Homily by Metropolitan Anthony for Sunday of the Cross

In advance of the third Sunday of Great Lent, we have added a Homily by Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh on the Sunday of the Adoration of the Precious Cross. First delivered in Great Lent 1990 in London, this brief homily captures the manner in which the Sunday of the adoration of the Cross is not merely a veneration of Christ's act on Golgotha, but the manner in which that self-offering calls all Christians to the commandment of forgiveness of others.

Two new texts for the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas

Expanding our Great Lenten materials for the forthcoming Sunday of St Gregory Palamas, we have added two new texts: the reading from the Synaxarion for the Sunday of St Gregory Palamas, as well as a brief overview of St Gregory's place in the Lenten commemorations. We trust these will be of interest and benefit to readers during the present commemorations.

New reflection on service in the Holy Altar

We have today published a new reflection in our Liturgical Resources area: 'To Serve in My Father's House' - Reflections on Service in the Holy Altar. Focussing on the nature and spirit of divine service, this text explores the general attitude required of pious service in the holy Altar, and offers guidance on serving in a manner that enables all those called to minister around God's Holy Table to live out their roles as living icons of the angelic orders.

Orthodox poetry added for Holy Week and Pascha

We have published two poems by Orthodox poet Timothy Jeffries Johnson, reflecting on the liturgical and scriptural themes of these days of Passion Week and Pascha. 'Mother, Do Not Weep' is a poetic reflection on the imagery of the Ninth Ode of the Matins Canon of Great and Holy Saturday, sung before the epitaphios and tomb of Christ, in which the crucified Lord cries out to His Mother from the grave, 'Weep not for me...'. The poem 'Do Not Touch Me (Μὴ μοῦ ἅπτου)...' is a reflection on the encounter in the Garden with the risen Lord by St Mary Magdalene.

A selection of patristic homilies added to our Pre-Lenten materials

As the Sunday of Zacchaeus marks the threshold of the Orthodox Church's entrance into the pre-Lenten weeks of the Triodion, we have added three patristic homilies to our extensive collection of pre-Lenten materials. These are: homilies by St Cyril of Alexandria on the Publican and Pharisee, as well as the Prodigal Son; and a discourse by St Gregory Palamas on the Publican and Pharisee.

Lenten Area for 2012 now on-line

With apologies for the slight delay that prevented these materials from being updated earlier, we are happy to announce the Monachos.net's extensive Resource Area for Great Lent is now on-line and updated for 2012. The area contains hundreds of resources for the Great Fast, including daily lenten readings from the Fathers, synaxaria, lectionaries, reflections on the major commemorations of the Lenten Triodion, texts from the Divine Services, studies on the Fathers, prayers, and much more. Visit the area regularly as new materials are added constantly throughout Great Lent.

Christ is Risen! Paschal Resources for 2011

Christ is risen! Христос воскресе! Χριστός ἀνέστη! We greet all our readers, subscribers and visitors with the radiant joy of the Holy Pascha of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ! During this luminous season, may we invite you to explore the rich resources provided on Monachos.net for Holy Pascha, including a central Paschal materials area that contains the Paschal troparion and greeting in over 60 languages; writings from the Church Fathers on Pascha and the Resurrection of Christ; two patristic radio broadcasts on Holy Pascha; as well as numerous texts, hymns, readings, reflections, poems and other materials for Paschaltide.

Two new resources for Forgiveness Sunday

In anticipation of the forthcoming Sunday of Forgiveness - the final of the preparatory Sundays before Great Lent - we have published to Monachos.net's extensive Great Lent Resources Area two new documents: firstly, a selection of quotations from the Fathers on Forgiveness, containing brief sayings and passages from the Church Fathers, patristic-era writers, and some more recent Orthodox Saints on the nature and need of forgiveness. Secondly, a text by Fr Alexander Schmemann on Forgiveness Sunday: 'Neither will your Father forgive you...'. This reflection on the rite of forgiveness for Forgiveness Sunday, speaks to the need to seek mutual repentance, and reflects on the question of why this action is required, 'even if I don't have any enemies.'

Two major texts by St Nikolai (Velimirovich)

In addition to the three brief homilies on the Theotokos by St Nikolai (Velimirovich) published earlier today, we have published two major texts by the newly-canonised (2003) Serbian saint: The New Ideal in Education was delivered in London in 1916, and represents a clear portrait of St Nikolai's vision of the ideals in Christian education in the modern world. The Agony of the Church was originally given as a series of lectures in Westminster, and published as a volume in 1917. In it, St Nikolai addresses the nature of the Church as it exists and interacts with modern state realities.