Children of Saint Porphyrios Orthodox Church's Christmas Eve celebrations, Gaza
Source: orthodoxadventure
Clergy prepare for the arrival of Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III to the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, to celebrate Christmas, in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. [Mahmoud Illean/AP Photo]
Source: orthodoxadventure
Christ is born, glorify Him. Christ from heaven, go out to meet Him. Christ on earth; be exalted. Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth; and that I may join both in one word, Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, for Him Who is of heaven and then of earth. Christ in the flesh, rejoice with trembling and with joy; with trembling because of your sins, with joy because of your hope. Christ of a Virgin; O you Matrons live as Virgins, that you may be Mothers of Christ. Who does not worship Him That is from the beginning? Who does not glorify Him That is the Last? - Oration 38 by St Gregory the Theologian.
Merry Christmas to all my followers who observe Christmas today! May today be a wonderful and blessed day for yourself and your loved ones!
“But there is a need for the authentic revelation of the God of Love. There is a need for the image of all-forgiving meekness, praying for His enemies and tormentors. There is a need for the image of the way of the cross to Christ's Kingdom, to defeat evil by the triumphant self-evidence of good. There is a need for the image of freedom from the world. And powerless, we are powerful. In the kingdom of this world we desire to serve the Kingdom of God; we believe in, call, and await this Kingdom. For we have come to know the sign of the Infant in the manger. Power in powerlessness, Triumph in humiliation. And let our heart be our manger, in which we bear the divine sign, the sign of the cross. By this sign reigns the King of kings, the Infant in the manger. In Him and with Him we are united forever by the fact He was made man. We call him Emmanuel - God with us.” - Fr. Sergei Bulgakov
HYMN OF PRAISE FOR THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST
Out of burning love, Thou didst come down from heaven;
From eternal beauty, Thou didst descend into monstrous pain;
From eternal light, Thou didst descend into the thick darkness of evil.
Thou didst extend Thy holy hand to those choked in sin.
Heaven was amazed, the earth quaked.
Welcome, O Christ! O ye peoples, rejoice!
Out of burning love, by which Thou didst create the world,
As a slave Thou didst debase Thyself to loose the enslaved,
To restore the house that Adam destroyed,
To enlighten the darkened, to unloose sinners.
Love that knows not fear or humiliation—
Welcome, O Christ! The Master of Salvation!
Out of burning love, O King of all beauty,
Thou didst leave the radiance of the beautiful Cherubim,
Thou didst descend into the cave of human life,
To despairing men, with a torch and peace.
How to contain Thee?—The earth became frightened.
Welcome, O Christ! Heaven bears Thee up!
The most beautiful Virgin for a long time hoped in Thee.
The earth raises her to Thee, that through her Thou wilt descend
From the lofty throne, from the heavenly city,
To bring health, to release man from sin.
O Holy Virgin, Golden Censer—
To thee be glory and praise, O Mother full of grace!
(From the Prologue of Ochrid)
"My good children, my joy for the Nativity of Christ was so great that I couldn't keep it to myself. I said to myself, 'Iakovos, go into the woods to chant "Christ is born, glorify him!"'. And as I was chanting the birds came and chanted together with me."
— St. Iakovos of Evia
Source: orthodoxadventure
This is the festival of the virgin birth! Our address must be exalted therefore in accordance with the greatness of the feast, and enter into the mystery, as far as this is accessible and permissible, and time allows, that something of its inner power might be revealed even to us. Please strive, brethren, to lift up your minds as well, that they may better perceive the light of divine knowledge, as though brightly illumined by a holy star. For today I see equality of honour between heaven and earth, and a way up for all those below to things above, matching the condescension of those on high. However great the heaven of heavens may be, or the upper waters which form a roof over the celestial regions, or any heavenly place, state or order, they are no more marvellous or honourable than the cave, the manger, the water sprinkled on the Infant and His swaddling clothes. For nothing done by God from the beginning of time was more beneficial to all or more divine than Christ's nativity, which we celebrate today. - The Homilies by Saint Gregory Palamas
Source: orthodoxadventure
Wishing a blessed Christmas to all my followers and their loved ones. I hope and pray that no matter how you choose to spend your day, that it will be joyous and wonderful.
Source: orthodoxadventure