Holy Trinity Monastery

ROCOR Parish Websites -Request

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 0:00:00 EDT

We are collecting the websites of ROCOR parishes to include in our links section. Please help us by sending us your parish website link along with the Diocese to which the parish belongs. Please send your parish link to webmaster@jordanville.org

Issues of Orthodox Life Online

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 0:00:00 EDT

In the near future we will begin uploading all our English Orthodox Life issues online. We ask for your prayers and patience while we prepare for this task.

Bookstore Website Forthcoming

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:19:51 EDT

In the near future Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore will have its own website. Until this time, please send orders to the bookstore using the following means:

1) Mail: Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore
PO Box 36 , Jordanville, NY 13361

2) Fax: 315 858 0505

3) E-mail: bookstore@jordanville.org

A partial list of some books is included in this PDF files

For icon order please contact the icon studio on phone/fax 315 858 2535 and email: iconstudio@jordanville.org.

Pilgrimage Weekend

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 0:00:00 EDT

On Labor Day Weekend, every year, the Monastery celebrates the Pochaev Icon of the Mother fo God and St. Job of Pochaev. This year also coincided with the memory of the Martyrs Florus and Laurus, the patron saints of the late Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Flor. On Saturday at 3:00 PM the faithful in procession walked to the cemetery chapel dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos to greet the Pochaev icon which was left there on the feast of Dormition. The faithful walked under the icon of the Mother of God asking for her heavenly protection, and then all, singing hymns to the Mother of God, returned to the main cathedral. The Pochaev icon was placed in the middle of the church and the icon of St. Job of Pochaev next to it. A moleben with an Akathist to St. Job was served followed by small vespers and the rule for Holy Communion. At 7:00PM vigil begun with Litia around the church and the blessing of the loaves. On Sunday two liturgies were served, one at 6 and the other at 9:00.

May the Mother of God and St. Job of Pochaev bless all the pilgrims, protect this monastery and strengthen the monastics in their service to the Church.

Thank you to all the visititng clergy and faithful for their love and support.

Dormition of the Theotokos

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 0:00:00 EDT

THE DORMITION OF THE MOST-HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD

by Saint Nikolai Velimirovic

The Lord Who, on Mt. Sinai, commanded by His Fifth Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), showed by His own example how one should respect one's parent. Hanging on the Cross in agony, He remembered His mother and indicating to the Apostle John, said to her: "Woman behold your son" (St. John 19:26). After that, He said to John: "Behold your mother" (St. John 19:27). And so providing for His mother, He breathed His last. John had a home on Zion in Jerusalem in which the Theotokos settled and remained there to live out the end of her days on earth. By her prayers, gentle counsels, meekness and patience, she greatly assisted the apostles of her Son. Primarily, she spent her entire time in Jerusalem often visiting those places which reminded her of the great events and of the great works of her Son. She especially visited Golgotha, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives. Of her distant journeys, her visit to St. Ignatius the Theophorus [God-bearer] in Antioch is mentioned, as well as her visit to Lazarus (whom our Lord resurrected on the fourth day), the Bishop of Cyprus, her visit to the Holy Mountain [Athos] which she blessed and her stay in Ephesus with St. John the Evangelist [The Theologian] during the time of the great persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. In her old age, she often prayed to the Lord and her God on the Mount of Olives, the site of His Ascension, that He take her from this world as soon as possible. On one occasion, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed to her that within three days she will find repose. The angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried at the time of her funeral procession. She returned to her home with great joy, desiring in her heart once more to see in this life, all of the apostles of Christ. The Lord fulfilled her wish and all of the apostles, borne by angels in the clouds, gathered at the same time at the home of John on Zion. With great rejoicing, she saw the holy apostles, encouraged them, counseled them and comforted them. Following that, she peacefully gave up her soul to God without any pain or physical illness. The apostles took the coffin with her body from which an aromatic fragrance emitted and, in the company of many Christians, bore it to the Garden of Gethsemane to the sepulchre of [her parents], Saints Joachim and Anna. By God's Providence, they were concealed from the evil Jews by a cloud. Anthony, a Jewish priest, grabbed the coffin with his hands with the intention of overturning it but, at that moment, an angel of God severed both his hands. He then cried out to the apostles for help and was healed since declaring his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Thomas was absent, again according to God's Providence, in order that a new and all-glorious mystery of the Holy Theotokos would again be revealed. On the third day, Thomas arrived and desired to venerate [kiss] the body of the Holy All-pure one. But when the apostles opened the sepulchre, they found only the winding sheet and the body was not in the tomb. That evening, the Theotokos appeared to the apostles surrounded by a myriad of angels and said to them: "Rejoice, I will be with you always". It is not exactly known how old the Theotokos was at the time of her Falling Asleep but the overwhelming opinion is that she was over sixty years of age.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE MOST-HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD [THE THEOTOKOS]

Thus spoke the Lord Most High

From your heart, Virgin pure,

Living water, to flow,

That, those who thirst, drink Christ -

Life-bearing Source,

We are all boastful of you!

So that the thirsty, drink Christ:

By Him, the bitter to be sweetened,

By Him, the blind to be washed

And by Him, the sorrowful, to heal their grief

Life-bearing Source

We are all boastful of you!

Beverage, from eternity arrived,

The arid time, the brook filled,

And again, toward the heavens raised;

The world exhausted, became refreshed-

Life-bearing source,

We are all boastful of you!

O All-pure One, glory to You,

O Mother of God, glory to You!

For us, to the Living Christ, You gave birth

The living water of grace -

Life-bearing source

We are all boastful of you!

REFLECTION

Each one of the faithful can learn much, indeed very much, from the life of the Virgin Theotokos. However, I would like to mention here only two things. First, she had the habit to frequently on Golgotha, on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, to go to Bethlehem and to other places famous because of her Son. At all of these places, especially Golgotha, she prayed on bended knees. By this, she gave the first example and incentive to the faithful to visit the holy places out of love toward Him Who, by His presence and by His passion and glory, made these places holy and significant. Second, we learn how she, in her prayer, prayed for a quick departure from this life that her soul, at the time of her separation from the body, not see the prince of darkness and his horrors, and hidden from the dark regions not encounter the power of Satan. Do you see how terrible it is for the soul to pass through the toll-gates [mitarstva]! When she, who gave birth to the Destroyer of Hades and, who herself has frightening power over demons prayed thusly, what then is left for us? Out of very great humility, she commended herself to God and did not trust in her own deeds. So much less should we trust in our deeds and even more we should commend ourselves into the hands of God, crying out for His mercy, especially for mercy at the time of the departure of the soul from the body.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the wondrous proof by which Samuel confirmed his words before the people (1 Samuel 12 - 1 Kings 12):

1. How Samuel told the people it is evil before the Lord that they seek a king for themselves beside the Lord, the King;

2. How for the confirmation of his words, he called upon God to permit thunders and rain;

3. How the thunders and rain descended and how the people were frightened of God and of Samuel.

HOMILY

About the most glorious Child

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Upon whom of mortal man, in human history could all of these titles, all of this authority, all of this glory apply? There is no one. That is why St. Chrysostom says: "It is impossible to understand this in regard to any other man but only in reference to Christ." The prophet here clearly expresses two natures in the Savior of the world: the Human and the Divine. "A Child is born," this signifies a purely human nature. "Unto us a Son is given," this unites the two natures in one person: the Son of God and the Son of the Virgin in the person of the Incarnate Lord. However, the remaining titles signify the divine nature of the Lord Jesus. His government is "upon His shoulder," i.e., the government is His. His own government and is not borrowed. "Mighty Counseller," is this not the Holy Trinity? The angel or messenger and herald of this Triune Counsel is the Son of God, the Pre-eternal Word. "Wonderful Counseller," for all that is wonderful, all that is an amazement, all that is new which came to mankind is from Him and through Him.

"The Mighty God," what would Arius and his modern adherents, who deny the divinity of the Lord Jesus, say to this? "The Prince of Peace," for from Him is lasting peace; outside Him is war, without and within. "The Everlasting Father," [the Father of future times] as He is the Lord of the past, so also is He the Lord of the future. Furthermore, He is also the Father of the Church, the Creator of the new world, the Founder of the Kingdom of God.

Isaiah himself, the son of Amos, saw this wonderful and true vision some seven hundred years before it was revealed to the entire universe.

O Lord Jesus, You are to the prophets the most glorious prophecy and to the faithful, the most glorious revelation. Unlock our mind that the wonderful glory of Your majesty can enter into it and unlock our heart so that it would be filled by Your life-creating love.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

Source: www.westsrbdio.org

Remembering our Fathers

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 0:00:00 EDT

On Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Archimandrite Luke served a pannykhida in memory of Archimandrite Jospeh, one of the co-founders of Holy Trinity Monastery, and Archimandrite Vladimir, a well known and beloved spiritual Father of the Monastery. They both reposed on this day, 1970 and 1988 respectively.

The Transfiguration of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 0:00:00 EDT

From the Prolog by Saint Nikolai Velimirovic

In the third year of His preaching, the Lord Jesus often spoke to His disciples of His approaching passion but at the same time of His glory following His suffering on the Cross. So that His impending passion would not totally weaken His disciples and that no one would fall away from Him, He, the All-wise, wanted to partially show them His divine glory before His passion. For that reason, He took Peter, James and John with Him and, with them, went out at night to Mt. Tabor and there was transfigured before them: "And His face shone as the sun and His garments became white as snow" (St. Matthew 17:2). There appeared along side Him, Moses and Elijah, the great Old Testament prophets. And, seeing this, His disciples were amazed. Peter said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if You will, let us make here three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah" (St. Matthew 17:4). While Peter still spoke, Moses and Elijah departed and a bright cloud overshadowed the Lord and His disciples and there came a voice from the cloud saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear Him" (St. Matthew 17:5). Hearing the voice, the disciples fell to the ground on their faces as though dead and remained that way, lying in fear, until the Lord came near to them and said: "Arise and be not afraid" (St. Matthew 17:7). Why did the Lord take only three disciples on Tabor and not all? Because Judas was not worthy to behold the divine glory of the Teacher, Whom he will betray and the Lord did not want to leave him [Judas] alone at the foot of the mountain so that the betrayer would not, by that, justify his betrayal. Why was our Lord transfigured on a mountain and not in a valley? So as to teach us two virtues: love of labor and godly-thoughts. For, climbing to the heights required labor and height represents the heights of our thoughts, i.e., godly-thoughts. Why was our Lord transfigured at night? Because, the night rather than the day is more suitable for prayer and godly-thoughts and because the night, by its darkness, conceals all the beauty of the earth and reveals the beauty of the starry heavens. Why did Moses and Elijah appear? In order to destroy the error of the Jews, as though Christ is one of the prophets; Elijah or Jeremiah or some other that is why He appears as a King above the prophets and that is why Moses and Elijah appear as His servants. Until then, our Lord manifested His divine power many times to the disciples but, on Mt. Tabor, He manifested His divine nature. This vision of His Divinity and the hearing of the heavenly witness about Him as the Son of God, should serve the disciples in the days of the Lord's passion, in strengthening of an unwavering faith in Him and His final victory.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

There, where Israel defeated Sisar

There also condescended, the Heavenly King

Prayer, to go and to nightly vigils,

The glory of His Transfiguration, to manifest,

And the faith of His followers, to confirm

In the eternal victory of Him the Victor.

There, divine light from Himself, He released

Dispels the thick darkness, and illuminated Tabor;

The Light, for a long time, which in Himself contained

From which, to the world, a little at a time dispensed

Abundant rays, now released,

Jubilant rays, sweet rays.

The glow of humanity, to reveal to heaven,

To earth and to men, the Divine Truth.

Let the firmament, its Representative see,

Let the earth recognize God, the Savior.

REFLECTION

Why did our Lord not manifest His divine glory on Tabor before all the disciples instead of before three of them? First, because He Himself gave the Law through the mouth of Moses: "At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established" (Deuteronomy 19:15). Therefore, three witnesses are sufficient. These three witnesses represent three main virtues: Peter Faith, for he was the first to confess his faith in Christ as the Son of God; James Hope, for, with faith in the promise of Christ, he was the first who laid down his life for the Lord, being the first to be slain by the Jews; John Love, for he reclined on the bosom of the Lord and remained beneath the Cross of the Lord until the end. God is not called the God of many but rather the God of the chosen. "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6). God often valued a faithful man more than an entire nation. Thus, on many occasions, He wanted to destroy the entire Jewish nation, but because of the prayers of righteous Moses, spared that nation to live. God listened more to the faithful Prophet Elijah than to the entire unbelieving kingdom of Ahab. Because of the prayers of one man, God towns and people. Thus, the sinful town of Ustiug was to be destroyed by fire and hail had it not been saved by the prayers of the one and only righteous man in it, St. Procopius, the "fool for Christ" (July 8).

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Providence of God, which rewarded the virtue of Ruth and Boaz (The Book of Ruth):

1. How Ruth, being left a widow, remained faithful to Naomi, her aged mother-in-law and, by her labors, fed both, Naomi and herself;

2. How the wealthy Boaz was merciful and helped these two poor women;

3. How Boaz and Ruth entered into marriage from whom was born Obed, the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

HOMILY

About the exaltation of the Church of God

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it" (Isaiah 2:2).

This prophecy pertains to the Church of Christ. However much of this prophecy could seem to be mysterious to the Jews before Christ, so much more is it completely clear for us today. Mountain or height: the house of the Lord is truly established "in the top of the mountains", i.e., in the heights of the heavens, for the Church of Christ, first, is not sustained by the earth but rather by the heavens and finally, one part of the members of the Church (and now, a greater part) is to be found in heaven, while the other part is still on earth.

Further, the Church of Christ is "exalted above the hills", i.e., above all earthly and human greatness. Human philosophy and art and all the cultures of people as well as all earthly values represent only the low hills in comparison to the infinite heights of Christ's Church. For it was not difficult for the Church to create all of those hills, while neither one of them, nor all of them together, in the course of many thousands of years, was able to create the Church.

Finally, the prophet says: "all nations shall flow into it." To what, truly, up to now, have all the nations flowed if not into the Church of Christ? The Temple of Jerusalem was inexcessible to the Gentiles under the penalty of death. The Church, however, from the beginning called all nations on earth, obedient to the command of the Lord: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations" (St. Matthew 28:19).

This is the vision of Isaiah, the son of Amos, a vision from afar, a vision truthful and wonderful.

O Wonderful Lord, we give You unceasing thanks that You have made us worthy to be the children of Your Holy and True Church that is exalted above all the worldly heights.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

Source: http://www.westsrbdio.org

Appeal by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia

Sat, 16 Aug 2008 0:00:00 EDT

Having learnt about the hostilities in Tshinvali and its outskirts, I call upon the warring parties to cease fire and return to the path of dialogue. Blood is being shed in South Ossetia and people are being killed and this makes my heart to grieve profoundly. Among those who have lifted their hand against each other are Orthodox Christians. What is more, those who have come into conflict are Orthodox nations who are called by the Lord to live in brotherhood and love. I am aware of the appeal to peace made by His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Iliya of All Georgia. I also make my ardent appeal to those who have gone blind with hatred: stop! Do not let more blood be shed, do not let today’s conflict be expanded many times over! Show common sense and virtue: sit at the negotiation table for talks with respect for the traditions, views and aspirations of both the Georgian and Ossetian peoples. The Russian Church is ready to unite efforts with the Georgian Church and help in achieving peace. May our God, Who ‘is not a God of disorder but of peace’ (1 Cor. 14:33), be our Helper in this endeavor.

+ ALEXY
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

Russian Orthodox Scouts visit Holy Trinity Monastery

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 0:00:00 EDT

On Tuesday July 15, the Russian Orthodox Scouts of the St. George Pathfinders of America visited Holy Trinity Monastery for their annual pilgrimage accompanied by the Very Rev. Serge Lukianov. A moleben was served at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, followed by a tour and lunch for all our guests.