Today, April 1, the Church honors the memory of the Venerable Mary of Egypt (†522) to whom the Fifth Sunday of Lent (21.04.2024) is also dedicated. Also today we celebrate the memory of the martyrs Gerontius and Vasileides, St. Macarius the Confessor and St. Euthymius of Russia.
St. Macarius, at a young age, for love of the Church and the way of life of the monks, went to the monastery of Pelekiti in Triglia, Bursa, Asia Minor, to test his endurance in the difficult mountain monasticism, with devotion in God's will.
There, nurturing his inner man, he made a decision and became a monk. It did not take long, however, to humbly and quietly see the depth of his simplicity, his industriousness and suppleness, and generally his many spiritual gifts, and so the brethren of the monastery, when the time came, elected him hegumen.
Later Tarasius of Constantinople ordained him to the rank of elder, appreciating his fruitful stay in the Church, true obedience and freedom from secularism. During iconoclasm he experienced all the turmoil that had shaken the Church for a century, due to the extremes that even reached the point of idolatry by absolutizing the materials from which the image was made. We celebrated the Solemnity of Orthodoxy on the first Sunday of Lent, this year March 24.
For the struggle for Orthodox thinking and firm faith St. Macarius was imprisoned and exiled. He fell asleep amidst hardships and deprivation on the island of Aphusia in the Propontida.
Also today is the 69th anniversary of the beginning of the EOKA liberation struggle. 1955-1959 to throw off the British colonial yoke, we honor all our heroes of this noble struggle.
We remember all those, heroes and martyrs, clergy and laity, who resisted to the death the ideals of faith and homeland. Our country experienced the hero moments of 1821 with the incomparable courage shown by all our people, especially the youth of Cyprus, teenagers, men and women. It was the voice of the eternal ancestors for liberation from the shackles of colonialism.
" In the memory of the people, the great events of their history stand as bright beacons to which the nation looks up and is inspired, embodied in examples, draws new strength.
"Freedom requires virtue and courage."
In these true ideals, we are all called to be baptized anew, to be prepared for the dangers and trials that accompany the challenges of the 21st century. Our homeland is in danger, our weapons are our spiritual foundation and our resilient youth through our genuine Greek Orthodox education.
Bishop Grigoriou of Mesaori
St. Macarius, at a young age, for love of the Church and the way of life of the monks, went to the monastery of Pelekiti in Triglia, Bursa, Asia Minor, to test his endurance in the difficult mountain monasticism, with devotion in God's will.
There, nurturing his inner man, he made a decision and became a monk. It did not take long, however, to humbly and quietly see the depth of his simplicity, his industriousness and suppleness, and generally his many spiritual gifts, and so the brethren of the monastery, when the time came, elected him hegumen.
Later Tarasius of Constantinople ordained him to the rank of elder, appreciating his fruitful stay in the Church, true obedience and freedom from secularism. During iconoclasm he experienced all the turmoil that had shaken the Church for a century, due to the extremes that even reached the point of idolatry by absolutizing the materials from which the image was made. We celebrated the Solemnity of Orthodoxy on the first Sunday of Lent, this year March 24.
For the struggle for Orthodox thinking and firm faith St. Macarius was imprisoned and exiled. He fell asleep amidst hardships and deprivation on the island of Aphusia in the Propontida.
Also today is the 69th anniversary of the beginning of the EOKA liberation struggle. 1955-1959 to throw off the British colonial yoke, we honor all our heroes of this noble struggle.
We remember all those, heroes and martyrs, clergy and laity, who resisted to the death the ideals of faith and homeland. Our country experienced the hero moments of 1821 with the incomparable courage shown by all our people, especially the youth of Cyprus, teenagers, men and women. It was the voice of the eternal ancestors for liberation from the shackles of colonialism.
" In the memory of the people, the great events of their history stand as bright beacons to which the nation looks up and is inspired, embodied in examples, draws new strength.
"Freedom requires virtue and courage."
In these true ideals, we are all called to be baptized anew, to be prepared for the dangers and trials that accompany the challenges of the 21st century. Our homeland is in danger, our weapons are our spiritual foundation and our resilient youth through our genuine Greek Orthodox education.
Bishop Grigoriou of Mesaori
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