Cross Archives - Saint Sophia

The Fall of Constantinople, [573] years ago (May 29th, 1453 – [2026])

05/29/2026

~Konstantinos Holevas, Political Scientist Five hundred and [seventy-three] years have gone by since that accursed day, 29 May 1453. When the cry “The City has fallen” rang out and the Reigning City, the City of Saints, Emperors and legends passed into the occupation of the Ottoman dynasty. Thus began the years of Turkish rule. The Greek nation survived, but Constantinople and Ayia Sofia (The Church of Holy Wisdom) remain in foreign hands. Today we honour

The Presentation and the Crucifixion

05/28/2026

Metropolitan Anthony Bloom of Sourozh (Extract from a sermon preached at the University Church of Great St Mary’s, Cambridge, on 19 May 1985) And then, lastly, two events which I would like to bring together. The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Crucifixion. Every male child first-born of a woman was to be brought to the Temple as an offering. If we read back into the Old Testament about the institution of the

Remembering the End

05/22/2026

~By Father Stephen Freeman Orthodox Christianity often seems inherently conservative. The unyielding place that tradition holds within its life seems ready-made for a conservative bulwark against a world all-too-ready to forget everything that is good or beautiful. There are subtle but important distinctions that make this treatment of Orthodoxy misleading and can lead to the distortion of the faith and an almost reverse image of our true salvation. Orthodox Christianity does not seek to preserve

The Fifth Friday of Pascha. The Resurrection of Christ

05/15/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! ~By Dr. Petros Vassiliadis, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theology at the University of Thessaloniki What is the reason for defining the event of the Resurrection of Christ as “Radiant”— “Lampri”? And what makes the faithful exclaim in the words of Saint John Damascene: “This is the day of resurrection, let us be radiant O people: Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha. For Christ our God has passed us from death to life, and

The Fourth Wednesday of Pascha. Mid-Pentecost

05/06/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou ‘I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely’ [1]. During Great Lent, to a certain degree, we taste of Christ’s death. In the middle of this period, the Church institutes the Veneration of the Precious Cross, to quicken inspiration and strengthen us in our struggle to be vouchsafed to enter into the life-giving presence of the Risen Lord.

The Third Wednesday of Pascha. The Icon of the Resurrection

04/29/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! ~Father Stavros N. Akrotirianakis Peter said, “Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearers

04/26/2026

Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou ‘And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb.’[1] Just before His Passion, the Lord promised the inalienable joy of the Resurrection to His disciples and all those who loved Him, ‘I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.’ [2] As He went forth to His incomprehensible Passion, setting His face to derision and

The Second Thursday of Pascha. Greatmartyr, Victory-bearer, and Wonderworker George

04/23/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! The Holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer, was a native of Cappadocia (a district in Asia Minor), and he grew up in a deeply believing Christian family. His father was martyred for Christ when George was still a child. His mother, owning lands in Palestine, moved there with her son and raised him in strict piety. When he became a man, Saint George entered into the service of the Roman

The Second Monday of Pascha. Disbelief and Divine Compassion

04/20/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! ~Protopresbyter Vasileios Kalliakmanis, Professor of the Theological School, A.U.Th. Divine compassion, as a consequence of the mystery of divine self-emptying, isn’t restricted to the Cross and burial. It continues after the Resurrection as well. The risen Lord had no wish to impose the glad tidings on people by force. Nor did he require them to embrace the news unconditionally. As the glorified Lord, he agreed to be the object of

The Great and Holy Saturday

04/11/2026

Introduction On Great and Holy Saturday, the Orthodox Church commemorates the burial of Christ and His descent into Hades. It is the day between the Crucifixion of our Lord and His Glorious Resurrection. The Matins of Holy Saturday is conducted on Friday evening, and while many elements of the service represent mourning at the death and burial of Christ, the service itself is one of watchful expectation. Commemoration of Holy Saturday On Great and Holy

Archive

The Fall of Constantinople, [573] years ago (May 29th, 1453 – [2026])

The Presentation and the Crucifixion

Remembering the End

The Fifth Friday of Pascha. The Resurrection of Christ

The Fourth Wednesday of Pascha. Mid-Pentecost

The Third Wednesday of Pascha. The Icon of the Resurrection

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearers

The Second Thursday of Pascha. Greatmartyr, Victory-bearer, and Wonderworker George

The Second Monday of Pascha. Disbelief and Divine Compassion

The Great and Holy Saturday

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