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"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself" (John 12:32).
The ancient central Church of the Sacred Monastery of the Holy Cross, Jerusalem.
(IV century A.D.)
27 February 1999
Dear Mother Diodora.
What a surprise it was to receive your kind letter. We were very sorry when we heard that your good and hope-bearing Company had left Jerusalem.
We are very happy to hear that you are all well.
Our life is "hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). It is a gift from God that we met each other and Archimandrite Dionysios, and we pray that he will bear even more fruit. There is such a great need for your prayers, and for the commitment of us all!
For Christ’s sake.
Ya’ aqov Willebrands
Abbot of Lavra Netofa,
Deir Hanna, ISRAEL
| 1 F + Ecclesiastical New Year. Symeon the Stylite. Deacon Ammoun & 40 Women Disciples, Martyrs. | 16 S + Great-martyr Euphemia. Martyr Melitine. |
| 2 S Mamas the Martyr. John the Faster. | 17 S + SUNDAY AFTER THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS. Sophia, Faith, Hope & Charity. |
| 3 S + 11TH SUNDAY OF MATTHEW. Anthimos. Aristion. Theoktistos. Chariton. Phoebe.. | 18 M Eumenios of Crete. Symeon of Jerusalem. |
| 4 4 M Prophet Moses. Hieromartyr Babylas. | 19 T Trophimos, Sabbatios & Dorymedon, Martyrs. |
| 5 T Zacharias & Elizabeth. | 20 W + Eustathios the Great-Martyr. Theopistes. Agapios. |
| 6 6 W Archangel Michael’s miracle at Chonai. | 21 T Prophet Jonah. Apostle Codratus. |
| 7 T Sozon. Martyr Eupsychos. Blessed Luke. | 22 F Phocas, Bishop of Sinope. Phocas the Gardener. |
| 8 F + NATIVITY OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS. | 23 S + Conception of the Forerunner. Polyxene & Xanthippe. |
| 9 S + Synaxis of the Forefathers Joachim & Anna. | 24 S + 1st SUNDAY OF LUKE. Thekla, Equal-to-the-Apostles. Theotokos Myrrhtidiotissa. Silouan of Mt. Athos. |
| 10 S + SUNDAY BEFORE THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS. | 25 M Euphrosyne. Paphnoutios. Theophilus the Confessor. |
| 11 M Blessed Theodora. Euphrosynos the Cook. Martyr Euanthia. | 26 T + John the Apostle & Evangelist. |
| 12 T Apodosis of the Nativity of the Theotokos. Martyr Autonomos. | 27 W Callistratus and his companions. |
| 13 W Callistratus and his companions. | 28 T Prophet Baruch. Chariton the Confessor. |
| 14 T + EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS (fast). | 29 F Martyr Petronia. Kyriakos the Anchorite. |
| 15 F Great-martyr Nicetas. Bessarion, Bishop of Larissa. | 30 S Hieromartyr Gregory, Enlightener of Armenia. |
The Church knows how to suffer, especially at the hands of Her own children, or even of Her own Shepherds; She goes on Her course in silence, trusting the Lord, the First in life and History to be defrocked, the first great Martyr, Who suffered outside the walls, out of the Council. And then, to this apophatic way, to this silence, God bends down and listens and responds,: As to Moses, He said, "Why are you shouting at Me?", although Moses hadn’t let out a sound, he said not one word, but within his soul he was praying intensely. So that God said to him, "Why are you shouting like that, so loudly, I can’t stand to hear you, you’re deafening Me! What do you want, I’ll do it for you!"
So a cry to God is to be silent; a cry to God is to suffer for His sake; a cry to God is to suffer things for which you are not to blame.
And the priest commemorates, prays, smiles, with his humor "seasoned with salt", yet in practice he suffers, he lives apophatically, he venerates all of us, he rejoices, he honors the priesthood and monasticism; he leads his life in gladness.
EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS MONASTERY
322 00 THEBES BOEOTIA, GREECE.
email: ypsosis@fhc.org
Telephone: 30.226.2062265
Fax: 30.226.2062004
To send e-mail to the monastery, click the mailbox below:
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