Is Russia our hope for sanity?

Follow this link for a very interesting article form the Washington Times

Miracle of St. Haralambos

This miracle was worked by St. Haralambos. He saved the city of Filiatra from destruction during the German Occupation of Greece
English account

Greek account

Orthodoxy in Colonial America

Below are  links to pages about Orthodox history in America going back to Colonial. Enjoy

http://ancientfaith.com/podcasts/history/orthodoxy_in_colonial_virginia

http://orthodoxhistory.org/author/ngrchapman/

For Those Who Missed it Earlier

Saint Nicholas on the bus

In February, 1965, a bus full of people was going toward a city. Next to the driver there was sitting an old man about seventy-five years of ages, with a white beard, tall, and "full of vigor". He wore a heavy coat with a fur collar, and a fur cap with flaps. The bus was going slowly because of the snow which was falling outside. At one turn, the chains of the back wheels came off. The bus skidded and almost collided with another full bus. All these things happened very quickly. The driver lost control of the bus, and everyone's heart jumped. Finally, the two busses halted at a distance of barely three-quarters of an inch apart, without any mishap.

Then the old man made the sign of the Cross and cried out: "Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee! Blessed be thy name, O my All-holy Mother of God, who has saved us…" In a few moments the other bus left. The driver and his assistant went out to put on the chains.

Smiling, one young man opened a conversation with the old man. "Forgive me, elder," he said, "but I could not hold back from laughing when I heard you call upon the non-existent Heavenly Powers and saw you make your Cross. Habit, of course, is second nature. I see that you wear also the distinguishing mark of a scientist. But in our times, in the year 1965, it is an incongruity."

The conversation attracted the attention of all. The old man, without becoming troubled, said, "Gladly, my young comrade, shall I answer you. And if you want I will make a self-criticism…Wherefore, do you know what I think? All of us are somewhat hypocrites. All of us pretend that we are atheists, dedicated members of the Party, with profound knowledge of Marxism and many other things. And yet there comes a moment every once in a while when the real man in us expresses himself. Behold, just as it happened even now! This mishap was sufficient to demonstrate it. Since you sit in that place, you of course did not see what happened behind you. I, however, who sit sideways, saw at least another eight or ten making their Cross. It is something within us which we will never be able to uproot, because it would be like uprooting our very bowels. Thus, every day all of us fall into 'errors' - that is, we remember that there exists a certain great, unknown, and good Power Whom we pretend to ignore…"

I assure you that this personally never happens with me," said the young man.

The old man chuckled and said, "Your will permit me to prove you false, beloved comrade, because just previously you said, 'These things in our times, in the year 1965, are an incongruity.' What was the reason for you to remember that one thousand nine hundred and sixty-five years have passed from the time when the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, was born!"

"This," said the young man after having been taken aback a little, "is an evil remnant of an evil past, which must definitely be wiped out. The way you are speaking, you are going to convince us that even miracles take place!"

The old man was silent some moments, and afterwards said, "Yes, my beloved one, there are even miracles of God which you yourself will believe, just as all that are here will also believe. When, however, ye see them, you will be obliged to keep silent because, if you speak, there is danger that they will close you in some psychiatric clinic."

The bus had come into the main artery. The heavy snow stopped and thus the driver was able to increase the speed. At one moment, all - as many as were looking at and listening to the old man - saw his place empty! Two or three that were close to his seat made the sign of the Cross, saying, "Holy, Holy is God the Almighty." One of them turned toward the back of the bus and shouted, "Do you understand now who saved us from the collision? He himself, the old man with the white beard, was the Protector of our People…Saint Nicholas!" "I do not know what we are going to do, comrades," said one other in the meantime, "but wherever I may be, I am going to tell of this miracle of St. Nicholas! And let them lock me in a psychiatric ward if they can. I have you all as witnesses; and especially you, comrade…" The young communist covered his face with his hands for a long time.

After about two hours, the bus stopped and all got down to drink hot tea. The young communist approached several of his fellow-passengers, full of emotion. He asked for their addresses. He also gave them his. All the others also did the same among themselves. "Do you know what I propose, comrades?" said one young woman, "Let us not lose contact with one another. This which we say today and heard with our ears is a great thing. Very great. What can it forebode? Certainly something good, because the little old grandfather was the Protector of our people.

The above miracle was written by an eyewitness. "I can not write more," he says, "because I am overcome with emotion and am weeping. I also was on the bus."

Archbp. Joasaph

Life of Archbishop Joasaph of Canada and Argentina

The Church of St. Clement of Rome

Here is a description of the Church of St. Clement in Rome. What is not said here is that the lower 4th century church was discovered in the 19th during excavation for city improvements. until that time the existing church was thought to be the 4th century structure, because the mosaic in the apse dates from that period.  [The travelogue gives 12th century for this mosaic. I repeat here what I had read previously.]When the older church became unusable, it was filled in with rubble, the movable art work having been removed, and an exact replica was built on top. The Pastor of the church at this time reasoned that there might be yet another structure farther down. Having received funds for the purpose, the Father excavated and found the two structure mentioned in the account linked above. However the Church authorities believed then and at least until the 1960's that the Roman house was in fact a House Chapel dedicated to St. Clement, dating from apostolic times. This account I produce from memory, from a pamphlet that came from the Church of St. Clement. I no longer have the book, but I think my recollection is accurate.

St. Clement was revered as a Saint from earliest times. Indeed the Church Fathers thought seriously of including his epistles in the New Testament.

Miracle of Sts. Shamuna, Guria and Habib the Deacon

These illustrious Martyrs contested in the city of Edessa in Syria. Shamuna and Guria contested during the reign of Diocletian, in 288; after many tortures, they were cast into prison, then beheaded. Saint Habib, a deacon, contested in the days of Licinius, in the year 316, and was burned alive; he was buried with Saints Shamuna and Guria. On account of a renowned miracle they worked, they are invoked for help in marital difficulties. A certain Goth had come with the Roman army to Edessa and was quartered in the house of a pious widow named Sophia. The Goth asked Sophia for the hand of her daughter, Euphemia; after resisting for a long time, Sophia at last agreed. When it was time for the army to return home, Sophia made the Goth vow on the shrine of the holy Martyrs Shamuna, Guria, and Habib, to keep Euphemia as the apple of his eye. As he was nearing his home, however, the treacherous man revealed to Euphemia that he already had a wife. Euphemia was compelled to serve the Goths wife, who dealt with her mercilessly out of jealousy. Euphemia was by this time pregnant and when the Syrian girl brought forth a child who looked remarkably like his father, the wife’s worst fears were confirmed. She began to persecute Euphemia in every way imaginable. Finally her anger a jealously reached such a pitch the she determined to kill the baby. To this end she procured poison; and having sent Euphemia on an errand she fed it to the infant. When Euphemia returned to her quarters she found her baby dead and a kind of froth on his mouth. She took a cloth and wiped the froth from the baby’s mouth. The next time she gave wine to her mistress she dipped the cloth in the cup saying, “Let God be the judge. If she be innocent all will be well.” Upon drinking the wine, the wife of the Goth became ill and died. She was placed in the family tomb. But her relatives were suspicious of the slave girl and shut her up in the same tomb a few days later, leaving her to die. So here was this poor child shut in a dark tomb with a rotting corpse and she lamented and prayed saying “Where now are the Saints of my homeland, where their promised protection and help?” And as Euphemia was thus praying, she was miraculously conveyed to Edessa, and was found by the shrine of the holy Martyrs and was reunited with her mother through their holy prayers. The Goth eventually returned to Edessa, was brought before the judges and condemned to death for his crimes.