Saints’ Memorials and the Feast of Our Lady of Kazan – 21 July

St Lawrence of Brindisi (Optional Memorial) — Our Lady of Kazan: This miraculous icon, also known as the Theotokos of Kazan, is thought to have originated in Constantinople in the 13th century before it was taken to Russia. When the Turks took Kazan in 1438, the icon may have been hidden. Ivan the Terrible liberated Kazan in 1552, and the town was destroyed by fire in 1579. The icon was eventually found in the ruins of a burnt-out house at Kazan on the River Volga on July 8th in 1579. According to tradition, the location of the icon was revealed during a dream by the Blessed Virgin Mary to a ten year old girl named Matrona. Matrona told the local bishop of her dream, but he did not believe her. There were two more similar dreams, after which Matrona and her mother went to the place indicated by the Blessed Virgin and dug in the ruins what had been a house until the uncovered the icon. It appeared untouched by the flames, with the colors as vivid and brilliant as if it were new. The bishop took the icon to the Church of Saint Nicholas, and immediately there was a miracle of a blind man’s sight being restored to him. A monastery was built over the place where the icon had been found. Known as the Holy Protectress of Russia, the icon was stolen on June 29th, 1904. The thieves were later caught and claimed that they had destroyed the icon after taking the gold frame and jewels attached to the image. In any event, the original has never been found, though there are many copies in existence, thanks to the popularity of the icon. Many of the copies are known to be miracle working. In 1993 a copy of the icon was given to Pope John Paul II, who kept it in his personal study before it was given to representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2004.

ICON OF ST. JOHN MAXIMOVITCH STREAMED MYRRH AS HE WAS CELEBRATED IN SKETE IN HIS HONOR IN HIS HOME VILLAGE

ICON OF ST. JOHN MAXIMOVITCH STREAMED MYRRH AS HE WAS CELEBRATED IN SKETE IN HIS HONOR IN HIS HOME VILLAGE Svyatogorsk, Ukraine, July 7, 2017

Monastery of the Archangel Diocese and Russ and Korea site

The Antonievo-Siisky Monastery of the Archangel Diocese will publish the book "Spiritual Mission on the Conversion of Samoyeds to the Christian Faith in the Nineteenth Century" Антониево-Сийский монастырь Архангельской епархии издаст книгу «Духовная миссия по обращению самоедов в христианскую веру в XIX веке» print version July 14, 2017 13:36 The Holy Trinity Antonievo-Sii Monastery of the Archangel Diocese prepares for publication the book "Spiritual Mission on the Conversion of Samoyeds to the Christian Faith in the Nineteenth Century." This edition is a story about the abbots and inhabitants of the monastery who preached Orthodoxy among the Nenets (Samoyeds) on the Arctic coast of the Arkhangelsk North. The collection consists of two parts: in the first abbot of the monastery hegumen Varlaam (Dulsky) narrates about the conversion of the Nenets in the tundra from Mezen to the Urals, in the second part of the monastery the priest Hieromonk Basilid (Lagutin) tells about the development of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and enlightenment of the local inhabitants. Founded by the Monk Anthony in 1520, the Holy Trinity Siya Monastery, even during the lifetime of the saint, became the influential spiritual and economic center of Pomorie. The monastery had fish and salt fisheries on the coast of the White Sea up to the throat: Nenox, Luda, Una, Ruchi. Together with economic activity, temples were built, and spiritual and educational work was conducted. In the 17th century, the hegumen Theodosius attempted to send missionaries to the archipelago of Novaya Zemlya to build a monastery on the island. In December 1824, a mission for the spiritual enlightenment of the Nenets (Samoyed) of the Arkhangelsk Gubernia and their conversion to Christianity was formed under the project of Bishop Neophyte (Dokuchaev-Platonov). The mission was headed by Siya Archimandrite Veniamin (Smirnov). From 1825 to 1830 he baptized more than 3,000 people. During his stay in the Samoyed tundra, Archimandrite Veniamin studied the Nenets language, made many ethnographic observations of the life of the local population, compiled the "Grammar of the Samoyed Language", "The Lexicon of the Samoyed Language," translated into the Nenets language of the catechism, the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, The mission had a mobile church with picturesque icons and bells. For missionary works Archimandrite Veniamin was awarded the Order of St. Vladimir III degree. In 1827, Archimandrite Anastassy (Klyucharev) went to the Nenets tundra to "inspect the place for building churches in the Samoyed nomad camps". Two years later, the construction of three stationary temples was started there. In 1829, the leadership of the commission "on the construction of Samoyedic churches" was entrusted to the rector of Archangel Michael Platon (Agrikoliansky), Archimandrite Platon (St. For seven years he served as a dean of these churches and preached the Word of God to "idolatrous samoyeds." Archimandrite Anastassy (Klyucharev) and Platon (Agricolian) were awarded the Order of St. Anna's third degree. At the end of the XIX century on the Arctic archipelago New Earth, the priest of the Siya Monastery, Hieromonk Jonah (Platonov) preached. The publication of the book requires 170 000 rubles. The monastery asks to respond to those who are not indifferent. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a Slavic-Korean spiritual and educational center will be built in Moscow. For the construction of the Zaikonospassky Stauropegic Monastery, a site was set up in the south-west of Moscow at the address: Profsoyuznaya, ow. 65. June 12, 2017 began preparatory work for construction, new gates were installed and painted, the site was weeded and cleaned of debris. On June 17, the first moleben was held on the site, which was performed by priest Alexander Son. Currently, the center is being designed. In the near future a temporary chapel will be installed on the site. *** In 2001, under the patriarchal courtyard of the Church of the Savior of the Holy Face (now Zaikonospassky Monastery), with the blessing of the ever-memorable archimandrite Peter (Afanasyev), the Slavic-Korean Orthodox Society was established. In 2016, the Government of Moscow transferred to the Zaikonospassky Monastery a rent-free lease near the Russian-Korean Cultural Center. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, a spiritual and educational center with a temple of St. Innocent of Moscow will be built on it.

At the St. Tikhon University discussed the creation of an educational program on sectology moscow patriarchate

At the St. Tikhon University discussed the creation of an educational program on sectology В Свято-Тихоновском университете обсудили создание образовательной программы по сектоведению print version June 23, 2017 19:23 June 22, 2017 in the main building of the Orthodox Holy Tikhon Humanitarian University (PSTGU) held an international meeting on the creation of an inter-Orthodox educational program on sectology. Representatives of Local Orthodox Churches, Bishop Orekhovo-Zuevsky Panteleimon and professors of the PSTU discussed the actual problems facing Orthodox missionaries in connection with the activation of the sectarian movement. From the side of the St. Tikhon University, Vicar of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Bishop Orekhovo-Zuevsky Panteleimon, Archpriest Alexander Schelkachev, Deputy Dean of the Missionary Faculty, Professor A.B. Efimov, Professor A.L. Dvorkin , the rector of the rector I.V. Shchelkachev. The local Orthodox Churches were represented by Metropolitan Porphyry of Zagreb and Lubland ( Serbian Orthodox Church ), Bishop Christopher of Cyprus ( Cyprus Orthodox Church ), Professor Ivan Zhelev Dimitrov (former Minister of the Confessions of Bulgaria), Professor Protodeacon Dragan Radic (Serbian Orthodox Church), Professor Christos Jacob Cyprus). Opening the discussion, Bishop Panteleimon emphasized that religious enlightenment plays a decisive role in the fight against sectarianism: "His Holiness Patriarch Kirill attaches great importance to education. At each meeting of the Supreme Church Council, educational programs are discussed. " In Russia, there are many positive changes in this area, including thanks to the St. Tikhon University, Vladyka Panteleimon emphasized, reminding those present that the first defense of the thesis on theology of the theological faculty of the PSTU theological faculty of the archpriest Pavel Honzinsky was held recently in Russia. The participants of the meeting expressed concern about the destructive phenomena in the religious life of Russia. According to Bishop Panteleimon, in the "Far East, so far the number of registered sectarian organizations exceeds the number of Orthodox organizations." Bishop Panteleimon also pointed out that the low percentage of church people in Russia is largely due to the lack of priests. In Moscow, there are more than 8,000 Orthodox believers per priest. The Vladyka paid special attention to the connection between missionary and educational activities: "It is important that all our programs have an anti-sectarian direction. When a person hears a competent, qualified answer about Orthodoxy, he will have a vaccination against sects and other religious teachings, "the bishop is convinced. "Cooperation of the Fraternal Churches is especially important in the field of education," he stressed. Continuing the discussion, Bishop Christopher of Karpasia noted that confrontation with sects is important on the scale of not just one but all the Orthodox Churches. He recalled that, ten years ago, an all-Orthodox network of anti-sectarian organizations was founded by experts from different countries, which annually held conferences in various countries where it was hosted by the local Orthodox Churches. In addition, meetings of a smaller scale were held over several years to discuss current issues. In September this year, the tenth anniversary conference will be held in Poland, it will be hosted by the Polish Orthodox Church. Bishop Christopher noted with regret that the qualified and competent Orthodox experts in sect studies are sorely lacking, that is why the discussed educational program should be aimed at supporting the pastoral and missionary activity of the Ecumenical Church. "We need to understand how from the pastoral point of view, assistance can be provided to combat negative religious phenomena. This program should prepare church cadres who will be specialists in sectology, "Bishop Christopher said. Noting the special role of the PSTG in the anti-sectarian movement, the metropolitan of Zagreb-Lubland Porfiry (Perich) thanked the university for organizing the meeting and noted the special importance of Orthodox education. St. Tikhon's University, in his opinion, is a unique educational institution in the Orthodox world: "Secular education in the field of religious studies in itself can lead a person away from the goal. After all, the way of a person's life depends on what kind of a prism he looks at himself, on the world and on God. Today, wolves are operating in sheep's skins, who pretend to be kind and offer others very tempting promises about some other, special way of life. Many fall into their traps. We must give this orthodox assessment. The priceless approach, which some secular scholars of theology tell us, does not exist. In the end, it turns into a sectarian defense. " "It is important that Professor Dvorkin, whom the entire Orthodox world knows as an erudite fighter against sects, participated in this educational program. We hope for the strength of the Russian Orthodox Church, "Metropolitan Porfiry said. Professor Ivan Zhelev Dimitrov said that the countries of the former socialist camp are facing common problems, recalling the "fluidity" of a number of new sects actively moving within the Slavic countries. "Therefore, for us, the translation into Bulgarian of the already well-known book" Sectology "by the authoritative professor Dvorkin in Bulgaria is so important for us," the professor added. Professor A.L. Dvorkin, in turn, recalled the problems of sectology, the main of which is the lack of staff. He quoted the words of Bishop Christopher that "sectology is the area of ​​activity of individuals". "There was a well-known sectologist Protopresbyter Antony Alevizopulos, whose memory is devoted to the book" Sectology, "he died, and in Greece he did not find worthy successors. Now is the time for each of us to think about it. It is necessary to raise those who will continue our business, "the sectologist said. "We have to face both the opposition of many secular religious scholars, who in fact advocate an atheistic view of the study of religions, and with the misunderstanding of some Orthodox believers, or consider the critical study of sects unimportant, or under the guise of a patristic approach that actually closes with a sectarian defense. The true Orthodox theological, scientific, missionary and pastoral approach requires, acting in the spirit of the great fathers of the past, to apply it to contemporary realities and to use at the same time all the latest achievements of modern science. This was how the ever-memorable father Anthony Alevizopoulos, educated in Germany and in Athens, acted. But in addition to the fact that he actually founded modern Orthodox sectology, he was one of the most famous confessors of the Church of Greece, "said Professor Alexander Dvorkin. Professor Christ Yakov presented a plan for a new curriculum, which will be designed to teach the two main parts of the Orthodox Church - Greek-speaking and Russian-speaking parishioners. "Our task is to give them knowledge at the highest level," the professor is convinced. Participants in the meeting agreed on the need to create a general educational program on sectology for people who already have at least a bachelor's degree in theology. The program should be created in two languages ​​- Greek and Russian. The PSTU will take on the training of the Russian-speaking audience. Greek-speaking students will be trained in Cyprus. Teaching will be carried out by an international professorial staff from all Orthodox Churches. It was decided to create a committee consisting of several specialists from each side who will meet in the near future and will develop a detailed curriculum for full-time two-year missionary courses with a specialization in sectology.

A meeting of the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church with the newly elected head of the Greek-Melkit Church was held Moscow Patriarchate

A meeting of the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church with the newly elected head of the Greek-Melkit Church was held Состоялась встреча представителя Русской Православной Церкви с новоизбранным главой Греко-Мелькитской Церкви print version July 2, 2017 13:41 On July 1, 2017, the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Patriarch of Antioch and the whole of the East, Abbot Arseny (Sokolov) met with His Beatitude Yousef I Absi, who in June was elected Greek-Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem. The meeting was held at the residence of the Melkite Patriarchs in Rabiye (Lebanon). Hegumen Arseny addressed the elected head of the Greek-Melkite Church with congratulations and handed him a congratulatory message from Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. During the conversation that followed, the participants discussed the situation in Syria and expressed their intention to strengthen joint efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people. Hegumen Arseny told the newly elected head of Christian Melkite about the charitable initiatives undertaken by the Russian Orthodox Church in the Middle East. The meeting was attended by the Lebanese lawyer Ziyad Farhud. In conclusion of the conversation, the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia presented the newly elected Patriarch Yusef the book of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church "Freedom and responsibility: in search of harmony", published in Lebanon in Arabic. *** The Council of the Melkit Greek-Catholic Church, held in June 2017, reckoned for the rest of the Patriarch Gregory III Laham and elected in his place the Patriarchal Vicar of Damascus Bishop Yousef Asbi. The enthronement of the newly elected Patriarch will take place in Damascus soon after his candidacy is approved by the Pope of Rome.

The Holy Synod approved the composition of the delegation for participation in the joint conference of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church in Germany Moscow Patriarchate

The Holy Synod approved the composition of the delegation for participation in the joint conference of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church in Germany Священный Синод утвердил состав делегации для участия в совместной конференции Русской Православной Церкви и Евангелической церкви в Германии print version 4 May 2017 22:53 On May 4, 2017, at a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the report of the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk on the joint conference of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church in Germany devoted to the theme of Christian martyrdom (Moscow, November 2017) was heard. The Synod decided ( Journal No. 37 ) to participate in the conference to appoint a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the following composition: Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations - head of the delegation; Archbishop of Theophanes of Berlin and Germany ; Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov) , deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Protopriest Vladimir Vorobyev , Rector of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University , Secretary of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints ; Archpriest Kirill Kaleda, rector of the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church in Butovo, a member of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints; Protopriest Alexander Ilyashenko, rector of the Church of the All-Merciful Savior in the former Holy Cross Monastery; Hieromonk Stephen (Igumnov), secretary for inter-Christian relations of the Department for External Church Relations; Priest Michael Asmus, teacher of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University; V.R. Legoyda , chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society and the media ; A.G. Rar, Director of the Center for Russia and Eurasia named after Berthold Beitz (Germany), Honorary Professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; M.B. Neljubova, employee of the Department for External Church Relations; E.S. Speranskaya, consultant of the Department for External Church Relations; I.D. Kashitsin, a member of the Department for External Church Relations. The Holy Synod approved the composition of the delegation for participation in the joint conference of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church in Germany Священный Синод утвердил состав делегации для участия в совместной конференции Русской Православной Церкви и Евангелической церкви в Германии print version 4 May 2017 22:53 On May 4, 2017, at a meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, the report of the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk on the joint conference of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Church in Germany devoted to the theme of Christian martyrdom (Moscow, November 2017) was heard. The Synod decided ( Journal No. 37 ) to participate in the conference to appoint a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the following composition: Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations - head of the delegation; Archbishop of Theophanes of Berlin and Germany ; Archimandrite Filaret (Bulekov) , deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Protopriest Vladimir Vorobyev , Rector of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University , Secretary of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints ; Archpriest Kirill Kaleda, rector of the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church in Butovo, a member of the Synodal Commission for the Canonization of Saints; Protopriest Alexander Ilyashenko, rector of the Church of the All-Merciful Savior in the former Holy Cross Monastery; Hieromonk Stephen (Igumnov), secretary for inter-Christian relations of the Department for External Church Relations; Priest Michael Asmus, teacher of the Orthodox St. Tikhon Humanitarian University; V.R. Legoyda , chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society and the media ; A.G. Rar, Director of the Center for Russia and Eurasia named after Berthold Beitz (Germany), Honorary Professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University) of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs; M.B. Neljubova, employee of the Department for External Church Relations; E.S. Speranskaya, consultant of the Department for External Church Relations; I.D. Kashitsin, a member of the Department for External Church Relations.

Christmas of John the Baptist and the Baptist of the Lord brooklyn-church.org

Christmas of John the Baptist and the Baptist of the Lord. Preaching Orthodox Life Рождество Иоанна Предтечи Christmas of John the Baptist Now the Holy Orthodox Church honors the memory of St. The Prophet John the Baptist and the Baptist of the Lord. Today the greatest of the prophets, John , who is about to be Lord of Christ, looks with joy at those who come to celebrate his Christmas and prays to Christ in abundance to give His grace to all the prayers. According to the testimony of the Lord, no one born on earth was as great as St. John the Baptist. And when you think about the testimony of the Gospel of it, it really captures the spirit. But not only the spirit captures: you see in it the image of a man who managed so unlimitedly, so unlimitedly to be devoted to his God and his earthly vocation and who can serve each of us as an example and an image, because each of us in some sense in relation to To others is so often the forerunner of the Lord, to those whom the Lord sent ahead of Himself to bring people the word and way of life that would prepare them to understand Christ, to receive Christ. And when our life we ​​dishonor our testimony, when people look at us and stop believing in our words and in the words of Christ, then we take on a terrible responsibility. Not only do we ourselves live in the judgment of ourselves and in condemnation, but we do not attract others for ourselves to where we are called to lead them: to joy, to the joy that the Lord has left to us and which no one can take away, but to which no one, Except the Lord, can not give. Let us recall some of the expressions used by Christ or the Gospel in relation to the Baptist John. The first thing we hear about him is that he is the voice crying in the desert. The desert is not only an uninhabited place, it's a place where it's empty ; And so often in the human heart is empty, in human life is empty. Not only is there no content of the eternal, but there is not at all such content that could be lived. And in this respect we are surrounded, all, by the human wilderness. And in this wilderness we are called, like the Baptist, to testify. The testimony of John the Baptist did not begin with words: before returning to the people and speaking before demanding them to be worthy of the title of man, he himself retired to the bare, hot desert and remained alone with himself, face to face with himself In the sight of God. Sometimes we also have to remain in such solitude. It happens when our neighbors leave us, when it becomes empty around us. It happens when we are touched by illness, and then, no matter how we are surrounded by care, we feel that we are alone, because we are facing the face of life and death where every person alone will decide the issue of life and death for himself - Not only temporal, but also eternal. It happens that we will retire ourselves in order to recover, and then we know how difficult it is to be alone with oneself when it is not used to it: it becomes fearful - then our inner void opens before our own eyes, and in this Emptiness, into this desert we must enter. It will be lonely there, it will be empty, it will be difficult to live there, but only if we manage to live in this desert, with God alone, will we be able to return to people, never losing God and capable, by defeating ourselves, to conquer everything. And so John spent more than thirty years alone in the wilderness, struggled with his heart, struggled with his life and went on preaching and witnessed by God as the greatest - but not only. The Gospel calls us not a prophet, but a VOICE. He became so attached to the will of God, he became one with the life-giving word that he must pronounce to save people, to awaken people, so that life would also shine in them, joy re-emerged that he was ONLY a voice. It is no longer a man who says: it is God who speaks in his voice. So spoke the saints. One of the ascetics of Athos, who not so long ago died, said: "The saints do not speak for themselves; They speak from God, and only ... John rejected all earthly things in order to belong to God, and the Lord returned him to this land. The Lord did not leave him in the distant wilderness: when John became inseparable with Him, the Lord sent him to the people, so that people could live the life that John knew. And here the question is posed to each of us: is there such a life in me that I can light another person? Where is this life in me? When people meet me - do they catch fire? When people hear me, does their heart flutter-how does the Gospel speak of the companions of Emmaus, the "heart" burns in them? When people see our life, do they say about us, as they talked about the first Christians: How do they like each other! .. Is it amazing, hearing, seeing us, to the fact that we have something that no one has? And if it is not so, then we did not go even by the predecessor, we are not ready to bring Christ to people, we are not even ready to pave the way for Him to find some way for Himself. And we are called to be those who prepare joy for people, the joy of meeting with God, a joy that will never end and to which no one, nothing can take. Why is that? Because we want to live on our rights, we want to live for ourselves, we do not want to go to nothing. And this is what the Gospel says about John the Baptist. Witnessing to people about who he is, the Baptist says: I need to decrease, to no avail, so that He will grow to the fullest extent ... John himself is only the Forerunner; He must open the door and move away so that people no longer remember him, suddenly seeing Christ and forgetting everything in this joy. To go to nothing, preparing the way of the Lord ... Who among us can do this? Who among us, enlivening someone's soul, even with a kind word, does not want to remain in this joy of mutual communication? Who, having said the life-giving word, sometimes inadvertently when the Lord gives us, does not want to be remembered and never forgot that this word was said to them? But the Baptist himself says: I am a friend of the Bridegroom ... What kind of friend is this? In ancient times Jewish, as well as pagan, the groom had a friend who cared for everything for marriage and who, after the marriage, brought the bride and groom to the wedding room, stayed outside the door and guarded, so that no one interrupted their deep, mysterious encounter in the marital Love. He was a friend, because he knew how to stay behind the door, stay outside. His joy was that the joy of the bride and groom was now perfect, they were left alone, and he was the protector of this meeting. I will also say: who among us knows how to do this with someone else's joy? Do everything to make this joy happen, do everything to make it shine with eternal light, and move away, protect it, guard it, and remain forgotten behind a closed door? Here's another image of him, the last image. His depreciation, his convergence to nothing came almost to the limit. He was taken to prison for a truthful, honest word. Christ, however, remained at large. He preaches, John's disciples moved to Him, He is surrounded by His disciples. He grew up to the full measure of His earthly vocation. And John knows that death is upon him, that he will not come out of prison, and suddenly he is covered by doubt. He who on the banks of the Jordan River before everyone witnessed, Who is the coming Christ, he sends his two disciples to Christ to ask: Are you the one that we expected, or should we expect another? In other words, are you really the one about whom I brought my testimony, or was I mistaken? If he was mistaken, he vainly destroyed young years in the desert, in vain he went out to the people, in vain he is now in prison, in vain He will die, in vain EVERYTHING. It is in vain even that testimony that he brought to Christ, and in that case he will be deceived by God Himself ... And the strongest soul that has ever been on earth vibrates. And Christ does not answer him. He does not take away from him the fullness of the feat of faith and feat of faithfulness to the end. To the disciples who ask Him, He says: Tell John what you see: the blind see, the lame walk, the beggars preach the gospel; Blessed is he who is not tempted about Me ... - words, once, centuries before, written by the prophet Isaiah. And they come back with this word. It remains for John himself to enter into himself and put before him the question: when he was in the desert alone in front of God, - was it really all this or was it some kind of inner lie? When he came out of the desert to preach and shook people, renewed their lives, led them to a new life, to novelty, to the spiritual spring - was it true or not? When he saw Christ and saw the future in Him, - was it true or not? .. Of course, he only more deeply realized the obvious Truth and became established in it. And John died in faith and in absolute fidelity. How often does it happen that our soul hesitates that after we did everything we had to do, we said the word good, truthful, did what we could to make the other person come to life with joy and resurrected the soul and began to live The spring life of eternity, suddenly finds hesitation ... The soul is tired, the life is fading, our head is tending to the ground ... Was it worth it to do all this? I do not see the fruit, I do not know what will happen, but I've lost so much faith, so much love. Was it worth it? .. And the Lord does not respond to this with a testimony of success. He tells us: It is enough that all this was true, that all this was good, enough for you that you did what was necessary. In this - all. And now, before each of us is this image of the Baptist. Each of us is sent to each other as a Forerunner to say a word so pure, so free from itself, from self-love, from vanity, from all that makes every our word small, empty, worthless, rotten; Whether we are willing to go to nothing, if only a living person, the bride of eternal life, has grown from this man? And when all this is done, am I ready to say with joy: "Yes, let the last come to pass, let them not remember me, let the bride and groom meet, and I will go to death, into oblivion, return to nothing." Are we ready for this? If not, how weak is our love even for those whom we love! And what about those that are so often alien to us, are they indifferent? Now, we will often look into this majestic, but human image of the Baptist, and we will learn how a real, solid person lives, and we will try to live in the smallest, even if there are not many of them, but without a remnant, until the last Drops of our living power. Amen.