August 22, 2010, in celebration of the Synaxis of Solovetsky saints, the Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill served Divine Liturgy at the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral of the Solovetsky stavropegial monastery.

At the fraternal meal after the service Patriarch Kirill made a speech to the bishops and priests, who had accompanied His Holiness during the days of his staying at Solovki, to the brotherhood of the monastery and to distinguished guests.

His Holiness expressed his joy over the fact that during the visit two patriarchal episcopal consecrations were performed, with the highest level of service to the church given to pastors who strove not after honors, but gave their whole lives to the “humble, not very noticeable, but sincere service to the Lord.”

According to His Holiness, “there is something to think about” the fact that to the congregation of bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church were joined people such as Archimandrite Panteleimon (Shatov), “a pious pastor, who spent many years of carrying out parish obediences and who raised four daughters,” and Archimandrite Veniamin (Likhomanov), “a monk, confessor, modest, educated man who never boasted about his education and humbly served in those places where he was sent.”

“The most repulsive thing in the Church is monastic careerism,” stressed the Primate. “I think the two consecrations which took place in Solovki send a very clear signal to all of our monks, whose heads spin with thoughts of episcopacy and who believe that there is no life, if by reaching thirty years they have not become archimandrites.

“All corrupt careerism in the church — this is what needs to be eradicated, and with God’s help, we’ll deal with it,” said His Holiness. “And everyone who really wants to become a bishop, I want to warn: the Patriarch sees it and is unlikely you will become bishops. The Bishopric will be for those who are not seeking it.”

His Holiness said that the consecration of Father Panteleimon was supposed to be performed on Aug. 10 at the Novodevichy monastery, but in those days the capital was covered with the smoke of forest fires and so His Holiness was asked to cancel the Patriarchal Liturgy in order to avoid a large gathering of people and not to endanger people’s health. The Primate called Father Panteleimon and said that consecration would be postponed. “He told me quietly in response: ‘Maybe it can be canceled?’” said the Patriarch. “Thank you, Vladyka Panteleimon, for these words — they warmed my soul.”

“I think that we should treat the Episcopal service thus: the lot fell on you — take it. If the lot does not fall on you — do what is your occupation,” added the head of the Russian Church. “After all, before God we all stand in line not by the order of our ordination, and not by the number of crosses, and not by whether you serve in a mitre or kamilavka. It may come to pass that the Patriarch will be standing behind a cleaning lady and will look into her eyes and say: ‘Maria Ivanovna, could you pray for me…’“

“We have very clearly understood that our ecclesiastical career is a relative thing, not having any direct connection to our salvation,” reminded the Patriarch Kirill. “God gives strength and understanding, pay attention to the conciliar wisdom of the Church — you will be made a bishop, a Metropolitan and a Patriarch. You need to be there where you carry out your ministry — Carry it with boldness, prayer and love.”

Press office of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

Source: Russian Orthodox Patriarchate.
Translated by: Fr. Alexander Lebedeff.
Reposted from St. Silouan Orthodox Church.

Elder Isaac was born on May 31, 1810, in Kursk.  His name in the world was Ivan Ivanovich Antimonov. For a time he worked in his father’s business. However, he did not wish to marry and lead a worldly life. Consequently he entered the hermitage attached to the monastery of Optina in 1846. In 1858 he was ordained a priest. The bishop appointed him superior of Optina Skete in 1862, despite the fact that he was not the monks’ choice. However, he managed by his gentelenss and humility to overcome this opposition, and governed the community in peace for 30 years. Elder Isaac reposed in Optina August 22, 1894.

“It is pointless for someone to say that he has faith in God if he does not have the works which go with faith. What benefit were their lamps to the foolish virgins who had no oil (Mt. 25:1-13), namely, deeds of love and compassion?”

St. Gregory Palamas
(The Homilies Vol. 1; St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press pg. 235)

Chicago, IL – At 7:45 this evening, Wedesday, August 18, 2010, on the eve of the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, His Eminence +Christopher, Metropolitan of Libertyville-Chicago, fell asleep in the Lord at the age of 82. Clergy are asked to serve a small pomen at tomorrow’s Divine Liturgy.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NEWLY REPOSED METROPOLITAN +CHRISTOPHER OF BLESSED MEMORY:

AUGUST 23, 2010

- Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, 10:00 AM, Monday, August 23, 2010, at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631.

- Funeral Matins (Burial Service), 7:00 PM, Monday, August 23, 2010, at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631.

AUGUST 24, 2010

- Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Requiem Service (Trisagion), 9:00 AM, Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery 32377 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048, followed by burial at the gravesite on the south side of the church.

A memorial lunch will be served at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631, following interment.

May His memory be eternal!

Born in Galveston, Texas, and baptized Velimir Kovacevich, the future Metropolitan Christopher was the ninth of twelve children of Serbian immigrant parents. After graduation from high school, he attended Nashotah House and graduated from St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Seminary in Libertyville, Illinois. After marriage, he was ordained to the Diaconate and Priesthood. Continuing his education, he earned a B.A. (Philosophy), Master of Letters (History) at the University of Pittsburgh; the Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and completed courses and examinations for the doctorate at the Chicago Theological Seminary.

Father Velimir ministered to parishes in Pennsylvania and in Chicago, also serving as chaplain to four universities. He assisted his parishes to become bilingual in their worship and education programs. As a priest, he served as spiritual father, counselor, youth worker, administrator, educator, and, above all, in priestly ministry at the Holy Altar. Widowed in 1970, he is the father of four, as well as the grandfather of nine.

Elevated to the episcopate in 1978 by the Assembly of Bishops in Belgrade and tonsured with the monastic name of Christopher, he became the first American-born bishop to serve a diocese of his church in North America. As Bishop of Eastern America and Canada, he soon developed a diocesan-wide program in religious education. Active also in ecumenism, he has served on the joint commission of Orthodox and Roman Catholic bishops and on the Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue, and has represented his church at high levels in both the National and World Councils of Churches. In 1991, he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan, thereby becoming Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S. and Canada.

May the Lord our God grant blessed repose and eternal rest to His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher.

“It is the grace of God which comes to you. At first this grace visits you softly, but when, as you pray, you will feel a fiery moment of ineffable joy sweep through your heart, and when on your knees, you will feel an inexplicable affection in your soul and an imperative need to weep, know then that the grace of Christ is visiting you.

Persevere; my friend, and grace will come more and more often, until it lives in you permanently. You will then know a continuous state of grace, and the inner peace whose source is the forgiveness of Christ will transform itself into spiritual joy, which will invisibly radiate through every pore of your being. You will know the happiness of being forgiven and of forgiving.

Fr. George Calciu
Christ is Calling You!:
A Course in Catacomb Pastorship

Mystagogy has a lovely article about a miracle that took place in Greece five years ago.

“Orthodoxy is not merely a ritual, or belief, or pattern of behavior, or anything else that a man may possess, thinking that he is thereby a Christian, and still be spiritually dead; it is rather an ELEMENTAL REALITY OR POWER which transforms a man and gives him the strength to live in the most difficult and tormenting condition, and prepares him to depart with peace into eternal life. The essence of the true Orthodox life is GODLINESS or piety, which is, in definition of St. Nectarius of Optina, based on the etymology of the word, “holding what is God’s in honor.” This is deeper than mere right doctrine; it is the entrance of God into every aspect of life, life lived in trembling and fear of God. Such an attitude produces the Orthodox WAY OF LIFE which is not merely the outward customs or behavior that characterizes Orthodox Christians, but the whole of the conscious spiritual struggle of the man for whom the Church and its laws are the center of everything he does and thinks. The shared, conscious experience of this way of life, centered on the daily Divine services, produces the genuine Orthodox community, with its feeling of lightness, joy and inward quietness.”

Archbishop Andrew of New Diveyevo, New York

They are distinct from the world, because of their special conduct and their exemplary ethical life. They are known as the “anchorites” (from anachoresis: departure, flight); the hermits (from eremos: desert); and the monastics (from monos: alone, for a monastic “lives in the presence of God alone”).

Father Paisios suggested to one of this visitors
to go to confession.

He replied:
Father, why should I go to confession
since I will, again, fall into the same sins?

The Elder said:
During the war, when a soldier is injured in the
leg, he has to go to the doctor to take care of his
wound, so that he may fight again.
However, if he says: “Why should the doctor take
care of my wound, since I will be injured again,”
then his wound will be left uncovered and
exposed to bacteria; it will get infected and he
will eventually die of hemorrhage.

The same happens with confession.

You must go to confession; if you fall into the
same sins, you will once again confess them, until
you learn not to fall and stand on your feet.

Selected from Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain
From the Conversations and Homilies of Elder Paisios.