As We Commune
Grant me estrangement from passions, and the increase of Thy Grace, and assurance of life by my participation in
Thy Holy Mysteries, O Christ.
FOLLOWING MORNING & EVENING PRAYERS
"O my King, You are nearer to me than my breath and dwell deeper within me than my thoughts."
From the love of St Nikolai Velimirovich
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
October 12 ns
2025
2025
St. Kyriakós the Anchorite
Today the Church honors and celebrates the sacred memory of Blessed Kyriakós the Anchorite, who was born in Corinth in 408. His father was called Ioannis and was a priest, while his mother was Evdoxia. The then bishop of Corinth, Petros, who was Kyriakós’ uncle on his father’s side, ordained him reader. But Kyriakós did not find inner peace in Corinth and so, at the age of eighteen, he left for Jerusalem. There were many monasteries there at that time and some great ascetics, among whom he wished to live. His soul took wings and soared with divine love; he was captured and drawn by the eremitic life.
Going to Jerusalem, Saint Kyriakós found Saint Evthymios who made him a monk and sent him to Saint Gerásimos the Jordanite. Saint Evthýmios and Saint Gerásimos are great names in the history of asceticism. Saint Kyriakós lived with them, particularly Saint Gerásimos, from whom he was inseparable. When Saint Gerásimos fell asleep in the Lord, Saint Kyriakós returned to Saint Evthymios. But wherever he was, Saint Kyriakós performed his duties willingly and without complaint. since he always had in mind God’s words: “Cursed be they who do the works of the Lord without care” [Jer. 31, 10 (Septuagint)]
When he returned to the monastery of Saint Evthymios, Saint Kyriakós was ordained a priest. He remained there for many years and was so gentle and ascetic that no one ever saw him angry, nor even eating. He ate just enough to keep body and soul together, when night began to fall in his cell. When he was seventy-seven years old, Saint Kyriakós left the monastery for the desert and, at the age of ninety-nine left that for an even more remote spot. He always had a lion with him for company and protection.
Saint Kyriakós fell asleep in the Lord at the age of one hundred and seven, and was, until the end, just as ascetic and robust in body. In the depths of old age, he had all his faculties, just as if he were still young. He was a well-built, handsome person, with manly grace, most venerable and imposing to those who approached him. And everyone came to him, because he was gentle and kindly. Since he didn’t stay in one place and one monastery, but went from Saint Evthymios to Saint Gerásimos, back to Saint Evthymios and out into the desert, then into another desert, he was given the name of “anchorite” [from the Greek verb αναχωρέω, meaning “to withdraw”].
ORTHROS
Saint John 20:1-10 KJV
20 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.
2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
2 Corinthians 9:6-11 KJV
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
Saint Luke 6:31-36 KJV
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
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| Monk George - a hermit on the Holy Mountain |
It has been well proven from the lives of the saints, and science recognizes it as well, that abstinence and moral purity are factors in bodily health and long life. Most bodily illnesses which afflict people and make them old before their time are the result of moral turpitude and abuse. On the other hand, people who have respected their bodies as the animate temple of God and have not been enslaved to the passions, have lived long and died “well-stricken in years”. Saint Kyriakos was one hundred and seven years and still had a lively mind and all his other faculties.
Hermitage - the Holy Mountain
But it’s true that our own age is not much interested in talking about asceticism. These days people worship their bodies, without knowing how to respect and love them. They’re very extrovert and goal-orientated and want nothing to do with crucifying the body, self-denial, voluntary poverty and deprivation, obedience and humility.
This is what asceticism (ascesis) is all about. These things are what constitute the lives of those whom Christ called “people of violence”: “The Kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence and people of violence take it by force” [St. Matt. 11, 12].
One of the great ascetics and men of violence towards the Kingdom of God is Blessed Kyriakos the anchorite. Amen.
DUPLICATION
LEST WE FORGET
Lucifer loves this world because
so many souls live for it
and when it dies, their souls
join him.
Read St. Silouan again so you never forget
Who you belong to
{Ed.}
The Lord loves mankind but He
sends affliction that we may perceive
our weakness and humble ourselves
and for this humility, we receive the
Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit all
things are good, all things are joyful,
all things are well.
Know, you peoples, that we were made
in order to glorify God in heaven, and
don't attach yourselves to the earth.
Because God is our Father and He loves
us, His greatly desired children. People
who don't know grace, don't seek it.
People have become attached to the earth
and this is why most of them don't know
that there's nothing earthly which can
compare with the sweetness of the
Holy Spirit.
To believe that God exists is one thing;
To know God is another.
The soul that comes to know God fully,
no longer desires anything else.
Nor does it attach itself
to anything on the earth;
and if you put before it a Kingdom,
it would not desire it. For the love
of God gives such sweetness and joy
to the soul that even the life of a king
can no longer give it any sweetness.
God's love is so deep that He can infinitely love and endure billions upon billions of His Children, Who, beyond all His incomparable, incomprehensible and immeasurable Gifts, were made in His own Image - and yet pay no attention to Him at all. {Ed.}
or
This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me.
If we love Christ very much,
prayer will say itself.
Christ will continually be in
our mind and in our heart.
St. Porphyrios of Athos
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