St. Elisabeth Convent
Channel
710
subscribers
1.16K
photos
7
videos
1.21K
links
Recent news and ministry updates of St. Elisabeth Convent, as well as other information about Orthodox Christianity that may be useful to those who are either making their first steps in Church or want to learn something new about our faith.
HOLY RIGHTEOUS ALEXEI MECHEV: "... BE LIKE SUNSHINE!"
Dear Friends,
Tomorrow we will commemorate the life and legacy of a truly remarkable soul, Father Alexei Mechev (30 March 1859 - 22 June 1923). His life of selfless love and service continues to inspire us all.
Priest Sergius Durylin, who served with Father Alexei Mechev, once said about him: "No one knows or will ever know how much he has helped and how many he has embraced with his love: it was his secret."
Father Alexei faced deep sorrow when he lost his wife and found himself caring for their young children. In these difficult moments, he turned to the wisdom of Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt, who advised, "Try to live with the people and enter into their grief. Take on someone else's grief, and you will see that your own sorrow is small and light compared to theirs, and you will be relieved."
Father Alexei took this advice and carried it with him throughout his life. He became a constant presence among the people, offering comfort when all seemed lost. People clung to him as their last ray of hope.
We invite you to explore Father Alexei's remarkable life and mission in our article:
https://obitel-minsk.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8bd3ea5b2e406904dcf8637fb&id=6c712aea80&e=8cd3c73499
Fr. Alexei's life was one of evangelical simplicity, wholly dedicated to the service of God and neighbour. He imparted inestimable wisdom to his spiritual children, saying:
"With tears, I ask and pray that you may be the sunshine that warms everyone around you or at least the family of which God has made you a member."
In these difficult times, his words resonate deeply. May God grant us the strength to heed them and to embody their spirit in our lives.
If you would like to send us a prayer request for a service dedicated to Saint Righteous Alexei Mechev, please the link to share the names of your loved ones. We will keep them in our prayers.
https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=prayer-request
Dear Friends,
Tomorrow we will commemorate the life and legacy of a truly remarkable soul, Father Alexei Mechev (30 March 1859 - 22 June 1923). His life of selfless love and service continues to inspire us all.
Priest Sergius Durylin, who served with Father Alexei Mechev, once said about him: "No one knows or will ever know how much he has helped and how many he has embraced with his love: it was his secret."
Father Alexei faced deep sorrow when he lost his wife and found himself caring for their young children. In these difficult moments, he turned to the wisdom of Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt, who advised, "Try to live with the people and enter into their grief. Take on someone else's grief, and you will see that your own sorrow is small and light compared to theirs, and you will be relieved."
Father Alexei took this advice and carried it with him throughout his life. He became a constant presence among the people, offering comfort when all seemed lost. People clung to him as their last ray of hope.
We invite you to explore Father Alexei's remarkable life and mission in our article:
https://obitel-minsk.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=8bd3ea5b2e406904dcf8637fb&id=6c712aea80&e=8cd3c73499
Fr. Alexei's life was one of evangelical simplicity, wholly dedicated to the service of God and neighbour. He imparted inestimable wisdom to his spiritual children, saying:
"With tears, I ask and pray that you may be the sunshine that warms everyone around you or at least the family of which God has made you a member."
In these difficult times, his words resonate deeply. May God grant us the strength to heed them and to embody their spirit in our lives.
If you would like to send us a prayer request for a service dedicated to Saint Righteous Alexei Mechev, please the link to share the names of your loved ones. We will keep them in our prayers.
https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=prayer-request
https://obitel-minsk.org/
Rich in Love: Holy Righteous Alexei Mechev
According to the memoirs of Priest Sergius Durylin, who served with him, Father Alexei Mechev was,
Miracles Amidst the Siege: How St. Sergius Defended the Trinity Lavra from Polish and Lithuanian Troops
‘If our enemies seek honour and glory from us, we will give it to them; if they desire gold and silver, we will offer that too; but we shall lay down our souls and shed our blood for the name of Christ and the Orthodox faith.’ With these words, St. Sergius blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy to rise against the ruler of the Golden Horde, Mamai, in 1380, in defence of Holy Russia. Even after his earthly life, St. Sergius of Radonezh continued to shield Russia from foreign invaders through his intercession before the Throne of God. One of the most striking examples of his miraculous help is found in the many appearances of St. Sergius during the 16-month siege of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra by Polish and Lithuanian forces between 1608 and 1610. This article is dedicated to these extraordinary events.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2024/09/miracles-amidst-the-siege
‘If our enemies seek honour and glory from us, we will give it to them; if they desire gold and silver, we will offer that too; but we shall lay down our souls and shed our blood for the name of Christ and the Orthodox faith.’ With these words, St. Sergius blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy to rise against the ruler of the Golden Horde, Mamai, in 1380, in defence of Holy Russia. Even after his earthly life, St. Sergius of Radonezh continued to shield Russia from foreign invaders through his intercession before the Throne of God. One of the most striking examples of his miraculous help is found in the many appearances of St. Sergius during the 16-month siege of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra by Polish and Lithuanian forces between 1608 and 1610. This article is dedicated to these extraordinary events.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2024/09/miracles-amidst-the-siege
The Catalog of Good Deeds
Miracles Amidst the Siege: How St. Sergius Defended the Trinity Lavra from Polish and Lithuanian Troops
‘If our enemies seek honour and glory from us, we will give it to them; if they desire gold and silver, we will offer that too; but we shall lay down our souls and shed
John Chrysostom once said something truly profound: 💌
God sends us the people
we need in our lives
to heal our pride.
<...>
The Greeks had a saying:
no matter where you go, you will always find what you carry within you. A person with a negative outlook will find negativity everywhere, while a positive person will see the good. Therefore, the people around you are part of your destiny, not as punishments, but as healers. They are like medicine—not to be spat out, but to be swallowed and digested. Only then will they begin to work.
💌
When you accept circumstances and people as they are, without trying to change them to fit your own desires, and instead focus on transforming yourself, life’s circumstances will shift—and people will seem better, everything will change for the better. ❤️
Start with yourself—this is a principle not only of spiritual life but also of our simple human existence. As long as we see problems as external, there's little we can change outside ourselves. The most important thing we can change is ourselves. That's where we all need to begin.
Archimandrite Melchizedek Artyukhin
God sends us the people
we need in our lives
to heal our pride.
<...>
The Greeks had a saying:
no matter where you go, you will always find what you carry within you. A person with a negative outlook will find negativity everywhere, while a positive person will see the good. Therefore, the people around you are part of your destiny, not as punishments, but as healers. They are like medicine—not to be spat out, but to be swallowed and digested. Only then will they begin to work.
💌
When you accept circumstances and people as they are, without trying to change them to fit your own desires, and instead focus on transforming yourself, life’s circumstances will shift—and people will seem better, everything will change for the better. ❤️
Start with yourself—this is a principle not only of spiritual life but also of our simple human existence. As long as we see problems as external, there's little we can change outside ourselves. The most important thing we can change is ourselves. That's where we all need to begin.
Archimandrite Melchizedek Artyukhin
PRAYERS AND MIRACLES: THE POWER OF ‘THE HEALER’ ICON
Dear Friends,
October 1st is the Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God known as ‘The Healer.’
According to tradition, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to a cleric of a Moscow church in the 18th century and healed him from a serious illness. Since then, many miracles have occurred through prayers offered before the icon of the Mother of God, ‘the Healer,’ and invoking her intercession.
Even today, miraculous healings continue. In our church, dedicated to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, there is a revered copy of the icon of the Mother of God, ‘The Healer.’
Nun Ekaterina (Lomonos), who serves in St. John’s church, has gathered many testimonies of healing through prayers before this icon. “The key is to approach with faith when offering your prayers to the Holy Theotokos,” she shares.
How has the Mother of God helped the faithful in our community? How did this icon come to our church, and what makes it unique?
I invite you to discover more about the Icon of the Mother of God known as ‘the Healer’ in our article below:
https://obitel-minsk.org/en/prayers-and-miracles-the-power-of-the-healer-icon
We invite you to send us your prayer requests to be remembered during the divine services and let us pray together to our Heavenly Protectress and Intercessor on this special day.
https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request
Dear Friends,
October 1st is the Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God known as ‘The Healer.’
According to tradition, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to a cleric of a Moscow church in the 18th century and healed him from a serious illness. Since then, many miracles have occurred through prayers offered before the icon of the Mother of God, ‘the Healer,’ and invoking her intercession.
Even today, miraculous healings continue. In our church, dedicated to St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, there is a revered copy of the icon of the Mother of God, ‘The Healer.’
Nun Ekaterina (Lomonos), who serves in St. John’s church, has gathered many testimonies of healing through prayers before this icon. “The key is to approach with faith when offering your prayers to the Holy Theotokos,” she shares.
How has the Mother of God helped the faithful in our community? How did this icon come to our church, and what makes it unique?
I invite you to discover more about the Icon of the Mother of God known as ‘the Healer’ in our article below:
https://obitel-minsk.org/en/prayers-and-miracles-the-power-of-the-healer-icon
We invite you to send us your prayer requests to be remembered during the divine services and let us pray together to our Heavenly Protectress and Intercessor on this special day.
https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request
https://obitel-minsk.org/
Send a prayer request
Fill in this prayer request form at our monastery website and our sisters will pray for you and your beloved ones (both orthodox and non-orthodox). You can send a prayer request free or make a donation.
The Light of Your Countenance
☦️ In the translation provided in our official OCA Divine Liturgy book of the festal material for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross there exists a puzzle. All of the material there is quite appropriate to the feast—the psalm for the First Antiphon is Psalm 22, which begins with Christ’s cry of dereliction from the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”, the refrain for the Second Antiphon is “O Son of God crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia!”, and the Prokeimenon uses Psalm 99, with its reference to the cross as Christ’s divine foot-stool. Everything pretty much fits in with the festal theme of the day—everything, that is, except the verse of the Communion Hymn, from Psalm 4: “The light of Your countenance has shone on us, O Lord”. It is a wonderful thought—the blessing that comes from God’s presence rests upon us, like light from the warming sun. Who wouldn’t want the light of God’s face resting upon them? But what does it have to do with the cross, which is the theme of the day? That is the puzzle.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/09/the-light-of-your-countenance
☦️ In the translation provided in our official OCA Divine Liturgy book of the festal material for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross there exists a puzzle. All of the material there is quite appropriate to the feast—the psalm for the First Antiphon is Psalm 22, which begins with Christ’s cry of dereliction from the cross, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”, the refrain for the Second Antiphon is “O Son of God crucified in the flesh, save us who sing to You: Alleluia!”, and the Prokeimenon uses Psalm 99, with its reference to the cross as Christ’s divine foot-stool. Everything pretty much fits in with the festal theme of the day—everything, that is, except the verse of the Communion Hymn, from Psalm 4: “The light of Your countenance has shone on us, O Lord”. It is a wonderful thought—the blessing that comes from God’s presence rests upon us, like light from the warming sun. Who wouldn’t want the light of God’s face resting upon them? But what does it have to do with the cross, which is the theme of the day? That is the puzzle.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/09/the-light-of-your-countenance
The Catalog of Good Deeds
The Light of Your Countenance
In the translation provided in our official OCA Divine Liturgy book of the festal material for the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross there exists a puzzle. All of the material there is quite
LEARNING THE RECIPE OF A GOOD LIFE
Together, they cook meals for all the residents of the farmstead, of whom there are over 200 at present.
Yevgeny explains: Although I am the leader, I do my share of the cooking on a par with the others. I do believe that a leader is not someone who stands aside and gives instructions to his subordinates, but who stands next to them and does his own fair share of the work. I am equal with everybody else, I just have some more duties than others. It has a lot to do with the way I was raised - my parents taught me to see others as my equals, who are not any better or any worse than myself; some may have a higher status, but status is never an indicator of superiority.
💬 Read full
Together, they cook meals for all the residents of the farmstead, of whom there are over 200 at present.
Yevgeny explains: Although I am the leader, I do my share of the cooking on a par with the others. I do believe that a leader is not someone who stands aside and gives instructions to his subordinates, but who stands next to them and does his own fair share of the work. I am equal with everybody else, I just have some more duties than others. It has a lot to do with the way I was raised - my parents taught me to see others as my equals, who are not any better or any worse than myself; some may have a higher status, but status is never an indicator of superiority.
💬 Read full
YOU CAN SEND YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS TO OUR SISTERS
We are ready to take your prayer request. The Sisters of our Convent will be glad to pray for you and your loved ones.
You can submit a prayer request for anything you wish:
- Prayers for yourself
- Prayers for a family member or a loved one
- Liturgy
- Prayers for healing
- Prayers for a deceased person
- Prayers for something you wish to happen/not happen
- Prayers for guidance
- Prayers for comfort
- Prayers to overcome challenges
Please click on this link to send your prayer requests 👉 https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request. As always, donations are welcome, but completely optional.
We are ready to take your prayer request. The Sisters of our Convent will be glad to pray for you and your loved ones.
You can submit a prayer request for anything you wish:
- Prayers for yourself
- Prayers for a family member or a loved one
- Liturgy
- Prayers for healing
- Prayers for a deceased person
- Prayers for something you wish to happen/not happen
- Prayers for guidance
- Prayers for comfort
- Prayers to overcome challenges
Please click on this link to send your prayer requests 👉 https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request. As always, donations are welcome, but completely optional.
THE ICHTHYS ORTHODOX SCHOOL: WHAT STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT
The patron saint of the school is Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk. Saint Euphrosyne is known for her work in the area of Christian enlightenment and catechism. She is also considered a patron saint of arts and education. Her feast day is widely celebrated at the school, and the annual pilgrimages are organized to Polotsk, the ancient city in Belarus where most of her ministry took place.
💬 Read full
The patron saint of the school is Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk. Saint Euphrosyne is known for her work in the area of Christian enlightenment and catechism. She is also considered a patron saint of arts and education. Her feast day is widely celebrated at the school, and the annual pilgrimages are organized to Polotsk, the ancient city in Belarus where most of her ministry took place.
💬 Read full
If and when it happens, to our great shame that we feel anger towards another, let us remember that the master of all evil, the devil, is sowing discord among people; so turn your wrath against him, the cause of all evil. People often become blind weapons in the hands of the spirit of evil and therefore deserve condescension and regret. When we harbour anger, insist on our will or take gratuitous pleasure in an unlawful act, the devil wields his power over us, dancing around triumphantly, while our guardian angel steps back in sadness.
To succumb to our anger and impatience is to punish ourselves for other people’s misdeeds.
Elder Arseny (Minin)
To succumb to our anger and impatience is to punish ourselves for other people’s misdeeds.
Elder Arseny (Minin)
The Hymn to the Theotokos “It Is Truly Meet”: Miracles and the Church Tradition
🙏🏻 Let us talk about the prayer to the Mother of God that has been said and chanted in our churches for over ten centuries. It is the text “It is truly meet,” the magnification of the Most Holy Theotokos. One remarkable detail about this text is that it consists of two parts.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2022/06/the-hymn-to-the-theotokos-it-is-truly-meet-miracles-and-the-church-tradition
🙏🏻 Let us talk about the prayer to the Mother of God that has been said and chanted in our churches for over ten centuries. It is the text “It is truly meet,” the magnification of the Most Holy Theotokos. One remarkable detail about this text is that it consists of two parts.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2022/06/the-hymn-to-the-theotokos-it-is-truly-meet-miracles-and-the-church-tradition
The Catalog of Good Deeds
The Hymn to the Theotokos "It Is Truly Meet": Miracles and the Church Tradition
As we continue our exploration of Orthodox liturgics, let us talk about the prayer to the Mother of God that has been said and chanted in our churches for over ten centuries. It is the
SAINT SILOUAN THE ATHONITE
God's chosen one, conquering the hearts of academics and students, housewives and AI professionals, theologians and church neophytes... Today he is known to the entire Orthodox world. Human souls humble themselves before his holiness, forgetting everything earthly and becoming filled with peace, joy and prayer. The simplicity of his communion with the Lord and his evangelical, child-like faith touch hearts. Behind it, however, there is a half-century's worth of ascetic labour.
💬 Read full
God's chosen one, conquering the hearts of academics and students, housewives and AI professionals, theologians and church neophytes... Today he is known to the entire Orthodox world. Human souls humble themselves before his holiness, forgetting everything earthly and becoming filled with peace, joy and prayer. The simplicity of his communion with the Lord and his evangelical, child-like faith touch hearts. Behind it, however, there is a half-century's worth of ascetic labour.
💬 Read full
📿Order your thoughts, and you will behold the world with new eyes.
📿Each person perceives in others what he has come to know in himself through spiritual experience. Thus, a man's attitude towards his neighbour is a true reflection of the depth of his own self-knowledge.
📿God nurtures the human soul, not by shielding it from evil, but by granting it the strength to overcome every evil.
Venerable Silouan of Mount Athos
📿Each person perceives in others what he has come to know in himself through spiritual experience. Thus, a man's attitude towards his neighbour is a true reflection of the depth of his own self-knowledge.
📿God nurtures the human soul, not by shielding it from evil, but by granting it the strength to overcome every evil.
Venerable Silouan of Mount Athos
LEARN ABOUT ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE SAINTS
Dear Friends,
Today, September 24, we celebrate the memory of St. Silouan of Athos, one of the greatest saints of the twentieth century.
In the words of St. Nikolaj Velimirovic, "There is only one thing to say about this remarkable monastic: the sweetest of souls! One conversation with Father Silouan was enough to make anyone grow fond of him. 'The Lord loves us inexpressibly,' he used to say to everyone."
The simplicity of his communion with God and his evangelical, child-like faith touch hearts. Behind it, however, there is a half-century's worth of ascetic labour. What brought Father Silouan to Athos? What were the words the Lord spoke when He appeared to the young ascetic?
Find out from our article:
https://obitel-minsk.org/en/saint-silouan-the-athonite?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=saint-silouan
Another great saint, Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), was a disciple of St. Silouan of Athos. His book, Saint Silouan the Athonite has turned many people's lives around and led them to the living God.
In our Convent, we feel the connection with both of these Saints, whom we love very much and to whom we often pray.
We invite you to join us in our prayers. Please use the link below to send us a prayer request
https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request
Dear Friends,
Today, September 24, we celebrate the memory of St. Silouan of Athos, one of the greatest saints of the twentieth century.
In the words of St. Nikolaj Velimirovic, "There is only one thing to say about this remarkable monastic: the sweetest of souls! One conversation with Father Silouan was enough to make anyone grow fond of him. 'The Lord loves us inexpressibly,' he used to say to everyone."
The simplicity of his communion with God and his evangelical, child-like faith touch hearts. Behind it, however, there is a half-century's worth of ascetic labour. What brought Father Silouan to Athos? What were the words the Lord spoke when He appeared to the young ascetic?
Find out from our article:
https://obitel-minsk.org/en/saint-silouan-the-athonite?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=saint-silouan
Another great saint, Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), was a disciple of St. Silouan of Athos. His book, Saint Silouan the Athonite has turned many people's lives around and led them to the living God.
In our Convent, we feel the connection with both of these Saints, whom we love very much and to whom we often pray.
We invite you to join us in our prayers. Please use the link below to send us a prayer request
https://obitel-minsk.org/prayer-request
https://obitel-minsk.org/
Saint Silouan the Athonite
St Silouan of Athos was born in Russia in 1866. September 24, the day of the Saint's repose, is now celebrated at St. Panteleimon Monastery (Athos) as a panigiri (one of the monastery's main feasts).
Tatyana Grimblit, Saint Anastasia of Sirmum of Our Time
☦️ The great feats of martyrdom exemplified by the early Christian saints may seem to us a matter of the distant parts no longer relevant to our time. But did you know that the number of Christians who died for their faith under Soviet rule exceeded that of the Christian martyrs of the early times? Tatiana Grimblit is one of the new martyrs for the faith. Like the Great Martyr Anastasia of Sirmium, she gave help and reassurance to those imprisoned for their faith and died a martyr’s death for doing so.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/09/tatyana-grimblit-saint-anastasia-of-sirmum-of-our-time
☦️ The great feats of martyrdom exemplified by the early Christian saints may seem to us a matter of the distant parts no longer relevant to our time. But did you know that the number of Christians who died for their faith under Soviet rule exceeded that of the Christian martyrs of the early times? Tatiana Grimblit is one of the new martyrs for the faith. Like the Great Martyr Anastasia of Sirmium, she gave help and reassurance to those imprisoned for their faith and died a martyr’s death for doing so.
Continue reading: https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2021/09/tatyana-grimblit-saint-anastasia-of-sirmum-of-our-time
The Catalog of Good Deeds
Tatyana Grimblit, Saint Anastasia of Sirmum of Our Time
The great feats of martyrdom exemplified by the early Christian saints may seem to us a matter of the distant parts no longer relevant to our time. But did you know that the number of
🤍 If the Lord has given us life, placed us in certain circumstances, and continues to sustain our existence, it means that our life holds purpose for someone or something.
🤍 Be patient, do not become irritated, and above all, do not harbour anger. Evil can never be defeated by evil; it cannot be driven away by it. It fears only love; it trembles before goodness.
🤍 The Lord's doors of mercy are always open. And if we push them only gently, they will swing wide on their own. That gentle push is our humble prayer: "I am Yours, save me."
🤍 It's best to forget past sorrows, not to dwell on them or reopen healing wounds. As the Apostle instructs, let's forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, moving forward with hope.
Saint Athanasius Sakharov
🤍 Be patient, do not become irritated, and above all, do not harbour anger. Evil can never be defeated by evil; it cannot be driven away by it. It fears only love; it trembles before goodness.
🤍 The Lord's doors of mercy are always open. And if we push them only gently, they will swing wide on their own. That gentle push is our humble prayer: "I am Yours, save me."
🤍 It's best to forget past sorrows, not to dwell on them or reopen healing wounds. As the Apostle instructs, let's forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, moving forward with hope.
Saint Athanasius Sakharov