Seven deacons

Niconian: Here is the 15th canon of the Neocæsarian council: “The deacons ought to be seven in number, according to the canon, even if the city be great. Of this you will be persuaded from the Book of the Acts”. The 16th canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council anulls this canon despite the fact that it was based on the Book of the Acts. The commentary on the 16th canon says: “The fathers of that council poorly understood the words from the Book of the Acts regarding seven deacons”. This is a good proof that Church can abolish and change even those traditions that are based on the Apostolic Acts.

Last week during the trip to his spiritual children from Syzran’ and Toliyati, Father George Gusev got into a car accident. His car was seriously damaged and the priest himself was brought to a hospital with injuries.

At this time, fr. George is at home and his life is not in danger but the treatment and recovery are going to take some time.

We ask all christians to pray for the recovery of Father George.

Patron feast

Protection of the Mother of God Cathedral celebrates its feast day.

More here

Lamb

This is the first excerpt from the debate between D. Varakin (an Old Believer) and a niconian missionary.  More to follow.

Niconian: Prior to the Sixth Ecumenical Council  the Church of Christ had a custom to depict Christ as a lamb to which the Forerunner points. The Sixth Ecumenical Council abolished this custom with the 82nd canon, which established to depict Christ only in the human form. This is my first example. If you think that we cannot cancel traditions of the Church, it means that the Sixth E.C. made a mistake. But can we really dare to say that the Holy Ecumenical Council made a mistake and became impious after this cancellation?! What do you have to say to this?

Church

Since the city has become quiet, the devil aimed at disturbing the Church. Wretched and most wicked demon, you could not master walls, and do you think to shake the Church? Is the Church made up of walls? The Church is in the multitude of the faithful. What an array of immutable pillars, not clasped by iron, but bound by faith! I say not that so vast a multitude is more ardent than fire, but if it consisted of one, you would not overcome that one. You know what wounds the martyrs inflicted on you. Many a time a tender maiden has been brought into court; she was softer than wax, and she became harder than a rock. You tore her sides, yet you took not her faith. The flesh languished whilst the strength of faith was not weakened : the body was being spent, the spirit was renewed : the physical frame was perishing, yet piety endured. You have not conquered a single woman, and do you hope to conquer so numerous a people? Do you not hear the Lord saying, Wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them. Where is not this people whom charity binds?

St. John Chrysostom. Homily before the exile.

Dormition in Târgu Frumos, Romania

Dormition of the Holy Theotokos is also the “altar feast-day” for the Belokrinitsky church in the city of Târgu Frumos. The service was led by bishop Nathaniel of Moldavia along with the priests of the eparchy.