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Why we fast and mourn? – Photo journal from Vespers of Forgiveness

18 comments
Mar 01 2017

Mourning, according to God, is sadness of soul, and the disposition of a sorrowing heart, which ever madly seeks that for which it thirsts; and when it fails in its quest, it painfully pursues it, and follows in its wake grievously lamenting. Or thus: mourning is a golden spur in a soul which is stripped of all attachment and of all ties, fixed by holy sorrow to watch over the heart.

So, keep a firm hold of the blessed joy-grief of holy compunction, and do not stop working at it until it raises you high above the things of this world and presents you pure to Christ.

Based on St. John of the Ladder

In the following photos you will see candid shots from the Vespers of Forgiveness, a very impressive service held at the beginning of the Great Lent at which everyone as for forgiveness from all the others.

 

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Mourning, according to God, is sadness of soul, and the disposition of a sorrowing heart, which ever madly seeks that for which it thirsts; and when it fails in its quest, it painfully pursues it, and follows in its wake grievously lamenting. Or thus: mourning is a golden spur in a soul which is stripped of all attachment and of all ties, fixed by holy sorrow to watch over the heart. So, keep a firm hold of the blessed joy-grief of holy compunction, and do not stop working at it until it raises you high above the things of this world and presents you pure to Christ. Based on St. John of the Ladder In the following photos you will see candid shots from the Vespers of Forgiveness, a very impressive service held at the beginning of the Great Lent at which everyone as for forgiveness from all the others.

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  • Ntinos On

    Almost 5 months without ‘Spiritual gift of the Day’….I hope the site will go up again….we miss it sooo much…it was like our little escape!….the photos, all those kind and sweet words-reminders from the Fathers, the Gerontikon, …our pray is to have tehse posts up again…If God’s will is not to, then we have to obey….so, let’s leave it to God’s will…

  • Orthodox Faithful

    Happy the Great Feast of the “Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Mother of God, Saint Mary, the Personification of Purity”! This Feast celebrates also the Protection afforded the faithful through the intercessions of the Theotokos

    Our Most Holy Theotokos was also on Holy Mount Athos, about which, the Mother of God prophetically spoke: “This place shalt be allotted Me, given unto Me by My Son and My God. I wilt be the Patroness for this place and Intercessor to God for it”.

    So, You, Blessed Holy Fathers on Mount Athos, are always under the Care of Your Holy Mother, Saint Mary!

    Being humble, kindly asking You Archimandrite Ephraim and Holy Fathers, to take care for this Prayer:

    “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,

    please The Ever-Blessed Holy Theotokos,

    intercede for us to the One Mediator Jesus Christ,

    Who is present at the Right hand of God,

    to give people in the world the opportunity to read again New Daily Spiritual Lessons in this Website “AsceticExperience.com”,

    because we are weak and we are in emergent need to advance in our spiritual lives.”

    Then, Jesus Christ Himself intercedes for us before the Father, and then we thank God when we will read again Daily Spiritual Lessons in this website, which we hope, will never stop such wonderful publications.

    Please Archimandrite Ephraim and Holy Fathers have sympathy for people in the world and help them to change and be near with God while reading Spiritual Lessons in this website.

    Someone who reads this message: Kindly asking you to give this message to Archimandrite Ephraim hoping He will help for the fulfillment of the prayer.

    May everyone be Orthodox and have the Protection of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos Always!

    Glory to God for All Things!

  • Orthodox

    WE WISH YOU HOLY FATHERS OF MOUNT ATHOS, ALL FRIENDS OF THIS AMAZING WEBSITE AND EVERYONE ELSE:

    HAPPY THE GREAT FEAST OF PENTECOST, THE TRINITY DAY OR THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON THE APOSTLES AND HOLY THEOTOKOS, AND THROUGH THEM ON OTHER PEOPLE OF ALL GENERATIONS!

    MAY ALL OF YOU BE FILLED WITH HOLY SPIRIT NOW AND FOREVER!

    IN THIS SPECIAL DAY WE ARE KINDLY ASKING YOU HOLY FATHERS TO REOPEN THIS WONDERFUL WEBSITE FOR PUBLICATION OF OTHER DAILY SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR KIND CARE!

    GOD BLESS YOU ALL ABUNDANTLY!

  • Orthodox

    HAPPY EASTER 2017!

    HAPPY THE GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA!

    THANK YOU ASCETICEXPERIENCE.COM TEAM FOR EXCELLENT DIVINE SPIRITUAL GIFTS!

    MAY LORD REOPEN THIS WEBSITE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

    MAY GOD BLESS THE TEAM OF THIS AMAZING WEBSITE, ALL HOLY MONKS OF MOUNT ATHOS AND EVERYONE WITH ALL VIRTUES!

  • e.s.

    Dear Fathers,

    This is a Very Special Day “The Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos”. On 7 April it will be Very Special Day for you too.

    We have visited this great website regularly, every day, to find the Spiritual Gift of the Day to remind us that we should Choose the Way of the Lord.
    Since 2 March we miss so much these Spiritual Lessons. We are very sad for the daily Spiritual Lessons interruption. The days are not like before. They are sad days compare with the days which have been illuminated by the Light of Holy God’s Word found in this website.

    We know examples of Saints who were given from God Spiritual Gifts like those of Healing, Help, Teaching or other gifts. As we read in the book “Gerontikon – The Ancient Fathers of the Desert”, in case it happened that one of them was not able to perform anymore a miracle for people based on the gift given by God to him, he has asked God: “Please God, tell me where I was wrong?”. God told him where he was wrong because God Loves People and would like for anyone to be Holy as soon as possible. Then the person corrected himself, and the Spiritual Gift was given to him again by God.
    Based on Job 4:18 “Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:”, we know that everyone sins, even without knowing he is sinning. It means, that everyone should not have been allowed by God to continue his activity. But God is Good. That’s why He is telling mistakes when people don’t know about them, and He is allowing them to continue their activities, especially when those activities are done with Love in Christ for people.

    We are kindly asking you, following the example of God, that in case someone from those who published in this website did something you don’t agree, please tell him to correct himself and to not repeat the mistake anymore. We ask you in the Name of Christ.

    Please make it possible for this website to continue the daily spiritual publications as soon as possible. Please help thousands followers of this website to continue read this amazing website and to be so nearer with God.

    May the Holy Theotokos intercedes for you in Heavens to be Blessed Always!

  • Pingback: Recomandări de pe asceticexperience.com (IV) | Sfântul Munte Athos()

  • alex

    The joy of communal prayer and Christian love shines out from these shots, thank you so much for sharing them and may God bless you richly during the coming days and weeks of Great Lent.

    • Orthodox

      Hi Alex,
      Hope you are fine!
      Do you know about Brother Ioan Toma during these times? Why there are no posting here since 1 March? We know that Brother Ioan Toma is very correct and responsible person, and it can not be having no post here without a notification.
      Thank a lot for your answer.

      • alex

        Hi
        No, I do not know why there has been no postings from Bro. Ioan Toma just recently. I have assumed that there was a problem with the internet server. But, I have been praying that everything is okay and will continue to pray until I hear something. I`m sure that you miss the daily postings…just as I miss them.
        God bless you.
        Alex

        • Orthodox

          Thank you for your kind answer.
          We should pray and hope that everything should be OK soon, just like before, in order to continue reading here excellent very carefully selected Spiritual Lessons, which are helping a lot us in the world.
          God bless you too abundantly.

          • alex

            Well, it is now four weeks since the last Spiritual Gift of the Day on this website and just like e.s. who posted five days ago, I miss the daily intake of Christian Spirituality. In this period of Great Lent there is so much we can share and benefit from. Whatever is happening, I am leaving it in God`s hands, imploring Him to give us the opportunity to learn again some of the wonderful and life giving wisdom from The Holy Mountain, which I am looking forward to visiting in May. Mother of God and our Mother, pray for the monks of Mt Athos and for us all.

          • Orthodox

            Lucky you Alex to be soon in Mount Athos.
            Congratulations for your decision.
            I hope you will be also at Vatopaidi monastery.
            If yes, may I ask you something about for the time you will be there please? If it’s not problem for you please send me an e-mail at emss(at)yahoo.co.uk
            Thank you very much in advance for your kind help.
            God bless you forever!

          • Orthodox

            Sorry for the mistake. Please use: emss10(at)yahoo.co.uk
            Thank you for your kind help.

          • alex

            Yes, I certainly will send you an e mail from Mt Athos. Please confirm your e mail address because when I entered emss@yahoo.co.uk in my address book I was told it did not exist! Thank you and God Bless. Alex.

          • Orthodox

            Please send me an e-mail before going in Mt. Athos if it’s not a problem for you. I would like to ask you for doing something when you will be there please.
            Sorry for the mistake. Please use the address emss10(at)yahoo.co.uk
            Thanks a lot in advance and have Blessings always.

  • eduard/j

    Ce simbolizeaza cele 2 prescuri si cele 2 potire mici pe care le poarta parintii in maini? Am vazut in fotografii ca se taie si se imparte parintilor. Apoi fiecare trece prin dreptul potirelor si probabil inmoaie prescura. Va rog sa ne explicati ce semnificatie aceasta randuiala?
    Multumesc frumos!

    • eduard/j

      HRISTOS A INVIAT!!

      • Orthodox

        Indeed He is risen!

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