Nativity Fast

Let us bring the sighs of the publican as an offering to God: On fasting with the abbess of Bistrița – Vâlcea Monastery

Stavrophore Anastasia Honcioiu, Abbess of Bistrița – Vâlcea Monastery, urges everyone “to bring to God the sighs of the publican” and to avoid despair by putting our trust in God. The abbess agreed to answer a few questions about fasting and preparing for the feast of the Lord’s Nativity. Basilica.ro: How should we fast? Stavrophore…

Dec 3, 2021Aurelian Iftimiu

Romanian Holy Synod urges practical solidarity among people in Nativity Fast encyclical

“We are going through an extremely difficult time in terms of safeguarding health and life, when many people are tried hard by the new epidemic which has extended globally. In this period we are in great need of prayer and brotherly support, in great need of getting closer to God and showing practical solidarity with…

Nov 18, 2021Ștefana Totorcea

Nativity Fast: Let Christ show us how He sees the world, Metropolitan Iosif urges

‘Let Christ show us how He sees the world, how He sees our neighbour and each of us, and let Him look through our eyes,’ urged Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe in a message at the beginning of the Nativity Fast 2020. The Romanian Metropolitan stressed that the effort during the fasting period…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Archbishop Calinic points to 3 conditions for Nativity Fast to achieve its intended purpose

Archbishop Calinic of Suceava and Radauti sent a message at the beginning of the Nativity Fast reminding that ‘fasting is an opportunity to free the body from the bondage of matter, which tends to manifest itself on the soul as well.’ ‘There are three inseparable conditions for fasting to achieve its intended purpose: forgiveness, almsgiving…

Nov 20, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Banat Metropolitan sends ‘vital message to divided society’: Adoration of the Magi is a call to unity and cooperation

In a message considered vital to a divided society, the Metropolitan of Banat referred to the adoration of Baby Jesus by the Magi as an impetus for unity, communion, and cooperation. “The Nativity of the Lord is an event that has blessed the history of the human race. The coming and the adoration of the…

Nov 16, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Nativity Fast begins: “Let us prepare our souls to become the cave in which Christ will be mystically born”

On the first day of the Nativity Fast, Sunday, November 15, 2020, Patriarch Daniel explained that we should use his fasting season as a time for preparing our souls to become a luminous cave in which Christ the Lord will be mystically born. “To the merciful love of God Who sent His only Son in…

Nov 15, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Daniel: Two weeks ahead of Nativity Fast, we listen to the most significant gospel passage

The Patriarch of Romania said that the Parable of the unmerciful rich man and Lazarus is the most significant of the gospel readings and was proclaimed last Sunday to help us prepare for the Nativity Fast. “The unmerciful rich man loses his salvation.” This is the conclusion of the parable with many spiritual meanings. “In…

Nov 2, 2020Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop of Maramures: Intensify good deeds during Nativity Fast. God gave us, let us give in return!

‘We are during the Nativity Fast, a sacred time, during which the first Sunday gospel readings relate about the danger of wealth, about the fact that it is not enough to combine fasting with prayer,’ His Grace Bishop Justin of Maramures said during his homily last Sunday. ‘We need to do many good deeds, especially…

Nov 29, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Bishop Visarion of Tulcea calls for prayer and good deeds in Nativity Fast message

His Grace Bishop Visarion of Tulcea is calling on the faithful to pray and perform good deeds during the Nativity Fast. In this year’s Nativity Fast message, the Orthodox Bishop of Tulcea invites believers to unite the liturgical life with Christian philanthropy, thus demonstrating to be brothers and sisters in Christ. ‘The Church urges us…

Nov 19, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Nativity Fast Begins: Let us receive Christ in the cave of our souls

The Nativity Fast is one of four main fast periods throughout the ecclesiastical year. Beginning on November 15 and concluding on December 24, the Nativity Fast gives individuals the opportunity to prepare for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour in the Flesh on December 25. By abstaining from certain food and…

Nov 15, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Husi Bishop says we should be addicted to the Bible like we are to our smartphones

‘It would be wonderful if the dependence on the word of God were at least directly proportional to the addiction to our smartphone,’ wrote Wednesday His Grace Bishop Ignatie of Husi on his Instagram account marking the Bible Day. He stressed that we are in ‘the age of word inflation,’ an inflation which lacks the…

Nov 14, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu