What Church is heaven sent?
Once the novitiates came to the Reverend and said:
– Father, we are often asked about the following: “There are so many churches in our wicked world, which of them brings salvation?”
The Reverend replied:
– Go and fetch wood pieces to my cell, as much as you can.
After a while each of the novitiates delivered so many logs they would be unable to take them back. It was getting dark. The novitiates knocked on the elder’s cell door; he came out and saw a big wood stack.
– Lay the fire, – uttered the elder man.
The night fell, yet the darkness did not hide anybody, since the flame was burning powerfully. The novitiates sat down waiting for what was to happen next.
The Reverend said to one of them then:
– Take a log out of the fire and throw it to the side.
The young man did as he was told to. The log had been smoldering for a while before it blew out.
The fire was still burning, lighting the people… Some time later the Reverend asked again to take a piece of wood out of the fire and put it aside.
They fulfilled his promise again like they did before. The log fell on the ground and blew out in the end. The fire was no longer that big but kept burning and producing light.
The elder made similar requests several times.
Finally, resting on his staff, the old man stood up and, pointing to the blown out logs around them, said:
– In front of you there are churches which got separated from the true Church of Jesus Christ. You asked about them. Like the fire abandoned those logs, the grace of God abandoned those churches.
Afterwards he turned to the fire and added:
– And this is a Holy Conciliar Apostolic Church. Though the fire is small, it continues to burn. At that moment the sun rose, lit everything and the Reverend added:
– Similarly the Holy Conciliar Apostolic Church will stand till the end of time, preserving fully and invariably teachings and sacraments, till the Advent of Jesus Christ Who will appear in His Glory to judge the alive and the dead.
Read also
On Eucharistic and marital fasting
In addition to the multi-day and one-day fasts in a Christian’s life, there are other forms of abstinence. Chief among them are the Eucharistic and marital fasts.
How faith shaped our culture
From the Church of the Tithes and St. Sophia Cathedral to the Vladimir Icon – recalling the great masterpieces of Kyivan Rus born of the Orthodox faith.
The human being is an instrument in the orchestra of eternity
Philosopher Jean Fenyo suggested that the eighth day of each month should be celebrated as International Infinity Day. And so it has come to be – at least, if we are to believe certain calendars.
Fasting is not a dogma: how to fast with discernment
Climate, food prices, and health – what the Holy Fathers say about fasting and why the Typikon cannot be followed literally.
Typikon as a tuning fork of church life: the rule on fasting
Many believe that fasting should be done strictly "according to the statute." What does the Typikon actually prescribe about fasting and how does this relate to our church life?
Typikon: The rulebook few have read, yet everyone follows
It is rarely read, even more rarely understood, and at best followed in fragments. What do we need to know about the Church’s principal liturgical book to serve not by the letter, but in spirit?