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This news is a bit old but I wanted to post and get the word out.
The Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos today mourns the dormition of our Elder Joseph of Vatopedi, one of the few remaining true Athonite elders who reposed this morning at 2:30, July 1, 2009. The Elder was born on July 1, 1921, on the celebration of the Holy Anargyroi (Saints Cosmas and Damian). After the dormition of his Elder, Joseph the Hesychast, he left the Skete where he lived and went to the Skete of the Holy Anargyroi. St Cosmas and St Damian were those who protected him throughout his life and those who chose to take him with them on the day of their celebration.
May his memory be eternal!
There's also a very interesting thread over at http://www.christianforums.com/t7387199/ with pictures, the most amazing part is that the expression on his face changed 45 minutes after his death. While I don't normally like viewing pictures of the deceased these are strangely reassuring.
I haven't posted anything here for a while so I just wanted to take a moment to wish everybody a joyous Pascha. This coming Holy Saturday I will be baptized into the church, my days as a Catachumen are almost over.
I'm looking forward to the day and I'm sure it will be an extremely profound moment in my life, to be honest this is the first time that I've felt peace for a long, long time. Pics will be posted when I get them.
Also, I would like to quote the words of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah:
Let the fruit of our Lenten efforts be the enlightenment of our minds and the renewal of our hearts that our repentance not be in vain.
Let us sing with joy together with the Angels and Archangels, and all creation which has groaned awaiting the revelation of the Son of Man. With all creation, the living and dead, the spiritual and material, and with all the saints, let us cry:
Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!
Христос Воскресе из мертвых, смертию смерть поправ, и сусщим во гробех живот даровав!
Χριστος ανεστη εκ νεκρων, θανατο θανατον πατησας και της εν τοις μνημασι ζωην χαρισαμενος.
I normally don't post very personal info on here but I've gone through a lot of changes in life recently, some that people may have noticed and some they may have not. What follows below is a short testimony on what is going on in my life.
After almost 30 years on this planet and studying various religions/philosophies I have finally found what I believe to be the true faith, Orthodox Christianity. As a former atheist it is a bit of a turn-around from what I used to think but when I look back on it atheism left me feeling empty and full of despair, life had no purpose. My atheist behavior also was a bit selfish as everything comes down to what I think, what *I* want instead of what God wants. Service to others is a very important concept in Christianity that I wish more people practiced.
As I started studying and researching religion and Christianity in particular something drew me to the Orthodox faith, almost like a magnet. To an outsider or non-believer a lot of the traditions seem silly or antiquated but there is a profound spiritual effect from making the sign of the cross, from participating in Divine Liturgy, and from taking of the antideron (bread).
The entire experience is a lot more involved and active compared to churches that have the congregation just sitting and watching, almost like they're watching TV. I have been to those types of services and it leaves me feeling cold and empty inside, unfulfilled. Without the sacraments and without the liturgy our vocation is not being fulfilled, our job is to come together and worship God together as part of the Royal Priesthood.
As we are created in God's image our purpose in life is to obtain theosis, that is to be like God. The fruits of this are kindness, patience, mercifulness, and joyfulness. Belief in God is not a burden, rather it brings joy to my life and I pray that God allows me to share that joy. I pray that God gives me wisdom to answer questions in a better way, to plant the seeds of faith which will one day bear fruit.
This coming Forgiveness Sunday (March 1st) I will officially become a Catachumen. This is the traditional time for the ceremoney and I'm a bit nervous but at the same time I'm looking forward to it. I will also be baptized in about two months so there's still time to prepare myself. The journey is a life long process as we work to become closer to God (theosis), it has brought me peace and a foundation to my life that I never had before.