Orthodox Odyssey

Concerning the Panagia – Most Holy Theotokos Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite says that because our Panagia had no high opinion of Herself, She never sinned! This is magnificent! Why? Because She had perfect self-knowledge. You see, when the Archangel Gabriel visited Her and told Her, "you will give birth to the Savior of the world," She did not become conceited. She did not say, "well, I am important, there is no one else like me." She wondered! "How is this possible for me?"... And when he explained to Her that the Holy Spirit would come and it would happen that way, She glorified God who looked upon, She says, "the humility of His maidservant"; "He looked upon me, who am nothing, a zero." She had this perfect knowledge of Herself, that She is nothing, a zero! And precisely because She held this view that She is a zero, a piece of nothing, that is why She never sinned. The more a person holds a high opinion of themselves, the more they sin. The higher their opinion, the more they sin and the more they suffer; they are crushed by sin. The lesser opinion they hold, the less they sin, the less they suffer, the less they are crushed, and thus, the smaller their falls are. And when one reaches the point of having a zero opinion of oneself, then they experience no crushing and no fall. This is what the Fathers mean when they say that "pride precedes a fall." Pride always comes before every fall. *Hieromonk Savvas Agioritis (Homily, June 23, 2021)*

Today we commemorate Saint Tikhon, Bishop of Voronezh, Wonderworker of Zadonsk and All Russia Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102287 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/13 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Saint Paisios the Athonite "Ask for repentance in your prayer and nothing else,neither for divine lights, nor miracles, nor prophecies, nor spiritual gifts- nothing but repentance. Repentance will bring you humility, humility will bring you the Grace of God, and God will have in His Grace everything you need for your salvation, or anything you might need to help another soul."

Today we commemorate Martyrs Anicletus and Photius of Nicomedia, and those with them Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102279 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/12 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Today we commemorate Martyr and Archdeacon Euplus of Catania Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102264 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/11 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Today we commemorate Martyr and Archdeacon Laurence, and those with him, of Rome Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102258 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/10 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Today we commemorate Venerable Pimen the Much-Ailing of the Kiev Near Caves Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102220 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/07 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Today we commemorate Righteous Nonna, mother of Saint Gregory the Theologian Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102214 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/05 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Today we commemorate the 7 Holy Youths “Seven Sleepers” of Ephesus Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102195 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/04 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

"We all have to die, beloved brethren, and it will be hard for us if, while we are in this world, we do not love each other, if we are not reconciled to our enemies, whom we have offended, and if one has grieved another, if we do not forgive him. Then we will not have eternal blessedness in that world, and the heavenly Father will not forgive our sins." + St. Peter of Cetinje

Today we commemorate Venerable Isaac the Ascetic of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102189 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/03 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

God doesn't need our prayers—we do. When we pray to God, we're actually talking to Him just as we talk to one another. —Elder Thaddeus

Today we commemorate Blessed Basil of Moscow the Fool-For-Christ Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102185 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/02 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

"What is most important for the spiritual life is consistency, faithfulness, and regularity in prayer." + Starets Serge

Today we commemorate the 7 Holy Maccabee Martyrs Read the account: https://www.oca.org/saints/id/lives/102162 More saints commemorated today: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2026/08/01 Music downloads: https://www.oca.org/liturgics/music-downloads/august #saints #feastsandsaints

Saint John the Much Suffering Tormented by fleshly lust from which nothing could deliver him, venerable John prayed at the relics of Saint Anthony and received guidance to become a recluse, so that through seclusion and silence he might weaken his vexation. Settling in a cave, he struggled for 30 years, accepting many sorrows for the sake of chastity. Often tempted to forsake his path, he resolved to greater effort. The holy warrior of Christ dug a pit and climbed into it, covered to his shoulders for all of Great Lent. The Enemy of mankind terrorized John for days in the form of a fire-breathing serpent until, on the night of the Resurrection, it held the saint's head in its jaws. Crying out to God from the depths of his heart, John was finally freed when, with a bolt of lightning, the serpent vanished. John learned that he was allowed to suffer and struggle with temptation for so long so that he might be purified like gold. Saint John remains a powerful intercessor for deliverance from sexual impurity.