There was an ascetic elder (geronda) and anchorite, who had been leading an ascetic life in a desert place for seventy years, in fasting, chastity and vigil. Although he labored for God for so many years, he was never accounted worthy to receive a vision, or revelation from God. Thinking about this and bearing this in mind he said, "Perhaps my ascesis (spiritual struggle) is not pleasing to God for some reason I do not know, and my work is unacceptable; and on account of this I am not able to receive a revelation or behold any mystery."

Six months before his appearing to the Most Holy Ever-Virgin Mary in Nazareth, the Great Gabriel, Archangel of the Lord, appeared to Zacharias the High Priest in the Temple in Jerusalem. Before he revealed the miraculous conception by a virgin who had not known a man, the Archangel revealed the wondrous conceiving by an old and barren woman. Zacharias was unable at once to believe the words of God's Herald, and for this, his tongue was bound in dumbness and remained thus until the eighth day after John's birth.

How is one to judge of a good deed, when one thought inclines us to do it, and another, on the contrary, counsels against it? How can one know in this case whether this is God's will, or a temptation from the enemy (Satan)?

We all naturally wish, and are commanded to be perfect. The Lord commands: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (St. Matthew 6:48). And Saint Paul admonishes: "In malice be ye children, but in understanding b men" (I Corinthians 14:20). In another place he says: "Stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" (Col 4:12); and again: "Let us go on unto perfection" (Hebrews 6:1). The same commandment is also found in the Old Testament. Thus God says to Israel in Deuteronomy: "Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God" (Deut. 18:18)...

The institution of the family is in a state of crisis throughout the world today. Saint John Chrysostom is regarded as the one who developed the theology of everyday life. This article presents position and counsels of Saint John Chrysostom regarding the most important aspect of everyday life, the family.

We are well aware that there are two directions in the Neo-paganistic circles. One is acutely antichristian and believes that Hellenism and Christianity are incompatible. The second is more prudent and conciliatory, although accepting the harsh criticism of the former, against "Judeo-Christianity." It believes however in a continuous "Helleno-Christianity", in the co-existence of the ancient and Christian world, of course with the understanding that Christianity has not added many original ideas, but the greater part has been taken from or is modified ancient ideas.