"Once one realizes they are entitled to nothing, they become grateful for everything."

Who is considered to be a healthy church member? And who is considered to be the opposite of a healthy church member?

Sure, the Church has all sorts of prayers for the fulfillment of all of one's needs. But in each one of us, as persons, in our souls and our thoughts can be installed a prayer that is small enough, yet very powerful: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner", the propensity to sin is chased out from your thoughts and ideas, and Christ dwells in your heart.

After the sack of Constantinople, many feared other European Christian kingdoms would suffer the same fate as Constantinople. Two possible responses emerged amongst the humanists and churchmen of that era: Crusade or dialogue. Pope Pius II strongly advocated for another Crusade, while Nicholas of Cusa supported engaging in a dialogue with the Ottomans.

The Fall of Constantinople (Greek: 'Αλωσις τής Κωνσταντινουπόλεως) was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire by an invading Ottoman army on 29 May 1453. Our Holy Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the anniversary of this event which sent shock waves throughout Christendom. The attackers were commanded by the 21-year old Sultan Mehmed II, who defeated an army commanded by Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos and took control of the imperial capital, ending a 53-day siege that began on 6 April 1453. After conquering the city, Sultan Mehmed transferred the capital of the Ottoman State from Edirne to Constantinople and established his court there.