Asterios, Claudios (Klavdios), Neon, and Neonilla, all siblings and martyrs, were Christians who dwelt together and had substantial wealth. They lived during the reign of the pagan Roman emperor Diocletian (384-305 A.D.), when Lysias was governor of Cilicia. After the children's mother reposed, they continued to live with their father and stepmother. At length, their father also reposed, and the stepmother attempted to unjustly retain possession of their parents' possessions. Therefore, in the year 288 A.D. the stepmother betrayed them to the pagan governor, accusing them of being Christians.

The word eternity is frightful! To understand in part what eternity means. I shall give you an example. Imagine that the whole earth is one big piece of granite, and every thousand years a bird comes to sharpen its beak on this rock. When the entire rock is worn away by the bird sharpening its beak, then we have some faint notion of what eternity means--not that we have actually understood eternity, immortality, or life without end! So this life of ours here on earth determines our eternity, like flipping a coin: Paradise or hell! Therefore, how much caution must we have!...

ow does the Orthodox Christian Church view the Mysteria (ries) (Sacraments) specifically Holy Communion?

Some teach that Holy Communion or the Lord's Mystical ("Last") Supper (which Orthodox Christians call "the Eucharist") is only a sign or symbol. Most of Christendom, however, believes it is far more. The Orthodox Church has always believed that we, in a mystery, receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. What do Holy Scripture teach concerning Holy Communion?

During the reign of the impious Diocletian, who raised up a great persecution against the Christians, there lived in the city of Iconium a fair and noble maiden named Parasceva. Her parents, who were Orthodox, reared her well, instructing her in the holy faith and teaching her to keep the Lord's commandments. However, they reposed in the Lord while their blessed daughter was still very young, so she was left as their considerable estate.

The older I grew, the more I perceive the instability the vanity of earthly things. Oh, why do we trouble ourselves in vain? Our life is short--dust, ashes, a dream--and in a little while we shall taste corruption. Today you have your health, and tomorrow you lose it; today you are laughing, and tomorrow you are sullen. Now your eyes are shedding tears from an abundance of joy, and soon they will be shedding tears from pain and grief; today the economy is stable, and tomorrow misfortune strikes; today you receive good news, and in a little while bad news replaces it.