Queen of All Skete
Queen of All Skete
Read about some of our most beloved Saints and Martyrs.
A Contemporary Account of Saint Nicholas in China
A Contemporary Account of Saint Nicholas in China
Ο Άγιος Νικόλαος στην Κίνα
From Δεικτες Πορειας, a collection of sermons and writings by Meletios, Metropolitan of Nikopoleos (+2012), published by the Holy Monastery of Prophet Elias, 2019, Preveza, Greece. This passage he had translated from Russian into Greek.
Translated for the Queen of All Skete into English by Gerontissa Theonymphe, Παναγιοπουλα Μετοχι (Panagiopoula Μετochi), Corfu, Greece
There beside the Pasing River in China are the ruins of a church which was dedicated to Saint Nicholas. According to tradition the church was built by the Chinese, who also officiated there. Every year on the 6th of December, there is a large celebration continuing until today. How can this be when the Chinese are not Christians? Only a very few Chinese are Christians, yet they show such respect to Saint Nicholas.
Tradition has it that years …
What is the Orthodox response to adversity?
Recently, as I was praying about what inspirational words I could pass on to you, I called to mind +Hieromonk David (Pierce) of blessed memory. When Father David was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor, his life changed instantly. Following his first surgery, I visited Father David, and he venerated the holy relics that I had brought with me. He had a strong faith, was unshaken, and his eyes were fixed on eternity. We began talking about his prognosis, which led into a discussion about contemporary issues facing Orthodox Christians in an increasingly secular society where much is being done to remove “God” from its midst. The result of that visit was an article we co-authored on how the mind of an Orthodox Christian person should react when facing difficult circumstances.
Father David reposed in 2014, and we never published that article. Because of the healing nature of the Skete’s …
The Spanish Akathist
El Akathistos Al
Salvador Onmipotente
Y
La Letanía
de Los Nombres de Cristo Jesús
Traducido del griego
por el Schema-Archimandrita John (Lewis) +2007
Igumen del Santo Monasterio Theotokos
Septiembre del 2004
Escrito por el Jeromonje Denis (Guillaume) +2008
Noviembre del 2005
TIBÉRIADE
54 boulevard Gambetta, F-30000 Nîmes, Francia
Published here with written permission of the author
Muchas gracias al:
Ynés Amparo Téllez Iturraide, Intérprete Publico Inglés-Español desde el año 1957,
y
Monje Máximos (Macías), Ph.D., por corregir este oración.
El Akathistos Al
Salvador Onmipotente
Kontakion 1
Que nuestros himnos de gloria resuenen para Ti, oh Salvador Todopoderoso, * Tú que bajaste desde la altura de los cielos * hasta esta hondonada donde yacemos heridos, a fin de ayudarnos: *Tú que vertiste en nuestras heridas el aceite del bautismo y el vino de la eucaristía, * y, permitiéndonos ver en Ti
The Holy Martyr Solangia of Berry
The Holy Martyr Solangia of Berry (880)
Feast Day: May 10
Saint Solangia (or Solange) was born to a poor but pious family in the small market town of Villemont, twelve kilometers from Bourges, in France. A pious child, at age seven, she consecrated her virginity to the Lord. As she shepherded, she remained in constant prayer, and was bestowed gifts; some claimed that even her presence healed the sick and cast out demons. Endowed with great beauty, she rejected the advances of a nobleman, Bernard of the Gothic people, the son of the count of Poitiers, who was smitten by her beauty and popularity. He argued with her to become his wife, and finally decided to kidnap her. At night, he prevailed over her on his horse. Solangia struggled violently and slipped from the horse while he was crossing a stream. Vexed, he cut off her head. According …
Saint Nicetius of Lyons
Saint Nicetius of Lyons (775)
Feast Day: April 2/15
Saint Nicetius (or St. Nizier de Lyons) was born in 513 at Geneva, then capital of the Burgundy kingdom. His mother was named Arthemia. His father, Senator Florentinus, married and already the father of two children, had refused the bishopric of that city. But the child was destined for the Church, and his mother had the premonition that he would become a bishop. His name in Latin was Nicetius, itself formed from the Greek Νικήτης, the Conqueror, and it was given in French as Nisier, then Nizier.
He was already in the clerical state when his father died, and he remained with Arthemia, his mother. An malignant ulcer on his face put his life in danger,his mother prayed to Saint Martin of tours, who appeared, made over him the sign of the cross, cured him and ordered him to arise. …
Saint Rumold of Malines
Saint Rumold of Malines (775)
Feast Day: July 1/14
Saint Rumold (or St. Rombaut de Malines, or Mechelen) was born at the beginning of the eighth century, the son of David, a Scottish king, and Cecila, a Sicilian princess. He had faithfully served God for many years as a monk in his own country, when zeal for the salvation of souls induced him to preach the faith to the idolaters. He made a journey first to Rome, were he was consecrated a bishop, and with the blessing of the Pope went to Brabant (modern-day Belgium), a great part of which country about Malines he converted. He had a great desire for martyrdom. For having rebuked two men for the wickedness of their lives (meanness and fornication), they slew him and threw his body into the river. It was miraculously recovered by fishermen when at night, a light shone into …
How Does an Orthodox Christian Confront an Economic Crisis?
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Foreword
In 2009, I had the privilege of being a guest at the home of Ioannis and Katerina Kallianiotis. It is always a spiritually profitable experience when I am blessed to be in the home of pious, Orthodox Christian laity. The conversation was always edifying. Ioannis shared stories of his youth on a Greek island, far from the mainland. I recalled my time in Greece, where every Sunday after the Divine Liturgy the faithful gathered in parks or homes and where they had a tradition of ‶lay theologians″ who would speak on various topics. In Ioannis, I saw the sagacity of a lay theologian.
Upon understanding his accomplishment of being published in every Mount Athos journal, I pleaded with him to write something for American Orthodox Christians. At that time the world faced the challenges of the 2008 economic crisis, so I asked him to pen …
Saint Waldetrudis of Mons
Saint Waldetrudis of Mons (688)
Feast Day: April 9/22
Saint Waldetrudis (or Waltrude or Waudru) was born in the time of Dagobert I, who was king of the Franks from 629 to 638. Fidelity was her virtue as a bride and as a mother, then as a nun and as a hegumeness (abbess). She died on 9 April 688: she had then, between fifty and sixty years. Several decades later, her body was taken from the earth by Saint Hubert, bishop of Tongres, Maastricht and Liège. In 1250, on 12 August, her head was separated from the body in the presence of Nicholas, the bishop of Cambrai. In 1349, on 7 October, her relics were carried in procession in the streets of Mons, in order to obtain the cessation of the plague. Each year, the day after the feast of the Trinity, that is, on Second-day [Monday] after our …
Saint Hilary of Arles
Saint Hilary of Arles (449)
Feast Day: March 30/April 12
Saint Hilary (or Hilarius) was born to a noble family in Lorraine, in northeastern Gaul (modern-day France). While still a youth, he sold his inherited estates to his brother, gave the profit away to the poor, and joined the abbey of Lerins on the island of Lerina, headed by his kinsman, St. Honoratus (an uninhabited island until Honoratus founded the monastery there, and since has been renamed to Saint-Honorat). After being elected bishop of Arles (in southern Gaul), Honoratus died, and Hilary was named his successor. He desired to stay isolated on the island, but accepted the episcopate as the will of God and went to serve the Church. He was esteemed for his great sanctity of life, and known for his ascetic deeds, strictness, almsgiving to the poor, and ransoming captives. Twice, he had difficult confrontations with Saint …
Saint Euboula
Righteous Euboula, Mother of Saint Panteleimon (304)
Feast Day: March 30/April 12
Euboula signifies in Greek: “good counsellor”. It is the name which the mother of the holy Megalomartyr Panteleimon bore. She lived in the city of Nicomedia, in Bithynia (at the northwest of Asia Minor, on the border of the Euxine Sea), and she had espoused a pagan with the name of Eustorgios. When a son was born to them, the father named him Pantaleon, which means in Greek: “totally a lion”. But the mother, who was a Christian, raised her son in her own faith, teaching him to confess a single true God, our Lord, Jesus Christ, and planting in his heart the inclination for an upright life and for good works. The following is known: his encounter with Bishop Anthimos and the priest Hermalaos, who made him an unmercenary healer, freely caring for the sick. A heavenly …
An Interview with Archbishop Gabriel
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Antidoron Bags
From Saint Tabitha’s Studio: Antidoron Bags
St. John Maximovitch, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, encouraged Orthodox Christians to consume a small bit of antidoron and holy water every morning on days they would not be receiving the Eucharist. This way, he said, the first thing that goes into our body would be something blessed.
In the monasteries, we take the remnants of antidoron that is not consumed and while it is soft, cut it into small, quarter-inch pieces. Then it is air-dried on a baking sheet or foil for a few days, after which it is stored in a glass jar or antidoron bag.
The Queen of All Skete’s Antidoron Bags are made for you to carry home the antidoron from your Church and after drying, for its storage. They are crafted of quality white linen. Each bag is an approximate 6″ square with a ribbon drawstring closure with
Sewing Room Update
Sewing Room Update
An example of early monastic needlework: the Felbrigge Psalter is possibly the earliest example of embroidered bookbinding that is still in existence. It is believed to have been made in the late 1300s by Anne de Felbrigge, a nun at the Minoresses Convent in Suffolk, England. The 7 3/4 by 5 3/4 book is worked with fine gold threads. This picture is a restoration of the original
For centuries, nuns have engaged in the sacred obedience of crafting fine textile arts such as embroidery, tapestry weaving, beading, and other needlework to produce items of beauty for bishops, churches, homes of the faithful, and even for royalty. Queens would commission tapestries or embroideries as gifts for their husband, the king, extolling his virtues and successful
Pascha Basket Covers and Tea Towels
Pascha Basket Covers and Tea Towels
Mother Tamara has been busy making Pascha Basket Covers so you will have them in time for the Feast of Feasts on April 12th of 2026. They are embroidered onto 100% cotton and are a 17-inch square to top off your basket. All Pascha Basket covers are $45, plus $10 shipping/handling.
The same designs may be embroidered onto tea towels, for a finished size of 27” by 18”. They are also 100% cotton. The design will go at one end of the towel. Cost is also $45, plus $10 shipping.
To personalize items with family name is an additional $15. Any additional personalization (such as date, occasion, etc.) is an additional $10 for a $25 total personalization cost.
Both Basket Covers and Tea Towels are perfect gifts for:
- Pascha
- Baptisms
- Weddings
- Birthdays
- Hostess gifts
- Christmas
- Graduations
- Housewarming gifts
- Anniversaries
Orders must be received
St. Spyridon’s Fish Meal
Saint Spyridon and the Miracle of the Fish
Translated into English for the Queen of All Skete by
Gerontissa Theonymphe, Παναγιοπουλα Μετοχι (Panagiopoula Μετochi), Corfu, Greece
Greetings from Corfu to all of you who follow the site of the blessed Queen of All Skete, evlogeite! I have translated for you, from Greek, an account of this miracle of our beloved Saint Spyridon. This story is recorded in the works of Saint Maximus the Greek, (Jan. 21/Feb. 3, 1556), who is known as the Spiritual Enlightener of Rus.
As most everyone knows, Corfu is blessed with the Holy Relics of Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker. These relics have been preserved for many ages in the center of town in an impressive Church called the ‘Ayio’, built in 1589. In order for the faithful to venerate the Saint’s holy relics, throughout the day clerics open the protective doors to the room which houses …
Service of the Synaxis of All the Holy Doctors
Service of the Synaxis of All the Holy Doctors
by Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes,
translated By Bishop Spyridon of Amastris.
In 2021, the Greek Orthodox Church established the Sunday following the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Synod as the Sunday of the Synaxis of all the Holy Doctors. This date was chosen because it falls close to the Feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Unmercenary Physicians (Oct. 17/30) and that of the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist (Oct. 18/31), who was a doctor.
On this day, the Greek Church honors medical doctors and all those in the healthcare industry for their essential contribution and ministry to mankind. The Feast and this Liturgical Service conveys the Church’s concern regarding the spiritual care for every sick and suffering person, and sheds light on the need for dialogue between the medical community and the …
The Harmony of Monarchy and Russian Orthodox Christianity
The Harmony Of Monarchy
And Russian Orthodox Christianity
The world is intrigued this year with the crowning of Charles III of the United Kingdom. Yet let us never forget the glorious reign of another monarchy, the Romanov Dynasty. A little more than 100 years ago, just three days before the start of the Great Fast, Tsar-martyr Nicholas II abdicated the throne, on March 15, 1917, bringing to an end to more than 300 years of Romanov rule. After the light of Pascha shone on the world that year, within a few months the enemies of Christ led Russia into a dark phase of its history, with the regicide of the anointed ruler.
Archpriest Constantine Desrosiers, Ph.D., brilliantly asserts that we must not fix our eyes exclusively on earthly political events, but rather on the Mystery of the Holy Spirit working within human history.