Orthodoxy Or Death!

I.M. Andreyev in his book Russia's Catacomb Saints writes about the penalty for simply praying for White Army soldiers- "In 1919, when the red army entered and the White Army left Voronezh, seven nuns of the Protection Convent were boiled in a cauldron with tar because they had a moleben served for members of the White Army."

“Naturally, one will love one's own family and the relatives he grew up with, most of all, and secondly, the whole country, the people to which one belongs. One is tied to this people both by state and civil obligations and by culture and customs. One is bound to one's people, to one's own homeland, and one loves them. This love for homeland is that Christian patriotism which cosmopolitanists so strongly struggle against.”-Metropolitan Philaret of ROCOR

On Aug 13 1922 Met Bishop Benjamin was killed. At trial the Petrograd Provincial Revolutionary Tribunal announced that he and nine other clergy would be shot. And when the judge asked if he wanted to say something, he said: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee for all things!

“Deep faith in the Lord and the unanimous desire of truly Russian people to break and expel the enemy from the borders of Russia give me firm confidence to look calmly at the future”-Saint Tsar Nicholas the Second

“It is later than you think, hasten therefore, to do the will of God.”-Father Seraphim Rose

“A certain holy man had a disciple who was living heedlessly. And what happened? Death found him in the midst of his carelessness. The merciful Heavenly Father, roused by the tears and cries of the elder, revealed to him the youth burning in flames up to his neck, like the merciless rich man mentioned in the parable of Lazarus. And when the saint subjected his flesh to strict mortification, fervently beseeching God for the forgiveness of his disciple, he beheld him enveloped in flame up to his waist. Finally, when the holy man had increased his ascetic labors yet more, God revealed him in a vision to the elder, removed from the flame and completely free."-Saint John of Damascus

"Amazed, I lifted my gaze and at the head my bed I saw the Mother of God, clothed in white, vivid, real. She was without her child. Her presence seemed material to me. The Mother of God was actually beside me. I was happy. I forgot everything. Time seemed endless. Then she said to me: ‘I am your love! Don’t be afraid. Don’t doubt. My Son will be victorious. He has sanctified this place now for future life. The powers of darkness are growing and will frighten the world still more, but they will be scattered. My Son is waiting for people to return to faith. Today, the sons of darkness are bolder than the sons of light. Even though it may seem to you that there is no more faith left on earth, nevertheless, know that deliverance will come, albeit through fire and devastation. The world still has to suffer. Here, however, there is still much faith and I have come to encourage you. Be bold, the world belongs to Christ!’"

“The Lord will have mercy on Holy Rus' because the dreadful time preceding that of antichrist has already taken place in her. Even antichrist himself will fear the Russian Orthodox Tsar.” — Saint Lavrenty of Chernigov

“Everything is about doing what you don’t like, for as much as you deny yourself in every way, God approaches you in the same measure. Let no one be deceived that it’s possible in any other way.”-Elder Arsenie Papacioc

“We suffer because we have no humility. People do not learn humility, and because of their pride cannot receive the grace of the Holy Spirit, and therefore the whole world suffers.”-Saint Silouan the Athonite

ORTHODOXY OR DEATH! On this day in 1996, on his 19th birthday, Chechen terrorists beheaded a Russian soldier, Holy Martyr Yevgeny Rodionov. For more than a year he was tortured in captivity because he did not want to renounce Christ and the Orthodox faith. He was killed because he did not want to take off the cross that he wore around his neck. Glory to the New Martyr Yevgeny! ПРАВОСЛАВИЕ ИЛИ СМЕРТЬ! В этот день в 1996 году, в день его 19-летия, чеченские террористы обезглавили русского воина, священномученика Евгения Родионова. Больше года его истязали в плену за то, что он не хотел отречься от Христа и православной веры. Его убили за то, что он не хотел снимать крест, который носил на шее. Слава Новомученику Евгению!

"There is no crisis for us Christians. The only crisis that concerns us is that we are not vigilant guardians of our Nation and our Orthodox tradition. We have allowed 'wolves' to enter Christian society, predators, whether they are politicians or ecclesiastics."-Elder Justin Parvu

“Each of us has ancestors, both physical and spiritual, who gave us [our] language, culture and, most importantly, [our] faith.... To lose touch with that past, with those ancestors, means to become spiritually dry. “A person cannot exist without what is now called ‘identity,’ that is, without awareness of who he is, where his place is, where he is, and where he is a stranger. But it also happens that people try to reject their true identity for the sake of a false one, when they try to break the connexion with their real roots, when their true identity is replaced by ideological constructions that seem to them more attractive and successful. The consequences are usually very sad both for a single person and for society, and for the state.” —His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia

“If any have labored from the first hour, let him receive today his rightful due. If any have come at the third hour, let him feast with thankfulness. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him in no wise be in doubt, for in no wise shall he suffer loss. If any be delayed even until the ninth hour, let him draw near, doubting nothing, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him not be fearful on account of his lateness; for the Master, Who is jealous of His honor, receiveth the last even as the first. He giveth rest to him that cometh at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that hath labored from the first hour; and to the last He is merciful, and the first He pleaseth; to the one He giveth, and to the other He bestoweth; and He receiveth the works, and welcometh the intention; and the deed He honoureth, and the offering He praiseth. Wherefore, then, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; both the first and the second, receive ye your reward.”-Saint John Chrysostom

In the Saracen encampment they asked St. Cyril: “How can Christians wage war and at the same time keep Christ's commandment to pray to God for their enemies?” To this, St. Cyril replied: “If two commandments were written in one law and given to men for fulfilling, which man would be a better follower of the law: the one who fulfilled one commandment or the one who fulfilled both?” The Saracens replied: “Undoubtedly, he who fulfills both commandments.” St. Cyril continued: “Christ our God commands us to pray to God for those who persecute us and even to do good to them, but He also said to us, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13). That is why we bear the insults that our enemies cast at us individually and why we pray to God for them. However, as a society, we defend one another and lay down our lives, so that you would not enslave our brethren, would not enslave their souls with their bodies, and would not destroy them in both body and soul.”

“You and other sinners, over and over again, you crucify my son by your sins, just as the Jews had done”

“Holy Legionary youth, We build churches, we heroically stand behind prison bars No matter what harsh opression we face, We sing an ode to the Nicadori, Through thick and thin We light candles for the victorious ones, We build shrines for the heroes And for traitors, we have bullets!”

“God has permitted and does permit us to be shaken by adversity. Difficult times lie ahead. We will be greatly tested. Circumstances are forcing us and will force us to labour spiritually. It is better that we do so now with joy and on our own initiative rather than later by necessity when all kinds of sorrows will have come upon us. Many saints would have loved to have lived in our times and have had our chance to struggle for Christ In the past, when a war broke out, people became vigilant and took up arms to fight the enemy and defend their homeland, their country. Today it's not our homeland that we are called to protect; it's not our families that we are called to fight for to prevent the barbarians from burning our houses and dishonouring our sisters; nor are we called to struggle for a nation or for an ideology. These days, we are called to arms either for Jesus Christ or for the devil. The front is plain for all to see.” -Saint Paisios the Athonite

“Love your personal enemies, hate the enemies of God; and destroy the enemies of The Fatherland.” -Saint Philaret of Moscow