Holy Things

What should be our attitude toward icons and other holy things?

One of the attributes of God is holiness, and is reflected in His people, and in physical objects that have been blessed by the Church for the use of His people in their journey towards Him. Therefore, reverence for these sacred objects and images is the manifestation of the relationship between ourselves and God. “And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy… (Leviticus 20: 26).” Icons of Christ, His Holy Mother, the saints, or depictions of biblical events, are not just art objects, popular today, but disposable tomorrow, but are vehicles for God’s sustaining grace.

As Orthodox Christians, we should make it a rule never have arguments, or engage in improper behavior before the images of the saints, and instill in children, from the earliest of age, reverence for the holy icons. Not only do we call upon the saints for their heavenly intercession, but their icons serve as reminders that Christ has called us to repentance, and the deification of each human soul.

Under no circumstance can such an icon, even one that has not been blessed, be simply thrown away. A holy item, even if it has lost its original appearance, should always be treated with reverence. This is one of the reasons it is never a good idea to send a greeting card with an icon on it, especially if it is to be sent to someone who might not understand the importance of treating an icon with great reverence and respect.

If an icon’s condition has rendered it unfit for use and it cannot be restored, it should be taken to the church, where it can be burned in a furnace or special place set aside for the disposal of holy things. If this is not possible, you should burn the icon yourself, and bury the ashes in a place that will not be sullied or disturbed, such as in a cemetery or under a tree in the garden.

Our patronal icon should be held in particular reverence, for following baptism, we each have a special bond with our personal saint. Parents should make it a tradition to bless their children with the child’s personal icon, as they set off for a new year at school, an extended journey, or when they leave home, to start their own family. Family members should be sure to bring at least a few icons into the hospital room or the nursing home, of their loved one, so a person’s own departure from this life can take place in the presence of their personal icons.

Holy oils, and any other blessed articles used in the home, should always be treated with the uttermost reverence, and, like the icons, never be improperly disposed of. Those things, like bottles of holy oil, that can not be burned, should be placed in the ground, always in a place that will not be used for something else.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos: Dr. Alan Orsborn, DDS, whose dental clinic is in Bonney Lake, WA, and his wife Barbara, stayed in a B&B over the weekend, and took part in the Permaculture workshop held on Saturday. Following the Sunday Liturgy, Barbara, an iconographer, presented the monastery with a beautiful icon of Saint Peter the Aleut. The gold cross held in Saint Peter’s hand (he died a martyr’s death before the Mission Delores in San Francisco), is made up of gold flakes from Dr. Orsborn’s dental school days. Saint Peter the Aleut is Dr. Orsborn’s patron saint. Dr. Orsborn has served as our monastery brotherhood’s dentist, free of charge, for many years.

Tuesday May 17, 2016 / May 4, 2016
Third Week of Pascha. Tone two.

Virgin-martyr Pelagia of Tarsus in Asia Minor (287).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1942).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas diacon (1943).
The Alfanov brothers: Venerables Nicetas, Cyril, Nicephorus, Clement, and Isaac of Novgorod, founders of the Sokolnitzki Monastery (1389).
Hieromartyr Erasmus, bishop of Formia in Campania (303).
Hieromartyr Albian (Olbian), bishop of Anaea in Asia Minor (304).
Hieromartyr Silvanus of Gaza and with him 40 martyrs (311).
Icon of the Mother of God “Staro Rus” Old Russian (1570).
Venerables Aphrodisius, Leontius, Anthony, Valerian, Macrobius, and others, monks of Palestine.
Translation of the relics of the Righteous Lazarus and Mary Magdalene, Equal-to-the-Apostles.
St. Nicephorus, abbot of Medikion.
St. Ethelred, king of Mercia and monk in England (716) (Celtic & British).
Venerable Nicephorus the Solitary of Mt. Athos, the spiritual father of St. Gregory Palamas (1340) (Greek).
St. Athanasius, bishop of Corinth (10th – 11th c.) (Greek).
Venerable Hilary the Wonderworker of the desert (Greek).
St. Monica of Tagaste (mother of Blessed Augustine) (387).
Martyr Florian and 40 companions, at Lorsch, Austria (304).

Scripture Readings

Acts 8:5-17

5 Then Philip went down to the[a] city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith

9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

The Sorcerer’s Sin

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

John 6:27-33

27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”

29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”