Time Off Continued

Dear Readers:

The past two weeks have been very busy and very productive, probably the most productive I've been in years, but I still have many other things to get done. For this reason, unfortunately, I will resume my time off from posting anything new for about another week.

Meanwhile, here are some links for daily reading till my return. Remember, the Triodion begins tomorrow.

Saints and Feasts of February

Triodion Resource Page

May you all have a good Triodion, a good repentance and a good struggle.

Thank you,

John Sanidopoulos

Taking Some Time Off

Dear Readers:

I will be taking a few weeks off from posting anything new, beginning today. Just need to focus on other things that have piled up, and also want to spend some time organizing and expanding this ministry. Working full time and maintaining this ministry takes up many hours, as you can imagine, so every once in a while breaks like this are needed. I will continue posting the daily readings on Facebook and Twitter.

When I return, hopefully around my birthday on February 15th, I am hoping to make a few exciting announcements. Unfortunately, the past few months have been a bad time for this ministry, as financial goals were not met, and for every new subscription I received since November, I had eleven cancel. Though this is a setback, out of gratitude to all who continue to support this ministry, during this time off I will improve the experience, and expand this ministry, in the hope that this setback is temporary. So if you like what we have going at the Mystagogy Resource Center, and want more, make sure to subscribe and contribute as you are able.

Usually during my time off I get a lot of messages and emails. Please withhold, as I will be focusing on other things. However, feel free to continue submitting questions for the Erotapokriseis website, which will be answered there in time.

Thank you. See ya in a few weeks!

With love in Christ,

John Sanidopoulos

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The Month of February in the Orthodox Church

By John Sanidopoulos

The Roman month Februarius was named after the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 (full moon) in the old lunar Roman calendar. January and February were the last two months to be added to the Roman calendar, since the Romans originally considered winter a monthless period. They were added by Numa Pompilius about 713 BC. Under the reforms that instituted the Julian calendar, Intercalaris was abolished, leap years occurred regularly every fourth year, and in leap years February gained a 29th day.

February is the second and shortest month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendar with 28 days in common years and 29 days in leap years, with the quadrennial 29th day being called the leap day. It is the first of five months to have a length of less than 31 days (the other four months that fall under this category are: April, June, September, and November), and the only month to have a length of less than 30 days, with the other seven months having 31 days. February is the third and last month of meteorological winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, February is the third and last month of summer (the seasonal equivalent of August in the Northern Hemisphere, meteorological reckoning).

The Best of January 2019 by the Mystagogy Resource Center (MRC)

Below is the monthly review for the month of January 2019 of the ten most popular articles on johnsanidopoulos.com, then all the posts made on the other websites of the Mystagogy Resource Center.

JohnSanidopoulos.com

1. A White Christmas for Mount Athos (photos and videos)

2. Abortion Resource Page

3. Contemporary Miracles and Apparitions of Saint Mark of Ephesus in Athens

4. The Churches and Monasteries of Constantinople

5. The Repentance of Basil the Great

6. The Relics of Saint Theophan the Recluse

7. I Met Saint Nikephoros the Leper in 1961

8. John the Baptist Reveals the Cave of Sapsa, Where He Was Visited by the Lord

9. That We Should Attend the Divine Liturgy with Awe and Reverence

10. A Prayer of the Emperor When Departing the City of Constantinople

HoneyAndHemlock.com

1. The Shocking Advice of Saint Paisios the Athonite to a Physician

2. My Top Twenty-Five Movies of 2018 (and Ten Best Documentaries)

3. The Evil Results of Unverified News and Bias

Bio-Orthodoxy.com

1. The Views of Orthodox Theology on Bioethical Issues (3 of 6)

2. The Views of Orthodox Theology on Bioethical Issues (4 of 6)

3. The Views of Orthodox Theology on Bioethical Issues (5 of 6)

4. The Views of Orthodox Theology on Bioethical Issues (6 of 6)

Eschatologia.com

1. Russian Patriarch Warns Smartphone Users To Be Careful of the Antichrist

2. Eight Quotes from the Fathers on the Mystery of the Eighth Day

Daimonologia.org

1. The Death of Christ in the Air Cleansed the Atmosphere of Demons (St. Athanasius the Great)

2. A Beneficial Reminder When Touring Boston

3. Documentary Review: "The Devil and Father Amorth"

4. The Demoniac Who Journeyed to the Kiev Caves Lavra

OrthodoxyAndWorldReligions.com

1. The Birth of Christ Celebrates the End of the Sickness of Religion

2. "For the Sake of the World: The Spirit of Buddhist and Christian Monasticism" (Book Review by Fr. John Romanides)

Erotapokriseis.com

1. Questions and Answers 68 - 70

2. Questions and Answers 71 - 74

NewMyriobiblon.com

1. Book Review: "For the Sake of the World: The Spirit of Buddhist and Christian Monasticism" by Patrick G. Henry and Donald K. Swearer

2. Book Review: "Christology of the Later Fathers"

A Miracle of Saints Cyrus and John for the Physician Gesios

The Miracles of Saints Cyrus and John

Miracle 30

On Gesios, the Physician-Philosopher

By St. Sophronios of Jerusalem

Gesios was not famous because he wore a philosophers garment, but primarily because he was distinguished in the art of medicine, and he was also recognized as an excellent teacher of medicine for all those who wanted to learn the art in his time. Gesios, however, although great in wisdom and of an excellent reputation, which he received from the physicians of Alexandria, was not free of the error of idolatry, as those who knew him closely have said, but he spread everywhere that he accepted baptism for fear of sanctions. Indeed, when he came out of the baptistry it is said that he spoke a blasphemous phrase from the Homeric epics concerning the drowning of Ajax.*