View allAll Photos Tagged Humility
"God created the world out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, he can make something out of us." -Martin Luther
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." (James 4:10)
#humility #martinluther #humble #quote #luther #martin
#NewYorkDoll documentary
A moving true story about decadence, humility, redemption and reconciliation. You can't script a story like this one because it's absolutely real and truth is stranger than fiction. The details, personalities and the final twist grab you until you're left truly shaken and inspired. Do not miss this film!
75 min.
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#SylSylvain #DavidJohansen #NewYorkDolls
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PSA's for the week of Jan. 29th – Feb. 4th:
GW www.cosmicvisionnews.com/item/306
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MK galacticchannelings.com/english/montague21-01-18.html
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DI www.davidicke.com/video/453424/david-icke-ground-crew-com...
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DW divinecosmos.com/start-here/davids-blog/1225-abr-legacy?s...
Humility is the foundation for all of our spiritual work.
Be humble today. Allow others to have their opinions. Treat them as you wish to be treated.
Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people,
nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts.
It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.
~William Temple
DSC07527
The best way to open people's minds isn't to argue with them. It's to listen to them. - Adam Grant
Picture Quotes on Humility
Compare all cheap flights for free with Skyscanner
Original photo credit: katerinavulcova from Pixabay
A cinematic, emotionally grounded video set in a narrow urban alley at dawn. An elderly bearded man in worn clothing kneels beside a brick wall, gently pouring dry food from a white plate onto the pavement as several stray cats gather around him. The cats move naturally—sniffing, eating, brushing against his legs, tails flicking. Soft morning light filters between old buildings, dust motes floating in the air. Subtle camera push-in from medium-wide to intimate close-up, shallow depth of field, natural handheld realism. Ambient city silence with distant footsteps and soft cat sounds. Mood of compassion, humility, and quiet humanity.
Saint John "the Russian" is one of the most renowned saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
He was born in a village in Little Russia, around 1690.
Being a prisoner of war and a slave to a Turkish Ağa, he became famous and respected even by his Muslim master for his humility, steadiness in faith and benevolence.
His holy relics are claimed to be undecayed and wonder-working; there are traditions that this saint particularly helps sick children and those who suffer from cancer.
During the Russian-Turkish war (1711 – 1718) he was a soldier in the imperial army of Peter the Great of Russia.
At that time the then invincible Turkish military forces were advancing from victory to victory, spreading fear to all nations.
As a soldier, Saint John fought to defend his country, but having being nurtured by the springs of Orthodoxy through his Christian parents, he was appalled by the horror of war, the thousands of young men, women and children, and the elderly, left dead by the passing of the tempest of hostilities and the bellicosity of the enemy.
During the battles for the recapture of Azof on the northern coast of the Black Sea, Saint John, together with many thousands of his compatriots, was taken prisoner.
He was first sent to Constantinople (Istanbul), and from there to Prokopi near Caesarea of Cappadocia in Asia Minor, where he was delivered to an Aga who maintained a camp of janissaries there.
He was tortured to deny Christ.
At Prokopi he was subjected to the scorn and hatred of the Turks for being a “kiafir”, that is an unbeliever of Islam, for which he was tortured.
He was beaten with sticks, kicked and spat on, and a red hot metal bowl was put on his head, burning his hair and scalp.
He was then thrown into the mire of a stable and made to live with the animals.
Saint John endured all his tortures with perseverance and remarkable bravery.
He said to the Turks:
“I have confidence, faith and love in my Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, and none of these sufferings will separate me from His love.
As a prisoner I will obey your orders, and carry out my duties as a slave, but with regard to my faith in Christ the Saviour, you are not my masters – we ought to obey God rather than men.
I am ready to suffer greater and more terrible torments and even that death rather than deny my Christ.”
Thus Saint John accepted the hardships of his life – the tortures, living with the animals in the stable, which, he said, reminded him of the stable in Bethlehem, his spiritual self-discipline: fasts, vigils and prayer- and this acceptance and his way of life so impressed his tormentors that they ceased their brutality, and instead of “kafir” they gave him the epithet of “veli”, which means saint.
One day, at a banquet of the Aga’s officers at Prokopi, Saint John miraculously sent with an angel of the Lord a copper plate of food to the Aga in Mecca where he had gone on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mohammed. T
he food was hot when the plate appeared before the Aga, and he ate it.
On the Aga’s return to Prokopi three months later, at a similar banquet held in honour of his safe return, the Aga showed the officers the very same plate engraved with his family emblem.
This miracle, accomplished by the grace of God, completely quenched the hatred of Saint John’s Turkish masters: their brutality was overcome by spiritual radiance.
Throughout his harsh and difficult life Saint John had the support and consolation of prayer, vigils, prostrations, and of the Holy Mysteries which he partook of unbeknownst to the Turks.
Receiving Holy Communion every Saturday was his greatest refreshment and sustenance.
On the last day of his life, the 27th of May 1730, he sent for the priest who brought him Holy Communion concealed in a hollowed-out apple which he received for the last time there in the stable.
His temporary captivity and sufferings had come to an end: as soon as he had partaken of the Holy Gifts, the wondrous Saint John passed on to the life of eternal exultation and blessedness.
The priests and Christian notables from Prokopi were given permission by the Turks to take his body for burial.
Surrounded by censers and candles, they carried it on their shoulders, accompanied by Turks and Armenians as well as Christians, to a grave in the Christian cemetery.
There, with deep devotion, their eyes streaming with tears as if he were their lord and master the body of the former slave and servant was consigned to the mother earth
One night in November of 1733, the old priest who every Saturday had listened to Saint John tell of his sufferings and tortures and who had given him Holy Communion, saw him in a dream.
Saint John told the priest that, with God’s grace, his body had remained entire and uncorrupted as it had been when laid in the grave three and a half years before, and that it should be exhumed so that it would remain with them as a blessing of God for evermore.
The priest hesitated and then, by the grace of God, a heavenly light, like a pillar of fire, was seen illuminating the Saint’s grave.
The Christians opened up the grave, and what great wonder the body of the Saint was found entire, uncorrupted and redolent with a divine fragrance that it still has today.
With spiritual gladness and devotion they took this divine gift of the holy relic in their arms and transferred it to the church where Saint John himself had spent so many nights in prayerful vigil.
On that day, over two hundred and fifty years ago, his holy body entered the liturgical life of the Church of Christ.
In one of the domestic conflicts and quarrels between the Sultan of Turkey and Ibrahim of Egypt, the Sultan’s delegate, Osman Pasha, set fire to the holy relic of Saint John’s body as an act of revenge against the Christians.
Amid the flames the Turks saw the body begin to move and, terrified, they abandoned their unholy act and fled.
The next day the Christians dug amongst the charcoal and ashes and found the body still entire and although blackened by the smoke and fire it was pliant and fragrant.
His shrine became a great centre of pilgrimage, towering above all others in central Cappadocia.
True Humility
HUMILITY
Yet is shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. Mark 10:43
If you desire to be used of God you should never get to the place where you are too big to do the small things or too small to do the big things. You must not...
Saint John "the Russian" is one of the most renowned saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
He was born in a village in Little Russia, around 1690.
Being a prisoner of war and a slave to a Turkish Ağa, he became famous and respected even by his Muslim master for his humility, steadiness in faith and benevolence.
His holy relics are claimed to be undecayed and wonder-working; there are traditions that this saint particularly helps sick children and those who suffer from cancer.
During the Russian-Turkish war (1711 – 1718) he was a soldier in the imperial army of Peter the Great of Russia.
At that time the then invincible Turkish military forces were advancing from victory to victory, spreading fear to all nations.
As a soldier, Saint John fought to defend his country, but having being nurtured by the springs of Orthodoxy through his Christian parents, he was appalled by the horror of war, the thousands of young men, women and children, and the elderly, left dead by the passing of the tempest of hostilities and the bellicosity of the enemy.
During the battles for the recapture of Azof on the northern coast of the Black Sea, Saint John, together with many thousands of his compatriots, was taken prisoner.
He was first sent to Constantinople (Istanbul), and from there to Prokopi near Caesarea of Cappadocia in Asia Minor, where he was delivered to an Aga who maintained a camp of janissaries there.
He was tortured to deny Christ.
At Prokopi he was subjected to the scorn and hatred of the Turks for being a “kiafir”, that is an unbeliever of Islam, for which he was tortured.
He was beaten with sticks, kicked and spat on, and a red hot metal bowl was put on his head, burning his hair and scalp.
He was then thrown into the mire of a stable and made to live with the animals.
Saint John endured all his tortures with perseverance and remarkable bravery.
He said to the Turks:
“I have confidence, faith and love in my Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, and none of these sufferings will separate me from His love.
As a prisoner I will obey your orders, and carry out my duties as a slave, but with regard to my faith in Christ the Saviour, you are not my masters – we ought to obey God rather than men.
I am ready to suffer greater and more terrible torments and even that death rather than deny my Christ.”
Thus Saint John accepted the hardships of his life – the tortures, living with the animals in the stable, which, he said, reminded him of the stable in Bethlehem, his spiritual self-discipline: fasts, vigils and prayer- and this acceptance and his way of life so impressed his tormentors that they ceased their brutality, and instead of “kafir” they gave him the epithet of “veli”, which means saint.
One day, at a banquet of the Aga’s officers at Prokopi, Saint John miraculously sent with an angel of the Lord a copper plate of food to the Aga in Mecca where he had gone on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mohammed. T
he food was hot when the plate appeared before the Aga, and he ate it.
On the Aga’s return to Prokopi three months later, at a similar banquet held in honour of his safe return, the Aga showed the officers the very same plate engraved with his family emblem.
This miracle, accomplished by the grace of God, completely quenched the hatred of Saint John’s Turkish masters: their brutality was overcome by spiritual radiance.
Throughout his harsh and difficult life Saint John had the support and consolation of prayer, vigils, prostrations, and of the Holy Mysteries which he partook of unbeknownst to the Turks.
Receiving Holy Communion every Saturday was his greatest refreshment and sustenance.
On the last day of his life, the 27th of May 1730, he sent for the priest who brought him Holy Communion concealed in a hollowed-out apple which he received for the last time there in the stable.
His temporary captivity and sufferings had come to an end: as soon as he had partaken of the Holy Gifts, the wondrous Saint John passed on to the life of eternal exultation and blessedness.
The priests and Christian notables from Prokopi were given permission by the Turks to take his body for burial.
Surrounded by censers and candles, they carried it on their shoulders, accompanied by Turks and Armenians as well as Christians, to a grave in the Christian cemetery.
There, with deep devotion, their eyes streaming with tears as if he were their lord and master the body of the former slave and servant was consigned to the mother earth
One night in November of 1733, the old priest who every Saturday had listened to Saint John tell of his sufferings and tortures and who had given him Holy Communion, saw him in a dream.
Saint John told the priest that, with God’s grace, his body had remained entire and uncorrupted as it had been when laid in the grave three and a half years before, and that it should be exhumed so that it would remain with them as a blessing of God for evermore.
The priest hesitated and then, by the grace of God, a heavenly light, like a pillar of fire, was seen illuminating the Saint’s grave.
The Christians opened up the grave, and what great wonder the body of the Saint was found entire, uncorrupted and redolent with a divine fragrance that it still has today.
With spiritual gladness and devotion they took this divine gift of the holy relic in their arms and transferred it to the church where Saint John himself had spent so many nights in prayerful vigil.
On that day, over two hundred and fifty years ago, his holy body entered the liturgical life of the Church of Christ.
In one of the domestic conflicts and quarrels between the Sultan of Turkey and Ibrahim of Egypt, the Sultan’s delegate, Osman Pasha, set fire to the holy relic of Saint John’s body as an act of revenge against the Christians.
Amid the flames the Turks saw the body begin to move and, terrified, they abandoned their unholy act and fled.
The next day the Christians dug amongst the charcoal and ashes and found the body still entire and although blackened by the smoke and fire it was pliant and fragrant.
His shrine became a great centre of pilgrimage, towering above all others in central Cappadocia.
Full Name: Nayak Prasad Singh
Date of Birth: 21 March 1953
Place of Birth: Bharatpura village, Dulhin Bazar, Patna district, Bihar
Date of Death: 13 February 2005
Occupation: Farmer
Education: Studied up to 8th grade at Banshi Dhari High School, Bharatpura
👨👩👧👦 Family Background
Father: Panchu Prasad Singh
Mother: Taregani Devi
Brother: Sita Ram (passed away in 1968)
Wife: Sita Devi (married after 1968, passed away in 1990)
👨👩👧👦 Family Life & Children
Together, they had five children:
A daughter, Putulla Devi
Four sons: Ashok Prasad, Baban Prasad, Mohan Prasad, and Shatrughan Prasad.
By 1990, most of their sons had moved away—settling in places like Chhattisgarh for work Shatrudhan and his family remained in Bharatpura village.
Sons: Ashok Prasad, Baban Prasad, Mohan Prasad, Shatrughan Prasad.
Daughter: Putula Devi.
Grandchildren: Avinash Kumar, Abhishek Kumar, Avikesh Kumar.
Great-Grandson: Shivansh Singh
Great-Granddaughter: Shruti Singh
🌱 Early Life & Responsibilities
Lost his brother in 1968, after which he took on the responsibility of the family.
Stopped studies to manage farming and care for his ill mother.
Got married to Sita Devi and raised a large family.
Faced many hardships but remained devoted to his family and village.
🏡 Work & Contribution
Spent his life as a dedicated farmer in Bharatpura.
Known for his honesty, simplicity, and responsibility.
Became a respected figure in the village, often referred to as a "real hero" of Bharatpura.
️ Later Years & Legacy
After his wife’s death, his sons moved to other places for work.
He continued living in the village with his daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
Passed away on 13 February 2005 around 9:15 AM at his home in Bharatpura.
🌟 Legacy
Nayak Prasad Singh is remembered as a humble and hardworking man who played a key role in his family's growth and in his village community. His dedication, discipline, and resilience left a lasting impact on the people of Bharatpura.
👣 Life Journey
Nayak Prasad Singh led a simple yet deeply meaningful life. He was a hardworking, honest, and deeply spiritual man who dedicated his life to his family, community, and traditions. Known for his integrity and helping nature, he earned deep respect in his village and among those who knew him.His humility and truthfulness left a lasting impression, and he passed on strong values to his children and grandchildren, which continue to reflect in the younger generation.
🔥 Final Journey
At the time of his passing, all his sons were in Chhattisgarh. With the consent of the village elders, the "Performing the last rites (cremation)" were respectfully performed by his grandson Avinash Singh, the son of his youngest son Shatrughan Singh.
💐 In Loving Memory
Even today, Nayak Prasad Singh is remembered with deep respect and love. His life remains a source of inspiration for future generations. His great-grandchildren, Shruti Singh and Shivansh Singh, proudly carry forward his legacy.
Contact Source:
Email Shrutiolivia@gmail.com
Email : Nayakprasadsinghrealhero@gmail.com
Mobile Number +91 7835993824
The global theme for April 2015 was “Humility” and our speaker at Portland/CreativeMornings was Charlie Brown, CEO and Founder of Context Partners. We were hosted by PNCA and sponsored by Create Legal and 52 Limited, and Razorfish. With thanks to Pro Photo Supply for the photo & video gear.
Photo by Scott Larsen. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Photos by Francisco Montiel. Event hosted by Centro de Cultura Digital, Shutterstock, Frutos de Vida, Buñuelo Capuccino, Bopcakes #CMMX #CreativeMornings
Saint John "the Russian" is one of the most renowned saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
He was born in a village in Little Russia, around 1690.
Being a prisoner of war and a slave to a Turkish Ağa, he became famous and respected even by his Muslim master for his humility, steadiness in faith and benevolence.
His holy relics are claimed to be undecayed and wonder-working; there are traditions that this saint particularly helps sick children and those who suffer from cancer.
During the Russian-Turkish war (1711 – 1718) he was a soldier in the imperial army of Peter the Great of Russia.
At that time the then invincible Turkish military forces were advancing from victory to victory, spreading fear to all nations.
As a soldier, Saint John fought to defend his country, but having being nurtured by the springs of Orthodoxy through his Christian parents, he was appalled by the horror of war, the thousands of young men, women and children, and the elderly, left dead by the passing of the tempest of hostilities and the bellicosity of the enemy.
During the battles for the recapture of Azof on the northern coast of the Black Sea, Saint John, together with many thousands of his compatriots, was taken prisoner.
He was first sent to Constantinople (Istanbul), and from there to Prokopi near Caesarea of Cappadocia in Asia Minor, where he was delivered to an Aga who maintained a camp of janissaries there.
He was tortured to deny Christ.
At Prokopi he was subjected to the scorn and hatred of the Turks for being a “kiafir”, that is an unbeliever of Islam, for which he was tortured.
He was beaten with sticks, kicked and spat on, and a red hot metal bowl was put on his head, burning his hair and scalp.
He was then thrown into the mire of a stable and made to live with the animals.
Saint John endured all his tortures with perseverance and remarkable bravery.
He said to the Turks:
“I have confidence, faith and love in my Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, and none of these sufferings will separate me from His love.
As a prisoner I will obey your orders, and carry out my duties as a slave, but with regard to my faith in Christ the Saviour, you are not my masters – we ought to obey God rather than men.
I am ready to suffer greater and more terrible torments and even that death rather than deny my Christ.”
Thus Saint John accepted the hardships of his life – the tortures, living with the animals in the stable, which, he said, reminded him of the stable in Bethlehem, his spiritual self-discipline: fasts, vigils and prayer- and this acceptance and his way of life so impressed his tormentors that they ceased their brutality, and instead of “kafir” they gave him the epithet of “veli”, which means saint.
One day, at a banquet of the Aga’s officers at Prokopi, Saint John miraculously sent with an angel of the Lord a copper plate of food to the Aga in Mecca where he had gone on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mohammed. T
he food was hot when the plate appeared before the Aga, and he ate it.
On the Aga’s return to Prokopi three months later, at a similar banquet held in honour of his safe return, the Aga showed the officers the very same plate engraved with his family emblem.
This miracle, accomplished by the grace of God, completely quenched the hatred of Saint John’s Turkish masters: their brutality was overcome by spiritual radiance.
Throughout his harsh and difficult life Saint John had the support and consolation of prayer, vigils, prostrations, and of the Holy Mysteries which he partook of unbeknownst to the Turks.
Receiving Holy Communion every Saturday was his greatest refreshment and sustenance.
On the last day of his life, the 27th of May 1730, he sent for the priest who brought him Holy Communion concealed in a hollowed-out apple which he received for the last time there in the stable.
His temporary captivity and sufferings had come to an end: as soon as he had partaken of the Holy Gifts, the wondrous Saint John passed on to the life of eternal exultation and blessedness.
The priests and Christian notables from Prokopi were given permission by the Turks to take his body for burial.
Surrounded by censers and candles, they carried it on their shoulders, accompanied by Turks and Armenians as well as Christians, to a grave in the Christian cemetery.
There, with deep devotion, their eyes streaming with tears as if he were their lord and master the body of the former slave and servant was consigned to the mother earth
One night in November of 1733, the old priest who every Saturday had listened to Saint John tell of his sufferings and tortures and who had given him Holy Communion, saw him in a dream.
Saint John told the priest that, with God’s grace, his body had remained entire and uncorrupted as it had been when laid in the grave three and a half years before, and that it should be exhumed so that it would remain with them as a blessing of God for evermore.
The priest hesitated and then, by the grace of God, a heavenly light, like a pillar of fire, was seen illuminating the Saint’s grave.
The Christians opened up the grave, and what great wonder the body of the Saint was found entire, uncorrupted and redolent with a divine fragrance that it still has today.
With spiritual gladness and devotion they took this divine gift of the holy relic in their arms and transferred it to the church where Saint John himself had spent so many nights in prayerful vigil.
On that day, over two hundred and fifty years ago, his holy body entered the liturgical life of the Church of Christ.
In one of the domestic conflicts and quarrels between the Sultan of Turkey and Ibrahim of Egypt, the Sultan’s delegate, Osman Pasha, set fire to the holy relic of Saint John’s body as an act of revenge against the Christians.
Amid the flames the Turks saw the body begin to move and, terrified, they abandoned their unholy act and fled.
The next day the Christians dug amongst the charcoal and ashes and found the body still entire and although blackened by the smoke and fire it was pliant and fragrant.
His shrine became a great centre of pilgrimage, towering above all others in central Cappadocia.
"O Lord, our God, grant us, we beseech YOU, Patience in troubles, Humility in comforts, Constancy in temptations, and Victory over all our spiritual foes. Grant us Sorrow for our sins, Thankfulness for YOUR benefits, Fear of YOUR judgment, Love of YOUR mercies, and Mindfulness of YOUR presence; now and for ever. Amen.”
(Prayer by John Cosin)
Following the Son...
Blessings,
Sharon 🌻
God's Beauty In Nature is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him...
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Bloggers are welcome to use my artwork with, “Image from Art4TheGlryOfGod by Sharon under Creative Commons license”, and a link back to the images you use.
Please let me know in the comment section below, thank you...
Art4TheGlryOfGod Photography and Watercolor Paintings by Sharon
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Faith, Hope & Love in daily Art meditations...
X ~ www.twitter.com/Art4ThGlryOfGod
Flickr (complete portfolio) ~ www.Flickr.com/4ThGlryOfGod
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PURCHASE images on various products (Giclée canvas, metal prints, throw pillows, tote bags, cards, and more).
Please inform me if an image hasn’t been uploaded, and I’ll ensure it’s available for you.
Fine Art America ~ fineartamerica.com/profiles/sharon-soberon
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Music Videos (from my Art Photography) ~
www.youtube.com/user/4ThGlryOfGod
Prints available upon request.
How extraordinary is it to have received the great wisdom of the Sri Guru Gita from the satguru himself? For 14 precious days, satguru Paramahamsa Vishwananda graced the world online and physically with a commentary explaining on how rare it is to meet a satguru.
Paramahamsa Vishwananda gave his precious time explaining each verse that Lord Shiva had spoken to Devi Parvati after she had asked the question on the nature and purpose of the satguru in order to uplift mankind. He explained the importance of being humble, sincere and simple on the path towards loving God. This was indeed a unique and rare opportunity that Paramahamsa Vishwananda has given the whole world. An opportunity, yet again, to transform ourselves into selfless beings who just love for the sake of loving just as the satguru does in all his humility.
paramahamsavishwananda.com
bhaktimarga.org
The global theme for April 2015 was “Humility” and our speaker at Portland/CreativeMornings was Charlie Brown, CEO and Founder of Context Partners. We were hosted by PNCA and sponsored by Create Legal and 52 Limited, and Razorfish. With thanks to Pro Photo Supply for the photo & video gear.
Photo by Scott Larsen. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Francisco de Zurbarán
Oil on canvas
In the solitude of a dimly lit stone cell, Francis is at once physically before us and spiritually elsewhere. Absorbed in meditation, he cradles a skull in his hands. Beneath the hood of his Capuchin habit his barely discernible eyes are turned heavenwards. The tattered, patched-up garment is the embodiment of the Franciscan ideals of poverty and humility. A more essential representation of Francis is hard to imagine. Zurbarán made the painting in Seville.*
From the exhibition
Saint Francis of Assisi
(May – July 2023)
Presenting the art and imagery of Saint Francis (1182–1226) from the 13th century to today, this exhibition looks at why this saint is a figure of enormous relevance to our time due to his spiritual radicalism, commitment to the poor, and love of God and nature, as well as his powerful appeals for peace, and openness to dialogue with other religions.
From some of the earliest medieval panels, relics and manuscripts to modern-day films and a Marvel comic, the exhibition shines a light on how Saint Francis has captured the imagination of artists through the centuries, and how his appeal has transcended generations, continents and different religious traditions.
It brings together paintings from the National Gallery Collection by Sassetta, Botticelli, and Zurbarán with international loans including works by Caravaggio, Josefa de Óbidos, Stanley Spencer, Antony Gormley, Giuseppe Penone, Andrea Büttner, and an exciting new commission from Richard Long.
[*National Gallery]
Taken in the National Gallery
Saint John "the Russian" is one of the most renowned saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
He was born in a village in Little Russia, around 1690.
Being a prisoner of war and a slave to a Turkish Ağa, he became famous and respected even by his Muslim master for his humility, steadiness in faith and benevolence.
His holy relics are claimed to be undecayed and wonder-working; there are traditions that this saint particularly helps sick children and those who suffer from cancer.
During the Russian-Turkish war (1711 – 1718) he was a soldier in the imperial army of Peter the Great of Russia.
At that time the then invincible Turkish military forces were advancing from victory to victory, spreading fear to all nations.
As a soldier, Saint John fought to defend his country, but having being nurtured by the springs of Orthodoxy through his Christian parents, he was appalled by the horror of war, the thousands of young men, women and children, and the elderly, left dead by the passing of the tempest of hostilities and the bellicosity of the enemy.
During the battles for the recapture of Azof on the northern coast of the Black Sea, Saint John, together with many thousands of his compatriots, was taken prisoner.
He was first sent to Constantinople (Istanbul), and from there to Prokopi near Caesarea of Cappadocia in Asia Minor, where he was delivered to an Aga who maintained a camp of janissaries there.
He was tortured to deny Christ.
At Prokopi he was subjected to the scorn and hatred of the Turks for being a “kiafir”, that is an unbeliever of Islam, for which he was tortured.
He was beaten with sticks, kicked and spat on, and a red hot metal bowl was put on his head, burning his hair and scalp.
He was then thrown into the mire of a stable and made to live with the animals.
Saint John endured all his tortures with perseverance and remarkable bravery.
He said to the Turks:
“I have confidence, faith and love in my Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, and none of these sufferings will separate me from His love.
As a prisoner I will obey your orders, and carry out my duties as a slave, but with regard to my faith in Christ the Saviour, you are not my masters – we ought to obey God rather than men.
I am ready to suffer greater and more terrible torments and even that death rather than deny my Christ.”
Thus Saint John accepted the hardships of his life – the tortures, living with the animals in the stable, which, he said, reminded him of the stable in Bethlehem, his spiritual self-discipline: fasts, vigils and prayer- and this acceptance and his way of life so impressed his tormentors that they ceased their brutality, and instead of “kafir” they gave him the epithet of “veli”, which means saint.
One day, at a banquet of the Aga’s officers at Prokopi, Saint John miraculously sent with an angel of the Lord a copper plate of food to the Aga in Mecca where he had gone on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mohammed. T
he food was hot when the plate appeared before the Aga, and he ate it.
On the Aga’s return to Prokopi three months later, at a similar banquet held in honour of his safe return, the Aga showed the officers the very same plate engraved with his family emblem.
This miracle, accomplished by the grace of God, completely quenched the hatred of Saint John’s Turkish masters: their brutality was overcome by spiritual radiance.
Throughout his harsh and difficult life Saint John had the support and consolation of prayer, vigils, prostrations, and of the Holy Mysteries which he partook of unbeknownst to the Turks.
Receiving Holy Communion every Saturday was his greatest refreshment and sustenance.
On the last day of his life, the 27th of May 1730, he sent for the priest who brought him Holy Communion concealed in a hollowed-out apple which he received for the last time there in the stable.
His temporary captivity and sufferings had come to an end: as soon as he had partaken of the Holy Gifts, the wondrous Saint John passed on to the life of eternal exultation and blessedness.
The priests and Christian notables from Prokopi were given permission by the Turks to take his body for burial.
Surrounded by censers and candles, they carried it on their shoulders, accompanied by Turks and Armenians as well as Christians, to a grave in the Christian cemetery.
There, with deep devotion, their eyes streaming with tears as if he were their lord and master the body of the former slave and servant was consigned to the mother earth
One night in November of 1733, the old priest who every Saturday had listened to Saint John tell of his sufferings and tortures and who had given him Holy Communion, saw him in a dream.
Saint John told the priest that, with God’s grace, his body had remained entire and uncorrupted as it had been when laid in the grave three and a half years before, and that it should be exhumed so that it would remain with them as a blessing of God for evermore.
The priest hesitated and then, by the grace of God, a heavenly light, like a pillar of fire, was seen illuminating the Saint’s grave.
The Christians opened up the grave, and what great wonder the body of the Saint was found entire, uncorrupted and redolent with a divine fragrance that it still has today.
With spiritual gladness and devotion they took this divine gift of the holy relic in their arms and transferred it to the church where Saint John himself had spent so many nights in prayerful vigil.
On that day, over two hundred and fifty years ago, his holy body entered the liturgical life of the Church of Christ.
In one of the domestic conflicts and quarrels between the Sultan of Turkey and Ibrahim of Egypt, the Sultan’s delegate, Osman Pasha, set fire to the holy relic of Saint John’s body as an act of revenge against the Christians.
Amid the flames the Turks saw the body begin to move and, terrified, they abandoned their unholy act and fled.
The next day the Christians dug amongst the charcoal and ashes and found the body still entire and although blackened by the smoke and fire it was pliant and fragrant.
His shrine became a great centre of pilgrimage, towering above all others in central Cappadocia.
always makes me VERY HAPPY... from pepsi .. just cos ,,,,,,
white ,,,,, Purity, Innocence, Silence, Secrecy, Reverence, Humility, Youthfulness, "I am worthy of you", Heavenly
coral,,,, Desire
yellow ,,,,Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight, Promise of a new beginning, Welcome Back, Remember Me, Jealousy, "I care"
Saint John "the Russian" is one of the most renowned saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
He was born in a village in Little Russia, around 1690.
Being a prisoner of war and a slave to a Turkish Ağa, he became famous and respected even by his Muslim master for his humility, steadiness in faith and benevolence.
His holy relics are claimed to be undecayed and wonder-working; there are traditions that this saint particularly helps sick children and those who suffer from cancer.
During the Russian-Turkish war (1711 – 1718) he was a soldier in the imperial army of Peter the Great of Russia.
At that time the then invincible Turkish military forces were advancing from victory to victory, spreading fear to all nations.
As a soldier, Saint John fought to defend his country, but having being nurtured by the springs of Orthodoxy through his Christian parents, he was appalled by the horror of war, the thousands of young men, women and children, and the elderly, left dead by the passing of the tempest of hostilities and the bellicosity of the enemy.
During the battles for the recapture of Azof on the northern coast of the Black Sea, Saint John, together with many thousands of his compatriots, was taken prisoner.
He was first sent to Constantinople (Istanbul), and from there to Prokopi near Caesarea of Cappadocia in Asia Minor, where he was delivered to an Aga who maintained a camp of janissaries there.
He was tortured to deny Christ.
At Prokopi he was subjected to the scorn and hatred of the Turks for being a “kiafir”, that is an unbeliever of Islam, for which he was tortured.
He was beaten with sticks, kicked and spat on, and a red hot metal bowl was put on his head, burning his hair and scalp.
He was then thrown into the mire of a stable and made to live with the animals.
Saint John endured all his tortures with perseverance and remarkable bravery.
He said to the Turks:
“I have confidence, faith and love in my Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, and none of these sufferings will separate me from His love.
As a prisoner I will obey your orders, and carry out my duties as a slave, but with regard to my faith in Christ the Saviour, you are not my masters – we ought to obey God rather than men.
I am ready to suffer greater and more terrible torments and even that death rather than deny my Christ.”
Thus Saint John accepted the hardships of his life – the tortures, living with the animals in the stable, which, he said, reminded him of the stable in Bethlehem, his spiritual self-discipline: fasts, vigils and prayer- and this acceptance and his way of life so impressed his tormentors that they ceased their brutality, and instead of “kafir” they gave him the epithet of “veli”, which means saint.
One day, at a banquet of the Aga’s officers at Prokopi, Saint John miraculously sent with an angel of the Lord a copper plate of food to the Aga in Mecca where he had gone on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Mohammed. T
he food was hot when the plate appeared before the Aga, and he ate it.
On the Aga’s return to Prokopi three months later, at a similar banquet held in honour of his safe return, the Aga showed the officers the very same plate engraved with his family emblem.
This miracle, accomplished by the grace of God, completely quenched the hatred of Saint John’s Turkish masters: their brutality was overcome by spiritual radiance.
Throughout his harsh and difficult life Saint John had the support and consolation of prayer, vigils, prostrations, and of the Holy Mysteries which he partook of unbeknownst to the Turks.
Receiving Holy Communion every Saturday was his greatest refreshment and sustenance.
On the last day of his life, the 27th of May 1730, he sent for the priest who brought him Holy Communion concealed in a hollowed-out apple which he received for the last time there in the stable.
His temporary captivity and sufferings had come to an end: as soon as he had partaken of the Holy Gifts, the wondrous Saint John passed on to the life of eternal exultation and blessedness.
The priests and Christian notables from Prokopi were given permission by the Turks to take his body for burial.
Surrounded by censers and candles, they carried it on their shoulders, accompanied by Turks and Armenians as well as Christians, to a grave in the Christian cemetery.
There, with deep devotion, their eyes streaming with tears as if he were their lord and master the body of the former slave and servant was consigned to the mother earth
One night in November of 1733, the old priest who every Saturday had listened to Saint John tell of his sufferings and tortures and who had given him Holy Communion, saw him in a dream.
Saint John told the priest that, with God’s grace, his body had remained entire and uncorrupted as it had been when laid in the grave three and a half years before, and that it should be exhumed so that it would remain with them as a blessing of God for evermore.
The priest hesitated and then, by the grace of God, a heavenly light, like a pillar of fire, was seen illuminating the Saint’s grave.
The Christians opened up the grave, and what great wonder the body of the Saint was found entire, uncorrupted and redolent with a divine fragrance that it still has today.
With spiritual gladness and devotion they took this divine gift of the holy relic in their arms and transferred it to the church where Saint John himself had spent so many nights in prayerful vigil.
On that day, over two hundred and fifty years ago, his holy body entered the liturgical life of the Church of Christ.
In one of the domestic conflicts and quarrels between the Sultan of Turkey and Ibrahim of Egypt, the Sultan’s delegate, Osman Pasha, set fire to the holy relic of Saint John’s body as an act of revenge against the Christians.
Amid the flames the Turks saw the body begin to move and, terrified, they abandoned their unholy act and fled.
The next day the Christians dug amongst the charcoal and ashes and found the body still entire and although blackened by the smoke and fire it was pliant and fragrant.
His shrine became a great centre of pilgrimage, towering above all others in central Cappadocia.
The global theme for April 2015 was “Humility” and our speaker at Portland/CreativeMornings was Charlie Brown, CEO and Founder of Context Partners. We were hosted by PNCA and sponsored by Create Legal and 52 Limited, and Razorfish. With thanks to Pro Photo Supply for the photo & video gear.
Photo by Scott Larsen. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
South transept window.
Depicting: Endurance, Humility, Innocence, Love, Principle, Sympathy, Fortitude, Charity, and Justice, as mostly portrayed by scenes from Jesus' life.
The badge of the Vale of Catmose lodge of the Independent Order of Oddfellows is at the bottom.
In memory of Charles Knowleton Morris d.1905, erected by his widow Judith Emily.
Glass by J. Dudley Forsyth. 1906.
Dudley Forsyth worked as a painter for James Powell & Sons and then for Henry Holiday before establishing his own practice in London by about 1900.
The global theme for April 2015 was “Humility” and our speaker at Portland/CreativeMornings was Charlie Brown, CEO and Founder of Context Partners. We were hosted by PNCA and sponsored by Create Legal and 52 Limited, and Razorfish. With thanks to Pro Photo Supply for the photo & video gear.
Photo by Scott Larsen. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The global theme for April 2015 was “Humility” and our speaker at Portland/CreativeMornings was Charlie Brown, CEO and Founder of Context Partners. We were hosted by PNCA and sponsored by Create Legal and 52 Limited, and Razorfish. With thanks to Pro Photo Supply for the photo & video gear.
Photo by Scott Larsen. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.