A Photo That Shows the Devout Soul of a Fifth Grade Altar Boy

By Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selino

No, it is not edited, nor is it a set-up photo, much more so it is not a "fake", to use a term that has come into our lives, along with the term "coronavirus".

This is Yiannaki, a cute and very smart kid from the 5th grade who is growing up in a blessed family.

Yiannaki came to church on the evening of Palm Sunday, way before the Bridegroom Service was about to begin. We locked the doors of our Cathedral church, and he came into the sanctuary, where I was preparing to begin the Service.

Saint Mary of Egypt (A Children's Version)

St. Mary of Egypt (Feast Day - April 1 & 5th Sunday of Great Lent)

About 500 years after the Resurrection of our Lord, a holy monk by the name of Zosimas lived in a monastery by the Jordan River. He had lived as a monk since childhood and when he was about 50 years old he began to think that he had surpassed all the other monks in virtue and that no one could teach him anything he didn’t already know. To prevent such a prideful thought from taking root, God taught him a lesson.

It was the custom in the monastery that at the beginning of each Great Lent, after Liturgy on Forgiveness Sunday, the monks would cross the Jordan and scatter throughout the desert where they would stay until Palm Sunday. Each monk would spend this time alone before God, in fasting and prayer, without anyone around to praise him for his struggles.

"We Stay at Home" Children's Choir of the Greek-English Training School Sing the Akathist Hymn

The children's choir known as "Μένει Σπίτι" ("We Stay at Home") from the Greek-English Training School in Marousi of Athens, Greece sang with some parents the Akathist Hymn. Their message for their classmates and for the world is:

"We Stay at Home" and protect those we love! "We Stay at Home" and are NOT afraid! Soon we will all be back together and do rehearsals, assemblies and many trips! A Good Pascha to the whole world!