Minty Radish Green Pesto

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
radish greens
salt, pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh mint (optional) or basil or cilantro or parsley

Directions: blend them all together and serve with gluten-free crackers/pasta, also stuff fresh mini red peppers or serve as topping on soups. (may change the radish greens with spinach, kale etc)

Delicious Pears With Cinnamon

 

A very simple dessert: organic pears, cut into bite sizes and a sprinkle of cinnamon!
 

This combination can be added to cooked buckwheat flakes, along with some ground flax seeds and nuts for a nutritious vegan & gluten-free breakfast. (other optional ingredients to add: raisins/cranberries/flax seed oil/berries).

 

Saint Nectarios of Pentapolis

"Seek God daily. But seek Him in your heart, not outside of it. And when you find Him, stand with fear and trembling, like the Cherubim and the Seraphim, for your heart has become a throne of God.
But in order to find God, become humble as dust before the Lord, for the Lord abhors the proud, whereas He visits those that are humble in heart, wherefore He says: "To whom will I look, but to him that is meek and humble in heart?"

Saint Nectarios

The Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Nectarios on November 9.

Decision of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa.

Alexandria 15th September 1998

The Holy Spirit has enlightened the gathered members of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa, under the leadership of H.B. Petros VII, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa, more than a century since Saint Nektarios, the great Teacher and Father of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church was expelled from the Church of Alexandria, to reach the following decision:

Taking into account the resolution of the Church to rank Saint Nektarios amongst the saints because of his innumerable miracles and his acceptance within the religious conscience of Orthodox Christians throughout the world, we appeal to the mercy of the ever-charitable God.

We hereby restore the ecclesiastical order of the Saint of our Century, Saint Nektarios, and grant to him all due credits and honors. We beseech Saint Nektarios to forgive both us, unworthy as we are, and our predecessors, our brothers of the Throne of Alexandria, for opposition to the Saint and for all which, due to human weakness or error, our Holy Father, Bishop of Pentapolis, Saint Nektarios, suffered.

PETROS VII

By the Grace of God

Pope and Patriarch

of Alexandria and All Africa.

 

Below is the chanting of "Agne Parthene", a chanting composed by Saint Nectarios:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IomxvOTf-So

 

Translation by the Holy Nativity Convent, Saxonburg, Pennsylvania

O Virgin Pure

Plagal First Tone (Tone 5)

Refrain: Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

O Virgin pure, immaculate/ O Lady Theotokos

O Virgin Mother, Queen of all/ and fleece which is all dewy

More radiant than the rays of sun/ and higher than the heavens

Delight of virgin choruses/ superior to Angels.

Much brighter than the firmament/ and purer than the sun's light

More holy than the multitude/ of all the heav'nly armies.

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

O Ever Virgin Mary/ of all the world, the Lady

O bride all pure, immaculate/ O Lady Panagia

O Mary bride and Queen of all/ our cause of jubilation

Majestic maiden, Queen of all/ O our most holy Mother

More hon'rable than Cherubim/ beyond compare more glorious

than immaterial Seraphim/ and greater than angelic thrones.

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

Rejoice, O song of Cherubim/ Rejoice, O hymn of angels

Rejoice, O ode of Seraphim/ the joy of the archangels

Rejoice, O peace and happiness/ the harbor of salvation

O sacred chamber of the Word/ flow'r of incorruption

Rejoice, delightful paradise/ of blessed life eternal

Rejoice, O wood and tree of life/ the fount of immortality.

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!

I supplicate you, Lady/ now do I call upon you

And I beseech you, Queen of all/ I beg of you your favor

Majestic maiden, spotless one/ O Lady Panagia

I call upon you fervently/ O sacred, hallowed temple

Assist me and deliver me/ protect me from the enemy

And make me an inheritor/ of blessed life eternal.

Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!
(Source and translation: Holy Nativity Convent, Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) http://www.serfes.org/spiritual/november1999.htm

The Synaxis of The Archangel Michael and The Other Bodiless Powers

The Synaxis of The Archangel Michael and The Other Bodiless Powers: Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Salaphiel, Jegudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel is celebrated today by the Orthodox Christians all over the world.

God created these orders nine months after He created the world.(I did not know that). Angels are not to be worshipped. The following is the hierarchy of the nine orders: six-winged seraphim, many-eyed cherubim, godly thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels and angels. Archangel Michael is the leader of the angelic army. His name means, "Who is like God."
When Lucifer and his followers, were cast from heaven, Archangel Michael said to the remaining half of the angels in heaven, "Let us give heed! Let us stand right! Let us stand with fear!" Archangel Michael defends the Garden of Eden, told Abraham not to sacrifice Isaac, told Lot to flee Sodom, protected Jacob from Esau, took the soul of Moses from the devil, and changed the course of a river in Asia Minor to protect a holy spring in a church.

The icon depicting Archangel Michael is on the left side of the iconostasis in all Orthodox churches, and Archangel Gabriel is on the right. The name Gabriel means " The Power of God". Archangel Gabriel announces the mysteries of God.