She was justly called the "Abbess of all Russia." It can be said without exaggeration that Mother Barbara personified a whole epoch in the existence of Russian women's monasticism, and monasticism in general. She labored in monasticism for fifty years, forty-three of which she served as the abbess of Piukhtitsa Monastery in Estonia. Under Matushka Barbara, Piukhtitsa became a unique "smithy of monastic personnel," a capital city of women's monasticism. But mainly, here one could feel true Christian love, kindness, hospitality, and spiritual nobility, combined with deep monastic work.
Archpriest Andrew Phillips
This Sunday is known as Forgiveness Sunday, and also Cheesfare Sunday for it is the last day on which we may eat dairy produce. On it we remember the Fall of Adam and Eve and how they lost Paradise by eating 'the forbidden fruit', which is why we fast, eating only 'the permitted fruit'. How exactly did that Fall happen?
Rating: 2|Votes: 1
At the onset of Great Lent and a period of intense fasting, this Sunday reminds us of our need for God’s forgiveness and guides our hearts, minds, and spiritual efforts on returning to Him in repentance.
St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)
Rating: 4|Votes: 3
Mercy will present to Christ also those who were only able to show mercy to themselves, who visited themselves with self-criticism and freed themselves from the poverty, sickness, and prison of sin through repentance. Repentance is impossible for the hardened heart: the heart must be softened, filled with sympathy and mercy toward its catastrophic state of sinfulness.
Maxim Klimenko
Rating: 7|Votes: 3
On February 22, 2011, Hieroschemamonk Petroniu (Tănase) reposed in the Lord. He was the abbot of the Romanian Podromu Skete (dedicated to the Nativity of St. John the Baptist) on the Holy Mountain of Athos. The blessed elder was a great spiritual authority not only on Mt. Athos, but also throughout Greece and in his native Romania.
