Hierarch’s Divine Liturgy in Strumica ( 27.11.2005 )
Today, on the feast of Saint Gregory Palamas, the patron of the Strumica Diocese, in the church dedicated to this Saint in Strumica, Metropolitan Nahum of Strumica celebrated Divine Liturgy. At the Liturgy His Eminence performed ordination into deaconate. The church was too small for all the faithful who arrived on this feast to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
“Fasting is the root of every virtue and the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s commandments… Fasting and abstinence are useful not only to virtues, but to devoutness as well; since fasting must be accompanied by abstinence. Why? Because satiety with food is an obstacle to purifying grief and sadness for God and to heart’s humility, which, for their part, turn the indisposition to repent into saving repentance. Restrictions in food and sleep, and also the abstinence of the senses, humble the heart and make it grieve over the sins.” (saint Gregory Palamas, Homily on Fasting)
