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Damascene Press Publisher of Orthodox Christian texts online and in print. Operated by the Lambertsen Foundation. Learn more at damascenepress.org/about Fr.

The Lambertsen Foundation was established with the blessing of the late Metropolitan Hilarion of New York following Isaac (Monk Joseph) Lambertsen’s repose soon after his publisher (Saint John of Kronstadt Press) ceased operations. Joseph was a prolific liturgical translator and author. Over the span of about 40 years, in addition to composing dozens of services to various saints, he translated the entire twelve volumes of the Menaion, the Octoechos, the Pentecostarion, and many other spiritual and liturgical texts into the English language. Having been entrusted with the entirety of Fr. Joseph’s literary work, it is our intention to ensure that these materials remain accessible to the English-speaking faithful. In addition to the continued publication (through Damascene Press) of his and other related works, we will begin making these texts available free of charge in electronic format for use by other publishers, parish choirs, etc. The Foundation is already operating through the generosity of several donors and is pleased to announce that a previous bestseller — "A Spiritual Psalter: or Reflections on God" — is now available through Damascene Press as an eBook and is available for preorder in hardbound and paperbound editions. Order at https://damascenepress.org or download from http://bit.ly/spiritual-psalter-download

A genuine leather-bound limited edition will be given as a token gift to those supporting the Foundation’s work with contributions of $500 or more. See https://bit.ly/support-damascene-press for details.

+ The gift of tears and the banishment of the enemy +Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Our Savior! Grant me, Thy servant, c...
10/26/2026

+ The gift of tears and the banishment of the enemy +

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Our Savior! Grant me, Thy servant, contrition and enlightenment of heart, that with an enlightened heart, tears of sweetness might spring forth in pure prayer, that it might not take many of my tears for Thee to erase the record of my sins, and that for the sake of brief lamentation Thou mightest extinguish the fire kindled in me. For if, O Master, Thou allowest me to weep here, then wilt Thou free me from inextinguishable fire.

I know, O long-suffering and man-befriending Lord, that every day and hour I embitter and anger Thee greatly, but the kindness of Thine endurance will vanquish my malice and bitterness.

O Lord, Who lovest good and art a God of mercy and compassion! Save me from the terrible corrupt enemy, who hourly fetters and persecutes my soul with evil and corrupt thoughts.

Ineffable is Thy strength, O Christ, for it rebuked the waves of the sea. May it rebuke him, may it render him ineffectual, and may it banish him far from me Thy servant.

Every day he renews his treachery against me and he hastens to take possession of my crippled mind and to distance me from Thee and from Thy divine commandments.

But, O Master, O most merciful Lord, quickly send Thy strength and chase from me, Thy worthless servant, this mighty serpent with all of his cunning and shameful thoughts, that I might in purity praise Thee with Thine eternal Father and Thine all-holy and good and life-creating Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

(Saint Ephraim the Syrian in "A Spiritual Psalter or Reflections on God")

As thou hast boldness before thy Son, O pure Theotokos, free me from this present temptation, setting at naught the cons...
10/25/2026

As thou hast boldness before thy Son, O pure Theotokos, free me from this present temptation, setting at naught the constant machinations of the enemy who ever wages war upon me.

O ye choirs of the ranks on high, ye martyrs and apostles, ye assembly of the divine prophets, ye righteous and venerable: with the Mother and Theotokos entreat Christ in our behalf.

O Christ, accept thine all-glorious Mother who prayeth for the world and mercifully crieth out to Thee: “O my Son, accept mine entreaty and still Thou the wrath which lieth upon the world!”

I fall down before thee, O Theotokos, and pray from the depths of my heart: Rescue me from these present trials, that, delivered from evils, I may offer hymnody to thy splendor.

——
Excerpt from the canon to the Theotokos for Sunday night (Tone IV)
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Abiding in unceasing prayer, and embracing the wicked as well as the good with love, O venerable elders of Optina, ye se...
10/23/2026

Abiding in unceasing prayer, and embracing the wicked as well as the good with love, O venerable elders of Optina, ye served God and your neighbors, and through vigils, tears and fasting received the gift of divers miracles. Glory to Him Who hath given us such mediators! Glory to Him Who hath glorified you! Glory to God Who is wondrous in His saints!

——
Troparion of the Venerable Elders of Optina (Tone I)
orthodoxprayers.substack.com
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As radiant as the sun thou didst shine forth, O apostle, with the beams of the Spirit, and hast illumined the whole worl...
10/22/2026

As radiant as the sun thou didst shine forth, O apostle, with the beams of the Spirit, and hast illumined the whole world with divine knowledge, O blessed one, and driven away the darkness of polytheism with thy divine preaching. Wherefore, celebrating thine all-splendid and right laudable festival today, we glorify thee with piety.

Thou hast thundered forth sacred and saving doctrines upon the whole world, O all-wise one, hast cleansed all creation of the madness of idolatry, O divinely wise one, and hast enlightened the people with the radiance of the knowledge of God. And, demolishing the temples of the idols through grace, thou didst raise up churches for the praise of our God.

Seated in the heights of divine knowledge, O James, thou didst receive the grace of the Spirit, which appeared to thee in the guise of fire and manifestly consumed all the idolatrous filth of impiety with a tongue of flame. Wherefore, we praise thee as an apostle and herald of God, celebrating today thy holy festival.

——
Hymns of Saint James, Son of Alphæus (Tone IV)
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I tremble, considering the depths of my sins and the grievous and great billows of mine adverse thoughts; yet do thou di...
10/21/2026

I tremble, considering the depths of my sins and the grievous and great billows of mine adverse thoughts; yet do thou direct and pilot me to calm harbor, O all-pure one.

Grievous ignorance, incomprehension and heedlessness of mine evils have now come upon my soul; yet do thou, O all-pure one, lead me to repentance for those things which I have done.

With streams of tears extinguish thou the fire of the passions and with the fire of the Spirit burn up the thorns and billows of life which choke my mind, O Theotokos, for thou art my protection and boast.
_______
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Like most precious incense burning on the coals of abstinence, O Pelagia, thou becamest a wholeburnt fragrance for Chris...
10/21/2026

Like most precious incense burning on the coals of abstinence, O Pelagia, thou becamest a wholeburnt fragrance for Christ our God, hastening to the sweet savor of His myrrh.

Thy bodily splendor which before was as the mire of sin, O Pelagia, thou didst wholly transform into undefiled beauty, which Christ, thy Bridegroom, desired.

The grace of the Spirit, touching thy soul like a spark of the Word, O Pelagia, kindled a lofty flame of faith and burned up thy sins.

——
Excerpt from the canon to Saint Pelagia for Wednesday morning (Tone IV)
orthodoxprayers.substack.com
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With divine light illumine my mind, which hath been benighted by evil thoughts, O most hymned one; for thou gavest birth...
10/21/2026

With divine light illumine my mind, which hath been benighted by evil thoughts, O most hymned one; for thou gavest birth to the everlasting Light Who hath shone forth from the Father.

Tripping the feet of my soul, the enemy of the righteous hath caused me to fall to the ground; yet with thy right hand, O pure Mistress, raise me up again.

With the voice of the publican I cry to thee, wretch that I am: Cleanse me, O Mistress, and by thy supplication grant remission of transgressions unto thy servant.

——
Excerpt from the canon to the Theotokos for Tuesday evening (Tone III)
orthodoxprayers.substack.com
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The Lord said to His disciples: “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forg...
10/20/2026

The Lord said to His disciples: “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” And He spake a parable unto them, “Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, ‘Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye,’ when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

The turbulence of the passions and the turmoil of vile thoughts bestorm my soul, and evil men ever smite me like a tempe...
10/19/2026

The turbulence of the passions and the turmoil of vile thoughts bestorm my soul, and evil men ever smite me like a tempest; yet as thou lovest mankind, O Virgin, quickly deliver me from my besetting needs.

O my lowly soul, leave off thy wicked deeds and cease from doing evil and angering God; but earnestly embrace His commandments, for thou hast the Theotokos directing thy ways.

As thou gavest birth to the Lord of all, free me from the passions and from grievous sins, and in thy surpassing loving-kindness enrich me wholly with good works, that, rejoicing, I may magnify thee, O most immaculate one.

——
Excerpt from the canon to the Theotokos for Monday night (Tone III)
orthodoxprayers.substack.com
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10/16/2026

A HUNGRY STUDENT AND SAINT VERONICA

A story from our sister Veronica:

It was the feast day of my patron saint, the Martyr Veronica. I was a student at the time, living in rented accommodation, and by the end of the week I had absolutely no money left.

After a full day of classes, I came home late — hungry and exhausted. There was nothing in the house but tea. I felt so sorry for myself that I complained to my saint: "Dear Veronica, today is your feast day, a celebration in heaven! I've been honoured to bear your holy name, and here I am with nothing to eat..."

Before I could even finish, the doorbell rang. A young woman stood at the door with a tray full of food — smoked meats, roast chicken, salads, fruit, vegetables, and even a slice of cake. "Today is my wedding day!" she said. "I wanted to share my joy with the neighbours. Please, help yourself."

The door closed. There I stood — a hungry student — holding a huge tray of food, and filled with no less gratitude to my saint! Of course, my prayer had sounded more like grumbling, but I can say with confidence: be friends with your saints, pray to them, and know that you are loved and never forgotten.

Since then, I should add, every year on my name day I receive little treats — a gentle reminder that I am cared for and remembered.

The feast day of Saint Berenice (Verine, Veronica) is October 17 (4).

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