Synaxarion Daily Saints

Glory to God, the Synaxarion of the Holy Orthodox Church is available online and includes, on many days, the recorded homily on the assigned Gospel reading. https://msoe.gr/min-martios/martiou-5h

This effort is incredible! For years, the individual Troparia or Kontakia hymns for the Saints of each day have been available, and is therefore NOT included at the below website: TAKE A LOOK however - this resource is invaluable ! The Synaxarion is read daily and can be incorporated into your daily prayer rule.

The "Orthodox Kids Journal Project"

NEW: Introducing a free weekly curriculum to create Orthodox Christian Kids Journals about our  faith! Each week, come back to this website and download the handout to print yourselves.

The handouts cover a topic from the Church year including quotes, miracle stories, maps, troparions, icons and Orthodox art.

As we discuss the components of the lesson, students are actively listening while they color, cut, and glue a memorable resource to keep for the rest of their lives! Often, students contribute stories they have heard, or if they have that particular Saints' icon at home, or if they have ever venerated a relic, traveled to that country etc. This method proves to be a wonderful tool to create lasting beauty as students develop a greater understanding for the Orthodox Church year in the midst of open dialogue.

Join with us and share! CLICK HERE

Here are the files currently available to follow the Church year from September to May:

• Journal Curriculum Calendar
• Journal Intro page handout 
• Journal Lesson on the Cross 
• Journal Lesson on Saint Euphrosynos and Humility
• Journal Lesson on Prayer & the Komboskini 
• Journal Lesson Called to Holiness 
• Journal Lesson on OXI Day Protection of the Theotokos
• Journal Lesson on St Demetrios & Martyrdom
• Journal Lesson on Angels 
• Journal Lesson on Saint Nektarios 
• Journal Lesson on Saint Katherine (Aikaterini) 
• Journal Lesson on Saint Nicholas 
• Journal Lesson on Christmas, the Incarnation and Nativity of Christ 
• Journal Lesson on Theophany, the Baptism of Christ 
• Journal Lesson on Saint Andonios the Great 
• Journal Lesson for Holy Unction in the Orthodox Church 
• Journal Lesson on the Three Hierarchs 
• Journal Lesson on St John Baptist
• Journal Lesson on St Photini Samaritan Woman at the Well 
• Journal Lesson on Great Lent
• Journal Lesson on The Annunciation 
• Journal Lesson of St Mary of Egypt
• Journal Lesson on Holy Week
• Journal Lesson on Pascha & the Holy Fire in Jersualem
• Journal Lesson on the Ascension

Orthodox APP Android

There are a lot of apps available today, but none has proved to be more helpful for the souls in our family that this one: ORTHODOX SYNAXARION   (click the link to the left ) I somehow found it while searching GREEK APPS and it has become our custom to drive to school, or conclude our morning prayers by listening to the chanted troparions with icons of the Saints celebrated each day. The story of the Saint of the day is included, and words of the troparion as well. You can easily change the date, find extensive collection of prayers. There are even audio files of the PSALMS to play and texts from the Canons for many popular Saints. You simply download this app, and press play! It's that easy!

We have used this app to look up dates for feastdays, we also have played AGNE PARTHENE (the popular hymn by St Nektarios) that is an audio file to put our 4th child to sleep since he was born two years ago! It has been an invaluable resource to us !!!

It doesn't matter which language you pray in because the actual soul doesn't have a language! One can be praying without understanding! The soul worships God without words!

I pray that those who created it will be blessed abundantly!

How We Pray at Home with Children

It can sometimes be a very frustrating task, getting kids to cooperate at daily prayer times..beyond just meals that is. I'm
sharing the bare bones of our morning/evening routine with you, so that we might encourage each other in the daily struggle to teach our kids to pray with their whole  mind, body and soul: to learn that communicating with God is an ongoing relationship and gift of love that requires effort, attentiveness and sacrifice. Here is what we do....please comment and post your tips for others. May God strengthen and illumine us as parents!

MORNING PRAYERS - before breakfast and school

• Stand and make the sign of the Cross or bows to begin
• Light individual candles at vigil lamp (vigil lamp is constant flame in our home in front of our icons using olive oil as our continuous offering to God for His presence and blessing. A big void is noticed if this light goes out. Try it for a month and see!)
• "Through the prayers of the holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen... (ADULT)
• Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal.....3x    (ROTATE HAVING KIDS SAY THIS)
• All Holy Trinity, have mercy on us, ....(ANOTHER KID)
• Glory to the Father, Son, Holy Spirit...   (ANOTHER KID)
• Our Father...etc   (Another KID)
• Through the prayers of holy fathers.... (ADULT)
• THEOS KURIOS   (We all chant this "God is the Lord, and has revealed Himself to us, blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord" with verses from Orthros)
• (One) Morning Prayer (Having risen from sleep, we thank you o Christ our God....)
• TIN TIN ME O TERA (We all chant "You are honored more than the Cherubim" with verses and one kid incenses icons and us)
• Prayer for School  (I can post this if you want - we kneel for this )
• 3 full body Prostrations saying Jesus prayer aloud. (We end every prayer time with this)
• Through the prayers of holy fathers...."  (ADULT)
• Venerate icons
• Anoint foreheads with holy oil in a cross
• Eat piece of dried antidoron 
• Blow out candles

EVENING PRAYERS - much harder and abbreviated often because of bedtime behavior/silliness. Sometimes children listen to the prayers from their beds if unruly

• Light candle at vigil lamp
• Through the prayers of holy fathers.... (ADULT)
• Holy God, Holy mighty, Holy Immortal.....3x    (ROTATE HAVING KIDS SAY THIS)
• All Holy Trinity, have mercy on us, ....(ANOTHER KID)
• Glory to the Father, Son, Holy Spirit   (ANOTHER KID)
• Our Father...etc   (Another KID)
• Through the prayers of holy fathers.... (ADULT)
• FOS ILARON  (We chant "O Blessed Light" from Vespers)
• Evening Prokeimenon  (changes for each day from Vespers)
• "Grant Lord, to keep up this night without sin..."  (prayer from Vespers)
• "Lord our God, if during this day, I have sinned...." (prayer while kneeling)
• 3 full body prostrations saying Jesus Prayer aloud
• Venerate icons
• Lights out - sometimes adult reads life of Saint or Bible to fall asleep

TIPS
Consider asking the kids to chant "Lord Have mercy (3x)" as a good break from Mom or Dad reading all the time. Lastly, consider quiet time for specific "Prayer Rope"to be said. Provide one for each child on car rides, or afterschool walks....praying for people by name. On the drive to Liturgy, read the Epistle/Gospel in your language, or share a feastday lesson. Listen to chanting or lives of Saints.

Of course there are several prayerbooks with prayer rules and prayers for specific needs, the six hours of daily prayer, unceasing Jesus prayer, etc. I simply only wish to offer an abbreviated version of what works in our family at this time.

 What do you do?

Monthly Curriculum: Orthodox Girls

This year, our parish has designated separate classes for boys and girls ages 10-16.  I thought I'd share our program with you, as it seems to be well received so far. The idea of splitting the genders has  truly allowed us to concentrate on specific issues related to their challenges while also eliminating much of the chatter and drama! We do not have a text per say, but rather a structure that gives us
flexibility yet predictability.

Every month our girls follow this schedule:

• 1st Sunday: Koumboskinia/Prayer Ropes (Craft & Theology)
• 2nd Sunday: Chanting (Theology & Hymns from the Divine Liturgy or Feast)
• 3rd Sunday: Diakonima (The girls can bake, assist, serve, & clean-up at the coffee fellowship- the boys tend to the altar and candles)
• 4th Sunday: Journaling from the Lives of the Female Saints

Today, as an example, the girls were asked to walk around the church after the Divine Litrugy,
and to write the names of the female Saints that they found on the walls. Afterward, we discussed our vocation to be like these holy women who remind us weekly of virtue and our potential. Our plan is to create small journals that the girls will read a life of a female Saint in, then draw out a few inspiring details from the short story that impacted them. We will be sure to include the patron Saints of the girls in the class so that each can learn her story and share with the others.


If you have other ideas, please share~ It's truly a great blessing to walk along side these pure souls!

Here is the book I assembled at Shutterfly:
 http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0BatWTZozbs3Gw

Song: Jesus Prayer

In response to your requests, below are the audio files to learn the Jesus Prayer as a song with your teens and children. There are a few versions below: Two are slow, in English or Greek, and the third is a faster version to a slightly different melody that is especially great for road trips.You'd be surprised how the time passes quickly with everyone involved in prayer! Use this song to specifically pray for the poor, the hungry, the orphans, all monks and nuns, anyone by first name, etc... Although, if you are familiar with the theology behind the Jesus Prayer, you know that by praying this for yourself, you are essentially including all mankind and asking for God's great and abundant mercy to save us!

The first is in English, and sung in rounds from the CD "Panaghia With Us All: Songs and Hymns with the Children of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church" recorded with Father Monk Christodoulos.

The second recording is simply the same melody in Greek: "Kyrie Isou Xriste, Yie tou Theou, Eleison Me"

And the third version...asking different members present to shout out the next name to pray for...

New Book for Orthodox Children

Introducing the first book, "Our Hymn to the Mother of God" as part of a full-color hard bound Orthodox children's series now available for purchase by the Sisters of All Saints Greek Orthodox Monastery in Calverton, Long Island, New York. It has been a joy to work with them to publish this special project, as their idea of using the hymnology of the Church to retell the story to children just couldn't be more appropriate!

The spiritual poetry on each page is matched with wonderful original illustrations by Sister Theonymphi in the style of Byzantine iconography, which means you won't find anything theologically wrong like a cartoon image of Christ! The heavenly scenes will inspire all children to contemplate our Almighty God.

Here are a few sneak peaks, and the information for ordering: The sisters hope to soon make their copies available through Amazon online, as well as parish bookstores, etc.
 
ISBN Number: 978-0-9835602-0-3

All Saints Greek Orthodox Monastery
1676 Middle Road
Calverton, NY 11933

Order by Phone: (631) 439-5603
Order by E-mail: hagionpanton@gmail.com

The next books already in process are titled, 

"Our Hymn for the Nativity" and  

"Our Hymn for Holy Pascha"

Pre-orders are already being accepted.

Orthodox Music for Kids

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This post is in honor of all the brave souls who have recorded their voices for the rest of us to enjoy! We have so many Orthodox CD's out there, from all jurisdictions...which are your family's favorites? I've found folksongs, along with more traditional feast-day hymns. The recording from the Makarios Seminary in Kenya -has always been a favorite of mine. The Africans sing with great joy to the beat of a drum in Swahili, Greek, and English. The Eikona sisters have put out great hymns in English, and "Panagia with Us All" includes the Jesus Prayer put to song as well as "O Heavenly King" - Glory to God for such resources! Please post your reviews too.