GM

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People ask quite regularly why people in Byzantine and medieval art aren’t smiling or showing emotions, but the question reveals a completely philosophically captured notion of what Christian art is for. The contemporary iconographic master, George Kordis, explains: “The reason Byzantine painters and artists from the Classical period of ancient Greece were not especially interested in conveying emotional states is because emotions are temporary and therefore cannot characterise someone. For example people laugh and stop a moment later. They smile and stop smiling, or look saddened only for that look to disappear later on. Thus when we paint an icon there is little point in recording something that is completely temporary. “Rather we focus on the person’s basic characteristics, the ones that always identify the person. This is precisely why there is no insistence on capturing emotions. “This philosophy is very different from the one developed in western painting, at least from the Renaissance onward, especially in the Baroque period, where the depiction of emotions is of central importance and characterises an entire period in the history of art.” (Segna di Bonaventura - Madonna and Child, c. 1325-1330)

“Love is not a feeling that comes and goes like the wind; it is a labor of the heart, to will the good of another, even when it costs you dearly.” ☦️St Ambrose of Optina He who is pure of soul and chaste in life always speaks the words of the Spirit discreetly, and in accord with his own measure he speaks of the things of God and of the things that are within him. But when a man’s heart is crushed by the passions, his tongue is moved by them; and even though he speak of spiritual matters, yet he discourses passionately, to the end that he might be victorious by unjust means. The wise man will mark such a man at his first encounter with him, and the pure man will smell his evil stench. ☦️St. Isaac the Syrian

If you are interested in the story of The Dormition of the most Holy Mother of God, here it is. ☦️ https://www.orthodoxethos.com/post/do-you-know-what-happened-at-the-panagia-s-dormition

Who is the best teacher? – Suffering. Who is the worst teacher? – Pleasure. What is the rarest skill? – The ability to give. What is the greatest skill? – The ability to forgive. What is the hardest skill? – The ability to keep silent. What is the most important skill? – The ability to ask. What is the most needed skill? – The ability to listen. What is the most dangerous struggle? – Fanaticism. What is the most unpleasant habit? – Quarreling. What is the most harmful habit? – Talkativeness. Who is the strongest person? – The one who can understand the Truth. Who is the weakest person? – The one who considers himself the strongest. Who is the most intelligent person? – The one who guards his heart. What is the most dangerous attachment? – Attachment to one’s own body. Who is the poorest person? – The one who loves money the most. Who is the closest to God? – The merciful one. Who is the weakest person? – The one who has conquered others. Who is the strongest person? – The one who has conquered himself. How do we confront affliction? – With joy. How do we endure suffering? – With patience. What is the sign of a healthy soul? – Faith. What is the sign of a sick soul? – Despair. What is the sign of wrong actions? – Irritability. What is the sign of good deeds? – Peace in the soul. ☦️ Monk Simeon of Athos Orthodox Spiritual Counsels from the Holy Elders

Blessed Dormition of the Holy Mother of God! 😍☦️

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The Uncreated Light (@theuncreatedlight)

The empty tomb of the Virgin Mary, located at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, where she fell asleep in the Lord, and then ascended to...

Very few “The Gospel is a harsh document; the Gospel is ruthless and specific in what it says; the Gospel is not meant to be re-worded, watered down and brought to the level of either our understanding or our taste. The Gospel is proclaiming something which is beyond us and which is there to stretch our mind, to widen our heart beyond the bearable at times, to recondition all our life, to give us a world view which is simply the world upside-down and this we are not keen to accept.” – Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

A banger meme I stole from Luke Sardis over on substack... We need to bring the substack folk to NOSTR 😌

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👀☦️#Christianity