Day 1 ~ December 25 Christmas Day - celebrate Birth of Jesus May God grant you many years!
Day 2 ~ 26th December (Flight into Egypt) Prayer for Our Oppressors Lord Jesus Christ, in Your great mercy You prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified You, and You taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Lord, I pray that You forgive those who treat our Holy Church unjustly and speak out against her, and that You bless them and guide them according to Your will. Take away any bitterness I may have in my heart against them. Lord, may Your forgiveness, goodness and love be revealed in all of us, to Your praise and glory. Amen.
Day 3 ~ 27th December (St Stephanos) Prayer for those Martyred Christ our eternal King and God, You have destroyed death and the devil by Your Cross and have restored man to life by Your Resurrection; give rest, Lord, to the soul of Your servant (name) who has fallen asleep, in Your Kingdom, where there is no pain, sorrow or suffering. In Your goodness and love for all men, pardon all the sins he (she) has committed in thought word or deed, for there is no man or woman who lives and sins not, You only are without sin. For You are the Resurrection, the Life, and Repose of Your servant (name), departed this life, O Christ our God; and to You do we send up glory with Your Eternal Father and Your All-holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit; both now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen
Day 4 ~ 28th December (Holy 20,000 Martyrs)
Prayer for Peace Almighty God and Creator, You are the Father of all people on the earth. Guide, I pray, all the nations and their leaders in the ways of justice and peace. Protect us from the evils of injustice, prejudice, exploitation, conflict and war. Help us to put away mistrust, bitterness and hatred. Teach us to cease the storing and using of implements of war. Lead us to find peace, respect and freedom. Unite us in the making and sharing of tools of peace against ignorance, poverty, disease and oppression. Grant that we may grow in harmony and friendship as brothers and sisters created in Your image, to Your honor and praise. Amen.
Day 5 ~ 29th December (Massacre of the Holy Innocents)
Prayer for a Dead Child O Lord who watches over children in the present life and in the world to come because of their simplicity and innocence of mind, abundantly satisfying them with a place in Abraham's bosom, bringing them to live in radiantly shining places where the spirits of the righteous dwell: receive in peace the soul of Your little servant (name), for You Yourself have said, "Let the little children come to Me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven." Amen.
Day 6 ~ 30th December (Philiatarios and 6 Soldiers)
Prayer Toward the Unknown O Lord, You who steadied the hand of Peter as he began to sink on the stormy sea, if you are with me, no one is against me. Grant to me the shield of faith and the mighty armor of the Holy Spirit to protect me and guide me to do Your will. The future I put into Your hands, O Lord, and I follow You to a life in Christ. Amen
Day 7 ~ 31st December (Zoticus Feeder of Orphans)
Prayer for Orphans O Mother of God, protector of orphans and protector of those who are hurt, the savior of those who perish and the consolation of all those who are in distress, thou seest my misery, thou seest my sorrow and my loneliness. Help me—I am powerless; give me strength. Thou knowest what I suffer, thou knowest my grief: Lend me thy hand, for who else can be my hope but thee, my protector and my intercessor before God? I have sinned before thee and before all people. Be my Mother, my consoler, my helper. Protect me and save me, chase grief away from me, chase my lowness of heart and my despondency. Help me, O Mother of my God!
Day 8 ~ 1st January (Basil The Great)
Prayer for Mercy We bless thee, O God most high and Lord of mercies, who ever workest great and mysterious deeds for us, glorious, wonderful, and numberless; who providest us with sleep as a rest from our infirmities and as a repose for our bodies tired by labor. We thank thee that thou hast not destroyed us in our transgressions, but in thy love toward man-kind thou hast raised us up, as we lay in despair, that we may glorify thy Majesty. We entreat thine infinite goodness, enlighten the eyes of our understanding and raise up our minds front the heavy sleep of indolence; open our mouths and fill them with thy praise, that we may unceasingly sing and con-fess thee, who art God glorified in all and by all, the eternal Father, the Only-Begotten Son, and the all-holy and good and life-giving Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Day 9 ~ 2nd January (Kosmas Patriarch of Costantinople)
A Prayer of Repentance O Lord our God, good and merciful, I acknowledge all my sins which I have committed every day of my life, in thought, word and deed; in body and soul alike. I am heartily sorry that I have ever offended thee, and I sincerely repent; with tears I humbly pray thee, O Lord: of thy mercy forgive me all my past transgressions and absolve me from them. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy Grace, to amend my way of life and to sin no more; that I may walk in the way of the righteous and offer praise and glory to the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer of Parents for their Children O God, our heavenly Father, Who lovest mankind, and art most merciful and compassionate, have mercy upon our children, Thy servants, (their names), for whom I humbly pray Thee, and commend them to Thy gracious protection. Be Thou, O God, their guide and guardian in all their endeavors; lead them in the path of Thy truth, and draw them near to Thee, that they may lead a godly and righteous life in Thy love and fear; doing Thy will in all matters. Give them grace that they may be temperate, industrious, diligent, devout and charitable. Defend them against the assaults of the enemy, and grant them wisdom and strength to resist all temptation and corruption of this life; and direct them in the way of salvation, for the merits of Thy Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, and the intercessions of His Holy Mother, and Thy blessed saints. Amen.
Day 11 ~ 4th January (Apostle of the Seventy)
Prayers for a Sick Person Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, Who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal also Your servant (name) from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant him (her) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray, heal Your servant (name) and grant to him (her) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Day 12 ~ 5th January (St Syncletike) Prayer for Our Enemies Lord Jesus Christ, in Your great mercy You prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified You, and You taught us to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us. Lord, I pray that You forgive those who treat me unjustly and speak out against me, and that You bless them and guide them according to Your will. Take away any bitterness I may have in my heart against them. Lord, may Your forgiveness, goodness and love be revealed in all of us, to Your praise and glory. Amen.
Elias Damianakis @ArchonMaestorNov 15 Day 1 Today begins the Nativity fast in honor of this anticipated liberation I will have 40 days of Religious Freedom Tweets Please share w friend
@ArchonMaestor Nov 16 Day 2 Promote dialogue among all communities people create peace, harmony & tolerance in a world faced w/ violence, conflicts & religious hatred
@ArchonMaestor Nov 17 Day 3 "identify those opportunities for openness that will tear down the walls of discrimination and segregation" - Anthony Limberakis
@ArchonMaestor Nov 18 Day 4 Religious freedom is more than just the freedom to believe what you want. It's also the freedom to talk about and act on your core beliefs
@ArchonMaestor Nov 19 Day 5 "Freedom of religion and expression lead to a strong and vibrant civil society that only strengthens the state" POTUS BO
@ArchonMaestor Nov 20 Day 6 "...dialogue with the "other" is an opportunity for enrichment...:" @Elpidophoros (Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Prusa)
@ArchonMaestor Nov 21 Day 7 7 "Religious Freedom guides humanity towards all other rights..." Elias Damianakis @ArchonMaestor
@ArchonMaestor Nov 22 Day 8 If today I lived in a communist country where principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed I would advocate disobeying that country's anti-religious laws Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
@ArchonMaestor Nov 23 Day 9 Thanksgiving Day represents people seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith & 1621 American’s 1st Thanksgiving
@ArchonMaestor Nov 24 Day 10 Man is not made for oppression; man is not made to exist without the freedom of his own religious conscience; that truth is perhaps even better proved by the oppressor than by the oppressed. -Archbishop Demetrios of America
@ArchonMaestor Nov 25 Day 11 our struggle for religious freedom and our respect for the conscience of every human being are proof of the triumph of love over hatred, of unity over division, and of compassion over the numbing sensation of indifference that is rooted in contemporary materialism -His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
@ArchonMaestor Nov 26 Day 12 the Church is for everyone because we are all saints and we are all sinners and Christ sacrificed himself for all of us -Metropolitan Elpidophoros of Prousa
@ArchonMaestor Nov 27 Day 13 From our perspective, freedom of religion or belief is intrinsically linked to freedom of opinion and expression. Freedom of opinion and freedom of expression are prerequisites to maintain pluralism, including religious freedom and religious equality. -Metropolitan Emmanuel of France
@ArchonMaestor Nov 28 Day 14 Seventy-four percent of the world’s population lives in “countries with serious restrictions on religious freedom, whether caused by government policies or the hostile acts of individuals, organizations, or societal groups.” -US State Department
@ArchonMaestor Nov 29 Day 15 “what is here a right towards men, is a duty towards the Creator,” -James Madison wrote in his 1786
@ArchonMaestor Nov 30 Day 16 "faith isn't merely a matter of “toleration” but is understood to be the exercise of “inherent natural rights.” -George Washington
@ArchonMaestor Dec 1 Day 17 Religion and good morals are the only solid foundation of public liberty and happiness. – Samuel Adams
@ArchonMaestor Dec 2 Day 18 The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
@ArchonMaestor Dec 3 Day 19 Religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate is one of the most highly-supported issues in Congress. -Hellenic Leaders.com
@ArchonMaestor Dec 4 Day 20 Regarding religious freedoms – freedom of religion, freedom to receive an education and the sacredness of places of worship – we demand for them the same rights that we demand for ourselves. - Professor Gormez
@ArchonMaestor Dec 5 Day 21 Religious freedom bears implications for our lives, just like the biblical view of freedom and economic freedom. In fact, religious freedom is entwined with these other freedoms. - Hugh Whelchel
@ArchonMaestor Dec 6 Day 22 If human beings were to treat one another’s personal property the way they treat the natural environment, we would view that behavior as anti-social and illegal. - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
@ArchonMaestor Dec 7 Day 23 History bears us out in demonstrating that a lack of religious freedom weakens social cohesion and alienates citizens from their government, fomenting internal unrest, breeding extremism, and inhibiting national unity and progress. - Order St Andrew
@ArchonMaestor Dec 8 Day 24 “Building a future of freedom requires love of the common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity.” - Pope Francis
@ArchonMaestor Dec 9 Day 25 "a healthy pluralism which respects differences and values them as such" -Pope Francis @ArchonMaestor Dec 10 Day 26 hope triumphed over hatred and where peace overwhelmed enmity -Dr Anthony Limberakis
@ArchonMaestor Dec 11 Day 27 “Freedom of religion is in greater danger,” “I am reminded of a song by the latest recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature: it’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there.” -Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito
@ArchonMaestor Dec 12 Day 28 I would say today he is the—one of the outstanding leaders in terms of dialogue, inter-religious cooperation, preaching tolerance—all the essential and critical requirements today for all of us to coexist on this earth.” -Rabbi Arthur Schneier
@ArchonMaestor Dec 13 Day 29 The Mother Church needs you! Learn what additional actions you can take to protect Religious Freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate -archons.org
@ArchonMaestor Dec 14 Day 30 The first amendment of the Constitution was not written to protect the people of this country from religious values; it was written to protect religious values from government tyranny. -Ronald Reagan
@ArchonMaestor Dec 15 Day 31 “Since the formation of the modern Republic of Turkey, the government has interfered in the canonical election of the Ecumenical Patriarch, confiscated 90% of its properties and forcibly closed its only local seminary, the Halki School of Theology, actions and policies which have constrained the religious freedom of the Spiritual Center of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians, located in Istanbul,” - Dr Anthony Limberakis, Archons
@ArchonMaestor Dec 16 Day 32 “We call upon Christians of Eastern and Western Europe to unite in their shared witness to Christ and the Gospel, so that Europe may preserve its soul, shaped by two thousand years of Christian tradition,” - Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI
@ArchonMaestor Dec 17 Day 33 "Our nation was founded on a principle that each man and woman would be free to practice their faith without oppression or compulsion; however, this principle is not shared by all the countries with which we have relationships." -Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh
@ArchonMaestor Dec 18 Day 34 The Turkish "constitution protects freedom of religion, and religious expression has become more prominent in the public sphere" Haven't seen fruits of this vine yet... -Elias Damianakis
@ArchonMaestor Dec 19 Day 35 US report on religious freedom says Turkey has ‘serious violations’
@ArchonMaestor Dec 20 Day 36 Turkey: "a secular state where all religions are equal" -Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
@ArchonMaestor Dec 21 Day 37 “There’s an atmosphere in Turkey right now that anyone who isn’t Sunni is a threat to the stability of the nation,” -said a pastor in Istanbul.
@ArchonMaestor Dec 22 Day 38 "Whichever religious path we follow, the destination is the same - to value and respect the other person, accepting their right to live out their peaceful response to the love of God." -Prince Charles @ArchonMaestor Dec 23 Day 39 "the Christmas Gospel is proclaimed a world where the noise of weapons in resorting to unprovoked violence against persons and peoples, and the prevailing inequality and social injustice. It is intolerable to see the status of countless child victims of military conflicts, the unnatural situations, of multiple exploitation, persecution and discrimination, as well as hunger, poverty and deprivation painful." -His All Holliness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
@ArchonMaestor Dec 24 Day 40 Ikos 4. God’s coming in the flesh the Shepherds heard the angels praising. And hastening as to a shepherd, they see him as a spotless lamb being pastured in the womb of Mary. Praising her they said: Hail, mother of the lamb and shepherd, Hail, fold of spiritual sheep. Hail, defence — against unseen foes. Hail, key that opens — the doors of Paradise. Hail, for things in heaven — exult with earth, Hail, for things on earth — rejoice with heaven. Hail, never-silent — voice — of the Apostles, Hail, never-conquered — courage — of the Champions. Hail, firm — foundation of the Faith, Hail, shining — revelation of Grace. Hail, you through whom — Hell was stripped bare, Hail, you through whom — we were clothed with glory. Hail, Bride without bridegroom.