Acindynus, Pegasius and Anempodistus were courtiers to King Shapur II of Persia. When the king began a fierce persecution of Christians, the three withdrew from court to a private house and, fearless of their own safety, openly exhorted their fellow-Christians to stand firm in their faith. For this they were arrested and brought before their former lord, who subjected them to many cruel tortures, from which they emerged miraculously unscathed. Seeing this, one of the king's soldiers, named Aphthonius, embraced the Faith and was immediately beheaded. The former courtiers were then put to further tortures, but their only effect was to convince Elpidophorus, a distinguished nobleman, and seven thousand other Persians to faith in Christ. All were beheaded, but not before receiving holy Baptism. The trials of the three continued, but once again they were preserved, and even the king's mother was led to the true faith. Finally they were killed (the account does not say how), receiving the crown of martyrdom along with the king's mother and twenty-eight others.

King Shapur II of Persia conducted a fierce persecution of Christians in his realm for thirty-seven years. In the final years of this persecution he gave his magi authority to torture and kill any Christians who would not renounce their faith. Acepsimas, the aged and holy Bishop of Paka, was arrested along with Joseph the priest and Aithalas the deacon. All not only refused to deny Christ, but boldly preached Him before the magi and the king. The enraged king had them viciously tortured, then, as a final indignity, made prisoners of all the local Christians and forced them to stone their own shepherds to death. With their martyrdom the great persecution in Persia came to an end.

Elder Paisios constantly stressed the power of positive thinking. In this episode, the listener will learn the effects of poor stress management on the body and how positive thinking is important for our health and weight management.

St. Gregory of Nyssa explains to us that the life of the body is one of flux and change. We have sleep to relax tension. But what should this look like, and how can we attain it in a healthy manner? This podcasts looks at the importance of silence and proper sleep as ways to manage our stress and care for our health.

Rita explores ways to care for health and lose weight and at the same time share alms through decreasing food waste.

Rita discusses ways to show brotherly love through feeding the sick.

Rita discusses the sixth and final chapter of her new book, which focuses on stress management.

Caring for our health and fighting our passions requires compassion. We need to start with showing compassion to ourselves to aid us in creating sustainable changes.

Rita encourages us to deepen our Advent Fast by simplifying our choices of what and where to eat, so that we can spend more time attending services, praying and serving others who are in need. She also introduces a new program called My Beautiful Advent which can be found at http://www.mybeautifuladvent.com.

Rita discusses ways that we can create structure in our lives for silence and prayer.

In this podcast we explore how guidance from St. John of Kronstadt to handle spiritual sickness, following Holy Orthodox Tradition, gives us the answers and when we do this, we just feel physically better.

Chaplain Sarah interviews Chaplain Elizabeth Hawkins, Pediatric Palliative Care Chaplain, on the power of loving silence and the respect of the mystery of God.

Fr. Adrian and Chaplain Sarah reflect on the use of music as a healing intervention when caring for a person who is suffering.

Fr. Adrian and Chaplain Sarah continue their discussion about the role music in caring for a person who is suffering, and how music can be used in group settings.

Chaplain Sarah Byrne-Martelli interviews Dr. Daniel Henshaw on the topic of physician assisted suicide. (Part 1 of 2)

Chaplain Sarah Byrne-Martello continues her interview with Dr. Daniel Henshaw on the topic of physician assisted suicide. (Part 2 of 2)

Fr. Adrian and Chaplain Sarah begin their discussion of the differences between "social" visits and "pastoral" visits. See the attached worksheet titled "Pastoral Visits and Social Visits."

Chaplain Sarah and Fr. Adrian continue their discussion about the differences between "social" visits and "pastoral" visits. Please see the attached document pertaining to their conversation.

Dr. Adrian Budica, ThM, ACPE, BCC, Director of Field Education, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Crestwood NY, and Sara Byrne-Martelli, MDiv, DMin candidate, BCC, Chaplain, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Video presentation available here.

Introducción a la Iglesia Ortodoxa es un resumen de la iglesia ortodoxa presentada en Miami, Florida para responder a todas las inquietudes en las vísperas de su recepción en la iglesia ortodoxa. "Introduction to the Orthodox Church" is an overview of the Orthodox Church given at Holy Apostles in Miami, Florida, to respond to parishioners' questions on the eve of their reception into the Orthodox Church.

Introducción a la Iglesia Ortodoxa y los Siete Concilios Ecuménicos es una introducción histórica de la iglesia ortodoxa con resumen de los siete concilios ecuménicos presentada en un curso de historia de la Iglesia en el Instituto Bíblico del Valle de Rio Grande en Edinburgo, Texas donde la mayoría de los estudiantes son pastores de América Latina. Introduction to the Orthodox Church and the Seven Ecumenical Councils is a historical introduction to the Orthodox Church with an overview of the Seven Ecumenical Councils given at a Church History class at the Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg, Texas, where the majority of the students were pastors from Latin America.

For the non-Orthodox person or one just learning about the church, especially in non-Orthodox nations or cultures as in the Americas, it can be difficult to know if one is really visiting a canonical Orthodox Church. How do we recognize that we are in an Orthodox Church? Let us listen and learn. Para la persona que no es ortodoxo o está aprendiendo sobre la iglesia, especialmente en naciones o culturas que no son ortodoxas como en las Américas, puede que sea un poco difícil saber si uno está visitando a una iglesia ortodoxa canoníca. ¿Como entonces podemos reconocer que estamos en una iglesia ortodoxa? Escuchemos y aprendamos.

¿Es la iglesia ortodoxa Católica? También en estos días otra duda que surge sobre la iglesia ortodoxa es si es cristiana. Conocemos que en estos días tenemos cerca de 3,000 organizaciones que se consideran como cristianos. Vamos a considerar un momento lo que nos enseña la historia y como entendemos nuestra parte. Is the Orthodox Church Catholic? Also, these days another doubt arises about whether the Orthodox Church is even Christian. We are aware that in these days there exist approximately 3,000 organizations that consider themselves Christians. Let us consider for a moment what history teaches us and how we understand our place.

La siguiente entrevista nos ofrece algo más sobre la iglesia Ortodoxa en América Latina con Serafina Karbo quien está cumpliendo su llamada al Señor como trabajadora en Proyecto México en Tijuana, México. Ella comparte con nosotros sobre su vida como una Cristiana Ortodoxa, su trabajo en Proyecto México, sobre su visión de cómo colaborar con la iglesia en México y América Latina. Ella se ha dedicado al labor en América Latina y la apreciamos por compartir con nosotros su fe y trabajo en el que ella colabora, el desarrollo y visión futura para trabajar en América Latina. The following interview offers us something more about the Orthodox Church in Latin America with Serafina Karbo who is fulfilling her call to the Lord as a worker in Mexico at Project Mexico in Tijuana, Mexico. She shares with us about her life as an Orthodox Christian, her work at Project Mexico and her vision for how to be more involved with the Church in Mexico and Latin America. She is dedicated to working in Latin America and we are grateful for her sharing of the faith and work that she is involved, her future plans and vision for working in Latin America.

In the Orthodox Church we have two fountains from which we receive our teachings and understanding of what we believe in the Church. For clarity’s sake the two founts will be extended to four. En la iglesia ortodoxa tenemos dos fuentes de la que recibimos nuestras enseñanzas y nuestro entendimiento de lo que creemos en la iglesia. Para aclarar ciertos puntos hoy voy a compartir estas dos fuentes, pero las voy a extender de dos a cuatro.

Fr. Andrew speaks at Bucknell University on February 3, 2010. We have broken the talk into two parts, with part 1 on today's episode and part 2 on March 22.

Fr. Andrew speaks at Bucknell University on February 3, 2010. We have broken the talk into two parts and this is part 2.

Fr. Andrew says we have become a global society of consumers at the expense of localism which has real implications for our Christian faith.

Fr. Andrew uses the term "Thinness of Place" to further explore the importance of localism and gives us 17 practical suggestions for moving closer to that ideal.

Just the word environmentalism tends to put people in a fighting mood. Fr. Andrew helps us sort through the issues of ecology from an Orthodox perspective. This is part 1 of a two-part talk.

In part 2, Fr. Andrew talks about the spiritual answer to both the environment and the economy.

On this Sunday of Zacchaeus, Fr. Andrew speaks on the desire for God placed deep within the heart of every human person.

On this Sunday of the Paralytic, Fr. Andrew speaks of the many ways in which we become spiritually paralyzed and how Christ can cure us.

On the feast of St. Sisoes the Great, Fr. Andrew comments on how St. Sisoes was able to understand both death and life through the story of the Holy Scriptures.

On this feast of the Elevation of the Cross, Fr. Andrew shows how the Cross reveals the divinity of Jesus.

On this feast day of the Prophet Jonah, Fr. Andrew relates the prophet's story to the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus and what that means for the salvation of mankind.

On this Sunday of the Forefathers of Christ, Fr. Andrew preaches on the parable of the banquet and those who made excuses not to come.

On this Sunday after Theophany, Fr. Andrew discusses why the Church blesses the waters in celebration of the feast.

On this Forgiveness Sunday, continuing his series on Lenten evangelism, Fr. Andrew discusses the Expulsion from Paradise as a key element of the Gospel, as well as forgiveness as the path back to Paradise.

A talk given at the Orthodox Homeschooling Conference (Apr. 23-26) at the Antiochian Village.

On this Sunday after the Ascension, Fr. Andrew discusses the central place the Ascension of Christ has in the life of the Christian.

On the occasion of the first feast of the newly-canonized St. Paisios the Athonite, Fr. Andrew discusses the saint's advice on praying free of distractions.

Using the words of St. Paul in Ephesians 4:1-7, Fr. Andrew discusses how our oneness in Christ leads us to greater love and generosity.

Fr. Andrew uses an incident from the life of St. Moses the Black to talk about how we relate to other people's sins.

With the feast of St. James the Brother of God, Fr. Andrew discusses what the mission of the parish church is based on Paul's emphasis on the source of revelation.

Discussing the Gospel of the rich man and Lazarus, Fr. Andrew points out the rich man's sin—he ignored the person in front of him.

Fr. Andrew contrasts the healing of the woman with the flow of blood with the raising of the daughter of Jairus and discusses what that contrast means for us.

Speaking on both the feast of St. John Chrysostom and also the Gospel of the Good Samaritan, Fr. Andrew discusses how Christians are outside and above the orders of this world.

Wrapping up his five-week 'What is our Mission?' series, Fr. Andrew concludes with this message: 'Send me, Lord!'

On this Sunday of Zacchaeus, Fr. Andrew connects the entrance of Christ into Zacchaeus's house with His visitation in the tradition of home blessings.