A Vigil Light Upon the Hill

The trials we face today are not walls—they are only thresholds; walk through each one with courage. Every step taken in faith draws us closer to the quiet victory prepared for us.

“But they that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall take wings as eagles: they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31, LXX)

“Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope. Let us devote ourselves, side‑by‑side with our hoping, so that the God of all the universe, as He beholds our intention, may cleanse us from all sins, fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand, and grant us the change of heart which saves. God has called you, and you have your calling.” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)

May the peace of the Lord go with you in every effort toward righteousness today.

The Orthodox Church does not have a definitive, universally binding position on the authenticity of the Shroud of Turin. While some Orthodox Christians venerate it and believe it to be the authentic burial cloth of Christ, others are more cautious or sceptical. The matter is generally approached with reverence but also a degree of theological reserve.

The Holy Church has made no dogmatic pronouncement affirming or denying the Shroud’s authenticity. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church—which, while venerating the Shroud, also refrains from officially declaring it a matter of faith—the Orthodox maintain that the truth of the Christian faith does not rest upon the Shroud’s authenticity.

Orthodoxy places high importance on sacred relics, icons, and historical connections to the life of Christ. As such, many Orthodox Christians approach the Shroud with respect and reverence, even if they do not insist on its authenticity. For some, it is seen as a possible proof of the resurrection or at least a powerful symbol of Christ’s Passion. I will come back to that in a moment.
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Question: A man who told me that Jesus’ image is based on that of Cesare Borgia. The problem with that statement is that Cesare Borgia lived in 15th century Italy. Thoughts?

The claim that Jesus’ image is based on Cesare Borgia is historically and factually flawed. The notion that depictions of Jesus are modelled after Cesare Borgia (1475–1507), the son of Pope Alexander VI, originates from a combination of anti-Catholic rhetoric, Renaissance conspiracy theories, and later pseudo-historical narratives—especially popularised in fringe circles and some modern polemical media. It has no grounding in actual art history, theology, or reputable historical documentation. If the person who told you that is a theologian, then his credentials ought to be called into question.
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Even when the path is steep and the sky is grey, you are not alone—grace walks beside you. Today is a gift. Rise, breathe deeply, and move forward with trust

“And the Lord who is your leader, he himself will be with thee: he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)
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Question: Is Tobit, Judith, additions to Esther and Daniel, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, Baruch, Prayer of Manasseh and Josephus’ Wars of the Jews part of the Orthodox canon? Were they part of the Jewish Bible? And someone told me these books were never in the King James Bible. Is there any real reason to read these books?

The books you listed—Tobit, Judith, the additions to Esther and Daniel, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, and the Prayer of Manasseh—are part of what is often termed the “Deuterocanonical corpus” in the Roman tradition and are accepted as fully canonical in the Orthodox Churches. Their presence in both the Septuagint (LXX) and the Aramaic/Syriac Peshitta is indeed historically significant and speaks to their wide early use among Jews and Christians alike. I will come back to your mention of Wars of the Jews momentarily.
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You have survived every hard day before this one—today is another chance to rise with strength.

“The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my salvation.” (Exodus 15:2)

“Do not say, ‘This happened by chance, while this came to be of itself.’ In all that exists there is nothing disorderly, nothing indefinite, nothing without purpose, nothing by chance … How many hairs are on your head? God will not forget one of them. Do you see how nothing, even the smallest thing, escapes the gaze of God?” (St. Basil the Great)

Question: You always talk about “The Church” and the Orthodox faith. What denomination of the Orthodox Church are you talking about? There are many different denominations in it.

The claim that there are “different denominations” within Orthodoxy is not only inaccurate—it reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of what the Orthodox Church is.

The Orthodox Church is not a collection of separate or competing sects. It is a single, unified communion of local Churches, each governed by its own synod of bishops, yet fully united in faith, sacraments, apostolic succession, and dogma. These local Churches—such as the Russian, Greek, Serbian, Antiochian, Romanian, and others—are not denominations, sects or cults in the Protestant sense. They do not possess divergent doctrines or separate ecclesiologies. Rather, they are territorial expressions of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.
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Do not follow my example, for I am but a flawed and fallible human being, subject to weakness, error, and sin. My thoughts are often disordered, my heart inconsistent, and my actions sometimes unworthy of the calling I profess. I am a work in progress, in need of daily repentance and grace. If you pattern your life after mine, you will inherit my faults along with whatever virtues may be present, and that is a burden no soul should bear.

Instead, fix your gaze upon Jesus Christ, the sinless Lamb of God, who alone is perfect in word, deed, and intention. He is the true example for every man and woman, the Light of the world, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Him there is no deceit, no failure, no darkness at all. Where I falter, He stands firm; where I wound, He heals; where I stray, He leads. Therefore, do not look to me for your salvation, your strength, or your standard. Look to Christ, for He alone is worthy to be followed without hesitation or fear.