Called to Be Saints

This last week, even as we commemorated one of the great modern saints of the Orthodox Church, Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia (Dec. 2nd), we also welcome a new saint, the late Elder Iakovos Tsalikis.  He was canonized on Nov. 27th by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Together, these elders along with the others we’ve been blessed to have among us this past century are living proof that the Orthodox Church is alive and continues to produce Saints.  Of course, we’re all called to be saints, as Steve Christoforou explains in the following video from Be the Bee.  Though circumstances and abilities differ for each of us, we’re all called to strive for holiness and should look to the examples of these modern saints for inspiration and guidance.  Further below we present several videos about these two contemporary saints.

Met. Alexios on St. Porphyrios, a Great Figure of Orthodoxy

In the following video from Pemptousia, Metropolitan Alexios shares the experience of his meeting with Saint Porphyrios when the Metropolitan was a young man.

Simply, Humbly, Gently: St. Porphyrios and the Way of Love

In this video, Deacon Tishel, a lecturer at Hellenic College and Director of the CrossRoad Summer Institute speaks about several events in the life of Saint Porphyrios and how the saint always spoke about the way of love.

You can also learn more about the life of Elder Iakovos Tsalikis in this documentary from Greece a few years ago.  God is wonderful in His saints!