Welcome to Monachos.net in Passion Week 2012

Welcome to Monachos.net, a web site dedicated to the study of Orthodox Christianity through its patristic, monastic and liturgical heritage. This introduction describes the site's nature and focus, with a brief overview of its main content areas.

Icon of the Mystical Supper, commemorated on Great & Holy Thursday; by the hand of S. Ushakov.

Icon of the Mystical Supper

Click the menu options at the top of the page for access to hundreds of patristic texts in English, studies on the Fathers, articles and reflections on the liturgical services, and documents relating to the Orthodox monastic life.

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What's new? Start here for the newest materials on the site, including new studies, broadcasts and texts.

As the whole Orthodox world continues in the rigiour and renewal of Great Lent, the 'forty days' leading to Holy Pascha, Monachos.net again provides a host of resources on the Fast. We invite you to visit the many materials available for the Great Lenten season.

In this Holy & Passion Week, see:

Visit our active Discussion Community forum - Take some time to explore one of the key resources of Monachos.net: our extensive Discussion Community, which recently won the Eastern Christian New Media 2009 & 2010 award for 'Best Forum' on the Orthodox internet, with over 102,000 posts pertaining directly to the legacy of the Church Fathers and monastic traditions.

arrow A Word From the Holy Fathers is our web start-page, providing random quotations from the Church Fathers, drawn from an ever expanding database of over 500 passages. You can even create an account and add patristic quotations yourself.

Featured content...

Melito of Sardis, On Pascha (excerpts) 13 August, 2008 Patristic Source Texts
Melito of Sardis, On Pascha (excerpts)
You can also read this text in Russian ExcerptsMelito, bishop of Sardis, was a prominent figure of second-century Christianity. A leader of the Church in Asia, Melito was, according to Eusebius of Caesarea, a supporter of the...
Amphilocius of Iconium, At the colosseum 8 July, 2008 Patristic Source Texts
Amphilocius of Iconium, At the colosseum
Translated by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. They sit unknowing of these agonies,Spectators at a show. When a man fliesFrom a beast's jaw, they groan, as if at leastThey missed the ravenous pleasure, like the beast,And sat there...
John Scotus Eriugena, Expositions on the Dionysian celestial hierarchy -
This text is currently hosted off-site, and can be viewed here: John Scotus Eriugena, Expositions on the Dionysian celestial...
Acacius of Melitene: Information, life and works - 15 November, 2008 Patristic Source Texts
Acacius of Melitene: Information, life and works -
St Acacius was bishop Melitene in the third century. Another Acacius lived in the fifth century and was a stalwart opponent of Nestorianism. These two are often confused. Further information onf Acacius is currently hosted...
Encountering the Holy Mountain 17 February, 2000 Mount Athos
Encountering the Holy Mountain
The account of an anonymous pilgrim's first visit to the Holy Mountain, with reflections on its nature in relation to the world, the reality of spiritual struggle and silence, and themes of personal asceticism as encountered...