"One cannot be truly Orthodox without reading the lives of Saints."

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We have all heard about the importance of reading the Bible every day. But what about the lives of the saints? Many people have heard about them, but have never stopped to realize just how important they are, for steady growth in living a Christian life.

In this helpful video, Fr. Mikhail Belka explains why it is so crucial for Christians to read the lives of the saints. It's not just a good recommendation — it's essential.

When we read the lives of Christian Saints, we read about true heroes of the Faith who lived their lives for Christ, ran the race, and successfully crossed the finish line. It provides us with the guidance and inspiration we need to follow in their footsteps, living faithfully for Christ, no matter what circumstances we may face.

Fr. Mikhail makes many straightforward observations throughout this video. For example:

— "One cannot be truly Orthodox without reading the lives of Saints."

— "God will judge us if we do not read the Gospel, and if we do not read the lives of Saints."

— "In [reading the lives of the Saints], we have an incredible consolation, we have incredible instruction, and when we read the lives of Saints, not only does it show us how to lead a God-pleasing life, but that saint draws closer to us and prays for us, and this drives off the attacks of the enemy."

To read the lives of the Saints on a daily basis, one excellent resource is the Prologue of Ohrid. It is a good introduction to reading about the Saints, with brief readings for each day of the year. A free online version of the Prologue is available.

For those ready to go deeper and to read more, Fr. Mikhail especially recommends the twelve volume collection of lives of the Saints compiled by St. Dmitry of Rostov. Individual volumes are available from St. Herman Press.

Fr. Mikhail is a family man, currently serving as a Russian Orthodox priest in Canada (ROCOR). You can read more about Fr. Mikhail and help support his family at this site.

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We are also on Facebook and Instagram which have been designated terrorist organizations by the Russian government.  ; - )