Alice are you aware of a prophetic utterance of Padre Pio concerning Russia, that it will be the one who reunites the Orthodox world with the Church of Rome. He also spoke of the shedding of the blood of JP II.
I had a visit of a Russian Studite who visited us in Iceland back in the late 70's he had been offered asylum at San Giovanni Rotondo.
These are intersting times.

Anyway it was beautiful. May our Blessed Lord, the Theotokos and all the Saints and Angels begin appearing to people around the city of Constantinople and convert many hearts to Christ, and may the DL resound again from the wall of Hagia Sophia!
Stephanos I

I pray continually now since my return from this Holy Place.

Alice,
We have probably read and heard of the same prophecies. Personally, I believe them but I agree that great war would have to happen first. Elder Paisios, when asked how Constantinople would be returned to the Greeks stated something to the effect that things would be so bad by that point that no fight would be necessary, the Turks would simply hand it over. For that to happen things would have to indeed be pretty bad... Again, we shall see. If this is so may Our Lord allow to fall to us only that which we can bear. As for Russia bringing Christianity back to Europe, I have also heard of this. For me as well, it doesn't sound far fetched. S Bohem, Cyril

According to tradition, the concelebrants of the Divine Liturgy at 'Agia Sophia on Tuesday, 29 May 1453, were two presbyters, Catholic and Orthodox. When the invaders approached the Holy Table, the southern wall opened and, at the direction of an angel, the presbyters passed through it with the Holy Gifts in hand.

The wall closed behind them, not to reopen until the Interrupted Liturgy can be resumed, when the presbyters will re-enter through the wall by which they departed.

Many years,

Neil

Irish Melkite,
Thank you for writing this tradition. I have never heard this before. It is very beautiful and yet very sad.

I would think that the Islamists would consider even a computer made Orthodox service inside Haghia Sofiya to be blasphemy if they saw this video.

What was the significance and symbolism of the rope dropping to the ground? Any one Know?
Stephanos I

Prayers and may it be so...and if we continue to pray, even through the generations, God will answer this prayer, though as we faithful know, God's time is not our time, so we may not be alive to see it.

Thank you, dear Father Stephen, for your loving and caring heart. If you have a moment when you are not too busy, please give us your thoughts from your trip there.

Respectfully,
In Christ our Lord,
Alice

Before we begin the great and solemn Holy Week. One of my strongest memories was actually one of great sadness, that where the faith was so strong and vibrant it is now surplanted by a lack of faith. And it grieved me so to see the sublte persecutions and domination of Christians by Muslims.
Stephanos I
If not us whom?
If not now, when?