St. Seraphim of Sarov

We're celebrating St. Seraphim's feast day today.  I wanted to share a craft I did with my kids last year on this day.  I read a children's book we have about St. Seraphim to the children.  Since he acquired such a spirit of peace that animals were not afraid of him and he is often depicted feeding a bear from his hand I decided we would do a bear craft.  I printed out this bear template and glued it to poster board (cardstock would work well too).  Then the kids glued dried beans on to it to make a mosaic.  Making a birdseed ornament to hang out for the birds would be a nice craft too or even going out to fill up your bird feeder.

Supplies we used

Book we read, icon of St. Seraphim and book and ornaments we are using for the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Troparion of St. Seraphim, Tone 4

Thou didst love Christ from thy youth, O blessed one, and longing to work for Him alone thou didst struggle in the wilderness with constant prayer and labor.  With penitent heart and great love for Christ thou wast favored by the Mother of God.  Wherefore we cry to thee: Save us by thy prayers, O Seraphim our righteous Father.


Kontakion of St. Seraphim, Tone 2

Having left the beauty of the world and what is corrupt in it, O saint, thou didst settle in Sarov Monastery.  And having lived there an angelic life, thou wast for many the way to salvation.  Wherefore Christ has glorified thee, O Father Seraphim, and has enriched thee with the gift of healing and miracles. And so we cry to thee: Rejoice, O Seraphim, our righteous Father.

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Here are some crafts to help celebrate St. Nicholas Day.  Most years we try to make sacks to give to friends or to the children at our church for St. Nicholas Day.  This year I painted wooden peg people to put in the sacks.  Last year we made snowflake shaped paper Christmas ornaments and St. Nicholas prayer cards.  I also put clementines, candy canes, spice cookies and a story from the St. Nicholas Center website in the sacks along with an explanation of why those items are associated with St. Nicholas. (http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/home/)

The evening before December 6, I read a book about St. Nicholas to my children (We have this one and this one).  Then they put their shoes outside their bedrooms for St. Nicholas to fill in the night (usually chocolate coins and clementines or a small toy).  I read another story about St. Nicholas to the kids this morning using the peg St. Nicholas along with some other small props to help tell the story.  Then we enjoyed our spice cookies and some hot chocolate.  I sometimes read several stories about St. Nicholas to the kids during the week leading up to Dec. 6 emphasizing his kindness and generosity to others then we make the sacks together to give to our friends.

Wishing you all many blessings on this day!

Troparion of St. Nicholas
O holy bishop Nicholas,
You appeared to your flock as a rule of faith,
An image of humility
and a teacher of abstinence.
Because of your lowliness, heaven was opened to you,
Because of your poverty, riches were granted to you.
Pray to Christ our God to save our souls.

St. Euphrosynos

Today is the feast day of St. Euphrosynos the Cook.  I wanted to post a link to the craft my kids and I did last year on this day.  Enjoy!  http://www.creativehandscreativeminds.com/2012/10/st-euphrosynos.html

Troparion for St. Euphrosynos the Cook
You lived in great humility, in labors of asceticism and in purity of soul, O righteous Euphrosynos. By a mystical vision you demonstrated the Heavenly joy which you had found. Therefore make us worthy to be partakers of your intercessions.