The Holy and Venerable Father Seraphim of Vyritsa

St. Seraphim of Vyritsa (Vasily Nikolaevich Muraviov) was born on March 31(OS)/April 13(NS), 1866. He was baptized two weeks after his birth with the name Vasily (Basil) after the Venerable Father Basil the New Confessor. He received an excellent education, got married, and was a very successful businessman. He had a son named Nikolai. When Nikolai grew up, both his parents - Vasily and Olga - by agreement decided to enter monasteries.

On 13 September 1920 Vasily Muraviov joined Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg. It was here that Vasily Murianov cultivated his divine zeal for 45 years.

On 19 October 1920 with the blessing of Vladyka Benjamin, Archimandrite Nikolay Yarushevich tonsured both Vasily and Olga - Vasily with the name Barnabas after his and Olga's Spiritual Father, Venerable Elder Barnabas, and his wife Olga with the name of Christiana was tonsured at Voskresensky Novo-Devichy Monastery. The first obedience of Monk Barnabas was as a bell ringer. Very soon he was ordained hierodeacon and a manager of the cemetery chancery.

It was the time of the Civil War in Russia. They had one panikhida (memorial service at the church) after another, and Monk Barnabas' first spiritual school of guidance was to listen and to comfort people.

On 11 September 1921 Archbishop Benjamin ordained Barnabas to be a hieromonk. Persecution against faithful people continued in Russia and none of the monks going to the church in the morning knew if they would return to their cells at night. Already very many people at that time were trying to attend the services when Hieromonk Barnabas was serving. His face during Divine Liturgies was enlightened with joy. His sermons were very sincere, simple and came across to various people. His podvig (selfless devotion) as a former merchant in the world was a reason for this.

Soon after that and before becoming Elder and Spiritual Father of St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra, Fr.Barnabas was tonsured into the Great Schema with the name Seraphim, after St. Seraphim of Sarov. Olga Muraviov, Nun Christiana, later received the Great Schema with the name Seraphima.


There was a mystical connection between Vasily Muravieov and two Holy Fathers - his Spiritual Father the Venerable Elder Barnabas and St. Seraphim of Sarov, who Vasily was named after during his monastic life. In the writings of Elder Barnabas you can find a place where he mentions one of his spiritual children V.N.M (Initials for Vasily Nikolaevich Muraviov) who saw a beautiful dream:

"I was walking to the services at St. Nicholas' Monastery through the forest trying to find the path. Suddenly I saw an Elder with a sack behind his shoulder and small axe. I asked him if he knew how to get to St. Nicholas' Monastery and the Elder answered: 'Let's go, I will show you. I am going there myself.' I looked at this Elder more closely and recognized St. Seraphim of Sarov in him and asked: 'Batyushka, are you Father Seraphim?' The Elder answered: 'Yes, I am Seraphim', and they continued to walk. Fr. Seraphim stopped near a small stump, sat on it, and put his sack and axe on the ground. I sat near him. Suddenly, from another side very unexpectedly appeared Father Barnabas and he sat near me so I was between both Elders, who were very joyful, and gave hugs and kisses to each other and started to talk, but I couldn't understand what they talked about and awoke...."

When Vasily told about his dream to his Elder Barnabas, the Elder laughed: "You were sitting between us, hearing everything and couldn't understand what we talked about?"

Already at the end of the 1920's Elder Seraphim was well known as a healer. One demon possessed woman was healed right after Elder Seraphim said a prayer above her head and annointed her with holy oil from his lamp.

Hieroschemamonk Seraphim was the spiritual Father of St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra for almost 3 years. He had so many people coming for confessions to him that sometimes he could spend two days hearing confessions while standing on a cold stone floor, without any break. But Fr. Seraphim didn't think about himself. Of course such physical and spiritual stresses (how much grief of so many people he would take on himself!) soon turned to serious health problems. Soon doctors diagnosed intercostal neuralgia, rheumatism and venous congestion of legs. For a long time Fr. Seraphim didn't tell anyone about it and continued to serve. And there was always such a bright and joyful smile on his face that no one from the brotherhood could think that their Elder was having such physical pain. Only his voice sometimes would get very quite. One day however Father Seraphim just couldn't get up from his bed.

Father Seraphim accepted his illness with humility as a new obedience. He was glorifying God's name: "I am a sinner and don't deserve even this illness. There are so many people who suffer from more terrible illnesses!" Doctors prescribed a change of climate, but Fr. Seraphim knew about the dark times coming for the brotherhood and wanted to share the sufferings with them. God had a different plan for him however.

Metropolitan Seraphim (Chichagov), a medical doctor by education, studied the illness history of Fr. Seraphim and immediately blessed him to move to Vyritsa. By the summer of the 1930's Elder Seraphim left the Blessed City of the Apostle Peter, as they call St. Petersburg. With the blessing of the Metropolitan, Schemanun Seraphima (in the world Olga Ivanovna Muraviova) and their twelve year old granddaughter Margarita, who was a young novice of Voskresensky Novodevichiy Monastery and would often visited Fr. Seraphim at Alexander Nevsky Lavra, went to him by obedience to help and take care of him.


Soon a bloody wave of repressions drenched the entire Petersburg Diocese. During the night of 18 February 1932 the Bolsheviks arrested more than five hundred monks. Monasteries were completely devastated. It often has happened in Church history that during the most vicious times of persecution for the Orthodox Faith, God sends special men of God who are keepers of the purity of Orthodoxy. In the 30's-40's the Venerable Father Seraphim of Vyritsa became one of them. At that time he was writing poems as prophesies about the future of Russia. These poems were memorized by very many people, and reached prisons and camps. He was very ill at that time, but at Vyritsa he already didn't go to the doctors saying: "May God's will be for everything. Illness is a school of humility, where you really learn about your weakness." Soon streams of people embarked for Vyritsa. Many people gathered at the Elders's cell for days and nights. When his relatives worried about him and his health condition, Elder Seraphim answered them: "Now I always will be ill. While I can raise my hand to bless people, I will be meeting with them."

Father Seraphim always invited first those people who needed him the most. Every time a lay-sister would come out and call someone by their name and hometown, where this person was standing and where he/she came from. It was a mystery how the Elder could know all these things.

For very many people Fr. Seraphim was a benefactor who helped them not only spiritually, but with practical advice, helping them to find jobs and money through kind people. Very often he would thankfully accept money from his visitors, but Fr. Seraphim gave this money right away to those who had need of it. If some people gave him some clothes, Fr. Seraphim always found someone to give them to.

Elder Seraphim was always very strict with himself. He was always in fasting, all-night vigils, and prayer. On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the Elder didn't eat any food at all. Sometimes he didn't eat any food for several days. People who were around him sometimes thought that he starved himself to the death. It is difficult to call food what he ate in those days: in some days he ate part of prosphora and drank some holy water. At other days he didn't eat even one potato, and would eat some grated carrot. Very seldom did he drink a cup of tea with a very little piece of bread. Priests from the church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God at Vyritsa gave him Holy Communion every day.

Imitating his heavenly teacher, Venerable Father Seraphim of Sarov, he undertook a new podvig on himself. He would pray in the garden on his knees on the rock before the icon of the Wonderworker of Sarov. This was happening in those days when his health was very bad. The first testimonies of St. Seraphim of Vyritsa praying on the rock are from 1935, when the persecutors descended upon the Church again. For ten years the Elder endured this podvig. In truth it was martyrdom in the name of love for his neighbors. With many hot tears the Holy Elder was praying to God asking revival for the Russian Orthodox Church and for the salvation of the whole world.

People really didn't know when he was sleeping. Every time when someone opened the door of his cell they found him on his knees crying and praying with his hands to the sky, not noting anything around him.

Fr. Seraphim had many visitors. Many times in the 30's Chekists [Bolshevik secret police] came to his cell searching his things. Once the Chekists came to arrest the Elder, but people who lived with Fr. Seraphim in the house asked to call for the doctor to confirm his heath condition. When the doctor came he confirmed that the health of Fr. Seraphim was in very serious condition and didn't allow them to move him to another place. Another time, when the Chekists came again, Fr. Seraphim's love won them over. Sudden spiritual change in the soul of the man in charge brought them to leave the house without touching the humble Elder.

Lions were obedient to the venerable fathers Anthony the Great and Zosima, bears to St. Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov. And the most cruel cruel animals in the form of humans were obedient to Fr. Seraphim of Vyritsa.

In 1941 Nikolai Muraviov, son of Fr. Seraphim, was arrested and executed. New grief came into the Elder's life.

Fr. Seraphim knew about the upcoming Second World War and the horrible years of it for Russia. When Nazis attacked Russia, Fr. Seraphim started to pray on the rock in his garden every day. In 1941 Fr. Seraphim was 72 years old and his health was bad, and his relatives would help him walk to that rock, and sometimes they just carried him there. Those close to him asked him to stop this praying on the rock, as they saw how hard it was for him physically. They put the icon on a young apple tree near that rock. He would pray on the rock as long as he could. Sometimes an hour, sometimes two, sometimes several hours. It was impossible to look at his sufferings without tears. They asked him to stop this podvig and pray at his cell, but he didn't have mercy on himself. God himself helped him to do this podvig! This continued during all four war years for Russia.

It is a known fact, according to the words of the Elder himself, that not one house at Vyritsa was destroyed during that war. And no one man from Vyritsa was killed. Another miracle was that when Nazis were ready to occupy Vyritsa, they sent there those soldiers who were Orthodox Romanians. And if the Church of Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was closed, but, Glory to God!, not devastated in 1938 by the Bolsheviks, it was opened again by the very many requests of the people. In the beginning people were feeling very uncomfortable at the church, having occupants in Nazis uniform standing next to them, but after seeing that they prayed and crossed themselves as it is required by the church, they stopped worrying.

When Nazis heard about the prophecies of the Elder they also went to visit him. And as before with the Chekist's, Fr. Seraphim could disarm uninvited visitors with the help from above. First of all they were amazed when he greeted them with his good German that he had learned from the years when he was a merchant and would often visit Berlin and Vienna, working with German and Austrian companies. One Nazi asked him when Germans will take Petersburg. The Elder answered that this will never happen and Germans will be leaving Russia soon, and the man who asked this question would not return home alive and be killed near Warsaw. One of those Romanian officer's visited Vyritsa in the 1980's to venerate the Elder's grave. He found people who lived in Vyritsa during the war and confirmed the destiny of the man who had asked that question.


In 1945 Schemanun Seraphima (Olga Nikolaevna Muraviova, wife of Vasily Muraviov, the future St. Seraphim of Vyritsa) reposed. Fr. Seraphim knew and talked about how the separation is not for too long and soon they will meet in eternal life.

During the last years of his life Elder Seraphim was bedridden. The hour of his repose was revealed to him. Day's before this he blessed his home-folks with icons of the revered Seraphim of Sarov and told Mother Seraphima, his keleinica (lay-sister), to be mindful of her ribs during his funeral. (This warning was prophetic - during the funeral, since because of the very big crowd of people in attendance, Mother Seraphima had two of her ribs broken.)

Early in the morning the Most Holy Theotokos was revealed to him in splendor. With her right hand she pointed up to the sky. Elder Seraphim told about this to his home-folks and said: "Today I can't recieve visitors", and blessed to call Fr. Alexey Kibardin. The Akathists to the Most Holy Theotokos, St. Nicholas and St. Seraphim of Sarov were read. After taking Holy Communion Elder Seraphim blessed to have read the Psalter and the Holy Gospel. Closer to the evening Batyushka asked to put him on the chair and he started to pray. During prayer he sometimes asked what time it was. Around 2 o'clock after midnight he blessed to have read a prayer for the departure of the soul, then crossed himself with the words, "Lord, save and have mercy on the whole world!", he departed for the heavenly dwelling place.

For three days an unending stream of people visited the coffin of the Elder. Everybody noticed that the Elder's hands were very soft and warm, as if he was alive. Some people could smell a fragrance near his coffin.

On the first day after Elder Seraphim's repose a blind girl was healed. Her mother brought her to his coffin and said: "Kiss the hand of grandfather." Soon after that the girl started to see.

There were three big choirs during the honorable burial of St. Seraphim of Vyritsa: of Kazan, of Peter and Paul at Vyritsa, and of the Theological Academy and Seminary. On that day, with the blessing of Metropolitan Gregory of St. Petersburg, classes at the Academy and Seminary were cancelled. One of the students who was standing near the coffin of the Elder was the future Patriarch of Russia Alexey II.

The Holy and Venerable Father Seraphim of Vyritsa reposed on April 3rd, 1949.

Holy Father Seraphim, Pray to God for us!

V.P. Philimonov, Magazine "Tserkovny Vestnik"

Translated by Mira Parker

See also:
http://serafim.com.ru/site/nstr_3.html
http://serafim.com.ru/site/nstr_1_01.html
http://serafim.com.ru/site/nstr_1_02.html


Translator's Note: A Miracle of St. Seraphim of Vyritsa

Here you go... I am here in America translating this very interesting article about St.Seraphim of Vyritsa during the last few weeks, going through very many photographs, details of his life, his icons, etc. Vyritsa is near St. Petersburg, and I was reading how St. Seraphim was praying during WW2 for all the soldiers, for Russia, for the whole world, and how he told Romanian Nazis who came to ask questions that Germans will never take Leningrad...

I am moved...

Doing all this work, I remember about my uncle, who I never met, who was killed during WW2 near Leningrad (St. Petersburg). My family didn't know where his grave is, and when it happened. Mom said that in 1943 they received a telegram about how he disappeared. This is my Mom's older brother. My mom told me this story many times. His wife was very beautiful and never got married again, because she was waiting for him to come back home. My grandmother was waiting for him throughout all her life. His daughter grew up not remembering him.

So... I am reading and at some moment I thought: "My uncle was there at war, when St. Seraphim of Vyritsa was praying on the rock during 1000 days. My uncle was so close to that place... It would be nice to find his grave one day..." I know that my relatives tried to do it before, but didn't have any success.

I sent my translation to John Sanidopoulos, who wants to publish it on his blog. And on the next day (yesterday) my Mom called me and said they found on the Internet where my uncle was buried in January 1943 near St. Petersburg. In a mass grave.

She told me about it and I remembered one of the photographs of St. Seraphim of Vyritsa, that I like so much. I knew that it was him who helped. You know, I was thinking about him during these few weeks a lot, about his life, his family, his wife, his podvig. And during several years I was praying for my uncle, who I never met. And now his daughter is going to visit his grave this month.

It didn't happen before. It didn't happen a month or a week after. It happened right at that time when I was reading, translating and thinking about him here, in America, and my relatives started again to look for information about my uncle at THIS time, being there, at Kazakhstan. Isn't this a MIRACLE? :-)

Glory to God for All Things!

Vasily Muraviov, his wife Olga and son Nikolai

Wife Olga and son Nikolai

Mother Theophania and Olga Muraviova

Son Nikolai

Photo of family home

Son Nikolai, 1930's

Nikolai prison photo

Schemanun Seraphima (Olga Muraviyov in the world) and granddaughter Margarita

Nevsky Lavra, 2nd floor, 3rd window from the left is the cell of Elder Seraphim. There is a chapel now in his cell.

St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra

Last years

Rock he was praying on for 1000 days.

Schemanun Seraphima (left), St. Seraphim (right)

The wooden cross is said to be shedding myrrh.

See more here.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Saint Achillius of Larissa, the Ecumenical Father

St. Achillios (Achilles) of Larissa (Feast Day - May 15)

Achillius, this great hierarch and miracle-worker, was born in Cappadocia. He participated in the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325 A.D.] at which he shamed the heretics and, by his learning as well as by his sanctity, he commanded great astonishment. Taking a rock, St. Achillius shouted to the Arians: "If Christ is a creation of God, as you say, then say: `Let oil flow from this rock.'" The heretics remained silent and were amazed at such a request from St. Achillius. Then, again the saint said: "And if the Son of God is equal to the Father, as we believe, let oil flow from this rock." And, indeed oil did flow to the amazement of all. St. Achillius died peacefully in Larissa in the year 330 A.D. When the [Bulgarian] King Samuel conquered Thessaly he translated the relics of Achillius to Prespa to an island in a lake which was called and even today is still called Achillius or Ailus.

- From the Life of St. Achillius (Achilles) According to St. Nikolai Velimirovich


Interesting facts:

- In ancient times, the Greek hero Achilles (Achillius) was believed to be from Larissa.
- A district of Larissa is called Saint Achillius after this saint.
- There is a church dedicated to St. Achillius in Serbia that is architecturally unique. Read more here.



About St. Achillius in Prespa of Macedonia

The islet of Saint Achillius is in the Small Prespa. The lake is about 13 km long and about 6 km in its widest part whereas its greatest depth is 7.8 m. Following the narrow causeway which separates the two lakes and links them at Koula, the 2m. wide channel, you may head either towards the village of Psarades or the islet of Saint Achillius.

The islet is 800 meters from the pier. You can visit the islet whenever you want, making a simple phone call to the boatmen who will come to take you there. The beauty of Saint Germanos is unbelievable. According to local legend the small houses of the village must not exceed the number 11 because the 12th will fall down. The visitor stunned by the unexpected natural beauty, experiences the tranquility of a deserted land, away from the noise of everyday life.

Near the settlement, you will encounter the remnants of the three aisle basilica of Saint Achillius. This magnificent monument was built at the end of the 10th century by Samuel, ruler of Bulgaria (997-1014), in order to house the relic of Saint Achillius, bishop of Larissa. Prespa at this time was the center of the Balkan world, when Samuel used the region as his capital. It's dominance ended when Roman Emperor Basil II, nicknamed "the Bulgar-slayer", crushed his defiant northern neighbor in 1014. The 26 churches scattered throughout the Prespa region are reminders of this remarkable history. One of the most important objects found in the basilica tombs is a piece of golden cloth, displayed today in the White Tower in Thessaloniki.

Following the trail among apple trees and shrubs, you will arrive at the southern edge of the islet, where the ruins of the Monastery of Panagia Porfyra lie. Only the small church of the monastery stands there. It is decorated with remarkable wall paintings dating back to 1524 and 1743.





Source




The Return of St. Achillius' Relics to Larissa

Over time the Basilica of St. Achillius in Prespa fell to ruins, and was uncovered almost a thousand years after the relics of St. Achillius were taken from Larissa, by a Greek professor from the University of Thessaloniki Nikolaos Mitsopoulos, in 1965. The tomb of the saint was found in the area of the diakonikon in the Holy Altar, which is an area relics are normally stored in a church, and arrangements were made for their return to Larissa.

It should be noted that Larissa never ceased commemorating its patron saint Achillius, honoring his tomb and celebrating his feast in the Metropolitan Cathedral dedicated to him. Over the centuries the locals would always turn to him in times of need and disaster seeking a miracle, especially in 1813 and 1848 when the plague took many victims. During the Frankish occupation in 1204 Larissa became deserted and the Cathedral was made into a base for bandits. On June 12, 1769 the Cathedral was burned down and demolished by the Ottomans, forcing the people of Larissa to have to travel to the surrounding villages for church services for about twenty-five years; the Turks would not allow its rebuilding. Through the efforts of Metropolitan Dionysios Kalliarchou and large donations from the people of Larissa (40 Pouches, or 18,000 piastres), which were issued to Sultan Selim, on 26 February 1794 permission was granted to rebuild. It took only 36 days to rebuild with over 200 Christians volunteering, the foundations being set on March 5th and the completion on April 6th, which was a Good Friday. The next evening Metropolitan Dionysios celebrated the Paschal Liturgy amidst a great crowd. An adjoining chapel dedicated to St. Vissarion was also built within this time. On 12 June 1822 the Turks turned the Cathedral into an arsenal, forcing the Christians to worship at the Chapel of St. Marina until the Church was restored to Metropolitan Meletios V. It was also during this time that trade at the marketplace changed to Monday instead of Sunday in Larissa renewing the decision from 1730 by traders to keep Sundays and major feast days holy. With Sunday becoming a holiday, it was imposed on all, and those who broke this were forced to pay a fine to St. Achillius Cathedral in the amount of 50 aslan. It was because of the previous practice that St. Kosmas Aitolos was persecuted when he would preach to the people to not haggle on Sundays. In April of 1827 the Turks again turned the church into an arsenal, but the Christians soon bribed judges and pashas to keep it as a place of worship. What we see is that the people highly venerated St. Achillius while his relics were away and took care of his church to the best of their ability.

In the evening of 14 May 1981, an army helicopter carried the holy relics of St. Achillius back to Larissa. They were received in the stadium by Archbishop Seraphim of Athens together with many metropolitans and clergy. Today the holy relics of St. Achillius rest in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Achillius and his feast is celebrated with great festivity every May 15th.








Source
Source
Source



Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Achillios, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Let us all praise with hymns and songs divine Achillios, the brightly shining and unwaning star of all the world, who is Larissa's unsleeping and loving shepherd. Let us cry to him: Since thou hast boldness with the Lord, do thou rescue us from every raging storm of life, that we may cry to thee: Rejoice, O Father Achillios.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

When Atheists Lecture Believers About Proper Belief

On Darwinian Atheists Lecturing Religious People on Proper Belief in God

Casey Luskin
May 13, 2010
Evolution News and Views

I love watching atheists try to tell religious people what they should believe about God. I’m not talking about atheists trying to convince religious people not to believe in God. We expect that. I'm talking about atheists telling religious people how to continue properly believing in God. I find this incredibly amusing, because, you know, atheists are experts in things like keeping faith. Michael Ruse is a prime specimen.

An atheist (he says "I find it a great relief no longer to believe in God") and self-declared "ex-Christian," a few years back Ruse wrote a book titled Can a Darwinian be a Christian? and answered "Absolutely!” (p. 217) Now, in a recent piece in the UK Guardian, Ruse lectures none other than the Archbishop of Canterbury on proper belief in God:

"Keep God out of the day-to-day functioning of things. If, like the archbishop of Canterbury, you absolutely must have God do law-breaking miracles – apparently he would give up and become a Quaker if the tomb had not been empty on the third day – then at least restrict His activities to the cause of our salvation."

I'm sure that God--and the good Archbishop--feel very much obliged to listen to Michael Ruse. (Steve Fuller doesn't--see his response to Ruse here.)

Ruse's recent piece continues the trend of evolutionists using theology to argue for their position. He charges that ID is "very bad theology," complaining that when we infer ID, "the problem of evil – rears its ugly head." But Ruse's theological objection requires him to carefully ignore millennia-old JudeoChristian solutions to the "problem of evil." Regardless of the theological implications, I prefer to approach these questions scientifically and assess ID using a scientific lens. If the scientific evidence points towards ID, why should theological concerns (in this case, highly misguided concerns) block a scientific conclusion?

This situation is doubly amusing: Not only are atheists telling religious people how to have faith, but atheist evolution lobbyists are openly and unashamedly letting theology stand in the way of scientific investigation--the very charge they constantly levy against ID. This confirms the thesis of Cornelius Hunter--namely that many arguments for Darwinism are grounded in theology, not science.

Why do we have this odd situation where atheists in the evolution lobby are using theological arguments to promote compatibility between God and evolution? It turns out they’re motivated more by politics than anything else.

For a good example, see Chris Mooney. In a November 2009 interview with a show produced by Public Radio International called "To the Point," Mooney advised religious persons that “Traditional ways of reading scripture recognize various levels of meaning. Scripture could be saying something at a different level from what science says at its level – both can be right.” Of course not long before that he made clear, "I am as much an atheist as I have ever been."

This is intriguing—and not just because Mooney is an atheist lecturing religious persons on how to properly accept religious scripture—but also because according to a 2001 article by Mooney in Slate, "Darwinism" has inherent anti-theistic implications that go well beyond mere contradictions with certain interpretations of scripture:

"Darwinism presents an explanation for life's origins that lacks any supernatural element and emphasizes a cruel and violent process of natural selection that is tough to square with the notion of a benevolent God. Because of this, many students who study evolution will find themselves questioning the religions they have grown up with."

(Chris Mooney, "Darwin's Sanitized Idea," Slate, September 24, 2001.)


Of course Mooney has the right to believe what he wishes, but why did he change his tune? There's a simple political motive that might drive atheists like Ruse and Mooney to start preaching that evolution and religion are compatible.

For all of Ruse's false charges that ID "only pretends to be science to do a political and legal end-run around the US Constitution," the reality is that constitutional concerns drive his crusade to promote compatibility between God and Darwin. Consider the following enlightening exchange between Ruse and new atheist Daniel Dennett, which Ruse leaked publicly to William Dembski in 2006:

"I think that you [Daniel Dennett] and Richard [Dawkins] are absolute disasters in the fight against intelligent design—we are losing this battle, not the least of which is the two new supreme court justices who are certainly going to vote to let it into classrooms—what we need is not knee-jerk atheism but serious grappling with the issues—neither of you are willing to study Christianity seriously and to engage with the ideas—it is just plain silly and grotesquely immoral to claim that Christianity is simply a force for evil, as Richard claims—more than this, we are in a fight, and we need to make allies in the fight, not simply alienate everyone of good will."

And here's Mooney saying much the same thing:

"What if Coyne and the New Atheists are right, and evolution (or science itself) isn’t actually neutral? What if there really is a fundamental conflict between science and religion? What if methodological naturalism and philosophical naturalism aren’t really distinct—but the former inevitably also entails the latter? … I fear that were the New Atheists to somehow prevail on this point, the anti-evolutionists might wreak some serious havoc in the courtroom in a later case. This is one reason to be concerned about the New Atheist position."

So it turns out that atheists like Ruse and Mooney promote compatibility between God and evolution out of constitutional concerns. They fear that if atheism and evolution become too closely linked, this could make the teaching of evolution unconstitutional. Thus, they feel they’d better fix the problem by going around preaching that God and evolution are compatible.

Now they might genuinely believe it's possible to reconcile God and evolution, but then again, don't forget we're talking about ardent evolutionists and atheists who personally reject belief in God and expressly admit legally / politically oriented motives for pushing the compatibilist perspective. Isn't that at least a little suspicious?

In any case, this could explain the curious crusade of atheists who go around preaching on the compatibility of God and evolution.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Ex-Scientologist Interviewed About Cult's Dangers

Most people know very little about Scientology aside from the fact that Tom Cruise, John Travolta and other celebrities are a part of it, and that it's had its fair share of controversy over the years. A new book is looking to pull back the curtain on the mysterious religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard, and the author certainly knows her stuff. Amy Scobee is a former Scientologist who was in the church for more than two decades, and worked in the all-important Celebrity Centers portion of the organization. In her just-released book, Scientology: Abuse at the Top, Scobee details all of the troubling things she saw that made her flee what she once called her trusted religion, but now refers to as a "dangerous cult." Scobee spoke exclusively to PopEater over e-mail about her shocking book, her time with Tom Cruise and other Scientology bigwigs, and the (her words) brainwashing, systematic violence and slave labor camps she saw during her 27 years there. Her terrifying claims ... after the jump!

Read the interview here.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Archbishop of Crete Urges Clergy To Not Charge For Sacraments

After Archbishop Irenaios of Crete was recently informed that a priest in his See charged 150 euros to conduct a baptism, he issued an encyclical on 11 May 2010 to his clergy not to scandalize the faithful in these times of economic crisis. He said that in these sensitive times it is forbidden "to fail and to scandalize our people, of whom we all know are going through difficulties, anguish and indignation." He went on to point out: "The Mysteries of the Church are not possible nor permissable to be commercialized nor invoiced." The encyclical can be read here.

Archbishop Tells Priests To Stop Asking For Money From Faithful

Kathimerini
May 15, 2010

The archbishop of Crete, Irenaios, has written to all of the island’s priests telling them not ask worshippers to make donations to the Church in return for carrying out a baptism, or marriage and funeral services. It is common for clergy to request cash on such occasions, but Irenaios suggested that, given the current economic crisis, the Church should think carefully about its behavior. “The recent events in Athens carry many messages that we need to contemplate,” he said in a letter sent to all of Crete’s churches. “It is not possible or permissible for church services to be accompanied by a price list,” the archbishop said. “Clerics should not turn into businessmen.”

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Orthodox Theology vs. Scholastic Philosophy

St. Theodore the Sanctified (Feast Day - May 16) with St. Pachomius the Great (Feast Day - May 15)

When St. Theodore the Sanctified was in Panopolis with St. Pachomius, his spiritual father, a philosopher came to him and offered to debate with him about the Faith. The philosopher then posed these three questions to Theodore: "Who was not born, but died?" "Who was born and did not die?" "Who died and did not decay?" To these questions, St. Theodore replied: "Adam was not born and died. Enoch was born and did not die. Lot's wife died and did not decay." And the saint added this advice to the philosopher: "Heed our sound advice; depart from these useless questions and scholastic syllogisms; draw near to Christ Whom we are serving and you will receive forgiveness of sins." The philosopher became mute from such a pointed answer and being ashamed, he departed. From this, the enormous difference is clearly seen between a pagan philosopher and a Christian saint. The one [the philosopher] loses himself in abstractions, in cleverly twisted words, in logical provocations and in thoughtful sport while the other [the saint] directed his whole mind on the Living God and on the salvation of his soul. The one is abstract and dead, while the other is practical and alive.

- St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Prologue, May 16

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Saint Pachomios the Great and Founder of Cenobitic Monasticism

Reading from the Synaxarion of May 15th:

Saint Pachomius was born of pagan parents in the Upper Thebaid of Egypt. He was conscripted into the Roman army at an early age. While quartered with the other soldiers in the prison in Thebes, Pachomius was astonished at the kindness shown them by the local Christians, who relieved their distress by bringing them food and drink. Upon inquiring who they were, he believed in Christ and vowed that once delivered from the army, he would serve Him all the days of his life. Released from military service, about the year 313, he was baptized, and became a disciple of the hermit Palamon, under whose exacting guidance he increased in virtue and grace, and reached such a height of holiness that "because of the purity of his heart," says his biographer, "he was, as it were, seeing the invisible God as in a mirror." His renown spread far, and so many came to him to be his disciples that he founded nine monasteries in all, filled with many thousands of monks, to whom he gave a rule of life, which became the pattern for all communal monasticism after him. While Saint Anthony the Great is the father of hermits, Saint Pachomius is the founder of the cenobitic life in Egypt; because Pachomius had founded a way of monasticism accessible to so many, Anthony said that he "walks the way of the Apostles." Saint Pachomius fell asleep in the Lord before his contemporaries Anthony and Athanasius the Great, in the year 346. His name in Coptic, Pachom, means "eagle."

The Rule Of Saint Pachomios as revealed to him from an angel of the Lord:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4

Select Apophthegmata:

--The great Pachomios was asked once by a brother, ‘Why is it that before the demon comes to trouble us, we possess our mind’s understanding in a healthy state and we philosophize about temperance, humility, and the other virtues, but when the hour comes to display in deed what we have been philosophizing about, such as longsuffering in the time of anger, absence of vainglory when subjected to praise, and many other similar things, we are often defeated?’ In answer to this the Great Man said, ‘Because we do not pursue the active life perfectly—that is why we do not understand all the demons’ mind and versatility well enough to be able, when the Troubler manifests his presence, to repel swiftly the confusion of such thoughts which surrounds us by the contemplative power of the soul. Therefore,’ he said, ‘let us pour the fear of God like oil upon the contemplative part of the soul, every day and every hour. That fear, which accomplishes works and is a lamp for the contemplation of the things that concern us, makes our mind unshakable, not carried away by anger, wrath, rancor, and any of the other passions which lead us to wickedness. It makes it contemplative and raises it to that incorporeal region; it forces it to hold in contempt the things which are wrought by devils and prepares it to "tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and all the whole strength of the enemy"' (Luke 10:19).

--Once, while living in the desert, Pachomios learned that the city of Alexandria was being ravaged by famine and epidemic. He spent several days in tears, not even eating the meager ration of food which he allowed himself. His novices begged him to eat and restore his strength but St Pachomios replied, "How can I eat when my brethren do not have bread?" How far are even the best of us from such love and commiseration?

--Pachomios memorized the Holy Scriptures. When he started reciting God’s words by heart, he did not do it in the fashion of many other people, but he strove to comprehend it himself, each and every thing through humility, gentleness and truth, according to the Lord’s word, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart" (Matthew 11:29).

--Pachomios was…in the habit of stretching his arms out in prayer, without folding them soon again into a resting position, but rather keeping them stretched out, as if on a cross, in order to force the body to labor and stay awake in prayer.

--Pachomios believed that “it was not good to ask for office and glory” and, wary of ecclesiastical politics, felt that “a clerical office is the beginning of contemplation of the lust for power”.

--As the Vita Prima Graeca informs us, the few monks of the early days of the Pachomian community marveled at him exceedingly, because they saw him toiling…through his assumption of nearly all the care of the monastery. For he prepared the table for them at mealtime…he sowed and watered the vegetables…he answered the door every time someone would knock at it…if any one of them were sick, Pachomios himself took care of him and ministered to him during the night…he freed them of all care.

--One day Pachomios was weaving a rush mat in Tabennesis and a boy came to the weekly service in the monastery. When the boy saw him weaving, he told him, ‘Not so father! Do not turn the thread this way. Father Theodore showed us another style of weaving.’ Pachomios rose and said to the boy: ‘Yes, teach me this style.’ After the boy taught him, he sat to work gladly, having even in this matter anticipated the spirit of arrogance. If his way were the way of the flesh, he would not have cared but would even have reprimanded the child for having spoken out of turn.

--It was while Pachomios was in the desert alone, praying to be taught God’s perfect will, (that) an angel sent by the Lord appeared to him…and (said) ‘The Lord’s will is to minister to the race of men and to reconcile them to him.’ It was after he thought about the voice which he had heard and realized its meaning (that) he started to receive those who came to him.

--The wife of one of the area’s leading politicians was bleeding. And when she heard about the great Pachomios, she asked…Dionysios to summon him. After the Great Man was summoned, he sat inside the church…and she…coming near him…touched the cowl on his head and was immediately cured.

--Elder Pachomios would say: "He who in my view is a sinner is not to ask of God to see visions. For without God’s will, visions are misleading…hear now about a great vision: it is a great vision to see a pure and humble man. For what is greater…than to see the invisible God in the visible man who is his temple".

--Abba Psenthaisios, Abba Souros and Abba Psoios used to agree in saying this: “Whenever we listened to the words of our father, Abba Pachomios, we were greatly helped…(and) we saw how, even when he kept silence, he taught us by his actions. We were amazed by him and we used to say to each other: ‘We thought that all the saints were created as saints by God and never changed from their mother’s womb, not like other men. We thought that sinners could not live devoutly, because they had been so created. But now we see the goodness of our God manifested in our father: for see, he is of pagan origin and he has become devout; he has put on all the commandments of God. Thus even we also can follow him and become equal to the saints whom he himself has followed.’”

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone
Thou didst prove a chief pastor of the Chief Shepherd, Christ, guiding the flocks of monastics unto the heavenly fold, whence thou learntest of the habit and the way of life that doth befit ascetic ranks; having taught this to thy monks, thou now dancest and rejoicest with them in heavenly dwellings, O great Pachomius, our Father and guide.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
Since thou hadst shown forth the life of the Angels while in a body, O God-bearing Pachomius, thou wast also counted worthy of their glory; and with them thou standest before the Lord's throne, interceding that divine forgiveness be granted unto all.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Encounter Between St. Pachomius and St. Macarius

St. Pachomius the Great (Feast Day - May 15)

Below is an excerpt from Palladius' Lausiac History which speaks of the encounter between St. Pachomius the Great and St. Macarius of Alexandria:

Having heard that the monks of Tabennisi had a splendid rule of life, he [Macarius] changed his clothes and put on the secular garments of a workman, and went a fifteen days' journey to the Thebaid, traveling through the desert.

And having come to the Monastery of the Tabennesiots he asked for their archimandrite, Pachomius by name, a man of great reputation and possessing the gift of prophecy, ­though the story of Macarius had not been revealed to him.

So meeting him he said: "I pray you, receive me into your monastery that I may become a monk."

Pachomius said to him: "You have already reached old age, and you cannot be an ascetic. The brethren are ascetics and you cannot endure their labors. You will be offended and will depart, cursing them."

And he did not receive him either the first day or the second, till seven days had passed. But he persisted in waiting, fasting (all the time), and at last he said to him: "Receive me, father, and if I do not fast as they do and work, order me to be driven out." He persuaded the brethren to admit him; now the total number (of the occupants) of the first monastery was 1,400 men and remains so up to this day.

Well, he entered. When a little time had passed, Lent came on and he saw each man practicing different ways of asceticism,­ one eating in the evening only, another every two days, another every five, another again standing all night but sitting down by day. So having moistened palm­ leaves in large numbers, he stood in a corner and until the forty days were completed and Easter had come, ate no bread and drank no water, neither knelt down nor reclined, and apart from a few cabbage leaves took nothing, and them only on Sunday, that he might appear to eat. And if ever he went out in obedience to nature, he quickly came in again and took his stand, speaking to no one and not opening his mouth but standing in silence. And, apart from prayer in his heart and the palm­ leaves in his hands, he was doing nothing.

All the ascetics therefore, seeing this, raised a revolt against the superior, saying: "Where did you get this fleshless man from, to condemn us? Either drive him out, or know that we are all going." Pachomius, therefore, having heard the details of his observance, prayed to God that the identity of the stranger might be revealed to him.

And it was revealed; and he took him by the hand and led him to the house of prayer, where the altar was, and said to him, "Here, good old man, you are Macarius and you hid it from me. For many years I have been longing to see you. I thank you for letting my children feel your fist, lest they should be proud of their ascetic achievements. Now go away to your own place, for you have edified us sufficiently. And pray for us." Then he went away, as asked.

St. Macarius of Alexandria (Feast Day - January 19)

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Panagia of the Cave Monastery in Karditsa

The Monastery of Panagia tis Spilias (Virgin Mary of The Cave) is located at Ano Argithea (Agrafa Mountains) in the Karditsa perfecture, near Koympoyriana village.

The Monastery was built at 880 meters high at the edge of a high rock. There are two churches in the Monastery. The first was built in 1604 by Parthenios and Athanasios, brothers from the village of Stefaniada. They built the first church after the miraculous finding of the Panagia Odigitria icon.

This Monastery was a very important place during the Greek War of Independence againt the Ottoman Empire in the 1820's, and the famous Greek warrior Georgios Karaiskakis used this place for war meetings between the local captains.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

The Ridiculousness of Contemporary Evangelicalism

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Documentary on St. Savvas of Kalymnos

In this documentery they first travel to the Holy Land desert to St. Savvas the Sanctified Monastery, then move on to St. Savvas Monastery in Kalymnos.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

On Church Attendance and Holy Communion

by Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow

Attending Church

When the time comes, and especially the time put aside for God and His temple, a feast day or the hour of Divine Services, hurry to tear yourself away from business and worldly cares and voluntarily and zealously offer yourself to God in His church. When you enter the church bring to mind the promise of the Lord to those that gather in His name: "there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20), and stand reverently in church, as before the very face of Christ, and pray to Him that He sanctify you by His holiness, animate you by His prayer, and enlighten you with the word of the Gospel and the Grace of the Mysteries. Take note of this, too: in the church, angels serve with us and guard the holiness dwelling there. Once, in the Lavra of Saint Theodosius near Jerusalem, Abba Leontius, coming one Sunday to church to receive the Holy Mysteries, saw an angel standing on the right side of the Holy Table, and when the elder, being afraid, turned to run to his cell, the voice of the angel called to him: "From the time this Holy Table was consecrated, I have been charged to stay by it." Remember this, beloved, and stand reverently. And, if you feel that only your body is standing in church, while your mind thinks of home, or the market, or a place of merriment, collect yourself. Hurry to bring back your mind that has strayed, join it to God in your heart, force it to strive towards God, Who looks upon you. When you hear the word of God, open up not only your bodily ears, but your spiritual ones as well, open your heart, receive this heavenly Bread and with it nourish not only your memory, but also your life and work.

On Communion

When you are preparing to be a communicant of the Body and Blood of Christ, or are simply present at this Mystery, cleave in mind and heart to the Cross and the Tomb of the Lord, to the Body of Christ, suffering, dying, buried, risen, glorified and believe that your faith's touching Him will be more substantial than the touching of His garment by the woman with an issue of blood, and Christ's power [will] go out (Luke 8:46) to purify and elevate your powers of soul and body.

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr