Saint Jonah the Hermit of Pergamos

St. Jonah the Hermit and Wonderworker (Feast Day - October 11)

Saint Jonah came from Palestine, but when it was seized by the Saracens in the 7th century (capture of Jerusalem by the Arabs: 638), he along with other hermits departed for safety.

They arrived by ship to Cyprus, and some landed in Paphos while others landed elsewhere. After saying their goodbyes, they dispersed at various locations on the island and lived as ascetics.

Saint Jonah came along with his fellow hermit Kendeas, who stayed in Paphos while Jonah continued eastwards and arrived "at the area of Trachiada (located near Achna) at a village called Pergamos". In the beginning of his stay there, he had neither a hut nor cave. After having found a cave he settled there and became an ascetic living with fasting and prayers and lived an "exemplary ascetic life in the cave".

The ascetic Saint lived in the cave by eating every night stewed lentils and wild vegetables of the region. And for more ascetic exercise and suffering he wore a hard rope under his clothes, meanwhile making his body more heavy with the use of iron which was tied on his arms with the rope. With such labours the Saint submitted himself, and with restraint, prayer, humility and the fear of God in his heart, he was led to spiritual and divine gifts. As the Saint's biographer says: "And during his life and after his death he performed countless miracles". He cured every disease for everyone who took refuge to him, having faith and fighting off the evil spirits. It is written that once he even resurrected a dead child through prayer.

The Saint had a pupil who supplied water for him from far away because there was no water source nearby. The devil, however, took the form of Elder Jonah, and would meet him on his way back from the water spring, where he would grab the water jar from his hands and pour the water on the ground. This happened several times. The pupil believing that he was his Elder and was angry - that's why the devil did such a thing - and he stopped doing his service and did not transport water for several days, so the Saint ended up becoming realy thirsty. When the pupil finally went to get water, the Saint said to him: "What took you so long to go get water, my child, I nearly died of thirst?". The student in turn, told him about the case that allegedly the Saint himself took the water jar away from his hands and poured the water on the ground. Then the Saint told his pupil: "My child, this is a diabolical invention. From now on if you see me again before you, no matter how many times I try to stop you, do not obey and don't give me the water jar." Since that time the demon disappeared and never bothered the Saint's pupil again.

After this event took place, the Saint prayed and then hit the rock near the cave with his stick and from the rock clear water issued forth which he drank to the glory of God as well as those who came to him. This water existed until 1912, when fanatical Muslim Turks destroyed the cave of the Saint and the water, the holy water, as it was considered by believers after the death of the Saint.

The friend and fellow hermit of the Saint, Kendeas, meanwhile, left Paphos and also came close to the area where Jonah lived a life of asceticism and settled in a cave near the village of Avgorou. Sometimes they would meet each other, and the last time this happened, it happened during a miracle, as is stated in the life of Saint Kendeas.

Having lived a pious life, the Saint departed to God. The faithful buried his holy body near the cave. After his repose the Christians built a church at Pergamos and dedicated it to the Saint. Over the years, the church grew into a monastery. Today only the ruins of the monastery survive because it was also destroyed by the Turks in 1912. Until 1974 in the village of Lysi, the icon of the Saint dating from the 16th century survived, which was moved there from the village of Pergamos, Larnaca. And in the village of Xylotymbou survives a half damaged icon of the Saint which was brought there by the last Greek Christian inhabitants of the community of Pergamos. It is not known if the icon is the same as the one kept in Lysi and if it was transferred to Xylotymbou after the Turkish invasion in 1974. The cave of the Saint was also destroyed by the Turks of the village of Pergamos and was filled with concrete. A new church dedicated to Saint Jonah was built in the northeast of the village of Xylotymbou in 1983 and was consecrated on 7 October 1984 by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kitiou. The Holy Altar of this church was built with the brick from the original church.

On 10 October 2010, for the first time in 98 years, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the location where the older church once stood.

Ἀπολυτίκιον Ήχος α'.
Της ερήμου πολίτης και εν σώματι άγγελος και θαυματουργός ανεδείχθης, Θεοφόρε Ιωνά πατήρ ημών νηστεία, αγρυπνία, προσευχή, ουράνια χαρίσματα λαβών, θεραπεύεις τους νοσούντας, και τας ψυχάς των πίστει προστρεχόντων σοι. Δόξα τω δεδωκότι σοι ισχύν, δόξα τω σε στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τω ενεργούντι δια σου πάσιν ιάματα.

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Why The Filioque Is A Heresy

By Fr. John Romanides

The Filioque is a heresy, because it confuses the hypostatic properties of the Father, i.e. His being cause, with those of the Son and, as a result, introduces a kind of Semi-Sabellianism. This is the case if the notion of being cause belongs both to the Father's and to the Son's hypostasis, but not to the Spirit's. If the Father and the Son as hypostaseis are the cause of the existence of the Holy Spirit, then, according to Photios, we have two principles in the Godhead, or, if they think of the Father and the Son as one cause, then, as we said above, we have Semi-Sabellianism, i.e. the identification of the incommunicable, hypostatic properties of the Father and the Son. If the cause is identified with the essence and not with the hypostaseis, then the Holy Spirit is a creature, because the doctrine that the essence is the cause of another person is the doctrine of the Eunomians, since they identified the cause of the existence of the Son with the essence of the Father and attempted on this basis to demonstrate that the Son is a creature. Consequently, if the Father's and the Son's essence is the cause of the existence of the Holy Spirit, then the Holy Spirit is a creature. Again, He is a creature, if the cause of the Spirit's existence, or His procession, is a common energy of the Father and the Son, of which the Spirit is lacking. This is the case, because, as Orthodox and Pneumatomachians argue, the lack of even one energy common to the Father and to the Son from the Spirit would demonstrate the created nature of the Spirit. The one doctrine leads to Semi-Sabellianism and the other to Eunomianism, or to the heresy of the Pneumatomachoi where the Spirit becomes a creature.

Today, the Latins are obliged, if they wish to revise the foundation of their theology, not only to take seriously the theology of the Fathers, which constituted the basis of the decisions of the First and Second Ecumenical Councils, but also to revise the Trinitarian terminology, which is based on Augustine's doctrine.

Source: An Outline of Orthodox Patristic Dogmatics, pp. 33-35.

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An Orthodox Response To Scandals

A Homily By Metropolitan Athanasios of Lemessos (Limassol) Cyprus

Good evening to you all.

Let's reply to one or two questions first, and then we can move on to our topic, in order to cover them.

Well, one rather lengthy question was posed, as follows:

We daily see the Mass Media reveal all kinds of scandals that pertain to the social, political and financial life of the land. Quite often, it is revealed that political leaders and individuals in high places have been involved; people to whom our countrymen - the simple folk - have entrusted the future of our nation with their vote. And yet, they later prove to have been ruthless and self-seeking individuals who have abused the people's trust in the worst possible way. What should the good Christian's stance be, when he sees all this decay and injustice, when he sees the law of material profit prevailing, when he becomes a witness to people who step over others' dead bodies and who sacrifice everything on the altar of money? Should that Christian become actively involved, should he demonstrate, protest, and generally do something, or merely remain indifferent and stay silent, and just dedicate all his energy to the salvation of his own soul?

Of course this is a very basic question, which preoccupies all of us; however, let us take things one at a time.

First of all dear children, we need to keep in mind that all this scandalmongering, on every single subject and at every level - political, financial, social and even ecclesiastical - is NOT something that is done in a proper manner, or with good intentions. You cannot project something bad in a manner that is not good, otherwise, by projecting something bad in a bad manner, it will become even worse. Even when someone projects a good thing in a bad manner, then regardless how good it is, a bad projection of it will not be of any help to it. It will make it appear like a bad thing.

Let's give an example. A few days ago, I was visiting somewhere and on TV they were talking about a father who was sexually molesting his daughter, then the mother showed up on radio and TV and also talked about it, and we could hear a trembling voice and discern a hair-raising figure of that person... And it gets one thinking: OK, this is a scandal, it is something evil, but must these things be projected on TV? I mean, should these things be entering the mind of a little child watching that program - say for example a little girl? That her daddy or the daddy of another child would do such things? Just imagine, if her own father goes to hug her, and the child is made to feel that his caress is something else.... These things cannot be voiced; and they also cannot be amended in this way. We are not being constructive this way.

Scandals exist in the world and they will always exist. They will never cease to exist, but, are we actually being constructive by publicizing them? Are we being constructive or do we make scandals cease by projecting them in such a way? By projecting a scandal, it only becomes even greater... publicizing it is a magnifying glass that only enlarges the scandal.... OK, so there is a scandal, but is it really that necessary to magnify it?

And then there are all those who are embroiled in the problem: what happens to all of those people? Is the individual's persona tarnished - even the sinner's and the guilty party's? But then, doesn't even the suspect have a certain right? If nothing else, he does have the right to repent. So, how can you crush someone like that? And what if that person is eventually proven innocent? What if things aren't the way you described them? Who is then going to bear the weight of the responsibility of all that victimization?

Then, when all these things come out in the open, we hear about them, you all hear about them, and we too get stirred up. And what do we do? We find ourselves embarking on another process, as we can see in the question posed earlier; in other words, whether we should react. And we can see there, that there is an imperfect reaction in the question itself: "should we demonstrate, protest?" In other words, does "reacting" to this scandal require protests and stone-throwing? That would be rather reminiscent of the displays of protests against the occupying forces (in Cyprus), where we stand outside the green line, eating souvlaki and throwing stones at the Turks on the other side; then, after we are done and having felt that we have fulfilled our patriotic duty, we go to a disco to pass the time....

Is that the way for us to react towards scandals? With demonstrations and reactions of that kind? Scandals are very serious matters and they require very serious handling - as well as extreme prudence - and first of all, one must have the appropriate prerequisites inside him, in order to act correctly. In other words, one must first of all think ahead as to what the outcome of that action will be: will it have a positive result, or will it have a negative result? Then, will the reaction to that action be a good or bad one? Because a bad reaction - even if our intervention is for a good cause - will spoil it; it will spoil everything, even the benefit that could have ensued eventually.

Then, one needs to think about the others who will become embroiled in the entire affair. An example: Let's say you are an eyewitness to a crime, and you were to tell a holy man that a crime was committed - that someone murdered another person - do you know what the sentiments of that holy man would be? He would respond in the following manner: "Well, to be honest I am not a Saint, but I have seen saintly people who, upon hearing such news (and what I'm saying may be wrong - I don't know), would sorrow for the victim, they would grieve for the one who was killed, but they would literally mourn for the one who committed the crime. The one who killed is in a far more deplorable state than the one who died."

Can we comprehend this logic that the Saints possess? In other words, they would pray for the one who suffered the wrongdoing - that is, the victim - but they would pray twice as much for the perpetrator of the crime, because he is "killed" twice as much, and is in a much worse situation than the victim. Therefore, our love and our pain must be such that extends to all people. If we wish to take a spiritual stance towards such an incident, we cannot allow ourselves to "see" that this one is the villain and declare that he is worthy of every punishment and condemnation and hatred and whatever else, while the other is the one who needs compassion and sympathy. Yes, to compassion and sympathy; yes, of course the judicial system must take action, but the guilty party is likewise entitled to love. A guilty person also has the right to sympathy and caring - the pastoral caring of the Church and the people of the Church - because we simply cannot deprive any person of the eventuality and the possibility of repentance.

Therefore, we see things in a different manner than the world does: not with a secular mentality. But you may ask: OK, what are we supposed to do, with so many injustices around us? What can we do? Well, what we should do, is for each one of us to first take a look at himself and ask oneself "What is my place here? What can I do?" Then we also check our potentials, our place and our possibilities... and of course as we already said, what will the result be?

As the Elder Paisios advises: "Man must start with himself first. By making yourself good, you automatically make a piece of the world good, then you also influence those around you, and you eventually influence more and more people and further and further away, and some things inevitably become better. You can react against something bad in a very good manner; if necessary, with a more dynamic reaction, but with dignity and a noble manner. Noone can forbid you to do so, as long as it is within the limits of decency and a noble handling so that you don't annihilate the other person, but instead, help even him."

For instance, if someone has his finger on the trigger and is ready to shoot someone else and I am standing next to him without being observed, can I strike him on the hand and make his gun fall down? I can do that, provided I don't strike him with feelings of annoyance and malice and the desire to break his hand, but only to obstruct him from doing something far worse. In other words, even that educative action of mine should be made with love, with a spirit of love.

We need to ascertain that this move will be an educative one - that it will also educate me as well as the other. And I believe that when things are done with love and pain as the Elder says - with love and pain for the other person - then there will be a proper handling and edification every time. God edifies the other person too; He edifies even the one who is a completely hopeless case. God does not destroy any person. Only the devil destroys the other; God edifies even the worst assassin - He has a way of saving him. And that is what God desires: not to destroy the other, but to save him, out of infinite love. Therefore, if one looks at things this way, I believe they can change.

Now my children, no matter what we do, you need to know that it is impossible for scandals to vanish altogether. Christ Himself said so, in the Gospel: "It is an impossible thing, for scandals not to appear." Look - they even appear inside the Church, where we read the Gospel from morning to night, where we perform so many Liturgies, we receive Communion, we fast, we pray, we do so many things, we have dedicated ourselves to God, and there comes a moment when scandals break out inside the Church, they set fire and you don't know where they came from and how to extinguish them - and you imagine that scandals won't break out in other areas? These are the stamps of human imperfection. We are human beings; human imperfection is inherent, there is human weakness, there are human errors... how I understand something is quite different to how the other individual understands it... It is now a part of human nature for that imperfection to exist - that weakness - and it is only natural for all those problems and difficulties to protrude from within them.

We need to learn to react appropriately and stand firmly with prudence in the presence of scandals, without panicking and saying: "See! Scandals everywhere - nothing has remained standing." No, it is not like that at all. As the Elder used to say, "Even from within scandals, God can extract something good; in other words, wherever the devil plows, God sows..." Satan may plow and turn everything upside down, but God allows him to - there is democracy - hey, let the devil do his work, let him earn his wages too, let him finish his job, and after he is finished and has turned everything upside down and can do nothing more and everything is messed up, then the Good Lord comes and sows His seed and does His work. Sometimes, the devil messes things up so badly, that if God were to tell him to sit down and sort out the mess he made, not even he could straighten it out - that's how complicated things could become. But if one leaves things with complete trust in God's Providence, one will see that in the end, the one who wants to benefit will benefit. Many, many benefits are gained; in the end, noone is wronged - don't you worry - noone is wronged.... and if someone is wronged for a while, he will be vindicated eternally... and the one who loses transient things will gain eternal things, which are incomparably better and greater...

So, we need not worry; we are not the ones who will give out justice in this world. We simply need to learn to extract something beneficial from an injustice. Injustice abounds in the world and it will continue to exist, no matter what we do, because there is the element of human freedom and human imperfection; you cannot extort anyone into observing justice - he is a free person, he doesn't want to.

He will say: "Look mister, I don't want to do that thing - can you force me to do something that you want? Well, I don't want to do it."

"But it is unfair..."

"So, maybe it is unfair. I want unfairness. Can you deprive me of the right to desire unfairness? Can you deprive me of the right to make mistakes, to do things wrong? Well, that's what I desire!"

Fine. It's democracy. Let's say he does what he wants. But it is not something that can hinder us on our path, because injustice and difficulty are to be utilized spiritually - and man can utilize them....

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Christianity Should Not Change With The Times

Letter By St. Theophan the Recluse

December 29, 1863
Sunday after Christ's Birth

It reached my ears that, as it seems, you consider my sermons very strict and believe that today no one should think this way, no one should be living this way and therefore, no one should be teaching this way. “Times have changed!”

How glad I was to hear this. This means that you listen carefully to what I say, and not only do you listen, but you are also willing to abide by it. What more could we hope for, we who preach as we were ordered and as much we were ordered?

Despite all this, in no way can I agree with your opinion. I even consider it my duty to comment on it and to correct it, since – even though it perhaps goes against your desire and conviction – it comes from something sinful, as though Christianity could alter its doctrines, its canons, its sanctifying ceremonies to answer to the spirit of each age and adjust itself to the changing tastes of the sons of this century, as though it could add or subtract something.

Yet, it is not so. Christianity must remain eternally unchanging, in no way being dependent on or guided by the spirit of each age. Instead, Christianity is meant to govern and direct the spirit of the age for anyone who obeys its teachings. To convince you of this, I will put forward some thoughts for you to consider.

Some said that my teaching is strict. First of all, my teaching is not my own, nor should it be. In this sacred office nobody should, nor even can, preach his own teaching. If I or someone else ever dare to do so, you can put us outside the Church.

We preach the teachings of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, of the Holy Apostles, and the Holy Church, which is guided by the Holy Spirit. At the same time, we make sure to do everything possible to keep these teachings whole and inviolate in your minds and hearts. Every thought we present and every word we use, we do so very carefully, so as not to overshadow this brilliant and divine teaching in any way. Nobody can act differently.

Such a law that calls for each man’s preaching in the Church to be "God-sent," was established at the creation of the world, and should thus remain valid until the end of the world. The Prophet Moses, after the delivery of the commandments from God Himself to the people of Israel, concluded: “You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you” (Deut. 4:2).

This law of constancy is so unalterable that the Lord and Savior Himself, when He was teaching the people on the mountain, said: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Math. 5:17-18).

Then He gave the same validity to his teaching, before interpreting the commandments in the spirit of the gospel, by adding: “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Math. 5:19).

This means that anyone who wrongly interprets the commandments of God and lessens their validity, will be an outcast in the future life. This is what He said at the beginning of His preaching. He assured the same thing to Saint John the Theologian, the beholder of ineffable revelations, to whom He described the final judgement of the world and the Church, indicating in the Apocalypse (Book of Revelations): “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Apoc. 22:18-19).

From the time of His first appearance in the world until the Second Coming, Christ has given the Holy Apostles and their successors the following law: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Math. 28:19-20).

That means “for you to teach, not what anyone else could possibly imagine, but what I ordered, and this to the end of the world.” And He adds: “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Math. 28:20).

The Apostles received this law and sacrificed their lives in order to keep it. And to those who wanted to keep them from preaching what it was they preached under the threat of punishment and death, they replied: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).

This clear law was delivered by the apostles to their successors, was accepted by them, and has timeless effect in the Church of God. Because of this law, the Church is the pillar and the ground of truth. Can you see then what an inviolable steadfastness it has? After that, who would be so bold as to stubbornly disturb or move anything in Christian doctrine and law?

Next listen to what is said of the Prophet Ezekiel who for seven days was in the ecstasy of prayer and after seven days heard the word of the Lord: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth” (Ezek. 3:17), and he declared to the people: Here is the law for you! If you see a wicked person committing iniquity and you do not tell him: leave your iniquity and change your way, “that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand” (Ezek. 3:18). Conversely, “if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul” (Ezek. 3:19-21).

What a strict law! And though it sounds in the consciences of all pastors during their election and consecration, when a heavy yoke is put on them, namely the instruction of the flock of Christ that He entrusted to them, big or small, not only to guide it but also to preserve it. How could anyone be so bold, to pervert everything in the law of Christ, when this involves the destruction of both pastors and flock?

If the saving power of this teaching depended on our opinion of it and our consent to it, it would make sense for someone to imagine rebuilding Christianity according to human weaknesses or the claims of the age and adapt it according to the sinful desires of his heart. But the saving power of Christian law does not at all depend on us, but on the will of God, by the fact that God Himself established precisely the exact path of salvation. Beyond this there is no other way, nor could it exist. Therefore, anyone who teaches in any other way, is deviating from the true path and is destroying himself and you. What logic is there in that?

Notice how strict judgment was mentioned when something similar happened to the nation of Israel during the difficult years of their captivity. Some prophets out of pity for the suffering and sick talked to the people, not as the Lord had ordered, but as their heart dictated. Concerning them the Lord gave the following commands to Ezekiel: “And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own minds. Prophesy against them and say, 'Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the women who sew magic bands upon all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature, in the hunt for souls'” (Ezek. 13:17-18).
This means: Woe to those who order any kind of special treatment and suggest such leniency, so no one feels the slightest displeasure, either from those on top or those at the bottom, not caring whether this is for their salvation or destruction, whether it is pleasing to God, or repulsive. Woe to them, because “thus says the Lord God...your pillows and veils,” namely your candied and comforting teaching, “upon which there you are perverting souls, I will tear from your arms and I will let their souls that you are perverting, go away...” (Ezek. 13:20-21) from this teaching of yours and I will destroy you corrupters.

This is the benefit of this special treatment and leniency, such as you want to hear from preachers! When you put all this deep in your heart, it is not right for you to want us to make any concessions in Christian doctrine, having the wrong desire to be pleased by us. On the contrary, you are obliged to persistently demand from us to remain true to doctrine, as strictly and firmly as possible.

Have you ever heard of the indulgences of the Pope of Rome? Here is what they are: special treatment and leniency, which he gives defying the law of Christ. And what is the result? From all of this, the West is corrupt in faith and in their way of life, and is now getting lost in its disbelief and in the unrestrained life with its indulgences.

The Pope changed many doctrines, spoiled all the sacraments, nullified the canons concerning the regulation of the Church and the correction of morals. Everything has begun going contrary to the will of the Lord, and has become worse and worse.

Then came along Luther, a smart man, but stubborn. He said, “The Pope changed everything as he wanted, why shouldn't I do the same?” He started to modify and re-modify everything in his own way, and in this way established the new Lutheran faith, which only slightly resembles what the Lord had commanded and the Holy Apostles delivered to us.

After Luther came the philosophers. And they in turn said, “Luther has established himself a new faith, supposedly based on the Gospel, though in reality based on his own way of thinking. Why, then, don't we also compose doctrines based on our own way of thinking, completely ignoring the Gospel?” They then started rationalizing, and speculating about God, the world, and man, each in his own way. And they mixed up so many doctrines, that one gets dizzy just counting them.

Now the Westerners have the following views: Believe what you think best, live as you like, satisfy whatever captivates your soul. This is why they do not recognize any law or restriction and they do not abide by God's word. Their road is wide, all obstacles displaced. Their way is broad, all the obstacles taken out. But the broad road leads to perdition, according to what the Lord says. This is where leniency in teaching has led!

Lord, save us from this broad way! But it is better to love each difficulty that the Lord has appointed for our salvation. Let us love Christian doctrines and let us compel our mind with them, pushing it not to think otherwise. Let us love Christian morals and let us compel our will in them, forcing it to lift the light yoke of the Lord humbly and patiently. Let us love all Christian rituals and services which guide us, correct us, and sanctify us. Let us compel our heart with them, encouraging it to convey its desires from the earthly and perishable, to the heavenly and imperishable.

Let us confine ourselves as though in a cage. Or better, let us drag ourselves, as if we were passing through a narrow passage. Let it be narrow, so no one can deviate neither to the right left, nor the left. Yet undoubtedly, through this narrow way we will obtain the kingdom of the heavens in return. For as you know, this kingdom is the kingdom of the Lord. The Lord laid this narrow way and said, “Follow exactly this route and you will obtain the kingdom of heaven.”

Could anyone then doubt whether the traveler will get to his destination? And what mind would one have who starts wanting all kinds of annulment of the commandments, when by doing this he would immediately lose his way and be lost?

Once you have fully understood this assertion, do not worry if something in our teaching seems to be strict. The only thing you should strive for is to carefully make sure if it is from the Lord. And after you have made sure it is from the Lord, accept it with all your heart, no matter how strict or obliging it may be. And not only avoid wanting special treatment and leniency with doctrine and the ethics, but even flee from all these, as though fleeing from the fire of Gehenna. Those who cannot escape from this are those who think up such things and with them lure those who are spiritually weak to follow them. Amen.

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The Perils of New Age Pantheistic Monism

Pantheism and Monism: The Foundation of Immorality*

By Alexander Dvorkin, Professor of the University of Moscow

With the idea of “discovering of the Messiah within you” we approach two main axioms of the New Age, one flowing from the other. One of these is New Age (or pantheistic) monism: namely the belief that everything is united. While every sort of difference between different substances – “between Joseph and Judy, between Joseph and the tree, or between Judy and God”1 – all seem to be differences, nonetheless they are not. The significance of this dogma for New Agers is emphasized by Jonathan Stone, who considers it an essential component of the New World Order: “I feel that the World Order is approaching, in which science will merge with the monistic philosophy and a new consciousness will conquer the whole world. The distinguishing unifying characteristic of the World Order will be the belief that ‘all substances, all beings are one.’”2

Within this concept of monism there is no place for man, for the person. New Agers believe that apart from man there is no God, because man himself is God (the second claim of the New Age). Therefore, if someone examines it closer, it would appear that according to the New Age worldview neither man, nor God, nor the world exists. Author Betty Galyean writes: “When we start to realize that we are all God, that in all of us exist the capacities and qualities of God, then we start thinking that the purpose of human life is the return once again to the possession of the divinity within us, of Absolute Love, Absolute Wisdom, Absolute Understanding, Absolute Mind. We thus return to the creation itself of this ancient, this vital unity, which is also consciousness.”3

These are the New Age philosophical points. Their practical application appears, for example, in the already aforementioned film [Out On A Limb] of actress Shirley MacLaine (in the movie production of her own book) in the scene where she stands by the shore with her teacher and raising her hands screams with all her strength “I am God! I am God! I am God!” This is more or less what our old friend Ramtha** braggingly said through his hostess Ms. Knight in one of her appearances on TV, when she said, “What is called God exists in your essence. And that which is called Christ exists in your essence. And when you understand that you are God, you will acquire happiness.”4 However, to the New Agers, God is an impersonal absolute, indifferent to good or evil. Basically, each one of them is ready to endorse the thought of Ramakrishna who once declared: “The Absolute relates neither with good nor with evil… Whatever manner of sin, evil or torment we encounter in the world are only torments, evils or sin as they relate to us… I am afraid that you must accept the events that happen in the universe exactly as they are… I see, I understand that all three – the victim that is sacrificed, the altar on which he is sacrificed and the one that sacrifices him – constitute the same essence. Oh, what a vision!”5

The presence of such an absolute God as the only God justifies any manner of immorality. For example, here is what guru Rajneesh says to New Agers: “Bhagwan, you teach men to care for themselves before they care for others. It appears that this contradicts many world religions which teach to serve humanity. This not only goes against many religions, but against all religions. They all teach to serve others selflessly. In my opinion, selfishness is a natural phenomenon. Selflessness is something extrinsic. Selfishness is part of our nature… You must accept this. And if it is part of our nature, it must somehow be vital, otherwise it wouldn’t have existed at all. It is exactly because of selfishness that you survive, due to the fact that it was necessary to care for yourself. Otherwise, humanity would have vanished a long time ago… I am teaching you to be natural, totally natural, shamelessly natural. Yes, I teach you selfishness. No one has ever said something like this before me. They do not have the guts to say so. And they were all selfish! Why does a monk submit himself to torments? There is a reason. He wishes to reach paradise and all its pleasures. Of course, if you sacrifice seventy years of comforts for the sake of eternal graces, this is a good bargain. I don’t believe this is selflessness.”6

Every moral order disappears. Here is what A. Yakovleva, former senior editor of the leading New Age journal The Road to Yourself, says about herself: “I am not obliged to live with a man just because they once placed a stamp in my passport at the registry office or because we have children. I can get up and leave him anytime. For me, the word 'obligation' no longer exists. For me, only the word 'want' exists. And if still to this day I have not left my husband, it only means that I want to be with this person.”7

The notion of the reincarnation of souls makes every ethical issue relevant: in previous reincarnations, a man could have been a woman, a son and his mother could have been lovers, this is why now everything is determined by karma and everything is allowed. For example, here is what a spirit that goes by the name Zoli declares through an intermediary-medium: “Sex and sexual union – and it does not matter whether it is sex between a man and a man, a woman and a woman, or a man and a woman – is all communication… If there is respect between father and daughter, father and son, mother and daughter, mother and son and they are all at an age that permits them to enjoy sexual union, from the height of our understanding we absolutely do not see in it anything reproachable…. If, of course, it concerns children who have not yet come to an age that is psychologically appropriate for sexual union, then it is difficult to talk about respect. However, in such relations agreement is present. The child and the other person that performs the so-called offence agreed to take into consideration this intense emotion… It is a matter of mutual action, an interaction of karma and of energy.”8

The feeling of shame or of embarrassment that may occur after incest or a homosexual act, according to Zoli, is the result of the degenerate influence of the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. The spirit advises: “If so-called incest has taken place, above all try to overcome the feeling of guilt… The belief system that a society accepts is what causes the problem. The problem is not created by the action itself but by the feeling of guilt that follows.”9

* An extract from the twentieth chapter of the seventh part (pp. 732-734) of the book Sectology. Totalitarian Cults. Attempt in Systematic Research, by professor Alexander Dvorkin, written in Russian (third edition, edited and updated). The present English translation was translated from the Greek.

** Note: A spirit (according to New Agers) about 35,000 years old, which came in contact with Ms. Knight, a simple American housewife, and since then talks to the world through her.

1. Groothuis D. R., Unmasking the New Age, Downers Grove, III: Inter Varsity Press, 1986, pg. 18.

2. Stone J., SPS Journal, 1977, July. Attributed to Tucker. R. Strange Gospels, pg 338

3. Attributed to Adeney F., "Educators Look East", Spiritual Counterfeits Journal, 1981, Winter.

4. Brooks A. "Theology from the Twilight Zone", Christianity Today, 1987, September 18, pg 25.

5. Rollan P. The Life of Ramakrishna. The life of the Vivekananda (in Russian), Kiev 1991, pg. 165.

6. Bagvan Sri Raznish, Life, Love, Laughter (in Russian), Moscow 1993, pg. 70.

7. The Road to Yourself 1992, No. 5, pg 27.

8. As above, No 2, pg 32.

9. Same as above.

Source: Journal Parakatathiki: January-February 2006, Issue 46

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Panagia Nafpaktiotissa and the Battle of Lepanto

Panagia Nafpaktiotissa (Feast Day - October 7th or the Sunday following it)

The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a galley fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Spain (including their territories of Naples, Sicily and Sardinia), the Republic of Venice, the Papacy (under Pope Pius V), the Republic of Genoa, the Duchy of Savoy, the Knights Hospitaller and others, decisively defeated the main fleet of Ottoman war galleys.

The five-hour battle was fought at the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece, where the Ottoman forces sailing westwards from their naval station in Lepanto met the Holy League forces, which had come from Messina. Victory gave the Holy League temporary control over the Mediterranean, protected Rome from invasion, and prevented the Ottomans from advancing further into Europe. This last major naval battle fought largely between rowing vessels has been assigned great symbolic importance since then.

Some Western historians have held it to be the most decisive naval battle anywhere on the globe since the Battle of Actium of 31 BC. Historian Paul K. Davis has argued that: "This Turkish defeat stopped Turkey's expansion into the Mediterranean, thus maintaining western dominance, and confidence grew in the west that Turks, previously unstoppable, could be beaten."

The Holy League credited the victory to the Virgin Mary, whose intercession with God they had implored for victory through the use of the Rosary. Andrea Doria had kept a copy of the miraculous image of our Our Lady of Guadalupe given to him by King Philip II of Spain in his ship's state room. Pope Pius V instituted a new Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Victory to commemorate the battle, which is now celebrated by the Catholic Church as the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Read more on the Battle of Lepanto here and here.

There once stood in Nafpaktos, also known as Lepanto, a splendid Cathedral, built in the fifth century in honor of the Virgin Mary. Within its walls was the miraculous icon of Panagia Nafpaktiotissa, or the Virgin of Lepanto. Christians flocked to Nafpaktos by the millions from every corner of the earth, and the miracles worked there were innumerable.

The Greek Orthodox Church has also given credit of victory at the Battle of Lepanto to the Virgin Mary, especially the people of Nafpaktos (Naupaktos) who participated in this battle and would have been immediately affected had the Christians lost to the Ottomans. There were 8,000 Greeks who participated in this battle who also prayed to the Holy Virgin to save them from this Muslim invasion. The protectress of Nafpakto was Panagia Nafpaktiotissa, and Her intervention in saving Nafpaktos is celebrated annually either of October 7th or on the first Sunday following October 7th.

It is a sad afternote that in 1581 a terrible earthquake struck Nafpaktos, destroying the beautiful Cathedral of the Virgin Mary. The Brotherhood of Panagia Nafpaktiotissa at Holy Metamorfosis (Transfiguration) Monastery have plans to rebuild this church as the katholikon of their monastery. Read more here which also has much information on the history of the battle and the miracle.

To read about the 11th century origins of the Brotherhood of Panagia Nafpaktiotissa and the reason behind her intercessory icon position, read here.

Apolytikion in the First Tone
The throngs of Nafpaktiotes always are sheltered and safeguarded by thee, O Theotokos, Queen extolled above all hymns. For they have since ancient times held thy venerated icon as a treasure from which they draw divine grace and cures. Glory to thy Son and our Redeemer. Glory to thy majestic works. Glory to thy aid granted us, Nafpaktiotissa

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"Miracles By The Holy Belt": The Prologue

Prologue

The works of God and His Saints, which cannot be rationally explained, are called miracles. God performs miracles ad infinitum. This is revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ who says: “My father is working until now” ( John 5:17). By His uncreated energies God provides, preserves and controls the whole universe, the whole creation. That is, God preserves the creation in the mint condition He had created it. He conserves and protects it by His divine providence. Therefore, God’s uncreated energies are constantly and incessantly being revealed in the physical world and cause natural and physical results. Therefore, we are living a constant miracle. All of our abilities are being set in motion by God’s will. If God withdraws His energy from one of our abilities, we are going to lose it. Now I am able to see. I can see because God allows it. If God withdraws His energy I will become blind.

According to the teachings of the Fathers of the Church there are no physical laws (by which nature is being governed) but only spiritual or uncreated laws. The creation remains in existence because it participates in the uncreated, life-giving, provident energy of God. God, Who has created the world out of nothing, has not abandoned it, but governs it by His energies. Sometimes we are able to perceive certain stability in the way His uncreated energies are being expressed and revealed. This is how God wants to act. Man explores this stability, acknowledges it and calls it “natural laws” in his effort to make sense of the physical world. That’s why when people come to perceive the performance of miracles they explain it as God’s intervention in the operation of physical laws. However, a miracle is not the result of God’s intervention in the operation of physical laws, but it is a result of His uncreated Grace on His creation: “When You open Your hand, they are filled with good things, when You hide Your face, they are dismayed” (Psalm 103:28, 29).

Only God has the ability by His very nature to perform miracles. The Saints perform miracles because of the grace they have received from Him. The energy with which they perform the miracles is not their own, but God’s energy. Therefore, the Most Holy Mother of God, as the holiest of the holy, performs miracles more than anyone else - and not just that. All spiritual virtues are being transmitted through her both towards the angels and towards people. She comes second only after the Holy Trinity. After the honor to the Holy Trinity, honor is ascribed to the Most Holy Lady as “being higher than the Cherubim and consummately more glorified than Seraphim”. Since she is being granted the second place after the Trinity, she can attain whatever she wants. As the hymn to our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokarion, says: “You have the ability to achieve whatever you want”.

Our Most Holy Mother, besides her love and her goodness, has also an infinite capacity to assist us. Why? Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite, who is regarded as a loving friend (Θεοτοκόφιλος) of the Mother of God, explains the reason for this in his work “Eortodromion” (Book of Feasts).

The 9th Ode of the Pentecost Canon says: “Virgin Mother of God, you, who became pregnant without your virginity being corrupted and have lent your flesh to the Word of God, the Creator of all”. Explaining this troparion, the Saint refers to that which the Mother of God has lent to her Son, which made Him forever indebted to Her.

“Notice that the hymn writer did not say that the Virgin ‘has given’ or ‘has provided’ or any other similar word, but that she ‘has lent’ her flesh to the Creator Word of the Father, to show that the Mother of God had made the Son of God indebted to her with her loan. Because He has borrowed from her - not an external monetary loan, or a loan of buildings, which may be returned - but an intrinsic part of her very existence; from her physical and most pure blood. Therefore, as a physical loan it is eternal. Thus the Son of God is now forever indebted to His Mother. What can we deduce from this? Since the Son of God is forever indebted to His Mother, foremost and necessarily He must glorify her with all divine glory and honor, which He has never bestowed on any other being. Secondly, He must accept her requests and supplication... Did you grasp, my dear friend, the Virgin’s glory? Did you grasp her splendor?”

In the present book we cite the miracles which the Most Holy Mother of God has performed by her Holy Belt, which is full of grace. All the miracles are being described by those who have been blessed by them, in letters they have sent to our Holy Monastery. These people do not bury grace, they confess their benefaction. Some other people have testified verbally about the cures they have received, when we have transferred the Holy Belt to the various regions for people to venerate, but did not put them in writing. A large number of the letters we possess bear the names, the addresses even the telephone numbers of the senders. When we possess such personal details, we pass them on. Out of the whole content of the letters we only publish the part which refers to the miracles.

The Holy Scriptures use a better term to describe a miracle: the term ‘sign’. The sign reveals, it points to someone. It reveals God. The miracle is good not because somebody is being cured, but simply because it reveals God to people. This is the most essential element. We usually pay attention to the first element, the cure, which is something less significant and we do not see the revelation of God’s glory, which is the most important part.

It is this personal experience of God’s presence in their lives, which the Christians, who have been granted the beneficial energies of the Most Holy Lady, are confessing. The most beneficial outcome of the miracle was the wonder of their return and their repentance, as well as God’s revelation. A number of the beneficiaries had either loose ties with the Church or none at all. After the benefaction, they have shed tears, realizing their mistake and their spiritual poverty. They now live in repentance and are struggling.

Elias Miniatis has said something very touching regarding the protection offered by the Mother of God to the faithful, especially to those suffering and being afflicted.

“You, the orphans, who have been deprived of your parents; parents who have been deprived of your children; spouses who have lost your partners; foreigners who have lost your country; afflicted, who are in pain; you, who are sad, enslaved and sinners, be sad no more. You have a mother; the Mother of God: A Mother, who guides you in your loss; who consoles you in your sorrow; who cures your passions; who forgives your sins. Do not despair. You have a Mother, the Mother of pain; the Mother of God. You, Christians, young or old, priests and laymen, the elderly, men, women and the ailing, all of you, who worship her Crucified Son, you must lodge your appeal to her. So that she will soften your pain and you will be able to carry your cross, your pain and your sorrow”.

We pray that the publication of the present book by our Holy Monastery will strengthen those who are shaky in their faith and bring joy to the faithful, increasing their love towards the most celebrated Mother of God.

The Abbot of the Great Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi

Archimandrite Ephraim

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St. Gregory Palamas: On the Translocation of the Prophet Elijah

By Metropoitan Hierotheos Vlachos

The words of St. Gregory Palamas can bring to mind that only the Theotokos is in heaven with Christ, and bodily, in connection with the taking up of the Prophet Elijah, since we know from the Bible that Elijah too was taken up to heaven with his body. But St. Gregory amazingly interprets this point as well. Speaking of the Ascension of Christ and especially saying that while there are many ascensions, Christ's ascension is unique, he also refers to the case of the Prophet Elijah. He writes: "But neither did he exceed the bounds of the earth's atmosphere; the ascension of each of them was a raising from the earth without being taken from the surroundings of the earth...." From this interpretation it appears that the taking up of the Prophet Elijah was in some way a translocation, we could say that it was a kind of death, and that of course in being taken up he did not go beyond the limits of the earth's atmosphere. Therefore only the Panagia was resurrected and taken up bodily into heaven, and is glorified with her Son, as His mother, in her human nature.

Source: Saint Gregory Palamas As A Hagiorite

Read also: Did the Prophet Elijah Actually Ascend 'Into' Heaven?

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On the Burden of Sin and Deliverance From Sin

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psalm 32:1).

Fear, confusion, weakness, infirmity and darkening of the mind are born of sin.

By sin, a man provokes others against himself, confuses his own conscience, attracts demons to himself, and gives them weapons against himself.

By sin, a man separates himself from God, estranges himself from his guardian angel, and walls himself off from the source of all good.

The committing of sin signifies a declaration of war against God and all godly powers. This is more preposterous than if a withered autumn leaf were to declare war on the wind.

And, indeed, the most preposterous thing of all occurs: a man declares war on God! This declaration alone guarantees ruin and destruction for a man if he does not quickly come to himself, repent and flee to God for mercy.

The great King David was well aware of the terrible predicament of the sinner, and he himself experienced it. He felt inexpressible fear, confusion, weakness and loneliness; he felt the arrows of men and the arrows of demons. But, realizing his horrible situation, David acknowledged his sin, prostrated himself in ashes before God, soaked the ground with tears of repentance and words of anguish that burned like fire, and prayed to the merciful God to forgive him. And, when all was forgiven him, he felt inexpressible blessedness. This blessedness of the forgiven soul he could not express in words. He could only declare, confirm and assure us of the condition of sinfulness and the condition of forgiveness from God, based on his direct experience of both conditions: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered" (Psalm 32:1).

What is this blessing? Freedom, courage, indescribable joy, power, strength, clarity of thought, peace of conscience, hope in God, hymnody to God, love for one's neighbors, and meaning to one's life! In other words: light, joy and strength are the blessing. This is the blessing that one who is forgiven of sin feels here on earth. If this is so, then what is the blessing that awaits him in heaven, "that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man" (I Corinthians 2:9)?

O Lord our God, forgive us our transgressions by Thine infinite mercy, and cover our sins! To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

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Saint Andronikos and His Wife Athanasia

Sts. Andronikos and Athanasia (Feast Day - October 9)

Saint Andronikos and his wife Athanasia of Egypt lived in Antioch in the fifth century. St Andronikos was a craftsman who divided his earnings into three portions. One part he gave to the Church, the second to the poor, and the third he used for his family. When the Lord took the son and daughter of Andronikos and Athanasia, the pious couple decided to devote themselves fully to the service of God, helping the poor and the sick. Soon the saintly spouses set out for Alexandria, where Andronikos entered a skete monastery, and Athanasia entered the women's Tabennisiota monastery.

After twelve years of ascetic life St Andronikos went to Jerusalem to pray at the holy places. He met a co-pilgrim, St Athanasia, who, foreseeing the difficulties of the journey, had donned men's attire. They did not recognize each other, since long ascetic effort had altered their appearance. When they returned from Jerusalem, both monks settled into a single cell and for many years lived the ascetic life in silence. St Athanasia wrote a note to be read after her death, revealing her secret. St Andronikos died soon after St Athanasia.

From A Sermon By St. Kosmas Aitolos

Don't You see in the menologion, on the ninth of October, which contains the lives of St. Andronikos and St. Athanasia, what a struggle they had? What fortunate people they were!

There was a couple who had two children. The most gracious God wanted to test them, so one day he took their two children from them. What did the blessed couple do, my brethren? Immediately they divided their Possessions and both entered monasteries. They lived well and in peace here, and went to Paradise to rejoice forever with their fortunate children.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone
Ye adorned your divinely-wrought robe of chastity with the sublime varied colours of sacred virtues in God, when with one accord ye strove in the ascetic life. Wherefore, your silence on the earth was received equally with the thrice-holy hymn in heaven; O wise Andronikos, pray God, with Athanasia, that we all be saved.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Let us the faithful crown with laurels of befitting hymns the wise Andronikos, who lived in blameless righteousness, with the godly Athanasia, his spouse in Christ God; who have shown the type of lawful wedlock to the world and became divine examples of monastic life. Let us cry to them: Rejoice, O yoke-mates in holiness.

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The Church of Saints Andronikos and Athanasia in Frenaros

The Church of Sts. Andronikos and Athanasia in Frenaros of northeast Cyprus was built in the 12th century. Externally it is made of stone but internally it is humble. Most frescoes and icons no longer survive and today it is humbly decorated.

The festal icon of Sts. Andronikos and Athanasia is old. The church functions once a year on the feast day of Sts. Andronikos and Athanasia on the 9th of October.

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The Foolishness of Atheism

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God'. They are corrupt. They have done abominable works" (Psalm 14:1).

The mind is the rudder of man's entire being. It counsels, persuades and guides. Both the soul and the body act according to the mind. If the mind is upright before God, then the whole man is upright. If the mind is iniquitous before God, the whole man is iniquitous. Even if someone merely thinks, "There is no God," the thought immediately manifests itself in his deeds. Evil thoughts come first and evil deeds inevitably follow.

Do you see how well the inspired prophet knows the nature of man? First, he underlines the cause, then he cites the consequences. Evil deeds necessarily proceed from evil thoughts. That is why, brethren, you should not believe those who say: "I do not believe in God, but I do good deeds." First of all, he who does not believe in God does not know what good is, nor can he differentiate good from evil. By his disbelief, a man cuts himself off from the greatest Good and the Source of every good!

Furthermore, let us carefully study this: you will see that all the deeds of the ungodly are corrupt and hateful. They are corrupt because they are evil, worthless and transitory; they are hateful, because they are contrary to the will of the Living God. The godless cannot distinguish good from evil, for only in the light of God's law can one determine precisely what is good and what is evil.

However, it can also be that those who merely say they believe in God do corrupt and hateful deeds, acknowledging God with their lips but denying Him in deeds. It is good to confess God with your lips, but that is a long way from being enough! One must also acknowledge Him with the heart, and confirm one's faith by good deeds. Even so, it does happen that a man believes in his heart, and confesses with his lips, and still sins. This happens either from the weakness of the will or from the devil's arrows. Let such a one repent, and he will be forgiven immediately.

Repentance is salvific even for the godless; how much more so for a believer? As long as a man is on earth, he has a chance for repentance. But who can be certain that his time will extend beyond this night? Hence, delaying repentance is utter foolishness.

O most gracious Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God; help us to repent as Thou dost help us to breathe. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

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St. Kosmas Aitolos: On Divorce and Adultery

You have no authority to divorce; only death and adultery can separate you. And if it happens that a wife falls with some other man, of if the husband with some other woman, they are under obligation to go to the bishop to be divorced. But, again, he who has been injured by his wife and doesn't divorce her acquires a spiritual reward. But is there a way to forgive her? There is. How?

You, my child, travel to a foreign country or go out to your field and your wife falls with another person. You return home. What should the wife do? She should take an ax and a piece of wood, and bow before you, kiss your hand and tell you: "Master, I beg you to do me a favor. Take this ax and piece of wood, put me on it, and cut me to pieces. Throw me to be eaten by dogs because I'm not worthy to look upon you in the face, because I've trampled upon your honor, and from a daughter of Christ I've become a daughter of the devil."

What do you say, my son, do you have it in your heart to kill her or to forgive her? It seems to me that you'll say: "May you be forgiven, but never do it again."

But when should you divorce her? When upon returning from abroad you learn of it from your neighbor. Then you are forced to divorce her. In the same way the Lord, during his second coming, will be forced to put us in hell if he finds us unconfessed, unrepentant, and incorrigible. But if he finds us repentant, he has compassion on us and puts us in paradise to rejoice forever.

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Saint Ahmed the Calligrapher and the Antidoron

St. Ahmed (Ahmet) the Calligrapher and New Martyr (Feast Day - May 3)

"The greatest of all things is the Faith in Jesus."
Crying this, O Ahmed, thou didst receive a great crown.

The Holy New Martyr Ahmed was from Constantinople, having been reared in the ungodliness of the Muslims by his parents. By profession he was a copyist in the Great Archives. In accordance with Ottoman law, since he did not have a wife, he had a slave instead, a Russian woman. Another captive from Russia lived together with her, an old woman, also a slave. Both these women were very pious.1

On feast days the old woman would go to church. Taking the blessed bread, or antidoron,2 she would give it to the young woman to eat. The old woman would also bring her holy water to drink. Whenever this occurred and Ahmed was close to her, he would smell a beautiful and indescribable fragrance coming out of her mouth. He would ask her what she was eating to make her mouth smell so fragrant. Not realizing what was happening, the slave would say that she was not eating anything. However, he persisted in asking. Eventually she told him that she was eating the bread which had been blessed by the priests, which the old woman brought her whenever she returned from church.

On hearing this, Ahmed was filled with longing to see the Orthodox church and how Orthodox received this blessed bread. Therefore he summoned a priest and told him to prepare a secret place for him, so that he could go when the Patriarch3 was serving the Liturgy. When the appointed day arrived, dressed as a Christian,4 he went to the Patriarchate and followed the Divine Liturgy. While he was in church, he saw the Patriarch shining with light and lifted off the floor, as he came out of the altar and through the holy doors to bless the people. As he blessed, rays of light came from his finger tips, but though the rays fell on the heads of all the Christian, they did not fall on Ahmed’s head. This happened two or three times and each time Ahmed saw the same thing. Thus, Ahmed came to the faith. Without hesitation he sent for the priest, who gave him rebirth through baptism. Ahmed remained a secret Christian for some time.5

However, one day Ahmed and certain noblemen were eating together. Afterwards they sat talking and smoking the narghile6, as is the custom. In the course of the conversation they began to discuss what was the greatest thing in the world. Each gave his opinion. The first guest said that the greatest thing in the world was for a man to have wisdom. The second maintained that woman was the greatest thing in the world. And yet a third said that the greatest thing in the world, and by far the most delightful, was pilaf with yogurt – for was this not the food of the righteous in paradise?

Then it was Ahmed’s turn. They all turned to him, asking him for his opinion on this matter. Filled with holy zeal, Ahmed cried out that the greatest thing of all was the Faith of the Christians. And confessing himself to be a Christian, he boldly censured the falseness and deception of the Muslims. At first, on hearing this the Muslims were aghast. Then, filled with unspeakable rage, they fell on the holy martyr and dragged him to a judge, so that he could be sentenced to death. Thus he received the crown of martyrdom, being beheaded by command of the ruler on the third day of May in the year 1682, at the place called Kayambane Bahche. Such was the blessed end of the Holy New Martyr, through whose holy prayers may we be deemed worthy of the Kingdom of God. Amen.

Notes

1. Regarding the spiritual condition of Christian slave women who were held as concubines by their masters, St. Basil the Great in his 49th Canon states: "A slave girl violated by her own master is free from responsibility." St. Gregory the Wonderworker in his 2nd Canon states: "If, however, it is found that any particular one of them has lived a life of the utmost sobriety, and that her previous life has been pure and above suspicion, but that she has now fallen as a result of violence and necessity a victim of insult, we have the example to be found in Deuteronomy, 'Unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death...'"

2. Bread that is blessed during the Divine Liturgy, but not consecrated for the Holy Eucharist.

3. The Ecumenical Patriarch.

4. Christians were forced to wear dull and drab clothing while the Muslims wore rich, illustrious garments, in this way trying to signify that Islam was "bright" and "luminous" compared to Christianity.

5. Crypto-Christians were common during the Ottoman occupation, especially by Muslims who converted to Christianity since the Koran itself says that apostasy from Islam deserves death. Crypto-Christians can still be found in predominantly Muslim countries. It is for this reason also that we do not know the Christian name of Saint Ahmed.

6. A smoking apparatus used in Turkey and the Middle East, the smoke being drawn through water.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyr Ahmed, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.


Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΑΧΜΕΤ, Η ΠΑΝΑΓΙΑ & ΤΟ ΑΝΤΙΔΩΡΟ from NAMA wvc on Vimeo.
The movie above is in Greek, but can be followed if one has knowledge of the story above.

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Interview With Fr. George Dragas (Video In Greek)

Ο Πρωτοπρεσβύτερος καθηγητής Γεώργιος Δράγας στο Αντίφωνο from Αντίφωνο (antifono.gr) on Vimeo.

A fascinating 2-hour interview with Fr. George Dragas, professor of Patristics at Holy Cross School of Theology. The entire interview is in Greek.

Ο π. Γεώργιος Δράγας σε μια αποκαλυπτική συζήτηση μίλησε, στο Αντίφωνο, για τα πρώτα χρόνια στο εξωτερικό, τους δασκάλους του, τις εμπειρίες του στον Princeton με τον Florofsky (τι του είπε ο στο πρώτο μάθημα και πως απάντησε για " τον "πλατωνισμό" του Αγ. Γρηγoρίου του Νύσσης). Μίλησε επίσης για τις παραχωρήσεις σε οικουμενικούς διαλόγους, την χρησιμότητα αυτών, για τις σχέσεις μας με προτεστάντες και καθολικούς, για την ακαδημαϊκή και την εμπειρική θελογία. Αναφέρθηκε στους κανόνες και την οικονομία της εκκλησίας, την έννοια της ελευθερίας αλλά και του προσώπου και το πόσο "ορθόδοξος" αισθάνεται στη Δύση. Στα πλαισια της συζήτησης για την σχέση της σύγχρονης επιστήμης με την θρησκεία απάντησε στην ερώτηση: αν τα "είπαν όλα οι πατέρες" και διερεύνησε "σύγχρονα" προβλημάτα (πχ. Βιοηθικής) με την "σκέψη" των πατέρων.

Τελειώνοντας μας εκμυστηρεύτηκε τι τον συμβούλευε ο Δ. Πικιώνης στα ιδιαίτερα μαθήματα που του έκανε για ενάμιση χρόνο.

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Saint Pelagia the Righteous: A Repentant Sinner

St. Pelagia the Righteous (Feast Day - October 8)

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Pelagia was a repentant sinner. She was born to pagan parents in Antioch, and was endowed by God with great physical beauty. Pelagia used her beauty to the destruction of her own soul and those of others. She became very wealthy as a result of her prostitution.

Once, while walking past the Church of the Holy Martyr Julian, in which Bishop Nonnus was preaching, she stopped in and heard a sermon on the Dread Judgment and the punishment of sinners. Those words so shook her and changed her that she immediately felt revulsion for herself, acquired true fear of God, repented of all her sins and fell down before St. Nonnus with the plea that he baptize her: "Have mercy on me, a sinner, holy Father. Baptize me and teach me repentance. I am a sea of iniquity, an abyss of destruction, a net and weapon of the devil." Thus this penitent begged the hierarch of Christ with tears, and he baptized her. At her baptism, Blessed Romana, the deaconess of the church, was her godmother. Romana, as her spiritual mother, grounded her well in the Christian Faith.

But Pelagia was not satisfied with baptism alone. She was keenly aware of the multitude of her sins and, pricked by her conscience, decided on a great ascetic labor. She left her enormous, sinfully gained wealth to the poor, and secretly went to Jerusalem as the monk Pelagius. There, she shut herself up in a cell on the Mount of Olives, and began the difficult ascesis of fasting, prayer and all-night vigils.

After three years, St. Nonnus's deacon, James, visited her and found her still alive, but when he visited her again several days later, he found that she had reposed, and he honorably buried her body. St. Pelagia entered into rest in about the year 461. Thus, this formerly terrible sinner pleased God by her repentance and labor, was forgiven of her sins, and became sanctified. And her purified and enlightened soul was deemed worthy of the Kingdom of God.

A Reflection

Oh, if only we would invest as much effort in our souls as we invest in our bodies!

Oh, if only we could become as desirous of adorning ourselves with virtue before God and His glorious angels, as we do with the vain, transitory, external displays of appearances!

At first, both Pelagia and Thais were only aware of theier bodies, while their souls were slaves bound in the prison of the body. Both were adorned with nothing but vanity: clothed in vanity, arrayed with vanity, surrounded by vanity, and flattered by vanity. But what a sudden change! What a divine turn of events in their lives! More wondrous than if a wild apple were to be grafted and begin to bring forth sweet fruits; or if a turgid, fetid swamp were suddenly to become clear, pure potable water.

When Bishop Nonnus, in the company of other bishops, first saw the sinner Pelagia in her outward splendor - clothed in the most expensive garments, adorned and bedecked with rings, necklaces and baubles, perfumed, and surrounded by slaves - Bishop Nonnus began to weep, and said to his companions: "In truth, I have learned much from this woman. The Lord will set her before His Dread Judgment and will rebuke us through her. How many hours does this woman spend in her room bathing herself, clothing herself, adorning herself, and looking at herself in the mirror - and for what? Only to appear more beautiful to men. And we, who have the immortal Bridegroom in heaven, do not strive to adorn our souls with repentance; we do not hasten to bathe them with the tears of repentance and clothe them in the beauty of the virtues, that they might appear more beautiful before the eyes of God!"

HYMN OF PRAISE: The Venerable Pelagia

Pelagia the sinner repented,
And with knowledge of the true Faith, illumined her soul.
The world beckoned her, the world enticed her, but she hearkened not.
Her conscience was awakened, her soul began to shine.
How much effort she applied, how many struggles
She endured, wrestling with her sinful body-
Itself like a decaying apple.
So much effort, so much suffering she invested,
Until she deified her unhappy soul through faith.
In the heavens, God's sun shone,
But Pelagia's soul shone more.
Repentance-God has left us repentance.
By repentance, Pelagia was glorified.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
In thee the image was preserved with exactness, O Mother; for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to attend to the soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Pelagia, thy spirit rejoiceth with the Angels.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
With fasting didst thou consume thy body utterly; with vigilant prayer didst thou entreat thy Fashioner that complete forgiveness of thy former deeds be granted thee, which, O Mother, thou didst receive. The path of repentance hast thou shown to us.

Read also:

The Life of Our Holy Mother Pelagia the Nun, Who Was Once a Harlot, Written by James, a Deacon of the Church of Heliopolis

Sts. Pelagia the Martyr, Pelagia the Righteous and Thais: Three Different Responses to Sexual Immorality

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The Linguistic and Etymological Origins of "Fanaticism"

By Alberto Toscano

Where Schwärmerei denotes confusion, unrealism, and a menacing multitude, a swarm, while enthusiasm (Enthusiasmus, enthousiasme) evokes a divine inspiration that finds its Greek sources in Plato's philosophy, fanaticism proper (Fanatismus, fanatisme) derives from the Roman term fanum, referring to a consecrated place (the opposite of this being the profane, and the act of disrespecting the fanum, profanation). In particular, fanatici was the name given to the followers of the Cappadocian goddess Comana, introduced to Rome as Bellona.

"In celebrating the festival of the goddess they marched through the city in dark clothes, with wild cries, blowing trumpets, beating cymbals and drums, and in the temple inflicting wounds upon themselves, the blood from which they poured out as an offering to the goddess."

Without engaging in genealogical fallacies -- as we'll see there are many uses of fanaticism that bear little relation to this cultic model -- in this origination we can see the sign not just of an inaugural link with religion, but of a preoccupation with the religion of the other (Bellona was not the state cult, but had been brought back by legionaries from their Anatolian campaigns) and with unchecked violence.

The description of the cult's vital by a Roman contemporary foreshadows many of the portraits of indomitable religious 'fanatics', from Canetti's account of the Persian Muharram in Crowds and Power to Voltaire's tableau of theological possession in the Dictionnaire Philosophique:

"Once set in motion by the transports of Bellona, in her frenzy she fears neither the heat of the fire nor the blows of the whip. With a double-edged hatchet, she violently wounds her arms, sprinkling the goddess with blood, yet feeling no pain. Standing, her side pierced by a dart, she prophesies events which the powerful goddess makes known to her."

It is from the Roman Empire too that a frequent synonym for fanatic, zealot, derives. This was a specifically political term, deriving from the religiously motivated Jewish resistance against colonial Rome in Palestine. In terms redolent of two millennia of counter-insurgency literature, Josephus, chronicler of the Jewish rebellion, speaks of nationalist and spiritual enthusiasm as a surrogate for military weakness, of "animal courage for which no numbers were a match", of men joining battle "with their passions in command".

Source: Fanaticism: On the Uses of an Idea

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The Holy Community of Mount Athos Responds to the Alleged Appearance of Elder Paisios

For background information on the alleged recent appearance of Elder Paisios to certain monks on Mount Athos and his foretelling of a soon-to-come war against Greece, see my post "False Rumors of Apocalytpic Visions and Elder Paisios". Below is the recently released official statement of the Holy Community of Mount Athos which voices the official opinion of all twenty monasteries:

The Holy Community of Mount Athos, in connection with recent reports by the mass media distributing certain information relating to an alleged appearance to monks of the late blessed Elder Paisios and his foretelling to them of imminent war, thereby causing anxiety and disruption from this, for the sake of truth and respect to the memory of the Elder, has reported that these rumors are untrue and are not consistent with what Elder Paisios believed in life.

Authorized by the common Assembly Representatives and Heads

The twenty holy monasteries of Holy Mount Athos.

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Serbian Church Condemns Violence Against Gay Activists

A man walks past posters reading, "We are expecting you" against a gay pride parade, in Belgrade in 2009. The second ever gay pride parade in Belgrade planned for this Sunday will be a test of Serbia's maturity as a democracy, a representative of the OSCE said Thursday.

October 8, 2010
Associated Press

The Serbian Orthodox Church on Friday for the first time condemned violence against gay activists, even though it remained staunchly opposed to the staging of a gay pride march this weekend.

Public condemnation of anti-gay violence by the influential church is important for Serbia's embattled gays, who face harassment in the predominantly conservative Balkan country.

Right-wing groups have threatened violence against organizers and participants of the Sunday march in Belgrade. They argue that gay events are contrary to Serbian values.

Extremists broke up a pride march in 2001 and forced the cancellation of last year's event.

The church said that inciting or resorting to "violence, allegedly in the name of God or the Christian church ... is absolutely inadmissible and contrary to Christian values."

"Violence does not cure or defeat evil, only helps spread it," the Holy Synod said in a statement.

In the past, the church had lashed out at gay activism. Hardline Bishop Amfilohije has said that gay activists themselves provoke violence by extremists.

The holding of the march is viewed as a test for Serbia which is seeking EU membership. Authorities have promised to ensure security for the gathering in downtown Belgrade.

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St. John the Hermit and the 98 Fathers of Crete

The 99 Holy Fathers of Crete (Feast Day - October 7)

Regarding these 99 Holy Ascetics, what little we do know about them comes primarily from a manuscript of Church Services printed in the Great Lavra on Mount Athos by Monk Joseph Kapetanakis Gavala and the copies made of this by an Athonite monk named Daniel. In 1879 the Church Services were published in Herakleion.

By tradition what we do know of these Saints is that they most likely lived in the 14th century (though some sources go as far back as the 11th while others go up to the 16th) and were associated with what is now known as the Monastery of Holy Fathers. "Narrow is the gate and full of sorrow is the road which leads to life" is written on top of the gate of this holy monastery.

The story of the 99 Holy Fathers tells that the 99 fathers came from Egypt, Cyprus and Turkey under the leadership of St. John to Azogires. St. John was born and grew up in Egypt. Along with 35 other pious men he went to Cyprus to live in asceticism. There they became known for their abilities to cure sicknesses. The stories of St. John and his men reached the other ascetics on the island, and 39 of these joined the group. After a while all of them went on to Attaleia (Antalya) in the present Turkey, where another 24 ascetics joined them.

The ascetic community, now consisting of 99 men, prayed to God to show them a place in which they would be able to live a secluded life. God told them to go to Crete, and so they sailed from Turkey towards Crete. Because of a violent storm they turned around to put into port on the island of Gavdos. When the storm had died down after 24 days, the ascetics set out again. But, according to tradition, when they were about to board the ship, God had made John invisible to their eyes, so by mistake they left without him. On their arrival in Crete the ascetics found that John was not among them. They realized that he must still be on Gavdos, and from the beach they called for him to come. On the island John heard their call. He said a prayer, threw his tunic into the water and sailed - standing on the tunic - to Crete in three hours.

In Crete the ascetics now went up into the land, and they settled in the caves of Zoures and Characas near the village of Azogires, a little north of Paleochora. The first place where they settled was under a large plane tree. They wished that the plane tree would always remain green, in summer and in winter, and its branches should form into crosses. Both had actually occurred. Moreover, they said, the tree should not die before it has 99 crosses. St. John also built a church, which eventually came to be known as the Monastery of the Holy Fathers.

In the beginning, the holy fathers slept in the cave near the plane tree, while John stayed in the cave above the village. One day, he decided to go north to the remote peninsula Akrotiri near Chania in order to live as a hermit. The holy fathers settled down in the cave in which their leader had stayed. Before John left, they swore when one of them dies, the others should die too.

At Akrotiri John survived by eating fruits and vegetables from gardens. To protect against the cold he wore a sheepskin. He knelt so much in prayer that he was not able to walk, and had to move about on his knees. One of the farmers spotted him in a crawling position one day when he was out picking herbs and thought that it was a wild animal that ate his stocks. The farmer took a bow and arrow and shot the supposed animal. John crawled, seriously wounded, back into his cave. The next day the farmer followed the blood traces. In the same moment in which he entered the cave, a bright light began to shine. He saw John dying on the ground, and realized that he had hit a holy man. He asked John to forgive him. John forgave him, but only on the condition that the farmer go to Azogires to tell his 98 brothers that he was dying and they should die with him. The man did so, but when he arrived in Azogires, the 98 holy fathers had died all together the day before.

The Patriarchal Seal of their recognition as Saints was accomplished in 1632 by the Cretan Patriarch Cyril Loukaris with 21 Synodical Hierarchs. The following is what we officially know about them:

"In the most well-governed island of Crete, Devout John the Hermit shone in asceticism; and the 98 lived ascetically with the same zeal and way of life together harmoniously. And the Lord glorified their lives with wonderful miracles."

Apolytikion in the Third Tone
The great island of Crete rejoices that in its mountains the supremely divine Fathers defeated their crafty adversary with tears, fasting, prayers and supplications. Therefore your spirits rejoice with the angels, and with your sacred relics grant healing to those who are suffering.

Kontakion in the Third Tone
Today Crete is joyously celebrating the most brilliant of the God-bearing Fathers, and invites every city and country to this commemoration. For Crete rejoices that she possesses a great treasure in its sacred reliquaries. O Fathers, the pride of Crete.

Megalynarion
Let all the faithful praise the Holy Fathers who shone so wonderfully; for we have these ardent protectors before the Creator, and we honor them with faith. The ever-vigilant guardians of Crete are her saints. They stood on the top of her mountains like immovable towers, and from these heights protected the people of Crete with her hundred cities. They guarded Crete's citizens both day and night. Their caves were their bases of operation; and in their caves their relics nurtured the countryside. And since then, Crete has been fertile with roses and lillies of the wilderness - our very own saintly fathers.

The Plane Tree of Azogires

It’s interesting that the Holy Fathers founded their monastery in a lush area with its own spring and stream marked by an astonishing centuries-old plane tree (platanos) that continues to flourish to this day.

It is a mutation of Platanus orientalis - one of 50 such plane trees in Crete. Azogires is blessed to enjoy its evergreen glow; it never loses its leaves. They cling to their gnarled branches throughout the entire year.

Uniquely wondrous are the 99 crosses that appear in this Azogires plane tree. The tree’s gnarled branches form a criss-cross pattern.

The Holy Fathers' Monastery in Azogires and the Feast of the Saints

St. John the Hermit built a church near the caves that eventually became the Monastery of the Holy Fathers. It was however destroyed during the rebellion against the Turks, but was later rebuilt. The Historical Museum of Azogires – once the Monastery of the Holy Fathers - houses memorabilia pertaining to Cretan resistance against the Turks and the Germans with explanation in Greek only.

Every year on the 7th of October the memory of Sts. John and the 98 Holy Fathers is celebrated according to a ruling by the Patriarch of Constantinople, Cyril Loukaris, in 1632. Though the Saints were said to have died on October 6th, the celebration is delayed one day, otherwise it would coincide with the Orthodox holiday of Thomas the Apostle.

Elder Gabriel Papagrigorakis

The Holy Fathers' Monastery in Azogires, once dormant after the Holy Fathers arrival, continued to flourish under the humble guidance of Father Gabriel Papagrigorakis (1875-1930) from the village of Rodovani.

He managed to restart the monastery, populating it with nuns and monks. He moved into its meter-thick stone walls and for the next several years, he worked putting Azogires back on its feet. He started an olive oil factory - still in situ near the monastery, as well as two flour mills.

He was a tireless giver who fed others before nibbling on his own meager pieces of bread. He fought the Turks also, and was wounded in his groin.

His saintliness accounted for saving the monastery when a huge rock over its roof tumbled and swerved into the air thereby missing the people praying inside.

One nun who was particularly close to the holy Elder stated she wished to die on his 40th memorial anniversary, if – she said- this miraculous event of saving the people in the monastery was a sign from him. Her life came full circle, meeting its end the day of Father Gabriel Papagrigorakis 40th memorial anniversary.

His marble tomb lies next to one of the monastery’s external walls. Father Gabriel Papagrigorakis is deemed the guardian of the monastery, and among villagers he is at the top of the list of saintly people as confirmed by his countless miracles.

The Church of St. John the Hermit

The church behind the Alfa Hotel is the Koukoutsakis family private burial ground and is built on the cave of St. John the Hermit, part of which is actually inside the church.

Originally the church had mosaics inside; beautiful frescoes depicting the 99 Holy Fathers and much more, but unfortunately, during the 2nd World War, the church committee thought to make the church prettier so they white washed the walls, destroying the frescoes.

Today all branches of the Koukoutsakis family have one John in the family named after the Saint. They protect the Church of St. John and in turn they ask for his help. One member of this family has a blog here in which he writes of a few miracles associated with this church.

The Cave of the 99 Holy Fathers

The original cave of the holy fathers is situated below today's cave. Twenty years ago the last inhabitant, who knew the entrance of the cave, died.

People said, some a hundred years ago, there was a table-shaped stone in front of that entrance. In a radius of the table other stones were arranged like chairs and the skeletons of the holy fathers were said to be sitting on them with walking sticks and all their belongings. For fear of the Turks, the entrance had been closed.

Until today the cave system is not fully explored.

To reach this cave, go to Azogires, a small village about 6km northwest of Paleochora. There you’ll find a sign Spileo/Cave. Follow the sign up the concrete road about 2km. The first few meters are very steep, but the rest gets better. Park your car at the end of the road. The path will guide you to the mouth of the cave. It takes about 30 minutes walking at a slow safe pace to reach the cave area.

But accessing this cave has its own obstacles. Only the most determined will attempt to enter the cave. There are no stairs to assist you towards its rocky, steep opening, but if you do manage to arrive at its entrance, you may turn around and head back.

Interestingly, it said today 99 pigeons inhabit the cave.

Below is a map of the cave.

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