The Underground Salt Church of St. Barbara In Targu Ocna

St. Barbara is the protectress of miners, which is why an unusual and very beautiful church in Targu-Ocna, Romania is situated 240 meters below the earth where miners work.

The church was built and furnished between April and December of 1992, being consecrated on 4 December 1992 which is the feast of St. Barbara. It is open daily from 7:00AM-5:00PM and services are only conducted here on Easter, on December 4th in honor of St. Barbara and on special occasions.

It is the only church in all of Europe built entirely of salt and below over 200 meters. Almost all the furniture is made of salt as well, such as the wall murals, the large chandelier, the stalls, the bishop's throne, as well as other objects used in the worship services.

The church is quite large, brightly lit, and missing nothing regarding tradition Orthodox architecture. The iconostasis features 24 icons.

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The Life of the Holy Great Martyr Barbara

St. Barbara the Great Martyr (Feast Day - December 4)

By St. Dimitri of Rostov

During the reign of the impious Roman Emperor Maximian, there lived in the East, near Heliopolis, a wealthy, renowned nobleman named Dioscorus, by ancestry and faith a Hellene. He had a daughter named Barbara, his only child, over whom he kept watch as the apple of his eye. The maiden was exceedingly beautiful, and no girl or woman in the country could compare with her. Thinking baseborn, common folk unworthy to behold his daughter’s fair countenance, Dioscorus built a lofty tower in which were lovely rooms. There Barbara remained, with well-bred governesses and maidservants. By that time her mother was already dead. While living in the tower, the maiden found consolation in looking out over the hills and valleys created by God, at the splendor of the heavens, and the majesty of the earth. One day, while gazing into the sky, she began to reflect on the brilliance of the sun, the moon in its course, and the luster of the stars. Suddenly she asked the governesses and servants living with her, "Who made these things?" Then, regarding the beauty of the earth, its green fields, gardens, and vineyards, the hills and streams, she asked again, "Whose hand created all this?"

"All things were made by the gods," the women replied.

"Which gods?" asked the maiden.

The servants answered, "The gold, silver, and wooden gods that your father keeps in his palace and worships. These are the gods that made everything you see."

Doubting the truth of this, Barbara said to herself, "The gods my father reveres were made by the hands of men: those of gold and silver by smiths, those of stone by sculptors, and the ones of wood by carvers. How can gods which have themselves been fashioned, that can neither walk nor move their hands, have created the luminous expanse of the sky and this beautiful earth?"

As she pondered on this, she gazed up into the sky by day and night, hoping to come to know the Creator through His creation. Then one night, after staring into the heavens for a long time, her soul filled with longing to know who created its wondrous beauty, expanse, and splendor, the divine light of grace suddenly shone within her, opening the eyes of her mind to know the one invisible, unfathomable God, Who made heaven and earth in His wisdom. She said to herself, "He alone is God Who was not formed by the hands of man, but is self-existent, and made all things by His hand. He alone is God Who stretched out the expanse of the heavens and sends down from on high the rays of the sun, the light of the moon, and the glow of the stars to illumine the whole world; while below He adorns the earth with various trees and flowers, and waters it with streams and springs. He alone is God Who upholds, orders, and gives life to all things, caring for everything that exists!"

In this way Barbara came to know the Creator by His creation, and in her the words of David were fulfilled: "I meditated on all Thy works, I pondered on the creations of Thy hands." Such meditations kindled the fire of divine love in her heart, and the flame of desire for God burned fiercely in her soul by day and night. Her one thought, her one desire was to come to know as fully as possible the Creator of all things. She had no human teacher to reveal to her the mysteries of the holy faith and guide her to the path of salvation, for her father Dioscorus kept close watch to ensure that only the servants had access to her; but she had as a wise teacher and guide the Holy Spirit Himself, Who invisibly instructed her by the secret inspiration of His grace, communicating to her mind the knowledge of the truth. Like a sparrow sitting alone upon a house-top, the maiden remained in her tower, her thoughts ever turned toward heaven. Her heart was attached to nothing earthly: neither gold, nor costly pearls or jewels, nor fine apparel, nor any other sort of feminine adornment. She never considered marriage, since her mind was fixed upon the one God and she was held fast by love for Him.

Eventually Barbara reached a marriageable age, and many wealthy, distinguished young noblemen, having heard of the maiden’s marvelous beauty, came to ask Dioscorus for her hand. Dioscorus frequently visited Barbara in the tower and told her of their offers, asking which of them she would have, but the virgin blushed when she heard him speak. She was ashamed not only to hear, but even to think of wedlock. Unwilling to see the flower of purity wither or to lose the priceless pearl of virginity, she utterly refused to marry. Dioscorus, however, continued to press her, in spite of the many reasons she gave for her refusal, and finally she was forced to declare, "Father, if you compel me to marry or even speak of this matter again, I shall kill myself, and you will lose your only child."

Horrified, Dioscorus desisted for the while, hoping that time would bring her to reconsider and that he would not need to compel her to obey him. Then the notion came to him of taking a long journey to attend to some business. He believed that Barbara would miss him, and that when he returned it would be easier to persuade her to do as he wished. Before going away, Dioscorus gave orders for a splendid bathhouse to be built by the pool in his garden. Two windows were to be set in the south wall of the building. Dioscorus also left instructions with his daughter’s attendants to permit her to come down from the tower and go wherever she wished, for he imagined that if Barbara began to converse with many people and see that other maidens willingly agreed to marriage, she would herself desire to be joined to a husband.

Free to come and go, and speak with whomever she wished, Barbara made the acquaintance of several Christian maidens. From them she first heard of Jesus Christ. The name of Christ caused her to rejoice in spirit, and she asked them to tell her more concerning the Saviour. They told her all they could of the Lord’s ineffable divinity, His Incarnation from the most pure Virgin Mary, His voluntary Passion and Resurrection, the judgment to come, eternal torments prepared for idolaters, and the endless joy that awaits faithful Christians in the heavenly kingdom. Barbara’s heart was filled with delight as they spoke, and afire with love for Christ, she longed to be baptized.

About that time a priest came to Heliopolis from Alexandria, disguised as a merchant. Learning of this, Barbara sent for him. He secretly instructed her in the knowledge of the one almighty God, the Creator of all things, and in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus Barbara attained what her heart had ardently desired for so long. After teaching her the mysteries of the holy faith, the priest baptized her in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, then departed for his own country. Saint Barbara’s heart burned even hotter with love for God after she was enlightened by Baptism. She exercised herself continually in prayer and fasting, laboring for her Lord, to Whom she betrothed herself, vowing to preserve her virginity undefiled.

By that time construction had begun on the bathhouse. One day the holy virgin came down from the tower to examine it. Seeing that the structure had only two windows, she said to the builders, "Why have you installed just two windows? Would the building not be more beautiful and better lit with three?"

"Your father ordered us to install two windows, on the south side," answered the laborers.

But Barbara insisted that a third window be added, to represent the Holy Trinity. When the builders objected, fearing difficulties with her father, she insisted, "I shall answer for you to my father. Only do as I say." So a third window was added to the bathhouse in accordance with her instructions.

Now the bath was built, as was said, beside a pool, which was surrounded by a wall of marble. One memorable day, Saint Barbara traced the holy cross upon the east side of the wall, and her finger left a mark in the stone, as if the marble had been engraved with a chisel. Her virginal footprints remained imprinted in the stone floor of the bath; from them water began to flow, which later became a source of healing for the faithful. The bathhouse, the marble wall on which the cross was traced, the pool, and the footsteps of the saint all survived intact until the time of the blessed Symeon Metaphrastes, who revised the account of the passion of Saint Barbara written by John of Damascus. He writes the following: "The pool exists today and heals every disease for those who love Christ. If someone were to compare it with the streams of Jordan or the Pool of Siloam or the Sheep’s Pool, he would not sin against truth, for numerous miracles are wrought at Saint Barbara’s pool by the power of Christ."

Once, Saint Barbara was walking through her father’s palace and saw the lifeless idols standing in a place of honor. She sighed deeply, thought for a moment about how idolatry was the cause of the perdition of so many souls, and then spat on the faces of the statues, exclaiming, "Let all who worship you become like you, and all who hope to receive help from you, who are bereft of life!"

With this she returned to her tower and to her usual prayers and fasts, immersing her mind completely in meditation on the Divinity. Presently Dioscorus returned from his journey. After inspecting everything in his house, he went to the newly completed bath. He became very angry with the builders and servants, demanding to know why they had disobeyed his orders and installed a third window. They protested, "It was not our notion, but your daughter’s. She forced us to disobey you!"

Dioscorus called for Barbara at once and asked her why she had a third window installed in the bathhouse. The saint replied, "Three windows are better than two. I believe, father, that you wanted the bath lit by two windows to symbolize the sun and the moon, which lighten the heavens. But I prefer three, because the unapproachable, ineffable, unwaning Light that illumines every man that comes into the world shines forever from a triple source."

Barbara’s father was amazed by her strange, novel words, which he failed to comprehend. Then father and daughter moved closer to the pool, near the place in the wall where the saint had inscribed the cross with her finger. Dioscorus asked, "How can the light of three windows illumine every man, as you said?"

"Hear me, father," said the saint, "and try to understand my words. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the three hypostases of the God Who is one in Trinity. They abide in unapproachable light and illumine and give life to all creation. I had the workers install the three windows in the bathhouse so that one might represent the Father, another the Son, and the third the Holy Spirit. Now even the walls of our bath glorify the name of the Most Holy Trinity." Then she pointed to the cross inscribed in the marble, and said, "I have traced here the emblem of the Son of God, Who by the gracious will of the Father and the operation of the Holy Spirit became incarnate of the pure Virgin for our salvation. He voluntarily suffered upon a cross such as the one you see. By depicting the cross here I have driven away all the power of the demons."

The virgin continued speaking to her hardhearted father about the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation and Passion of Christ, the might of the Cross, and the other mysteries of the holy faith, but only succeeded in arousing his anger. Burning with rage, Dioscorus forgot the love for his child implanted in his heart by nature, and drew his sword, intending to run it through her. Barbara took flight, and he pursued her with weapon in hand. The wolf had almost caught up to Christ’s spotless lamb when suddenly Barbara found her way blocked by a cliff, as though by a wall. Not knowing how else to escape her father, or rather her persecutor, she turned to her only refuge, God, lifting up the eyes of her soul and body and begging His help. The Lord did not tarry in sending His handmaiden assistance: He commanded the cliff to part, as once the mountain had done for the protomartyr Thecla when she was fleeing the shameless youths. The face of the cliff opened, and the holy virgin Barbara entered the cleft, after which the rock closed behind her, permitting her to ascend unharmed to the top of the mountain. There the saint found a cave, in which she hid.

The pitiless father was astounded by his daughter’s disappearance. Unable to understand how she had vanished before his eyes, he continued for many hours to look for her. While searching the mountain, he caught sight of two shepherds tending their sheep. He approached them and asked whether they had seen his daughter fleeing. They had indeed seen Barbara seek refuge in the cave. One of them, a kind man, did not wish to betray the maiden, for he saw that Dioscorus was in a furious state. He said that he had not seen her. The other shepherd remained silent, but treacherously pointed toward the place where the saint had hid. Dioscorus hurried off in that direction. Meanwhile the wrath of God overtook the evil shepherd, turning him into a pillar of stone and his sheep into locusts.

Dioscorus soon found the cave where his daughter had taken refuge. He seized her and threw her to the ground, then beat and kicked her mercilessly. Taking hold of her hair, he dragged her home along a stony trail. Barbara was locked in a very small, dark hut. Seals were placed upon the windows and doors, and a watch was set. The guards were ordered to afflict the saint with hunger and thirst. Thereupon Dioscorus went to the Governor, Martianus, and told him that his daughter had rejected the gods and now believed in the Crucified One. He requested the Governor to threaten Barbara with tortures so that she would return to her ancestral faith. Martianus agreed, and Dioscorus handed her over to him, declaring, "I disown her, for she has renounced my gods! If she refuses to return to them and worship them with me, she will never again be my daughter, nor I her father. O mighty Governor, torture her as you wish!"

The Governor marveled at the maiden’s loveliness and was amazed by her noble bearing. He began by speaking to her kindly, praising her dignity and beauty, and exhorting her not to reject the ancient customs of her forefathers. He besought her to do as Dioscorus wished and to worship the gods so that she might inherit his wealth; but the holy Barbara, who in her longing for the things of heaven had renounced wealth and every earthly vanity and consolation, confessed and glorified the name of Jesus Christ, and reviled the false, lifeless gods. She spoke long and wisely, but the Governor was not to be dissuaded. He entreated her not to disgrace her family or to ruin the blossom of her youth, and ended with this warning: "Have pity on yourself, fair maiden, and be quick to offer sacrifice with us to the gods. I feel compassion for you and wish to spare you. I do not want to destroy such beauty with wounds and torments, but if you do not obey me, I shall be compelled to put you to torture."

"I constantly offer to my God a sacrifice of praise," answered the holy virgin Barbara, "and myself hope to become a sacrifice to Him. He alone is the true God, for He created heaven and earth and all things therein, but your gods are nothing. They are lifeless, the work of the hands of men, as the prophet says, "The idols of the nations are of silver and gold, the works of the hands of men," and, "All the gods of the heathen are demons, but the Lord made the heavens." Heeding the prophet’s words, I believe in the one God, the Creator of all things. As for your deities, I proclaim that they are vain, like the hope you place in them."

At this the Governor became enraged and commanded that Barbara be stripped naked. This the holy virgin found as grievous as the most severe wounds, for she was compelled to stand exposed to the eyes of numerous men, who gazed without shame on her pure body. Then the persecutor ordered that she be stretched out upon the ground and lashed with leather straps until the earth was dyed red with her blood. After the flogging, the saint’s wounds were rubbed with sackcloth and scraped with shards to increase her pain. But all these tortures, which buffeted the temple of the martyr’s delicate young flesh more severely than any tempest, failed to shake her faith, grounded on the rock which is Christ the Lord, for Whom she was prepared to endure gladly the most bitter of torments.

The Governor then had the saint confined in a dungeon until he could devise some crueler torture. Covered with stripes and scarcely alive, Barbara called out in her prison cell to her beloved Bridegroom, Christ the Lord, beseeching Him not to abandon her. She cried with David, "Forsake me not, O Lord my God, depart not from me; be attentive unto my help!" At midnight, while she was praying thus, a brilliant light shone upon her, filling her heart with fear and joy. Then suddenly the King of glory, Barbara’s incorruptible Bridegroom, appeared in unspeakable majesty, drawing nigh to visit His bride. Oh, how the saint rejoiced in spirit when she beheld Him! What sweetness she felt in her heart! Gazing on her with eyes filled with love, the sweet Lord said, "Take courage, My bride, and fear not, for I am with you. I stand watch over you, looking down on your contest, and will ease your pain. I have prepared an everlasting reward for you in the bridal chamber of heaven. Endure till the end, that you may enjoy the eternal blessings of My kingdom!"

Hearing Christ the Lord address her, Saint Barbara felt her heart melt like wax in the flames of desire for God and spill over like a river in flood with love for Him. Having thus comforted and delighted the heart of His beloved bride, the sweetest Jesus healed her wounds, permitting no trace of them to remain on her body. Then He disappeared, leaving her filled with a sense of ineffable spiritual gladness. Barbara remained in the prison, but it seemed to her that she was in heaven, so ardently did her heart burn with seraphic love for God. Glorifying Him in her heart and with her lips, she offered thanksgiving unto her Lord, Who did not disdain His handmaiden’s sufferings for His sake, but deigned to visit her.

There lived nearby a Christian woman named Juliana who feared God and had seen the torturers lay hold of Saint Barbara. She watched from afar as Barbara was tormented, and after the saint was taken to the prison, looked in at her through the dungeon window. She marveled at how a young maiden, in the very bloom of youth and beauty, could forsake her father, kindred, wealth, and the good and beautiful things of this world, and be so eager to lay down her life for Christ. When she saw that the Lord had healed Saint Barbara’s wounds, she was herself filled with longing to suffer for Him. She began to prepare herself for the struggle, praying to Christ Jesus, the Judge of the contest, to grant her the strength to endure torture.

At daybreak Barbara was brought out of the prison to suffer fresh torments. Juliana followed her at a distance. Barbara was led before the Governor, and he and the others present saw that the maiden had been healed. Her face was bright, and she was even more beautiful than before. Seeing that she bore no trace of her wounds, everyone was astonished, and the Governor exulted, "You see, maiden, how our gods care for you? Yesterday you were covered with wounds, but now you are completely healed. You were feeble with pain, but your health has been restored. Give thanks to the gods for the kindness they have shown you, and offer them sacrifice and worship!"

"Why do you say, O Governor, that your gods healed me?" asked the saint. "They are themselves blind, dumb, and devoid of feeling, and can neither grant sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, nor hearing to the deaf. They cannot enable the lame to walk, heal the sick, or raise the dead. How then could they have healed me? And why should I worship them? It was Jesus Christ, my Lord and God, Who heals every infirmity and quickens the dead, that made me whole. It is Him that I thank and worship, and to Him I offer myself as an oblation. But you are unworthy to behold Him, for your eyes are blind and your mind diseased with impiety."

The holy martyr’s words moved the Governor to anger, and he commanded that she be suspended from a tree and her flesh raked with iron claws. Then he had her sides burned with candles. All these things Saint Barbara endured courageously. After this her head was beaten with a hammer, a torment scarcely to be endured even by the strongest men; nevertheless, the power of God preserved Christ’s lamb as she suffered.

Among the people watching the saint’s passion stood Juliana, who could not restrain herself from weeping when she saw Barbara bravely endure torture. Filled with zeal, Juliana cried out amidst the crowd and began to revile the pagan gods and accuse the merciless Governor of inhuman cruelty. She was at once seized and asked what faith she professed. Since she confessed herself to be a Christian, the Governor commanded that she be put to torture with Barbara. Juliana was suspended alongside Barbara and scraped with iron hooks. Meanwhile, the holy great-martyr Barbara lifted up her eyes and prayed, "O God, Who dost try the hearts of men, Thou knowest that I long for Thee and love Thy sacred commandments. I have surrendered myself into Thine almighty right hand. Forsake me not, O Lord, but mercifully look down upon me and my fellow-sufferer Juliana. Strengthen us both and enable us to complete the present contest well, 'for the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.'"

As the saint prayed, invisible succor descended from heaven upon the two martyrs, enabling them to endure their torment courageously. Then the persecutor ordered that their breasts be cut off, leaving them in the utmost pain. Again Barbara turned to her Physician and Healer, lifting up her eyes and crying, "Cast us not away from Thy face, O Christ, and take not Thy Holy Spirit from us. Grant us, O Lord, the joy of salvation, and by Thy governing Spirit confirm us in Thy love!"

After these tortures, the Governor had Saint Juliana taken to prison, while to expose Saint Barbara to even greater shame, he had her led naked through the city to be jeered at, pawed, and buffeted. With shame as her only garment, the holy virgin Barbara cried unto her beloved Bridegroom, Christ the Lord, saying, "O King Who dost cover the heavens with clouds and wrap the earth in mists as in a mantle, conceal Thou my nakedness and prevent the eyes of the impious from seeing my body, lest Thy handmaiden be made a laughingstock to the heathen!" Christ the Lord, Who with the holy angels was looking down upon His servant’s contest, immediately came to her assistance, sending a radiant angel bearing a garment of light to cover her body. He clothed Saint Barbara; whereupon the impious townsfolk could no longer see her nakedness.

Saint Barbara was returned to the persecutor, who then had Saint Juliana led naked through the city and made a spectacle unto angels and men. Finally, seeing that he could not separate either of the saints from the love of Christ or compel them to worship idols, the tyrant condemned both to be beheaded.

Dioscorus, Saint Barbara’s hardhearted father, not only felt no sorrow at the sight of his daughter’s sufferings, but gladly volunteered to be her executioner. Seizing Barbara with one hand and holding his bared sword with the other, he led her to the place of execution, a mountain outside the city. Behind them a soldier led Saint Juliana. As they walked, Saint Barbara prayed to God, saying, "O eternal God, Who hast stretched out the heavens like a curtain and established the earth upon the waters, Whose sun shineth upon the good and evil alike, Who sendest down rain upon the just and the unjust, do Thou now hearken unto me Thy servant, who prayeth unto Thee! Hear me, O King, and bestow Thy grace upon all who remember me and my sufferings. Do not permit illness to befall them unexpectedly, and let not death overtake them unawares; for Thou knowest, O Lord, that we are but flesh and blood, the work of Thy most pure hand."

As soon as the saint had completed her prayer, a voice was heard from heaven summoning the martyrs and promising to fulfill Barbara’s request. Barbara and Juliana hastened to their death with great joy, wishing to depart from the body quickly and go to their Lord. When they reached the appointed place, Christ’s lamb Barbara bent her neck beneath the sword and was beheaded by her merciless father. Thus the words of the Scriptures were fulfilled: "And the father shall deliver up the child to death." The soldier beheaded Juliana there also, and thus the martyrs completed their contest together. As their holy souls departed unto their Bridegroom Christ singing songs of joy, they were met by angels and lovingly welcomed by the Master Himself; divine punishment, however, quickly overtook Dioscorus and Governor Martianus. Thunder began to roar, and lightning struck Dioscorus while he was descending the mountain and Martianus as he was sitting at home. Their bodies were entirely consumed, leaving behind not even a trace of ash.

There lived in Heliopolis a pious man named Valentian who removed the precious bodies of the holy martyrs and returned them to the city. He buried them with fitting honor and built a church over them. Through the grace of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the prayers of the saints, numerous healings were worked through the relics. Unto the God Who is one in Trinity be glory forever. Amen.

Source

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Let us honor the holy Barbara for, with the aid of the Cross as her weapon, she crushed the snares of the enemy, and was rescued from them like a bird.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
O noble Champion, following God who is reverently praised in Trinity, you abandoned the temples of idols. Struggling amid suffering, O Barbara, you were not overwhelmed by the threats of the tyrants, O brave One, even singing aloud, "I worship the Trinity, the one Godhead."

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The Tomb and Cave of St. John of Damascus

This is the Chapel of St. John of Damascus, which is also dedicated to St. John the Baptist. St. John lived here in asceticism in the 8th century while a monk of St. Savvas the Sanctified Monastery in Israel. He lived here for 30 years.

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The Life of Saint John the Damascene

St. John of Damascus (Feast Day - December 4)

By St. Dimitri Rostov

Our venerable father John was born in the great city of Damascus in Syria to noble, pious parents whose ardent faith in Christ, tested by temptations, was more precious than gold tried by fire. They lived in perilous times, for the Saracens had conquered that land and taken the city, bringing terrible calamity upon the Christians. Some they slew, others they sold into slavery, and they permitted no one to confess Christ publicly. John’s parents, however, guarded by providence, remained unharmed, and their property was left untouched. They held fast to the holy faith, and God granted them to win the favor of the Saracens, as once Joseph had won the favor of the Egyptians, and Daniel of the Babylonians. Thus the impious Hagarenes did not forbid the saint’s parents to believe in Christ or to glorify His name. John’s father was appointed magistrate of the city and commissioner of public buildings. Enjoying as he did the rulers’ trust, he was able to benefit his Christian brethren greatly, ransoming captives, setting free the fettered and imprisoned, commuting the sentences of those condemned to death, and extending a helping hand to all the suffering. John’s parents shone amid the Hagarenes of Damascus like beacons in the night, or embers glowing among ashes. They were preserved by God, as was the holy line of David in Israel, because the Lord had chosen them to be the parents of a son who would be manifested as a brilliant light illumining the whole world.

Although the Moslems forbade anyone to be born of water and the Spirit, John’s parents, eager to make him a child of light, did not hesitate to have him baptized. As the child (the namesake of grace) grew, his father was careful to rear him well: not teaching him the customs of the Saracens, nor the military arts, nor how to hunt game, nor worldly learning of any sort, but meekness, humility, and the fear of God, acquainting him also with the divine Scriptures. Moreover, he prayed God fervently that He send a wise and devout teacher who would instruct his son more perfectly in the virtues. God heard his prayer and granted him his desire in the following manner.

The barbarians living in Damascus made frequent raids by land and sea against other countries, taking Christians captive to their city, some to be sold into slavery in the markets, others to be put to the sword without mercy. Once they happened to capture a monk from Italy named Cosmas, a man of noble appearance and even greater nobility of soul. As Cosmas was being offered for sale in the market with other captives, those who were to be put to death fell at his feet, tearfully beseeching him to pray to God for their souls. Seeing the honor in which he was held by those going to their death, the Saracens asked Cosmas what rank he held among the Christians in his homeland. To this he replied, "I held no rank and was never counted worthy of the priesthood. I am only a sinful monk, although one schooled in philosophy, both Christian and pagan." Then, he began to weep, shedding bitter tears.

Not far off stood John’s father, who recognized the elder as a monk by his clothing. Wishing to console him, he approached and said, "Why, O man of God, do you weep? Is it because you have lost your earthly freedom? But your garb proclaims that long ago you renounced the world and died to it."

"I do not weep because I have lost my freedom," answered the monk. "I died to the world long ago, as you say, and care nothing for it. I know well that there is another life, one better than this, immortal and everlasting, prepared for the Lord’s servants, which I hope to inherit by the grace of Christ my God. I lament because I shall depart this life childless, without an heir."

John’s father said in astonishment, "You are a monk, Father, and have consecrated yourself to God, vowing to preserve your chastity. You are not permitted to beget children. You should not grieve over this."

"You do not understand my words, sir," answered the monk. "I do not speak of sons according to the flesh or of a material inheritance, but of things spiritual. It is clear that I own nothing; nevertheless, I possess a great wealth of knowledge, which I have labored hard from my youth to acquire. With God’s help I have mastered every worldly science, including rhetoric and dialectic, the philosophy of Aristotle and Plato, geometry, and the theory of music. I have acquainted myself thoroughly with the movements of the heavenly bodies and the courses of the stars, so that through the beauty of creation I might come to a clearer understanding of the wise Creator. Finally, I have learned well the mysteries of Orthodoxy as expounded by the Greek and Roman theologians. Yet while I possess such knowledge myself, I have failed to hand it on to another. Now there is no longer any possibility for me to teach what I have learned. I have no disciple, and little time remains to me, for I am certain that I shall die here by the sword of the Hagarenes. Then I will appear before the Lord and be likened to the tree that brought forth no fruit and the servant that buried his master’s talent in the ground. This is why I weep and lament. Like a married man who has no son, I leave no spiritual heir to inherit the wealth of my knowledge."

John’s father rejoiced when he heard this, because he was certain he had found the treasure for which he had sought so long. He comforted the elder, "Do not sorrow, Father; for God may yet grant you the desire of your heart." Thereupon he hastened to the Caliph of the Saracens, and falling at his feet, earnestly begged to be given the captive monk. The Caliph did not refuse him, and John’s father happily took the ruler’s precious gift, the blessed Cosmas, to his home, where he offered him hospitality and the opportunity to rest. He sought to console the monk, who had suffered much at the hands of the Moslems, saying, "Father, my house is yours, and I wish you to share in all my joys and sorrows." He added, "God has not only granted you freedom, but the desire of your heart as well." Then he presented his two sons and said, "I have two children, my son John and this boy who, like you, bears the name Cosmas. He was born in Jerusalem and orphaned while still a babe, and I adopted him. I pray you, Father, instruct them in the sciences and in good conduct, teaching them every virtue. They shall be your spiritual children, begotten anew by your teaching. Rear them and make them heirs of your spiritual riches, a wealth that no one can steal."

The blessed elder Cosmas rejoiced and glorified God, and began to instruct both youths with all diligence. Since the boys were intelligent, they progressed rapidly in their studies. Like an eagle soaring through the air, John attained the understanding of lofty mysteries, while Cosmas, his spiritual brother, in a short time plumbed the depths of wisdom, quickly crossing the sea of learning like a boat driven by a favorable wind. Studying assiduously, like Pythagoras and Diophanes, they mastered grammar, dialectic, philosophy, and arithmetic. So profound was their understanding of geometry, that they might well have been termed new Euclids. The ecclesiastical hymns and verses they composed testify to their skill in poetry. They were also well acquainted with astronomy and the mysteries of theology. Besides tutoring them in all these subjects, their teacher instructed them in good morals and the life of virtue. In a word, both acquired perfect understanding of spiritual and external wisdom, especially John, who caused his teacher to marvel. John surpassed even his tutor in certain fields of knowledge, becoming a great theologian, a fact to which his divinely inspired and wise books attest. Nevertheless, he did not become proud because of his learning: like a fruitful tree that bends lower to the ground as it becomes more heavily laden with fruit, so the blessed lover of wisdom, John, thought less and less of himself in his heart the more he excelled in his studies. He knew how to extinguish the vain imaginations and passionate thoughts of youth, and kindled within his soul, radiant with spiritual wisdom, the fire of divine desire so that it shone like a lamp full of oil.

One day, the teacher Cosmas said to John’s father, "My lord, your desire has been fulfilled. Your children have studied well, surpassing me in knowledge. Thanks to good memories and diligent toil, they have sounded the depths of wisdom. God has granted increase to the gifts bestowed on them, and they can learn nothing more from me. Indeed, they are ready to teach others. Therefore I pray you, my lord, grant me leave to depart for a monastery, where I may become a disciple to monks who have achieved perfection and can instruct me in higher wisdom. The external wisdom I have mastered leads me on to spiritual philosophy, a wisdom purer and more honorable than any worldly science, for it profits the soul and leads it to salvation."

John’s father was grieved at this, because he was loath to part with such a wise and worthy instructor. He did not, however, dare prevent the elder from doing as he wished, or give him cause for sorrow. Rewarding him handsomely, he permitted him to depart in peace. Cosmas took up his abode in the Lavra of Saint Sabbas, where he remained, leading the life of virtue until the day of his departure unto God, the most perfect Wisdom.

Some time later, John’s father also died in great old age. The Caliph summoned John, wishing to make him his chief counselor, but John declined, having another desire: to labor for the Lord in silence. Nevertheless, he was forced to accept the position and was charged with even greater authority in the city of Damascus than his father had enjoyed.

At that time Leo the Isaurian reigned over the Greek Empire. He rose up against the Church of God like a roaring lion, casting the holy icons out of the Lord’s churches, committing them to flames, and mercilessly destroying those who venerated them. Hearing of this, John was aroused with zeal for piety like Elijah the Tishbite and Christ’s Forerunner. He took up the sword of the word of God and hewed down the heretical arguments of the inhuman Emperor, writing many epistles in defense of the holy icons. These he circulated among the Orthodox, wisely demonstrating from the ancient traditions of the God-bearing Fathers that it is fitting to honor the sacred images. He asked his readers to show the letters to other Orthodox brethren and confirm them in the faith. Thus the blessed John traveled the whole world, not on foot, but by means of his divinely inspired letters, which were read everywhere in the Greek Empire, confirming the Orthodox in piety and flailing the heretics as if with a goad. Word of this reached the impious Emperor Leo himself, who, unable to endure this denunciation of his ungodliness, summoned other heretics who shared his opinions and ordered them to inquire among the Orthodox for a copy of a letter written by John in his own hand. If one of the Emperor’s agents should find such a letter, he was to take it on the pretext that he wished to read it. After much effort a letter written by John himself was found and brought directly to the Emperor. He in turn gave it to skilled scribes, commanding them to copy the handwriting and write a letter purporting to be a message to him from John. The forged letter read as follows: "Hail, O Emperor! In the name of our common faith I rejoice in your might, rendering due homage to your Imperial Majesty. I wish to make known to you that our city of Damascus, which is held by the Saracens, is poorly defended by them with a weak and paltry guard; therefore I entreat you for God’s sake to show compassion and send your brave army to our rescue. If it appears to be headed elsewhere, and then suddenly falls upon Damascus, the city can be taken under your rule without difficulty. I will do much to assist you in this, for the city and this entire country are under my administration."

Next the devious Emperor ordered that a letter from himself to the Saracen Caliph be composed. This letter read: "Nothing, I believe, is more blessed than to live in amity and enjoy friendly relations with one’s neighbors, for to keep a vow of peace is a thing most praiseworthy and pleasing to God. Truly, I desire ever to keep the peace I have concluded with you, honorably and faithfully. However, a notable Christian living in your domain often sends me letters urging me to attack you without warning and promises to deliver the city of Damascus into my hands without a great battle, if only I should come against it with my army. As a token of my friendship and so that you may know the truth of what I write, I am sending you one of the letters penned by that Christian. Thus informed of his audacious treachery, you will know how to reward him."

The Emperor sent both letters to the Caliph. After reading them, the barbarian Prince summoned John and showed him the forged letter he had supposedly written. John examined it carefully, saying, "The handwriting is similar to mine, but it was not me who wrote it. It has never entered my mind to write the Greek Emperor or to deal falsely with my master!"

John understood at once that this was a plot of the malicious and cunning heretics, but the Caliph raged with anger and commanded that John’s right hand be cut off. John begged the ruler to allow him to explain the reason for the evil Emperor’s hatred toward him and to give him a little time to establish his innocence, but this was refused. The Caliph would permit no delay, so John’s right hand, which had so greatly strengthened the Orthodox and assisted them in remaining faithful to God, was severed. That hand which had censured most forcefully those who hated the Lord was now stained, not with ink from the pen employed to defend the holy icons, but with its own blood.

After the amputation John’s hand was hung aloft in the city market, and the saint, weak from pain and the loss of much blood, was returned to his home. Just before darkness fell, the blessed one was told that the Caliph’s wrath had abated; whereupon John sent him this request: "My pain continues to increase, giving me indescribable torment. Permit my hand to be returned from the market, my lord, that I may bury it and so assuage my pain."

The Caliph granted the request, and when the hand was brought, John entered his prayer-room and fell to the floor before his icon of the most pure Theotokos. Pressing the severed hand to his wrist, he sighed and wept, praying from the depths of his heart: "O Lady, most pure Mistress and Mother of God, behold: my right hand hath been cut off for the sake of the divine icons by the tyrant Leo! Whatsoever thou willest, thou canst accomplish, for through thy holy prayers, the right hand of the Most High, Who was incarnate of thee, worketh numerous miracles; wherefore, come quickly to mine aid, that He may heal my hand by thine intercession, O Theotokos. May I again be permitted to defend the Orthodox faith; may my hand write once more in praise of thee and thy Son!"

With this John fell asleep and beheld in a dream the most pure Theotokos looking down upon him from the icon with warm, compassionate eyes. She said, "Your hand has been restored. Do not be troubled any longer, but return to your work and labor diligently, like a swiftly writing scribe, even as you promised me."

John arose from sleep, felt his right hand, and realized that it had indeed been healed. His spirit rejoiced in God his Saviour and in the Lord’s most pure Mother, who had done such a great thing for him. He rejoiced throughout the night with all his household, chanting a new hymn: "Thy right hand, O Lord, is glorious in power. Thy right hand hath healed my severed hand and crushed Thine enemies, who do not revere Thy precious image or that of Thy most pure Mother. It shall destroy those who destroy the icons, and multiply Thy glory!"

John’s neighbors heard him and the others chanting songs of gladness and thanksgiving, and learning the reason for their joy, marveled greatly. It was not long before the Caliph learned of it as well. He summoned John and ordered him to display his severed hand. Around John’s right wrist was a mark like a red thread, which the Mother of God had allowed to remain as testimony to the fact that his hand truly had been cut off. Seeing this, the Caliph asked John what physician had rejoined the hand to his wrist, and what treatment had been used to heal it. John did not hesitate to proclaim boldly, "It was my Lord, the almighty Physician, Who healed me! He hearkened unto my earnest supplication, offered through His most pure Mother, and restored the hand that you cut off."

"Woe is me!" lamented the Caliph. "I condemned you, a good man, unjustly, without investigating the accusation made against you. I beseech you to forgive me for passing judgment so hastily and foolishly. Agree to accept your former rank of chief counselor. Henceforth nothing shall be done in the realm without your advice or consent!" But John fell at the Caliph’s feet and pleaded to be released from service. He begged the ruler not to forbid him to take the path his soul desired, but to allow him to follow the Lord with those who have renounced themselves and the world, and have taken up Christ’s yoke. The Caliph was loath to agree, since he wished to retain John as overseer of his palace and entire domain. Each continued his attempts to persuade the other, but finally John prevailed.

Returning home, John immediately distributed his possessions among the poor, freed his slaves, and set out for Jerusalem with Cosmas his foster-brother. After venerating the Holy Places, he went to the Lavra of Saint Sabbas, where he implored the abbot to accept him as a lost sheep and admit him to his chosen flock. The superior and brethren knew of John, since he was famous even in Palestine due to his writings and the high rank he had held. Rejoicing because such a man had come to him in poverty and humility, the abbot received him with love. He called for a brother experienced in asceticism, to entrust the novice to his care for training in spiritual philosophy and the traditions of monasticism, but the monk refused to accept John, being unwilling to become teacher to a man who surpassed so many in knowledge. Then the abbot summoned another, but he too refused. A third and a fourth monk were brought, but they and all the rest declared that they were unworthy to instruct such a man. All were daunted by John’s wide learning and former exalted rank. Finally, a simple but wise elder was summoned who agreed to be John’s guide. The elder received John into his cell, and wishing to set for him the foundation of a life of virtue, first imposed upon him the following rules: never to do anything according to his own will; to offer God his labors and fervent supplications as a sacrifice; and to shed tears to wash away the sins of his former life, since God regards tears as an oblation more precious than any incense. These rules the elder regarded as the basis for the higher works that are perfected by labors of the body. Furthermore, he required that John not harbor any worldly thoughts; that he not dwell on unseemly images, but preserve his mind pure, untouched by every vain attachment; and that he not boast of his learning or consider that by his studies he had attained a perfect understanding. He also forbade John to seek revelations or the understanding of hidden mysteries, or to imagine that his reason would remain unshaken till the end of his life, and that he would never wander from the path of truth. On the contrary, he warned him that men’s thoughts are feeble and their understanding damaged by sin. For that reason, he said, he ought not to permit his thoughts to wander, but should take care to control them, so that his mind would be enlightened by God, his soul sanctified, and his body cleansed of every impurity. He enjoined the saint to strive to bring into concord body, soul, and mind after the image of the Holy Trinity, and to be ruled neither by the body nor the soul, but by the noetic faculty. In this way it is possible for a man to become altogether spiritual. Such were the rules given to his son and pupil by this father and teacher, who added to them these words: "Write to no one, and speak to no one of the secular sciences. Keep a discreet silence. Remember that it is not our wise men alone who teach the value of a quiet life; Pythagoras also had his disciples keep a lengthy silence. Pay heed to David, who said, "I held my peace, even from good," and understand that it is not profitable to speak out of season. And what gain did he derive from silence? He says: "My heart grew hot within me;" that is, the fire of divine love was kindled in him by reflection on God."

The elder’s instructions fell like seed upon fertile ground in John’s heart, taking root there. John lived for a long time with the divinely inspired elder, carefully fulfilling his injunctions and submitting to him without pretense, gainsaying, or murmuring. Even in his thoughts he never contradicted the elder’s commands, and he inscribed in his heart this saying as on tablets of stone: "Every command given by one’s father is to be obeyed without wrath and doubting, as the Apostle says." Indeed, how does a novice profit by fulfilling a task with his hands, while grumbling with his lips? What gain is there in doing what is commanded, while contradicting with the tongue and mind? How can such a man attain perfection? Never will he reach his goal. He labors in vain, for by thinking that he has achieved virtue through obedience, he has only hidden a serpent in his breast by complaining. But the blessed John, who was truly obedient, never grumbled, no matter what tasks he was ordered to perform.

One day, the elder, wishing to test John’s humility, ordered him to fetch a large number of baskets, which they made and sold. He said to John, "I have heard, child, that baskets sell for much more in Damascus than in Palestine. As you see, we are lacking in necessities of every sort and are in need of money. Go without delay to Damascus and sell our baskets there." The elder set a price for the baskets far above their value, and insisted that John accept nothing less, but the true son of obedience did not protest in word or thought. He did not object to being sent on such a long journey, nor was he ashamed to sell baskets in a city where he was known to everyone and had been a man of great authority, because he was determined to emulate the Master Christ, Who was obedient unto death. He asked for his father’s blessing and loaded the baskets on his shoulders. Arriving in Damascus, he began to walk through the markets, offering his goods for sale. Those who wished to purchase them asked what they cost, and learning their high price, would laugh at John, mockingly insulting him. Clad as he was in rags, the blessed one was not recognized by anyone, since the people of Damascus had always seen him wearing gold-embroidered robes. Moreover, his face was worn by fasting, his cheeks were sunken, and his handsome appearance had faded away. But finally one citizen, who had been John’s servant while the saint was in a position of authority, did recognize him after staring for some time. Astonished at seeing John clothed in wretched tatters, he was moved from the bottom of his heart. Pretending not to know him, the man approached John and gave him the full price set by the elder; not because he was in need of baskets, but because he felt compassion for his former master, who, having enjoyed great fame and wealth, had come to such poverty and humility for God’s sake. Accepting the money, John returned to his elder like a victor from battle, having cast to the ground his enemy, the proud and vainglorious devil, by obedience and humility.

Some time passed, and one of the monks of the lavra fell asleep in the Lord. He had a brother according to the flesh who grieved inconsolably for him. Although John spoke at length with the man, trying to comfort him, he was unsuccessful, for the mourner was wounded by measureless sorrow. Then the monk began to entreat John to compose compunctionate burial hymns, to console him in his sadness. At first John refused, not wishing to transgress the command given by his elder, who had forbidden him to do anything without permission, but the mourning brother did not cease his entreaties, saying, "Why will you not have pity on my sorrowful soul? Why do you not wish to give me a little medicine to heal my grieving heart? If you were a physician and some illness had stricken me, and I asked you to cure me, would you disdain me and leave me to die, though you had the ability to treat me? I am suffering greatly from heartache and seek only a little help, but you spurn me! If I die of grief, will you not have to answer for me to God? If you are afraid to violate your elder’s injunction, I will conceal what you have written so that he will not learn of it." At length John yielded to such persuasion and wrote the following troparia: "What sweetness of life," "Like a flower that withereth," "All human vanity," and others, which are used to this day in the funeral service.

One day, while the elder had left the cell, John was chanting the hymns he had composed. Upon his return the elder, drawing near the cell, heard John singing. He rushed in and reproached the disciple angrily, "How is it that you have forgotten your vows so quickly and make merry, singing to yourself instead of weeping?" John told him the reason and explained that he was compelled by the brother’s tears to write the hymns he was singing. Begging forgiveness, he fell to the ground before the elder, who nevertheless remained unyielding and forbade the blessed one to continue living with him.

Driven out of the cell, John recalled Adam’s expulsion from Paradise because of disobedience. He remained for some time before the door weeping, as once did Adam before the gate of the Garden. Afterwards, he went to the other fathers whom he knew to be perfect in the virtues, and entreated them to go to his elder and ask him to forgive his offense. They implored the elder to pardon John and permit him to return, but their pleas were unavailing. One of the fathers said to him, "Impose a penance upon the sinner, but do not forbid him to live with you."

To this the elder replied, "This is the penance I give him: if he wishes to be forgiven his transgression, let him wash out all the chamber-pots in the lavra and clean every one of the latrines."

When the monks heard this, they departed in consternation, amazed at the elder’s crudity and unyielding disposition. John went out to meet them as they returned, and bowing down before them, as was the custom, asked what was his father’s reply. They told him of the elder’s harshness, but did not dare relate what he had set as a penance. John, however, fervently besought them to tell him what his father demanded, and when he learned, he rejoiced exceedingly and was eager to undertake the shameful task. Preparing without delay the equipment necessary for the cleaning, he began the work with diligence, touching excrement with fingers once fragrant with perfumes, and soiling the right hand healed miraculously by the most pure Theotokos. Oh, the profound self-abasement of that wondrous man and true son of obedience! Seeing how John gladly allowed himself to be humiliated, the elder was moved to compunction and hastened to embrace his spiritual child, kissing him upon the head, shoulders, and hands. He exclaimed, "Oh, what a great sufferer for Christ have I begotten! Truly, he is a son of blessed obedience!" Flustered by the elder’s words, John fell at his feet, weeping. He did not permit feelings of pride to gain access to his heart because of his father’s praises, but humbled himself all the more, begging to be forgiven his offense. The elder took him by the hand and led him back to the cell. So elated was John by this that it seemed to him he was being led into paradise. After this he lived with his father in their former accord.

Soon thereafter, the Mistress of the world, the most pure and blessed Virgin, appeared to the elder in a dream, saying, "Why have you blocked up a stream which pours forth an abundance of sweet water, a water preferable to that which sprang from the rock in the wilderness or the water that David longed to drink? This is the water Christ promised the Samaritan woman. Do not hinder the flow of this spring that will water the whole world, drowning heresies and their bitterness! Let the thirsty hasten to this water, and let those who do not possess the pure silver of an unsullied life sell their passions and gain it by emulating John, a man radiant with purity and good deeds, and most learned in the dogmas of the Church. He will take up the psaltery of the prophets and David’s harp to sing a new song to the Lord God, one that shall surpass the canticles of Moses and Mariam. The fabled odes of Orpheus will be counted as nought when compared with his works, for he will sing a spiritual and heavenly hymn like that of cherubim. He will make the churches of Jerusalem like maidens playing the timbrel, chanting unto God and proclaiming Christ’s death and resurrection. He will expound in writing the dogmas of Orthodoxy and denounce the perverse teachings of the heretics; his heart shall pour forth a good word, and he shall speak of the wondrous works of the King."

The next morning, the elder summoned John and said to him, "O son of obedience to Christ, speak what is stored up in your heart! Let your mouth declare wisdom, announcing the things God has revealed to your mind. Open your mouth and proclaim, not legends and dark fables, but the truths of the Church and her dogmas. Speak to the heart of the Jerusalem that truly beholds God, that is, the Church, which He has reconciled unto Himself. Do not pour out empty words into the air, but relate what the Holy Spirit has inscribed in your heart. Ascend the lofty Sinai of the vision of God and the revelation of divine mysteries: ascend by means of your great humility, which is a bottomless abyss, to the summit of the Church, and there proclaim the Gospel to Jerusalem. Lift up your voice mightily, for the Mother of God has told me wondrous things of you. And forgive me, I pray, for my crudeness and ignorance have been a hindrance to you."

From that time the blessed John resumed writing sacred books and composing melodious hymns. He wrote The Ochtoechos, which, like a spiritual flute, delights the Church of God even to this day. John began this book with words he had once sung when his hand was restored: "Thy victorious right hand hath in godly manner been glorified in might." The hymn "In thee all creation rejoiceth, O thou who art full of grace" he also first chanted when exulting after the wondrous healing. John always wore upon his head the bandage he had used to wrap his severed hand, in remembrance of the miracle worked by the most pure Theotokos. He also wrote the lives of a number of saints, composed festal homilies, and various compunctionate prayers. He denounced the heretics, especially the iconoclasts, expounding the dogmas of the true faith and the mysteries of theology, and to this day the faithful are spiritually nourished by his edifying treatises, from which they drink as from a sweet stream.

The venerable John had as a helper in his labors the blessed Cosmas, who was reared with him and studied under the same learned monk. Cosmas, who was later consecrated Bishop of Maiuma by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, urged John to write sacred books and compose hymns, and himself assisted in this work.

The same Patriarch that consecrated Cosmas ordained John presbyter; but John, not wishing to tarry in the world and be praised by the laity, returned to his cell in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas like a bird to its nest. There he devoted himself to the reading and writing of sacred books, and the attainment of his salvation. Collecting all the books, homilies, and sermons he had previously written, he edited them carefully, so that no errors would remain in them. John passed much time in these labors, which greatly benefitted both his soul and the entire Church of Christ. He attained perfect holiness, and having pleased God in all his works, departed unto Christ and His most pure Mother. Not before their icons does he now pay them homage, but instead he gazes upon their countenances in the glory of heaven. Moreover, he prays that we also be deemed worthy of divine vision by the grace of Christ, to Whom, with His all-hymned and most blessed Mother, be honor, glory, and worship forever. Amen.

According to Theophanes, Saint John had two surnames: Chrysorolus and Mansur. He was called Chrysorolus because the grace of the Holy Spirit shone like gold in him and was evident both in his writings and his life. Mansur was the family name he inherited from his ancestors.

Source

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
You are a guide of Orthodoxy, a teacher of piety and modesty, a luminary of the world, the God inspired pride of monastics. O wise John, you have enlightened everyone by your teachings. You are the harp of the Spirit. Intercede to Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Come, O ye faithful, let us praise the hymn-writer, the Church's luminary and wise instructor, the hallowed John, who cast down all her enemies; for since he took up the Cross of the Lord as a weapon, he drave off the heresies, with their every delusion. And as our fervent champion with God, he granteth all the forgiveness of trespasses.

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Fr. John Romanides' Encounter With the Zoe Brotherhood

Yesterday I made a post "The Prophetic Letter of Fr. John Romanides To Fr. Theoklitos Dionysiatis". This was a private letter sent by Fr. John to Fr. Theoklitos on Mount Athos just a few months after the publication of his ground-breaking thesis titled The Ancestral Sin, and it was received with enthusiasm. However, the contents of the letter were leaked to Archbishop Michael of North and South America, a strong supporter of the Zoe Brotherhood, and for this Fr. John faced consequences, marking true the saying of the Lord: "A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house" (Mark 6:4).

Below I will offer three excerpts from the private correspondence between Fr. John Romanides and his professor and close friend Fr. George Florovsky to shed more light on the urgency of Fr. John's letter to Fr. Theoklitos, in which also Fr. John explains to Fr. George what happened following the leak of its contents to Archbishop Michael. Both Fr. Romanides and Fr. Florovsky were highly critical of the Zoe Brotherhood and the scholastic form of theology taught in the Greek theological schools at the time.

Excerpt From the Letter Dated March 25, 1958:

The theological situation in Greece is a major catastrophe. The only sound Orthodox I met were a few monks on Mt. Athos who hate Androutsos and Trembelas and the Universities in general and actually think in patristic terms. This even the more ignorant monks do. Their only set-back is that they are completely out of touch with the modern forms of Western theology. If there is to be any theological revival in Greece it will be from the monastic communities. People like Karmiris are more interested in Karmiris than theology. If the Greek theologians could theologize with the cleverness with which they play politics and advance their personal interests they would be giants.

Excerpt From the Letter Dated May 11, 1958:

Upon returning to New York I found waiting for me a letter from the Archbishop informing me that I am temporarily fired from all possible positions related to the Archdiocese until such time that I show humility and repentance in my attitude to the brotherhood of Ζωή [Zoe]. I had written a letter to Θεόκλητος Διονυσιάτης [Theoklitos Dionysiatis] of Mt. Athos in which I discussed very briefly the relationship of Orthodox dogma and monasticism and how a false theology inevitably brings on an activistic form of piety as is peculiar to Western Christians and to Ζωή in Greece, and I also discussed how this activism is the only type of Christianity known and respected by the Greeks in America. I mentioned that the Greeks in America are rife for a Ζωή type of pious movement since we have no monks, ascetics or monastery to set an example of the highest form of Orthodox spiritual life. It is quite natural for Orthodox influenced by Western theological categories and ignorant of the ascetic presuppositions of Orthodox dogma to express their misunderstandings of Orthodoxy in patterns of Church life familiar to the non-Orthodox religious groups in this country. I asked concerning the possibility of transplanting a monastic community of 5-10 monks from Mt. Athos to serve as a core for the development of a spiritual life among our people in the traditional patterns. In enthusiasm over my note Θεόκλητος, who is editor of the periodical "Αγιορείτικη Βιβλιοθήκη" [Athonite Library] and has been writing the same for years and who has been waging a war against Ζωή, proceeded to publish everything I wrote him and a commentary on all the points I touched upon and whole heartedly agreed with me etc. The Archbishop was shown this article by the Άγιος Πρωτοσύγγελος Νεόφυτος (Holy Chancellor Neophytos] who also interpreted everything according to his own desires and misconceptions. Thereupon the Archbishop wrote me an extremely nasty letter accusing me of having εωσφορικήν αλαγονείαν, εγωίσμον and προβολήν του εαυτου μου [demonic pride, egoism and self-promotion] and claiming that I am ανατροπεύς [subversive] and not αφοσιωμένος είς τήν Ορθόδοξον πίστιν καί παράδοσιν [dedicated to the Orthodox faith and tradition]. Monday morning (May 4) I went to see him and after a ten minute interview he threw me out of his office in a very rehearsed manner. That was the first time I saw him since my trouble with Trembelas and he didn't even want to hear my version of the story, nor did he want to hear my reasons for being critical of Ζωή. I reminded him that I am not alone in my criticism of Ζωή and that many serious Orthodox theologians etc. are of the same opinion. But he was not in a state of mind to hear anything, and while I was leaving he demanded that I humiliate myself (να ταπεινωθης), whereupon I suggested that perhaps what he wanted of me is not humility, but servility (δουλοπρέπεια). Unfortunately he is such a complete δουλος [servant] to the image he has of Trembelas that he will not hear anything from anyone else. Unfortunately we modern Orthodox have completely lost the meaning of the distinction between heresy and Orthodoxy exactly because we have divorced theology from piety and try to become pious without the guide of Orthodox dogma, and therefore it has become possible for people with unconscious heretical presuppositions to set the pattern of our modern Church life, especially in this country. In this situation one is faced with so many problems. Is one just to sit back and allow the forgers of the Orthodox spirit to continue their work of corrupting our traditions, or must one wage a struggle to the end? Of course one must wage the struggle, but how and with whose help beside that of the Lord? The Orthodox today are not satisfied with the means of salvation given by God Himself and they try to invent new and more comfortable ways. Instead of accepting what God has done for them, they are telling God what He should have done, and are actually trying to do the work of God in a much better way, so they think, than God can do.

Excerpt From the Letter Dated May 28, 1958:

The Archbishop's attitude toward me is perhaps much different than you think. One of the many points I criticized Ζωή and Kotsonis for is their fervor in translating sentimental Protestant and Catholic religious novels and books on piety, which have no business being circulated among the Greeks in Greece. We have so many patristic works on piety to be translated and distributed, e.g. Φιλοκαλία [Philokalia], yet there is no interest whatsoever among Ζωή for such undertakings. Not only this but they actually sabotage any attempt in this direction because they are strongly anti-monastic and anti-ascetic. The Archbishop is also guilty of translating Western methods of piety. He recently finished publishing a book on prayer by a BOUNDS. [1] So you see his defense of Ζωή and Kotsonis is also perhaps primarily a defense of himself. There are other subjects also, such as kneeling on Sundays. The Archbishop tries to force me to kneel, but for me this is a matter of faithfulness to the patristic spirit. If we are to rule over many things we must be faithful over the few things (Matt. 25:23). Then the Archbishop is also deeply indebted to Trembelas who was the main instrument in his becoming bishop of Corinth during the Archbishopric of Chrysanthou of Athens. The ties are very deep between them and Trembelas can always count on cooperation. Then there is the question of things under the carpet and skeletons in the closet. Ζωή gets special cooperation from the bishops about whom they know special things from under the carpet and in the closet. The staunchest supporter of Ζωή is a bishop who when ordained many years ago had the Church packed with friends bearing arms in case anyone was tempted to say ανάξιος [unworthy]. This is why about seven Greek bishops would do anything for Trembelas, even when what is asked is unjust and beyond the dictates of reason. Karmiris once pointed out to me how Ζωή even uses the Sacrament of Confession to further its ends. You see, I am up against something much more serious than the momentary whims of an Archbishop.

At present in Greece I am the object of a strong whispering campaign being conducted by Ζωή. They are whispering that I am actually the heretic that Trembelas claims. A friend wrote me that ever since he quoted from my book his periodical has been banned for members of Ζωή. Yet they do not attack me in writing. They are content with the war of rumors and getting at me through the Archbishop....

In the whole controversy the traditionalists are tending to look for support to Mt. Athos and the Old Calendarists. My friend writes me of a possible alliance. There are more than a million Old Calendarists in Greece who are shamefully persecuted. Actually they are the true pious Orthodox in the traditional sense; they keep all the fasts and liturgical customs very faithfully. It is in their homes that one finds Φιλοκαλία and all the wonderful translations of the Fathers made in the last century. In most homes of pious of the official Church one finds Guardini, Oubaler, Holgner, Pascal, etc., but not one Father of the Church. Recently they are highly recommending Greek translations of Billy Graham's sermons. [2]

Notes:

1. E. M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer

2. This last paragraph explains the reasons why traditional Greek Orthodox have looked to schismatic groups such as the Old Calendarists for Orthodox literature dealing with traditional Orthodox life and thought. The negative influences of Zoe are the seed through which an extremist ecclesiology and paranoia entered the Church in the latter half of the twentieth century.

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Saint John the Hesychast

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

John was a native of Nicopolis in Armenia and was the son of Encratius and Euphemia.

He was tonsured a monk at the age of eighteen and lived a strict and resolute life of asceticism, cleansing his heart by his many tears, fasting and prayer.

After ten years, he was appointed bishop of Colonia. By his example, he attracted his brother Pergamius and his uncle Theodore - both distinguished men at the imperial courts of Emperors Zeno and Justinian - to a God-pleasing life. Seeing the malice and intrigues of this world and his inability to put matters right, he abandoned his episcopal throne.

He disguised himself as a simple monk and went to the Monastery of St. Savva the Sanctified near Jerusalem. There he remained unknown for many years, conscientiously and capably completing every task that the abbot ordered him to do. For this, St. Savva recommended to Patriarch Elias that he ordain him a presbyter. When the patriarch wanted to ordain John, he confessed that he already possessed the rank of bishop. Then St. John closed himself in a cell and spent years and years in silence and prayer. Afterward he spent nine years in the wilderness feeding himself only on wild vegetables, and then he returned to the monastery.

He turned the faithful away from the heresy of Origen and contributed greatly to the condemnation and elimination of this heresy. He clearly discerned the spiritual world and healed people from sickness. Having conquered himself, he easily conquered demons.

Great in humility, might and divine wisdom, this servant of God entered peacefully into rest in the year 558 at the age of 104.

A Further Reflection

God hears the prayers of the righteous and fulfills them, sometimes immediately and completely, and at other times only later, at the appropriate time and according to the needs of the Church. In other words, in fulfilling the prayers of the righteous man, God has in mind either the man's salvation or the good of the whole Church.

St. John the Hesychast prayed to God to reveal to him how the soul separates from the body at death. While still at prayer, he was taken outside himself and had the following vision: A good man died in front of a church in Bethlehem, and angels took his soul from his body and carried it to heaven with sweet singing. Coming to himself out of his ecstasy, John immediately set out on the road from the Monastery of St. Savva the Sanctified to Bethlehem. When he reached Bethlehem, he saw the dead body of the man exactly as he had seen it in his vision.

When the great St. Savva the Sanctified died, John grieved and wept. Savva appeared to him in a vision and said: "Do not grieve, Father John, for even though I am separated from you in the body, nevertheless I am with you in the spirit." Then John begged him: "Father, pray to the Lord to take me with you." To this Savva replied: "For now, this cannot be. A great trial has yet to befall the Lavra, and God wants you to remain in the body to comfort and strengthen the faithful against the heretics." At first, John did not know what kind of heretics the holy father had spoken of, but he found out later, when the heresy of Origen began to shake the Church of God.

HYMN OF PRAISE: Saint John the Hesychast

John the Hesychast, God's laborer,
Walked through the wilderness as a lonely hermit,
Until someone cried out: "The barbarians are coming!
Behold how the dust rises up on the road!
They are near, very near; rise up, rise!"
"Let them be near, but God is nearer!"
John said to him, and did not move.
And when misfortune sought to overtake him,
A lion appeared, sent by God,
And began to fiercely roar at the enemy.
The horde fled; John did not move.
He competed with the severe wilderness,
He competed with her in stillness,
And in dryness and solitude.

"Pascha is coming, how shall we greet it?
What shall we eat on the feast, Father?"
The disciple asked. And John said to him:
"To every creature, God gives food."
When the Radiant Feast of Christ dawned,
An angel suddenly appeared as a man before the saint;
Bread, wine and honey he brought.
The disciple, when he beheld the miracle,
Wept at his lack of faith,
And glorified God and God's saint.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
You are a guide of Orthodoxy, a teacher of piety and modesty, a luminary of the world, the God inspired pride of monastics. O wise John, you have enlightened everyone by your teachings. You are the harp of the Spirit. Intercede to Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

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Saint Theodoulos the Stylite

St. Theodoulos the Eparch (Feast Day - December 3)

Saint Theodoulos was an eparch of Constantinople during the reign of Theodosius the Great (379-395).

After his wife's death, St Theodoulos gave his wealth of 550 litres of gold away to the poor and became a monk. He resigned his position because he did not want to be distracted by vain worldly cares. He traveled to Edessa and lived on top of a pillar for thirty years, eating nothing except once a week the Body and Blood of Christ together with the antidron.

At one point the thought came to him to wonder who lived a life of virtue equal to him. He received a divine answer when he heard a voice say that he was equal with Cornelius the Mime, who worked in a theatre in Damascus and bore the name Pandouros. Troubled by this he went to Damascus to search out Cornelius the Mime.

Finding him, Theodoulos fell at his feet and asked about his way of life. Cornelius responded that he was a sinner without any virtue. Insisting that he tell him, Theodoulos pleaded with him once again. Cornelius then responded that he was once a mime who travelled around with actors and dancers until he came to realize he was a great sinner. Being convicted by the Final Judgement he left everything to live a pure life and gave everything to the poor.

Not being satisfied with this, Theodoulos inquired of Cornelius to tell him more. Cornelius then told him how there was once a wealthy woman who married a certain man. Because the husband was a prodigal he spent his entire fortune as well as that of the woman. His debts eventually lead him into prison, and his wife did not have the money to have him fed. She would beg for money, but because she was beautiful there was great danger for her. It was then that Cornelius met her and found out her story. When he asked of her debt, she said it was 400 gold coins. Having only 230 gold coins, he went and sold what he could, even his best clothes, in order to raise the 400. Giving her the money, she was able to free her husband. Hearing this story Theodoulos glorified God and returned to mount his pillar satisfied.

St. Theodoulos the Stylite departed to the Lord around 440.

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The Greek Orthodox Mission in Tanzania

His Eminence Dimitrios Metropolitan of Irinopolis has done great missionary work in Tanzania, Africa over the past four years. He has lead the effort for the following:

- 16 churches have been built.

- 36 wells have been dug.

- 2 secondary schools, 3 primary schools and 1 pre-school have been constructed.

- The have constructed one orphanage, a clinic, a missionary guesthouse, a baptistry, an old age home, church bells, etc.

- Daily they feed 180 infants with milk and vitamin biscuits.

- They offer Vitamin C to 600 malnurished children and AIDS patients.

- 56 wheelchairs have been given to lepers and the disabled.

- There is a periodic distribution of food parcels and clothing, footwear, household items and medicines.

The documentary below was filmed during a visit by a missionary team from the Metropolis of Florina in Greece led by Chancellor of the Metropolis, Father Justin Bardaka. They are in Greek, but refer to the following website for some information in English: http://www.orthodoxytz.com/

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Noah’s Ark Theme Park Announced

December 2, 2010
MSNBC

A full-scale replica of Noah's Ark will be the biggest feature of a creationism-themed amusement park expected to open in 2014 in northern Kentucky, Gov. Steve Beshear announced Wednesday.

The $150 million park will be built by a for-profit group called Ark Encounter LLC, which is partnering with Answers in Genesis, most widely known for its high-tech Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., Beshear said at a Capitol news conference.

Site selection is not decided, he said, but the organizers have options on 800 acres in Grant County off Interstate 15, about 40 miles from the Creation Museum, which is outside Cincinnati, Ohio. The Ark Encounter website says the park will go in the Grant County site.

“Bringing new jobs to Kentucky is my top priority, and with the estimated 900 jobs this project will create, I am happy about the economic impact this project will have on the Northern Kentucky region,” Beshear said in a prepared statement.

The park is expected to draw 1.6 million visitors a year, Beshear said, citing a feasibility study by America’s Research Group.

In addition to the full-size ark, the complex will include a walled city, live animal shows, a children’s interactive play area, a replica of the Tower of Babel, a 500-seat special effects theater, an aviary, a journey through biblical history, and a first-century Middle Eastern village.

The story continues here. The official site of Ark Encounter is here. Answers in Genesis has issued a press release here. There are several images and video available here.

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Documentary: Constantinople Beneath Istanbul

"Cities of the Underworld: Istanbul" - 44 minutes, in English with Greek subtitles

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The Prophetic Letter of Fr. John Romanides to Fr. Theoklitos Dionysiatis

Written in late 1957 or early 1958

Beloved brother in Christ Monk Theoklite,

I pray my letter finds you and our beloved Elder Gabriel [1] in physical and spiritual health and your Monastery fully in order.

I am very saddened that we will not be able to celebrate Pascha together this year. My mind is found to be constantly on the Holy Mountain and with every opportunity I try to enlighten my acquaintances about it. I emphatically believe that the revival of Orthodoxy will come only with the restoration of our monastic life. Precisely because the Church in the world is cut off from the monastic tradition, the collapse of spiritual life in our days is manifested. Satan has distorted so much the theology of the heretics and those supposed Orthodox influenced by the West, to the point where some think that salvation is not from the dominion and grasp of the enemy, but of God. God became man in order to save us from Himself!

Because of this the West has abandoned the ascetic life. They neither fast nor pray much. They only seek happiness. The manifestation of our monastic life does not benefit, as some think, the shortage of dedicated youth. There are many who devote themselves to the Church. However, because they have a distorted notion of salvation, predestination and sin, for this reason instead of going to Monasteries they go to "Zoe", [2] or they become monks of the world, that is worldly Archimandrites, and unfortunately today from these come our Bishops. When theology is false, then Christianity is reduced to activities.

Regarding the Ecclesiastical Theology of our current Theologians, the only proof that Orthodoxy hasn't died is the "Hellenic Christian Civilization" and the activities of "Zoe". "Zoe" is necessary for the Ecclesiastic Theology of Theologians who are inclined towards the West. For them the non-existence of "Zoe" is proof that Orthodoxy has completely lost its spirit. Now "Zoe" has begun to conquer territory here in America and will bear fruit, because all of life here is worldly activities and nothing more. The monastic life of the heterodox here is ripe with active orders and they engage in anything other than ascetic spirituality, as it has been received in the Orthodox Tradition. Therefore in this mold the "Zoe" movement fits in well.

Unfortunately we do not have one ascetic or monastery, and there is no living example of Orthodox life. Therefore, the pietism of "Zoe" conforms very much with the pietism of the heterodox, to the point where it will wreak havoc if ingrained.

I wanted to know your opinion about the possibility of establishing a monastic community of 5-10 monks in the land of America. If this does not happen, Orthodoxy will vanish here or will transform into something else, as it has already happened to a great degree.

I have tried in my book [3] to say these things which you also say in your book [4], but here nobody understands these things. You see, Greeks have assimilated with the happiness of the West and in their eyes happiness is the will of God. So why would he go to the top of the mountains and do vigils and so on?

I would like very much to correspond with you. [5] I believe the devil will be saddened that we do not like the Christianity he is promoting, but what's to be done? Nobody can be like him if they want to be like God. Saint Symeon the New Theologian beautifully describes how Satan assists in the prayers and good works of some.

With love in Christ,

+ J. Romanides

Read more about this letter at this link: Fr. John Romanides' Encounter With the Zoe Brotherhood

Notes:

1. Elder Gabriel Dionysiatis (1886-1983) was for forty years Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou at Mount Athos.

2. The Greek semi-monastic Brotherhood of Zoe was founded in 1907 and based heavily on the writings of the excommunicated 19th century theologian Apostolos Makrakis together with devotional writings of the West. By the 1950's it had brought pietism as a normal way of life and thought within Greek Orthodoxy. See more at this link: http://orthodoxwiki.org/Brotherhood_of_Theologians_Zoe.

3. "The Ancestral Sin", 1957.

4. "Between Heaven and Earth: Athonite Monasticism", 1956.

5. Elder Theoklitos Dionysiatis wrote of Fr. John Romanides in his book "Athonite Flowers" in 1962: "My good friend, the most pious Presbyter John Romanides, is not an ordinary theologian. He learned theology in two or three Universities and with the help of asceticism which illumined his soul. He knows four languages and is deeply educated. He is literally a monk, fed by the Holy Fathers and the holy liturgical life of the Orthodox Church, singing hymns to God 'seven times a day'."


Translation and Notes by John Sanidopoulos

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