Homily on Melchizedek, the King and Priest

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 7:17, 21).

Oh, how many hidden and faithful servants does the Lord have who serve Him day and night! Oh, how many shining comets are seen by men to cross the starry heavens, which appear unexpectedly, glistening, and then are lost in the vastness of the universe, leaving only tales about them! The righteous Abraham, with his descendants, is known to us like the starry heavens over our heads, but Melchizedek is known to us like a shining comet, which suddenly appeared, was bowed down to us by the starry heavens, and was again hidden in the unknown.

Who is this Melchizedek? "The King of Salem" … "the priest of the Most-high God" (Genesis 14:18). He brought bread and wine to Abraham; he blessed Abraham, and Abraham gave him one-tenth of all that was his. When Abraham was so greatly blessed by God, how much more blessed was he who blessed Abraham? Oh, how unfathomable are the depths of God's providence! A man's thought extends from today until tomorrow, but the thought of God extends to the very end of time.

According to the words of the Holy Apostle Paul, Melchizedek prefigures the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Hebrews 7:10). For while the forefather Abraham was a wonderful and God-pleasing peasant, this Melchizedek was both a king and priest, as our Lord is King and Priest. Melchizedek offered Abraham bread and wine, and our Lord offered His Body and Blood to the entire human race. Abraham bowed down to Melchizedek and gave him a willing tribute. Abraham's true descendants, the Christians, bow down to the Lord Jesus and offer Him their willing sacrifice, a gift in return for a gift, the gift of His Body and Blood on the Cross. "And who shall declare His generation?" (Isaiah 53:8). This refers to both Christ and Melchisedek.

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it and was glad" (John 8:56). Thus spoke the Lord to the Jews. How did Abraham see it? He saw it in the spirit. God revealed it to him, and he also saw the prefiguration of Christ in this glorious and wonderful Melchizedek, king, priest and servant of the Most-high God.

O Lord Jesus, bless us also as Thou didst bless Thy faithful servants, Melchizedek and Abraham. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Saint Daniel the Stylite

St. Daniel the Stylite (Feast Day - December 11)

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Daniel was born in the village of Bethara near the city of Samosata in Mesopotamia of Christian parents, Elias and Martha. Through her tearful prayers, his barren mother received him from God, and as an only son he was dedicated to God from early childhood.

Daniel embraced the monastic rank at the age of twelve, visited Symeon the Stylite, and was blessed by him. Desirous of solitude, Daniel left the monastery and withdrew to an abandoned pagan temple on the shore of the Black Sea. There he endured countless assaults from demons, but he conquered them all by perseverance, prayer and the sign of the Cross.

Afterward he climbed up on a pillar. There he remained until his death, enduring both heat and cold, and attacks from both men and demons. Many disciples gathered around his pillar, and he directed them to eternal life by his example and his words. God rewarded His faithful servant with abundant grace while in this life, and he performed many miracles beneficial to men and prophesied future events.

People from all parts crowded beneath his pillar, seeking help and counsel from the saint of God. Emperors and patriarchs as well as ordinary people came to him. Emperor Leo the Great brought his foreign guests, princes and nobles, and showed them St. Daniel on the pillar, saying to them: "Behold, the wonder in my kingdom!"

Daniel foretold the day of his own death, instructed his disciples as a father to his sons, and took leave of them. At the time of his death, his disciples beheld angels, prophets, apostles and martyrs above his pillar. Having lived for eighty years, this holy angelic man entered into rest and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of Christ in the year 489.

Reflection From His Life

"The Lord preserveth all them that love him" (Psalm 145:20). The lives of the saints confirm this as clearly as the sun. Certain envious priests complained to Patriarch Anatolius about St. Daniel, slandering him and saying that he was a magician. In essence, they were envious of the exceedingly young ascetic, who surpassed them in all the virtues and attracted many people to himself by his way of life. The patriarch summoned Daniel and examined him regarding his faith and his way of life. When Daniel told him everything, the patriarch rose from his seat, embraced him, praised him, and dismissed him in peace. Several days later, Patriarch Anatolius became ill, summoned Daniel and asked him to pray to God for his recovery. Daniel prayed to God, and the patriarch was immediately restored to health. Since the patriarch wanted to reward Daniel somehow, the young saint begged him to forgive his slanderers as his reward. To this the patriarch replied: "How can I not forgive them when they are the authors of so much good, namely, that I now know you and have received healing through you?" Truly, the Lord preserves all who love Him, and He turns to their good the evil that men conceive against them.

Read also: St. Daniel the Stylite and the Demon Inhabited Church

HYMN OF PRAISE: The Venerable Daniel the Stylite

When holy Daniel desired to die
He taught his disciples thus:
"My dear children, the fruit of my labor,
Affix your heart to the Living God,
Contemplate in spirit the Heavenly Father.
Glorify the wondrous Creator with praise.
Let humility be the first of your virtues;
The humble in heaven are God's noblemen.
Then show obedience, such as befits the humble.
These are two adornments of every true believer.
The humble and the obedient keep hospitality:
Be hospitable and magnanimous.
These are three virtues, and still more I will say:
Fasting, vigils, poverty - the path to eternal happiness.
Here are six candles in the earthly darkness,
And the seventh is love, the greatest of all."
Thus the saint spoke, and imparted his blessings,
Then rendered his holy soul to the Lord.
O holy Daniel, inhabitant of heaven,
Implore Christ for the needs of us sinners.

Apolytikion in the First Tone
Thou becamest a pillar of patience and didst emulate the Forefathers, O righteous one: Job in his sufferings, Joseph in temptations, and the life of the bodiless while in the body, O Daniel, our righteous Father, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
With longing and zeal for things on high, O righteous one, thou leftest behind all things that are found here below, when thou builtest thy pillar as another Heaven whence thou didst flash with the light of wonders and signs. Do thou ever pray Christ that our souls be saved.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

St. Daniel the Stylite and the Demon Haunted Church

Once he [Daniel] heard some men conversing in the Syrian dialect and saying that there was a church in that place inhabited by demons who often sank ships and had injured, and still were injuring, many of the passers-by, and that it was impossible for anyone to walk along that road in the evening or even at noonday.

As everybody was continually complaining about the destructive power which had occupied the place, the divine spirit came upon Daniel and he called to mind that great man, Antony, the model of asceticism [and Paul, his disciple]; he remembered their struggles against demons and the many temptations they suffered from them and how they had overcome them by the strength of Christ and were deemed worthy of great crowns. Then he asked a man who understood the Syrian dialect about this church and begged him to show him the spot.

On reaching the porch of the church, just as a brave soldier strips himself for battle before venturing against a host of barbarians, so he, too, entered the church reciting the words spoken by the prophet, David, in the Psalms: 'The Lord is my light and my saviour, whom shall I fear? the Lord is the defender of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?' (Ps. 27:1) and the rest. And holding the invincible weapon of the Cross, he went round into each corner of the church making genuflections and prayers .

When night fell, stones, they say, were thrown at him and there was the sound of a multitude knocking and making an uproar; but he persevered in prayer. In this way he spent the first night and the second; but on the third night sleep overpowered him, as it might overtake any man bearing the weakness of the flesh. And straightway many phantoms appeared as of giant shapes some of whom said, 'Who induced you to take possession of this place, poor wretch? do you wish to perish miserably? Come, let us drag him out and throw him into the water!' Again, others carrying, as it seemed, large stones stood at his head, apparently intending to crush it to pieces. On waking, the athlete of Christ again went round the corners of the church praying and singing and saying to the spirits, 'Depart from hence ! if you do not, then by the strength of the Cross you shall be devoured by flames and thus be forced to flee'. But they made a still greater uproar and howled the louder. But he despised them and taking not the slightest notice of their uproar, he bolted the door of the church and left a small window* through which he would converse with the people that came up to see him.

In the meantime his fame had spread abroad in those regions, and you could see men and women with their children streaming up to see the holy man and marvelling that the place formerly so wild and impassable lay in such perfect calm, and that where demons danced lately, there by the patience of the just man Christ was now glorified day and night.

Now the priests of the Church of the Archangel Michael lived nearby and they were simple folk. So when the envious demon who hates the good saw such victories gained through the power of Christ, he was mad with rage and suggested to the minds of the priests an argument that ran like this: 'It is no good thing that you are doing in letting the man dwell there; for just look how all the world goes to him and you in consequence remain with nothing to do. You had better go to the city and say to your bishop, "Some man, come from we know not where, has shut himself in near us and he is attracting people to him, although he is a heretic. But he is a Syrian by birth and so we are unable to hold converse with him."' Having reasoned thus among themselves the priests went in and reported the matter to the man who was then the bishop, namely the blessed Anatolius, the Patriarch of Constantinople. But the Archbishop said to them, 'If you do not understand his language, how do you know that he is a heretic? Leave him alone, for if he has been sent by God he will be established; but, if it is otherwise, he will go away of his own accord before you chase him out. Do not bring a scandal upon us and yourselves'. With these words he dismissed them. And they went home and kept quiet for a time.

But when the demons saw that they were accomplishing nothing, they again rose in rebellion against the servant of God and brought phantoms before him, carrying, it is said, naked swords, and crying, 'Whence have you come, man? give place to us for we have been living here for a long time. Do you wish your limbs to be cut in pieces?' And then, it is said, they came towards him with their swords and spoke again saying to one another, 'Do not let us slay him, but let us drag him along and cast him into the water where we sank the ship 1' And they made as though they would drag him away. But the servant of God arose, and after uttering a prayer he said to them, 'Jesus Christ my Saviour, in Whom I have trusted and do trust, He will Himself drown you all in the deepest abyss.' A great howling arose and they flew round his face like a swarm of bats and with a whir of wings went out of the window, and so he drove them all forth by the power of God through prayer.

The Devil, seeing that once more his ministers had been routed, again stirred up the priests to go to the Archbishop; and they said to him: 'Master, you have authority over us; we cannot bear that man, bid him come away from that church, for he is an impostor.' Then the blessed Anatolius sent the officer of the most Holy Church with the deacons and in the night they burst open with crowbars the door which the Saint had closed and brought him to the City. When the Saint was brought before the holy and blessed Anatolius in his palace, the Archbishop asked him 'Who are you? and whence have you come to these parts and what is your belief?-tell us.' And the servant of God declared his blameless faith by means of an interpreter and the blessed Anatolius stood up and embraced him and besought him to remain in the palace, but the men who had brought him he dismissed, saying, 'Go, hold your peace, for I find great edification in this man'. So they left him there in the bishop's palace and went their ways.

In the meantime the Bishop fell into a very severe illness, so he sent for the holy man and begged him to offer prayers on his behalf that he might be freed from the illness. And, since it so pleased the Divine Power, after the Saint had made his prayer, the Bishop was cured of his illness by God's good pleasure. Thus the words of the psalm were fulfilled towards the Saint: 'He will perform the desire of them that fear Him, He also will hear their cry and will save them.' (Ps. 114:19) After the Bishop's recovery the servant of God asked to be allowed to depart; but the Archbishop would not agree thereto and said 'I wish you to live with me'. Then he again begged to be allowed to go, and asked him to grant pardon to the men who had slandered him to the Bishop, for the latter was threatening to excommunicate them. And the Bishop said, 'I must ask pardon of you, servant of God, for your arrest, but God has made your presence here a great blessing to me, for if your holiness had not settled there, I should certainly have departed this life'. He also implored him to let him build a cell for him saying, 'Since I am unable to persuade you to live here with me, if you will let me I will build you a small monastery,* for our most Holy Church has many a suitable spot in the suburbs of the city. Go out and look at them and whatever pleases you, I will give you'. But the holy man replied, 'If you really wish to do me a service, I beseech your Holiness to send me to the place to which God led me'. Finally the Bishop bade him be taken back with great respect and settled in the aforementioned church. Then the people could be seen flocking to the holy man again with joy and delight and many were granted healing so that all marvelled at the merciful grace of our Master Christ which He poured out upon His servant. And even those who had formerly wished to persecute him did not cease serving him and in all ways caring for the holy man. And he did as he had done formerly-he bolted the door and left only a small window open* through which he spoke, instructing and blessing the people, as I said before.

After a space of nine years had elapsed, the servant of God fell into an ecstasy, as it were, and saw a huge pillar of cloud standing opposite him and the holy and blessed Simeon standing above the head of the column and two men of goodly appearance, clad in white, standing near him in the heights. And he heard the voice of the holy and blessed Simeon saying to him, 'Come here to me, Daniel'. And he said, 'Father, father, and how can I get up to that height?' Then the Saint said to the young men standing near him, 'Go down and bring him up to me'. So the men came down and brought Daniel up to him and he stood there. Then Simeon took him in his arms and kissed him with a holy kiss, and then others called him away, and escorted by them he was borne up to heaven leaving Daniel on the column with the two men. When holy Daniel saw him being carried up to heaven he hard the voice of Saint Simeon, 'Stand firm and play the man'. But he was confused by fear and by that fearful voice, for it was like thunder in his ears. When he came to himself again he declared the vision to those around him. Then they, too, said to the holy man, 'You must mount on to a pillar and take up Saint Simeon's mode of life and be supported by the angels'. The blessed one said, 'Let the will of God, our Master, be done upon His servant'. And taking the holy Gospel into his hands and opening it with prayer he found the place in which was written, (Luke 1:76) 'And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways'. And he gave thanks and closed the book.

Source: Three Byzantine Saints: Contemporary Biographies of St. Daniel the Stylite, St. Theodore of Sykeon and St. John the Almsgiver, trans. Elizabeth Dawes, and introductions and notes by Norman H. Baynes, (London: 1948).

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Saint Nikephoros Phokas, Emperor of the Romans

St. Nikephoros Phokas (Feast Day - December 11)

Nikephoros II Phokas (Latinized: Nicephorus II Phocas) (Greek: Νικηφόρος Β΄ Φωκᾶς) (c. 912 – 10 or 11 December 969) was a Roman Emperor (963–969) whose brilliant military exploits contributed to the resurgence of the Roman/Byzantine Empire in the tenth century.

Besides his brilliant military exploits, he played a significant role for the Church as well. He helped St. Athanasios the Athonite build his first monastery on Mount Athos, the Great Lavra, and granted to him the land. It was said that underneath his imperial garb he wore a rason, secretly wishing to become a monk and abandon his throne. Throughout his reign he maintained an ascetic disposition. He also made a pious attempt to canonize all the fallen soldiers under him as martyrs against unbelievers, but this effort was thwarted by Patriarchs and Bishops.

In the end he was forsaken by his wife, and, in consequence of a conspiracy which she headed with his nephew and her lover John Tzimiskes, was assassinated. They had thought to find him in his bed, but, according to Leo the Deacon, he was asleep on the floor beside his holy icons, for he frequently slept on the floor like an ascetic. His head was cut off and paraded on a spike, while his body was thrown out the window. He was buried at the Church of the Holy Apostles, while John Tzimiskes became Emperor John I. An inscription carved on the side of his tomb reads: "You conquered all but a woman".

His commemoration as a saint is found in Great Lavra Codex B 4f. 133 where there is a Service and Canons written for him.

Read more here.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Synaxis of All the Saints of Georgia

Synaxis of the Saints of Georgia (Feast Day - December 11)

Having examined the history of Georgia and the hagiographical treasures attesting to the faith of the Georgian nation, we become convinced that Heavenly Georgia— the legion of Georgian saints, extolling the Lord in the Heavenly Kingdom with a single voice—is infinitely glorious. It is unknown how many cleansed themselves of their earthly sins in merciless warfare with the enemy of Christ, or how many purified their souls in unheated cells through prayer, fasting, and ascetic labors.

To God alone are known the names of those ascetics, forgotten by history, who by their humble labors tirelessly forged the future of the Georgian Church and people.

St. George of the Holy Mountain wrote: “From the time we recognized the one true God, we have never renounced Him, nor have our people ever yielded to heresy.”

A decree of the Church Council of Ruisi-Urbnisi states: “We will not depart from thee, the Catholic Church which bore us in holiness, nor will we betray thee, our pride—Orthodoxy—to which we have always been faithful, for we have been granted the honor to know thee, the witness of the Truth Itself!” This relationship to Orthodoxy is the cornerstone of the life of every Georgian believer.

It is impossible to count the names of all those Christians who have been raised up from the earthly Church in Georgia to the heavens, let alone to describe all the godly deeds they have performed. For this reason December 11 has been set aside for the commemoration not only of the saints whose Lives are known to us but also of the nearly three hundred more whose names, but not stories, have been preserved as well.

Most Georgian people bear the name of a saint who is commemorated on this day, and they entreat the saint to intercede before the Lord in their behalf.

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Homily on the Righteousness of Lot, Nephew of Abraham

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"And Lot said, 'I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly'" (Genesis 19:7).

Lot, a righteous man among the unrighteous, lived in Sodom with his wife and two daughters. The faithful Abraham asked God: "Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" (Genesis 18:23). God answered the faithful Abraham that not only would He not destroy the righteous, but if there were to be found ten righteous in that city, he would spare the entire city because of those ten. However, only one righteous man was found in Sodom - Lot - and he was a stranger.

Just as before the flood there was only one righteous man in the world, Noah, so before the destruction of Sodom there was only one righteous man in that city, Lot. Lot was similar to his uncle Abraham in every virtue, notably in his obedience to God and his hospitality. The Sodomites hated him as a stranger and even more as a righteous man.

"Brethren, do not so wickedly," Lot exhorted them. He called the corrupt people his brethren in order to calm them and to remind them not to commit evil, in order to save them. But his brotherly words provoked them to even greater wrath. Lot was found worthy to have the angels of God visit him and deliver him from that corrupt city whose sins cried out to God. And the reprobates attacked the home of Lot to defile the sanctity of hospitality.

"Brethren, do not so wickedly," Lot implored them. But why would these brutes listen to a man if they did not fear God? That is why the angels of God punished them with blindness: "And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great" (Genesis 19:11). Then the angels led Lot from the city of the unrighteous and let loose a storm of brimstone and fire upon the city. Thus, the evil city perished, and the one righteous man in the city was saved. "Better is one righteous man than a thousand sinners" (Sirach 16:3).

O righteous God, Who never abandonest the righteous man, correct our unrighteousness and save us. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

A Question Regarding the So-Called "Prophecies" of Holy Elders

Below is a long question to an important issue that I think troubles many Orthodox Christians. This is why I have published it in its entirety, together with my brief reply that I hope many find helpful, though it is by no means exhaustive on this subject.

Question:

Hello, my brother John!

This entire email is, actually, just one long question. I have tried to sum it up and present the issue in the way which would be the easiest to understand. However, the answer to the question will probably be much shorter than the question itself.

I thank you for your effort in advance. If you are not sure about this, I would like very much if you could pass this question to a priest or theology professor whom you respect. I am a Serbian Orthodox, and in my experience it is very difficult to find an answer to this kind of question in our Serbian Church (SOC). Most older priests are not well educated in theology, and younger priests who graduated from the Theological faculty in Belgrade tend to take a position which is, in my opinion, too liberal.

1. HOLY ELDERS BARSANUPHIUS THE GREAT AND JOHN THE PROPHET

I found on your blog excerpts from the book of spiritual advices from Saints Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet: http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/02/saints-barsanuphius-great-and-john.html. I assume that you have the whole book either in Greek or in English. I have it in Serbian language. If you don’t have the book, I can translate the questions and answers which are relevant to this issue, but since I assume that you have it, for now I will simply point to the relevant questions.

Question 379 involves a person who asked an elder whether a certain thing will happen or not (he asked for a prophecy). However, certain things happened because of which the person began to doubt the words of the elder. In his reply, Saint Barsanuphius said, among other things (my translation):

“If, however, the brother does not believe that God speaks through the mouth of the one (elder) who he asked, he will be considered as not-believing and as the one who has already been condemned long ago.”

(This thought from the holy elder is the main reason for this email, and our position to the statement made in it is the main issue I am interested in and worried about!)

Holy elders offered more insight to this issue in other answers published close to this one – in answers number 360, 361 and especially 380. The most important messages (again, in my opinion) from these answers are:

1. that a faithful person MUST believe that the words of an elder are words of God;

2. that a prophesied event might not happen because some of the people involved in the chain of events repented after hearing the prophecy; thus God has altered His will;

3. that a prophecy might be fulfilled only in a spiritual sense, which might be contrary to what we see with our eyes – this is explained in answer 380.

2. MY CONFUSION EXPLAINED

For me, this relationship and attitude towards elders and their words can be confusing and problematic in our times.

First issue would be – are contemporary elders also infallible when asked about something? In this post: http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/01/mischievous-designs-and-problematic.html you have published an article which shows that if we get any information that a particular elder said something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he did say it. But sometimes, there is a video recording of an elder, and sometimes we have testimonies from more witnesses who claim that an elder said something in front of them (so I think that those testimonies are pretty reliable as well).

For example, I have read information on a Serbian forum that the elder Porphyrios once rebuked Elder Paisios on the issue of some apocalyptic prophecies which, allegedly, Elder Paisios had spread. This claim has at least some credibility for me simply because it is widely known that Elder Paisios was concerned about the possibility that “the number of the beast” might (some day) be on our documents, while it is also known that Elder Porphyrios wasn’t concerned about this issue at all. If this story is true, then it means that even a holy elder can make a mistake when asked about something. Now, I know that even a holy man can make a mistake if he doesn’t ask God in prayer for an answer. If he answers simply from his mind, he can make a mistake.

But the issue becomes more complicated when it involves a prophecy about a future event. If a holy elder had a vision, and we are convinced that he indeed is holy and not in spiritual deception, than what he saw must be right, right?

Sometimes, it is not clear whether an elder had a vision himself, or he is retelling a prophecy from someone else, or he simply made a conclusion based on the information which he had at the time. This last possibility – “conclusion, not a prophecy” - is especially problematic for me, because it is very hard, or even impossible, to tell the difference between the two. And if an elder is holy, I understand that he has grace and the gift of reasoning, so how can it even be a possibility that he could come to a wrong conclusion about anything? Also, I have a thought that a holy elder wouldn’t even dare to speak of future events unless he had a vision or is retelling a reliable vision. How can a holy man claim that something will happen simply because it “seems” so to him?

3. A FEW THOUGHTS FROM FATHERS DANIIL SYSOYEV AND SERAPHIM ROSE

Russian priest Daniil Sysoyev wrote an article which I only have in Serbian and I couldn’t find it for you in English. The title would be something like “Sects and heresies which behave like parasites in Orthodoxy”. In this text, he spoke against the cult of elders, stating that modern elders LIE very often. He described some truly sick cults in Russia which are lead by “elders” who are officially “Orthodox”. However, he did not speak against the well-known and respected elders, he simply pointed out that the “institution” of an elder can be misused.

I also read in a text by Fr. Seraphim Rose that spiritual guidance in our time doesn’t work in the same way as it did in the past. He wrote that spiritual fathers of the past gave answers by the Holy Spirit, while today they give answers from their experience. The consequence of this is also that absolute obedience is not required. However, I don’t know if this relates in any way to our obligation to believe in a prophecy. Also, we have a renewal of monastic life and we have holy elders once again. I don’t know if Fr. Seraphim was aware of elders like Porphyrios and Paisios.

4. TWO CONTEMPORARY SERBIAN ELDERS – TADEJ AND GAVRILO, AND MY ISSUES WITH THEIR WORDS

Two very famous elders in the contemporary SOC were Elder Tadej of Vitovnica (passed away in 2003, I think) and Elder Gavrilo (passed away some time in the late 90's). Elder Tadej is more widely known and respected throughout the Church, but apocalyptic prophecies of Elder Gavrilo are well known (there are videos on YouTube of him telling these prophecies).

A Hieromonk in the Serbian monastery Hilandar on the Holy Mountain, Dositej, was a spiritual child of Elder Tadej. He wrote to me that some people, who were not truly Orthodox, but rather spiritists, talked to Elder Tadej and told him many stories about the alleged “Beast” computer in Brussels, and similar apocalyptic stories. Dositej says that it seems that those people were convincing the elder regarding certain issues. Now, the holiness of Elder Tadej is without a question. His spiritual gifts, including gift of clairvoyance, were obvious and there are many witnesses to this (including Father Dositej). How could it be that he could be persuaded into believing stories like the one about the "Beast" in Brussels? Where is the gift of reasoning? And bare in mind that I am always looking at these issues aware of the above mentioned quote by Saint Barsanuphius: “If, however, the brother does not believe that God speaks through the mouth of the one (elder) who he asked, he will be considered as not-believing and as the one who has already been condemned long ago.”

Allegedly, Elder Tadej said, among other things (I am quoting from memory):

1. that people should avoid moving to the capital of Serbia, Belgrade, as the city would face devastation, especially in the areas close to the rivers Danube and Sava,

2. that people should not keep their money in banks as it will be lost there; rather that they should buy land in central Serbia,

3. you have probably heard of dictator Milosevic who ruled over Serbia until October 2000. Elder Tadej prophesied that Milosevic would be removed from power, but he said, allegedly, that those who replace him would be even worse than he was, and that they would bring harm to Serbia on many fields (issues),

4. that Americans will come and rule in Serbia; that it won't be bad economically, but that the people won't have their freedom, etc.

Elder Gavrilo was even more precise with his prophecies. He also said that Belgrade would suffer devastation, but he gave more detail. Allegedly, the builders had dug too much (or something like that) when the city was built and structures close to the rivers will be damaged/destroyed because of this. He said that Belgrade, because of its sins, no longer has the blessing to be the Serbian capital, and that in the future, the capital will be the small town of Kru¹evac in central Serbia. The SOC would fall into heresy/apostasy, I don't know, and only five bishops would remain faithful, etc. By the way, he also said that he saw that all people who passed away and who smoked were in hell. Elder Gavrilo's prophecies are mostly respected among people who are somewhat fanatic about the faith and who share sympathies for the Greek Old-Calendar zealots. Younger priests who I have asked about this either flat out reject his prophecies or refuse to comment on them (but I think that they just don't want to say openly that they don't believe in them).

To be perfectly honest, I have many problems with these prophecies. The described idea that Belgrade will suffer devastation simply doesn't make much sense to me; buildings don't simply collapse on a massive scale just because the constructors dug deep when making them. But what if I have to understand and accept this in a purely spiritual sense (like in answer 380 from Saint Barsanuphius)?

By profession, I am an economist. If I have to believe that banks will relatively soon go bankrupt and that the money will be lost, I will be unable to perform most of the required tasks.

Or, let’s take the political analysis. I hated Milosevic’s regime and believe the current government to be much better than his. But Elder Tadej said that this government would be worse. So I feel pressure to believe in something which goes directly against my experience. Even if taken in a spiritual sense, I don’t see how Milosevic was “less bad” spiritually then the current government (there are arguments for both sides if we question the spiritual effect of these political options).

5. FINAL SUMMARY OF MY ISSUES, FEARS AND QUESTIONS

I want to be saved, but I don’t want to be paralyzed and I don’t want my creative thought process to be limited by being forced to believe in something which wasn’t said to me personally and which doesn’t make sense to me. And this issue truly paralyses me. I got to the point where I am afraid to read anything what certain elders said, simply because I then feel that I have to believe in it, even if it doesn’t make any sense to me and even if it goes directly against what I believe in the core of my being. This truly is a double edged sword. If I refuse to believe in something what I must believe in – I will be condemned to hell; if I do believe in something which I don’t like and possibly don’t have to believe in – I am hurting my soul, freedom and this life.

What do you think is the criterion for discerning what we MUST believe in, and what we can ignore, or even say bravely: "I don't believe in that?"

Should the attitude of a contemporary Orthodox Christian to our elders be the same as the one described by Saint Barsanuphius?

How can we recognize if modern elders have grown to that level of holiness as the elders of old?

How is it even possible (if possible at all) that a holy elder analyses an issue and comes to a wrong conclusion?

Best regards,

Nemanja


Answer:

Nemanja,

This is a very difficult issue to discuss because there is so much confusion over the nature of these so-called "prophecies" coming from people who are very often confirmed "living saints". Too often pious Orthodox read these prophecies and wonder just how obliged they are to believe in them. Some however seem so incredible that it is a temptation to discredit a holy elder altogether just for making the statement.

It is interesting that when one examines the early patristic literature on the subject, there is already a tradition in place of exegetical speculation regarding the interpretation of the Book of Revelation. What is interesting is that even when one reads people who were associated with the Apostle John among the Apostolic Fathers, not even they knew how to interpret the book - and these are Saints of the Church! The Fathers however did not hesitate to offer their speculations, but it is pretty clear that most of these speculations were clearly written as speculations. Sometimes they were even honest enough to say that other exegetes of Scripture had other opinions and that they were merely offering their own. For example, some early Christian exegetes said the Antichrist had already come in the person of Nero and that everything prophesied in the Book of Revelation had already taken place. For many, this is still a valid theory, though generally these days it is accepted that though there are many antichrist's throughout history, before the end of time there will be one major Antichrist. But were these early Christian exegetes prophesying when offering their opinions about future events leading to the end of time? The answer clearly is no.

We should also bear in mind that the Book of Revelation comes with a warning in its closing verses: "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." From this it is clear that no new revelation of the end times can take place outside of what was revealed to the Apostles from the Lord Himself, who may I add even said He did not know the day nor the hour of the end. This verse must always be kept in mind when we read of what holy elders said about the end times.

And this leads to the next important factor when we consider general prophecies of the end times. When we read of certain prophecies, how do we know they are in fact prophecies? What is interesting to examine is that the holy elders who generally make end time prophecies are really not prophesying at all, but offering traditions and opinions. If they were in fact prophesying, they would specify: "Thus says the Lord..." since no prophecy can come about except through the Lord. When saints perform miracles, it is to God they give the glory and ascribe the power, but such is not the case when they make their so-called "prophecies". Their prophecies in fact are usually told in the middle of conversations or when they discuss some issue on paper. Some of the more gullible and simple Orthodox laity read this and think these holy ones are prophesying in the name of the Lord when in fact they aren't.

Now to get to your specific issues:

1. Regarding the advice of St. John (not Barsanuphios here), personally I have no problem with it, but it must be read with discernment and untainted by the situation of our times. In other words, one must apply the first rule when interpreting either Scripture or the Fathers - context, context, context. When an elder speaks with an individual one on one, it puts it in that specific context. When that individual is a monk, it puts it in another context. So what we have in these answers of St. John are specific answers to inquiries of a monk who is having trouble in his monastic calling understanding what it is to have faith in the words of the elders. The primary askesis of the monk is obedience to his elder in all things so as to cut off one's will entirely. Without this a monk cannot hope to survive in his monastic vocation and progress spiritually. A monk should be as one dead to the world, and by functioning by obedience they are able to avoid sin and acquire the virtues, most especially that of humility. What St. John and Barsanuphios address often in their letters is to not trust one's thoughts, but to wholly submit to one's elder in whom one has entrusted their soul.

This is basically the context of the passage you quoted. There is no supposed "prophecies" being spoken of as we know them, nor does it imply that we are to be obedient to any holy man or woman regarding these prophecies. The context is for that individual monk to be obedient to his spiritual father in order to ensure his success in the monastic life. For monastics, where one is required to reveal one's thoughts on a daily basis to one's spiritual father, this is great advice. For anyone else, this really does not apply. It appears to me therefore that you are reading St. John out of context and in fact reading much more into what he is saying than is the case, and this will only lead someone into either misunderstanding, confusion, despair or delusion.

St. John makes clear in letter 383 (your 380) that holy elders speak only that which is spiritually profitable and like a good physician should be obeyed when it comes to matters that will heal the inner man. The prophecies here are spiritual prophecies and do not apply to what you are applying it to with the so-called "prophecies" of modern elders. When authentic saints make prophecies, even if they do not come true, then we should know that God will make it so that our obedience to the elders is spiritually profitable (though it should be noted that these prophecies St. John speaks of are not end times prophecies, but prophecies regarding matters at hand in the immediate future that may not necessarily be about what is actually being asked). I will add that any other conversation, unless spoken in the name of the Lord, is their opinion. And that is not to say their opinion cannot be valued. For example, did the Holy Spirit tell St. Paul to write Timothy to drink some wine when he was sick? Of course not, but this was just side conversation, and we should remember that St. Paul very often merely only offered his opinion on certain subjects apart from revelation, which is clearly explained when he speaks of marriage and celibacy. And when St. Paul advises his listeners to abstain from marriage since the end of time was near, he makes clear that he was speaking his opinion. This is how the holy elders speak also when one examines what they say in context.

2. I'm not aware of Elder Porphyrios rebuking Elder Paisios, but I would not be surprised if this was true. It should be questioned why Elder Porphyrios did not warn us of Zionists while Elder Paisios did. Elder Paisios, like many monks, especially on Mount Athos, spoke of the end times according to the tradition that was handed down to them that goes back centuries since the fall of Constantinople (and even before). Whatever he said was really nothing new, except that he put it in the context of our times. Never did he say that he received these "revelations" directly from God, but he believed in them very much. This is why he spoke of Zionists coming against the Church, or why he advised Christians to not receive an ID card with a bar code that bore 666, or why he would speak of Constantinople being returned to the Greeks and a great conversion of Turks. The origins of the first and second come from Fundamentalist Protestant and antisemitic literature which have plagued Orthodox nations, especially in the early and mid-twentieth century, and which Orthodox absorbed thinking these conspiracies were really going on in the West as they sat secluded in their monastic cells. This is why often there really is little difference when speaking eschatology with Fundamentalist Protestants and conspiracy theorists in the West, and speaking with some holy elders in the East. This however should not discredit them, since they are not scholars or historians to be able to discern these things which take much study, though some do, but they are primarily spiritual physicians and this is what they specialize in. The problem in essence is not with the holy elders who answer questions according to their own opinions, but in Orthodox laity who ask the questions. Instead of asking about prayer, temptations, virtues, sin and ascetic practices, people are more curious about the Antichrist, the number of the Beast, and the whore of Babylon. What they don't realize is that the answer they get is merely an opinion usually based on a strong local tradition, but because eschatology is suddenly being discussed and the holy elder sees interest in this, then immediately the simplistic Orthodox faithful take the answers and make them into prophecies, which they technically are not.

3. Regarding Fr. Daniel's article, I have not read it, but I would agree that some elders do lie when they come off as being prophets regarding end time events. Once they say: "Thus says the Lord..." and then they begin to speak of a vision they had regarding an end time event, usually this will indicate a false prophet. It is difficult to speak generally about this and everything would need to be examined individually to really be able to discern where the lies are told and where opinions are being expressed.

4. As for Fr. Seraphim Rose's quote, I'm not sure where that is from, but there is much truth to it. Today thousands of people flock to holy personalities seeking advice. In reality most are just curious and they are looking for an experience. The authentic holy elders, in the simplicity of their hearts, who do not judge the intentions of men unless it is revealed to them by the Lord, see this and they have compassion. They speak freely and openly, yet I don't believe they understand the spiritual harm they do by being this way. I have seen it myself many times. They may have the intention to help, but often they only bring harm unknowingly. Many people see holy elders as some sort of occultic figure, as if their clairvoyant powers, if they have been so graced by God, are continuoulsy turned on. But this is not how such spiritual gifts work. Out of 100 confessions, it could be only one that God allows for the elder's gift of clairvoyance to work for the benefit of the hearer.

5. I am not familiar with these prophecies of elders Tadej and Gavrilo. However, they are typical of some prophecies. What these reveal is that they are not prophecies at all, but interpretations of traditions they have received which they apply to their context. This is why you often hear Serbian elders speaking of issues in Serbia, Greek elders speaking of issues in Greece, Russians about Russia, Romanians about Romania and Bulgarians about Bulgaria, etc etc. It is not that their opinions are valueless, but are they revealed to them by God? Do they say they were revealed these things from God? From what I have read, and I have read much, the answer is usually no. Does this mean they will not come true? Not necessarily, but one must be open to the fact that since these opinions are not revelations, they may not come true. Bear in mind also that these prophecies are usually very anti-Western, anti-American and anti-Jew. The reason this is the case is because these holy elders follow an international geography that is over a millenium in age. In their world the earth is divided into Orthodox Christians, the West (Papists and Protestants), Jews, Heretics and Pagans. In essence, it is a very simplistic view of the world which again shows that what they are saying belongs more to the realm of tradition than prophecy.

6. To get to your last question regarding how one can discern what is a real prophecy and what is not, I have a very simple answer. The more one avoids meditating on prophecies and the end times and trying to discern the signs of the times, the better. We have been told by the Lord to always be ready, and this should really be enough. Are we that bored in our lives that we seek excitement in prophecies? This should not be our concern. When we visit holy elders, we should not ask them about such matters. The more you open yourself to such issues, the more I can only guarantee your delusion and confusion. You will never get all the answers you want. And even if a holy elder says something, we should ignore it until it is fulfilled. I see no benefit to even discussing it. If one holy elder offers a dire warning about something, such as a cataclysmic event in your hometown within the next few months, then, as you would a doctor about a serious health issue, get a second opinion. Or if you are compelled to believe it, then fine, but one must find out the credibility of the prophecy and seek to know the details of how such a revelation came to him. Every individual case requires an individual answer, but we must always remember that no one is infallible in the Church and even our greatest saints and the apostles themselves post-Pentecost were often wrong on certain things. This is why we should be more careful about our questions than we are about the answers we receive.

With love in Christ,

John Sanidopoulos

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Hieromonk Anthimos the Fool for Christ (2 of 2)

...Continued from Part One

There was once a brother who was fooled by Father Anthimos' pretences and said to himself: "What kind of gifted person is this? Do all people with the gift of foresight eat as much?" The elder read his thoughts, called him over and said to him:

"Brother, you want to be a monk, and yet your thoughts are always running back to Russia. Well, go there and fulfill your wish, but you will be back here again later, and then you will be deemed worthy of becoming a monk."

The words of the elder were fulfilled with great precision. Indeed, this brother was deceived by his thoughts, left the monastery and returned to Russia. A year later, however, he came back to the Holy Mountain and was tonsured a monk in the same monastery.

The monk assigned to the refectory held Father Anthimos in great respect - he considered him a saint - but was afraid to express his admiration, well aware that he didn't like being praised. Once, when the elder came again, the monk was overjoyed and prepared something for him to eat, though he himself, out of respect, didn't want to sit with him. He started bustling about the refectory in order to escape from the elder's attention. When he had finished his food, the elder got up from the table and said:

"All right, all right! Stop! May God have mercy on you and support you."

One of the Russian hieromonks told this brother how he was once overwhelmed by nostalgia for his homeland and, one day, he had been thinking about leaving the Holy Mountain to go back to Russia. While he was thinking, Father Anthimos suddenly came into his cell out of nowhere and said:

"Father, the Mother of God sent me to tell you not to go to Russia, because if you leave the desert for the world, you will fall into sin."

At one point, Father Anthimos lived in quietude on the heights of Athos for a long time. The monk assigned to the refectory was very worried and prayed to god to inform the elder to come to the monastery to bring him spiritual benefit. He was also thinking: "He must be worn out by his labors in the desert and if he were here, I could look after him with a little food, or make him some tea."

The next morning the elder came to the monastery and said jokingly to his friend:

"Here you are. I have come from Athos, according to your wish, completely exhausted and my feet cut with the stones. Is your tea worth all the effort!"

The brother saw the elder's foresight and asked his forgiveness for the trouble he had caused him.

On another occasion, the same brother felt deep sorrow and listlessness and prayed to God to send him his friend, Father Anthimos, to comfort him. No more than a few hours later, Father Anthimos appeared before him. On seeing him, the grieving brother was overjoyed and asked him:

"How is it, father, that you came in the hour of my need?"

The elder smiled and answered:

"You wanted to see me and asked God, so I came."

Another time, at the Russian Monastery of Saint Panteleimon, on the eve of October 1, when there is an all-night vigil for the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God, Father Anthimos arrived at the monastery, nearly dead. When he met his friend, he said:

"Tonight I was not far from the Monastery of Zographou, praying in the desert, standing on a rock. As I was praying, i saw the Mother of God descending on your monastery. I was filled with joy at this vision and set off in a hurry to meet Her here so She could cover me, the sinner, with Her veil, as well as Her servants honoring Her. I had just started running here from that place, when suddenly a snake appeared. It struck at me angrily and gave me a terrible bite in the leg. I realized that the bite was from the envy of the evil one and paid no attention to the hindrance because I was in a hurry to get to your monastery."

The brother looked at the elder's leg, and the wound from the bite really was a serious one. The elder's great love for God had made him insensitive to bodily afflictions.

The winter of 1862 on Athos was very cold with a lot of snow. At that time, Father Anthimos was up on the heights of Athos, deep in the desert, living in the hollow of a tree. A lot of snow fell and he was completely cut off, so that it was impossible for him to come out of there. Forty-six days he spent there without bread. Almost always, he would be closer to the monastery before winter set in. The elders of the Russian monastery learned that in that freezing and snowy winter Father Anthimos was not nearby and began to worry about him. At the end of forty-six days, Father Anthimos arrived at the monastery utterly exhausted and numb with cold. When the brother saw him, he cried aloud in joy:

"Ah, father, is that you? We had given up hope of ever seeing you again. Where have you been all this time?"

"Well, I was living in the hollow of a tree," answered the elder with a smile.

"What did you have to eat there father?" asked the brother.

"Victor, my brother, God alone knows what I suffered from the demons and the freezing cold. But Saint John the Baptist appeared and saved me from death."

Once, Elder Anthimos had not been at the Russian monastery for five months. The monks didn't know why. They were worried and many different thoughts occurred to them: "Maybe somebody has offended him" and so on. The spiritual father of the monastery knew a hermit in whom Anthimos had confidence and asked him to find out the reason. The hermit asked Father Anthimos, who replied:

"As long as they praise me there and honor me as a saint, I am not going back... The last time I was there, one of the hieromonks fell at my feet and said: 'Pray for me, holy father, sinner that I am, that I may be saved through your prayers...' You see? How can I go there when they treat me like a saint?"

After that, Father Anthimos would go the monastery almost by stealth and confided in Father Victor some of the secrets of his life during the course of their conversations.

Another time, when he was visiting the monastery and Father Victor was setting the table for him, the elder said to him:

"Saint John the Merciful visited your monastery yesterday."

That day was Sunday, and, according to custom, hermits, skete-dwellers, and several lay people came and ate in the refectory and were then given a blessing.

Father Anthimos had no fixed abode, but rather the whole of Athos was his to dwell in. In the last years of his life, he lived close to the Bulgarian Monastery of Zographou, and often helped with the building work and repairs - carrying stones and water.[2]

In August 1867, the great ascetic visited his beloved Russian Monastery of Saint Panteleimon for the last time. He went into the monastery and straight to the guesthouse. There he met his friend, Father Victor, and spoke with him at length, instructing him on how to defeat evil thoughts and the passions. Finally, he said to him outright:

"I will not be coming here any more now, because I am going to die soon."

Indeed, that's what happened. At the end of November in the same year, he went to the Monastery of Zographou and fell ill. They put him in the monastery infirmary, where he remained for twelve days.

On December 9, 1867, Father Anthimos left the Garden of the Mother of God where he struggled with great philotimo and rested in the Lord. His blessing be upon us. Amen.

(Note: The biography of Righteous Father Anthimos was published in the book Modern Athonite Ascetics, 9th ed., Moscow 1900, pp. 31-40. I have abbreviated it somewhat, without changing what Hieromonk Arsenios wrote. I did it with the best of intentions, lest some things concerning the righteous father were open to misinterpretation.)

2. This would have been work on the new buildings on the north side, completed in 1865.

From Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

The Monastery of Saint Nicholas in Ano Vatheia

Amarynthos is a small sea-side city, part of the municipality in Euboea (Evia), Greece. In Amarynthos (Ano Vatheia) is the female monastery of Saint Nicholas with wallpaintings from the 15th century. It was founded in 1455, and the Katholikon which is dedicated to Saint Nicholas was built from 1460 to 1463. Soon after iconography decorated the church.

The history of the monastery only goes to about the 18th century when life at the monastery seems to have died down during the Turkish occupation. The new history of the monastery begins again in 1963 when it was re-established as a female monastery with five nuns lead by Abbess Mitsopoulou (+1988). The monastery slowly was restored and expanded, and the Cemetery of the Metropolis of Chalkidos is outside the monastery where the nuns are buried. In the late 1930's Elder Porphyrios lived her for three years.

The Katholikon today has many holy relics: Sts. Nicholas, John Chrysostom, Haralambos, Xenophontos, Paraskevi, Righteous David, Arsenios the Cappadocian and Panteleimon.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Manger Scene at Panagia Alexiotissa in Patras, Greece

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Decani Monastery Relief Fund: Nothing for Kosovo; Everything for Us!

IC/XC
NI/KA

9 December 2010

Decani Monastery Relief Fund Inc. USA

Press Release:

Nothing for Kosovo; everything for us!

Beloved in Christ our Lord,

May our Gracious God always bless you and I pray you are having a spiritually rewarding Nativity Lent!

The following message is a repeat of material that we have sent to you before:

As many of us know the Decani Monastery Relief Fund based in Boise, Idaho solicits donations worldwide via the internet. All money donated is immediately transferred from Boise to the Decani Monastery in Kosovo where the resident monks distribute it to the direct benefit of Serbian individuals and families living in the war-ravaged communities of Kosovo/Metohija. Our fund helps anyone in Kosovo who needs assistance.

I am at the same time indicating to you what the fund does on a regular basis:

The fund currently supports six soup kitchens, four schools, and numerous churches, and monasteries. It also directly assists families, children and elderly by paying for medical care, providing scholarships and offering financial assistance for purchase of necessary utilities and food.

Nothing for Kosovo; everything for us!

Let me humbly continue onward to what else our fund does on a regular basis:

Our fund supports 61 scholarships to the University of Northern Kosovo and also scholarship assistance for Serbian youths at Boise State University, and Hellenic College/Holy Cross Theological Seminary, as well as financial assistance to Serbian immigrants in Boise, Idaho.

Nothing for Kosovo; everything for us!

Other important issues, needs and problems addressed by our Fund include: refugee centers and camps; special needs of the elderly; electricity bills; firewood during winter months (including schools!); necessary medical (and surgical procedures; Orthodox celebrations of Christmas and Easter-Pascha; shortage of hay and farm equipment.

Our fund is also trying to purchase pigs for 200 families by January 7th for the Christmas holidays (the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates the old calendar).

Nothing for Kosovo; everything for us!

The needs in Kosovo-Metohija continue to add raw numbers of homeless and indigent.

All of the important needs and issues mentioned above have already been brought to your attention before.

The question I am now raising is this: what funds have we recently been able to raise to help address the situation faced by the distressed Orthodox faithful of Kosovo who are now enveloped by a bitterly cold winter?

Sadly, the answer is that virtually that no monies have been donated to help these desperately impoverished Serbian faithful in Kosovo. None! During this holiday season... with this area being afflicted by freezing temperatures and deep snows... little or no monies are coming in to help those in Kosovo survive.

Please! We need your help now!

The Orthodox faithful of Kosovo need your loving help now! Please open your kind hearts (and pocket books) and help us one more time (as you have lovingly done before) so that these wonderful peoples can better survive these desperate times.

If you can donate to this very worthy cause please do so by sending your check to:

Decani Monastery Relief Fund
C/O Very Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
2618 West Bannock Street
Boise, Idaho 83702-4705

If you need to speak with me directly you can call me by cell phone: 208-860-2479

As we humbly approach our spiritual pilgrimage to Bethlehem and behold our Savior Jesus Christ, may you and yours be ever blessed with His peace and joy.

Thank you dear kind and lovingly good souls in Christ our God!

Peace to your soul!

Humbly in Christ our Lord,

+ Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes
Who prays for you and with you!

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

The Lord Is My Shepherd

PSALM 22 (23)

A Psalm of David the King

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

A Homily On the Faith of Abraham the Patriarch

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"I am nothing but dust and ashes" (Genesis 18:27).

These are the words that the righteous Abraham spoke of himself. Brethren, ridiculous are those people who pride themselves on their association with worldly princes and noblemen and begin to think highly of themselves. Abraham was found worthy to converse with the Eternal and Almighty King. Nevertheless, he remained unwavering in his humility, calling himself dust and ashes.

Who was this Abraham, that he was found worthy of so much of God's favor in his lifetime and praise after his death, from the Apostle (Galatians 3, Hebrews 11), and even from the Lord Christ Himself (Luke 16:22, John 8:39)? He was a peasant who possessed all the virtues, living always according to the Law of God, a man with a firm faith in God, a lover of justice, hospitable, compassionate, courageous, obedient, pure and humble. However, Abraham is especially glorified for his faith, a powerful faith.

Abraham was one hundred years old when God told him that his wife, barren until then, would bear a son, and he believed. And even before Sarah had given birth to Isaac, God said to Abraham: "I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth" (Genesis 13:16). Abraham believed and doubted not. And when an only son was born to Abraham, God commanded him, as a test, to offer his only son as a sacrifice. Abraham was prepared to do this, had God not turned him from it at the last moment.

How complete was this wonderful man's faith and obedience to God! Therefore God blessed him and made him glorious on earth and in heaven.

Brethren, blessed are they who, without hesitation, believe in God and fulfill His holy commandments. The blessing of God will accompany them in both worlds.

O our Blessed Creator, bless us sinners also and number us among Thine elect, who have a share with Abraham in Thy Kingdom. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Hieromonk Anthimos the Fool for Christ (1 of 2)

By Elder Paisios the Athonite

Father Anthimos (+ December 9, 1867) was from Sofia in Bulgaria, where he was a married parish priest. After the death of his wife, in about 1841, he came to the Garden of the Mother of God and took root like a good plant, as we shall see below, blossoming with a sweet fragrance.

His first place of repentance was in the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petra, where he was tonsured a monk. Afterwards, he began to act as a fool for Christ, in order to hide the inner wealth of his spiritual experience. He made the whole of Athos his place of repentance; he continually travelled about in the desert, sometimes staying in caves and at other times in the hollows of trees. Now and again, he would also appear at the Russian Monastery of Saint Panteleimon, because he could understand the services which were in Russian. He usually hid in the narthex and followed the service from there. Whenever he saw one of the fathers watching him and regarding him with reverence, he would start behaving stupidly, talking to himself or making jokes, and so he would spoil their thoughts. He would stay at the monastery for varying lengths of time, sometimes a few days, sometimes a little longer. Then he would disappear again into the mountain of Athos entirely alone for two or three months, before making his appearance again at the Russian Monastery of Saint Panteleimon.

At the beginning of his divine madness, he wore an old habit for five years, and later patched up garments. Later still, he ended up wearing an old sack in which he had made three holes, one at the top to put his head through and two more for his arms. He appeared in it everywhere. It was for this reason he was known as "Sacky". When he returned to the forest, however, he took off his sack as a precaution against tearing it, and instead he tore his body on the twigs. Those who had no spiritual depth, but only judged from external appearance, called him "Dotty". But Father Anthimos amazed them when he would tell them their innermost thoughts. This way, he spiritually benefited those with good intentions, revealing their innermost thoughts to them.

You notice about fools for Christ that because they have such great humbleness, they also have great purity, that is spiritual clarity, so that they know the hearts of men and even the mysteries of God. Such a man was Father Anthimos, who had covered his own pure heart with an old sack.

Whenever he went to the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon, he wouldn't go in but stayed with the monastery workers and sat and ate with them in the same refectory. It seems that the abbot of the monastery got word of this and asked the monk on duty to take care of the ascetic, Father Anthimos. From then on, the monk who was assigned to take care of the worker's refectory held him in great reverence, helped him and watched over him. In this way, he acquired greater confidence and was able to understand some of Father Anthimos' hidden virtues.

One of his great virtues was the gift he had in the matter of fasting: he could fast for days on end! He went once to the Russian monastery before the Fast of the Holy Apostles utterly exhausted. The monk on duty received him with great joy and prepared something for him to eat. The elder began to eat, while the monk who was waiting at table went in and out. He looked at the elder, who was munching away all the time, and thought badly of him: "Such a withered up and weak monk and yet he can eat so much!" All upset with these thoughts of condemnation, the monk went to his cell. When Father Anthimos had finished his food, he went and sat at the door of the monk's cell. Seeing his friend troubled by these thoughts, he took pity on him. In order to help him, he was forced to tell him why he had eaten so much, so that he would be more careful about judging other people. We can also learn from this and avoid judging people. Taking him by the hand, he asked him:

"Brother, do you perhaps know what humbleness is?"

The brother felt constrained to answer: "No, I don't."

Then the elder said to him: "Humbleness consists in this - not judging anybody and thinking yourself worse than everybody. See, just now you were deceived and judged because I was eating so much. But what you don't know is how many days I have gone without eating at all. Do you remember the last time I was here and had something to eat?"

The brother replied: "I remember, father. You were here with us on Sunday of Thomas and you ate. But I havn't seen you since."

The elder said to him: "Well, now you see how many days I spent without eating.[1] Yet, you were judging me because I was eating so much. My brother, not all God's gifts are the same. Everyone is given something by God. Well, to me God has given the strength to bear cold and hunger. Do you think you could put up with so much? Are you able to humble yourself, take off the habit and come with me to the next monastery, and then spend the winter at the peak of Athos with only those clothes? You, being a chanter, how do you chant to god? Your mind is elsewhere, on distractions, rather than on God. Just you listen to how I chant."

Father Anthimos raised his hands to the heavens and with heaving sobs chanted Alleluia, tears streaming from his eyes. The monk assigned to the refectory was astonished and felt great contrition. The elder then said to him:

"So you see, my brother, don't judge anyone, because you don't know who has been given what gift. You must pay more attention to your own self."

The brother made a prostration to the elder and asked his forgiveness, admiring the latter's spiritual foresight. From then on, Elder Anthimos began to confide in him more of his personal life.

Continued at Part Two...

1. In other words, he had not eaten from Sunday of Thomas until the beginning of the Fast of the holy Apostles, about 7 weeks!

From the book Athonite Fathers and Athonite Matters.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Orthodox Priest In Screenplay Contest

By Susan Shalhoub
December 9, 2010
Telegram.com


The Rev. Maximos D. McIntyre may be a Russian Orthodox priest and dress in traditional garb, including a cassock and “funny hat,” as he calls it. But this 32-year-old married Millbury resident who was born in Worcester also has a secular job as a technical writer in Westboro, lives in a regular house, and has just written a screenplay that’s made it to the voting stage of an American Idol-style screenplay and film competition.

Before penning “Lords of Glory,” and shopping it around Hollywood, Rev. McIntyre of St. John the Russian in Ipswich had worked as a freelance newspaper reporter and had done some writing work for the church. But he felt this story — about the Russian Revolution from 1910 to the present — would be better expressed on film.

The screenplay deals with the estimated 60 million to 70 million people who were slaughtered during this period, including people in Romania and China. “I feel like the market is overrun with novels,” he said. “I thought the story I wanted to tell was very visual and that this medium would work well.”

The play illustrates the idea that so many were slaughtered for their faith under the guise of communism, Rev. McIntyre said. “Atheism was not just a political stance but an eradication of God.”

The screenplay took about a year-and-a-half to write. “I was taking different testimonials and trying to weave a story” told through the eyes of a priest. “The clergy were always the first to go,” he said.

Rev. McIntyre traveled to California this summer to shop the screenplay, fully aware that its spiritual issues may not be marketable in the film industry. “I was realistic,” he said laughing, but knew he had to try. On his flight to Los Angeles he was coincidentally seated next to a man whose parents had fled from Armenia during the genocide there and built new lives in the U.S. “I was a little freaked out by that,” he said.

Because of its historical context, the film would be expensive to produce. “I just assumed that nobody was going to talk to me, and shut me down,” he said of his trip to L.A. Several producers met with him and “squashed it right off the bat … there is the business end of it again.” Some thought his clerical clothing was a marketing tool for the screenplay, but two or three studio representatives requested the script, and Rev. McIntyre said he met with representatives from Moviehatch, which runs an online voting contest for movie scripts.

Rev. McIntyre said he and about 50 other screenwriters have been included in the latest contest. “This means the work has been determined to be marketable,” he said, adding that a survey was taken showing that people would pay to see the film.

Rev. McIntyre said the top-voted scripts will go to Hollywood producers. He said 25 of the top producers are participating this year. “All the legwork’s been done for them.”

He said films such as Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ” may have helped pave the way for screenplays with a religious message. But if he doesn’t get enough votes to make the final cut, he said he isn’t worried. “I have a few agents interested.” A self-published novel is also a possibility.

To vote for “Lords of Glory” in the online contest, log on to http://www.moviehatch.com/. To ensure voters only vote once, you will be instructed to enter your name and e-mail after rating the screenplay.

Read the Synopsis of the film here.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Monk Sergius - Who Walked From Siberia to Mount Athos

Fourteen years ago, at the age of 15, Sergius Alexeevich embarked on a seven and a half month journey on foot from Siberia to the Garden of the Panagia on Mount Athos.

He set out from Tobolsk in western Siberia and walked to Yekaterinburg, Rostov, Don and finally arrived in Ukraine. In Ukraine he went from Donetsk to Kherson where he nearly drowned in the Dnieper River had not fishermen rescued him. From Bessarabia he entered Romania where it took him 45-minutes to swim across the Danube. Via Bulgaria he entered Greece where he finally arrived at the Holy Mountain.

Today Sergius is a very poor monk who is 29 and lives in the harsh desert of Karoulia as an ascetic under Abba Pambo. Karoulia is very difficult to access and often requires one of the fathers to drop a ladder for you to reach them. He had decided to become a monk when he was left an orphan at the age of 12. Both of his parents were surgeons and were killed in Chechnya. Together with his brother and sister he went to live with another family who were also surgeons yet escaped Chechnya.


When asked about how he received his education, he answers: "If I knew as much as you knew and didn't know how to save my soul, of what use would it be to me? I studied a few months at Athoniada and realized that wherever is the wisdom of God, worldly education is unnecessary. You can love God, but you can't think about Him."

Sergius is a fast walker. When someone accompanying him asked him to slow down, he responded that he can't slow down, because he is always thinking of hell, death, judgment, Paradise and the resurrection. When he thinks like this he says he cannot slow down.

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Icon of the Mother of God "the Unexpected Joy"

"The Unexpected Joy" Mother of God Icon (Feast Day - December 9)

The "Unexpected Joy" Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is painted in this way: in a room is an icon of the Mother of God, and beneath it a youth is kneeling at prayer. The tradition about the healing of some youth from a bodily affliction through this holy icon is recorded in the book of St Demetrius of Rostov, The Fleece of Prayer [See Judges 6: 36-40].

The sinful youth, who was nevertheless devoted to the Theotokos, was praying one day before the icon of the All-Pure Virgin before going out to commit a sin. Suddenly, he saw that wounds appeared on the Lord's hands, feet, and side, and blood flowed from them. In horror he exclaimed, "O Lady, who has done this?" The Mother of God replied, "You and other sinners, because of your sins, crucify My Son anew." Only then did he realize how great was the depth of his sinfulness. For a long time he prayed with tears to the All-Pure Mother of God and the Savior for mercy. Finally, he received the unexpected joy of the forgiveness of his sins.

The "Unexpected Joy" icon is also commemorated on January 25 and May 1.

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

The Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anna (Feast Day - December 9)

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

The righteous Joachim and Anna were childless for fifty years of their married life. In their old age the Archangel Gabriel appeared to each one of them separately, telling them that God had heard their prayers and that they would give birth to a daughter, Mary. Then St. Anna conceived by her husband and after nine months bore a daughter blessed by God and by all generations of men: the Most-holy Virgin Mary, the Theotokos.

The Relics of Saint Anna, Grandmother of our Lord

On Bearing a Child Through the Aid of Saint Anna

St. John the Damascene: On the Chaste Couple Joachim and Anna

Homily: The Reversal of the Barrenness of Saint Anna

The Veneration of Sts. Joachim and Anna According to Elder Paisios

The Error of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin

HYMN OF PRAISE: The Conception of the Most-holy Theotokos by Saint Anna

O Most-glorious God, wonderful and marvelous,
Kind and merciful toward all creation,
The proud dost Thou overturn, the humble dost Thou raise;
Thou Who dost extinguish, Thou Who makest to live,
According to Thy plan, O Creator, Thou canst do all,
According to Thy plan, eternal and divine.
With Thy blessing, the fertile earth brings forth fruit;
By Thy holy word, Thou settest a seal upon the barren.
From one who gives birth, Thou canst take away,
And for the barren one, Thou canst bring forth good fruit.
Thou madest fertile the barren Anna;
Thou didst grant her a holy and noble daughter.
That which was the subject of mockery, Thou didst crown with glory;
The dream of a childless woman Thou didst openly surpass.
The aged woman prayed; her prayer Thou didst accept.
The seal of barrenness Thou didst remove from her body;
Her dead body Thou didst fill with life;
Thou gavest her a Virgin, wondrous in beauty,
And a daughter was born, the Most-holy Virgin,
A Daughter, a Mother, and the Mother of God!
According to Thy plan, O Creator, Thou canst do all,
According to Thy plan, eternal and divine.

St Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, was the youngest daughter of the priest Nathan from Bethlehem, descended from the tribe of Levi. She married St Joachim (September 9), who was a native of Galilee.

For a long time St Anna was childless, but after twenty years, through the fervent prayer of both spouses, an angel of the Lord announced to them that they would be the parents of a daughter, Who would bring blessings to the whole human race.

The Orthodox Church does not accept the teaching that the Mother of God was exempted from the consequences of ancestral sin (death, corruption, sin, etc.) at the moment of her conception by virtue of the future merits of Her Son. Only Christ was born perfectly holy and sinless, as St Ambrose of Milan teaches in Chapter Two of his Commentary on Luke.The Holy Virgin was like everyone else in Her mortality, and in being subject to temptation, although She committed no personal sins. She was not a deified creature removed from the rest of humanity. If this were the case, She would not have been truly human, and the nature that Christ took from Her would not have been truly human either. If Christ does not truly share our human nature, then the possibilty of our salvation is in doubt.

The Conception of the Virgin Mary by St Anna took place at Jerusalem. The many icons depicting the Conception by St Anna show the Most Holy Theotokos trampling the serpent underfoot.

"In the icon Sts Joachim and Anna are usually depicted with hands folded in prayer; their eyes are also directed upward and they contemplate the Mother of God, Who stands in the air with outstretched hands; under Her feet is an orb encircled by a serpent (symbolizing the devil), which strives to conquer all the universe by its power."

There are also icons in which St Anna holds the Most Holy Virgin on her left arm as an infant. On St Anna's face is a look of reverence. A large ancient icon, painted on canvas, is located in the village of Minkovetsa in the Dubensk district of Volhynia diocese. From ancient times this Feast was especially venerated by pregnant women in Russia.

Source

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Against all hope, the bonds of barrenness are loosed today. For, God has hearkened unto Joachim and Anna clearly promising that they would bear a godly maiden. He who commanded the angel to cry out to her, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you," will be born of her, the infinite One Himself, becoming man.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Today the world rejoices in the conception of Anna, wrought by God. For she bore the One who beyond comprehension conceived the Logos.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

A Homily On the Righteousness of Noah

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God" (Genesis 6:9).

To be righteous among the righteous is a great and praiseworthy deed, but how far greater and more praiseworthy a deed it is to be righteous among the unrighteous.

Noah lived among men who were filled with unrighteousness and evil; he lived among them for five hundred years and remained righteous before God: "Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8).

The Most-high Judge, who looks at all the works of mankind and evaluates them without prejudice and without error, valued the labors of Noah because, in the midst of a corrupt and perverse generation, he remained in the righteousness of God; and God rewarded him with His grace.

Assuredly, Noah endured much misery and bitterness from his evil neighbors. Assuredly, he was unable to have a friend among them. The greatest satisfaction for a sinner is to drag a righteous man down into his own mire and to share his sin with him. But Noah did not allow himself to be dragged down or misled.

Noah favored God's friendship over that of unrighteous men. It was dearer to him to walk with God without men, than to walk with men without God. Fear of God, the Creator and Judge, preserved him from the worldwide corruption; and he was not only righteous but also perfect in his generations. That is, he did not allow himself, even in the least, to be contaminated by the common evil, but rather he cleaved to God's righteousness. The allurement of sin and the ridicule of the sinners: everything merely served to separate him all the more from them.

When the universal flood befell the human race, God did not abandon his faithful Noah to perish with the others. Instead, He saved him and glorified him, making him the progenitor of a new generation of men.

Brethren, this shining example of Noah teaches that each one of us can please God even in the midst of sinners, if only we want to.

O Righteous and Long-suffering God, uphold us on the path of Thy righteousness. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr