Gerondissa Gavrilia: On Anti-Church and Anti-Clerical Attitudes

G. Meopoulou: Mother, let me say something that preoccupies me. You tell us: "This is Christ... Follow Him... Love Him... Accept Him in your life..." However, others have taken from Christ whatever they want... whatever they can... while they do not want to take anything essential. Some speak of Ritualism or accuse the Clergy...

Gerondissa Gavrilia: Ah! Those thinking like that are wrong! This is only an excuse. They want to find fault in the other one, while actually they themselves are to blame.

You think so?

Absolutely! Yes! Because we have the Holy Scriptures, the Gospels which speak to us. The more you read it, the more you understand, the more you advance, the more His Mysteries are revealed to you and you become a person of God. People who find false reasons against the Church and the Clergy, are people who refuse to admit that there are also saintly men among this Clergy and see only those who are not saintly. In the Church of God is the Holy Spirit, Who comes and enlightens us during the Divine Liturgy. If we stay on, after the congregation has left, and remain seated in a corner with our eyes closed, we shall "see" God with the eyes of our soul. We shall understand what the Angels are. We shall comprehend the meaning of the prayer: "Encompass us with your Holy Angels, so that guided and guarded by their Host, we may attain the Unity of the Faith" - instead of doubting one another - "and the comprehension of Your ineffable glory...." We cannot see the ineffable glory of God with these earthly eyes, but we can behold it when the Holy Spirit fills our mind and soul, our entire being. Then we can understand what is said in the Holy Bible: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind." That is: Totally. Our entire being loves Him. And then, what happens? Automatically you "love your neighbor as yourself". You cannot distinguish yourself from the others. Quite often they ask me: "Why do you associate with Hindus, Muslims, Jews? With persons of other religions?"

Because you have love in your heart. That's why!

Because "God is love". How can you be a Christian unless you love non-Christians too? If you love only Christians, well... "even the sinners do as much"!

Still, every now and then, articles against the Church are published in the newspapers...

Why does that surprise you? Poor reporters... they can only see what is bad, they cannot see what is good. They don't write about all these persons who serve in so many churches, who hear confessions, who organize works of love... They don't mention these. They search for a fault, to project it, to generalize it, to say that all Church people are like that. We see it. We saw it in the Parable of the Pharisee last Sunday. He began by saying: "I thank Thee, O God" - which is very good and which we should all be saying from morning till night. And then, suddenly, he turned and said "that I am not like that one who is so and so..." Yet, all those who judge others, wouldn't they be wise to begin with themselves? If they could discover what is inside them, they would realize that they are a hundred times worse than those they criticize. For this is what is wrong. People are always ready to criticize others.

From The Ascetic of Love, pp. 173-174.

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Holy New Martyr Theodore of Byzantium

St. Theodore of Byzantium (Feast Day - February 17)

By Hieromonk Makarios of Simonopetra

Saint Theodore was born in 1774 in a village near Constantinople. He was apprenticed to a Christian painter employed in the palace of Sultan Selim (1788-1807); but despite a pious upbringing, in which he had been attentive to the Holy Scriptures and to prayer, the lure of the pleasures and luxury of the court led him to adhere to Islam. After living for three years in worldliness and frivolity, a dreadful visitation of the plague, which struck all ranks of society including the Sultan's entourage, made Theodore realize the vanity of worldly pleasures. Having come to his right mind, he fled from the palace in disguise and was reconciled to the Church by anointing with Holy Myron. He then took ship to Chios, where he spent some time under the direction of a spiritual father, the renown trainer of neomartyrs, St. Makarios of Corinth (April 17).

Repeated Confession, reception of the Holy Mysteries, and reading of the feats of New Martyrs like Saint Polydoros (Sept. 13), brought him to the firm decision that he too would seal his repentance by shedding his blood for the Lord. After a difficult battle, he overcame the temptation to abandon this holy resolve and went to the island of Mytilene, accompanied by a zealous brother who had already helped Saint Polydoros. On Thursday of the first week of Great Lent he presented himself dressed as a Muslim before the judge. Boldly confessing his conversion, he tore off his green turban and trampled it underfoot. The judge took him for a fool and committed him to prison in chains, giving the gaolers leave to beat and insult him as they pleased. The following day, after a second court appearance, he was taken back to prison and beaten 300 times on the soles of his feet. His cell door was left open for anyone to come in and beat him. A gang of some fifteen Muslims then set upon the Holy Martyr, who endured their blows without complaint, only saying in a choking voice: "I am a Christian!" Afterwards, they tied two bricks to his temples so tightly with a chord that his eyes were forced from their sockets. As he called with loud cried for help from above, they struck him on the mouth, broke his teeth, and left him half dead.

A young Christian named George, an avid reader of the feats of the Holy Martyrs, got himself imprisoned in order to observe Saint Theodore's contests. He stayed at his side, kissing his feet and encouraging him, while the Turks questioned him and subjected him to different torments.

When sentence of death was finally delivered, the executioners tore off his fetters with violence and beat him along the way to the place of his execution. Having confessed Christ one last time, he was hanged on the gallows, but the rope broke and he fell to the ground, hurting his legs. He was strung up again, and thus obtained the much longed for crown of martyrdom. For three days Christians hastened there from all parts to take pieces of his tunic, and to soak them in his precious blood, which continued to flow from his wounds, and many were healed of their sicknesses. Saint Theodore was solemnly laid to rest, and he is venerated as one of the holy protectors of the island of Mytilene.

From The Synaxarion (vol. 3), pp. 542-543.

The Prayer of St. Theodore

As he was preparing for his martyrdom, a fellow monk of St. Theodore in Chios wrote the following prayer for him:

Lord Jesus Christ, the physician of my miserable soul, do not turn from me the sinner in disgust, but strengthen my weak and hardened heart, and warm it in its love for Your martyrdom. I denied You, my Maker and Benefactor, without being forced by anyone and became a servant of the vile devil and a plaything of demons, and found myself under their authority and subject to their will. Now aided by Your grace and unsurpassable forbearance, which has helped me to flee their traps, help me, who am a miserable and pitiful creature, unworthy of the Orthodox Christian calling, to confess You before rulers and tyrants. Yes, my Lord, yes Only-Begotten Son of God. Do not turn in disgust from your servant, but accept me in the choir of your martyrs, and find me worthy to gain their forgiveness. Amen.

Read also: St. Theodore the Byzantine and the Miraculous Deliverance of Mytilene from the Plague

The Metropolitan Cathedral and Sts. Theodori Church In Mytilene

A few blocks from the port in Mytilene town, are enshrined the relics of St. Theodore of Byzantium. On his feast day, February 17th, Orthodox Christians celebrate his memory with flowers and brightly illuminated lanterns in the church bell tower. In 1888, however, when the regions newly assigned pasha asked what the Christians were commemorating and was told about St. Theodore, he became angry and forbade them to display public veneration for the martyr. The next morning the pasha was found dead, and everyone, both Christians and Muslims, believed this to be an act of God, a punishment for forbidding of the celebration.

The Metropolitan Cathedral (the new Cathedral) and Sts. Theodori (the old Cathedral) are just a few blocks away from the waterfront of Mytilene town. The Metropolitan Cathedral contains the skull of St. Theodore and is open daily. The old Cathedral is a block away, and though officially dedicated to the Annunciation, the locals call it "Agioi Theodori", after Sts. Theodore Stratilates, Theodore the Tyro and Theodore of Byzantium.

Apolytikion in the First Tone
Thou wast offered to God as a precious gift through thy labours in conflict, and didst become a blameless and acceptable offering. O blessed Theodore we praise thy struggles; we give glory to God who has strengthened thee, O much-afflicted one, against all thine enemies, visible and invisible.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Thy contest has arisen like a bright morning star and has inspired us to glorify Christ. He has shown thee forth as one steadfast in struggle, O Martyr Theodore.

Megalynarion
Let us the faithful praise the pearl of Jesus in odes and hymns, Christ's bright star of the neomartyrs, Theodore the New, the boast of the faithful.

The Apolytikion for the Translation of the Relics of St. Theodore of Byzantium (4th Sunday of Pascha) in the Fourth Tone
The all-precious Relics of St. Theodore, O faithful, let us gloriously honor as a precious treasure, and let all cry out: Save us from the dangers, those who faithfully hymn you, as when you delivered the city from the plague, and preserve all of us through your intercessions.

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Hundreds of Russians Gather To Venerate Icon of Tsar Nicholas II

February 17, 2011
Romfea.gr

Hundreds of faithful flocked to St. Petersburg today to venerate the "miraculous" icon of the last Russian tsar, Nicholas II, who was executed by the Bolsheviks and was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 2000.

"I am Russian and Orthodox, and for me the holy martyr Nicholas II is a symbol of Russia," said Anatoly Krougklof, 65, while waiting in line that lead to the icon in an exhibition center in the former imperial capital.

The icon of the last Tsar is a copy of the original located in the U.S., which in 1998 was deemed "miraculous" because it emits a fragrance of myrrh.

The then Patriarch of Russia, Alexis II, had placed the icon on a plane to fly above all Russia.

"The resurgence of Russia will begin with the rebirth of faith. I am very pleased to see many people here, near the icon of the Tsar-martyr" said 57 year old Sergei Antotsenkof.

Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra and their five children were executed by the Cheka, the political police of the Bolsheviks on July 17, 1918 in Yekaterinburg in the Urals. Their remains were buried in 1998 in St. Petersburg in the family tomb of the Romanovs.

Click on story below for video:

08:03 17.02.2011 «Неупиваемую чашу» привезли в Петербург Чудотворную икону «Неупиваемая чаша» привезли в Петербург. В течении пяти дней к святыне может приложиться любой желающей. В Северной столице открывается большая православная выставка. Образ Божией Матери «Неупиваемая чаша» в нашем городе впервые. С конца XIX века икона помогала людям, страдающим от пьянства. Со всей России страждущие стекались в Серпухов. Также в Петербург из Москвы привезли чудотворную икону Николая Угодника. Ей шестьсот лет. Изначально на ней была изображена Богородица. Со временем старый образ истлел, и потом на полотне был написан новый образ святителя Николая. Уникальность образа царя-мученика Николая в том, что он является ксерокопией написанной в Америке иконы. Русская Православная Церковь за границей прославила императора гораздо раньше Московского Патриархата. Читать далее >>

Read also: Russians Worship 'Miraculous' Icon of Tsar

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The Humility of Saint Gregory the Great

By St. John Moschos

We encountered Abba John the Persian at the Lavra of Monidia and he told us this about Gregory the Great, the most blessed Bishop of Rome:

"I went to Rome to pray at the tombs of the most blessed Apostles, Peter and Paul. One day as I was standing in the city-centre I saw that Pope Gregory was going to pass by. I had it in mind to prostrate myself before him. The attendants of the pope began saying to me, one by one, 'Abba, do not prostrate yourself', but I could not understand why they had said that to me; certainly it seemed improper for me not to prostrate myself. When the pope came near and perceived that I was about to prostrate myself - the Lord is my witness brethren - he prostrated himself down to the ground and refused to rise until I had got up. He embraced me with great humility, handed me three pieces of gold and ordered me to be given a monastic cloak, stipulating that all my needs were to be taken care of. So I glorified God Who had given him such humility towards everybody, such generosity with alms and such love."

From The Spiritual Meadow, Cistercian Publications, 1992, p. 124.

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Catholicism and the Rise of Atheism

Just a quick note of clarification regarding my last post titled F. Dostoyevsky: The Origins of Modern Atheism.

Some may think the "original fault" of Catholicism hardly exists anymore which lead to the rise of atheism, as noted by Dostoyevsky and other Orthodox theologians. We should keep in mind however why this is so. Basically it is because of the rise of Humanism and Secularism in the West, and of course one cannot discount the Reformation. It is hardly because of any repentance by the papacy in Catholic doctrines, which allowed such divisions to arise in the first place. Catholicism today has put on a new facade, such as denying that there are essential differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, but essentially Catholicism is still the same with the intention of having Orthodox bow before the Pope as the Supreme Pontiff of the Church. And the present Pope is very open about this intention, which is why Orthodox-Catholic dialogue today focuses on moral issues and not doctrinal. Today Catholicism, as huge as it is, is in a very vulnerable position in Western Europe especially because its weaknesses slowly yet surely are being exposed, though they have strength still in being the basis of moral order in the West (along with all of Christianity), which answers at least this fundamental human need even in a secular environment.

At the root of the historical problem with the papacy is the Frankish influence it received by implementing the scholastic method of doing theology, which placed reason as the ultimate tool in gaining knowledge, as opposed to the Orthodox method which existed in the West also during the first millenium, which is basically the empirical method of theological knowledge. The empirical method focuses on one's experience of God through the vision of His uncreated energies or powers. By the West placing reason as the supreme source of knowledge and relegating revelation to what was revealed only in Scripture, it allowed atheism to flourish since it took the direct personal experience of God out of the picture (except through a sentimental emotionalism or deluded mysticism). By logic one can argue for faith and against faith, back and forth endlessly. Arguments can be made that are valid for God's existence and against God's existence. The Orthodox however still emphasize what was always taught in Scripture and the Church Fathers, that one cannot know if God exists with absolute certainty unless there is direct knowledge and experience of God. Jesus said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." The purification of the heart is at the heart of Orthodox spirituality, and the only way one can truly "see God" and acquire the Holy Spirit and faith based on actual evidence is through the purification of the heart of its passions and sins.

This is basically the essential difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which leads to many other differences.

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F. Dostoyevsky: The Origins of Modern Atheism

By Christos Yannaras

After the Schism, certain Greek Fathers saw clearly where the "innovations" of Western Christianity were leading. Centuries later Dostoyevsky drew the same conclusions about the West: "Roman Catholicism is no longer Christianity (1) ... Catholicism is a non-Christian faith ... The Catholicism of Rome is worse than atheism ... Atheism teaches nothingness, but Catholicism goes further; it teaches a distorted Christ who is Christ's opposite. It proclaims the anti-Christ" (2).

Dostoyevsky is widely admired in the West, but most readers ignore this passage, regarding it as a typical piece of Russian hyperbole. (3) They prefer to see this as an incidental criticism or "confessional" comparison. But it is the crux of Dostoyevsky's analysis. He is making a positive point that sheds a relentless light on the Western distortions. His work as a whole attempts to set the Church's Christ against the distorted version of Christ prevalent in the West.

He writes:

"That is where atheism comes from, from Catholicism. Atheism began in the first place with the Roman Catholics themselves: could they ever have taken themselves seriously? It took root through the abhorrence people felt for them (4) ... Rome has proclaimed a Christ who has fallen for Satan's third temptation ... It has proclaimed that Christ cannot reign without an earthly Kingdom. It is as if Catholicism had proclaimed the Antichrist, and that is what has destroyed the West (5). The pope has seized territory, sitting on an earthly throne and with a sword in his hand. Nothing has changed; there are only more lies, deceit, fanaticism ... They have manipulated the people's honest, most just, most pure, most ardent feelings. They have betrayed everything for worthless earthly power. Is this not a teaching of the Antichrist? Atheism was inevitable after this ... and socialism is the offspring and essence of Catholicism. Atheism, its brother, came from disappointment, usurping the lost moral authority of religion to save humanity, not through Christ but by force. Socialism is also freedom through force and union through blood and the sword (6) ... In the West there is no Church at all, only clergy and magnificent church architecture. Denominations try to aspire to the virtues of the state that swallows them up. This is what I think has happened to the Lutheran countries. But in Rome the state replaced the Church a thousand years ago...." (7)

Dostoyevsky's novels reflect the historical experience of his age, the experience of Western expansion into the Orthodox East. The most celebrated expression of this is in Ivan Karamazov's fable, the "Grand Inquisitor", (8) which exposes the inner logic of the Western innovations.

Dostoyevsky remains the best guide to the experiential differences between Orthodoxy and the West.

Notes:

1. Dostoyevsky, The Posessed II.1.8.
2. Dostoyevsky, The Idiot IV.8.
3. See e.g. Guardini (1964) 177ff.
4. Dostoyevsky, The Idiot IV.8.
5. Dostoyevsky, The Possessed II.1.8.
6. Dostoyevsky, The Idiot IV.8.
7. Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov II.5.
8. Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov V.5.

From Orthodoxy and the West, Holy Cross Orthodox Press, pp. 43-44.

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Official Glorification Sought For St. Ephraim of Nea Makri

An epistle was sent out by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew requesting the recognition of Saint Ephraim, who was martyred in 1436 and whose miraculous relics were divinely revealed in 195o, within the membership of the List of Saints of the Orthodox Church.

Sixty years after the discovery of the relics of the Saint, the Standing Holy Synod of Greece, in a letter sent - as required - to the Ecumenical Patriarch as the sole power to promote the request, requested that his memoray be celebrated on May 5th as well as January 3rd, since on the latter date his holy relics were discovered.

It is interesting to note that this is Archbishop Ieronymos' first attempt since being elevated as Archbishop of Greece three years ago to enlist someone in the List of Saints.

The Holy Synod wrote to the Patriarch that Saint Ephraim is widely acknowledged by Orthodox throughout the world as a saint. They further stated that "the influx of pilgrims is massive, almost daily, and on Sundays and holidays the monastery is flooded with pilgrims from all of Greece.... The honor towards Saint Ephraim the New is clearly widespread throught Greece and outside of it.... There are churches dedicated to the Saint in Sitia and Tinos.... Icons of the Saint are venerated throughout the Orthodox world."

The late Archbishop Christodoulos of Greece also attempted to canonize St. Ephraim, but Metropolitan Panteleimon of Attica in 1997 stated in a letter that "according to Orthodox tradition and order, the Orthodox Church proclaims and establishes saints according to the conscience of the ecclesiastical world, and the administrative authority of the Church simply confirms the faith of the pious people, and that such a decision is declaratory in nature."

Indeed, Metropolitan Panteleimon was referring to the miracles of the Saint and the thousands of pilgrims who annually flood the monastery.

A year later, while the Holy Synod of Greece called upon the Ecumenical Patriarchate to induct the Saint in the Hagiology, a conflict arose between the Metropolitan of Attica and the Monastery where St. Ephraim's relics lie and the issue became "frozen".

Source

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Orthodox Grateful For Return of the Theotokos of Kozeltshan Icon

Orthodox Christians Are Moved To Tears Over Homecoming of Stolen Icon

The recovery of the valuable painting is regarded as a miracle.

Pipsa Palttala
February 10, 2011
Helsingin Sanomat

The congregation breaks into a sigh when a precious icon, browned and dirtied with soil, is brought into the room.

The staff of the Helsinki Orthodox Church have last seen the "Theotokos of Kozeltshan" icon, depicting the Virgin Mary, in the summer of 2010.

In June of last year, the valuable icon was stolen and subsequently hidden underground in Turku.

Apart from the extremely valuable icon, the thieves also seized jewellery and ornaments that worshippers had left as offerings around the actual work, and further jewels from around a second icon.

Another burglary occurred in August 2010, when several perpetrators had broken into the Greek Orthodox Uspenski Cathedral through the same window as in the previous burglary in June.

The congregation, however, had made improvements to the church’s security systems after the previous break-in, and the security firm reached the scene promptly.

According to the police, some items had been moved around inside, but on this occasion nothing was missing.

Police got on the trail of the stolen icon when a man who was imprisoned for the theft came forward much later with information on where it was hidden.

”In the morning, we were informed that the icon was being searched for. In the afternoon, it was established that the unearthed icon was in fact the work of art missing from Helsinki’s Uspenski Cathedral since June”, reports the smiling pastor Markku Salminen.

”We were kept informed during the entire search, while we were waiting for the return of the icon from Turku. When the police then arrived, singing parishioners were out meeting the icon in the street”, Salminen adds.

For six months, the icon had been covered in dirt under a layer of soil and snow. Even though the pieces of jewellery that had been placed around the icon by parishioners had long since gone missing and the background of the painting had been tarnished, the picture itself looked bright.


For the Orthodox parishioners, the icon is a priceless work of ecclesiastical art. The "Theotokos of Kozeltshan" icon used to draw for example couples desperate for a child to the Uspenski Cathedral, even from abroad.

”God allowed us to get plenty of snow this year. If the ground had been frozen or soaked, the damage would have been much worse”, Salminen notes inside the cathedral.

The recovered icon was kept in the congregation’s refrigerator overnight in order that too rapid a warming process would not destroy the precious work of art.

Last Wednesday, the icon was sent to the Valamo Monastery in Heinävesi for restoration before it is brought back to the Uspenski Cathedral.

Some of the staff of the Helsinki Orthodox congregation were nursing hopes of the recovery of the icon, while Salminen and other priests used a photo of the icon for the screensaver on their computers.

”I ordered that a blank space should be left where the icon had been, even though we had a copy of the icon available”, Salminen continues.

The parishioners are unanimous in their belief that the recovery of the icon was a miracle.

”This indicates that even a hardened criminal may repent”, says a tearful Tuula Savinainen from the Orthodox Congregation’s customer services.

The Helsinki Police Department's unit for investigating crimes against property reports that Ion Vasile, a 36-year-old Romanian national who was imprisoned for the theft, came forward voluntarily, revealing the hideout of the icon.

In August 2010, the Helsinki District Court handed down a sentence of three years and four months' imprisonment to Vasile for the aggravated theft committed in June, and for the attempted aggravated theft in August 2010.

He was also sentenced to pay more than EUR 180,000 in compensation to the Helsinki Orthodox Congregation.

”We believe that the matter has been bothering him in prison. The disclosure will not help him to seek any post-conviction relief, as the court has given its final verdict and the case is over. The disclosure is simply related to the perpetrator’s wish to ease his conscience”, describes Detective Inspector Kari Niinimäki.

The two other men involved in the second burglary received sentences of one year and two months each for attempted aggravated theft.

The underground stash containing the icon was located in the centre of Turku.

The police are unwilling to disclose the precise place, as their investigations are still incomplete.

Apparently the icon was hidden away as the thieves wanted to get rid of the precious artefact.

The whereabouts of the other jewellery taken is not known.

Read also: The Icon of the Theotokos of Kozeltshan Is Found

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A Tale of Two Bucharest Cathedrals

Craig Turp
February 15, 2011
Bucharest Life

Two enormous cathedrals are currently being built in Bucharest: one Orthodox, and one secular.

The Orthodox cathedral was last week handed 10 million lei (around €2.5 million) in funding by the Romanian state, a move which sparked (understandable) outrage amongst a large section of liberal Romanian society (which believes that the state should not be funding cathedrals at all). The project will cost in total around 200 million lei, with the Romanian Orthodox Church now expected to find the rest from donations, benefactors or the banks. The current government has stated quite clearly that there can be no more public money for the project.

The secular cathedral on the other hand – which is now close to completion – has so far benefited from almost €90 million in state funding (either directly from the government or from the local budget), and it is estimated that it will need another €60 million before completion this summer. Unlike the Orthodox cathedral (which is being built on open space behind Casa Poporului) the secular cathedral required the demolition of a historic monument.

And yet – with a couple of honourable exceptions, including the incomparable Sorin Ionita in Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian) this morning – we have heard nor read barely a word of objection to the public funding of the secular cathedral. Shurley shome mishtake? A cathedral is, after all, a cathedral, regardless of the religion?

Read the rest here.

Read also: Romania to Start Building Balkans' Biggest Church

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Yoga Not As Old Or Hindu As Many Think

Meera Nanda
February 12, 2011
Open Magazine

No one denies that Hinduism’s most sacred and ancient texts, including the Bhagvad Gita, describe different kinds of yogic practices. But what does this ancient and sacred tradition of yoga have to do with what people all around the world do in yoga classes in gyms and fitness centres today?

To most Indians, such questions are nothing less than sacrilegious. Yoga is for them what apple pie and motherhood are for Americans: a living symbol of their way of life.

Indians tend to affirm their claims on yoga by trotting out the familiar icons of the ‘5,000-year-old Vedic tradition,’ which supposedly stretches from the Pashupati seal of the (actually very unVedic) Indus Valley civilisation to the Bhagvad Gita and the venerable Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Yoga, Indians like to solemnly declare, is ‘eternal’ and ‘timeless’ and all the great yoga masters, from Swami Vivekananda to BKS Iyengar to Baba Ramdev of our own time, have only restored or reinstituted an ancient practice. It is also commonplace to hear Indians—even those who are not particularly spiritual themselves—blame Americans and other ‘decadent’ Westerners for reducing their spiritually rich tradition to mere calisthenics.

Lately, Hindus in America have started flying the saffron flag over American-style yoga, which consists largely of yogic asanas and stretches. The leading Indo-American lobby, Hindu American Foundation (HAF), has recently started a vocal campaign to remind Americans that yoga was made in India by Hindus. Not just any ordinary Hindus, but Sanskrit-speaking, forest-dwelling Brahmin sages who learned to discipline their bodies in order to purify their atman. The purist Hindu position, articulated by the HAF, is that all yoga, including its physical or hatha yoga component, is rooted in the Hindu religion/way of life that goes all the way back to the Vedic sages and yogis.

There is only one problem with this purist history of yoga: it is false. Yogic asanas were never ‘Vedic’ to begin with. Far from being considered the crown jewel of Hinduism, yogic asanas were in fact looked down upon by Hindu intellectuals and reformers—including the great Swami Vivekananda—as fit only for sorcerers, fakirs and jogis. Moreover, what HAF calls the “rape of yoga”, referring to the separation of asanas from their spiritual underpinning, did not start in the supposedly decadent West; it began, in fact, in the akharas and gymnasiums of 19th and 20th century India run by Indian nationalists seeking to counter Western images of effete Indians. It is in this nationalistic phase that hatha yoga took on many elements of Western gymnastics and body-building, which show up in the world-renowned Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa schools of yoga. Far from honestly acknowledging the Western contributions to modern yoga, we Indians simply brand all yoga as ‘Vedic,’ a smug claim that has no intellectual integrity.

It is the hidden history of modern postural yoga that is the main theme of this essay. But first, some background on the great ‘take back yoga’ movement.

Read the rest of the article here.

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Movie: The Priest (Поп) [In Russian]

The Priest (Поп)

Director: Vladimir Khotinenko
Cast: Sergei Makovetsky, Nina Usatova, Elizabeth Arzamasova, Stepan Morozov, Kirill Pletnev, Viktoria Romanenko
Country: Russia
Genre: Drama, Historical, Military
Year: 2010
Length: 2:08:54

The film takes place during the German occupation of Soviet territory during the Second World War. Between 1941 and 1944, a small group of priests was dispatched by the Orthodox Metropolitan of Latvia on a mission to the Pskov region, then occupied by the Wehrmacht, to reopen churches closed by the Soviets.

Trailer:


Movie:


Read more here (in Russian).

A review critical of the film and its message is here.

The official movie site is here.

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Photo: Ronald Reagan Lights A Candle of Freedom In the U.S.S.R.

See also photos here and here.

A photograph of Ronald and Nancy Reagan hangs to this day in the monastery.

Read New York Times article here. Read also here and here.

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An Icon Meditation For My Birthday

The icon above is Russian in origin and dates to the 18th century. It depicts the various stages in a man's life as a triangle. According to this icon a man reaches his prime of life, or at least the top of the pyramid of his life, at the age of thirty-five, after which there is a descent into old age.

Since today is my 35th birthday, I find this to be an excellent reminder of where I'm at in life, though it appears its all downhill from here. ;-)

Note: If anyone knows more about this icon, or at least can read the writing, a rough (or complete) translation would be appreciated.

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Holy Newly-Revealed New Martyr Nicholas of Ichthys, Corinth

St. Nicholas of Ichthys, Corinth (Feast Day - February 14)

A Neomartyr Is Newly-Revealed

In the year 1930, a neomartyr named Nicholas of the 16th century who was forgotten by the Church was revealed. Metropolitan Ezekiel of Thessaliotis, who, on a routine tour of the monasteries of his diocese, discovered a manuscript in the deserted Monastery of the Holy Trinity, surnamed Siamou, on Mount Pindos, which contained the service, a synaxarion, and a sermon in honor of this new martyr, all of which were authored by his contemporary, Subdeacon Damaskenos the Stoudite of Thessalonike, who later became Bishop of Rendini. All these were copied by Metropolitan Ezekiel, who dedicated the manuscript to the School of Theology at the University of Athens and published them. The first Greek edition of Metropolitan Ezekiel, titled "Service to the Newly-Appeared Martyr Nicholas of Ichthys of Corinth, with a Prologue by Metropolitan Ezekiel..." was published by Foinikos Press (1930) at Stadiou 44 in Athens [download book here]; a reprint was published at Corinth by Chrestos Skouteres (1963). The hymnographer of the Great Church, Father Gerasimos Mikragiannanites, also composed a service to venerate this saint.

Life of New Martyr Nicholas of Ichthys, Corinth

Nicholas, the newly-revealed and courageous martyr of Christ, was born in an obscure hamlet, called by its neighbors Ichthys or Psari, which was within the prefecture of Corinth. His parents, John and Kalli, were pious and faithful to Christ. When the holy lad was twelve years old, his parents departed this world. Since he was left alone at home, the boy could not endure the absence of his beloved mother and father. He, therefore, departed his hometown in the company of several youths. They were bound for the town of Selyvria, which is a day's distance from Constantinople. Nicholas entered the service of one of Selyvria's prominent citizens as a valet. The fear of God was in Nicholas' heart, and he kept the commandments of Christ with zeal. Along with the fulfillment of his duties, he supported the parishes in the area according to his means.

Nicholas had a good and pious upbringing. He wished to establish a Christian home. When he reached a suitable age, he entered into lawful wedlock and fathered children whom he reared in the Greek Orthodox tradition and the teachings of Christ. His godly children were fruit that bore witness to the tree, even though they were brought up in a worldly environment. While engaged in a livelihood of selling fruits on the main street of the town, Nicholas did not neglect the salvation of his soul. He ministered to the poor and pleased God by distributing alms. He, moreover, attended services in the nearby churches.

Nicholas, however, aspired to achieve a greater gift (that is to say, martyrdom), and this story tells of how it was attained. Now Sultan Suleyman I (1520-1566), in the thirty-fourth year of his reign, had embarked on a campaign in Persia. At Constantinople the sultan left in charge his prefect, a certain Sinan. This man, who had nothing to commend him, would boast of his kinship with the sultan and tyrranize his subjects. He was overbearing in his position and committed more firghtening and barbarous acts against the Christians than one can imagine. He condemned some Christians to serve as galley slaves on pirate ships, while others he terrorized with threats of punishment.

At that time, the godly Nicholas was despised by the Turks in his neighborhood. They resented his industriousness and ability to sell more produce than they on the main thoroughfare. Nicholas, consequently, was taken into custody, and led forth to Constantinople. The Christian stood trial before the prefect; without weakening in the least, Nicholas confessed that he was a Christian, calling the Hagarene (Muslim) religion false. As a result, by order of the prefect, Nicholas received such a severe beating with branches from a pomegranate tree that the blood ran forth even from his toenails. After this terrible torture, he was cast into prison and received no medical attention. The year was 1554.

Four days later, the judge took him out of his cell. The Muslim prefect, by flattery and the promise of an important position, attempted to persuade Nicholas to deny the pure Faith of Christ. But the villain acomplished nothing, for Nicholas, the martyr of truth, became even more adament in the Orthodox Faith. The martyr invoked the name of Christ, thereby chastising those godless ones for their unbelief. He called their false prophet the son of the devil and an enemy of God. After hearing this declaration, the Muslim's bound chains arond Nicholas' neck. Instead of garments, they put a woven mat about his body. In this condition, the executioners paraded him throughout the city. Nevertheless, neither did this form of torture induce the martyr to yield; rather, his sufferings strengthened him in the Faith. By order of the prefect, the Muslims lit a great bonfire in the hippodrome, to which the proponents of impiety led the martyr. They, however, did not throw him into the fire immediately; instead they cruelly exposed his body, little by little, to the flames. This was done to prolong the severity of his suffering.

After the saint was subjected to this torture for a long period of time, he could no longer hold himself upright, so he leaned to the right. The executioners removed the chains, which he wore about his neck, and severed his head with a sword. Thus, Christ's valiant witness and martyr surrendered his soul into the hands of God. His honored body was burned in the fire and his soul went into the hands of God. Only his sacred head remained intact. It was purchased by a devout man for twenty golden coins, by which he bribed the executioner. This precious relic was sent to the Thessalian monastery of our Holy Father Athanasios of the Great Meteoron, where it is found to this day, being a source of many miracles, to the glory of Christ, our true God, to Whom is due glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

From The Great Synaxarion of the Orthodox Church, translated by Holy Apostles Convent, pp. 634-636.

Read more about St. Nicholas in Greek from his church in Corinth here.

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The Orthodox Saint Valentine

St. Valentine the Hieromartyr (Feast Day - February 14 and July 6)

The ancient martyrology of the Church of Rome marks February 14th as the remembrance of "the martyr Valentine, presbyter of Rome" (Valentinus means "vigorous" in Latin). Unfortunately the historical data for the Saint is incomplete.

The Martyrdom of the Saint in Rome

Saint Valentine lived in Rome in the third century and was a priest who helped the martyrs during the persecution of Emperor Claudius II the Goth. The great virtue and catechetical activities of the Saint had become familiar. For this he was arrested and brought before the imperial court.

"Why, Valentine, do you want to be a friend of our enemies and reject our friendship?" asked the emperor.

The Saint replied "My lord, if you knew the gift of God, you would be happy together with your empire and would reject the worship of idols and worship the true God and His Son Jesus Christ."

One of these judges stopped the Saint and asked him what he thought about Jupiter and Mercury, and Valentine boldly replied, "They are miserable, and spent their lives through corruption and crime!"

The judge furiously shouted, "He blasphemes against the gods and against the empire!"

The emperor, however, continued his questions with curiosity, and found a welcome opportunity to finally learn what was the faith of Christians. Valentine then found the courage to urge him to repent for the blood of the Christians that was shed. "Believe in Jesus Christ, be baptized and you will be saved, and from this time forward the glory of your empire will be ensured as well as the triumph of your armory."

Claudius became convinced, and said to those who were present: "What a beautiful teaching this man preaches."

But the mayor of Rome, dissatisfied, began to shout: "See how this Christian mislead our Prince."

Then Claudius brought the Saint to another judge. He was called Asterios, and he had a little girl who was blind for two years. Listening about Jesus Christ, that He is the Light of the World, he asked Valentine if he could give that light to his child. St. Valentine put his hand on her eyes and prayed: "Lord Jesus Christ, true Light, illuminate this blind child." Oh the great miracle! The child saw! So the judge with all his family confessed Christ. Having fasted for three days, he destroyed the idols that were in the house and finally received Holy Baptism.

When the emperor heard about all these events, he initially thought not to punish them, thinking that in the eyes of the citizens he will look weak, which forced him to betray his sense of justice. Therefore St. Valentine along with other Christians, after they were tortured, were beheaded on 14 February in the year 268 (or 269).

The Relics of the Saint in Athens

After the martyrdom some Christians salvaged the body of the Saint and put a bit of his blood in a vile. The body of the martyr was moved and buried in the Catacombs of St. Priscilla, a burial place of most of the martyrs. Over the years somehow he was "forgotten" since almost every day there were buried in these catacombs new martyrs for several decades. The memory of Valentine's martyrdom however remained robust, particularly in the local Church of Rome. Officially the memory of St. Valentine was established in 496 by Pope St. Gelasius.

Fifteen centuries pass and we arrive at 1815, at which time the divine intention was to "disturb" the eternal repose of the Saint. Then the relics were donated by the Pope to a gentle Italian priest (according to the custom of the time). After this the relics are "lost" again until 1907 where we find them in Mytilene in the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady. It seems that after the death of the priest that a descendant of his had inherited the relics who had migrated to Mytilene, which was then a thriving community of West-European Catholic Christians. There they remained until 1990 when they were moved to Athens in the Church of Saints Francis and Clara's Italian community, where they are today.

Saint Valentine the Greek

We should first say that there is not sufficient information on the national origin of the Saint, though there are some other (shades of) evidence that the Saint was of Greek origin. For example, the earliest depiction of the Saint bearing the inscription «O ΑΓΙΟC BAΛΕΝΤΙΝΟC" in Greek, is in the Church of Our Lady the Ancient (Santa Maria Antiqua) of the 6th century which was the parish of Greeks in Rome. The church particularly venerated saints who were Greeks and generally from the East. The decoration and renovation of the church was ordered by the Greek Pope John VII (705-707) and finished by his successors, including the last Greek Pope Zacharias (741-752). But perhaps it is no coincidence that after seventeen centuries, the remains arrived in Greece. The issue here still requires research.

Saint Valentine: Patron of Lovers

Apart from the historical data we have for Valentine's life, there is accompanied various legends, such as from those who say he is the patron saint of lovers.

The Saint had a reputation as a peacemaker, and one day while cultivating some roses from his garden, he heard a couple quarrel very vigorously. This shocked the Saint, who then cut a rose and approached the couple asking them to hear him. Even though they were dispirited, they obeyed the Saint and afterwards were offered a rose that blessed them. Immediately the love returned between them, and later they returned and asked the Saint to bless their marriage. Another tradition says that one of the charges against Valentine was that he did not adhere to the command of the emperor which stated that men who had not fulfilled their military obligations were not allowed to marry; meanwhile the Saint had blessed the marriage of young Christian soldiers with their beloveds.

Besides all this, the likely choice of him as the "saint of lovers" is to be associated with the pagan festival of Lupercalia, a fertility festival, celebrated by the Romans on February 15. Others connect the celebration of this feast with the mating season of birds during this period. Certainly, however, the Saint has nothing to do with the commercialism (marketing) of flowers, gifts and secular centers which trivialize Eros, this great gift of God.


Saint Valentine and Orthodoxy

Many, however, raise the objection that St. Valentine is not mentioned anywhere in the calendar of the Orthodox Church. Indeed on 14 February in the calendar of the Church there are commemorated Saints Auxentios, Maron and the martyrs Nicholas and Damian. The explanation is simple: in ancient times hagiographic directories, biographies and martyrologia were written to be primarily used locally in their own character, and the fame and reputation of a saint locally does not mean that it extended also throughout the Church. So there may be saints honored widely in one region and completely unknown in another, eg, St. Demetrios, who is famous throughout the Eastern Church, yet in the West is not honored at all, and is almost unknown, but this does not mean that he is not a saint. Another example of the modern Church: St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna († 1922) who in Greece is known, yet in Russia is completely unknown, but this does not mean that he is not a saint.

Honor Martyrs - Imitate Martyrs

We honor our saints and St. Valentine when we imitate their courage to proclaim their faith in Christ the Savior, who did so even at the cost of their lives. We honor them when we beseech them to appeal to God to have mercy on us and forgive our many sins. We honor them when they are our models of the life in Christ. We do not honor the saints when we measure their 'worth' by worldly amusements and festivities in the best circumstances ... Honor Martyrs - Imitate Martyrs!

Bibliography

1. Encyclopedia New Advent (www.newadvent.org)

2. Patron Saints Index (www.catholic-forum.com/saints/indexsnt.htm)

3. Oxford Dictionary of Saints

4. Ελληνισμός & Ορθοδοξία, Εκδόσεις PSL Λιβάνη

5. Ο άγιος Βαλεντίνος της Αθήνας, Εκδόσεις Καλός Τύπος

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Read also:

Ο Άγιος Βαλεντίνος επιστρέφει στη Μυτιλήνη…

Ο «Μυτιληνιός» Άγιος Βαλεντίνος… επιστρέφει

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12 Greeks Who Built the Dormition Cathedral in the Kiev Caves

12 Greeks Who Built the Dormition Cathedral in the Kiev Caves (Feast Day - February 14)

The Kiev Caves Icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (May 3) is one of the most ancient icons in the Russian Orthodox Church. The Mother of God entrusted it to four Byzantine architects, who in 1073 brought the icon to Sts Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. The architects arrived at the monks' cave and asked, "Where do you want to build the church?" The saints answered, "Go, the Lord will point out the place."

"How is it that you, who are about to die, have still not designated the place?" the architects wondered. "And they gave us much gold."

Then the monks summoned all the brethren and they began to question the Greeks, saying, "Tell us the truth. Who sent you, and how did you end up here?"

The architects answered, "One day, when each of us was asleep in his own home, handsome youths came to us at sunrise, and said, 'The Queen summons you to Blachernae.' We all arrived at the same time and, questioning one another we learned that each of us had heard this command of the Queen, and that the youths had come to each of us. Finally, we beheld the Queen of Heaven with a multitude of warriors. We bowed down to Her, and She said, 'I want to build Myself a Church in Rus, at Kiev, and so I ask you to do this. Take enough gold for three years.'"

"We bowed down and asked, 'Lady Queen! You are sending us to a foreign land. To whom are we sent?' She answered, 'I send you to the monks Anthony and Theodosius.'"

"We wondered, 'Why then, Lady, do You give us gold for three years? Tell us that which concerns us, what we shall eat and what we shall drink, and tell us also what You know about it.'"

"The Queen replied, 'Anthony will merely give the blessing, then depart from this world to eternal repose. The other one, Theodosius, will follow him after two years. Therefore, take enough gold. Moreover, no one can do what I shall do to honor you. I shall give you what eye has not seen, what ear has not heard, and what has not entered into the heart of man (1 Cor. 2:9). I, Myself, shall come to look upon the church and I shall dwell within it.'"

"She also gave us relics of the holy martyrs Menignus, Polyeuctus, Leontius, Acacius, Arethas, James, and Theodore, saying, 'Place these within the foundation.' We took more than enough gold, and She said, 'Come out and see the resplendant church.' We went out and saw a church in the air. Coming inside again, we bowed down and said, 'Lady Queen, what will be the name of the church?'"

"She answered, 'I wish to call it by My own name.' We did not dare to ask what Her name was, but She said again, 'It will be the Church of the Mother of God.' After giving us this icon, She said, 'This will be placed within.' We bowed down to Her and went to our own homes, taking with us the icon we received from the hands of the Queen."

After hearing this account, everyone glorified God, and St Anthony said, "My children, we never left this place. Those handsome youths summoning you were holy angels, and the Queen in Blachernae was the Most Holy Theotokos. As for those who appeared to be us, and the gold they gave you, the Lord only knows how He deigned to do this with His servants. Blessed be your arrival! You are in good company: the venerable icon of the Lady." For three days St Anthony prayed that the Lord would show him the place for the church.

After the first night there was a dew throughout all the land, but it was dry on the holy spot. On the second morning throughout all the land it was dry, but on the holy spot it was wet with dew. On the third morning, they prayed and blessed the place, and measured the width and length of the church with a golden sash. (This sash had been brought long ago by the Varangian Shimon, who had a vision about the building of a church.) A bolt of lightning, falling from heaven by the prayer of St Anthony, indicated that this spot was pleasing to God. So the foundation of the church was laid.

The icon of the Mother of God was glorified by numerous miracles. Two friends, John and Sergius, sealed their friendship before it. After many years John fell mortally ill. He gave part of his wealth to the the Caves monastery, and he gave Sergius the portion for his five-year-old son for safekeeping. He also entrusted his son Zachariah to his guardianship. When Zachariah turned fifteen, he asked for his inheritance, but Sergius persisted in saying that John had distributed everything to the poor. He even went into the Dormition church and swore before the wonderworking icon that he had taken nothing.

When he attempted to kiss the icon, he was not able to come near it. He went to the doors and suddenly shouted, "Sts Anthony and Theodosius! Let me not be struck down for my dishonesty. Entreat the Most Holy Theotokos to drive away the multitude of demons which torment me. Let the gold and silver be taken away. It is sealed up in my granary." Zachariah gave away all his inheritance to the Caves monastery, where he also himself was tonsured a monk. From that time, no one would take oaths before the wonderworking icon (March 24).

More than once the icon defended the land from enemy invasion. In 1677, when the Turks laid siege to Chigirin and danger threatened Kiev, they carried the icon around the city for almost the entire day of August 27. The Mother of God blessed Russian armies going to the Battle of Poltava (1709). In 1812 they carried the icon around Kiev again. The icon is commemorated twice during the year: May 3 and August 15 .

Source


See also:

Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra - Official site

Kiev Pechersk Lavra

The Kiev Caves Lavra: Then and Now

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Patriarch of Georgia: On Russia, Abkhazia, the War and Separatism

February 14, 2011
The Messenger Online

The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and the Metropolitan Pitsunda and Tskhum-Abkhazia Ilia II, gave an interview to the BBC Russian edition during his official visit to the UK last week. Interested in his new title, the BBC journalist asked Catholicos Patriarch how he can lead the diocese, which is not under Georgia’s jurisdiction? The Patriarch responded that the jurisdiction of the Georgian Orthodox Church extended to Abkhazia and Tskhinvali. It is recognized by the Russian Orthodox Church. “I was 11 years Metropolitan of Sukhumi and Abkhazia, and so I am very close to this diocese. I know the Abkhaz people, and I will visit Abkhazia in the near future as head of the diocese,” stated the Patriarch.

Georgia’s Catholicos Patriarch said in his interview that the relations between Russia and Georgia are of great importance to the relationship between the Russian and Georgian Orthodox churches. “We thank the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill, for his support for the recognition by Russian Church canon law of the Georgian Church in Abkhazia in the Tskhinvali region,” Ilia II said. He added, “I have repeatedly said to representatives of the Russian authorities: why do you want Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region, if it means you lose your friendship with Georgia? Georgia is well aware that this is a great country Russia, but at the same time Russia supports separatism – while fighting against separatism is going on in their country.”

The BBC correspondent asked the Catholicos Patriarch to recount his memories of the war days in Georgia in 2008 when he was personally involved in peaceful negotiations and went to the conflict zones during the August days. The Patriarch briefly described his visit to Gori and said that when he visited Gori, it was a dangerous time. “I was accompanied by two cars so the sniper did not shoot at me. We saw how our young people were killed in the field. I remember a car at the edge of the road – the driver was dead. We dragged him out of the car and took him to Tbilisi,” Ilia II recalled.

As part of his visit to the UK, Catholicos-Patriarch met with Queen Elizabeth II. Speaking of the meeting, Ilia II said he had received a warm reception and added that Georgia strongly respects Her Majesty, the Queen of the United Kingdom. “It must be hard to be the neighbour of such a huge country [Russia],” Elizabeth II told the Catholicos Patriarch.

Ilia II is visiting the UK at the invitation of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

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Diamonds Are A Priest's Best Friend?

Olga Gumanova
February 14, 2011
Pravda.ru

Famous Russian ballerina Anastasia Volochkova wrote in her Internet blog that she was outraged with the luxury Russian priests surrounded themselves, as well as fixed prices for the Church "services" and clerical activity in the media. Archpriest Alexy Uminsky answered to Volochkova's criticism in an interview with Pravda.ru.

"Seriously, I have long been disgusted by the fact that priests can afford to wear expensive watches and phones. The cells of some monasteries often impress me with their luxury and can compete only with five-star hotels. I thought that austerity rather than bejeweled phones should be a part of the life of members of the Church," Anastasia wrote in her blog.

As noted by the dancer, her indignation with the splendor of the church has been getting stronger. "How are the prices for the 'services' (sorry, that is so rude) of the Church determined?! Why, for example, for the book of Prayers for the Dead in one temple I pay 400 rubles, and in another 2000 rubles?! I was told that this is a donation to the temple. Yet, is it appropriate to get a flat fee? Should not this be a voluntary decision of a person?" she resented.

"You should make things orderly in your parishes, solve the pressing problems of your parishioners and not PR yourselves like Father Chaplin, along with us show business celebrities. The churches have their own PR-services!!! I was very surprised!" the dancer said outraged.

Alexy Uminsky, Rector of the Moscow church of Holy Trinity in Khokhol answered to the criticism of Anastasia Volochkova:

"The word 'outrage' always makes me wonder. When a person is disturbed, all the darkness in her heart, soul and mind starts to boil and escapes outside. This darkness, this perturbation makes the consciousness murky, and people have difficulty seeing things properly.

I think that people can be upset with some things, disagree with them, but I believe they have to have certain criteria they base their thoughts on. The church is not a service agency. If a person thinks of the church as a service agency, there is nothing to be outraged about. If you treat it like this, then pay. Then you can also look at theater as a service agency. 'I am going to see ballet, give me the service.' 'I am not happy with Volochkova's services today.' Would I be outraged with the entire concept of the ballet or just a particular person that I did not like on stage? I will not even say anything.

In order to try to change something in the world, we must think: what right do I have to judge something I do not belong to? What right do I have to judge the ballet, the subtleties of the art, if I don't know anything about it? Let's say I went to see a ballet, and the person at the coat check was rude to me. I cannot judge the ballet based on the fact that the person at the coat check at the Bolshoi or Mariinsky Theatre was rude to me. This is exactly how you cannot judge the Church based on what you know or do not know about it. For the Church is not a service agency.

Indeed, everything in the church should be donation-based. One cannot argue with this. Donations come in various forms and ways. Somewhere, in some churches, it is a completely voluntary participation of parishioners in the life of the church. In these temples, such as in a temple in which I serve, there are no price tags on anything. Only for one simple reason: I know all of my parishioners by name, and all my parishioners are well aware that it depends on them and them only whether the electricity bills are paid, telephone bills are paid, minimum wage is paid to the clergy and the people who come after the liturgy are fed. This is why, knowing this, they get into their pockets and take out not a ten ruble bill or two rubles coin. The temple could never exist on this money.

Most likely, ballerina Volochkova knows very well how much her participation in an erotic photo shoot would pay. But she would have a hard time imagining how much a temple needs for monthly maintenance - for water, electricity, heating, and so on. She could have inquired at least once just out of curiosity. And so the church has the right, based on the conditions it lives in, to offer a minimum amount of donations, which somehow can ensure the existence of the parish, be it 400 rubles or 2000 rubles. Moreover, I can say that if a person comes into the temple and does not have enough money to donate a particular sum, but does need to submit a note, nobody would ever refuse this person. Nowhere. They would take a note for free, and will conduct a service for free, and a funeral service for free. And if someone does not do this, it will be a great sin. Although I think that there may be such cases. I admit that this is quite possible, because there are different people among the priests - there are worthy ones, and there are unworthy ones.

Of course, a priest in a patched robe with no money would look more credible in the eyes of people who consider themselves outsiders to the Church. But this does not mean that a priest who received financial security from his own parish became evil, unkind, rude, or heartless. This, in principle, does not mean anything to anyone, and probably Madame Volochkova knows that among her friends who provide for her there are decent people, but there are also dishonest and mean people, but there are good people whose welfare has no effect on them. There are bad people among the poor, and there are saints among the rich. I have been serving as a priest for twenty years and, frankly, did not notice among the priesthood people who would wear a Rolex watch and carry phones with rhinestones. They probably do exist. But if they do, there are very few of them. I think it is unethical to blow this issue out of proportion. It is sufficient to go to any temple in the area or in another diocese, and see how a priest lives there. There are much more of these priests than those who serve in large cities. Even in large cities it can be different, believe me.

Of course it is not very pleasant when a priest looks like he lives in luxury. But rather, these are some mythical characters who drive Mercedes and wear Rolex watch tabloids are writing about. Perhaps she confused the bishops and priests? I know our bishops, there are not that many of them, about 300 people, and they occupy very senior positions, we can even say at the ministerial level. Therefore, their representational life is very different from the life of an ordinary parish priest. Indeed, one can see a bishop in a very good car, sometimes with an expensive watch, as every person who now has an office and power. "

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St. Valentine's Day In Russia and Bulgaria

Bulgarians Happy to Celebrate Both Love and Wine

February 14, 2011
Novinite

Bulgaria has been marking two holidays on February 14 since the fall of communism in the late eighties, when the day of the sweethearts came to the country.

Previously completely ignored by lovebirds in Bulgaria, St. Valentine's Day enjoyed escalating popularity over the years of the country's transition to Western-like lifestyle.

Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages across Catholic countries and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.

The date is now marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers, hearts and teddy bears.

As lovers celebrate St Valentine's Day, many Bulgarians insist February 14 should be reserved for a traditional Bulgarian celebration - the feast of St. Tryphon Zarezan, the patron of vine growing and wine producing.

The St. Tryphon Zarezan day offers a nice alternative to those who don't have a loved one to share the holiday with, but can still find a reason to celebrate.

The professional holiday of vine-growers and wine-makers has been officially celebrated since 1962. When the Gregorian Calendar was officially introduced by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in 1968, the church services moved to February 1, but the Day of Vine and Wine is still commemorated on February 14.

According to old traditions, the cul mination is the moment of choosing the "king of the vines" - usually a diligent vine-grower, who is thus said to sweep all good luck.

Read also: Saint Tryphon Cultural Celebration In Bulgaria


St. Valentine Enamors Lovers World Over

February 14, 2011
The Voice of Russia

February 14th - Valentine's Day - is marked the world over as a celebration of love.

Polls show that around one third of all Russians plan to mark the holiday, which is not surprising, given that the event is chiefly acknowledged by young people under 25 years of age.

Officially, the "Celebration of Love" is marked in Russia on July 8th. It was established to commemorate Saints Peter and Fevronia - the patron saints of Orthodox marriage.

Read also: South Russian Region Seeks To End Valentine's Day and Halloween

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The Dark Origins of Valentine's Day

Arnie Siepel
February 13, 2011
NPR

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled.

Though no one has pinpointed the exact origin of the holiday, one good place to start is ancient Rome, where men hit on women by, well, hitting them.

Those Wild and Crazy Romans

From Feb. 13 to 15, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. The men sacrificed a goat and a dog, then whipped women with the hides of the animals they had just slain.

The Roman romantics "were drunk. They were naked," says Noel Lenski, a historian at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. They believed this would make them fertile.

The brutal fete included a matchmaking lottery, in which young men drew the names of women from a jar. The couple would then be, um, coupled up for the duration of the festival – or longer, if the match was right.

The ancient Romans may also be responsible for the name of our modern day of love. Emperor Claudius II executed two men — both named Valentine — on Feb. 14 of different years in the 3rd century A.D. Their martyrdom was honored by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine's Day.

Later, Pope Gelasius I muddled things in the 5th century by combining St. Valentine's Day with Lupercalia to expel the pagan rituals. But the festival was more of a theatrical interpretation of what it had once been. Lenski adds, "It was a little more of a drunken revel, but the Christians put clothes back on it. That didn't stop it from being a day of fertility and love."

Around the same time, the Normans celebrated Galatin's Day. Galatin meant "lover of women." That was likely confused with St. Valentine's Day at some point, in part because they sound alike.

Shakespeare In Love

As the years went on, the holiday grew sweeter. Chaucer and Shakespeare romanticized it in their work, and it gained popularity throughout Britain and the rest of Europe. Handmade paper cards became the tokens-du-jour in the Middle Ages.

Eventually, the tradition made its way to the New World. The industrial revolution ushered in factory-made cards in the 19th century. And in 1913, Hallmark Cards of Kansas City, Mo., began mass producing valentines. February has not been the same since.

Today, the holiday is big business: According to market research firm IBIS World, Valentine's Day sales reached $17.6 billion last year; this year's sales are expected to total $18.6 billion.

But that commercialization has spoiled the day for many. Helen Fisher, a sociologist at Rutgers University, says we have only ourselves to blame.

"This isn't a command performance," she says. "If people didn't want to buy Hallmark cards, they would not be bought, and Hallmark would go out of business."

And so the celebration of Valentine's Day goes on, in varied ways. Many will break the bank buying jewelry and flowers for their beloveds. Others will celebrate in a SAD (that's Single Awareness Day) way, dining alone and binging on self-gifted chocolates. A few may even be spending this day the same way the early Romans did. But let's not go there.

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Monarchists Unite Seeking Revival of Tsarist Russia

February 14, 2011
Russian Times

Monarchists have held a founding congress of their new party in Moscow. The Tsarist Russia party sees restoring the monarchy in the country as one of its main strategic purposes.

On Sunday, 147 delegates from 46 Russian regions gathered in the capital to create the new party, reports Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily. A black-yellow-white tricolor was chosen as its flag and a double-headed eagle as its emblem. The slogan for the gathering was “Tsar is coming to Russia and you should lead the people towards Tsar”.

Historian Dmitry Merkulov, who was elected the chair of Tsarist Russia, said that the constitution could be changed in a democratic way, by calling a Zemsky Sobor (Council of all Lands), or a parliament of the feudal Estates type, similar to the one that was first established by Tsar Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century. “And Zemsky Sobor could choose a monarch,” Merkulov explained.

The new party also approved its charter, which was published on the Tsarist Russia’s website. Among its main purposes, the movement names molding public opinion on the necessity to go back to “monarchist rule, as is traditional for Russia,” educating citizens in “monarchist spirit,” and, also, taking part in parliamentary and presidential elections.

The party’s idea is that the state should be ruled by a Tsar, but Zemsky Sobor would be the supreme legislative and consultative body. The Sobor delegates should be elected from professional groups and from Russian regions. And social justice is named the basis of the state and public life of monarchic Russia.

According to the Tsarist Russia program, every citizen would be granted free medical service and education, modern housing, well-paid jobs and “judicial and physical protection from any encroachments on their lives or property.” Tobacco and alcohol would be taken under state monopoly, foreign sects banned and the death penalty imposed for terrorism, keeping and selling drugs, rape of minors and for high treason.

Foreign policy tasks include “restoring the Russian state within its natural borders” and actively seeking the voluntarily return of Ukraine and Belarus to a unified state; revival of close ties with Russia’s traditional partners, first of all Orthodox and Slavic. According to monarchists, Russia should minimize its membership in any kinds of international organizations.

Sunday’s congress organizers believe they could get from 10 percent to 20 percent of the votes during the elections.

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Truth Is Unrecognizable Without Humility and Meekness

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"When the Messiah comes, will He perform more signs than this man has done?" (John 7:31).

The Lord Jesus performed miraculous works before all and all saw but not all believed. The people witnessed His miracles and believed in Him. Servants heard His words and believed in Him. But the leaders of the people and the masters of the servants also witnessed His miracles and did not believe in Him. And so, in those days the words of the Savior came true: "But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first" (Matthew 19:30). "For behold, some who are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last" (Luke 13:30). Those who were first in honor and authority were last in having faith in Him; and those who were last in honor and authority were the first in having faith in Him.

Why did the people and servants believe and the princes and scribes not believe? Because, the people and servants considered themselves insignificant and unimportant and did not have any personal pride nor envy toward Christ. The people and servants, without malice and prejudice, looked upon the divine miracles and listened to the divine words and were amazed and rejoiced. The princes and the scribes considered themselves first among the people and in the world and so they were filled with pride and envy and were unable, even for a moment, to look upon the miraculous works nor to listen to the divine words without malice and envy.

Brethren, do you see how man, without humility and meekness, is unable even to recognize truth nor to rejoice in the truth? Do you see how the proud and the envious do not even allow God to be ahead of them? As did Satan, at one time!

Lord Jesus, eternal Truth, cleanse our hearts of pride and envy that we may be able to see You and to rejoice in You. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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Synaxarion For the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee

By Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos

SUNDAY of the PUBLICAN and PHARISEE

On this Sunday, we commemorate the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, from the Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke (18:10-14).

Verses

If thou art pharisaical, betake thyself far from the Temple;
For Christ is within, He Who accepteth the humble.

Other Verses to the Triodion

O Creator of things above and things below,
Accept the Thrice-Holy Hymn from the Angels,
And the Triodion from mankind.

Synaxarion

Today, by the Grace of God, we begin the Triodion, which many of our Holy and God-bearing Fathers, who were skilled in writing music, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit set to excellent and appropriate melodies. First of all to devise the three odes, patterned after the Holy and Life-Creating Trinity, was the great poet Saint Cosmas, for the Great and Holy Week of the Passion of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, composing his Troparia with acrostics based on the name of each day. On this basis, the other Fathers — and more than anyone else, Saints Theodore and Joseph the Studites — in imitation of Saint Cosmas wrote three-ode Canons for the remaining weeks of the Holy and Great Lent, which they handed down to their own Monastery of the Studion; they arranged and metered the Odes to a greater degree, collecting and assembling the rest of the book from whatever Patristic sources were available. Since the first day of the week is Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, and since it is both the first and the eighth day and the last day, they very wisely appointed the First Ode to be read on Monday, the second day, the Second Ode on Tuesday, the third day, the Third Ode on Wednesday, the fourth day, the Fourth Ode on Thursday, the fifth day, the Fifth Ode on Friday, the sixth day, the Sixth and Seventh Odes on Saturday, the seventh day, as well as the two others, the Eighth and the Ninth, which all of the days have in common as being the most important, just as the Divine Cosmas did in the case of Great Saturday, for which he composed a four-ode Canon; it was later made into a complete Canon by Bishop Mark of Hydrous, at the orders of Emperor Leo the Wise. It is not entirely accurate to call the book the Triodion; for it does not have three-ode Canons throughout, and indeed it contains complete Canons as well; but I suppose that it received its name either from the fact that it has more three-ode Canons than complete Canons, or because the Canons of Great Week were written first, as we have said.

Now, for our Holy Fathers, the purpose of the entire Triodion was to remind us in brief of God’s benefaction to us from the beginning and to instill in the memory of all how we were fashioned by Him, and how we violated the commandment which He gave us for the sake of our nakedness; how we were banished from the delight of Paradise and expelled through the envy of our enemy the serpent, the Author of evil, who was brought down on account of his pride, and how we remained outcasts from the good things of Paradise and were led around by the Devil; how the Son and Word of God, moved by compassion, bowed the Heavens and came down, dwelt in the Virgin and became man for our sake, and through His own way of life showed us how to ascend back to Heaven, through humility, fasting, and refraining from evil deeds, and through His other actions; how He suffered, arose, and ascended to the Heavens, and sent forth the Holy Spirit upon His Holy Disciples and Apostles; and how He was proclaimed Son of God and perfect God by them throughout the world; what the Divine Apostles accomplished through the Grace of the All-Holy Spirit; and that they gathered together all the Saints from the ends of the earth through their preaching, replenishing the world above, which was the goal of the Creator from the very beginning. This, then, is the purpose of the Triodion.

The present three Feasts, of the Publican and the Pharisee, the Prodigal Son, and the Second Coming, were devised by the Holy Fathers as a preliminary exercise and an incentive to prepare us and make us ready for the spiritual arena of the Fast, by leaving behind our customary and loathsome habits. First of all they set forth for us the Parable of the Publican and the Pharisee, and they call this week the Proclamation. For, just as those who are about to depart for physical combats learn in advance from their generals the time of battle, in order that they may clean and polish their swords, and make all the other due preparations, and, removing all impediments, may eagerly strip down for the contests and procure what is necessary; and, just as, prior to encountering the foe, their leaders cite accounts, stories, and examples for them, stimulating their souls to zeal, and warding off hesitation, cowardice, laziness, and whatever else is hazardous; so also, the Divine Fathers signal beforehand the forthcoming battle, through fasting, against the demons, in order that they may cleanse us of any passions that are lodged in our souls and of any poison that has been at work in us for a long time; and, furthermore, in order that we may hasten to acquire whatever good things we do not have and, properly armed, may thus advance in readiness for the contests of the Fast. Since the first weapon that we need in order to acquire virtue is repentance and humility, and since the greatest obstacle to its acquisition is boasting and pride, the Fathers set forth the present trustworthy parable from the Holy Gospel first of all. By means of the Pharisee, they urge us to lay aside the passion of boasting and self-conceit, and by means of the Publican, on the other hand, to seek after humility and repentance, the opposite of this passion. For, since boasting and self-conceit are the first and worst of the passions, because thereby the Devil fell from Heaven — he who was formerly called the Morning Star and who, through his pride, became darkness and was called by that name — and since Adam, the father of our race, was driven from the Paradise of delight on account of pride, the Holy Fathers exhort us, through these examples, in no way to boast of our own accomplishments or set ourselves up against our neighbor, but always to be humble; for “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” It is better to return, having sinned, than to be puffed up after achieving something. For “I tell you,” says the Lord, “the Publican went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.” The parable, therefore, makes it clear that we should in no way be puffed up, even if we do good things, but should always humble ourselves and pray to God from the heart, even if we have fallen into the worst of evils, for we are not far from salvation.

The Publican was one who collected taxes from the rulers and purchased the farming of taxes in an utterly unjust way, and profited thereby. A Pharisee was one who supposedly set himself apart and surpassed everyone else in knowledge. A Sadducee was a descendant of Sadok, the high priest who assisted David against Absalom. Sedek meant righteousness. There were three heresies among the Hebrews: the Essenes, the Pharisees, and the Sadduccees, who did not accept the resurrection of the dead, Angels, or spirit.

By the intercessions of all Thy wonderworking Saints, O Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.

Source

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican. Let us cry out to the Savior, "Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we reconciled."

Idiomela For the Publican and the Pharisee chanted by Galanis Dimitris

The Ceremony of the Opening of the "Triodion"

The Triodion

Preparation for Great Lent

Triodion Begins Today

Cyril of Alexandria: On the Publican and Pharisee

Gregory Palamas: On the Publican and the Pharisee

Church Fathers: On the Publican and the Pharisee

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