Rejoicing In the Destruction of the Ungodly

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village. - Luke 9:51-56

Like the Apostles James and John, the sons of thunder as they were known, sometimes we can get a bit ahead of ourselves. They received gifts of grace and power from God, but in their immaturity they were tempted to corrupt this pure gift with their passions to destroy the Samaritans because they did not receive Jesus. For this Jesus rebuked them and went on His way towards His Holy Passion without bringing judgment on the Samaritans, since He came to save sinners, not destroy them. Similarly we also can get a bit caught up with our passions, which is the way of the world, and forget to see matters through a perspective similar to that of the Lord, Who bore rejection with patience and love.

With the death of Osama Bin Laden announced yesterday, we saw how the world, especially those in America, rejoiced and celebrated the death of "the world's most hated man". Suddenly eveyone seemed to believe in Hell, since everyone seemed so sure Bin Laden was there, all the while thinking themselves good enough to escape it. Basically, people cannot stop talking about how happy they are now that Osama Bin Laden is dead.

But is this a Christian way to respond to the matter?

When I saw the happiness and the partying going on when Osama's death was announced, and heard Christians making similar comments, a passage from Scripture that came to mind for me was Luke 9:51-56. But even more than this Scripture passage, what came to my mind was St. Cyril of Alexandria's commentary on this passage. The words of this Holy Father are what I believe should be the response by Christians when they put their passions ahead of themselves against the ungodly over whose destruction they may be tempted to rejoice over. Since Christians are by nature a persecuted bunch, we should keep in mind that we would not want this to be done to us, so why project it towards someone else's destruction and divine judgment?


Below are the words of St. Cyril:

What, then, was the purpose of this occurrence? He was going up to Jerusalem, as the time of His passion was already drawing near. He was about to endure the contumelies of the Jews; He was about to be set at nought by the scribes and Pharisees; and to suffer those things which they inflicted upon Him when they proceeded to the accomplishment of all violence and wicked audacity. In order, therefore, that they [the disciples] might not be offended when they saw Him suffering, as understanding that He would have them also to be patient, and not to murmur greatly, even though men treat them with contumely, He, so to speak, made the contempt they met with from the Samaritans a preparatory exercise in the matter. They had not received the messengers. It was the duty of the disciples, treading in the footsteps of their Lord, to bear it patiently as becometh saints, and not to say anything of them wrathfully. But they were not yet so disposed; but being seized with too hot indignation, they would have called down fire upon them from heaven, as far as their will went. But Christ rebuked them for so speaking.

See here, I pray, how great is the difference between us and God: for the distance is immeasurable. For He is slow to anger, and long-suffering, and of incomparable gentleness and love to mankind: but we children of earth are quick unto anger, hasty unto impatience, and refuse with indignation to be judged by others when we are found out in committing any wrong act; while we are most ready to find fault with others. And therefore God the Lord of all affirms, saying; "For My thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor your ways as My ways; but as the heaven is far from the earth, so are My ways from your ways, and My thoughts from your thoughts." Such, then, is He Who is Lord of all: but we, as I said, being readily vexed, and easily led into anger, take sometimes severe and intolerable vengeance upon those who have occasioned us some trifling annoyance: and though commanded to live according to the Gospel, we fall short of the practice commanded by the law. For the law indeed said, "Eye for eye; tooth for tooth; hand for hand:" and commanded that an equal retribution should suffice: but we, as I said, though perhaps we have suffered but a trifling wrong, would retaliate very harshly, not remembering Christ, who said: "The disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor the slave than his master;" Who also, "when He was reviled, reviled not again; when suffering, threatened not; but committed His cause to Him Who judgeth righteously." As treading this path much-enduring Job also is justly admired: for it is written of him, "What man is like Job, who drinketh wrongs like a draught?" For their benefit, therefore, He rebuked the disciples, gently restraining the sharpness of their wrath, and not permitting them to murmur violently against those who sinned, but persuading them rather to be longsuffering, and to cherish a mind immovable by ought of this.

It benefited them also in another way: they were to be the instructors of the whole world, and to travel through the cities and villages, proclaiming everywhere the good tidings of salvation. Of necessity, therefore, while seeking to fulfil their mission, they must fall in with wicked men, who would reject the divine tidings, and, so to speak, not receive Jesus to lodge with them. Had Christ, therefore, praised them for wishing that fire should come down upon the Samaritans, and that so painful a torment should be inflicted upon them, they would have been similarly disposed in many other instances, and when men disregarded the sacred message, would have pronounced their condemnation, and called down fire upon them from above. And what would have been the result of such conduct? The sufferers would have been innumerable, and no longer would the disciples have been so much physicians of the sick, as torturers rather, and intolerable to men everywhere. For their own good, therefore, they were rebuked, when thus enraged beyond measure at the contumely of the Samaritans: in order that they might learn that as ministers of the divine tidings, they must rather be full of longsuffering and gentleness; not revengeful; not given to wrath, nor savagely attacking those who offend them.

And that the ministers of God's message were longsuffering, Paul teaches us, saying, "For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were, condemned to death; for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. Being reviled, we bless; being defamed, we persuade: we have become the offscouring of the world; the refuse of all men up to this day." He wrote also to others, or rather to all who had not yet received Christ in them, but, so to speak, were still afflicted with the pride of the Samaritans: "We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

Great, therefore, is the benefit of the gospel lessons to those who are truly perfect in mind; and may we also, taking them unto ourselves, benefit our souls, ever praising Christ the Saviour of all: by Whom and with Whom to God the Father be praise and dominion, with the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever, Amen.

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The Mystical Resurrection of Christ

The following discourse is from the catecheses of St. Symeon the New Theologian to the monks of the Monastery of St. Mamas, where he served as Abbot. It is translated from the Greek edition by Archbishop Basil Krivoshein, Syméon le Nouveau Théologien, Catéchèses, Vol. II, Discourse 13, (Sources Chrétiennes, No. 104; Paris: Cerf, 1964), pp. 191-202.

Concerning the Resurrection of Christ: In what it consists, or how Christ’s resurrection takes place in us, and in it the resurrection of the soul. The mystery of this Resurrection. Delivered on the Monday of the second week of Pascha.

By St. Symeon the New Theologian

Brothers and fathers, already Pascha, that joyous day, that day of all gladness and delight, the day of Christ’s Resurrection, has arrived in the annual cycle. Rather, it occurs daily and eternally in those who know its mystery, and so has filled our hearts with ineffable joy and exultation. At the same time, it has brought to an end the toil of the all-venerable Fast; or, better to say, it has perfected our souls and consoled them as well. Therefore, as you see, after inviting all the faithful together to rest and to thanksgiving, it has passed.

Let us, then, give thanks to the Lord, who has conveyed us over the ocean of the Fast and led us with joy into the haven of His Resurrection. Let us give thanks to Him, both those who have diligently and zealously completed the course of the Fast with ardent resolve and struggles for virtue, and those of us, as well, who have been weak in this matter through negligence and infirmity of soul. He it is Who with great munificence bestows crowns upon the zealous and due rewards for their deeds, and also in His mercy and love for mankind grants forgiveness to the weaker.

For He sees the dispositions and intentions of our souls rather than the toils of our bodies, whereby we exercise ourselves in virtue, whether we intensify our asceticism out of eagerness of soul or practice less than the zealous because of the weakness of our bodies. In accordance with our intentions He measures out the prizes and the charisms of the Spirit to each one, either granting fame and glory to him who is zealous or leaving him still in a lowly state and in need of more strenuous purification.

But, if you will, let us look and carefully examine a what is the mystery of that Resurrection of Christ our God that occurs mystically in us at all times, if we are willing, and how Christ is buried in us as in a sepulchre and how He unites Himself to our souls and rises again, raising us with Himself. Such is the aim of our discourse.

Christ our God was suspended on the Cross and, having nailed thereto the sin of the world and having tasted death, He descended into the nethermost depths of Hades.

He returned from Hades into His own immaculate body, from which [His Divinity]1 had in no way been separated as He descended thither, and at once He rose from the dead. Thereafter, He ascended to Heaven with great glory and power. In just the same way, since we have now come out of the world and entered into the tomb of repentance and humiliation by being assimilated to the sufferings of the Lord, He Himself comes down from Heaven and enters into our body as into a grave. He unites Himself to our souls and raises them up, though they were avowedly dead, and then vouchsafes to him who has thus been raised with Christ to behold the glory of His mystical Resurrection.

Christ’s Resurrection is thus our resurrection, the resurrection of us who lie prostrate in sin. He who has never fallen into sin, as it is written, nor suffered any alteration in His own glory, how will He ever be raised up or glorified, since He is always supremely glorified and remains the same, “far above every principality and authority”?

As has been said, Christ’s Resurrection and His glory are our glory, which is accomplished in us, disclosed to us, and beheld by us through His Resurrection. Once He has appropriated what is ours, that which He works in us He ascribes to Himself.

The resurrection of the soul is union with life. Just as the body is dead and cannot live or be called alive unless it receives the living soul in itself and is united to it, though without admixture, so also the soul cannot live unless it is ineffably and unconfusedly united to God, Who is truly eternal Life.

Before this union in knowledge, vision, and perception it is dead, even though it is endowed with mind and is by nature immortal. There is no knowledge without vision, nor vision without perception.

This is what I am trying to say: there is vision, and in the vision there is knowledge and perception (I say this about spiritual things, for in the corporeal realm there is perception even apart from vision).

What do I mean? A blind man who strikes his foot against a stone feels it, but a dead man does not. But in spiritual things, unless the mind arrives at the vision of the things that are above thought, it does not perceive the mystical working of Divine Grace.

He therefore who, before he has arrived at Divine vision, claims that he perceives the things that are above mind, word, and thought resembles a blind man who has a sensation of good or bad things that he experiences, but does not know what is in his hands or at his feet, even if they are for him a matter of life or death. Since he is deprived of the faculty of sight and perception, he in no way perceives the bad or the good things that befall him. Hence, he will often lift up his staff to ward off his enemy and sometimes he smites his friend instead, while his enemy stands before his eyes and derides him.

Most men believe in the Resurrection of Christ, but very few are they that have a clear vision thereof. Those who do not behold it cannot even worship Christ Jesus as Holy and Lord. As Scripture says, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit,” and, elsewhere, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

That most sacred phrase which is daily on our lips does not say, “Having believed in the Resurrection of Christ,” but, “Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One.”

How then, does the Holy Spirit exhort us to say, “Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ,” which we have not seen, as though we had seen it, when Christ has risen once for all a thousand years ago,2 and even then without anyone seeing it?3

Surely Divine Scripture does not wish us to lie? Far from it! Rather, it urges us to speak the truth, that the Resurrection of Christ takes place in each of us who believes, and that not once, but every hour, so to speak, when Christ the Master arises in us, in splendid raiment and flashing forth rays of incorruption and Divinity.

For the light-bearing Advent of the Spirit reveals to us, as in early morning, the Master’s Resurrection, or, rather, it grants us to see the Risen Lord Himself. For this reason we say, “God is the Lord and hath revealed Himself unto us,” and we allude to His Second Coming, adding these words, “Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.”

Those to whom the Risen Christ has revealed Himself, to them has He assuredly become manifest spiritually; He has shown Himself to their spiritual eyes. When this happens to us through the Spirit, He raises us from the dead and gives us life. He grants us to see Him, Who is immortal and indestructible, and not only that, He grants us clearly to know Him who raises and glorifies us with Himself, as all of Divine Scripture attests.

These, then, are the Divine mysteries of Christians. This is the hidden power of our Faith, which unbelievers, or those who believe with difficulty, or rather believe in part, do not see and are not able at all to see.

Unbelievers, those who believe with difficulty, or believe in part, are those who do not show their faith through works. For, apart from works the demons also believe and confess Christ to be God and Master. “We know Thee Who Thou art,” they say, “the Son of God”; and elsewhere, “These men are the servants of the Most High God.”

Yet such faith will not benefit the demons, nor even men. This faith is of no use, for it is dead, according to the Divine Apostle, who says, “Faith without works is dead,” just like works without faith.

How is it dead? Because it does not have in itself God, Who bestows life. It does not possess in itself Him Who said, “He that loveth Me will keep My commandments, and I and the Father will come and make Our abode with him,” so that by His coming He might raise from the dead and give life to him who has acquired faith, and grant him to behold Him Who has risen in him and Who has resurrected him.

For this reason, such faith is dead, or, rather, they are dead who have faith without works. Faith in God is always alive, and since it is living, it gives life to those who come with a good intention and receive it. Even before they have carried out the commandments it has brought many out of death into life and has shown them Christ our God.

Had they persevered in His commandments and kept them until death, they, too, would have been preserved by them—that is, in the state to which faith alone had brought them. But since they “turned aside like a crooked bow” and transfixed themselves on their former actions, they inevitably at once made shipwreck of their faith and wretchedly deprived themselves of the true wealth, which is Christ our God.

So I beseech you, lest we suffer their fate, let us keep God’s commandments with all our might, so that we might enjoy both present and future good things, that is, the very vision of Christ. To this may we all attain by the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto Whom be glory unto the ages. Amen.

Notes

1. “Thou wast torn but not separated, O Word, from the flesh that Thou hadst taken.” (Canon of Great Saturday, Ode 6, Troparion 1)

Jesus, as man, wore body and soul. And while His soul separated from His body and descended into Hades, His Divinity remained in both His soul and His body, which is why “it was not separated from the flesh that [He had] taken.”

2. St. Symeon wrote during the first half of the eleventh century, which is why a thousand years had passed.

3. Christ rose “whilst the tomb was sealed.” “Whilst the tomb was sealed, Thou, O Life, didst shine forth from the grave, O Christ God.” (Dismissal Hymn of St. Thomas Sunday)

a. “Without a doubt, when the Church gave the exceptional and precise name of ‘Theologian’ to St. Symeon, it understood that this name revealed his figure in all of its depth. This of course means that he had an Apostolic heart, evangelizing, as a river overflowing with the waters of the Spirit, those leading the monastic life; he was clothed in the blood of the martyrs as with purple and fine linen, and became the ‘mystical’ exponent and hymnist of union with God, giving life to symbols and dogmatic ‘terms,’ and mystically accomplishing an assimilation of the Divine Mysteries. By no means does he neglect the Mysteriological experience (Baptism, Holy Communion, Repentance), since ‘his daily bread was the precious life-giving Bread and Blood of Christ,’ as a daily ‘beholder of dread visions’; but neither does he regard one as faithful, who does not have a mystical experience of the Mysteries (Resurrection, Crucifixion, etc.), ‘which always mystically takes place in those of us who so desire it.’’ (Symeon the New Theologian, Ἃπαντα [Complete Works], Vol. II, translation and commentary by Monk Dionysios Simonopetrites, (Athens: Ekdoseis “Ofelimou Bibliou,” 1974), p. 74, n. 3).

b. “In truth, no one saw the moment of Christ’s Resurrection. This event became the basis on which the Fathers characterize the Resurrection as a Mystery and express its meaning, which is unobservable, unfathomable, and inaccessible to man. A glance at the hymnology of the Church reveals that the Myrrh-bearing women and the Disciples ‘indicated’ the Resurrection, but did not see it. Moreover, Byzantine Iconography seems to have been profoundly influenced by the supernatural nature of the Resurrection. No Icon exists of the Resurrection itself, but it is replaced by the descent into Hades and the appearance of Christ to the Myrrh-bearing women.” (Ibid., p. 76, n. 15)

c. “Works confirm and reveal one’s faith, while faith gives meaning and justification to works. It is characteristic of the spirit of the Church that the Saints’ whole effort has in view the bearing of ‘witness’ to the Faith before Christ. Evidence of holiness is a praiseworthy life, which is inspired by the Orthodox Faith. Likewise, certain Martyrs are portrayed on Icons as presenting their head to Christ as proof of their faith.

Thus, there is no contradiction in St. Symeon when, in another Catechesis, he speaks about justification by faith and not works, while here he says that faith without works is dead. Just as with the Apostles Paul and James, St. Symeon’s sole goal is Christ Himself, and everything has this in view. When faith and works are cut off from the life-giving God and are individualized, then they are justified as ends in themselves. While such faith, on the one hand, flourishes in ‘dry and bare flights of logic,’ such works, on the other hand, degenerate into dead actions, deadened parts of incurable people. This, moreover, is also unbelief, or disbelief, or believing in part, according to St. Symeon.” (Ibid., pp. 77-78, n. 21)

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Saint Nikitas the New Hieromartyr (+ 1808)

St. Nikitas the New Martyr of Serres (Feast Day - Sunday of Saint Thomas and September 15)

The Holy Hieromartyr Nikitas was born between 1760 and 1770 and was from Epiros. Other biographers speculate he was born in Trebizond of Asia Minor from the region of Lazica. This theory comes from Monk Iakovos of New Skete, who wrote the Service to the Agiannaniton Fathers between 1840 and 1850 that Nikitas was from Lazica in Pontus. Furthermore, his reliquery bears the inscription: "The Holy Hieormartyr Nikitas of Lazica". Nothing is known of his parents or family except that they were Crypto-Christians.

Regarding his biography, we don't know if he initially betrayed Orthodoxy and accepted Islam in Serres, but we do know that he accepted circumcision.


Nikitas became a monk on Mount Athos in the Skete of Saint Anna. Here he lived a life of fasting, prayer and vigils. Later he was ordained to the diaconate and the priesthood at the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon. Desiring martyrdom he left the Monastery and went to Serres in Drama on Great and Holy Monday in 1808 to proclaim before the Turks that Christ is the true God. His goal was to spill his blood for His most sweet Jesus.

Saint Nikitas went to confess his sins to the Hieromonk and Abbot Constantine at the Metochion of Panagia Iliokallis and he received the Holy Mysteries. Passing the Church of Saint George he went to the Mosque of Ahmed Pasha. At the mosque was a teacher of Islamic sacred writing together with his students. One of the students was lame in both feet. Nikitas told this student that if he believed in Christ, his feet would be healed.


The young Turk told his teacher what Nikitas told him. Nikitas was arrested and taken to the voyvoda of Serres Yusuf Bey and he was imprisoned. While imprisoned he was severely tortured. On the night of Holy and Great Saturday as Pascha dawned on April 4th in 1808 Fr. Nikitas was ordered to be hung in Tzeriach - Pazar. Near the spot of his martyrdom was the Church of the Archangel Micheal. On the night of Fr. Nikitas' martyrdom the deacon of this church came out of his cell and saw the entire area in a divine light. The Turks ordered the body of the martyr to remain hung on the gallows for three days until Bright Tuesday. That night the Christians were given license by the Turks to take the holy relic of the Hieromartyr and they entombed him in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Serres. The Skete of Saint Anna on Mount Athos was also given a portion of his relics by the Metropolitan of Serres.

In Serres a great celebration takes place on the feast of Hieromartyr Nikitas on his feast day, which since 1987 is the Sunday of Saint Thomas and September 15th.

Απολυτίκιο Ήχος α’
Νικήσας φερωνύμως των εχθρών την παράταξιν, Νικήτα Νεομάρτυς τη γενναία αθλήσει σου, ηγίασας την πόλιν των Σερρών, τοις άθλοις σου τοις θείοις Αθλητά. Δια τούτό σου την μνήμην την ιεράν, τιμώμεν ανακράζοντες. Δόξα τω δεδωκότι σοι ισχύν, δόξα τω σε στεφανώσαντι, δόξα τω χορηγούντι δια σου, ημίν χάριν και έλεος.

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Thomas Monday or Tuesday and the Departed

By Sergei V. Bulgakov

On Thomas Monday, in some places on Tuesday, the commemoration of the departed is done. Actually in the service of these days according to the Ustav [Typikon] the special prayers for the departed are not prescribed and the commemoration on these days is done according to the pious custom of the Russian Church. The basis for this commemoration of the departed, on the other hand, serves to commemorate the descent of Jesus Christ into Hades, tied not only to Thomas Sunday but also for another reason, is the decision of the church Ustav [Typikon] to do the usual commemoration of the departed, beginning with Thomas Monday. Under this decision the faithful come to the graves of their relatives with the joyful news about the resurrection of Christ. From here also the very day of commemoration is called Radonitsa [Day of Rejoicing]1.

The commemoration of the departed after Pascha was also done in extreme antiquity. St. Ambrose of Milan says in one of his sermons: "It is truly meet and right, brethren, that after the celebration of Pascha, which we have celebrated, to share our joy with the holy martyrs and by them as participants in the suffering of the Lord, to announce the glory of the resurrection of the Lord." Although these words of St. Ambrose relate to martyrs, they may be an indication of our custom to commemorate the departed after Pascha on Monday or Tuesday of Thomas Week because the beginning of the solemn commemorations in the faith of those who died is established in the New Testament Church as a pious custom to the memory of the martyrs, but among the martyrs buried in antiquity and the others who have died (see details in the Astrakhanskiia Eparkhialniia Vedomosti [Astrakhan Diocesan News] 1891, 10).

Up to present time in some places there exists a shocking custom of wild drunken revelry after the Paschal remembrance of the departed. In 1895 in Kiev the local Diocesan Authorities issued an order to prohibit bringing vodka and other intoxicated drinks into the cemeteries during the time of the paschal memorials, and assigned the responsibility to the cemetery rectors for the sober Christian behavior of visitors of the cemeteries, but the police were offered vodka to pass by the cemetery and thereby not remove the drinking parties from the graves. All Kiev parish clergy announced this order beforehand in the temples and admonished their parishioners to abandon this sinful custom to celebrate only after the pagan drunken funeral feast on the graves of their deceased. This new order was published in the local newspapers. Besides this the rectors of the Kiev cemeteries also posted special posters about the city, notified the townspeople on the enacted order and accepted the measures against drunkenness in the cemeteries (see the Tserkovnyi Vestnik [Church Messenger], 1895, 16). May God grant that also in other places they do not hesitate to take corresponding measures against allowing wild orgies so offensive for all Christian feelings in the cemeteries during the memorials of the deceased.

1. In some places they give the Old Slavonic name "Navii [corpse]" to this day (Dushepoleznoe Chtenie [Edifying Reading], 1871, 11, page 273).

Source

See also: Tuesday of St. Thomas: Radonitsa (Day of Rejoicing)

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Saint Ananias of Malles, Crete (+ 1907)

Saint Ananias of Malles, Crete (Feast Day - April 22)

Haji-Ananias, who in the world was known as Anthony Barberakis, was the first monk, renovator and abbot of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Exakousti in the village of Malles in Ierapetra, Crete.

He was born in 1837 in Ierapetra from rather poor but godly parents, John and Athena, who raised their child "in the education and admonition of the Lord". Anthony had not been educated, but from a young age was attracted to a divine education and wanted to receive the angelic schema of a monastic. He avoided any physical pleasure. As an infant he would not want to breastfed on Wednesday and Friday and stubbornly refused to touch the breast of his mother. He never ate meat, fish and cheese. Only on weekends and major feasts would he eat oil, and on Pascha he would eat shellfish, cuttlefish and squid. He was always barefoot and dressed in clothing with heavy and hard fibers, while his bed was the skin of an animal, usually a sheep, and his pillow was made of rocks. Hence, at the age of fourteen he left his family's house and fled to the Monastery of the Honorable Forerunner in Kapsa in Sitia, where he became a fellow-monk and student of Saint Joseph Gerontoyiannis, founder of today's Kapsa Monastery. Here he received the name Ananias.

After the death of Saint Joseph in 1870, Ananias was elected abbot of the monastery, but certain slanders later forced him to flee to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem he intended to visit the holy shrines, and it was from this pilgrimage that he received the name Haji (pilgrims to the Holy Land were given this title).

Love and desire for his country brought him back to Malles in the year 1877, and from there he fled to Exakousti where he set about renovating the monastery.

Haji-Ananias restored the cave church which he dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ and rebuilt the old church which he made into the katholikon of the new monastery. According to the French archaeologist Paule Faure he found "a ruined church with an unknown name and a small chapel, with the name of Panagia Exakousti." This is confirmed by other sources, indicating that Haji-Ananias restored the church that was there and began building a new monastery near the cave. The completion of the renovation work of the monastery was five years later, as mentioned in the inscription on the basis of the bell tower of the church: "The 21st of August 1882 / The Holy Monastery Exakoustis / Remember, Lord, Your servant Ananias the Monk / And his Brotherhood."

According to tradition the cave church is where the icon of the Theotokos was originally found by Ananias. It was not a church per se when Ananias restored it, but it was a natural looking cave church which he renovated into a church. As a child, Ananias came here on a rainy winter day as he was shepherding his flock nearby and fell asleep in the cave. While asleep he saw the Virgin Mary and she told him to look in the cave for her icon. The child awoke afraid and left. The next day he came to the cave again to escape the rain and fell asleep. He explored deep into the cave upon awaking and found the icon, which he took and brought back to his family home. His father got scared and he did not want to keep the icon in his house, because he considered himself unworthy to keep the holy icon there. He thus ordered his son to return the icon where he had found it. Since then, Anthony would go daily to that area and light an oil lamp before the icon. Later, with the help of his father, he established that small church in the cave.

The enlightened personality and the sanctity of Haji-Ananias attracted other monks, who would leave all their belongings to the monastery to help in its renovation. The surrounding land belonged to the family of Tsakiraki, who donated the land to Ananias for the establishment of the monastery. Young pilgrims were arriving daily to the newly-built monastery and candidate monks settled within. In 1881 there were eight monks in the monastery and two novices.

Until 1893 Ananias was the abbot of the monastery, at which time the Hieromonk Methodios Vrygionakis the Armenian was elected abbot, but nothing happened in the monastery without the opinion of Haji-Ananias, whom everyone recognized as the founder. During these years the Brotherhood of the Monastery had substantial real estate properties and a sufficient number of goats. The following year Fr. Methodios resigned and was replaced by the elected abbot Hieromonk Hierotheos Barberakis, nephew of Haji-Ananias. Shortly thereafter, due to difficult conditions, Bishop Ambrose of Sitia asked Haji-Ananias again to supervise the monastery from 7 April 1898 to 3 February 1899.

The progress of this great monastery was interrupted by the start of the 20th century, after the monastery was dissolved in accordance with the statute law of the Cretan State 276/1900 of the Cretan Orthodox Church. The ten monks moved and registered at Phaneromeni Monastery. But in 1903 the monastery was restored to Haji-Ananias and his Brotherhood, and they returned to their beloved place, the monastery of their repentance.

A few years later, Abbot Ananias died in righteousness on the night of Pascha on 22 April 1907, during the Anastasis service.

In the conscience of all the local people, Haji-Ananias was considered a saint. He possessed the gift of working wonders, healing the sick and clairvoyance, which he used in humility to help the people. He brought many sinners to repentance. His holy relics following his death gave off a beautiful fragrance and since his repose has had the grace to work miracles for all those who come to him with faith for help. The church celebrates his memory on April 22 every year.

As expected, following the repose of Haji-Ananias, the monastery began to fall into decline as the main attraction was no longer alive. By 1920 there were only four monks, while in 1935 the monastery was left desolate. The local church authorities sold to the community what estates were left.

During the German-Italian occupation in the 1940's the cells of the monks were looted and devastated. Not only was the cave Church of the transfiguration destroyed, but the katholikon was also. The cell of Fr. Joachim Hatzakis was also destroyed, who would serve the Divine Liturgy there regularly.

In 1961 the Church of Crete was given back the property to Panagia Exakousti. On 13 August 1963 a new abbot was chosen for the monastery to help restore it, Fr. Joannikios Androulakis. Until this time the cells of the monks were stalls for animals, but with the help of the locals the monastery gradually was restored and many trees planted. Water was irrigated and electricity supplied to the monastery. Fr. Joannikios began to have daily services and once again the monastery became a spiritual center.

Fr. Joannikios stayed at the monastery until 1976, at which time Bishop Philotheos II of Sitias converted it into a convent. He brought nuns from the Monastery of Koroni and the first abbess was Fevronia together with five nuns. These nuns continued the great restoration of the monastery, and even built a new chapel dedicated to the Holy Fathers and Mothers. The monastery celebrates its feast yearly on September 8th and many pilgrims come to celebrate and support the monastery.

Read more at the website of the monastery here.

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Holy New Martyr Maria Methymopoula (+ 1826)

St. Maria Methymopoula (Feast Day - May 1)

The New Martyr Maria of Crete was born of pious Orthodox parents in the village of Kato Phourni, and as a young girl she became the object of the desire of an Albanian Turk who was serving as a constable in her neighborhood. He began to woo her with gifts and flatteries, but, although he was rich, realizing that to marry him would mean abandoning her Faith and converting to Islam, Maria took great pains to avoid him and did not respond to his advances. In time the Turk's "love" for her turned into a cruel hatred, and using the means available to him as a constable, he set about to kill her. On a certain day, he saw her on a mulberry tree, collecting its leaves to feed the silkworms; her family tended silkworms. He fired his gun at her and a bullet pierced her heart. Her Life tells us that "the blessed one fell from the tree, branch by branch, as a fowl downed by a hunter." Saint Maria, who is surnamed Methymopoula, was thus slain in the early days of May (probably either the 1st or the 3rd) in the year 1826.

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Three Recent Miracles of Saint Cyril VI

To read about the wonderworker Saint Cyril VI, Patriarch of Constantinople, see here.

Healing of a Man With Cancer In 1998

My name is Yiannoula Papadoulis and I am a resident of the village Poimenikon Neas Orestiados. A year ago I had the icon of St. Cyril VI and in my prayer asked the Saint to make me worthy to go to Pythio to worship at his church and grave. This year, the Sunday of Saint Thomas which was his feast day, I went with my sister Athena and my brother-in-law Strati to his church.

There we venerated his icon and the three of us saw a few letters on his forehead. We read them but forgot them immediately. Only the letter "A" we all remember. We could not give any explanation for this. Surprised we took a little oil from the lamp burning in front of the icon to bless our dying father who suffered from cancer. Unfortunately all his blood had deteriorated and doctors from the Hospital Didymoteicho told us that it makes no sense for him sit there, and thus we should take him home to die peacefully.

Immediately after we blessed him he opened his eyes, he asked to eat, and then slept peacefully. In the morning he woke up and felt very good, as if not having undergone any inconvenience. We glorify God and His miraculous saint, Saint Cyril the VI, who is our protector! Every year we will venerate him with faith on the day of his memorial.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos


The Saint In Germany in 1998

My name is Vasiliki and I live in Germany. I gave birth a year ago to a girl, I baptized her and named her Marina. She was a healthy child, but suddenly when she was eight months she became paralytic, unable to move her hands or feet, and she would have convulsions. I took her to the hospital but the doctors could not find how she suffered from this incurable illness. I did not stop burning the oil lamp of St. Cyril, and at the bedside of my child I had the icon of the Saint and entreated him day and night for my child. After seven months I took the icon of the Saint and put it on her, and immediately this time she began to move her arms and legs. Doctors could not explain it and asked me what Saint this was and what his name is, so I told them the whole story of Saint Cyril and the miracle. I glorify God for the grace of the Saint who made my child well. May the grace of the Saint protect the entire world!

The Saint In Belgium (March 18, 1998)

My name is Eleni Karafyllaki and my husband is Michael. Our homeland is on the border of Ebro, the homeland of our great Saint Cyril, in Pythio. But we live now for many years abroad, in Belgium. My husband fell heavily ill and had to have three surgeries. It was very serious and involved the liver, lung and kidney. We went to many doctors here in Belgium and they presented things as very difficult as there was no specific treatment. One day as we returned home after the doctor I started crying with inconsolable despair. Like this I pulled open my drawer and took out my book with the life of the Saint, I hugged and cried with faith: "My Saint, save my husband." At night in my sleep I saw my departed father with St. Cyril (I recognized him from the icon on his book) and he said: "Eleni my child, do not worry, the Saint read over your husband and he does not have anything." The next morning we went to the hospital for test IV, and passing by the radiologist who was looking at the x-rays he told us: "The x-rays are totally clean! This was a great miracle or we did a misdiagnosis!" Great is the grace of the Saint. My family will always invoke him with faith.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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Synaxarion For the Sunday of Saint Thomas

By Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos

SUNDAY of SAINT THOMAS

On this day, the second Sunday of Pascha, we inaugurate the celebration of the Feast of Christ’s Resurrection, which revolves in a weekly cycle, and also the saving confession of the Apostle Thomas when he saw the hands and side of the Risen Lord.

Verses

If the seals of the Virgin’s womb and of the grave did not hinder Thee,
How could the seals of the doors hinder Thy might, O Lord?


Synaxarion

It was an ancient custom among the Hebrews to celebrate the inauguration of a solemn observance. For, since time is cyclical and brings round again the same day on which such and such an event occurred, they would commemorate that event annually, lest God’s mighty deeds should be forgotten. And so it was that the Hebrews first celebrated the Passover in Galgala, inaugurating the celebration of the crossing of the Red Sea; thereafter, they consecrated the Tabernacle of Witness, and at great expense; after that, they began to celebrate the reign of King David, and the other events—not to mention them individually. Now, since the Resurrection of the Lord is by far the greatest event ever to have occurred in the life of mankind and surpasses all comprehension, we celebrate it anew not only every year, but always and every eight days. The first celebration of the Resurrection is the present Sunday, which could, strictly speaking, be called both the eighth and the first day: the eighth, counting from Pascha; and the first, as being the source of the others; and, again, the eighth, because it is regarded as an Icon of that unending day of the age to come, which will always be both the first day and one single day, uninterrupted by night. So much for the inauguration of the celebration of Pascha.

The events involving St. Thomas happened as follows. When Christ appeared to the Disciples in the evening of the day on which He arose, Thomas was absent, not yet having assembled with the others, for fear of the Jews. When he returned after a short while and heard about Christ’s appearance, he did not just disbelieve the Disciples, when they said that they had seen Him risen, but he did not believe that He had risen at all, even though he was one of the twelve. In His ingenuity and mighty Providence, God, Who showed such concern for this one individual, in order to give even greater assurance of the Resurrection to future generations, after an interval of eight days, came again to the Disciples, so that St. Thomas’ desire might be stimulated to the utmost, especially in view of his unbelief, and so as to bestow on all a more precise belief in the Resurrection. With the doors being closed as before, and Thomas being present, Christ entered and, greeting them, as usual, with “Peace be unto you,” He turned towards Thomas and said: “Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side, and be not faithless, but believing. For, since thou didst need to be convinced not only through sight, but, because of the grossness of the flesh, thou didst also mention thy desire to touch (He showed hereby that when Thomas said these things to the Disciples, He was present to hear them), thrust thy hand into My side.” This indicates that the wound in His side was wide enough for a hand to go inside it. Thomas investigated carefully, and, receiving faith through touch (for he was permitted to see and do those things, even though Christ’s body was incorruptible and completely deified, so that he might be convinced), he cried out: “My Lord and my God.” He said the first with reference to Christ’s flesh, and the second with reference to His Divinity. And Christ said to him: “Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Thomas was called “Didymos,” either because he had a twin brother, or because he was doubtful about the Resurrection; or because the two fingers of his right hand were naturally joined together, that is, the middle finger and the forefinger; one might perhaps say that he was inclined to doubt and to touch the Lord’s side with these fingers. Others say, with greater accuracy, that the name “Thomas” means Didymos. This was the second appearance of Christ.

The third appearance took place at the Sea of Tiberias, at the catching of the fish, when He partook of food, which was consumed by the fire of His Divinity, as He Himself knew, giving further confirmation of the Resurrection. The fourth appearance was at Emmaus, and the fifth in Galilee.

He is said to have appeared after the Resurrection eleven times, until the Ascension, performing many wondrous miracles before the Disciples (for these events were not made known to most people). The Evangelists did not record all of these miracles, because it was not possible for the majority of people, who were living in the world, to understand them, given that they were so very preternatural.

By the intercessions of Thine Apostle Thomas, O Christ our God, have mercy on us. Amen.

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Apolytikion in the Grave Tone
Whilst the tomb was sealed, Thou, O Life, didst shine forth from the grave, O Christ God; and whilst the doors were shut, Thou didst come unto Thy disciples, O Resurrection of all, renewing through them an upright Spirit in us according to Thy great mercy.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
With his searching right hand, Thomas did probe Thy lifebestowing side, O Christ God; for when Thou didst enter whilst the doors were shut, he cried out unto Thee with the rest of the Apostles: Thou art my Lord and my God.

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St. John Chrysostom: The Doubt of St. Thomas

By St. John Chrysostom

John 20:24-25

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said, "Except I shall see in His hands — I will not believe."

1. As to believe carelessly and in a random way, comes of an over-easy temper; so to be beyond measure curious and meddlesome, marks a most gross understanding. On this account Thomas is held to blame. For he believed not the Apostles when they said, “We have seen the Lord”; not so much mistrusting them, as deeming the thing to be impossible, that is to say, the resurrection from the dead. Since he says not, “I do not believe you,” but, “Except I put my hand— I do not believe.” But how was it, that when all were collected together, he alone was absent? Probably after the dispersion which had lately taken place, he had not returned even then. But do thou, when you see the unbelief of the disciple, consider the lovingkindness of the Lord, how for the sake of a single soul He showed Himself with His wounds, and comes in order to save even the one, though he was grosser than the rest; on which account indeed he sought proof from the grossest of the senses, and would not even trust his eyes. For he said not, “Except I see,” but, “Except I handle,” he says, lest what he saw might somehow be an apparition. Yet the disciples who told him these things, were at the time worthy of credit, and so was He that promised; yet, since he desired more, Christ did not deprive him even of this.

And why does He not appear to him straightway, instead of “after eight days”? [John 20:26] In order that being in the mean time continually instructed by the disciples, and hearing the same thing, he might be inflamed to more eager desire, and be more ready to believe for the future. But whence knew he that His side had been opened? From having heard it from the disciples. How then did he believe partly, and partly not believe? Because this thing was very strange and wonderful. But observe, I pray you, the truthfulness of the disciples, how they hide no faults, either their own or others', but record them with great veracity.

Jesus again presents himself to them, and waits not to be requested by Thomas, nor to hear any such thing, but before he had spoken, Himself prevented him, and fulfilled his desire; showing that even when he spoke those words to the disciples, He was present. For He used the same words, and in a manner conveying a sharp rebuke, and instruction for the future. For having said,

John 20:26

"Reach hither your finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither your hand, and thrust it into My side”; He added, “And be not faithless, but believing.”

Do you see that his doubt proceeded from unbelief? But it was before he had received the Spirit; after that, it was no longer so, but, for the future, they were perfected.

And not in this way only did Jesus rebuke him, but also by what follows; for when he, being fully satisfied, breathed again, and cried aloud,

John 20:28-29

“My Lord, and my God.” He says, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.”

For this is of faith, to receive things not seen; since,“ Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” [Hebrews 11:1] And here He pronounces blessed not the disciples only, but those also who after them should believe. “Yet,” says some one, “the disciples saw and believed.” Yes, but they sought nothing of the kind, but from the proof of the napkins, they straightway received the word concerning the Resurrection, and before they saw the body, exhibited all faith. When therefore any one in the present day say, “I would that I had lived in those times, and had seen Christ working miracles,” let them reflect, that, “Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed.”

It is worth enquiring, how an incorruptible body showed the prints of the nails, and was tangible by a mortal hand. But be not thou disturbed; what took place was a matter of condescension. For that which was so subtle and light as to enter in when the doors were shut, was free from all density ; but this marvel was shown, that the Resurrection might be believed, and that men might know that it was the Crucified One Himself, and that another rose not in His stead. On this account He arose bearing the signs of the Cross, and on this account He eats. At least the Apostles everywhere made this a sign of the Resurrection, saying, “We, who ate and drank with Him.” [Acts 10:41] As therefore when we see Him walking on the waves before the Crucifixion, we do not say, that that body is of a different nature, but of our own; so after the Resurrection, when we see Him with the prints of the nails, we will no more say, that he is therefore corruptible. For He exhibited these appearances on account of the disciple.

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Renewal Sunday: The Eighth Day After Pascha

By Sergei V. Bulgakov

The eighth day after Pascha as the ending of the celebration of Bright Week was a special celebration since ancient times, as if it replaced the very same Day of Pascha and was called Antipascha, and means "instead of Pascha".

From this day the cycle of Sundays and weeks of the entire year begins. On this day the commemoration of the resurrection of Christ is updated for the first time. This Sunday of the Antipascha was called the New Sunday, i.e. the first day of renewal or simply renewal [1]. The more proper name is the real day, the eighth day after Pascha, that on this eighth day the Lord Himself willed the renewal of the joy of His resurrection with a new appearance to the Holy Apostles [2].

St. Gregory the Theologian says in his Homily on this Sunday: "With the ancient and good purpose, it is to honor the day of renewal as established law, or better to say, to honor the new benefactions with the day of renewal. But was not the day of renewal also the first Resurrection Day, followed by the blessed and radiant night? Why you give this name to the present day? That was the day of salvation, but this day is the commemoration of salvation. That day differentiates the burial and the resurrection in itself, but this day is purely of the new birth. It is the first day among those following it and eighth among those coming before it."

Commemorating this day of "renewal" the Holy Church inspires in us the necessity for our beneficial spiritual renewal. "The real renewal", the same Holy Father teaches, "we now celebrate, is the going from death to life. And so we put off ourselves the old man and renewed ourselves; that we too might walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). ... The old has passed away, behold, the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17). ... Let us bridle all lusts from which death was born, let us become accustomed to the feeling of obedience, let us begin to hate any evil food from prohibited fruit and let us remember the former only and henceforth first be wary of the same. Christian be made new from the old and in this way celebrate the renewal of the soul. ... Change yourself with a good change, and in this case do not think highly of yourself, but say with David: 'This is a change being wrought by the right hand of the Most High' (Ps. 76:11), from whom is everything successful in people. God the Word wants that you not stand in the place alone, but that you ever move, moving smoothly, be completely newly created and if you sin turn yourself away from the sin, and if you are successful, you will have strained the powers even more."

1 According to the explanation of the Synaxarion there was an ancient custom to periodically do a solemn commemoration for some major events. So that time in the annual cycle does not pass by this very day on which the known event occurred, it annually did a commemoration in order that the memory of the great events was not forgotten. On this basis the Hebrews celebrated the Passover in Gilgal for the first time, renewing their memory of the passage through the Red Sea. On this same basis they celebrated the foundation, and with special solemnity, the renewal of the witness of the Tabernacle. According to this they commemorated the reign of David and other events of which there is no need to list. But so that the incomparably greatest of all events in the life of every one and exceeding every idea is the resurrection of the Lord that we not only commemorate annually, but also continually through every week. So the first renewal of this event in memory of the real Resurrection Day, which it would be possible to call the first renewal of this event by its own meaning both the eighth and the first: the eighth because it is the eighth from Pascha, as the first because it is the beginning of other Sunday commemorations. And this day can still be named the eighth because it will be placed in the image of that eternal day in the future age, which will also be the first and undoubtedly one not divided by night (Vladimirskiia Eparchialniia Vedomosti [Vladimir Diocesan News] 1898, 7).

2 So that the renewal of the appearance of the resurrected Savior was especially for the sake of the Holy Apostle Thomas, who at this appearance also saw the salvatory wounds of the body of the Resurrected One, that from here and of our other more common usage of the name of Antipascha or by the Sunday of St. Thomas, or Thomian. In the ancient church Antipascha Sunday had yet another more special name of "White Sunday", which even now remains in the Roman Catholic Church. It is called so because the newly baptized, who received the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation on the eve of Holy Pascha and wore the paschal white vestments for seven days in the image of the infancy and renewal in Christ, on Thomas Sunday, as the last day established for the commemoration after the reception of Baptism, the chrism was washed off from the body and they solemnly wore those clothes in which they were vested after the holy font in the temple.

Our simple people called Thomas Sunday the Sunday of the "wire", or of the "wires", obviously, because these celebratory days come to an end and is led by the Bright Sunday of the Resurrection of Christ. Thomas Sunday is also called "Krasnoiu gorkoiu [with bitter beauty]" from the ancient Pagan games, which were played in mountainous places in Spring, before other places were free from snow and were covered by the first beautiful grass, which in the majority concluded in marriages (see details in Rukovodstvo dlia Seljskikh Pastirej [Manual for Village Pastors] 1892, 15; Tserkovnyi Vestnik [Church Messenger] 1896, 8).

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The Kollyvades Movement and the Spiritual Regeneration of Orthodoxy

By Christos Yannaras

In the late eighteenth century, a new controversy in the monastic community of the Holy Mountain turned unexpectedly into a movement of spiritual regeneration. Certain important ecclesiastics came together to defend the theological profundities of Orthodox worship, and soon found themselves attempting to reawaken the subject Greek nation's spiritual consciousness.

This was the Kollyvades movement, a complex issue with contradictions that provoked widely differing reactions. Were conservative zealots, servile to the Turk, spreading obscurantism? Or was a strong neo-patristic revival preparing a final flowering of a broader Greek culture? Was it a movement against Westernization and the alienation of Hellenism from its spiritual roots? Or did it exemplify Western pietism's penetration of Greek Orthodoxy?

"Kollyvades" began as a pejorative term for Athonite monks who disapproved of commemorating the departed on a Sunday with "kollyva" - boiled wheat. The commemorations were always read after the Divine Liturgy on Saturday in the Athonite community's monasteries and sketes. The Church's most ancient custom was to celebrate Sunday as a paschal day of resurrection, which excluded the funerary memorial prayers for the departed.

In 1754 monks of the Skete of St. Anne transferred the commemorations from Saturday to Sunday for a practical reason: they wanted to visit the Saturday market in Karyes. Their ignorance about the sense and significance of worship proved their theological superficiality, provoking opposition from simple monks who clearly possessed an alert ecclesiastical consciousness. A painful controversy ensued and arguments were exchanged by both sides. The Kollyvades insisted on a paschal character of the Lord's Day, refusing to "bend the knee" on Sunday, and insisting on frequent Holy Communion.

The Church's canons forbid kneeling on the Lord's Day. They stipulate that "we offer the Eucharist on the Lord's Day in a standing position," because we are no longer slaves, subject to death, but conformed to the Lord's resurrection. Insisting on "continuous Holy Communion" reflects a true understanding of the Church; only the Eucharist realizes and manifests the Church when the faithful receive Communion "from the same bread and cup".

The Kollyvades' theses convey a vigilant theological awareness of the Church's living priorities, which for that time was unusual. The opponent's arguments were generally scholastic and lacking in theological content. Yet they prevailed, their proponents imposing their views on the Patriarchate of Constantinople and procuring the condemnation of the Kollyvades by the Holy Synod. The leaders were exiled, excommunicated and deposed. Two Kollyvades monks of Mount Athos were even assassinated.

Most of the movement's leaders had to abandon the Holy Mountain, many going to the Aegean islands: Chios, Ikaria, Paros, Hydra, etc. The most important Kollyvades center was in Skiathos, at the Monastery of the Annunciation founded by Hieromonk Niphon in exile. Niphon's personality and the monastery's traditions strongly influenced two local authors: Papadiamandis and Moraitidis.

At the start, the Kollyvades' leader was Neophytos Kausokalyvites (1713-1784). Having studied in Constantinople, Patmos and Ioannina, he became a monk in the Skete of Kausokalyvia on Mount Athos. He taught at the Athonias School, serving two terms as director. His influential treatise On Frequent Holy Communion of the Immaculate Mysteries (1766) intensified the controversy. Exiled from Mount Athos, he continued teaching in Chios, Andrionople, Brasov in Transylvania, and Bucharest, where he died.

Hieromonk Athanasios Parios (1721-1813) succeeded Neophytos as the movement's leader. Born in Kostos on Paros, he studied in Smyrna, and then under Eugenios Voulgaris and Neophytos Kausokalyvites at the Athonias School. He taught in Thessalonica, broadening his studies with lessons in philosophy, rhetoric and physics from Nikephoros Theotokis in Corfu. After a brief stay in Mesolonghi, he returned to the Holy Mountain as director of the Athonias School, vigorously defending the Kollyvades. His opponents accused him of heresy and on June 9, 1776, he was condemned, defrocked and excommunicated by Sophronios II, Patriarch of Constantinople, and his Synod. He took refuge in Thessalonica, and ran the city's grammar school. He defended himself before the Holy Synod of Constantinople during Gabriel IV's patriarchate in 1781, when his excommunication was lifted and he was restored to the priesthood. He stayed in Thessalonica until 1786, collaborating with Saint Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain in publishing Saint Gregory Palamas' works, and then went to Chios, where he directed the grammar school until he died....

The clash between the Kollyvades and the Enlightenment's proponents at the turn of the nineteenth century was perhaps neo-Hellenism's last chance to preserve its traditional identity. Of course, Korais' opinions prevailed, not those of the Kollyvades. Wider Hellenism had begun its long agony, which after successive amputations continues painfully and inexorably to the present day.

Read also: "The Philokalia": A Challenge To Western Culture

From Orthodoxy and the West, pp. 115-117.

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Paschal Art

Ivan Vladimirov (Russia, 1869 - 1947)
Pierre Outin (France, 1840-1899)
Alexander Α. Buchkuriya (Russia, 1870 - 1942)
Miloradovitch Sergey (1851 -1943)
Paul Ryzhenko (1970) Pascha in Paris
Vladimir Makovsky Ye (1846 - 1920) Pascha in 1914
Neringa Morgunova "Pascha" 2005
Pascha - Kudrin, Victor 1999, Russia in 1925

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Video: Pascha In New York With Archbishop Demetrios 2011

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America celebrates the Anastasis service at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Flushing, NY.

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Novak Djokovic Honored By the Serbian Orthodox Church

Christopher Mayers
April 30, 2011
Bettor.com

Reigning world number two tennis pro Novak Djokovic stood victorious in the field of religion as well, as he was awarded the Order of Saint Sava of the first degree on Thursday. It is the highest decoration awarded by the Serbian Orthodox Church for Djokovic’s dedication and generosity to the religion. The honor was presented to the Serbian by His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irenaeus.

At the suggestion of His Grace Bishop of Raska-Prizren Teodosija, Djokovic was appreciated for his devotion to the Church, exhibited by his unrelenting help for the people of Serbia and the sanctuaries of the Holy Church. His welfare efforts, especially for people in Kosovo and Metohija, were recognised by the Holy Church.

“This award is certainly the most important I’ve ever got,” said Djokovic after receiving his honor. “As an athlete and a religious person, it is hard for me to find appropriate words to describe my feelings of gratitude for the confidence I gain from the Holy Synod. I can only say that it can be earned only with hard work and self-belief, belief in your loved ones and in God.”

Djokovic’s family was not the only attendant at the ceremony but a number of well reputed dignitaries were also present to appreciate the young tennis star for his religious services. The members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Bishops Irinej of Backa and Forije of Dalmatia were among the few attending the award ceremony.

The 23-year-old Serbian is already at the peak of his career and has climbed up to the number two spot in men’s ranking by toppling over the Swiss maestro, Roger Federer, this year. Djokovic’s performances with the racquet had been exemplary in the current ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) season. He has already bagged four championship titles, including the Grand Slam Down Under, this year. Receiving the Order of Saint Sava award clearly depicts the strong character of the man and it denotes that he is not only a champion on tennis courts, but a true devotee to religion and people welfare as well.

Djokovic is currently playing the Serbia Open at Belgrade, Serbia and has reached the semi-final of the event. He will be facing his good friend and fellow countryman, Janko Tipsarevic for a place in his fifth ATP final of the year.

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Video: Feast of Panagia Dobra in Beroia on Bright Friday

On Bright Friday, the feast of Zoodochos Pege, the Holy Monastery of Panagia Dobra in Beroia celebrated its feast day. The morning service was officiated by Metropolitan Paul.

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Boy Dies In Athens From Pascha Fireworks

Seven-year-old suffered serious head injuries.

April 29, 2011
Kathimerini

The seven-year-old boy who was seriously injured by a flare on Easter Saturday has died in an Athens hospital, doctors said.

The boy, who was not named, suffered serious head injuries when the flare exploded in the courtyard* of the Agios Georgios church in Drosia, near Halkida on Evia.

He was being treated at Agia Sofia Hospital, where he died on Friday morning.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly firing the marine flare.

It is traditional in Greece for worshippers to set off fireworks and bangers as part of celebrations to mark the resurrection of Christ.

* The boy was named Christos and the firework was thrown by a 26 year old into the courtyard of the church, which hit the boy in the eye.

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April 30, 311: Emperor Galerius Issues Edict of Toleration

By Diane Severance, Ph.D. and Dan Graves, MSL

Sometimes when a person nears death and stares into the face of eternity, he or she becomes more religious or makes moral changes, perhaps hoping to influence his or her future beyond the grave. That seems to have been the case with Roman Emperor Galerius when he issued an Edict of Toleration on this day, April 30, 311.

Galerius was the son of a Greek shepherd who became a Roman soldier. He rose in power and authority to become a junior ruler with Diocletian. When Emperor Diocletian began his great persecution of Christians in 303, Galerius instigated the action, convincing Diocletian that Christians were dangerous enemies of the empire.

Galerius himself issued another edict in 304 requiring everyone in the empire to sacrifice to the gods of the empire on pain of death or forced labor. Persecutors imprisoned churchmen, destroyed precious Bible manuscripts, and executed hundreds of Christians.

When Diocletian abdicated, Galerius became senior emperor in 305. He continued his cruel persecution, which was so widespread and intense that it became known as "the great persecution". However, Christianity simply would not go away. Even Galerius recognized the impossibility of snuffing out the illegal religion.

Then he became ill. A Christian writer named Lactantius said that Galerius' body rotted and was eaten by maggots while he writhed in agony. Apparently Galerius' conscience connected his persecution of Christians with his present misery. He seems to have seen his illness as a judgment from the Christian God. At any rate, his edict mentioned only Christians.

The edict began by justifying his murder. "Amongst our other measures for the advantage of the Empire, we have hitherto endeavored to bring all things into conformity with the ancient laws and public order of the Romans. We have been especially anxious that even the Christians, who have abandoned the religion of their ancestors, should return to reason."

Noting that some Christians had betrayed their faith out of fear while others endured torture, Galerius decided illogically that "we, with our wonted clemency, have judged it wise to extend a pardon even to these men and permit them once more to become Christians and reestablish their places of meeting..."

Galerius added that "...it should be the duty of the Christians, in view of our clemency [mercy], to pray to their god for our welfare, for that of the Empire, and for their own, so that the Empire may remain intact in all its parts, and that they themselves may live safely in their habitations."

Prayer seems to be the point of the edict. Galerius wanted Christian prayers. Did he hope for a miracle? If so, he was disappointed. He died a week after issuing the edict.

His successor, Emperor Maximinus, tried to counteract the edict but did not succeed to any great extent in his short rule. The Great Persecution of Christians had ended.

Source

The Edict of Toleration

Among other arrangements which we are always accustomed to make for the prosperity and welfare of the republic, we had desired formerly to bring all things into harmony with the ancient laws and public order of the Romans, and to provide that even the Christians who had left the religion of their fathers should come back to reason ; since, indeed, the Christians themselves, for some reason, had followed such a caprice and had fallen into such a folly that they would not obey the institutes of antiquity, which perchance their own ancestors had first established; but at their own will and pleasure, they would thus make laws unto themselves which they should observe and would collect various peoples in diverse places in congregations. Finally when our law had been promulgated to the effect that they should conform to the institutes of antiquity, many were subdued by the fear of danger, many even suffered death. And yet since most of them persevered in their determination, and we saw that they neither paid the reverence and awe due to the gods nor worshipped the God of the Christians, in view of our most mild clemency and the constant habit by which we are accustomed to grant indulgence to all, we thought that we ought to grant our most prompt indulgence also to these, so that they may again be Christians and may hold their conventicles, provided they do nothing contrary to good order. But we shall tell the magistrates in another letter what they ought to do.

Wherefore, for this our indulgence, they ought to pray to their God for our safety, for that of the republic, and for their own, that the republic may continue uninjured on every side, and that they may be able to live securely in their homes.

This edict is published at Nicomedia on the day before the Kalends of May, in our eighth consulship and the second of Maximinus.

From Lactantius, De Mort. Pers. ch. 34, 35.

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Increased Visitors To Hagia Sophia Demands Restrictions

April 28, 2011
PanARMENIAN.net

Istanbul's famous Hagia Sophia museum has announced plans to introduce restrictions on the number of visitors to the site each day in response to a recent influx of visitors to the former Byzantine church-turned-mosque, according to Today’s Zaman.

The number of people visiting Hagia Sophia averages 10,000 daily. However, recently there has been a general increase in visitors to the site, with numbers exceeding 17,000 on some days.

The museum, which is expected to attract more than 3.5 million visitors by the end of year, will have new restrictions imposed on the number of people visiting the site at any one time. The measures are being introduced to avoid damage to the marble and mosaics on the walls of the historic building. Overcrowding tends to causes humidity in the structure, which contributes to the erosion of the mosaics. These restrictions will in particular be geared towards large groups and school field trips.

Haluk Dursun, president of the Hagia Sophia museum, said that agreements have been signed with the Education Ministry to impose some restrictions on school field trips, particularly those arriving during peak times. This is will be a first step toward managing the number of visitors to the site. In another measure, an appointment system will be introduced for large groups.

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Nikos Kourkoulis: Cancer and the Holy Mountain

Nikos Kourkoulis is among the most well-known and beloved musicians in Greece. On 6 December 2006 he spoke on Greek television station ANT1 of the following incident which occurred to him in 2002.

In 2002 Nikos was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After several tests, this diagnosis was confirmed. His mother told him not to worry, that all would turn out well for him.

During the period of Great Lent he finished the program at the center where he was appearing, and he presented all his friends and colleagues with gifts and gave his final wishes, as his cancer was rapidly progressing.

His friends and his uncle urged him to go to Mount Athos. This sounded like a good idea to him, as he had desired to travel to the Holy Mountain for years. The day before he went he decided to have another test, but did not get the results as he knew they would be the same. He had also decided that upon his return he would travel to America to speak with a physician who was a pancreatic specialist.

He departed then from Ouranoupolis on a small boat and landed in Daphne on Mount Athos. It was Holy Week and the boat was full of visitors and pilgrims. Despite this, there was one empty chair in which his friends urged him to sit. Next to him sat a gentleman of about 50 years of age who turned to Nikos and asked him: "Are you Kourkoulis? You know, I don't really know you because I am from America, but my daughter listens to you and likes your music. Can we take a picture together so that I can give it to her, as it would make her happy?" The picture was taken and then they began a conversation. Nikos mentioned how he desired to go to America, not as a tourist, but in search of a physician who could possibly help him with his health problems. He then mentioned the physicians name, and the gentleman from America was astonished.

What astonished the man was that he was the right hand man of the doctor Nikos had mentioned, and moreover the doctor in question was sitting right next to him. Having recovered from the surprise he talked with the doctor and exchanged cards for subsequent communication.

They arrived at the Skete of Saint Anna for the vigil of Great Friday. At one point an elder of the Skete named Fr. Silas approached Nikos and said: "Come with me, now that the large crowd has left, that you can venerate the belt of Saint Anna." He didn't know Fr. Silas, but he followed him anyway. When they reached the holy belt Nikos knelt and prayed. After kneeling for about one or two minutes he began to feel a great pressure on him that drove him to the floor. It made him faint and he was out for about twenty minutes. When he recovered he began to cry for what he felt. After about an hour of weeping he went to a room where he rested the entire next day.

After Pascha he returned to the city and visited the doctor where another surprise awaited him. The doctor told him that in the new tests they had taken, no trace of cancer could be seen. There was not even an indication that he ever had cancer.

It should be noted that during the entire period after he was diagnosed with cancer, he never took a drug or went through any chemotherapy to aid in his recovery.

Hear his testimony in the video below (in Greek):



Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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Panagia Tripiti of Aigio

Among the most beautiful and original religious monuments in Greece is the historic shrine of the "Life-Giving Spring" (Zoodochos Pege) known as "Panagia Tripiti" in Aigio. It is located on the beach of Aigio, built on a steep cliff 30 meters above the sea in a cave ("tripa" in Greek means "hole", in reference to the cave).

Anyone who first visits the shrine is impressed by the beauty of the landscape: high trunk cypresses and shady pines provide a unique and evocative grandeur. A scale of 150 steps connects the Holy Shrine to the public road. There is also a second route from Kyparissona. Once the visitor comes closer to the church, one notices a small cave of 3 meters depth on the cliff with a width of 2 meters and a height of 2 meters. The opening is built with stones and has a small door and window. According to tradition, this was the monastic cell of the Captain/Navigator who found the icon. But if the admiration of the pilgrim from the beauty of the surroundings is great, the more impressed and stunned they will be when entering the church. The marble front of the temple is engraved with the message: "With the Fear of God and Love Draw Near", to remind the pilgrims of the sacredness of the place and the obligation to approach the miraculous icon of the Life-Giving Spring with fear of God, faith and love in their hearts.

In the narthex there is holy water in an artistic marble fountain with a cross shape. Out of the mouths of three carved angels holy water continuously runs into a marble basin. The fountain is carved with the well known inscription (which in Greek can be read the same backward and forward, even in the reflection of the water: "ΝΙΨΟΝ ΑΝΟΝΗΜΑΤΑ ΜΗ ΜΟΝΑ ΝΟΨΙΝ") "Wash Not Only Your Face, But Your Sins", that is, wash yourself clean of all your sins thoroughly with repentance first and not just your face superficially. Then the pilgrim enters the main part of the church, the nave, and the soul opens to the evocative set decoration. Right in the cave is the icon of the Virgin Mary with her sweet face with eyes both lively and full of sympathy that captivate the pilgrim, and with her left hand holding the child Jesus, who blesses with his right hand and holds a scroll in his left.

According to pious tradition - which in the Orthodox Church is credible - in the middle of the sixteenth century, ie around 1550, a navigator of the Corinthian Gulf distinctly saw a light at nighttime indicating how close he was to the shore. This gave him the courage and hope to enlist all his strength to get to the shimmering light. He approached and saw with great surprise that it was the front of an icon of the Virgin Mary which was surrounded by light.

The grace-filled icon of the Virgin Mary was hidden in this rocky cave, unknown till then. This is how the icon of Panagia Tripiti was discovered. The navigator, moved with reverence, knelt and venerated the icon. The next day he told the city authorities of Aigio. Clergy, people, and rulers came to venerate the icon and offer up a Doxology.

The founder of the icon became the first hermit and a servant of the Virgin Mary. He then helped to begin the task of building the church. Initially it was decided to be east of the area where the holy icon was discovered, because the original place was rocky. On the evening of the first day that work began on the building, the rock where the icon had been found quaked and was reshaped for a small church. So people felt that the Panagia "built her house", and the magnificent church of today was built at this location. The main cave in front of the church in which it was built has a depth of 11 meters, width of 7 meters and height of 4 meters. To make the altar area where the holy icon was found, the sanctuary faces southeast and not east according to Orthodox tradition. Over time, the first hermitage evolved to a splendid monastery. The church took its present form in the 19th century. The monumental, renaissance style, exterior marble staircase, which connects the coastal road to the church, was built in 1870 by project engineer Angelo Korizi.

By Royal Decree of 8 May 1933 the feast of Panagia Tripiti was established as an official religious holiday of Aigio. On Bright Friday there was to be a solemn procession of the holy icon. Finally, with the No. 10/16-5-1970 regulation of the Holy Synod of Greece, it was recognized as a "Panhellenic Sacred Shrine" and characterized a Public Entity.

With the proclamation of Panagia Tripiti as a Panhellenic Sacred Shrine, it formalized the devotion of many devout Christians who flocked there for pilgrimage. The many magnificent wonders of the Virgin Mary over the years reveal this sacred place to be a great spiritual center of Panhellenism.

It is very moving to see - on Bright Friday - thousands of Christians from all over Greece - of all ages - to climb the long staircase (150 steps), many on their knees, barefoot, and with tears in their eyes and with gratitude in their hearts as an "offering" to the Virgin, who listened and accepted their plea and released them from any need or illness.

Many are the miracles of the Virgin which have become known through testimonies, letters of the faithful, and publications in the daily press. A faithful replica of the holy icon was produced in the year 1991 and is available to those who desire.










Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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