The Insane Thought of Divine Abandonment

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

If your entire life passed smoothly and without worry, then weep for yourself. For the Gospel and the experience of the people, with one accord assert that no one has, without great suffering and pain, left behind any great and beneficial work on earth or was glorified in the heavens. If, however, your earthly sojourn is completely adorned with sweat and tears to attain righteousness and truth, rejoice and be exceedingly glad for truly great is your reward in the heavens. Do not ever succumb to the insane thought that God has abandoned you. God knows exactly how much one can endure and, according to that, measures the sufferings and pains of everyone. St. Nil Sorsky says: "When even men know how much weight a horse, or a donkey or a camel can carry and, according to that they are loading them according to their strength; when a potter knows how long to leave the clay in the kiln for it to be neither shattered nor over-baked, how could God not know how much temptation a soul can bear to make it ready and fitted for the Kingdom of Heaven?"

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Divine Liturgy At the Holy Mountain of Varasova

The holy mountain of Varasova is known as the Mount Athos of Western Greece. Great churches and monasteries were founded at the foot of Varasova during Byzantine times, as well as in the regions of Aitolia and Akarnania. However, in search of greater austerity and seclusion, many monks and ascetics left the big monasteries and entered the craggy caves of Varasova. Among these caves, the most important is that which is dedicated to Saint Nicholas in southern Varasova, which is unique in all Greece. Ascetics lived here from the 9th - 19th century, according to discoveries made by Athanasios Paliouras, professor at the University of Ioannina.

Every summer a pilgrimage and Divine Liturgy are organized at St. Nicholas of Varasova with the help of the fishermen of Kato Vasilikis who bring the pilgrims to the cave.

In the first two videos below one can see what it takes to make a pilgrimage to the Cave of St. Nicholas and see scenes from the Divine Liturgy which took place there on Saturday 2 July 2011, which was presided over by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos. In the second video is the Metropolitan's homily. The third video is a history of Mount Varasova by Mr. Paliouras. The last two videos are summed up in the first.

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Vasiliki Rallis: "How Saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene Revealed Themselves To Me"

Vasiliki Rallis was among the most significant of the many people of the village of Thermi in Lesvos to whom Sts. Raphael, Nicholas and Irene revealed themselves and their relics. It was because of her faith and those with her that we have their glorious shrine in Thermi today and thousands of miracles have been worked for the faithful throughout the world by the grace of God through His Saints.

In this video Vasiliki recounts her testimony of the events that transpired (in Greek).

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Ossuary Belonging to a Daughter of the Caiaphas Family of High Priests Discovered

June, 30 2011
Art Daily

Three years ago the Israel Antiquities Authority Unit for the Prevention of Antiquities Robbery acquired a decorated ossuary bearing an engraved inscription.

The ossuary was discovered by antiquities robbers who plundered an ancient Jewish tomb of the Second Temple period. During the course of the investigation it was determined that the ossuary came from a burial cave in the area of the Valley of 'Elah, in the Judean Shephelah.

To check the authenticity of the artifact and the significance of the engraved inscription, the Israel Antiquities Authority turned to Dr. Boaz Zissu of the Department of the Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology of Bar Ilan University and Professor Yuval Goren of the Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations of the Tel Aviv University.

Israel from the late first century BCE until the beginning of the second century CE. The front of the ossuary that was found is decorated with a stylized floral motif above which is a long Aramaic inscription engraved in Jewish script:

'Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Son of Caiaphas, Priests [of] Ma'aziah from Beth 'Imri'

(or, an alternative reading:

'Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Son of Caiaphas, Priest of Ma'aziah from Beth 'Imri')


In the conclusion of their study Dr. Boaz Zissu and Professor Yuval Goren write, 'the prime importance of the inscription lies in the reference to the ancestry of the deceased - Miriam daughter of Yeshua - to the Caiaphas family, indicating the connection to the family of the Ma'aziahcourse of priests of Beth 'Imri'. Caiaphas is the name of Yeshua's father, and Miriam's grandfather. From the wording of the inscription we learn that he belonged to a famous family of priests that was active in the first century CE. One family member, the high priest Yehosef Bar Caiaphas, is especially famous for his involvement in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus.

Ma'aziah /Ma'aziahu is the last of the twenty four priestly courses that served in the Temple in Jerusalem. The list of courses, which was formulated during King David's reign, appears in the Bible in I Chronicles (I Chronicles 24:18). The signatories to the pledge in the days of Nehemiah include among others, 'Ma½ aziah, Bilgai, Shem'aiah; these are the priests' (Nehemiah 10: 9). This is the first reference to the Ma½ aziah course in an epigraphic find from the SecondTemple period. For the first time we learn from an inscription that the Caiaphas family was related to the Ma'aziah course.

The names of other courses, such as Abijah, Eliashib, Bilgah, Delaiah, Hakkoz, Shecaniah, Hezir, Jehoiarib, Jakim (Jakin) and Jeshebeab, are known from historical and epigraphic texts from the SecondTemple period, including inscriptions discovered in tombs.

The ending 'from Beth 'Imri' can be interpreted two ways:

The first possibility is that Beth 'Imri is the name of a priestly family - the sons of 'Immer (Ezra 2: 36-37; Nehemiah 7:39

This week, the two scientists published the results of their research, which summarize the importance of the find and confirm its genuineness. The study appears in the Israel Exploration Journal (Volume 61) published this week by the Israel Exploration Society.

Ossuaries are small stone chests that Jews used for secondary burial of bones.

Read also: Israeli Scholars Say 2,000-year-old Burial Box Linked to Bible’s High Priest Is Genuine

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Avoid Confusion: Disbelieve Paleoanthropologists

June 28, 2011
Creation-Evolution Headlines

If you care about the true history of the human race, don’t believe paleoanthropologists. They are clueless and confused. Every solution they come up with creates new problems, and their boastful announcements are likely to be overturned. That’s the gist of a commentary in PNAS by Bernard Wood,1 who wrote, “The origin of our own genus remains frustratingly unclear.” He ought to know; he’s an eminent paleoanthropologist himself.

For decades, paleoanthropologists have declared to the world that human beings originated in Africa and migrated out to colonize Europe and Asia. Prepare for a surprise. Dr. Wood said:

Although many of my colleagues are agreed regarding the “what” with respect to Homo, there is no consensus as to the “how” and “when” questions. Until relatively recently, most paleoanthropologists (including the writer) assumed Africa was the answer to the “where” question, but in a little more than a decade discoveries at two sites beyond Africa, one at Dmanisi in Georgia and the other at Liang Bua on the island of Flores, have called this assumption into question. The results of recent excavations at Dmanisi reported in PNAS, which suggest that hominins visited that site on several occasions between ca. 1.85 and ca. 1.77 Ma, together with recent reassessments of the affinities of Homo habilis, are further reasons for questioning the assumption that Homo originated in Africa.

Wood continued by showing how the Dmanisi specimens are hard to classify (along with Homo erectus), but if they are H. erectus, they appear contemporaneous with African specimens. Then there are the Liang Bua specimens dubbed Homo floresiensis, that seem primitive yet overlap substantially with modern humans (dated between 17,000 and 74,000 years old by evolutionary methods). These miniature humans remain bewildering to paleoanthropologists.

As for “where” questions, Wood showed that the evidence could support opposite views: that our ancestors migrated either out of Africa or into Africa. He offered “scenarios” but admitted, “it would be misleading to claim that any of the scenarios are supported by that meager evidence.” Then he moaned, “Another stumbling block for an ancestor-descendant relationship between H. habilis and H. erectus sensu stricto within Africa is that both the ancestor and the descendant overlap in time in East Africa for several hundred thousand years.” Ann Gibbons wrote about the debates surrounding H. habilis in Science,2 leaving it unclear whether it should be considered inside Homo or outside; “The problem is that there are precious few fossils of either H. habilis or H. rudolfensis, especially from the neck down.”

What is the lesson of this confusion? Wood hoped for more bones like those at Dmanisi, but ended with a worse admission of ignorance that extends beyond Homo erectus issues:

In the meantime we need to be realistic about what can, and what cannot, be deduced about hominin evolutionary history. It is sobering to realize that even in the case of a taxon such as Homo neanderthalensis that has an order of magnitude better fossil record than for early Homo, we still have much to learn about its origin and evolution.

That the problems are not merely the opinions of one paleoanthropologist can be seen by other recent early-man stories. Science Daily echoed the confusion, stating on June 22,

Africa is regarded as the center of evolution of humans and their precursors. Yet long before modern humans left Africa some 125,000 years ago, their antecedents migrated from Africa to Eurasia many times, as is documented in the fossil record. How often, when and why hominoids went "out of Africa" is still a hotly debated field of intense research.

The article proceeded to describe a tooth from another “hominoid” that appears to have migrated into Swabia 17 million years ago, nearly ten times earlier than the conventional “out of Africa” hypothesis. To fit it into evolutionary timelines, they had to conclude that the line of this tooth was a dead end.

A BBC News article asked an obvious question, “Why is there only one human species?” All humans today are interfertile and clearly of one blood. Michael Mosley pondered, “Not so very long ago, we shared this planet with several other species of human, all of them clever, resourceful and excellent hunters, so why did only Homo sapiens survive?” Chris Stringer was quoted puzzling over the same question: “Even 100,000 years ago, we've still got several human species on Earth and that’s strange for us. We’re the only survivors of all of those great evolutionary experiments in how to be human.”

Those “evolutionary experiments” included Homo ergaster, who made tools, hunted skillfully, and “would have been a powerful runner, capable of speeds that would rival a modern Olympic athlete.” Moreover, this Homo was hairless and capable of dealing with heat like a modern beach bum. What’s the difference if “they’re very like us in terms of their overall body shape and body build”? And these were predecessors of Homo erectus in the evolutionary story.

Mosley was clearly just storytelling as he described groups of Homo responding to droughts and volcanoes, putting dates on events no paleoanthropologist ever witnessed. The only difference he could allege between the various Homo beings was brain size, a theory-laden measurement fraught with interpretation. Bigger is not always better (as with computers, comparing 1950 and 2010 models). Maybe smaller-brained individuals packed more power in less space. An article on PhysOrg about a Chinese scientist who measures skull capacities of Homo erectus fossils noted quite a bit of metrical diversity in brain size, “not unexpected given the temporal and geographical range of the species.”

Despite admitting that “Huge debates rage about human origins,” Mosley proceeded to write like an eyewitness reporter, presenting the standard out-of-Africa view as a “broad consensus among scientists” (contradicting Bernard Wood, and begging questions about how valid any consensus is among raging debaters). Sometimes, though, the questions are more interesting than the claims. Mosley quoted John Shea, professor of palaeoanthropology at Stony Brook University in New York, making a remark that casts doubt on the whole evolutionary story: “There's such a huge gulf between ourselves and our nearest primate relatives, gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos,” he said, putting his faith in a big IF: “If that gap were populated by other hominids, we’d see that gap as not so much a gulf but rather a continuum with steps on the way.” Too bad all the species of Homo that Mosley discussed in his article appear just as equidistant from chimpanzees as the rest of us. If he had read Wood’s depressing commentary first, his claims might have been much less confident.

Now read Lund University’s press release on PhysOrg and see if the triumphant claim that “Cutting edge training developed the human brain 80,000 years ago” fits with what Bernard Wood said, besides begging questions about whether training developed the brain, or the brain developed training. The paleoanthropologists who inferred brain evolution from some spear points in an African cave failed to describe what mutation began a “period of transformation” that led to Homo sapiens, “man the wise”. Wise men learn to disbelieve scientists who, claiming to be wise, speak beyond the evidence.

1. Bernard Wood, Did early Homo migrate “out of ” or “in to” Africa?, PNAS, 2011 ; published ahead of print June 15, 2011, doi:10.1073/pnas.1107724108.

2. Ann Gibbons, Who Was Homo Habilis – and Was It Really Homo?, Science, 17 June 2011: Vol. 332 no. 6036 pp. 1370-1371, DOI: 10.1126/science.332.6036.1370.

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The Greek Economic Crisis: An Interview With Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos

An insightful interview with Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos on the Greek economic crisis, by George Theoharis of Agioritikovima.gr, was published on June 27, 2011. Much has been written on this topic in the international news, yet very little in English has appeared presenting an Orthodox opinion on what is happening in Greece at this time.

Question: Your Eminence, the economic crisis has struck like a "lightning bolt", first the Greek economy, then thousands of our fellow citizens who are unable to cover even the costs of the month, with 90 thousand households living without electricity. Thousands of angry fellow-citizens have been camped outside Parliament, and the Europeans are pushing us to accept harsher austerity measures in recent years. Are we perhaps facing an impasse?

Answer: First, the economic crisis has not struck our country like a lightning bolt, as many had warned about this years ago. Politicians knew the issues but were afraid to make corrections. The expert economists knew. We the clergy also detected this as we observed a sharp increase in false wealth, consumer loans becoming a fashion among the people, the difference between consumption and production, and the discarding of spiritual life that gives meaning to our lives. Many pages have been written on this subject. Since the 60's of the last century, Marcuse spoke of the one-dimensional society and one-dimensional man who relies on the "plastic" needs of a consumer life and the enslavement to them.

Now these tragic events seem obvious. Leaders have to lead the people and not follow, otherwise they are not leaders, but movers and shakers rather than at someone's beck and call.

However, the situation today is difficult, but I can't say that it has reached an impasse, because there are always solutions and ways out. Man has within him infinite powers, and so does society. Nietzsche said: "He who has a purpose in life, can withstand almost anything." The tradition of our country is very strong and will help us, as long as we want it.

Question: What message would you send the "indignant" at Constitution Square?

Answer: I am also one of the "indignant" for the injustice that exists in society, the undermining of our standards and traditions, the cultivation of a consumer society, and the effects of cultural globalization that worked against our traditions and people. Eventually, the protests of people outside partisan lines, the attempts for safeguarded concentrations, and the discussions made in this "ecclesia" is a hope, as long as it is done with respect for democracy without undermining democratic institutions. I do not want this movement to result in anti-democratic events, because one of the laws of history is the "heterogenesis of purpose", according to which a struggle begins with good intentions and ends in different adverse effects. Thus, the movement of the "indignant" should help to improve democratic and social institutions rather than undermining them.

Question: Will you be on their side physically? Will you urge clergy of your Metropolis to go to Constitution Square?

Answer: Participation in each justified movement is fairly diverse. Personally, to express ecclesiastical tradition, the Church would like to enter the divided society to lead it to unity and not to keep on dividing. The Church is the Mother of all - the right-wingers and left-wingers, centrists and socialists, the indignant and the sore, the winners and the losers, the sick and the healthy.

I possess a strong democratic sentiment, which is why I do not urge anyone to do something, do not direct any action to those who do not want it, do not deprive people of their freedom or urge them to be weak-willed as if they are illogical beings. Everyone is free to act in the way they think, democratically, especially the clergy who should act under the principles of tradition with responsibility and discernment.

Question: Clergy of the Metropolis of Aigialias the other day marched at Constitution Square, thus expressing sympathy with all indignant citizens. Do you agree with this move?

Answer: I cannot comment on the actions of other priests, who are even located in other Metropolis'. I already told you my views. Besides, support of any movement to improve social affairs is diverse and not limited only to an action; it is not unequivocal. Each member of the Church has its own character, its own way in acting, and not all people take action or attend gatherings.

Question: The world today seems to have lost something precious - hope. What is the cause of this?

Answer: Indeed, today an uncertainty about the future dominates, especially since we hear and see contradictions. I think this atmosphere of despair is responsible for false promises that are hopeless, and denials which are major problems and risks. Sometimes I wonder: Why are not wiser voices with fair points listened to? Why are they on the margins of society and politics those who with freedom and openness have long been a sound of alarm? Why are the moulders of society's opinions led by the wrong people, but why also do people drift towards wrong actions by the "order of specialists"? These are questions which may indicate a lack of education, critical thinking, and of high standards of living.

Question: The Church today does not seem to give hope in the world for those who seek consolation, as many of our readers write who are dissatisfied with it.

Answer: The Church is itself the hope of life, because the method by which it was organized and the whole theological teaching is the true "Church of the municipality", it is our broader spiritual family, it is a spiritual hospital that treats spiritual illness and gives meaning to human life. Today the Church helps with families and the material needs of the people. Maybe sometimes the people of the Church disappoint, and not the Church itself.

But there is a basic principle: Christianity does all its social work mainly within the church area. Those who perceive the Church as an ideology, as a social and religious system, become frustrated. Those living outside the Church and are involved a few times a year in church life, do not know what is in it. In contrast, those close to the Church and its inner life are not only comforted, but they become stronger, and they become saints, and through the power of Christ they are above all their problems. The bad thing is that more are sitting outside the Church and they judge that which they do not know.

Question: At the same time, in the mid-term program there was announced reduction in state spending on salaries of clergy.

Answer: I do not know if there is an official announcement on this issue. What we know is that the State did occasional contracts with the Holy Synod of the Church, receiving church property in exchange for salaries of clergymen. And it is well known that the State must respect the agreements signed, otherwise it is unreliable, and does not act with fairness and respect for the institutions of society.

However, the economic crisis plaguing our country did not come from the salaries of the clergy, but by the reckless management of public funds, the lack of transparency laws and laws from corruption and tax evasion, fraud by the Exchange, by the squandering of pension funds, etc. Let us be honest and not hypocritical. In this circumstance the clergy are not at all responsible, on the contrary, and as they always were and are, they are supporters of the people, protagonists, except for their ecclesiastical duties, and as far as philanthropy is concerned they serve more than seven hundred (700) Foundations, as well as being protagonists in cultural projects, with the maintenance of churches many of which are cultural attractions. The clergy are the most positive factors in society. The Metropolis', the Parishes and the Monasteries are self-funded, with a few exceptions, and abuses are not observed, and some have exceeded their budget. So, in terms of management, the ecclesiastical organizations are prototypes for the State.

Question: Finally, since lately there is a confusion in ecclesiastical circles, are the salaries of the clergy at risk of being cut? Are they assured to be paid entirely by the State?

Answer: This issue will be handled by the Standing Holy Synod and if necessary the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece. I have confidence in the Synod Officers addressing issues calmly, soberly and responsibly. I am a member of the Hierarchy sixteen years and participated three times in the Standing Holy Synod with the last three archbishops (Seraphim, Christodoulos, Ieronymos), and saw the serious way the issues are dealt with, all in a similar manner.

I find the opportunity here to restate and clarify something I have said many times, that unfortunately prevails among the people regarding the Church having a fortune. This is a myth. The State over time has confiscated 96% of the original ecclesiastical property, while of the remaining 4%, 3% is reserved, thus the Church currently has 1% of its original property. Much of the property is given for charitable and educational purposes. The Church and the Clergy are benefactors of the Nation and Society.

If the State returned a portion of property pledged to the Church and if it is permitted to use the property lawfully, then the Church may be able to meet the payroll of Priests or any part thereof.

Question: Mr. Diamantopoulos in the recent meeting of the Joint Committee on State and Church Dialogue essentially asked for sacrifices, saying: "At this time the emphasis should be what 'you' give to your country, not what your country gives 'you'." Is the Church prepared to meet this challenge?

Answer: First of all, I rejoice because today there are talks about the homeland and everyone is interested in its salvation. Before the economic crisis we all talked about the benefits of globalization and the European Union and proceeded like it was linked to the nation and homeland. Today things have changed in the right direction, and there is a balance between homeland and universality. Our love for the homeland is a primary good, but of course this can be translated into chauvinism.

The Holy Synod and the local Metropolis' throughout the organization do what they can mainly to relieve human suffering. Where there are organized parishes people find solutions in the Church on many issues, ie, psychological, social, existential and above all spiritual. Those associated with the Church in practice usually love their homeland and are true patriots. Above all they love each person in pain and deal with human suffering.

Question: Let's touch a bit on Mount Athos. Do you think its image was severely affected after news of the sensational case of Vatopaidi?

Answer: The Holy Mountain is a great treasure, a contemporary bright beacon. It is a brilliant piece of Romania-Byzantium retained in our day. It preserves the empirical theology, the requirements of Orthodox doctrine, the great cultural heritage. They are fooled whoever thinks that a few errors or omissions affected Mount Athos, and are as mindless as one who believes that the sun can be extinguished with their saliva. Mount Athos, like the Orthodox Church, is a strong body which digests the toughest foods.

God made me worthy for many years to visit Mount Athos, to live in a coenobium, skete and seclusion, and of course, to know the secret heartbeat of Mount Athos, which is prayer and even praying for the world. Also, I met people who were sanctified revealing what is the natural person in terms of theology. I could cite many examples of contemporary elders who I met, showing love to all the pilgrims, but I will not, for lack of space. However we were nourished by their words and their love, they showed us who God is and how we should live as Orthodox Christians.

Now we suffer the economic crisis and we Greeks became the subject of ridicule around the world, since we are in the headlines of newspapers and the television media. We can better understand that as a country, unfortunately, we are not present in the modern world nor pioneering science or high technology, but we only have the Orthodox theology, which is sought by all the people in the East and the West, and the great Roman civilization, namely iconography, hymnography, Byzantine music, church architecture, etc. Through this perspective we believe Mount Athos, the sanctified monks and their works, are a priceless treasure which receives the respect of millions. It is what we have chosen to present to Europe and the world, showing what is the true Orthodox humanism and what is the deeper purpose of mankind. At least it should not be forgotten.

Question: The fathers of Vatopaidi argue, based on certain documents, that Lake Vistonida belongs to their Monastery and that everything was done legally. Indeed, they talk about conspiracy. What do you say?

Answer: What I know is that Article 181 of the Legislative Decree of 10/16-9-1926 titled "On the Ratification of the Charter of Mount Athos", says: "All the immovable property of the Monasteries are an absolutely inalienable thing as a divine right." And Article 188 of the Legislative Decree says the same: "This Charter shall enter into force after the approval thereof in the Community and the approval of the State. It applies to imperial edicts tech and formal, Patriarchal Sigillion, Sultan Firman, the current General Regulations and ancient Monastic institutions and regimes." This means that the State itself regulated the acceptance of the validity of the Edicts, of the Sigillion, of the Firman, the applicable General Regulations and ancient Monastic institutions and regimes.

Of course, the authenticity of the documents was verified by competent State Organs and the Charter of Mount Athos, under Article 105 of the Constitution, drafted and passed by the twenty monasteries of Mount Athos, with involvement of representatives of the State and approved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Greek Parliament. Clearly, then, the property status of Mount Athos was determined by state law and not emotions, prejudices and varied interests.

The question that arises however is whether politicians of all parties for their own reasons were involved in the case of Vatopaidi negatively or positively. I think over time the story will reveal what really happened during that period. Already some elements have come to light through publicity.

However, there is an unchangeable spiritual law according to which the injustices caused to the other comes back on one's self. This is true for religious and political affairs. As the years pass, this spiritual law is always fulfilled.

Question: Let us end with the work of your Metropolis. Speak a little of this.

Answer: The Holy Metropolis is one of the smallest and poorest Holy Metropolis', but we strive to show the true face of the Church in our society. This, apart from the Mysteries, is done with the Orthodox theological word which heals man and gives light, life and vision, with the organization of the Parish as a family and therapeutic community, with the preservation of our cultural heritage and its many monuments we have, in communicating with people and in the practice of philanthropic work, etc. In particular, in each parish of the city there are established Unions of Love dealing with voluntary philanthropic work, there are operations at the Metropolis summer camps by hosting various events, I am chairing eleven Foundations-Endowments which practice a recognized social and philanthropic work, and many others. For all operations of the Metropolis the public are informed each month by the newspaper Ekklesiastiki Parembasis (http://www.parembasis.gr/), which from its beginning intervenes in various theological issues, which are the teachings of our Church.

Of course, there are currently many problems, but above all these God exists and blesses every effort and strengthens our cause. We must understand that we are not orphans on the earth, but we have God the Father, nor are we the only child of God, since we also have other siblings, as well as our true home which is Paradise, while here we are strangers and communities. Within this framework, we strive to avoid self-love and gain the love of God and philanthropy. The resolution of theological problems facing the people solves social problems, otherwise we will be unhappy.

It is known that in the French May 1968 protests there prevailed a few slogans, like: "Eat more, live less" and "All will eventually die from all the good times". A characteristic slogan that prevailed then was: "We refuse a world where the certainty that we will die of hunger is exchanged with the risk of being extinguished by boredom" and "Boredome is spreading, boredom is anti-revolutionary". The question is: hunger or boredom? Certainly we should be looking at reducing hunger, but worse is boredom, which manifests in good times. The biggest problem is consumerism.

Concluding the interview, I would like to thank you and to remind readers that in our everyday lives we have much good to do instead of crying about our fate. We can help those in need by cooperating to improve social conditions by combating corruption and fraud, by praying to God to rid us of boredom and acedie and obtain a meaningful life. The "being" of man is not identified with the "having", and the good fortune of man is not identified with consumption and happiness. We should strive to remedy society, but eventually you can be free living in the worst social conditions, or perhaps a slave and desperate while living in the best social conditions. There is always a possibility to overcome the social conditions and this death. Man cannot be a prisoner of social conditions, but must dominate above them. The biggest problem is social death. And in the race for the acquisition of material wealth, I see the fear of death. Who will deliver us from this? Fortunately, the Church is the place of resurrection.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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The Twelve Apostles: Timid Men Who Conquered the World

By St. John Chrysostom

It was clear through unlearned men that the cross was persuasive, in fact, it persuaded the whole world. Their discourse was not of unimportant matters but of God and true religion, of the Gospel way of life and future judgement, yet it turned plain, uneducated men into philosophers. How the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and his weakness stronger than men!

In what way is it stronger? It made its way throughout the world and overcame all men; countless men sought to eradicate the very name of the Crucified, but that name flourished and grew ever mightier. Its enemies lost out and perished; the living who waged a war on a dead man proved helpless. Therefore, when a Greek tells me I am dead, he shows only that he is foolish indeed, for I, whom he thinks a fool, turn out to be wiser than those reputed wise. So too, in calling me weak, he but shows that he is weaker still. For the good deeds which tax-collectors and fishermen were able to accomplish by God’s grace, the philosophers, the rulers, the countless multitudes cannot even imagine.

Paul had this in mind when he said: "The weakness of God is stronger than men". That the preaching of these men was indeed divine is brought home to us in the same way. For how otherwise could twelve uneducated men, who lived on lakes and rivers and wastelands, get the idea for such an immense enterprise? How could men who perhaps had never been in a city or a public square think of setting out to do battle with the whole world? That they were fearful, timid men, the evangelist makes clear; he did not reject the fact or try to hide their weaknesses. Indeed he turned these into a proof of the truth. What did he say of them? That when Christ was arrested, the others fled, despite all the miracles they had seen, while he who was leader of the others denied him!

How then account for the fact that these men, who in Christ’s lifetime did not stand up to the attacks by the Jews, set forth to do battle with the whole world once Christ was dead - if, as you claim, Christ did not rise and speak to them and rouse their courage? Did they perhaps say to themselves: “What is this? He could not save himself but he will protect us? He did not help himself when he was alive, but now that he is dead he will extend a helping hand to us? In his lifetime he brought no nation under his banner, but by uttering his name we will win over the whole world?” Would it not be wholly irrational even to think such thoughts, much less to act upon them?

It is evident, then, that if they had not seen him risen and had proof of his power, they would not have risked so much.

Source: PG 61:34-36


Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offenses.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
O Lord, receive the steadfast and divinely voiced preachers, the pinnacle of Your disciples, unto their rest and the enjoyment of Your blessings. You received, above every offering, their labors and their life. You alone know what the heart holds.

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Ecumenical Patriarch Blesses "The Great Orthodox Christian Encyclopedia"

This past week an Orthodox Christian encyclopedia was announced for publication in Greece and blessed by the Ecumenical Patriarch. It is titled The Great Orthodox Christian Encyclopedia and will consist of 12 volumes. They will cover the following topics:

1. History of the Orthodox Church
2. Theology of the Orthodox Church
3. History of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
4. History of the Primary Patriarchates
5. History of the Church of Greece and other Atocephalous Churches
6. History of Metropolis' and Holy Monasteries of Orthodox Lands and Missions
7. All Orthodox Theological Schools
8. Lives of Saints and Contemporary Elders
9. Lives of Hierarchs, Abbots and Theologians
10. The Works of the Fathers and Ecumenical Synods
11. Encyclopedia of Holy Scripture
12. Interpretation of Liturgical Life
13. General religios, ethical, communal, non-Orthodox, and non-Christian subjects
14. History of Ecclesiastical Art
15. Issues of Spiritual Guidance
16. Ecclesiastical and Religious Philology
17. Basic works of Modern Greek regarding the Church
18. Orthodox publications, magazines, periodicals, both Greek and foreign
19. Guide to Orthodoxy on the Internet

These volumes will be rich in photos, icons and maps. 20,000 topics will be covered in 8,000 pages. The first volume will be issued this Pascha.

Read more here and here.

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The Glorification of 1241 New Martyrs of Naousa

On Sunday 26 June 2011 at the Metropolis Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior in Naousa, the 1241 New Martyrs of Naousa who were brutally massacred in the region of Kioski in 1822 were officially canonized. Representatives of the Patriarchal and Autocephalous Churches were in attendance and officiated, joining Metropolitan Panteleimon of Beroia, Naousa and Kampania.

These men, women and children were massacred by the Ottoman Turks from Thursday of Bright Week to the Sunday of Thomas in 1822. It began with the martyrdom of five priests from the Church of Saint George and the destruction of the church with those in it. The people of Naousa had sought to defend the church from destruction, but were killed in return.

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Hieromartyr Cyril Lukaris Celebrated By Patriarchate of Alexandria

In June of 2009 the Holy Synod of the Alexandrian Patriarchate declared Hieromartyr Cyril Lukaris (Kyrillos Loukaris) a Saint of the Orthodox Church. His memory is celebrated annually on June 27th. On 27 June 2011 Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria and All Africa celebrated the Divine Liturgy in his honor at the Patriarchal Church of Saint Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria.

To read more about St. Cyril Lukaris, a short life can be read on the official site of the Ecumenical Patriarchate here.

For a short clarification regarding the controversy over St. Cyril Lukaris, read The Myth of the "Calvinist Patriarch".

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Pan-Orthodox Consensus on Same-Sex Marriage

In light of recent events, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America reminds the faithful of the very instructive statement issued already in 2003 by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), which was at the time the Pan-Orthodox representative body in the Americas. The same statement, which follows, still stands today.

SCOBA Statement on Moral Crisis in Our Nation

Wednesday, August 13, 2003

As members of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), representing more than 5 million Orthodox Christians in the United States, Canada and Mexico, we are deeply concerned about recent developments regarding “same sex unions.”

The Orthodox Christian teaching on marriage and sexuality, firmly grounded in Holy Scripture, 2000 years of church tradition, and canon law, holds that marriage consists in the conjugal union of a man and a woman, and that authentic marriage is blessed by God as a sacrament of the Church. Neither Scripture nor Holy Tradition blesses or sanctions such a union between persons of the same sex.

Holy Scripture attests that God creates man and woman in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27-31), that those called to do so might enjoy a conjugal union that ideally leads to procreation. While not every marriage is blessed with the birth of children, every such union exists to create of a man and a woman a new reality of “one flesh.” This can only involve a relationship based on gender complementarity. “God made them male and female… So they are no longer two but one flesh” (Mark 10:6-8).

The union between a man and a woman in the Sacrament of Marriage reflects the union between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:21-33). As such, marriage is necessarily monogamous and heterosexual. Within this union, sexual relations between a husband and wife are to be cherished and protected as a sacred expression of their love that has been blessed by God. Such was God’s plan for His human creatures from the very beginning. Today, however, this divine purpose is increasingly questioned, challenged or denied, even within some faith communities, as social and political pressures work to normalize, legalize and even sanctify same-sex unions.

The Orthodox Church cannot and will not bless same-sex unions. Whereas marriage be-tween a man and a woman is a sacred institution ordained by God, homosexual union is not. Like adultery and fornication, homosexual acts are condemned by Scripture (Rom 1:24-27; 1 Cor 6:10; 1 Tim 1:10). This being said, however, we must stress that persons with a homosexual orientation are to be cared for with the same mercy and love that is bestowed by our Lord Jesus Christ upon all of humanity. All persons are called by God to grow spiritually and morally toward holiness.

As heads of the Orthodox Churches in America and members of SCOBA, we speak with one voice in expressing our deep concern over recent developments. And we pray fervently that the traditional form of marriage, as an enduring and committed union only between a man and a woman, will be honored.

August 13, 2003

† Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

† Metropolitan HERMAN

Orthodox Church in America

† Metropolitan PHILIP, Vice Chairman

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese

† Archbishop NICOLAE

Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America America and Canada

† Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER, Secretary

Serbian Orthodox Church in the USA and Canada

† Metropolitan JOSEPH

Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church

† Metropolitan NICHOLAS of Amissos, Treasurer

Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA

† Metropolitan CONSTANTINE

Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA

† Bishop ILIA of Philomelion

Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America

Previously published on the web: http://www.scoba.us/articles/2003-08-13-moral-crisis.html

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Documentary Shows Violation of Civil Liberties Through Same-Sex Marriage

Sarah Hamaker
June 23, 2011
The Christian Post

The Family Research Council has fired another salvo in the debate on legalizing same-sex marriage with the release of a new documentary that details the harm same-sex marriage can inflict upon a society.

“The Problem with Same-Sex Marriage: How It Will Affect You and Your Children” brings in marriage, family and homosexual experts to talk about what happens when marriage is redefined.

“This DVD answers the question, How same-sex marriage would affect society, in particularly how it would affect children,” says Peter Sprigg, senior fellow for policy studies at the Washington, D.C.-based FRC.

While some Christians might think same-sex marriage would not infringe upon their personal lives, the documentary shows just how the legalization of homosexual marriage would hurt everyone.

“Some immediate harms involve a loss of freedom for people who disapprove of homosexuality, and the threat to religious liberty for religious nonprofit groups, such as Christian adoption agencies,” says Sprigg.

Also, businesses and governments would be forced to provide benefits to same-sex married couples. The harms extend to the must vulnerable in our society – our children. Legalization of same-sex marriage would mean schoolchildren would be indoctrinated to support homosexuality – something that’s already begun in states that recognize same-sex marriage. One Massachusetts family interviewed for the documentary talk about how their kindergarten son brought home a children’s book from school that advocated homosexual marriage.

Other changes same-sex marriage would bring about would be modifications in family structure.

“Because marriage exists to encourage a traditional family structure, redefining it would mean that fewer children would be raised by a married mother and father, more children would grow up fatherless and birth rates would fall – that’s our prediction if same-sex marriage becomes legal in all 50 states,” says Sprigg.

A further set of harms relates to the nature of homosexual relationships.

“Because homosexuals are less likely to enter a committed relationship, less likely to be sexually faithful, and less likely to remain committed for a lifetime, we believe that those behaviors would spread to the heterosexual community if same-sex marriage is legalized and you would see fewer marriages, fewer people being monogamous and faithful, and fewer people remaining married for a lifetime,” he says.

The final reason same-sex marriage would not be good for America is that it could mark the beginning of a slippery slope toward other redefinitions of marriage, such as the legalization of polygamy.

“If we can’t limit a person’s choice of marriage partners based on gender, why should we limit the number of marriage partners?” says Sprigg.

“The Problem with Same-sex Marriage” will be broadcast on a number of Christian television networks in the fall. FRC is also heavily promoting it to churches, hoping that pastors will use it to educate and mobilize their congregations on this issue.

The film’s true stories of people who have had their freedom of speech and religious liberties violated as a result of same-sex marriage brings the issue home because “these are real-life stories, not hypothetical situations,” says Sprigg.

Additionally, FRC has sent DVDs to New York to help block passage of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the Empire State. The Senate had not put the measure on the agenda, which means the legislative session could end without a vote on the issue.

Earlier this year, President Barack Obama asked the Department of Justice to cease defending the Defense of Marriage Act against lawsuits that test its constitutionality. The 1996 law bans federal acknowledgment of same-sex marriage. Since 2010, six places have allowed same-sex marriages: Washington, D.C., Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Iowa and Connecticut.

The documentary calls on viewers to defend traditional marriage by either opposing their state’s attempt to legalize same-sex marriage or by supporting their state in amending its constitution to add the traditional definition of marriage.

Thus far, 30 states have defined marriage as between one man and one woman by amending their constitutions. Only Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Rhode Island have no statutes or constitutional provisions banning same-sex marriage. However, the high courts in Connecticut, Iowa and Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage, while New Hampshire and Vermont legalized same-sex marriage through legislation.

“The advocates of same-sex marriage say, ‘what harm could it do?’ And they think the answer is, obviously, nothing,” says Sprigg. “This documentary is our response to that challenge by outlining what harm same-sex marriage will actually do.”

The documentary can be ordered by visiting frc.org/marriage.

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Siberian Wildfires Combatted By Crosses and Icons

June 28, 2011
Asia News

Russian Orthodox Church's initiative to protect the country from the usual threat of summer fires. Alarm from Emergencies Ministry: compared to 2010, area affected by fires have tripled.

To combat the summer fires that once again threaten to devastate the territory of Russia, the Ministry for Emergency Situations has decided to also try religious ‘weapons’.

According to reports by Ria Novosti agency, the ministry’s Krasnoyarsk department has decided to install in Siberia’s parishes 25 giant crosses, donated by the local Russian Orthodox Church. The crosses were sent on June 24 and placed in areas most affected by the flames: the districts of Boguchansky and Kezhemsky. Since the beginning of the dry season, Siberia is the region most devastated by the fires. Each cross carries a reproduction of the Russian icon of Neopalimaya Kupino, also known as Lady of the Burning Bush, said to protect against fires. The website NewsLab.ru also reports that four icons at the four cardinal points, and a fifth at the center, will be placedin every town.

As announced by the Ministry for Emergency Situations, the initiative was launched by the Church who contacted the authorities and an agreement was signed in 2010, when Russia was hit by the worst fires in its recent history: 62 dead in two months and thousands of displaced people across the country. "Any proposal of our citizens, even those that are not scientifically proven, will be welcome," said Yelena Smirnykh, a ministry spokesman in Moscow.

Compared to the same period last year, the area affected by fires this year has tripled. The Ministry of Emergency Situations has warned about the possibility of a hot summer like 2010, with wildfires across the country. "Since the beginning of the risk period for fires in Russia in 2011, 13,440 fires have developed naturally", it announced in Moscow. "In 2010 there were 12,900, showing an increase of 1.05 times, while the total area as of today is of 833,570 hectares. In 2010 it was 273,330 hectares. This marks an increase of 3.05 times". In addition to the region of Krasnoyarsk, the most serious fires were reported in Zabaikalsky, Irkutsk and in the republics of Komi and Buryatia.

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Mormon Image Campaign To Be Run Across America

Mormons’ Image Campaign

Ads coincide with church’s greater visibility in 2012 race

Lisa Wangsness
June 20, 2011
Boston Globe

In the fall of 2008, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints convened focus groups across the country as part of a major market-research study to learn more about anti-Mormon sentiment in America.

The researchers found that the most common negative associations with Mormonism included being “pushy,’’ “cultish,’’ “secretive,’’ “controlling,’’ “sexist,’’ “antigay,’’ and “polygamist.’’ There was scant interest among those surveyed in learning more about Mormon doctrine, but they did display curiosity about Mormons as people.

“I’ll never forget this one woman,’’ said Stephen B. Allen, managing director of the church’s missionary program. When participants were asked how they would feel about doing community service with Mormons, “She said’’ — Allen adopted a stage whisper — “if you are serving alongside them, you can ask them the questions you always wanted to ask.’’

The result of the research was the “I’m a Mormon’’ ad campaign, a major rebranding effort.

The effort overlaps with a political campaign that, for the first time, includes two Mormons who are presidential contenders — former governors Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who is in the race, and Jon Huntsman of Utah, who plans to announce his candidacy tomorrow.

Both men will have to over come the same unease about Mormons the ads seek to diminish. At the same time, pop-culture forces like “The Book of Mormon,’’ an irreverent Broadway musical hit about of two naive Mormon missionaries who are sent from Utah to Uganda to proselytize, have driven public interest in Mormonism to new heights.

The ad campaign features self-narrated video portraits of young, energetic Mormons with diverse backgrounds and eye-catching interests like surfing and violin-making. Tested in nine markets last summer, the campaign popped up on an electronic billboard in Times Square last week, days after “The Book of Mormon’’ cleaned up at the Tony Awards. The ad campaign is scheduled to run in 24 to 29 markets nationwide this fall.

Read the rest here.

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The Holy Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul

Sts. Peter and Paul the Apostles (Feast Day - June 29)

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Peter was the son of Jonah and the brother of Andrew, the First-Called. He was of the Tribe of Simeon from the town of Bethsaida. He was a fisherman and, at first, was called Simon but the Lord was pleased to call him Cephas or Peter: "And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He said, You are Simon the son of Jonah: you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a rock" (John 1:42). He was the first of the disciples to clearly express faith in the Lord Jesus saying: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). His love for the Lord was great and his faith in the Lord gradually strengthened. When the Lord was brought to trial, Peter denied Him three times but after only one glance into the face of the Lord, Peter's soul was filled with shame and repentance. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, Peter appears as a fearless and powerful preacher of the Gospel. Following one of his sermons in Jerusalem, three-thousand souls converted to the Faith. He preached the Gospel throughout Palestine and Asia Minor, throughout Illyria and Italy. Peter worked many powerful miracles; he healed the sick, resurrected the dead; the sick were healed even from his shadow. He had a great struggle with Simon the Magician who proclaimed himself as god but in reality Simon was a servant of Satan. Finally, Peter shamed and defeated him. By order of the evil Emperor Nero, Simon's friend, Peter was condemned to death. Installing Linus as Bishop of Rome, counseling and comforting the flock of Christ, Peter proceeded joyfully to his death. Seeing the cross before him, he begged his executioners to crucify him upside down for he considered himself unworthy to die as did his Lord. Thus the great servant of the Great Lord reposed and received the wreath of eternal glory.


Paul was born in Tarsus of the tribe of Benjamin. At first he was called Saul, studied under Gamaliel, and was a Pharisee and a persecutor of Christianity. He was miraculously converted to the Christian Faith by the Lord Himself Who appeared to him on the road to Damascus. He was baptized by the Apostle Ananias, was called Paul and numbered in the service of the great apostles. With a fiery zeal, Paul preached the Gospel everywhere from the borders of Arabia to Spain, among the Jews and among the Gentiles. He received the title "Apostle to the Gentiles." As horrible as his sufferings were, so much more was his super-human patience. Throughout all the years of his preaching Paul, from day to day, hung as one on a weak thread between life and death. Since he fulfilled all days and nights with labor and suffering for Christ, since he organized the Church in many places and since he attained such a degree of perfection he was able to say: "It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). Paul was beheaded in Rome during the reign of Emperor Nero at the same time as the Apostle Peter.

Saint Leo the Great on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Blessed Augustine's Sermon on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

Saint Gregory Palamas' Homily for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul


HYMN OF PRAISE: SAINTS PETER AND PAUL

Unlearned and learned but equal in spirit
And in the love of God, as strong as angels,
Peter a simple man, Paul educated
Both illumined, by the grace of the Spirit,
Two flaming candles, unquenchable candles,
Towering and beautiful, two brilliant stars.
Traversed the earth and spread the light
Nothing did they take, to men they gave all,
Completely poor, the world they enriched,
Prisoners and servants, conquered the entire world,
With the teaching of Christ, enriched the world,
With a new weapon, conquered the entire world:
By humility and peace and meekness blessed,
Prayer and fasting and mercy powerful.
When to them, that stormy day, arrived the stormy night
Bloodthirsty Nero, their life cut short.
But when the ruler of the world, a command issued
And to suffering, gave over Peter and Paul
The world was theirs and not his [Nero's] anymore,
By death, the apostles gained the Kingdom.


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
O Foremost of the Apostles and teachers of the world, intercede ye with the Master of all that He grant peace to the world and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
O Lord, receive unto the enjoyment of Your good things and Your rest, the steadfast preachers of Godly words, the pinnacle of Your Disciples. Receive their pain and death above every sacrifice, for You alone know the hearts of men.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
Today Christ the Rock glorifies with highest honor the rock of Faith and leader of the Apostles, together with Paul and the company of the twelve, whose memory we celebrate with eagerness of faith, giving glory to the one who gave glory to them!

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Sixth Century Fresco of St. Paul Discovered In Roman Catacomb

A 1,400-year-old fresco of St Paul has been discovered in an ancient Roman catacomb.

Nick Pisa
June 29, 2011
The Telegraph

The fresco was found during restoration work at the Catacombs of San Gennaro (Saint Januarius) in the southern port city of Naples by experts from the Pontifical Commission of Sacred Art.

The announcement was made on the feast day of St Peter and Paul which is traditionally a bank holiday in Rome and details of the discovery were disclosed in the Vatican's official newspaper L'Osservatore Romano.

A photograph released by the Vatican shows the apostle, famous for his conversion to Christianity from Judaism, with a long neck, a slightly pink complexion, thinning hair, a beard and big eyes that give his face a "spiritual air."

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, who is Pope Benedict's Culture Minister, wrote in L'Osservatore Romano:"The image of St Paul has an intense expression, philosophical and its discovery enriches our imager of one of the principal apostles."

The figure is dressed in white and beige robes and with the letter 'I' on the hem, which may stand for 'Iesus' (Latin for Jesus) and it shows him approaching a dead person.

Details on the right hand side of the fresco have crumbled away but nevertheless it still remains a striking image which Cardinal Ravasi described as "sensational."

Father Antonio Loffredo, director of the catacombs in Naples, said: "We hope that many locals and tourists will come and look at this fresco which has been wonderfully restored."

Last year another fresco of St Paul was found in another Catacomb in Rome and that was dated to the 4th century AD and is believed to be the oldest image of him in existence.

St Paul was a Roman Jew, born in Tarsus in modern-day Turkey, who started out persecuting Christians but later became one of the greatest influences in the Church.

He did not know Jesus in life but converted to Christianity after seeing a shining light on the road to Damascus and spent much of his life travelling and preaching.

He was executed for his beliefs around AD65 and is thought to have been beheaded, rather than crucified, because he was a Roman citizen.

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Little Known Yet Interesting Facts

1 in 8 Americans has worked in a McDonald’s restaurant.

An amendment to the US Constitution in 1893 was proposed to change the name of the nation to the “United States of Earth.”

All pilots speak English.

If you could fold a piece of paper in half 50 times, its thickness will be 3/4 the distance from the Earth to the Sun (71 million miles).

A group of geese on the ground is a gaggle, but a group of geese in flight is called a skein!

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis hurled a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD.

The universe is beige-colored!

If you dig a straight hole down in the United States, you’ll come out the other side not in China, but in the Indian Ocean. Only in parts of Argentina or Chile would a straight hole emerge in China.

A small child could swim through the veins of a blue whale.

Cooling the brain can help treat insomnia!

The volcano in Iceland that erupted and ground planes last year is called Eyjafjallajökull.

The world's largest s'more ever made weighed 1,600 lbs.

The original story of Aladdin takes place in China.

Male seahorses are the ones who give birth.

A woman once tried smuggling snakes into sweden by carrying them in her bra.

A girl required surgery after swallowing a wire that had come loose from a barbeque grill cleaning brush and was cooked into a hamburger.

Even numbered primary interstates run east-west, and odd numbered primary interstates run north-south. (Primary = 1-2 digits)

Paul Winchell, famous for the voices of Gargamel on "The Smurfs" and Tigger on "Winnie the Pooh," also invented the artificial heart.

Fans traditionally throw octopuses onto the ice at Detroit Red Wings games!

Mark Twain was born in the month of the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1835, and died the day after its next appearance in 1910.

Weird Al Yankovic was the valedictorian of his high school class.

The longest bout of sneezing lasted 978 days!

Girls have a better sense of taste than boys do!

A married couple each won the lottery by playing numbers found inside a fortune cookie!

Starbucks offers a secret drink size that isn’t listed on its menu!

Uncle Phil (James Avery) from Fresh Prince of Bel Air, played Shredder's voice in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon.

Hedy Lamarr, woman who did one of the first nude scenes in movies, also co-invented a technology for frequency hopping radio transmissions.

Kermit the Frog is left-handed.

Mosquitoes hibernate.

The first text message was sent on December 3rd, 1992. It said: "Merry Christmas"

Most active credit cards owned by one person: 1497

The ears of an African elephant can weigh up to 110 pounds each.

Finland has 179,584 islands.

Thomas Edison proposed to his second wife by Morse code.

The Statue of Liberty's waist size is 35...feet.

The Pentagon has 284 bathrooms.

The first Rolls-Royce sold for $600 in 1906.

The country of Tonga once issued a stamp shaped like a banana.

Jupiter is large enough to fit all the planets of the solar system inside of it.

In some areas of Oklahoma: People who make “ugly faces” at dogs may be fined and/or jailed.

General Electric's Schenectady, New York facilities are assigned the ZIP code 12345.

In 1898, all cheerleaders were male. Females started participating in 1923.

Evelyn Marie Adams won the New Jersey lottery twice in 4 months. That's about a 1 in 17 trillion chance.

In 1992, the governor of Hawaii received a 30,000 signature petition to change Maui's name to Gilligan's Island.

Three presidents have died on Independence Day. John Adams/Thomas Jefferson (1826) and James Monroe (1831).

With a properly shuffled deck of cards, the order of the cards has most likely never existed before ever in history.

Graffito is the singular for graffiti.

A winged penis was the city symbol of Pompeii, the ancient Roman resort town destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius' eruption.

Any speaker can in principle act as a microphone, and vice versa.

A mickey is the smallest movement of a mouse that your computer can detect.

A flock of crows is known as a "murder."

Saddam Hussein wrote romance novels. 4 of them.

A can of Diet Coke floats, while a can of regular Coke sinks.

The #1 invention by a woman is Kevlar, the strong fiber material used in body armor.

During 1518, in Strasbourg, about 400 people danced so hard that they died from it.

Only female mosquitoes suck blood.

In Uganda, 50% of the population is under 15 years of age.

Source

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St. Barbaros the Myrrh-Gusher and Wonderworker

St. Barbaros the Myrrh-gusher (Feast Day - May 15 and June 23)

The fatherly arms of our Lord are always open to the return of every prodigal human soul that in its deception goes off to “a far country,” so as to satisfy its unquenchable desire for salvation. The outstretched palms of our Lord on the Cross hold all of humanity within them, just as they held the repentant thief, who was the first to dwell in Paradise.

This miracle is a recurrent one in history. Great sinners have become great Saints and left us a perpetual example of repentance, return, and hope for all of us.

One such astonishing model of repentance is that of St. Barbaros, who, from being a fearsome corsair and pirate, reached such an extraordinary height of sanctity that he proved to be a Wonderworker and Myrrh-gusher after his death.

His life in brief is as follows, in accordance with the most reliable account: the narration by the Byzantine savant, Constantine of Acropolis, Grand Logothete in the thirteenth century.

The Saint lived in the ninth century during the reign of King Michael the Stutterer (820-829). He came from among the heathen of the Barbary Coast of North Africa and was a member of a fearsome band of pirates which ravaged the coastlines of Palestine, Sicily, and Crete, the Aegean islands, and Epiros.

At one point, having passed through the Ambracian Gulf, the pirates set ashore in the land of Acarnania in a spirit of destruction. The Acarnanian people engaged in battle at Dragamesti (present day Karaïskaki, Astakos), and, fighting heroically, checked their incursions and defeated them. Barbaros was the only one among them who survived, and he hid himself in a vineyard.

Thereafter, he gave himself over to brigandage and murder, becoming the terror of the Xeromeros region.

Once, he went to plunder a Chapel dedicated to St. George on Mt. Nysa, near Tryphos, in an area with springs. Divine Liturgy, however, was being celebrated at the time, and he found himself before a marvelous sight. God opened the eyes of his wretched — yet, it seems, well-disposed — soul, and he saw the serving Priest, surrounded by light, being supported in the air by Holy Angels! He saw the Divine Infant being sacrificed, being partaken of, and ascending whole and in ineffable glory into the Heavens!

Barbaros was astounded and fell at the feet of the pious Priest, Father John of Nikopolis, who received him, like a good shepherd, comforted him, catechized him, Baptized him, and became his spiritual Father and guide. By the Saint’s own request, he was given the name “Barbaros” (barbarian) to remind him of his former behavior and way of life.

The Saint’s repentance was so profound that he was tonsured a Monk and remained there, in the place of his spiritual rebirth, living like the Venerable Forerunner in the desert. He even wore chains strapped around himself, to wear out his flesh and bring it into subjection.

By the cultivation of humility and self-reproach, as well as by putting into practice all of the holy virtues, the Saint unwittingly became known to the inhabitants of the surrounding regions, who hastened with fervor to be blessed by the strange holy ascetic, this former pirate and robber-chieftain.

Certain hunters from Nikopolis, while passing through the area of Tryphos where the springs were, saw the Saint in the twilight and took him for game. Thus, they shot their arrows at him. But horror soon overcame them when they realized their fatal mistake!

The Saint, as he lay dying, gathered up his strength and called out: “Drink, O Barbaros, of the cup which you offered to others!” And he gave thanks to God, Who had led him out of the darkness of deception and led him to the light of the Truth by means of his spiritual Father and benefactor, the Priest John. Thus, in prayer and thanksgiving, his soul passed into eternity.

St. Barbaros was buried in the place of his asceticism. God immediately glorified him in return with signs and miracles and also by the flow of myrrh from his grave!

Many centuries later, in 1571, an officer from Venice named Sklavounos, who was taking part at that time in the naval battle of Navpaktos, fell seriously ill and saw the Saint in a dream, telling him to go to his grave to be healed. Indeed, as soon as the officer venerated the tomb, he was miraculously healed and took the holy Relics of the Saint with him as he departed.

While traveling to Venice, he set ashore at the village of Potamos in Kerkyra. There, the Saint healed a paralytic, and for this reason a Church dedicated to him was erected, in which he is honored to this day. There is also a Church dedicated to the Saint, in addition to one at the site of his asceticism, in a village in Levkada.

It is surmised that his wonderworking Relics, which ended up in Italy, are preserved to this day in a village in Northern Italy which bears the Saint’s name: San Barbaro!
May they one day be discovered and brought back to the place of his sanctification, for the blessing and comfort of the Faithful.

Through the holy intercessions of St. Barbaros, O Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us!

Source: Agios Kuprianos, No. 302 (May-June 2001), pp. 35, 38.

Read also: Saint Barbarus the Myrrh-Gusher

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