The Role of Monasticism in our Time

From an interview with Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos:

Question: Coming now to contemporary Orthodox monasticism, what would you consider to be its primary role in the present circumstances compared to that in the past? Would you say that every epoch puts a different challenge before the monastic community, and if that is so, what specific mission it has in our time?

Answer: In the Orthodox Church, genuine monasticism is the one that lives fully the hesychastic tradition we mentioned above, and the monks should be, according to an ancient saying, “the ones who live by the Gospel”.

It is significant that anchoritism developed as a reaction to the “spirit” of secularism, when the persecution of the Church ceased in the fourth century and the “spirit” of secularism entered the Church. Because of this, Orthodox monasticism, in contrast to western monasticism, is the experience of the prophetic, apostolic, martyric life and, unlike in the West, it is not the monks who save the Church but they are saved by remaining within the Church.

Consequently, monasteries function, and have to function, as spiritual medical schools of the Church. The physicians learn at medical schools what physical illness is, what a healthy organism is and how the sick are cured. Similarly, the monks learn in these spiritual medical schools the method for men’s spiritual cure. When monasticism misses this objective, it is secularized and causes greater disappointment to Christians. Because in such cases monasticism becomes a secular organization, a place where all passions, aggressiveness and fanaticism are cultivated.

From Sobornost, September 2006.

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God's Indebtedness To The Merciful

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

"He who has compassion on the poor lends to God and He will repay Him for his good deed" (Proverbs 19:17).

The poor man who begs and the rich man who gives both are indebting the Lord, but only under the condition that the poor man begs in the name of the Lord with humility and that the rich man gives in the name of the Lord with compassion. Everyone who receives should know that he receives that which belongs to God and everyone who gives should know that he gives that which belongs to God. Such giving has a price and such receiving has a price. All of us enter this world naked and naked shall we leave this world. All of us are beggars before the Lord for we possess nothing that we have not received from the Lord. Therefore, give to the poor man as God has given to you. You take what is another's and you give to your own when you perform charity. The poor man is closer to you than all of your goods, even as to God, the Creator of men, every man is incomparably more precious than all of his goods.

If you have been given riches, it was given to you for temptation: that your heart be tempted! That God and all the heavenly hosts see whether you understood from whom are all your riches and why they were given to you. Blessed are you if you know that your goods are from God and belong to God! Blessed are you if you consider the poor as your companions, among your family members and share with them from that which God has entrusted to you!

O how immeasurable is God's love for mankind! Behold, all that you have belongs to God but, nevertheless, God considers Himself your debtor if you take from Him and give to the poor and He will repay you for your good. What kind of mercy can be compared to this!

O Man-loving Lord, open our minds to understand the mystery of Your mercy and soften our hearts as wax, that as wax they burn and shine with the reflection of Your inexpressible mercy! To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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Information for Pilgrims to Mount Athos

Holy Administration οf the Holy Mount Athos: 

Pilgrims’ Bureau

Mount Athos, known in Greek as Agio Oros (Holy Mountain), is a peninsula in Halkidiki, Northern Greece. This sacred area contains twenty monasteries including one Serbian, one Bulgarian and one Russian. Although the peninsula of Athos is part of Greece, it enjoys certain autonomy. The "Holy Community" under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul administrates the region. This administrative body is composed of representatives of the monasteries and maintains an office at Karyes (Iera Epistasia) where all visitors register upon arrival at Mount Athos.

Only adult men and young males accompanied by their fathers are permitted to enter Mount Athos. This rule, which is known as the “avaton”, forbids access to Mount Athos to any female and this is enforced by the law. Moreover, young men who are accompanied by a guardian or adult group leader visiting Mount Athos for educational purpose need the written consent of their parents, verified by an official authority of their country.

In accordance with the procedures established by the Greek Government, foreigners must obtain a written permit to visit Mount Athos from the "HOLY ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOLY MOUNT ATHOS – PILGRIMS’ BUREAU" located in Thessaloniki. Reservations are made six months in advance by phone (+30 2310 25 78) or fax (+30 2310 22 24 24) or e-mail (piligrimsbureau@c-lab.gr ).

The deliverance of this permit is carried out by the "Pilgrims’ Office" branch in Ouranoupolis. Personal appearance and passport /ID is required in order to obtain this permit. A letter of recommendation is no longer required.

The office in Thessaloniki is open from Monday through Saturday (9:00 – 04:00). It is closed on Sundays and official holidays.

The office in Ouranoupolis is open from Monday through Sunday from 07:30 – 13:00.

In general, the "HOLY ADMINISTRATION OF THE HOLY MOUNT ATHOS-PILGRIMS’ BUREAU" issues only ten permits a day for non-Orthodox visitors (foreigners) and 100 for Greeks and Orthodox visitors. These permits are valid for a four-day visit on specific dates. Prolongation of the four-day validity can be issued from Mt. Athos authorities in Karyes. Clergymen should obtain in advance a written consent (Evlogia) from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople by writing to:

The Ecumenical Patriarchate,

Fanari, Istanbul, Turkey,

tel (+ 90 21 25 34 90 37 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting ΔΩΡΕΑΝ +90 21 25 34 90 37 end_of_the_skype_highlighting).

Upon arrival in Ouranoupolis, the port where the boats depart for Mt Athos, visitors must obtain a residence permit "Diamonitirio". This permit allows the visitor to visit and stay at the monasteries of his choice and costs 30 euros. Students who can prove their student status through a school ID pay only 10 euros. Visitors should be in Ouranoupolis no later than 09:00 or the at the dock of Ierissos no later than 08:30. The boat departures are 09:45 (from Ouranoupolis) and 08:40 (from Ierissos). The holder of a permit may proceed to Mount Athos without any other formalities.

The Monasteries do not charge for their hospitality, but donations are accepted. Most of the Monasteries and Sketes require prior arrangements for the accommodation.

Mount Athos visitors should be decently attired. In the event of misconduct, a permit can be withdrawn. Severe penalties are enforced against anyone who attempts to remove religious items from Mount Athos' collections. While taking photographs is permitted, the use of video and movie cameras is strictly forbidden. Also, because hunting is strictly forbidden in Mount Athos, hunting dogs and rifles are strictly forbidden.

Following you can find information on bus and boat schedules and some useful telephone numbers (It is advisable to check timetables before departure because they are subject to change).

BUS TERMINAL TO OURANOUPOLIS: «KTEL CHALKIDIKIS» tel. +30 2310 316 555 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting ΔΩΡΕΑΝ +30 2310 316 555 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, web site www.in-ktel.gr

DEPARTURES BY BUS – DAILY :
Thessaloniki – Ouranoupolis (148 km, 3hours).

The first bus is at 05:30.

DEPARTURES FROM OURANOUPOLIS TO DAPHNE, MT. ATHOS, BY BOAT:

Ouranoupolis – Daphne: (2hours) at 09:45.

Daphne – Ouranoupolis (2hours) at 12:00.

There is a boat connection with the 06:15 bus from Thessaloniki, as well as with the domestic bus Daphne – Karyes (12 km).

The above information in Greek, here.

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Romanian Priest Murdered Inside Church

June 17, 2012

NINEOCLOCK

Priest Tudor Marin (69), the father-in-law of trade union leader Vasile Marica, was mortally stabbed Saturday morning, after the Divine Liturgy, inside the ‘Sfantul Ioan Botezatorul’ Church of the Piata Unirii Square of Focsani. The only witness was a woman that was selling candles.

Shortly after the murder, police apprehended the main suspect, a man aged 30, who was initially detained for 24 hours under the accusation of murder. Later, a judge put him in preventive arrest for 29 days.

The suspect was caught by police in his apartment of Focsani, based on the description provided by the witness. While searching the apartment, officers found a Bible and several sheets of paper covered with biblical fragments.

The man confessed the murder and said he has no regret, because he only fulfilled God’s will, because the priest had to die.

According to prosecutor Gheorghe Mihaila of the Focsani Tribunal, the assassin entered the church carrying several pages with biblical fragments, talked with the priest and then suddenly stabbed him and ran away.

“He came with the intention to kill. The woman who was there – the only person that witnessed the murder – did not have time to react. She thought that he had slapped the priest with his hand. The attacker left in a hurry and disappeared behind a block of flats. Some witnesses said he ran towards the train station,” the prosecutor said, quoted by Mediafax. He described the suspect as “a psychopath with exacerbated ideas.”

According to the source, the attacker entered the church with the knife in a bag and hit the priest first time near the temple, then in the heart, with the second blow also being fatal. The Romanian Patriarchate deplores the murder, especially as it was committed in a church, “where priests preach peace and love of neighbor, and now a peaceful and venerable prelate was brutally murdered in a horrible crime that shows the alarming state of degradation, violence and insecurity which characterizes society today.”

The murderer told the police: "Today I definitely wanted to kill a priest! I went to three churches, but there were too many people there."

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Synaxis of All Saints of Mount Athos

The joint celebration of the Saints on Mount Athos begins with the composition of services and praises by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite, who is also the last compiler of synaxaria. Best known older Athonite writers of synaxaria are Saints Basil the New the Synaxaristes, Philotheos Kokkinos, Kallistos I, Gregory Palamas, Agapios Landos, Kaisarios Dapontes and Papa Jonah the Kafsokalyvitis. St. Nikodemos started his work to the "Sacred and Joint Synaxis of All the Monastic Fathers of the Holy Mountain".

The services and praises were printed in Ermoupolis in Syros in 1847 "through the assistance of the venerable company of Athonite Fathers", who printed around five hundred copies. The exact time of writing is not known.

The first icon of the Synaxis of the Athonite Fathers was painted in 1796 and is found in the administration building of Konstamonitou Monastery in Karyes (photo above). The service for the feast was also probably written in 1796.

Around 1800 the icon of Athonite Fathers was painted (photo above), which is found in the hall of the Synaxis of the Holy Community (photo below), though in the past it was found on the iconostasis of the Holy Church of Protaton in Karyes.

St. Nikodemos states that the reason he established this feast was first because other places traditionally honored their local saints yet Mount Athos had no such feast, second because there was no joint feast to commemorate both all the known and unknown saints of Mount Athos with which to honor them and celebrate them, and lastly because he believed it made the heirs of the Athonite traditions ungrateful for not honoring all of their predecessor spiritual fathers before them. Most especially this feast is to serve as an inspiration towards the imitation of the virtues and zeal of all the fathers of the past. It is with such gratitude, love and inspiration that St. Nikodemos wrote this Service of Praise.

In the Canon of the Orthros many of these Saints are named, though many are also not named. St. Nikodemos tirelessly researched the libraries to uncover these names, but it was not until the 20th century that the blessed hymnographer Fr. Gerasimos Mikragiannanitis updated the text.

The Synaxis of All the Saints and Fathers of Mount Athos is celebrated on the Second Sunday of Saint Matthew, which is the Sunday following the feast of All Saints. It is celebrated by all the monks of Mount Athos.

To read more about the Saints of Mount Athos, read here.

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Synaxis of All Saints of Patmos

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church in Patmos remembers the saints of Patmos on this day.

The sacred island of Patmos is God-trodden, Apostle-trodden and sanctified with the presence of God and the Saints throughout all ages, both known and unknown, from the time of the Apostle John who was exiled here, and who was worthy of a Divine Vision, by which this small and insignificant island of the Aegean became equal to that of the Holy Land and Mount Sinai.

From the time of the establishment of the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologian by Saint Christodoulos in the eleventh century, this land became known as a place of prayer and asceticism.

Many venerable personalities tied their names to the island of Patmos. In the 18th century St. Makarios Notaras began from here to collect texts from the library that would eventually be compiled in the Philokalia, which propelled a new dynamic spirit of Orthodox Spirituality.

The feast of the Synaxis of All Saints on the Sunday followng All Saints Sunday was established by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Below is a list of known Saints associated with Patmos:

1. St John the Theologian (26 September, 8 May).

2. St Christodoulos (16 March, 21 October).

3. Apostle Thomas (Sunday of Antipascha, 6 October).

4. St Gerasimos Byzantios (7 April).

5. St Antipas, Bishop of Pergamos (11 April).

6. St Pachomios the Russian (7 May).

7. St Leondios, Archbishop of Jerusalem (14 May).

8. St Philip the Deacon (11 October).

9. St Makarios the Kalogeras (19 January).

10. Hieromartyr Platon Aivazides (21 September).

11. St Prochoros (July 28)
12. St Gregory Gravanos (April 22)
13. St Jeremiah of Crete (Sunday after All Saints).
14. Assembly of the Saints of Patmos (Sunday after All Saints).

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Synaxis of All Saints of Lesvos

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church in Lesvos remembers the saints of Lesvos on this day.

The holy island of Lesvos, besides giving rise to men of the spirit, of the arts and of the sciences, through the blessing of God has revealed at least 40 Saints, who adorn and make radiant the Orthodox calendar of our Church. Some of them were from Lesvos, who lived godly lives and fell asleep in the Lord or were martyred on the island. Others were from other places, but came to Lesvos, where they were martyred, and hallowed the ground through their martyrical blood.

Every year, the memory of All Saints of Lesvos is celebrated the Sunday after the Sunday of All Saints with all radiance and devotion, and is proceeded by a series of festal events, in which the pious people of Lesvos and many visitors to the island, take part.

Older Saints of Lesvos (20)

The Five Women Martyrs (+4th century) – April 5

St. Alexander Archbishop of Methymna (+5th century) – November 30

St. Andrew of Crete, the Author of the Great Canon (+740) – July 4

St. David the Confessor (+795) – February 1

St. George of Mytilene, the Worker of Signs (+821) – April 7

St. Symeon the New Stylite of Lesvos (+844) – September 1 / February 1

St. George of Mytilene, the Confessor (+846) – February 1 / May 16

The Righteous Agathon of Ephesus (+9th century) – August 23 (with the finding of the wonderworking icon of the Theotokos of Agiassou)

St. Theoktiste of Methymna (+9th century) – November 9

St. Thomais of Lesvos (+10th century) – January 3

St. Theophanes Sigrianes (+1000)

St. Gregory Bishop of Assos (+1130) – July 10 / Sunday after November 10 (the uncovering of his relics)

St. Olympia the Nun (+1235) – May 11

St. Euphrosyne the Nun (+1235) – May 11

St. Theonas Archbishop of Thessaloniki, from Lesvos (+1541)

St. Ignatios Bishop of Methymna (+1566) – October 14

New Martyrs of Lesvos (20)

St. Raphael the Hieromartyr of Thermi, the Newly-revealed (+1463) – April 9 / Tuesday of Bright Week / July 3 (uncovering of his relics)

St. Nicholas the Righteous martyr of Thermi, the Newly-revealed (+1463) – April 9 / Tuesday of Bright Week / June 13 (uncovering of his relics)

St. Irene the Virgin Martyr of Thermi, the Newly-revealed (+1463) – April 9 / Tuesday of Bright Week / May 12 (uncovering of her relics)

The Righteous Basileios, the Mayor of Thermi and Father of St. Irene (+1463) – April 9 / Tuesday of Bright Week

The Righteous Maria, the Mother of St. Irene (+1463) – April 9 / Tuesday of Bright Week

The Righteous Theodore, the teacher of Thermi, martyred after St. Raphael (+1463) – April 9 / Tuesday of Bright Week

St. Doukas the Tailor (+1564)

St. Parthenios Patriarch of Constantinople (+1657)

St. George Pasgianos (+1693) – February 14

St. George (Tzortzes) the Iberian (+1770) – January 2

St. Nicholas of Mytilene (+1771) – January 16

St. Theodore (Hatzi) of Mytilene (+1784) – January 30 (his martyrdom) / September 4 (uncovering of his relics)

St. Theodore the Byzantine (+1795) – February 17 (his martyrdom) / The 4th Sunday of Pascha (Sunday of the Paralytic) (the uncovering of his relics and his miraculous deliverance of the island from the plague in 1823)

St. Luke of Adrianoupolis (+1802) – March 23

St. George of Chios (+1807) – November 26

St. Demetrios from Larissa (+1809)

St. Anastasios Paneras (+1806) – August 10

St. Demetrios Mpegiazes (+1816) – August 10

St. Constantine from the Hagarenes (+1819) – June 2

St. Euthymios Bishop of Zelon (+1921) – May 29

For the Service to All Saints of Lesvos, see here.

Apolytikion in the Third Tone

A divine assembly of noble righteous ones, and band of archpriests, and unassailable rank of martyrs, the island of Lesvos praises as it dances, for they magnified Christ in her, and they intercede that true peace and great mercy may be granted to our souls.

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Synaxis of All Saints of Scotland

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church in Scotland remembers the saints of Scotland on this day.

Christ is shown at the top center of the icon titled "Synaxis of All Saints Who Shone Forth in Scotland" stretching forth His arms with a blessing.

In the center of the icon, standing to the left and right of the altar, are Ss. Joseph of Arimathea (July 31) and Andrew the Apostle (November 30). Immediately to St. Joseph's left are St. Paulinus (Oct. 10), St. Palladius (July 6), St. Ternan, and St. Ninian (Sept. 16) holding a scroll that reads: "Their sound has gone forth into all the earth."

In the tier above them are Ss. Moluac, Machar, Kentigern Mongo, (Jan. 13) and the fifty-two monk martyrs of Eloc with St. Donnan (Apr. 17).

Immediately to St. Andrew's right are Ss. Fintan, Aidan of Lindesfarne (Aug. 31), Colman, and Cuthbert (Mar. 20) wearing the bishop's garments.

In the tier above them are Ss. Cedd (Jan. 7), Chad (Mar. 2), Eata (Oct. 26), Wilfrid (Oct. 12), Ceolwulf, Eadfrith, Felgila, Ethilwald (Aug. 1), Eadberht (May 6), and the Saints of Lindesfarne Monastery.

At the front and center of the icon are the three kings and passionbearers of Deira: Ss. Edwin (Oct. 4), Oswin (Aug. 20), and Oswald (Aug. 5).

Immediately to their left is St. Bede of Jarrow (May 27) portrayed as a scribe or historian. To St. Bede's left is St. Columba (June 9).

Behind St. Columba are Ss. Adamnan (Sept. 23), Cummenea Ilbe, Ernan, Baithene, Sagine, Odran, Brescal, Eithne, and Patrick (Mar. 17). Above St. Patrick is St. Kenneth (Oct. 11).

Immediately to the right of the passionbearers is the monastic St. Maelruba and Ss. Colm, Fergus, Drostan, Findlugan, Medan, and St. Donald with his nine daughters (July 15).

To the right and above St. Colm is St. Cormac. The women to the right of St. Cormac are Ss. Hilda of Whitby (Nov. 17), Ebba (Aug. 25), Heiu, Baga of Bee, and Ethelreda (June 23).

The inscription on the bottom reads: "All Saints of Scotland, Pray to God for us."

Kontakion in the Third Tone

Today the choirs of the saints who have pleased God in Scotland stand forth in the Church and unseen pray to God for us. With them the angels give glory; and all the saints of the Church of Christ make glad with them, and all together they beseech the Pre-Eternal God for us.

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Synaxis of All Saints of Romania

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church in Romania remembers the saints of Romania on this day.

“All Saints Sunday is a sanctioned historical presence, namely it got into the conscience of the Church as far back as the 4th century, first in the Eastern Church and then took over in the West too. Saint Basil the Great confesses in one of the prayers of his Liturgy that God wonderfully works through the saints that pleased him of any nation, showing that they represent every national Church and people. So, it was necessary that this feast should be established due to the presence and acknowledgement of the holiness of all categories, either confessors or pious saints of our nation”, says Rev. Prof. Sorin Cojocaru from the Orthodox Theological Seminary of Saint Andrew the Apostle of Galati city.

The Romanian saints are the most precious fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit in Romania.

On Romanian Saints Sunday the Romanian Church remembers the martyrs, confessors, hierarchs and pious, theologians and hermits, known and unknown, canonised or not, that the territory of Romania created.

This is a list of Romanian saints, taken from here:

Saint Apostle Andrew the First-Called (Sfântul Apostol Andrei, Cel- Intâi chemat) (November 30)

Hierarchs and priests

Hieromartyr Antim the Ivirian, (Sfântul Ierarh Martir Antim Ivireanul), (1650-1716), feast day on September 27

Bretranion, Bishop of Tomis (Sfântul Bretranion, Episcopul Tomisului), (†381), feast day on January 25

Calinic of Cernica, Bishop of Râmnic, (Sfântul Ierarh Calinic de la Cernica, Episcopul Râmnicului), (October 7, 1787 – April 11, 1868), feast day on April 11

Hieromartyr Evangelicus of Tomis, feast day on July 7

Ghelasie of Râmeţ Monastery, Archbishop of Transylvania, (Sfântul Ierarh Ghelasie de la Mânăstirea Râmeţ, Arhiepiscopul Transilvaniei), (14th century), feast day on June 30

Hieromartyr Irineu, Bishop of Sirmium, (Sfântul Ierarh Martyr Irineu, Episcopul Sirmiumului), (†304), feast day on April 6

Pahomie of Gledin, Bishop of Rome, (Sfântul Ierarh Pahomie, Episcopul Romanului), (1671-1724), feast day on April 14

Confessor Elijah Iorest, Metropolitan of Ardeal, (Sfântul Ierarh Mărturisitor Ilie Iorest, Mitropolitul Transilvaniei (Ardeal)), (†1678), feast day on April 24

Joseph the Confessor, Bishop of Maramureş, (Sfântul Iosif Mărturisitorul, Episcopul Maramureşului), (1690-~1711), feast day on April 24

Joseph the New of Partoş Monastery, Metropolitan of Timişoara, (Sfântul Ierarh Iosif cel Nou de la Mânăstirea Partoş, Mitropolit al Timişoarei), (1568-1656), feast day on September 15

Theotim, Bishop of Tomis, (Sfântul Ierarh Teotim, Episcopul Tomisului), (4th century), feast day on April 20

Confessor Sava Brancovici, Metropolitan of Ardeal (Transylvania), (Sfântul Ierarh Mărturisitor Sava Brancivici, Mitropolitul Ardealului) (†1683), feast day on April 24

Priest-Confessor John of Galeş, (Preotul Mârturisitor Ioan din Galeş), (18th century), feast day on October 21

Gregory IV, the Teacher, Metropolitan of Ţara Românească, (Sfântul Ierarh Grigorie IV Dacălul, Mitropolitul Tării Românesti), (1765-1834), feast day on June 22

Niceta, Bishop of Remesiana, (Sfântul Ierarh Niceta, Episcopul de Remesiana), (5th century), feast day on June 24

Leontie, Bishop of Rădăuţi, (Sfântul Ierarh Leontie, Episcop de Rădăuţi), (14th century), feast day on July 1

Priest-Confessor Moses Măcinic of Sibiel, (Preotul Mărturisitor Moise Măcinic, din Sibiel), (18th century), feast day on October 21

Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople and Metropolitan of Ţara Românească, (Sfântul Ierarh Nifon, Patriarhul Constantinopolului şi Mitropolit al Tări Româneşti), (~1437-1508), feast day on August 11

Peter Mogila, Metropolitan of Kiev and all Rus, (Sfântul Ierarh Petru Movilă, Mitropolit de Kiev si a Toată Rusia), (1596-1647), feast day on December 22

Monastics

Venerable Antipa of Calapodeşti, Mount Athos and Valaam Monastery. (Sfântul Antipa de la Calapodeşti, Muntele Athos şi Mânăstirea Valaam). (1816-1882). Feast day on January 10

Venerable Anthony of Iezeru Monastery, Vâlcea country. (Sfântul Cuvios Antonie de la Iezeru Vâlcea). (†1714). Feast day on November 23

Venerable George of Cernica Monastery. (Sfântul Cuvios Gheorghe de la Mânăstirea Cernica). (1730–1806). Feast day on December 3

Venerable Daniel the Hermit. (Sfântul Cuvios Daniil (Daniel) Sihastrul). (15th century). Feast day on December 18

Venerable Dimitrie the New of Basarabi. (Sfântul Cuvios Dimitrie cel Nou, Basarabov). (13th century). Feast day on September 27

Dosoftei, Metropolitan of Moldavia. (Sfântul Ierarh Dosoftei, Mitropolitul Moldovei). (1624-1693). Feast day on December 13

Venerable Gregory the Decapolit. (Sfântul Cuvios Grigorie Decapolitul). (~785-842). Feast day on November 20

Venerable Germanus of Dobrogea. Sfântul Gherman din Dobrogea). (368-415). Feast day on February 29

Venerable John Iacob the Romanian (the Hozevite). (Sfântul Cuvios Ioan Iacob Românul (Hozevitul)). (1913-1960). Feast day on August 5

Venerable John Cassian the Romanian. (Sfântul Cuvios Ioan Casian Românul). (360-435). Feast day on February 29

Venerable John the New of Prislop Monastery. (Sfântul Cuvios Ioan cel Nou de la Mânăstirea Prislop). Feast day on September 13

Venerable Nicodim of Tismana. (Sfântul Nicodim cel Sfinţit de la Tismana). (1320-1406). Feast day on December 26

Venerable Onufrie of Vorona. (Sfântul Onufrie de la Vorona).(18th century). Feast day on September 9

Venerable Paraschiva of Iaşi. (Sfânta Cuvioasă Paraschiva de la Iaşi). (1025-1050). Feast day on October 14

Venerable Paisios Velicikovski of Neamţ. (Sfântul Paisie Velicikovski de la Neamţ). (1722-1794). Feast day on November 15

Venerable Confessor Sofronie of Cioara. (Sfântul Mărturisitor Sofronie de la Cioara). (18th century). Feast day on October 21

Stephen the Great. ( Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt ). (1433-1504). Feast day on July 2

Venerable Theodora from Carpathia, of Sihla. (Sfânta Teodora din Carpaţi, Sihla). (17th century). Feast day on August 7

Venerable Basil of Poiana Mărului. (Sfântul Cuvios Vasile de la Poiana Mărului). (1692-1767). Feast day on April 15

Venerable Visarion the Confessor. (Cuviosul Mărturisitor Visarion Sarai Ieromonahul). (18th century). Feast day on October 21

Martyrs

Martyrs Claudiu, Castor, Sempronian, and Nicostrat, Feast day on November 9

Martyr Dassie, Feast day on November 20

Martyrs Donat and Venust, Feast day on August 21

Martyrs Ermil and Stratonic, Feast day on January 13

Martyrs Epictet and Astion, Feast day on July 8

Martyr Emilian of Durostor, Feast day on July 18

Martyr Hermes, Feast day on December 31

Martyr John the Valah, Feast day on May 12

Martyr John the New of Suceava, Feast day on June 2

Martyr Iuliu Veteranul, Feast day on May 27

Martyr Isihie, Feast day on June 15

Martyr Lup, Feast day on August 23

Martyrs Montanus and Maxima, Feast day on March 26

Martyr Nicandru and Marcian, Feast day on June 8

Martyr Oprea of Săliştea, Feast day on October 21

Martyrs Pasicrat and Valentin, Feast day on April 24

Philoftheia (Philothea) of Curtea de Argeş, Feast day on December 7

Martyrs Romul and Silvan, Feast day on August 21

Martyr Sava of Buzău (the Goth), Feast day on April 12

Martyr Theodosie of Brazi, Feast day s on September 23

Martyrs Zotic, Atal, Camasis, and Filip of Niculiţel, Feast day on June 4

Martyrs Brâncoveni: Constantin, Stephen, Radu, and Mathew, Feast day on August 16

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Synaxis of All Saints of North America

On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church in America remembers the saints of North America on this day.

Saints of all times, and in every country are seen as the fulfillment of God's promise to redeem fallen humanity. Their example encourages us to "lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us" and to "run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). The saints of North America also teach us how we should live, and what we must expect to endure as Christians

Although it is a relatively young church, the Orthodox Church in America has produced saints in nearly all of the six major categories of saints: Apostles (and Equals of the Apostles); Martyrs (and Confessors); Prophets; Hierarchs; Monastic Saints; and the Righteous. Prophets, of course, lived in Old Testament times and predicted the coming of Christ.

The first Divine Liturgy in what is now American territory (northern latitude 58 degrees, 14 minutes, western longitude 141 degrees) was celebrated on July 20, 1741, the Feast of the Prophet Elias, aboard the ship Peter under the command of Vitus Bering. Hieromonk Hilarion Trusov and the priest Ignatius Kozirevsky served together on that occasion. Several years later, the Russian merchant Gregory I. Shelikov visited Valaam monastery, suggesting to the abbot that it would be desirable to send missionaries to Russian America.

On September 24, 1794, after a journey of 7,327 miles (the longest missionary journey in Orthodox history) and 293 days, a group of monks from Valaam arrived on Kodiak Island in Alaska. The mission was headed by Archimandrite Joasaph, and included Hieromonks Juvenal, Macarius, and Athanasius, the Hierodeacons Nectarius and Stephen, and the monks Herman and Joasaph. St Herman of Alaska (December 13, August 9), the last surviving member of the mission, fell asleep in the Lord in 1837.

Throughout the Church's history, the seeds of faith have always been watered by the blood of the martyrs. The Protomartyr Juvenal was killed near Lake Iliamna by natives in 1799, thus becoming the first Orthodox Christian to shed his blood for Christ in the New World. In 1816, St Peter the Aleut was put to death by Spanish missionaries in California when he refused to convert to Roman Catholicism.

Missionary efforts continued in the nineteenth century, with outreach to the native peoples of Alaska. Two of the most prominent laborers in Christ's Vineyard were St Innocent Veniaminov (March 31 and October 6) and St Jacob Netsvetov (July 26), who translated Orthodox services and books into the native languages. Father Jacob Netsvetev died in Sitka in 1864 after a life of devoted service to the Church. Father John Veniaminov, after his wife's death, received monastic tonsure with the name Innocent. He died in 1879 as the Metropolitan of Moscow.

As the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, an event of enormous significance for the North American Church took place. On March 25, 1891, Bishop Vladimir went to Minneapolis to receive St Alexis Toth (May 7) and 361 of his parishioners into the Orthodox Church. This was the beginning of the return of many Uniates to Orthodoxy.

St Tikhon (Belavin), the future Patriarch of Moscow (April 7, October 9), came to America as bishop of the diocese of the Aleutians and Alaska in September 1898. As the only Orthodox bishop on the continent, St Tikhon traveled extensively throughout North America in order to minister to his widely scattered and diverse flock. He realized that the local church here could not be a permanent extension of the Russian Church. Therefore, he focused his efforts on giving the American Church a diocesan and parish structure which would help it mature and grow.

St Tikhon returned to Russia in 1907, and was elected as Patriarch of Moscow ten years later. He died in 1925, and for many years his exact burial place remained unknown. St Tikhon's grave was discovered on February 22, 1992 in the smaller cathedral of Our Lady of the Don in the Don Monastery when a fire made renovation of the church necessary.

St Raphael of Brooklyn (February 27) was the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America. Archimandrite Raphael Hawaweeny was consecrated by Bishop Tikhon and Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky) at St Nicholas Cathedral in New York on March 13, 1904. As Bishop of Brooklyn, St Raphael was a trusted and capable assistant to St Tikhon in his archpastoral ministry. St Raphael reposed on February 27, 1915.

The first All American Council took place March 5-7, 1907 at Mayfield, PA, and the main topic was "How to expand the mission." Guidelines and directions for missionary activity, and statutes for the administrative structure of parishes were also set forth.

In the twentieth century, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, countless men, women, and children received the crown of martyrdom rather than renounce Christ. Sts John Kochurov (October 31) and Alexander Hotovitzky (December 4 and August 7) both served the Church in North America before going back to Russia. St John became the first clergyman to be martyred in Russia on October 31, 1917 in St Petersburg. St Alexander Hotovitzky, who served in America until 1914, was killed in 1937.

In addition to the saints listed above, we also honor those saints who are known only to God, and have not been recognized officially by the Church. As we contemplate the lives of these saints, let us remember that we are also called by God to a life of holiness.

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Orthodoxy and Divorce

From an interview with Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos:

Question: Statistics say that in some countries of the EU more than half of all marriages end up in divorce. Do you think that besides social there are also spiritual reasons for the alarming dissolution of the family in modern societies, and consequently, what precise attitudes and measures could be taken by the Orthodox community to resist this trend?

Answer: The cause of divorces is the various passions developing in man, such as self-love, indulgence, and selfishness.

When one reads the Service of the Mystery of Marriage carefully, one will find out that the joint life of man and woman, which must be in Christ, is lived within a certain framework. When someone trespasses this framework, he first experiences what is called emotional divorce and then he ends up in a final divorce.

The way the Dance of Isaiah is performed during the Mystery of Marriage is indicative. The priest leads the couple, holding the Gospel and chanting “Holy Martyrs who have fought well and have been crowned”. This means that the steps of the new couple will resemble martyrdom and this is why the Priest should always be ahead of them to guide them on the basis of the Gospel. This means that there is asceticism within the marriage, the asceticism of the Church. When this is not observed, marriage is secularized.

Orthodox Communities should help people from their young age to learn clearly what the purpose of man’s existence is, what the purpose of marriage is and what its conclusion is. Because the purpose of marriage is not simply a social cohabitation but the experiencing of Paradise on earth and a road that leads to Paradise.

From Sobornost, September 2006.

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A Newly-Revealed Saint With Incorrupt Relics in Romania

The relic of the monk Joseph is located at Radeni Hermitage in the small city of Targu Neamt in N.E. Romania. On 7 November 2011 his exhumation took place seven years after his repose.

However the life of the monk Joseph is impressive and shows that God is wondrous in His Saints and that God is not silent. One sob, one tear, one Lord have mercy from the depths of the soul, and God forgives all.

Information about the venerable monk Joseph comes from a comment I found by a reader of the Romanian website from where I got the article.

According to this information, the monk Joseph had been a member of the communist party and had around nine children, not all from the same mother. Generally his life did not keep in pace with the teachings of the Church, but he was merciful. He lived in a village near Radeni Hermitage.

The fathers of the Hermitage say that upon entering the Hermitage he would continually weep, and the majority thought that he was deluded. Furthermore his fellow villagers would come who recognized him for his former life and they asked the Abbot to get rid of him from the Hermitage. Many times they wanted to get rid of him.

A little while before he died he was very sick. For about two weeks he was bedridden. Even then the villagers spoke evil of him. He would hear from his window how awful they spoke against him. He forgave them however and continued to shed tears of repentance.

A few days before he died he asked for Communion. The spiritual father of the Hermitage denied this request however because he Communed him a few days earlier. The next day when the spiritual father visited, the venerable monk Joseph told him that an angel of the Lord Communed him. He did not believed him and considered this a delusion.

After his burial a wolf stood at his grave and all night howled without stopping!

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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Elder Polycarpos Matzaroglou Has Reposed

On June 15, 2012, at 6:10 AM, Fr. Polycarpos Mantzaroglou reposed at the age of 83.

The blessed elder Fr. Polycarpos came from Edessa and was born in 1929 to his parents Amphilochios Matzaroglou and Vayia Kozanite. He was tonsured a monk at the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian on Patmos. He was ordained a Deacon on 10/11/1951 by the late Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Panteleimon Papagiorgiou and was appointed on 11/6/1952. He was ordained a Presbyter and Archimandrite on 1/12/1958 by the same Metropolitan.

Fr. Polycarpos served the Metropolis of Thessaloniki from 1952 till 1970 when he was transferred to the Metropolis of Cassandria where he stayed until 1983. In 1983 he established the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos with some nuns in Makri, which today is occupied by 50 nuns. He retired as vicar of the Metropolitan Church of Saint Nicholas in Alexandroupolis on 12/31/1987.

For his overall contribution to monastic life he was awarded in 1991 by Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios the title of Archimandrite to the Ecumenical Throne and was honored by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece in 2002 with the Golden Cross of the Apostle Paul, the highest decoration of the Greek Church.

The blessed elder Fr. Polycarpos, as a spiritual treasure of the Metropolis of Alexandroupolis, was known throughout Greece and even abroad, especially in Syria and Romania, and he had many bishops, priests, monks and nuns as spiritual children who fled to him for spiritual guidance and counsel.

The funeral of Fr. Polycarpos took place on Saturday June 16 at 12:00 noon at the Holy Monastery of the Dormition in Makris.

Read also the link below written by Elder Polycarpos concerning his meeting with Elder Paisios and the founding of the Monastery of Souroti.

How I Met Fr. Paisios and How the Monastery of Souroti Was Established

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Trailer: Restless Heart - The Confessions of Augustine

430 AD. The Roman Empire is beginning to crumble. The Vandals and other marauding tribes spill through the gaps in Roman defenses. And one of the greatest saints of the Christian church stands between his flock and the barbarian invaders. As he attempts to negotiate between the proud Roman authorities and the implacable Vandal king, Bishop Augustine recalls his own life before Christianity...

In this stirring and epic new film on the life of St. Augustine of Hippo, follow the great saint as he rises from his reckless days as a youth to his accomplishments as a renowned but dissolute orator. Though worldly success and riches come his way, including a position in the imperial court of Milan, satisfaction and peace elude him. It takes a confrontation with the Christian bishop Ambrose and the countless prayers offered by his patient mother, Monica, to break through his intellectual pride.

Starring Alessandro Preziosi, Monica Guerritore, Johannes Bandrup, and Franco Nero.

Coming Fall 2012. Find out more at www.RestlessHeartFilm.com

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Is Augustine of Hippo A Father of the Church?

By Fr. John Romanides

Augustine of Hippo, the Source of the Humorous Errors of Barlaam

Although both the Papacy and the Protestants have theologically associated both Saints Ambrose and Jerome with Augustine, the latter has no theological relation with the former. Both Ambrose and Jerome belong to the tradition of the Roman Ecumenical Councils. However, Augustine is the unique source of the humorous errors of Barlaam the Calabrian who was accused of heresy by St. Gregory Palamas and was condemned as a heretic by the Councils of Constantinople New Rome held in 1341, 1347 and 1351 for his teaching that God reveals his will to humans by means of creatures which He brings into existence to be seen and heard and which He passes back into non-existence when the revelations have been accomplished.

Such revelations have been supposedly recorded in the Bible because they were preserved by the Biblical writers.

This nonsense cannot be termed a heresy since it is too stupid.

In any case these positions of Augustine have remained the backbone of both Protestantism and the Papacy.

Augustine describes these positions in great detail which he repeats over and over again in the earlier books of his DE TRINITATE.

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Is Augustine of Hippo A Father of the Church?

Orthodox Fathers of the Church are those who practice the specific Old and New Testament cure of this sickness of religion. Those who do not practice this cure, but on the contrary have introduced such practices as pagan mysticism, are not Fathers within this tradition.

Orthodox Theology is not "mystical," but "secret" (mystike). The reason for this name "Secret" is that the glory of God in the experience of glorification (theosis) has no similarity whatsoever with anything created. On the contrary the Augustinians imagine that they are being united with uncreated original ideas of God of which creatures are supposedly copies and which simply do not exist.

In this regard Augustine’s teaching on original sin, i.e. his understanding of Rom. 5:12, and therefore related questions like mysticism, were first condemned by the Council of Orange in 529 and also by the Ninth Roman Ecumenical Council of 1341 in the person of Barlaam the Calabrian. The Fathers of this latter Council were not aware that the heresies of Barlaam they were condemning stemmed from Augustine. Also in 1957 the faculty of the University of Athens approved the doctoral thesis on "Ancestral Sin" of John S. Romanides which had proven that the very presuppositions of Augustine’s theology based on analogia entis and analogia fidei has nothing in common with the Fathers of the Roman Ecumenical Councils. Augustine had not been in the Calendar of the Church of Greece. He was added during the period of the dictatorship of the colonels who uncanonicaly appointed Father Jerome Kotsonis as Archbishop of Athens (1968-1974) who was known for his non-patristic orientation. It was he who added Augustine to the Church Calendar of the Church of Greece.

Up until the 14th century only the last three chapters of Augustine’s De Trinitate had been translated into Greek. These chapters are completely Orthodox. He tells us himself that he wanted to rewrite his De Trinitate which the Archbishop of Carthage Aurlean wanted to examine, but finally corrected what he could. Having in mind these three Orthodox chapters of Augustine, the Roman Emperor and his bishops at the Council of Ferrara and Florence (1438-1442) became completely confused by the theological method being used there by the Frankish theologians and concluded that the Franks had tampered with the works of Augustine.

Gennadius Scholarius, the first Patriarch of Constantinople New Rome after the Turkish takeover in 1453, had been at the Council of Ferrara/Florence (1438-1442) as a layman. He had brought back to Constantinople manuscripts of Augustine and concluded the following about his positions on the doctrine of the Holy Trinity which are clearly not due to tampering. He takes Augustine to task as follows:

"To say that the Hypostasis of the Spirit comes or proceeds from the Son, that is to say that It holds its existence from him, not only as cause of the love for us, or of love in itself, but also as the love of the Father and the Son for each other, emerging from one to go to the other, the Father being the first giver and receiving in turn the Son, all this is insupportable grossness…Where does one find clearly exposed, in the sacred books, that the Holy Spirit is the reciprocal love of the Father and the Son, Who love each other, and Who derives his existence from the Two. In which sacred treasure has this sacred dogma been hidden? And how did it escape the notice of the other Fathers who, nevertheless have examined all with great care?"

Indeed some centuries earlier, just after the Norman conquest, the second Lombard Archbishop of Canterbury Anselm (1093-1109) was not happy with Augustine’s use of procession in his De Trinitate XV, 47, i.e. that the Holy Spirit proceeds principaliter from the Father or from the Father per Filium. (See Anselm’s own De fide Trinitate chapters 15, 16 and 24). This West Roman Orthodox Filioque, which upset Anselm so much, could not be added to the creed of 381 where "procession" there means hypostatic individuality and not the communion of divine essence as in Augustine’s Filioque just quoted.

Augustine is indeed Orthodox by intention by his willingness to be corrected. The real problem is that he does not theologize from the vantage point of personal theosis or glorification, but as one who speculates philosophically on the Bible with no real basis in the Patristic tradition. Furthermore, his whole theological method is based on happiness as the destiny of man instead of biblical glorification. His resulting method of analogia entis and analogia fidei is not accepted by any Orthodox Father of the Church. In any case no Orthodox can accept positions of Augustine on which the Father’s of Ecumenical Councils are in agreement "against" him. This website (www.romanity.org) is not concerned with whether Augustine is a saint or a Father of the Church. There is no doubt that he was Orthodox by intention and asked for correction. However, he can not be used in such a way that his opinions may be put on an equal footing with the Fathers of Ecumenical Councils.

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Theosis in the New Testament is called "Glorification"

By Fr. John Romanides

One of the keys to today's continued misunderstandings of Patristic dogma and theology is the fact that some Orthodox began dealing with St. Gregory Palamas within a non Patristic context, as pointed out in my "Notes on the Palamite Controversy and Related Topics Part One[1] and Part Two"[2]. A doctoral thesis had been published earlier than my just cited work, "The Teaching Concerning Theosis According to St. Gregory Palamas", by now Professor Georgios I. Mantzarides.[3] This thesis was translated into English with the title "The Deification of Man"[4], with a forward by Bishop Kallistos Ware. This book marks a backward step into the non-patristic past of Orthodox theology which had begun in the times of Palamas and especially in Russia during the reign of Peter The Great. This Doctoral thesis is not aware of the fact that a prevalent Old and New Testament term for "Θέωσις" ("Theosis") is simply "glorification". This led a "A Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue"[5] to claim in their statement about "ΘEΩΣΙΣ (DEIFICATION)"[6], citing Bishop Kallistos Ware about the Orthodox understanding of Christianity in terms of deification (Θέωσις)[7], that both Lutherans and Orthodox agree that, "Although the term "Θέωσις" does not occur in Holy Scriptures the idea of sharing in the divine nature (which "Θέωσις" means) does occur".[8] But neither Mantzarides, nor Bishop Ware, nor the rest of the Orthodox present, were aware that one of the Old and New Testament terms for "Θέωσις" is "glorification". The Lord of Glory's cure of human personalities by means of the purification and illumination of their hearts and their glorification, both before and after His Incarnation, is the heart and core of Holy Tradition in both Testaments. This is why St. Gregory Palamas quotes Maximus the Confessor's interpretation of Hebrews 7:3 as follows: "The Great Melchisedek is recorded as 'without having neither beginning of days nor end of life,' not because of the created nature, by which he began and ended, but because of the divine and forever existing uncreated and above every nature and all time eternally existing God".[8] Although the prophets and patriarchs of the Old Testament had reached glorification, yet they did die, but were resurrected with Christ and became members of His Body, the Church, on Pentecost.

Notes:

[1] The Greek Orthodox Theological Review, vol. vi, no. 2 (1960-61), pp. 186-205Also published on the internet at http://www.romanity.org.

[2] The Greek Orthodox Theological Review, vol. ix, no. 2 (1963-64), pp. 225-270. Also published on the internet at http://www.romanity.org.

[3] Published by the Department of Church Literature of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, 1963.

[4] Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir's Press. 1984.

[5] "SALVATION IN CHRIST," A Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue, Edited and with an Introduction by John Meyendorff and Robert Tobias, Copyright Augsburg Fortress.

[6] Pages 19-24.

[7] Page 19-20.

[8] Page 20.

[9] Gregory Palamas, Writings, edited and copyrighted by professor Panagiotes K. Christou, Thessaloniki, Vol. 3, p. 164. Cited from St. Maximus the Confessor's work Ambiguorum Liber, PG 1141A-1145B.

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On So-Called Neo-Chalcedonianism

By Fr. John Romanides

Theologians of the Vatican have been supporting their position that Leo of Rome and his Tome became the basis of the decisions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council of 451 which, according to them, supposedly corrected the monophysitic and theopassion tendencies of Cyril of Alexandria. But the reality of the matter was that some 50 bishops refused to sign Leo’s Tome claiming that it did not agree with the Synodical Letters of Cyril against Nestorius which were the basis of the decision of the Third Ecumenical Council in 431. They were given five days to examine the Tome of Leo with the said letters of Cyril. They all agreed that Leo indeed agrees with Cyril. Their statements to this effect are individually recorded in the minutes.

So Cyril and not Leo was the key to the Council of Chalcedon. Evidently the Vatican has been keeping this fact quiet since it makes a mockery of so-called Papal infallibility. Contrary to these minutes of Chalcedon are the scholars who claim that the Council of Chalcedon modified the Monophysitic tendencies of Cyril and supposedly de-emphasized the theopassianism of his Twelve Chapters. But Cyril’s Two Synodical Letters to Nestorius and his 433 letter to John of Antioch are included in the Horos of Chalcedon "to which have been adapted the Tome of Leo...."

In spite of these facts scholars of the Vatican propose that Leo, and not Cyril, is "the" Great Father of the Council of Chalcedon. As these scholars see things, strict Cyrilians refused to accept the Council of Chalcedon because of Leo’s victory. So in order to bring these Cyrilians back to the Imperial Church, Emperor Justinian convened the Fifth Ecumenical Council in order to supposedly "reinterpret" Chalcedon within strict Cyrilian categories. This imperial Justinian reinterpretation is called Neo-Chalcedonianism. That no such thing ever happened is supported by studies on this website (www.romanity.org). What is especially strange is that the Latin positions on Neo-Chalcedonianism are text book taught at the theological faculty of the University of Athens as historical reality. Sometimes part of this myth is the idea that Cyril became fully Orthodox when he accepted John of Antioch's confession of Christ’s two natures. It was not Cyril of Alexandria who adjusted his terminology to John, but John to Cyril.

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Tunisian Beheading Video Not From Tunisia, says Metropolitan

According to the Holy Metropolis of Carthage and North Africa, the beheading of the young man for embracing Christianity which was broadcasted on Egyptian television, did not depict a young man from Tunisia as was reported.

Specifically, Metropolitan Alexios of Carthage stressed that "after relevant inquiry it emerged that the incident did not take place in the territory of the Metropolis of Carthage, that is, in Tunisia," adding that "the pronunication of Arabic, in which the prayers are recited in the video, originate somewhere in the Gulf or in asiatic Islam. There is a presumption that it is in Iraq or Syria and he was probably a soldier or policeman who embraced Christianity."

Below is a statement by the Holy Metropolis of Carthage, in which it states that the clergy and people of the Metropolis were shocked when they first saw the video, and that Metropolitan Alexios immediately recommended calm among the people lest violence break out, as he sought the truth. After the investgation he discovered that such incidents do not take place among the Muslims of his territory, and the video does not support Tunisian origins.

1. Το βίντεο από την πρώτη στιγμή συγκλόνισε τις συνειδήσεις τόσον του Κλήρου όσον και του Λαού της Μητροπόλεως.

2. Από την πρώτη επίσης στιγμήν ο τοπικός Ποιμενάρχης, Σεβασμιώτατος Μητροπολίτης Καρθαγένης κ. Αλέξιος, εξέδωσε ανακοίνωση και συνέστησε ψυχραιμία, έως της διαπιστώσεως της αληθείας του προβαλλομένου. Χωρίς βεβαίως να παρακάμπτεται το γεγονός ότι πλέον η κατάστασις για τους Χριστιανούς των Ισλαμικών περιοχών γίνεται ολοέν και πιό δυσχερής, αφού καθημερινώς ανεβαίνουν τα ποσοστά των φανατικών ισλαμιστών στην πολιτική ζωή, ως και τα ποσοστά των σαλαφιστών.

3. Κατόπιν ενδελεχούς ερεύνης υπό αρμοδίων φορέων, διπλωματικών και πολιτικών, ο Σεβασμιώτατος γνωστοποίησε, αλλά και εδήλωσε, την αμφισβήτησιν ότι το τραγικό συμβάν έλαβε χώρα στην έδρα της Μητροπόλεως Καρθαγένης, δηλαδή την Τυνησία, διότι, όπως αναφέρει σε εγκύκλιό του, δεν υπάρχουν σε αυτήν την περιοχή υποδομές για τέτοιες συμπεριφορές. Η προφορά της αραβικής, με την οποία απαγγέλονται οι προσευχές στο βίντεο αναγάγει κάπου στον κόλπο, ή στο ασιατικό Ισλάμ. Υπάρχει η εκδοχή ότι είναι ή Ιράκ ή Συρία και πρόκειται για στρατιώτη ή αστυνομικό που εκχριστιανίστηκε.

4. Με την εμπειρία της πολυετούς Ορθοδόξου Διακονίας στον Αραβικό κόσμο βεβαιώνουμε ότι είναι πολύ διαφορετικό να βιώνης μαρτυρικές καταστάσεις σε καθημερινό επίπεδο, περιφρόνησιν και εμπαιγμούς, επιθέσεις και απειλές κατά την τέλεσιν των ακολουθιών, όπως συνέβη στην Τύνιδα πριν λίγο τη Μ Εβδομάδα κλπ, και άλλο να είσαι ασφαλής εντός των συνόρων και να βλέπεις τις καταστάσεις, από άλλη οπτική γωνία. Και είναι αδιαμφισβήτητο ότι εδώ καλούνται οι Χριστιανοί με επικεφαλής τον Ποιμενάρχην τους να εξαντλούν διαρκώς τα όρια της εκκλησιαστικής διπλωματίας, να σιωπούν και να υπομένουν, προκειμένου να επιβιώνουν εν μέσω λεόντων και με μόνον όπλο την Αγάπη και την Ευλογία του Χριστού, την άνωθεν σκέπη και προστασία.

5. Η Μητρόπολις Καρθαγένης και προσωπικώς ο Σεβασμιώτατος κ Αλέξιος ευχαριστούν τον αδελφόν Μητροπολίτην Άγιον Πειραιώς κ Σεραφείμ για το κείμενόν του, που δημοσιεύθηκε στη Ρομφαία (Romfea.gr), το οποίον εκτός από τον μεστό Θεολογικό λόγο, πλήρη επιχειρημάτων και τις αλήθειές του, εκλαμβάνεται και ως κείμενον συμπαρατάξεως, συμπαραστάσεως και συνοδοιπορίας στον δύσκολο δρόμο των χριστιανών των Ισλαμικών περιοχών, εκφράζοντας θέσεις και απόψεις, που για ευνόητους λόγους...οι τοπικές εκκλησίες των Αραβικών περιοχών δεν δύνανται να εκφράζουν επισήμως....

Romfea

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New Evidence Supports Authenticity of St. John the Baptist Relics

Scientists have uncovered new evidence that mysterious remains found in an ancient reliquary in a 5th century monastery on Sveti Ivan Island in Bulgaria belong to St John the Baptist.

June 15, 2012

The Telegraph

The remains - small fragments of a skull, bones from a jaw and an arm, and a tooth - were discovered embedded in an altar in the ruins of the ancient monastery, on the island in the Black Sea.

But after the find two years ago was met with universal scepticism Oxford University archaeologists undertook carbon dating tests.

On Thursday, the team announced they have provided scientific evidence to support the extraordinary claim. The findings are to be presented in a documentary to be aired on The National Geographic channel in Britain on Sunday.

The research team dated the right-handed knuckle bone to the first century AD, when John is believed to have lived until his beheading ordered by king Herod.

Scientists from the University of Copenhagen analysed the DNA of the bones, finding they came from a single individual, probably a man, from a family in the modern-day Middle East, where John would have lived.

While these findings do not offer conclusive evidence, they also don't refute the theory first proffered by the Bulgarian archaeologists who found the remains while excavating under an ancient church on the island.

Many sites around the world claim to hold relics of the saint, including the Grand Mosque in Damascus which says it has his head. Countries around the Mediterranean claiming to have remains include Turkey, Greece, Italy and Egypt.

The right hand with which the prophet allegedly baptised Jesus in the River Jordan is also claimed to be held by several entities, including a Serbian Orthodox monastery in Montenegro.

“We were surprised when the radiocarbon dating produced this very early age,” said Oxford Professor Tom Higham, who led the study.

“We had suspected that the bones may have been more recent than this, perhaps from the third or fourth centuries.

"The result from the metacarpal hand bone is clearly consistent with someone who lived in the early first century AD,"

He added: "Whether that person is John the Baptist is a question that we cannot yet definitely answer and probably never will."

Dr Hannes Schroeder, from the University of Copenhagen, added: “Of course, this does not prove that these were the remains of John the Baptist but nor does it refute that theory.”

Bulgarian archaeologists had found a small box made of hardened volcanic ash close to the sarcophagus.

The box bore inscriptions in ancient Greek that referred to John the Baptist and the date that Christians celebrate his birth, June 24.

The findings of another Oxford researcher, Christopher Ramsey, using historical documents, suggest that the monastery of Sveti Ivan may have received a portion of John the Baptist's relics in the fifth or early sixth centuries.

St John, who is especially revered by the Eastern Orthodox Church, foretold the coming of Christ before being beheaded on the orders of King Herod, with his head served up on a plate.

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