"How I Came To Know Christ" - Metropolitan Meletios of Nikopolis

His Eminence Meletios (Kalamaras), who was Metropolitan of Nikopolis and Preveza in Greece, passed from death to life on 21 June 2012 (see here). Metropolitan Meletios, who had lately faced several serious health issues, was 79.

His Eminence was born in 1933 in Alagonia, Kalamata, and was a graduate in theology and in classical literature-philosophy from the University of Athens. He was chosen and ordained Metropolitan of Nikopolis and Preveza in 1980, having been ordained both deacon and priest by the Metropolitan of Messenia, His Eminence Chrysostomos (Daskalakis).

Metropolitan Meletios was especially well known for his transformative work in the Metropolis of Messenia, which was captured in the book, Beauty for Ashes: The Spiritual Transformation of a Modern Greek Community, by Stephen R. Lloyd-Moffett (SVS Press, 2009).

The book covers the political history and religious character of the region of Nikopolis, from time of the Apostle Paul in AD 63 to the arrival of Bishop Meletios in 1980. 
With great sensitivity, the book deals with the issue of sexual misconduct within the church, the restoration of the local church to spiritual health, and the renewed trust between church leaders and the laity. The book recounts how Bishop Meletios, along with the local monastic community, applied his ancient faith in a modern context to bring about social and religious change.

His Eminence was also well known for his preaching in the Holy Metropolis of Messenia, and, in a broader ecclesial context, he served as secretary to the Holy Synod on matters of Interchurch Affairs. He himself authored several books, and he received an award from the Theological Academy of Athens for his book The Fifth Ecumenical Council.

Below is testimony in his own words of how he came to embrace Christianity:

By Metropolitan Meletios of Nikopolis

A. The Problem

1. When I was a teenager, I always wanted to be happy. I wanted to be the happiest person in the world! Still I wanted my life to have meaning! I looked for answers to the following questions:

• Who am I?

• Why was I born?

• Why am I live?

• Where is the path of my life leading me?

At the same time I always wanted to be free. Even the most free person in the world! For me freedom was not about doing whatever I wanted (this is something we can all do, and most people do this.) I wanted to have the strength to do what I was indebted to do. Because many people know what they have to do, but they do not have the strength to do it, that is, they do not have the strength of will to say no to irrational tendencies, which pushes them into "other things". For an addict knows how tragic is his situation. He wants to correct it. But an internal tendency makes him into a wreck! The same happens with various other passions of the "flesh".

2. What a terrible thing, for a young person to be totally free, to have a philosophy of absolute freedom, and ultimately determine that he is a slave - indeed, in chains!

B. The Crooked Path

1. So I started looking for an answer to this issue of internal freedom. And what do you say I found? I found that all (or almost all) those who had some inner freedom, also had some religiosity. So I had a big decision. I too took a similar step: I went to church! But I did not like it. There I found nothing to comfort my soul. Instead I felt very constricted!

I am a very practical man. So when I see something that does not suit me, I put a full stop! In the matter of "religion" I did something more. I not only put a full stop, but something more. I put on a cross (. - +)!

2. Then I thought that the most important thing is to succeed in life. To strive. To become famous. To become a leader....

At university I realized that the presidency of different years had many means, and played an important role in the lives of university students and its life. So I decided to be a candidate. I became president of the first year! I became an agent! Everyone knew me! I organized Speeches, Lectures, Games, Sit-ins, Strikes. I participated in meetings. And what was the benefit? After a while I began to get bored.

One Monday I awoke with a terrible headache. Sunday I had gone to bed too late. I thought: Five days on the treadmill! I'm waiting for Friday to come! Why was "pleasure" the three "free" nights: Friday, Saturday and Sunday! And "ptooey" from the beginning!

3. Until then all the young men thought of me as the "personification" of determination and joy! But things were not so. I knew that I was like a boat on the ocean waves. Circumstances, situations and emotions, not being in control of them at all, were taking me where they wanted. And my life was hell! And the worst? Then I did not know anyone who could give me beneficial words. And even if there was, his words would not benefit. They would not suffice! Because more than nice words I needed the strength (which is needed!) to put them into practice. And this strength I could not find anywhere.

In this situation, I began to think to myself:

"Is there a more honest man than me trying to find the right way, trying to find the truth?"

C. A New Finding

1. One time it caught my eye that in our university there is another "circle": Few students and two teachers. It was a "Christian circle." They stood out from the others. Because their members appeared to know: what they believe and why they believe it. They had peace. And consistency.

I decided to approach them. I was not bothered if they agreed with me. I learned to have "understanding." To calmly watch the beliefs of others. And to respect them. I was working in harmony and friendship with: leftists, anarchists, rightists and others.

2. But - as I said - this group was somewhat different. This forced me to work with them seriously. And what I found! What they said was more little than they needed. They spoke of nothing but love. They had love. And, unlike everyone else, they were not bothered by the circumstances. They did not victimize their authorities. They were not boats that were tossed by the waves. They looked as if they had a deep joy. Not coming from outside pleasant circumstances: games, fun, love, etc. They had the joy within. A deep joy. They were happy to an extent, which made me angry. They had something that I did not have.

May we all be jealous of what we do not have. In this way I was jealous of their inner joy. And I made the decision to join with them.

"I will have benefit!" I thought.

3. And after a few days, I was in their company. We were six students and two teachers. And the debate began. About God.

Until then, every time I heard talk about God, the yelling began. To show how I was somehow "smart". As you know in such cases, a "smart" person yells as hard as he can.

"Just think, my child! He is Christian! Ha-ha-ha ... And he runs behind the priests! ... Ha-ha-ha ... As an old lady! ... A young man! ... A student of the positive sciences! ..."

And it took a long time until I realized that the more one yells, the more empty-headed one is!

The debate did not attract my interest. I was devoted to looking at a beautiful girl, who was on their team. Until then I had the idea that Christians are all foul. I found that I had this wrong. And wanting to hide my thoughts, I began to squirm in my chair. And then I asked, as if desiring to have her words capture my interest wholeheartedly.

"You had the goodness to tell me what it was that brought the greatest influence on your life. Why is your life unlike other students and teachers?"

The female student which I spoke about, must have known what she believed. She looked at me in the eyes with a quiet seriousness and said only two words, which I did not expect to hear.

"Jesus Christ!"

I replied somewhat angry:

"Oh, in the name of God! Let these things go! I'm sick of religion! I'm sick of the Church! I'm sickened of religious books! Because everything that is related to religion causes wilting! ..."

"But I was not talking about religion! I said: Jesus Christ! ..."

This distinction I had not heard!

And the girl went on:

"Christianity is not a religion. Religion is the attempt made by man to find the way to God. Christianity is not a religion! Christianity tells us to the opposite: Of the attempt God makes to find man."

I had not heard this before. The views circulating are tragically simple. And usually with its fixed-form simplistic simplifications we imagine they solve scientific problems!

Lastly I came to know a professor of the university, who said seriously:

"Everyone who goes to Church is a Christian!"

I could not hold it in, but said:

"According to this reasoning, every man who goes to the garage is a car! What does the physical presence of a person in church have with the Christian faith? A Christian is one who believes correctly in Christ!"

D. Great is the Truth!

1. Once, while in this circle, they instructed me to say a word about Christ. Namely: How did He become man? How was He crucified? Why was He crucified? How was He buried? How was He resurrected? And what can this offer a youth in the twentieth century?

I thought of all these things then as stupidities. I had the idea that people who were involved in these things were whacks, cretins. In student gatherings until then I lurked furiously to hear anyone say something about religion and Jesus Christ, to rush on him, to pulverize him, to dust him away! My opinion was: To be a Christian believer, one should not have a stone, nor a molecule of gray matter. But the time came and I realized that this was for me!

I tried to avoid it. "What business did I have in such matters?" I would say to myself. But I could not. The young people of the Christian circle would not let me! And so I took on the matter. But with a selfish attitude. With the thought: "I will dust them off! I will thunder at them! And then I will go!"

But things did not evolve that way.

2. When I set about the matter, I heard something mentioned about evidence, which I took to study, to appreciate their seriousness. Why would I risk becoming the laughingstock in their eyes, immediately after the young people would have made me dust! So I threw myself into the study of this "evidence" with the sole objective in warding it off. But I did not succeed. I concluded that the books used by believers give the most accurate picture of the person of Christ. This finding terribly impressed upon me.

I understood that the question of our relationship with Christ is the greatest issue of our lives. I sacrificed everything. And I paved my way to study. I read all kinds of atheistic and all kinds of Christian apologetic books that I could find. And my conclusion was always the same:

The truth is in the books of the Church. Christ is the one of Whom the Church says: our God and Savior.

3. And I became a Christian.

Source: From the book, What Is Christ? Translation by John Sanidopoulos.

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The Phanar Readies To Take Action Regarding Halki

Vercihan Ziflioğlu

June 28, 2012

Hürriyet Daily News

The Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is preparing to take the issue of the reopening of Halki Seminary, located on Istanbul’s Heybeliada Island, to the legal platforms, sources have told Hürriyet Daily News.

The Greek minority in Turkey has long awaited the opening of the seminary, which was the main center of Orthodox Greek theological education for more than a century before Turkish authorities closed it in 1971, under a law designed to bring universities under state control. The issue was also on the agenda when Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met U.S. President Barack Obama in Seoul on March 25. Obama congratulated Erdoğan for “the efforts that he has made within Turkey to protect religious minorities.”

However, having yet to receive a decision on the reopening despite the government’s positive stance, the patriarchate has decided to take the issue to legal platforms. According to information gathered from patriarchate sources, if the Halki Seminary has still not officially been reopened by the end of the year, steps will be taken to pursue the issue at the court. There is no legal obstacle to the seminary’s being reopened, sources say. The patriarchate will first apply to the Ministry of Education next term, and if they still receive no positive answer on the reopening, a lawsuit will be filed.

Tired of hearing only words

Stating that they were being deprived of the right to education, even though they are citizens of the Turkish Republic, patriarchate sources said they were disturbed that the issue of mosques in Greece has been brought up often recently.

“To demand the opening of a mosque revives reciprocity. We are humiliated; they are trying our patience. We are also the citizens of this state and we are sick and tired of friendly words and promises,” sources said.

In his latest statements about the Halki seminary, Patriarch Bartholomew said he had “become tired and had run out of patience … They are constantly making promises, creating the impression that the seminary is about to open, but there is no progress. The [Justice and Development Party] AKP government has returned some of our foundations, and some of our clergymen have been given Turkish citizenship without any trouble. That’s okay. But still, I would like to ask these questions: Is it really that hard to reopen the Halki Seminary? Why do they let politics interfere with this issue?”

“We haven’t filed a lawsuit before, even though we could have, because we believed in solving our problems on more friendly terms with Turkey. But unfortunately no progress has been made. Until the end of this year, we will fight for our rights with all our patience,” said patriarchate sources. The reopening of the Halki Seminary is critical in order for Turkey to gain international prestige, sources added. “This step will also be a sign of [Turkey’s] commitment to the democratization process.”

In 1971, with the introduction of the Higher Education Law, the Halki Seminary was taken under state supervision. The Fener Greek Patriarchate did not accept this decision, so the theology department of the seminary was closed. After continuing to provide education at the high school level for a while, the seminary was shut down by the patriarchate.

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Documentary on the Romanian Gulag of Pitesti

The Pitesti prison (Romanian: Închisoarea Pitesti) was a penal facility in Pitesti, Romania, best remembered for the brainwashing experiment carried out by Communist authorities in 1949-1952 (also known as Experimentul Pitesti - the "Pitesti Experiment" or Fenomenul Pitesti - the "Pitesti Phenomenon"). The latter was designed as an attempt at violently "reeducating" the mostly young political prisoners, primarily supporters of the fascist and anti-semitic Iron Guard, as well as former members of the National Peasants' and National Liberal parties or Zionist members of the Romanian Jewish community.

The experiment's goal, compliant with the regime's take on Leninism, was for prisoners to discard past political and religious convictions, and, eventually, to alter their personalities to the point of absolute obedience. Estimates for the total number of people passed through the experiment range from 1,000[2] to 5,000. It is considered the largest and most intensive brainwashing torture program in the Eastern bloc.

Read more here.

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A Difference Between Philosophy and Theology

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

One of the differences between the eloquent philosophy of the Hellenes and the Christian Faith is that the entire Hellenistic philosophy can clearly be expressed with words and comprehended by reading, while the Christian Faith cannot be clearly expressed by words and even less comprehended by reading alone. When you are expounding the Christian Faith, for its understanding and acceptance, both reading and the practice of what is read are necessary.

When Patriarch Photios read the words of Mark the Ascetic concerning the spiritual life, he noticed a certain unclarity with the author for which he wisely said: "That [unclarity] does not proceed from the obscurity of expression but from that truth which is expressed there; it is better understood by means of practice and that cannot be explained by words only." And, the great Patriarch adds, "It is not only the case with these homilies nor only with these men, but rather with all of those who attempted to expound the ascetical rules, passions and instructions, which are better understood from practice alone."

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Truth and Ecumenical Dialogue

Thomas C. Oden (Ph.D., Yale University), an American United Methodist theologian, is an executive editor of Christianity Today and author or editor of many books, including After Modernity--What? and Classical Pastoral Care.

Oden, formerly a liberal theologian, is best known as a proponent of paleo-orthodoxy, an approach to theology that often relies on patristic sources. He has published a series of books, titled Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, that he says are tools for promoting "classical Christianity." Oden suggests that Christians need to rely upon the wisdom of the historical Church, particularly the early Church, rather than on modern scholarship and theology, which is often, in his view, tainted by political agendas.

He has written, "The term paleo-orthodoxy is employed to make clear that we are not talking about neo-orthodoxy. Paleo- becomes a necessary prefix only because the term orthodoxy has been preempted and to some degree tarnished by the modern tradition of neo-orthodoxy" (Requiem, p. 130).

Oden says his mission is "to begin to prepare the postmodern Christian community for its third millennium by returning again to the careful study and respectful following of the central tradition of classical Christianity" (After Modernity...What?, p. 34).

In his book Turning Around the Mainline, Oden offers a critique of mainline liberal Protestant denominations, and chronicles the roots and history of evangelical and orthodox renewal movements. Below are a few excerpts on what he has to say about modern Ecumenical dialogue.

By Thomas C. Oden

When Dialogue Avoids Truth

Lowercase orthodox believers are not seeking a debating society that would aspire to be a religious version of the United Nations. They do not see organic union as the final objective, especially if that objective is reduced to rhetorical evasion and organizational tinkering. What they want to see is the living confession of Jesus Christ transforming human, personal, and social experience. Wherever they see that, they know instantly from the heart their deep affinity with it. Wherever they don’t hear that, they know inwardly how alien and distant are these temptations.

The seductions of dialogue typically draw believers toward subjective feelings, mutual congratulation, and institutional horse-trading. They thrive on negotiation or arbitration models of interaction. They thereby draw us far away from the truth that is declared in Jesus Christ in whom all believers are called to participate by faith. So it should not be surprising that classic Christian believers tend to regard undisciplined dialogue as a temptation…

Confessing Christians have a long history of experience with the frustration and futility of such undisciplined dialogue not ordered under the written Word. It less often leads to the question of truth than to the question of how we “feel,” and how we can accommodate or negotiate our competing interests. That is different from the question of truth announced in the gospel, which alone engenders the unity of believers.

If the central question of Christian unity for classic Christian believers is the truth of the gospel, then the apostolic testimony made known in Jesus Christ is the first step toward unity. All other dialogue, however altruistic it may appear, is truly a diversion, a pretension of searching for truth, a ruse that substitutes narcissistic talk for integrity. What seems an innocent and generous invitation to dialogue actually amounts to a disposed predetermination to replace the truth question with what we “feel” about our own experience. In this way dialogue becomes an instrument of manipulation already shaped by the wrong premises. Global orthodox believers seek unity in the truth, not unity apart from truth, not unity as a substitute for the truth, but unity in the truth of the revealed Word. (Turning Around the Mainline, 66-67).

Unity in Truth

Oldline ecumenical debate and planning are prone to misfire through a fundamental misunderstanding of the relation of unity and truth: They do not seek unity based on truth.

Four modern ecumenical arguments in particular misfire, as shown by David Mills. They even make Christian disunity more likely. These four following arguments have prevailed in liberal ecumenism, each unintentionally eliciting disunity. Each is a mistake “if-then” correlation:

1. If we can just get together on some common ethical standards, then we will therefore achieve the unity of believers.

2. If we could have the same open ecumenical feelings or experiences, then we would feel our unity.

3. If we could just be open to dialogue, then we would grow toward unity.

4. If we merge the separate institutions based on different memories created by the Spirit, then we would experience our unity through an institution, and thus we now must renew our commitment to the institutional vestiges of ecumenism.

All these attempts are alike in one way: they put unity ahead of truth. They squander the truth to achieve a superficial unity. All are mistaken. All spawn disillusionment with efforts at Christian unity. Together they have resulted in the ecumenical turbulence that now buffets us.

All misfire for the same reason: they base unity on something other than the truth, by avoiding the only basis from which Christian unity can emerge—that is the revealed Word whose hearing is enabled by the Holy Spirit and received through faith. (Turning Around the Mainline, 111)

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Sts. Anthony and Theodosius, Founders of the Kiev Caves Lavra

According to the Primary Chronicle, in the early 11th century, Anthony, an Orthodox monk from Esphigmenon Monastery on Mount Athos, originally from Liubech of the Principality of Chernihiv, returned to Rus' and settled in Kiev as a missionary of monastic tradition to Kievan Rus'. He chose a cave at the Berestov Mount that overlooked the Dnieper River and a community of disciples soon grew. Prince Iziaslav I of Kiev ceded the whole mount to the Antonite monks who founded a monastery built by architects from Constantinople. This was the Kiev Caves Lavra. Saint Theodosius' greatest achievement has been the introducing of the monastic rule of Saint Theodore the Studite in the Monastery of the Caves whence it spread to all the monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church.

In the Orthodox Church, their names are often listed together and they are commemorated together on September 2, while each has his own feast day as well (July 10 for St. Anthony and May 3 for St. Theodosius).

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Movie: "Dracula In Istanbul" (1953)

A Review of Drakula Istanbul'da

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Saint Cyril Loukaris, Patriarch of Constantinople (+ 1638)

By Athanasios Paliouras,

The entire life of the Patriarch Cyril I Loukaris (Lucaris) is characterized by ceaseless activity and constant concern for the integrity and safety of the Orthodox Church.

Cyril Loukaris was born in 1572 in Heraklion, Crete, and had the chance to be a pupil of Meletios Vlastos, the learned monk who taught at the School of the Sinaitic Metochion of St. Catherine's Monastery. After attending courses of general education, he continued his studies under the eminent scholar, writer and preacher Maximos Margunios Bishop of Kythira (1549-1602). He completed his studies in Venice (1584-1588) and later enrolled as a student in the University of Padova (1589-1593).

In 1593, at the age of 21, he was ordained deacon and, later, presbyter by the celebrated Patriarch of Alexandria Meletios Pegas (1549-1601), who perceived the young man's qualities and encouraged him in many ways.

Cyril's association with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and, particularly, with the great Patriarch Jeremias II Tranos gave him the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of the problems facing the Orthodox Churches. Later, he travelled throughout SW Russia, especially the Ukraine, to boost the morale of the Orthodox and strengthen their resistance against the proselytizing propaganda of the Uniates.

In 1601, at the age of 30, Cyril was elected to the Patriarchal throne of Alexandria, succeeding Meletios Pegas. As Patriarch of Alexandria (1601-1620), he re-organised the Patriarchate's finances, repaired churches, devoted time to preaching and kept a running correspondence with the Churches of Jerusalem, Cyprus and SW Russia. In 1612 he acted as locum tenens of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for a short period. But all the time, the problems created by the Uniate Church in SW Russia and Constantinople were among his main concerns. In an attempt to normalize the relations between the other Churches and the Patriarchates of the East, he made contacts with the Church of England and his efforts were readily supported by the English and Dutch Ambassadors to the Porte. Later, this policy was continued with the Calvinist divines of Geneva. Among the results of these inter-Christian approaches was the invitation of young Greeks to study in England. One of them was a youth from Macedonia, Metrophanes Kritopoulos, who became, later, Patriarch of Alexandria (1589-1639). Cyril presented King James I with a very fine manuscript of the Holy Bible, known as Codex Alexandrinus, and sent a valuable manuscript of the Pentateuch, with Arabic translation, to Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury.

On 4 November 1620, the Holy Synod of Constantinople elected "Cyril Loukaris, renowned for his virtue and wisdom", Ecumenical Patriarch. From 1620 to 1638 Cyril reigned five times (1620-23, 1623-33, 1633-34, 1634-35, 1637-38), and found himself at the centre of the acrimonious dispute between the Papacy and the Reformists, while the Churches of the East, especially that of Constantinople, experienced the stifling and infuriating propaganda of the Jesuits.

State diplomacy took an active part in the conflicting actions and counteractions of the Jesuits and the Reformists. France and Austria offered their services to Rome, where the Congregatio de Propaganda Fide was organizing a scheme against Cyril. Part of the plan was to discredit the Patriarch with the clergy and laity by spreading the rumour that he was a Calvinist. At the same time, the Ambassadors of France and Austria were pressing the Porte to depose Cyril.

Indeed, Cyril was deposed five times and each time he was re-elected to the Patriarchal throne by the clergy, with the support of the Orthodox population. Anglicans and Protestants (the English, Dutch, Germans, Swedes) also supported the return of Cyril to their own advantage. In the swirl of conflicting political and religious rivalries and the resulting dangerous climate, Cyril Loukaris tried to steer a course that, in his opinion, would serve best the interests of the Orthodox Church. He was fully aware of the critical state of affairs and of the pervasive influence of the Jesuits. He wrote: "They (the Jesuits) seek our destruction and the ruin of the Patriarchate and of the entire Church of the Greeks."

The Calvinists, from their side, used political influence, diplomacy, money and every other means to win the Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church over to their views. Cornelius Van Haag, the Dutch Ambassador, made use of all his influence in this unrelenting struggle, assisted by the Calvinist divine Antoine Leger. The latter, through theological discussions, fiery sermons and friendly approaches eventually swayed the Patriarch's entourage, which included Nathaniel Conopios Metropolitan of Smyrna, Meletios Pontogalos Metropolitan of Ephesus, Theophilos Corydalleus Metropolitan of Arta, and John Caryophyllos.

At about that time, the Calvinists of Geneva arranged to print and publish the Holy Bible translated into modern Greek by Maximos Callipolitis. Cyril found himself obligated to sanction Callipolitis's translation, though it contained Calvinist views that could cause confusion to the common people. This confusion became chaotic when, in 1629, the Calvinists of Geneva published the first Latin edition of the so-called "Lucarian Confession", in which the Patriarch appeared to accept the Calvinist doctrines and betray the Orthodox faith. From 1629 to 1633 the "Eastern Confession of Christian Faith" was published under the name of Cyril Loukaris in Latin, Greek, French, German and English. J. Karmiris writes: «This inelegantly worded "Confession" roused great commotion and indescribable agitation throughout the Church and caused preoccupation not only to the ecclesiastical theologians but also to the politicians and the diplomats. In the beginning almost everyone believed it to be a forgery, not a true work of the Patriarch." More than 350 years have elapsed since the first publication of the so-called "Lucarian Confession". Eminent historians, theologians and researchers have tried to clarify whether Loukaris was the actual author of the "Confession" attributed to him by the Calvinists. The Patriarch himself verbally denied it on several occasions and proclaimed his Orthodox faith with his attitude and in his letters. To the end, however, Cyril did not disavow the "Confession" in writing. Successive Synods of the Orthodox Church have condemned the "Confession" as heretical and alien to the Orthodox faith of the Fathers.

The tragic figure of Cyril Loukaris stood in the midst of opposing religious currents. On the one side the Protestants tried hard to win over the Orthodox in their struggle against the Roman Catholics, going so far as to involve the Patriarch himself with the "Lucarian Confession" in order to promulgate their novel doctrines. On the other side the machinations of the Jesuits reached unheard of extremes. The Ecumenical Patriarch, alone, unprotected and betrayed, was judged and condemned. On 27 June 1638, he was strangled and his body was flung into the Bosporus. Manuel Gedeon writes that after some time "the sea out of compassion for this outstanding champion of Orthodoxy washed ashore his body on the island of Halki". Cyril's body was buried with all honours by the Patriarch Parthenius I (1639-1644) in the precinct of the historical Monastery of Panagia Kamariotissa on Halki.

In the course of his difficult patriarchy "the much famed and very wise" Cyril Loukaris issued a large number of decrees on many ecclesiastical matters. A few of the synodical resolutions, patriarchal decisions and sigils are noted below:

1. A synodical resolution in July 1622 canonized St. Gerasimos of Kefallonia.

2. A special patriarchal encyclical appealed to all the Orthodox to make donations for the rebuilding of the Monastery of Simonopetra, Mount Athos, which had been destroyed by fire.

3. In 1627, Cyril set up a patriarchal printing-press for the publication of Orthodox works that would invigorate the faith of the sorely tried Orthodox world.

4. Cyril appointed as Director of the famous Patriarchal Academy "Theophyllos Corydalleus, celebrated erudite and expounder of Aristotle's writings".

5. In 1628, Cyril instituted the dating of patriarchal documents from the Birth of Christ and not from the Creation of the World, as was the practice until then.

Source

For services to St. Cyril, see links here.

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Podgoria Copou Monastery in Iasi, Romania

The Podgoria Copou Monastery, dedicated to Saints Athanasius the Great and Cyril of Alexandria, is a Romanian Orthodox monastery, located in the Copou Hill neighborhood in Iaşi, Romania. It celebrates its feast on January 18th.

The Monastery was built by Moldavian Prince Vasile Lupu in 1638 and put under the Athonite Monastery of Karakalou. Cyril Loukaris, Patriarch of Constantinople, consecrated the Monastery on 30 April 1638. Greek abbots oversaw the Monastery until 1838.

There is a legend that during an invasion of Iasi by the Tatars, Mrs. Tudosca (Theodosia), wife of Vasile Lupu, ran into the woods and hid in a hollow tree. Once past the danger, the Prince looked on these hills and found her with his hunting dog, Copou. The Prince cut the hollow tree, and out of gratitude that he found his wife unharmed, decided to build a monastery.

After the overthrow of Vasile Lupu in 1653, the church was burned and demolished, and rebuilt several times over the years, so that one cannot even recognize anything original in the church style.

A white marble inscription with a coat of arms, located on an outside wall of the church, contains an inscription in Greek which says that the church was restored in 1702 by Prince Constantin Duca (1693-1695, 1700-1703).

In 1809, Seraphim, Abbot of the Three Hierarchs Monastery in Iasi (also built by Vasile Lupu) restored this church, then a third inscription was placed. In 1850 the church was done with the iconography.

In December 1863, following the adoption of the Law secularizing monastic estates, the monastery was disbanded, but her church is still used as a parish church.

After 1960, the church was included in the perimeter of the Botanical Garden of Iaşi, the largest in Romania at that time. As a result of her neglect, the church began to collapse and required extensive restoration.

Between 1983-1986, by the perseverance of Fr. Vasile Vaida, restoration was done to the interior and exterior building, and it was adorned with frescoes, chandeliers and furniture by voluntary contributions of the faithful and the support of the Metropolitan of Moldova and Suceava. The iconography was done by painters Basil and Violet Carp in Bucharest.

After nearly 150 years, on April 20, 2001, Metropolitan Daniel Ciobotea of Moldavia and Bukovina restored the Monastery of St. Athanasius into a convent belonging to the Monastery of Galata in Iasi. Originally three nuns came from Galata Monastery. The nuns work in embroidery, sewing and painting churches. In April of 2009 there were fourteen nuns.

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Rollerblading 'Priest' Stirs Controversy in Georgia

Giorgi Lomsadze

June 26, 2012

EurasiaNet

A bearded Orthodox priest solemnly gliding by on rollerblades is not a usual sight in Georgia. Or elsewhere, for that matter. Yet along a bridge and into Tbilisi's downtown area a priest in flowing robes did glide the other day. Granted, the Bible chronicles stranger things, but several alarmed local priests promptly appeared on the scene and ordered the holy roller to give up his sinful ways.

In fact, the coasting reverend was an actor and the miraculous sight was part of a movie project, but the real clerics declared that the scene ridiculed the Georgian Orthodox Church and demanded a halt to production. Police had to intervene between the film crew and the priests, who were backed up by seminary students. In the end, the movie-makers beat a retreat, reported the Netgazeti.ge news site.

Back in the Soviet era, parodying priests in movies was frequent and keenly encouraged by the state. A confrontation between a rotund, gluttonous priest and a relentless anarchist ("Jesus was slim. What made you gain weight?") is a trademark of the 1970s classic, The Adventures of Lazarus. One of the best known Georgian movies from the same period, The Wishing Tree, features a frivolous village priest with a taste for the bottle.

But those days are long gone. Now, Georgia is in the midst of a cultural war between those who push for Western-European-style secularism, and those who view the 1,675-year-old Georgian Orthodox Church as the very essence of national identity.

The Georgian Orthodox Church, widely viewed as the country's most trusted institution, has taken on the Harry Potter series, Halloween celebrations and any sacrilegious work of fiction -- a tendency that liberal critics say amounts to encroachments on freedom of expression.

The confrontation between the faithful and the liberals mostly rages online, but sometimes it spills into the streets. In comments to Netgazeti, Levan Ghlonti, the director of the film with the skating priest, essentially reiterated the point made by The Adventures of Lazarus anarchist.

Georgian priests make no bones about driving fancy SUVs, but make a big deal out of rollerblades, he said.

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Israel Honors Greeks Who Saved Jews

People who risked their lives to save Greek Jews from Nazi persecution during WWII were honored in a special event that took place on 25 June 2012, hosted by the city of Veria, in northern Greece, in cooperation with the embassy of Israel in Greece.

Giorgos and Panagiota Lanaras and Fr. Nestoras Karamitsopoulos posthumously received the title of “Righteous among the Nations” for rescuing Greek Jew Yosef Danielli, his wife Buena and their 10 children from the Nazi occupiers. The awards were received by the Lanaras and Karamitsopoulos families. Yosef’s son, Shimon Danielli, now in his 80s, traveled to Veria from Israel especially for the event.

Shimon Danielli was only 13-years-old in 1942 when he and his parents and nine siblings sought refuge in the home of Giorgos and Panagiota Lanaras in the village of Sykia. The village protected 50 Greek-Jews, and when the Nazis came they questioned Fr. Nestoras Karamitsopoulos on their whereabouts. He refused to give them up. The Nazi's proceeded to search the homes, and in eight houses they found Jews. The Nazi's proceeded to burn those houses down and cut off the beard of the priest and tortured him. The Danielli family survived and eventually made it back to their home in Barbouta, yet they sadly learned that 450 fellow residents were killed in the ovens of the concentration camps.

Shimon Danielli has visited his home town often over the years, and fondly remembers his childhood: "I was young when the Germans came and spread death, but I always maintain gratitude and love for our three heroes."

The honorees received a diploma and medal from Yad Vashem, the Institute and Museum established in Jerusalem by the State of Israel to perpetuate the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. The names of the “righteous” are engraved on a plaque at the premises of the museum in a ceremony held in Jerusalem.

Roughly 300 Greek citizens have been honored by Yad Vashem, among them, the late Archbishop of Greece Damaskinos, the chief of Greek Police during the Nazi occupation Angelos Evert, the late Metropolitans of Zakynthos and Dimitriada Chrysostomos and Ioakim, respectively, and the former mayor of the island of Zakynthos Loukas Karrer.

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Musicians Who Are Converts to Orthodox Christianity

I am fairly often asked about certain famous people who are Orthodox Christians, and for most there is obscure information on the internet. There are many musicians who are Orthodox, in one form or another, especially those who were born into the Faith (one list is here). Questions usually revolve around converts however, and alleged converts. Here is some info I have come up with, to answer some of those questions.

1. Zac Hanson

Zac Hanson with his older brothers Isaac and Taylor formed the American pop rock band Hanson, and are best known for their 1997 hit song "MMMBop".

Zac is the nephew of Abbess Aemiliane (herself a convert) of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Monastery in Thebes, Greece. Apparently he visited her there with his wife Kate, and soon after they decided to embrace Orthodoxy as a family in 2003. He is a member of an OCA parish.

Below are a few photos which show Zac and his family at a chrismation, and another of him participating in a procession:

2. Dave Gahan

I have written on Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode at this link, and posted photos:

Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode A Convert to Orthodoxy

3. Chris Hillman

Chris Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They are one of the most successful and influential American pop/Country rock groups from the 1960's; they recorded a string of hits, including "Turn! Turn! Turn!", "Eight Miles High" and "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star".

In a July 2003 interview with Triste, he says:

"I’m a member of the Greek Orthodox faith, having been an Evangelical Christian back in the 80’s, and then I converted to the Orthodox faith. Yeah, I’m very much devoted to that, but I don’t get in people’s face about it, or try and convert anybody! But it is my own personal belief with my family, and I sing in the Orthodox choir every Sunday - sing tenor - which is really Byzantine. Part of the liturgy that they do every week, and so it’s a completely different kind of music to what I do on stage, which is bluegrass. And even when we do Gospel stuff, it’s out of the old Baptist style, and Herb and I do old Gospel songs in our show. It’s really completely different. And then on Sundays when I’m in town, when I’m home, I sing these very old Byzantine hymns that you would hear in a monastery. But actually, both types of music embrace each other, if you follow me. I mean I get a lot out of the church singing as well as the other. And actually I get wonderful ideas from singing in a completely different style."

Read the rest of the interview here.

In fact, Chris was converted through his wife, Connie Pappas, who was born Greek Orthodox.

Kevin Allen did an interview with Chris Hillman in 2009 about his conversion, which can be heard or read here.

Read also here.

4. Chris Cornell

Chris Cornell is an American rock musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and former lead vocalist for Audioslave, as well as several solo works. He is especially known for his wide vocal range. Along with Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Pearl Jam, Soundgarden became one of the most successful bands from Seattle's emerging grunge scene in the early 1990s.

Chris Cornell was raised Catholic and went to Catholic School (from which he was almost kicked out for asking too many questions), but upon marrying in 2004 to a Greek woman, Vicky Karayiannis, he converted to Orthodoxy through Chrismation. In his songs sometimes he appears to be anti-religious, but other times seems to embrace religion, so it is hard to tell how deep his Orthodoxy is. He does thank God in his liner notes for "Carry On", and the song "Light My Way" he has said was written like a prayer. "Holy Water", "Jesus Christ Pose" and "Blind Dogs" seem to be against hardcore religious fanatics, but his later songs do reflect a more spiritual side ("Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Wooden Jesus", which some might say is sarcastic). In this interview from 2007, he says about religion: "I don't really follow any particular one... I'm a free thinker and kind of open...." However, he does wear a cross necklace, he is a recent godfather (see photos here, where Chris and his wife even chanted), and he has had his children baptized Orthodox. In fact, his son was baptized by Greek singer Anna Vissi and Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington in 2009 at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles, and he has expressed his desire to buy a house in Kolonaki, Athens (read here). He also recently paired with Greek actress Rita Wilson in her latest CD.

5. Chester Bennington

Chester Bennington is best known as the lead vocalist and co-songwriter of the rock band Linkin Park.

As mentioned above, Chester is the godfather of Chris Cornell's son who was baptized Orthodox, but I have no information as to whether he is himself an Orthodox Christian. They apparently are very close friends however (photo). Interestingly, the most famous album of Linkin Park is named "Meteora". The album was named after the Meteora rock formation in Greece. After seeing these monasteries on a trip to Europe, the band was inspired by the way they were built, almost defying gravity. It was this feeling of greatness and awesome accomplishment that Linkin Park wished to convey with their music, thus the name. It is the most successful album in the history of the Modern Rock Tracks chart, a chart that specializes in radio play of alternative rock songs. As for his faith, it is unclear, but he has said: "I believe in God but I don't practice or preach or really discuss it outside of my own ideals."

6. Eminem

Marshall Bruce Mathers III, better known by his stage name Eminem and by his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem is one of the best-selling artists in the world and is the best selling artist of the 2000s.

As far as him being Orthodox, this I think is an internet rumor which was spread after the release of his video "When I'm Gone" (see here) in 2005. At the 2:09 mark Eminem can be seen crossing himself from right to left, as Orthodox do, and because of this people say he is Orthodox. However, a close look will reveal that he is crossing himself with his left hand, and his fingers are not arranged in the Orthodox fashion. He's a left hander who just took to crossing himself. Dollars to donuts. Pulling is just more "natural" than "pushing".

Conclusion:

There are more musicians that can be addressed, but these are the ones I get asked the most about. I do not have any acquaintance with any of them, so I really don't know where their heart is at. At the most, I own some of the music of Chris Hillman, Dave Gahan, Eminem, Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington, and I have seen the latter three in concert. If anyone does have more info, please comment below.

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Video: Where Saint Sophia of Kleisoura Lived in Asceticism

The Holy Metropolis of Kastoria has released a video which shows where the newly-glorified Saint Sophia of Kleisoura lived in asceticism, including the fireplace in which she lived for 47 years at the Monastery of the Panagia in Kleisoura.

It also invites us to the first feast of the Saint and her canonization, at which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will be present, between 30 June and 3 July 2012.

One can also hear the Saint speak, encouraging the faithful to have fear of God so nothing can happen to us.

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Fear Is the First-fruit of Sin

"The wicked man flees although no one pursues him; but the righteous man, like a lion feels sure of himself" (Proverbs 28:1).

Wicked men are even afraid of shadows; to them shadows of trees seem as an army. Wherever something rustles, the wicked man thinks; the avenger comes! The trembling of leaves, he hears as a sound of chains; he takes the voices of birds as the shout of hunters who give chase after game; he sees grass as a spy of his evil deed; water, as a witness against him; the sun, as a judge; the stars, as those who taunt him. O my brethren, how many lies are born out of fear? For fear is of sin, sin is of the devil and the devil is the father of all lies.

Fear is the first-fruit of sin. When Adam sinned, he hid from the face of God. And when God cried out, Adam said: "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid" (Genesis 3:10). Before sin, Adam did not know about fear; neither did he hide from the face of God but, on the contrary, always hurried to encounter God. And as soon as he sinned, he "was afraid."

"But the righteous man, like a lion feels sure of himself." Without sin, without fear. Without sin, without weakness. The sinless ones are powerful, very powerful and brave, very brave. The righteous ones are strong and fearless. Such are the righteous ones, only the righteous ones.

O Sinless Lord, save us from empty fear but before that, preserve us from sin, the parent of fear. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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The Minimalist vs. Maximalist Debate in Israeli Archaeology

A new discovery at Khirbet Qeiyafa, an ancient city southwest of Jerusalem, has reignited a debate about the existence and influence of the biblical figures David and Solomon.

If you think that archaeology is boring, you should take thirty minutes and read Asaf Shtull-Trauring’s article in the Haaretz magazine. This lengthy piece interviews the major players in the chief dispute in Israeli archaeology today. Those familiar with the minimalist-maximalist debate over the United Kingdom of Israel will find a good bit that is new. Those looking for an introduction to the conflict can hardly do better than start here.

The Keys to the Kingdom

A slightly shorter and updated account can be read here.

Raiders of the Lost Relics

Like any science of the past, archaeology is constantly developing and changing, and the views expressed in these articles are too young to have much merit, but it is interesting to see where things are and where they are going.

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Elder Joachim of St Anne's Skete (+ 1889)

Fr. Joachim, Manoli in the world, was born on the island of Crete, in the village of Kalikrata. From of old the local inhabitants had a reputation for being adroit and reckless robbers, and they considered the title of bandit to be an honor.

Manoli was unschooled; he didn't know any prayers, and in playing with his friends naturally assimilated their bad habits. When he was twenty he joined a band of robbers. While still inexperienced, he fell into the hands of some soldiers and was imprisoned, but he managed to escape. Soon, however, he became proficient in his "trade", and the authorities posted a substantial price on his head.

Manoli spent fifteen years as a bandit. But the good Lord, Who desires that all men be saved, seeing that his criminal behavior proceeded not from a wicked heart but was merely the result of a local tradition, gave opportunity for him to leave this path to perdition. When Manoli's older brother landed in jail, Manoli, feeling sorry for his brother and his brother's family, decided to intercede for him and to give himself up in place of his brother. In the village lived some Christians. One night Manoli approached one of their leaders for advice: should he turn himself in or go away somewhere? The elder promised to talk it over with the kaimakam. He went to him and asked, "If we capture Manoli, will you give him to us?" "Absolutely!" replied the kaimakam. The elder told Manoli of the "deal" he had arranged and took him to the pasha. The pasha was stunned; he couldn't believe that the notorious bandit Manoli, who had such a high price on his head, was standing there before him, and, what was even more incredible, that he was voluntarily turning himself in. The pasha was so taken by this that he released Manoli's brother and asked Manoli to stay with him as a paid servant, to which Manoli agreed.

After four years the pasha was assigned to Thessalonika, and Manoli asked to go with him. A year later he accompanied the pasha to Mount Athos, where they met the same kaimakam to whom Manoli had turned himself over. The kaimakam asked that Manoli stay there on patrol, but Manoli declined, unwilling to abandon the pasha en route, and he returned to Thessalonika. Within a week the kaimakam came and asked that the pasha release Manoli, as he was a strong and daring man well suited for defending the Holy Mountain. Manoli took this as a sign from God; he left his bride and departed with the kaimakam.

For a whole year Manoli diligently fulfilled his responsibility, making the rounds of the monasteries, keeping order among the crowds at feasts, etc. with other patrolmen. When the kaimakam was assigned elsewhere, he offered Manoli to go with him. "Efendi," replied Manoli, "I like it here. Allow me to stay another year." "Very well, very well," answered the kaimakam, and he departed alone. This marked a turning point in Manoli's life. In his heart he began to hear the call of God-to forsake the world and devote the rest of his life to repentance.

In the first year of his life as a pilgrim, Manoli was tempted several times to leave the Holy Mountain-whether out of boredom, or because of his former self-will, or because he couldn't endure the difficult penance laid upon him-but no sooner would such thoughts enter his mind than he felt something binding him there.

Five years passed since his arrival on Athos, and the period of his penance was coming to an end. Again Manoli decided to leave. With this determination he set off, but he had barely reached the monastery of Chilandar when he experienced such inner turmoil that he could go no further and he turned back, giving away to those he met all the money he had earned in the service of the kaimakam.

At St. Anne's Skete, where Manoli had spent a year, he was warmly received by the superior, Fr. Bessarion, who sympathized with his spiritual distress and welcomed him to stay. Manoli found a place very much to his liking just behind the skete, in a large cave. Receiving a blessing from the elders, he settled there, and went to the skete daily for the early morning Liturgy.

One day he arrived at the church before Liturgy. Several brothers were gathered in the foyer. "Come now, Manoli. How is it that you continue to live in our midst as a layman. It's time you set aside your worldly clothes and became clothed in monastic apparel!" Manoli avoided giving an answer and entered the church. Standing in his accustomed place, he heard a quiet inner voice: "Why are you delaying so, Manoli? Take the elders' advice. Look at you, you're already an old man, even your beard is grey. Where are you going to go? Don't you realize that Sts. Joachim and Anna, together with the Mother of God, are watching out for you? Just look how they've kept you here; they don't want you to leave this place!"

After the service Manoli said to the brothers, "I'm going to stay here. I've taken your advice. Just get me the appropriate garments and call me Anna, so that by my very name I will always belong to the skete!" The monks, knowing of Manoli's former life, were not surprised at such simplicity. They explained that this was not proper, but that they would call him Joachim. The elders took up a collection to pay for the monastic habit: the superior gave ten levs, the others-whatever they could. When this was still not enough, Manoli went round to several monasteries asking for donations and bought whatever was necessary. Then he was tonsured and, since his penance was no longer in force, he was able to receive the Holy Mysteries.

The cave where Fr. Joachim lived was spacious and even rather light, but it was always cold and damp; there was little protection from the wind and the elements: there was no door, no window, the roof leaked and in freezing temperatures the rivulets of water turned to ice. Snow blew in and remained long after it had melted in more exposed areas. Fr. Joachim never had a fire, nor did he wear warm clothes; he always went about in the same lightweight inner and outer cassock-summer and winter.

He spent five years in this way after his tonsure. The Lord rewarded his determination and voluntary suffering by gifts of humility and compunction. And he fully absorbed the fear of God.

The fathers of the skete appointed him sacristan of the cemetery chapel, where he would come every day before dawn to prepare whatever was necessary for the Divine Liturgy. In appointing Fr. Joachim sacristan, the skete fathers agreed to give him every day a loaf of bread. After Liturgy he would clean the chapel, then go to one of the cells, where he was given a loaf and, taking a jug of water, return to his cave. The next day he would go to another cell, and so forth by turn. The bread he turned into rusks, which he offered to his visitors. As soon as someone came he would pour water into a dilapidated bowl, break into it some rusks, put in a spoon, and, folding his hands on his breast, invite his guest to eat; and he was so sincere, so touching, that even if a person were full he would not decline.

He had a wooden cross which had been given to him when he first came to Athos. Both sides were intricately carved with the twelve major feasts. Into the spaces between them he stuffed pieces of cotton which he had taken from reliquaries of all the monasteries. According to his faith these pieces of cotton emitted a marvelous fragrance, as if from the relics themselves. This cross was his sole treasure, and he kept it in a wooden chest. When anyone came, he first brought out the cross and offered his guest to pray; afterwards he asked his guest to venerate a paper icon of the Mother of God. He then invited the guest to sit down while he went about preparing the rusk "soup".

"Previously," he would tell people, "I ate meat and all sorts of food; I drank quantities of wine; milk I drank instead of water, from a bowl. Now the Lord has given me this water and this bread, and to me it is more delicious than anything I ever ate or drank in the world! It's amazing how the desert sweetens bread; it gives it a special flavor, a special sweetness. Glory to Thee, O Lord! Glory to Thee, O Lord! How merciful is the Lord and how amazing His gifts!"

When asked, Fr. Joachim never hesitated to tell people that yes, indeed, he was the notorious bandit Manoli. "It is a miracle of God's mercy, a miracle! I never had the slightest idea of becoming a monk, and just look what the Lord has done! A Turk, a Turk brought me here! It's an absolute miracle, a miracle of God's loving-kindness."

At the entrance to the cave the elder made a little garden where he planted sage, cornflowers and some other fragrant herbs, which he would give to his visitors as a blessing. In crevices between the rocks along the path leading up to the cave, he stuffed here and there grapevines or shoots from almond trees and took pleasure in seeing them take root and leaf out.

The cave was quite bare. In one corner a few old boards covered with a tattered woolen bag served as a "bed". One wondered how Fr. Joachim spent the long nights in the cave: he didn't light a fire, he didn't know how to read (he memorized all the festal hymns), he didn't have any handiwork. Somewhere he found two empty gourds; into one he put some pebbles, and he set the other gourd nearby; for each pebble he would make a prostration with the Jesus Prayer, transferring the pebbles from one gourd to the other. The pebbles served him as a kind of prayer rope.

When he first settled in the cave, some people took pity on his poverty and gave him a shirt or other clothing, but it was not long before he had given these away to some hermit or simply left them along the road frequented by the hermits; he did the same with money he was given. Seeing he never wore these things, the people would ask what had happened to them. Fr. Joachim would answer rather absentmindedly: "I left them in the cave, and when I was out someone must have taken them." Once they discovered his habits, people stopped giving him things. In later years, however, Fr. Joachim suffered dire need: the cave's biting cold, the dampness, and his advanced age took their toll on his health, and he was obliged himself to ask for a warm cassock and sturdy boots.

In addition to his prostrations, Fr. Joachim added to his physical exploits by cleaning the paths of stones and making them smooth. Mount Athos is covered by narrow, twisting paths, winding down steep slopes of crumbly rock. It was impossible to keep them perfectly clean, but the lover of labor picked up the bigger stones which made walking difficult, and used these to make the paths more even. On the steepest slopes he made walls of these stones to keep rocks from falling onto the paths. His primary purpose in this activity was to keep himself from growing slack, and at the same time, in his sincere love for the monks, to make their walking easier.

Where these paths intersect, crosses have been traditionally erected as sign-posts to help pedestrians find their way. In the vicinity of St. Anne's Skete, because of its location among a lot of cliffs, paths branch off in every conceivable direction; almost every cell has its own path. The local monks were accustomed to finding their way, but others were easily confused by the many, often tangled intersections. At each intersection and major turn Fr. Joachim placed crosses, braced by rocks, rather artistic constructions. And by means of this handiwork he made it significantly easier for visitors to find their way.

Once Fr. Joachim was asked if living in such a damp cave weren't bad for his health, wasn't he afraid of catching cold? "...What better habitation could I have? I just don't know how to thank the Lord and His Most Holy Mother for this cave. After all, where would I go, what do I lack here? I have clothing, I didn't even have to go after it, it was brought to me. The fathers provide me with bread. I should stay put. And here I remain, as if tied down; I can't leave the cave, except to go to the skete for Divine Liturgy. The Lord has given me such sweetness here in this cave that even if I were given the whole of Athos I wouldn't leave this spot. "And isn't it cold, Father?"

"At times my hands and feet get so cold that they become contracted and I can't straighten them. But when this passes I feel seven times healthier than before. I must tell you, brothers, they say that on Athos the air is bad, the water, flowing along the marble rocks, is bad, and they're afraid of this. Fear is from the enemy. If the Mother of God is the Queen of Creation, and if this is her domain, and if she has care of the whole world how much more care will she lavish upon her own domain. Then what is there for us to fear?

"Twice Abbot Paul came here and asked if I wouldn't move to the monastery, promising to provide everything I needed, but I just can't. Here I've been given clothing, footwear; I have bread, water... Glory to God. How can I justify leaving? A monk must exhibit valour and courage, just like Christians at war against the Turks: only the valorous among them are conquerors. If at the outset they do not firmly resolve to fight even unto death, they could not have such courage, they couldn't be conquerors and they wouldn't become captains and generals. So too, a monk must exhibit his own form of valor and courage in his affairs, and before all else he must establish himself in one place and maintain strict discipline...

"But don't think that I'm leading any kind of monastic life. I just sit here constantly occupied with judging others, with pleasing my belly and sleeping. Although I have no desire for fish, I eat lots of bread. Nevertheless, I trust in God's graciousness, in the protection of the Mother of God, in Saints Joachim and Anna-even though I'm altogether unworthy!"

By God's allowance, Elder Joachim had an experience similar to St. Anthony the Great. On the eve of some feast, after working on the paths, he was on his way to the vigil when suddenly there appeared a horde of demons who grabbed him and flung him down the steep slope towards the sea. The elder tumbled down and when he stopped on some level ground the demons again threw him further; and each time he managed to stop they threw him further, until, rolling along craggy rocks and through bushes, he landed at the very sea shore. Amazingly, he suffered no harm. Meanwhile, the monks of the skete had begun to gather for the vigil. Surprised not to see Fr. Joachim - knowing that he was always first to arrive at the church - they suspected something was amiss and went to his cave. Perhaps he had died.

When they did not find him in his cave, the fathers began to seek elsewhere. Finally they heard his voice and discovered him down by the sea. Afterwards they all decided he shouldn't be allowed to live anymore in the cave and he was given a cell at the cemetery chapel.

Before the Feast of the Lord's Nativity, 1888, the elder became ill; he went to bed and did not eat. And until his very repose he ate nothing, drinking only small amounts of water. His voice weakened, but he managed still to speak and one could, with difficulty, make out what he was saying. Bright Week arrived, the eve of the cemetery chapel's patronal feast: the Life-giving Spring. The sun had already reached the edge of the horizon, another minute and it would be hidden. Suddenly Fr. Joachim cried out in a loud voice: "My Mistress! My Heavenly Queen!" And with these words he gave up his spirit into the hands of his Lord, Whom he had loved with such devotion.

Elder Joachim reposed at the age of about eighty, having spent twenty-five years on the Holy Mountain.

Translated and compiled from Lives of the Athonite Ascetics of the 19th Century by Hieromonk Anthony of Mount Athos; Jordanville, 1988.

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Jonathan Jackson's Orthodox Acceptance Speech at the Emmy's

This past Holy Saturday Jonathan Jackson, a five-time Emmy Award winning actor on General Hospital, together with his family, were received into the Orthodox Christian Church.

Wikipedia

Official Website

Along with acting, Jonathan is also the lead singer of the indie rock band Enation. www.EnationMusic.com

Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick interviewed him about his journey into Orthodox Christianity, his family, how he lives his faith as a Hollywood actor, music and writing, on an episode of Roads From Emmaus, which can be heard here. For background on the interview, read here.

On Sunday, 24 June 2012, Jonathan won his fifth Emmy for his work on General Hospital as a Supporting Actor. His acceptance speech is below, in which he begins by thanking the Holy Trinity while making the sign of the cross, and ends by thanking the monks of Mount Athos for their prayers for the world.

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Video: Humor With the "God Gene"

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10 Facts About the Panagia of "Axion Estin"

Below are ten little known facts about the Holy Icon of Panagia "Axion Estin":

1. To arrive at the exact date when the Archangel Gabriel revealed the hymn "Axion Estin", we calculate according to the following facts:

- The synaxarion for the feast says it took place during the reign of the emperors Basil (976-1025) and his brother Constantine Porphyrogenitos (1025–1028), and the patriarchate of St. Nicholas Chrysoberges (980-995), in the year 980 (6490 years from the creation of the world).

- However, 6490 is not 980, but 982.

- We also read in the ancient sources that the miracle took place on a Sunday and the date was June 11. Since June 11th fell on a Sunday in 982, we can assume this is the date the miracle took place.

2. The second part of the hymn "Axion Estin", which begins "More honorable than the Cherubim", was written by St. Kosmas the Poet in the 8th century.

3. With few exceptions, the hymn "Axion Estin" is chanted during the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, in the same tone as the previous Cherubic Hymn. However, according to Athonite tradition, the Archangel Gabriel chanted it in the second tone.

4. The Service to the Panagia "Axion Estin" was written by a Russian hierodeacon named Benedict in 1838. It was published four times in Athens (1854, 157, 1890, 1971) and one time in Karyes, Mount Athos (1924). It was translated into Slavonic twice, once in Constantinople (1861) and once in Thessaloniki (1910). The synaxarion read during the Orthros was written by the Protos Seraphim. The Doxastikon was written by Monk Averkios, a representative of Xenophontos Monastery, in 1923.

5. The Litany with the Icon of Panagia "Axion Estin", which takes place on Bright Monday, is for the following reasons, according to the sources:

- Out of love for the Panagia.

- For the sanctification of homes.

- For the blessing of the fruits.

- To abolish insects and other harmful living things from the gardens, trees and vines.

- For physical health.

6. Before the wars of the 20th century, the litany of Bright Monday would gather more than 2000 people.

7. In 1508, the following miracle took place on Bright Monday. The monks of the Dionysian Cell could not be found to welcome the Icon to their Cell. They had abandoned the Cell and hid themselves. That night a strong rain and hail destroyed their vines, trees, and gardens, though that of their neighbors was perfectly fine. The monks realized their sin and went to the Monastery of Dionysiou to confess to Saint Niphon, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was there. He gave them an appropriate canon for repentance, and the following year they welcomed the Holy Icon with much honor, and begged forgiveness from the monks on their knees for not receiving them the prior year.

8. Twice the Monastery of Koutloumousiou did not welcome the Holy Icon during the litany of Bright Monday, because they considered themselves a large Monastery and did not feel the need to recognize the traditions of the other monasteries. As a result, the first time the boat of the Monastery was burned together with its watch tower, and the second time the walls of the newly-built trapeza and other buildings of the Monastery fell.

9. In 1963, in honor of the 1,000 year anniversary of Mount Athos, the Holy Icon of Panagia "Axion Estin" was brought to Athens. Thousands came to venerate this treasure of Orthodoxy with great emotion. This was the first time the Icon left the Holy Mountain.

10. Night and day services take place at Protaton, where the Icon is kept, before the Panagia "Axion Estin", and dozens daily venerate the Holy Icon, leaving their names and those of their loved ones for commemoration.

The Holy Cell of Axion Estin

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