Having entered the Christmas season, we ask those who find the work of the Mystagogy Resource Center beneficial to them to help us continue our work with a generous financial gift as you are able. As an incentive, we are offering the following booklet.

In 1909 the German philosopher Arthur Drews wrote a book called "The Myth of Christ", which New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman has called "arguably the most influential mythicist book ever produced," arguing that Jesus Christ never existed and was simply a myth influenced by more ancient myths. The reason this book was so influential was because Vladimir Lenin read it and was convinced that Jesus never existed, thus justifying his actions in promoting atheism and suppressing the Orthodox Church in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the ideologues of the Third Reich would go on to implement the views of Drews to create a new "Aryan religion," viewing Jesus as an Aryan figure fighting against Jewish materialism. 

Due to the tremendous influence of this book in his time, George Florovsky viewed the arguments presented therein as very weak and easily refutable, which led him to write a refutation of this text which was published in Russian by the YMCA Press in Paris in 1929. This apologetic brochure titled "Did Christ Live? Historical Evidence of Christ" was one of the first texts of his published to promote his Neopatristic Synthesis, bringing the patristic heritage to modern historical and cultural conditions. With the revival of these views among some in our time, this text is as relevant today as it was when it was written. 

Never before published in English, it is now available for anyone who donates at least $20 to the Mystagogy Resource Center upon request (please specify in your donation that you want the book). Thank you.



October 24, 2016

Holy New Martyrs Isidore and his Two Children, Newly-Revealed in 1953

Sts. Isidore, Irene and George the Newly-Revealed Martyrs
(Feast Day - October 18)

In the spring of 1953, a priest began to appear to the villagers of Vali in Crete while they slept. Among them was a grocer and chanter named Demetrios, who saw in his sleep a priest that told him to go dig at a specific place on the grounds of the old primary school, in order to "remove" him from there. The priest revealed to him that he was a priest and with his two children, Irene and George, was slaughtered by the Saracens, during the initial raids on the island by the Turks (prior to the 1650's). Demetrios asked him what his name was, and the priest said it was Papa-Tsiteris. After writing the name on a shoe carton, he fell asleep again.

Shortly after this the priest once again appeared to Demetrios as he was sleeping, saying: "Wake up, and do what I told you." Indeed, he went to the location indicated and dug. Suddenly, a skeleton was uncovered. He continued digging. In all, he found three skeletons, that of an adult with two children. The revelations to the residents in the village revealed more about the life and martyrdom of the Saint. Among other things, it was revealed that he was beheaded with his two children in the church he served while he was celebrating the Divine Liturgy. Christians had gathered their relics, and buried them with their heads placed at their feet. Interestingly, when the skeletons were found, they were discovered exactly in this position.

This wonderful revelation reminds us of the revelation of the Holy New Martyrs Raphael, Nicholas and Irene in 1959 on the island of Lesvos in the village of Thermi. On October 18, 1953 the relics of the Holy Newly-Revealed Neomartyrs were translated to the Church of Saint Demetrios in Vali. In honor of the Holy Hieromartyr Tsiteris, the people of Vali erected a church in his honor in September 2003, and at the behest of the Metropolitan it was given the name "Saint Isidore the New Martyr." Today only portions of their relics exist for veneration, since an impious nun stole the greater portion of them. The memory of Saints Isidore and his children Irene and George is celebrated on October 18th.


The Grave of St. Isidore

17th cent. Church of Saint Demetrios

Church of Saint Isidore



Relics of the Saints

Martyrdom and Burial of the Saints




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