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.



April 19, 2011

Holy Week and Pascha on Mount Athos



Mount Athos has a somber and completely spiritual atmosphere during Holy Week. Visitors to the Holy Mountain during this time find themselves in a completely different world from what they are used to in the world. It is a monastic life which especially at this time focuses on the last days of Jesus according to the lived experience of 2,000 years of authentic Christianity. One cannot escape being reminded of this and making it a lived reality in their own lives.

The Athonite fathers on Holy Thursday begin by going out into the fields to gather flowers for the Cross and Tomb which will be displayed during the services over the next few days. Great Friday throughout Mount Athos is a day of silence and vigilant prayer within the churches. Holy Week contains some of the most beautiful hymns of the entire Orthodox ecclesiastical year, and the professional chants of the monks, coupled with the ancient iconography and architecture, make for a powerful experience unrivalled. Holy Saturday services with the Epitaphios do not begin until 1:00 AM and last till 4:00 AM. At 5:00 AM begins the procession with the shroud and tomb of Christ.

The vigil for the Resurrection begins about 10:00 PM on Holy Saturday night and ends at 6:00 AM. Then a table is set for a festive dinner with fish, eggs and salad. On Pascha there is great joy throughout the Holy Mountain, as if death truly has been conquered by the resurrection of Christ.







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