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.



May 1, 2011

Three Recent Miracles of Saint Cyril VI, Patriarch of Constantinople


To read about the wonderworker Saint Cyril VI, Patriarch of Constantinople, see here.

Healing of a Man With Cancer In 1998

My name is Yiannoula Papadoulis and I am a resident of the village Poimenikon Neas Orestiados. A year ago I had the icon of St. Cyril VI and in my prayer asked the Saint to make me worthy to go to Pythio to worship at his church and grave. This year, the Sunday of Saint Thomas which was his feast day, I went with my sister Athena and my brother-in-law Strati to his church.

There we venerated his icon and the three of us saw a few letters on his forehead. We read them but forgot them immediately. Only the letter "A" we all remember. We could not give any explanation for this. Surprised we took a little oil from the lamp burning in front of the icon to bless our dying father who suffered from cancer. Unfortunately all his blood had deteriorated and doctors from the Hospital Didymoteicho told us that it makes no sense for him sit there, and thus we should take him home to die peacefully.

Immediately after we blessed him he opened his eyes, he asked to eat, and then slept peacefully. In the morning he woke up and felt very good, as if not having undergone any inconvenience. We glorify God and His miraculous saint, Saint Cyril the VI, who is our protector! Every year we will venerate him with faith on the day of his memorial.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos


The Saint In Germany in 1998

My name is Vasiliki and I live in Germany. I gave birth a year ago to a girl, I baptized her and named her Marina. She was a healthy child, but suddenly when she was eight months she became paralytic, unable to move her hands or feet, and she would have convulsions. I took her to the hospital but the doctors could not find how she suffered from this incurable illness. I did not stop burning the oil lamp of St. Cyril, and at the bedside of my child I had the icon of the Saint and entreated him day and night for my child. After seven months I took the icon of the Saint and put it on her, and immediately this time she began to move her arms and legs. Doctors could not explain it and asked me what Saint this was and what his name is, so I told them the whole story of Saint Cyril and the miracle. I glorify God for the grace of the Saint who made my child well. May the grace of the Saint protect the entire world!

The Saint In Belgium (March 18, 1998)

My name is Eleni Karafyllaki and my husband is Michael. Our homeland is on the border of Ebro, the homeland of our great Saint Cyril, in Pythio. But we live now for many years abroad, in Belgium. My husband fell heavily ill and had to have three surgeries. It was very serious and involved the liver, lung and kidney. We went to many doctors here in Belgium and they presented things as very difficult as there was no specific treatment. One day as we returned home after the doctor I started crying with inconsolable despair. Like this I pulled open my drawer and took out my book with the life of the Saint, I hugged and cried with faith: "My Saint, save my husband." At night in my sleep I saw my departed father with St. Cyril (I recognized him from the icon on his book) and he said: "Eleni my child, do not worry, the Saint read over your husband and he does not have anything." The next morning we went to the hospital for test IV, and passing by the radiologist who was looking at the x-rays he told us: "The x-rays are totally clean! This was a great miracle or we did a misdiagnosis!" Great is the grace of the Saint. My family will always invoke him with faith.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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