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.



September 14, 2011

Excavations Begin To Find Relics of the Holy Confessor Valeriu Gafencu


On 7 September 2011 excavations to find the relics of the Romanian confessor Valeriu Gafencu (+ 1952) ended after three days. This effort is being funded by members of his family.

The excavations are being done near the prisons of Targu Ocna, where the communists threw the bodies of the dead prisoners. They found eleven graves where they dug. According to surveys of communist crimes, four belong to former detainees who were just thrown there and the rest belonged to the psychiatric unit operated within the prison.

Excavations will continue next year. They expect to identify the relics of Valeriu Gafencu through a cross which was placed in his mouth by his fellow prisoners when he died. This act was done for his remains to be identified when found.

Read also: Saint Valeriu Gafencu the New Confessor (+ 1952)

For a prayer to find the relics of this holy confessor, see here.

It is not uncommon for the relics of these Romanian martyrs and confessors under the communists to flow myrrh. See here.



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