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.



August 4, 2012

Two Chapels to the Seven Sleepers in Santorini


On the beautiful and picturesque island of Santorini, in the town of Oia, there exists two chapels dedicated to the Holy Seven Sleepers of Ephesus.

One chapel can be found in a cave of the beach Mouzakia near the port of Armeni in a caldera which is only accessible by boat. Essentially it is a very small chapel and it is one of the oldest in Oia, having been established over 200 years ago. It is not by coincidence that this chapel is dedicated to the Seven Youth, since the cave in which it was built reminded believers of the Holy Seven Children of Ephesus. Here is celebrated one of the biggest feasts of Oia on the feastday of the Saints on August 4th, which commemorates their repose. On this day the faithful arrive at the chapel with a flag-bearing boat, and because of the small space of land many remain on their boats during the Divine Liturgy, and are even served the food of the feast by another boat onto their boats. In the old days the faithful kept vigil near the cave on the feast. Till this day fisherman stop at this chapel and light a candle to the Holy Seven Sleepers, and cense the icon of the Saints with reverence. The chapel is maintained by the family of Michael Balopita.
 
 
 
 
 






The second chapel is found within the town of Oia and celebrates its feast day on October 22, which commemorates the awakening of the Saints from their long sleep. This chapel was built by Kadio Sigala and is maintained by her family.


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