ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: A Miracle of the Holy Cross in India

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 10, 2013

A Miracle of the Holy Cross in India

By Elder Cleopas of Sihastria

India is a very large country in which the majority are Hindus. This country received the gospel from the Apostle Thomas, however most inhabitants remained idolaters.

Once a missionary, after catechizing and baptizing several Indian families, raised a beautifully adorned wooden Cross with the Crucified One on it.

One day the idolaters went to the Crucified One and started to laugh while throwing dirt on His face, spitting, and hitting Him with batons. Suddenly Christ turned His face to the right, and looking at them He said: "Why do you laugh at Me?" The people stood still like pillars of salt, and some even died from fear. Others ran to their teachers and told them of this miracle. When they returned with their teachers they saw that the face of Christ was still turned to the right, and they were so surprised that they asked to be baptized immediately.

Today on the spot where the Crucified One was stands their Cathedral, and the wooden Cross survives in the Holy Altar.

Source: From Stories of Elder Cleopas. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.