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 12, 2013

A Poem Elder Paisios Wrote For His Mother


The following poem - letter was written by Elder Paisios to his mother when he left his home in Konitsa to become a monk at Mount Athos.

The translation below is more literal than poetic like the poem is, so if anyone with better poetic skills wants to offer an alternative translation, feel free in the comments below. For this reason I am also offering the original Greek.

The video below is this poem in song.


My mommy, I bid you farewell, I go to become a monk,
I am leaving this futile life, of delusion, to laugh,
In the solitude of the desert, I will pass my youth,
For the love of Christ, I will sacrifice all.

All the goods of this world, like offal I will leave,
To complete the first commandment, to love God,
With the cross of Golgotha, to follow Christ,
And in the Jerusalem above, I pray we meet again.

I leave your great affection, mommy to be able,
In order to be eternally with, Jesus, I will supplicate,
For this reason black, is what I wanted to wear,
In order to be dedicated to Christ, to like the things of God.

And for a mother hereafter, I will have the Panagia,
To protect me harmless, from the slyness of the enemy,
My mom with devoutness, in the desert here with quietude,
I will pray for you always, and for all citizens.

Monk Paisios of Philotheou. Mount Athos. 05/01/1957

Dedicated to my pious Mother.

Paisios




Μαννούλα μου σε χαιρετώ εγώ πάω να μονάσω,
Φεύγω την μάταιαν ζωήν, τον πλάνον, να γελάσω,
Στην μοναξιάν στην έρημον τα νιάτα να περάσω,
Δια την αγάπην του Χριστού, όλα θα τα θυσιάσω.

Όλα του κόσμου τα αγαθά,σαν σκύβαλλα θα αφήσω,
Να εκτελέσω την πρώτη εντολήν, τον Θεόν να αγαπήσω
Με τον σταυρόν στον Γολγοθάν, τον Ιησούν ν’ακολουθήσω,
Και εις την άνω Ιερουσαλήμ, εύχομαι να σε συναντήσω.

Φεύγω απ’την μεγάλην σου στοργήν, μαννούλα να μπορέσω
Δια να ήμεθα αιώνια μαζί, τον Ιησούν, θα παρακαλέσω,
Διαυτό μικρός εθέλησα τα μαύρα, δια να φορέσω,
Να αφιερωθώ εις τον Χριστόν, του Θεού να αρέσω.

Και δια μητέρα εις το εξής, θα έχω την Παναγίαν,
Να με φυλάξη αβλαβή, απ’ του εχθρού την πανουργίαν
Μάννα μου με κατάνυξιν, στην έρημον εδώ στην ησυχίαν
Θα εύχομαι πάντα δια εσέ, και διόλην την πολιτείαν.

Μοναχού Παϊσίου Φιλοθεΐτου. Αγ. Όρος 1-5-1957

Αφιερούται στην σεβαστήν μου Μητέραν.

Παΐσιος

Elder Paisios with his father Prodromos and his mother Evlambia

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

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