ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Holy Thursday in Patmos - the Sacred Niptira

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 2, 2013

Holy Thursday in Patmos - the Sacred Niptira

By Aristides Miaoulis

Shortly before noon in the main church of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, twelve priests and monks dressed with similar porphyry-gold Byzantine vestments, together with the castle bells chiming to the rhythm of the sacred moments of the 50th Psalm in a plagal tone, are ready to follow the Patmian Typikon in a rare event.

The author I. M. Hatzifotis informs us: "The ceremony of the Sacred Niptira belongs to the category of authentic Byzantine representations of the Passion which was spread to the West, having the distinctive name of 'Mystery'." This ceremony began, according to Professor Phaedon Koukoule, "in the beginnings of the 4th century as an 'antithesis' to the theater which praised the twelve gods and was an endearing spectacle to the people of the time."

It is included in the Typikon of St. Savvas and has been performed at least since the 11th century when the Monastery of Patmos was founded, either in the main church or the courtyard.

For details about the ceremony, read The Ceremony of the Washing of the Feet on the Holy Island of Patmos.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos