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.



January 22, 2014

The Holy Shrine of Panagia Eleistria in Koroni


At the southwestern edge of the Venetian castle of the historic town of Koroni, in the Municipality of Koroni, stands the Shrine of Panagia Eleistria, upon holy land within an enchanting wood, overlooking the entrance to the bay of Messini, defined to the west by the cape of Akritas and Isle Venetiko and to the east by the imposing Mount Taygetos. The beautiful stone-built church is dedicated to the Most-Holy Theotokos and the True Cross and celebrates on the Friday of Zoodochos Pigi (the first friday after Easter) and on January 22nd, which is the anniversary of the discovery of the sacred icon of Panagia Eleistria (as well as March 25 and September 14).

The Icon of Panagia Eleistria was miraculously discovered in 1897 due to the continuous visions of the pious and venerable Maria G. Stathakis from Koroni, to whom the Theotokos herself appeared in dreams, urging her with the words: "Tell your townspeople to come and dig in this place and they will find three small icons within a rock crevice. In that place they are to build a church. The foundations of the church should be on this wall that I have protected from earthquakes, wars and natural disasters.”

Despite the old woman's initial fears and the distrust of the people of Koroni, it finally happened that on January 21, 22 and 23 of 1897 the three icons were found consecutively, one depicting a Crucifix, the other the Theotokos and the third probably Luke the Evangelist (due to his artistic connection to the Mother of God). During the 1950s the Metropolitan of Messenia, Chrysostomos Daskalakis, framed the icons of the Crucifix and the Theotokos in silver and separately the icon of Luke the Evangelist.

The opening ceremony of the church took place on December 26, 1900 and was attended by a great multitude in the presence of the Metropolitan of the Former Nikopolis and Preveza Gabriel Petroudakis from Leros, who traveled from Athens for the occasion.

Today the Shrine of Eleistria is gradually being renovated thanks to the love and interest of the Metropolitan of Messenia, Chrysostomos Savvatos. The first act of this great Shepherd was the compilation of a set of rules for the operation and administration of the shrine, which was validated by the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.

According to this regulation, part of the Holy Shrine’s income will be assigned to the benevolent Scholarship Fund for the poor university students from Messenia.


See also: The Miraculous Discovery of the Icon of Panagia Eleistria in Koroni in 1897








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