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.



February 17, 2015

The Veneration of Saint Theodore the Tiro in Samos

Procession Icon of St. Theodore the Tiro in the Parish Church of Saint Theodore in the city of Samos

It was soon after the martyrdom of Saint Theodore the Tiro that he was honored by Orthodox people, and churches were built in his honor along with that of Saint Theodore the Stratelati. These churches were known by the plural name "Saints Theodoroi" or "Saints Theodoron", and they can be found throughout Greece today (Anavyssos Attica, Thebes, Atalanti Fthiotida, Lamia, Serres, Orestiada Evros, Mytilini). Most memorable is the Byzantine Church of Saints Theodoroi in Klafthmonos Square in Athens, as well as the historic Sacred Monastery of Saints Theodoroi in Sopotos Kalavryta.

In the borderline Aegean island of Samos, Saint Theodore the Tiro is honored and acclaimed with great respect and with great reverence, since on the island there are a total of five churches dedicated to his memory. Of these two are parishes, with one that can be found in the city of Samos, and the other is in the village of Agios Theodoros in the region of Karlovasi. There are also three chapels dedicated to his name in Vlamari and the villages Pandroso and Koumeika. The Parish Church of Saint Theodore in the city of Samos was erected in 1838 in a place where there was previously a chapel dedicated to the name of the Saint, which was a dependency of the Holy Monastery of Agia Zoni. The construction of the new church, which was completed in 1853, was undertaken by the hieromonk and brother of the Monastery Ignatios Lachanas, who was also the brother of the hero of the Greek Revolution Constantine Lachanas. The Parish Church of Saint Theodore in the village of Agios Theodoros, was built in 1964 on the foundations of the old church which dated to 1807.

Parish Church of Saint Theodore the Tiro in the city of Samos

Parish Church of Saint Theodore the Tiro in the village of Agios Theodoros.

Chapel of Saint Theodore the Tiro in Vlamari
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