ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: The Custom of the Icons in the Cave of Grevena

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 16, 2015

The Custom of the Icons in the Cave of Grevena

Once again there took place this year, as every year, on Easter Tuesday (04/14/2015), the custom of the icons in the Cave of Grevena, with the presence (for the first time) of the new Metropolitan David of Grevena.

According to this very old custom, in the monastery of the Panagia, there takes place an "auction" of the Honorable Cross and icons from all the churches of the Cave.

The Honorable Cross represents the church of the Panagia, and this is followed by icons from the other churches: Saint Athanasios, Saint Michael, Saint Paraskevi and Saint Katherine.

Immediately after this there is a procession of the icons together with the relics of Saint Nikanor, Saint Haralambos, Saint Tryphon, Saint Prokopios and the skull of Saint Menas the Kallikelados, throughout the village.

Then, in the lower square, opposite the school of the Cave, the faithful venerate the sacred relics and the wonderworking icons.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.