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.



December 30, 2015

Synaxarion of Saint Anysia of Thessaloniki



On the thirtieth of this month [December], we commemorate the Holy Venerable Martyr Anysia of Thessaloniki.

Verses

Mortally stabbed on the right side,
The side Adam conceived Anysia.
On the thirtieth the side of Anysia was stabbed with a sword.

Anysia lived during the reign of Emperor Maximian (286-305), and was the daughter of pious and very wealthy parents from Thessaloniki. With the death of her parents, the Saint lived alone in quietude, and she pleased God by practicing and laboring towards fulfilling the divine commandments.

One day this Saint was going to church, as she was accustomed to do, and on the way she encountered a Greek pagan soldier. He arrested her, and dragged her before the altars of the idols, compelling her to offer sacrifices to the demons. Because the Saint confessed Christ as God, and she spat in the face of that defiled soldier, this abominable man became enraged, and he ran his sword through the side of the Saint. In this manner the blessed one received the incorruptible crown of martyrdom.


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thou didst tread to the end the path of virtue and wast betrothed to God the Word, and didst rejoice in the contest, O Anysia. Thou didst shine with the light of dispassion, Melania, and shed rays of virtue on the world. And now we ask you both to beseech Christ the Lord that He will be gracious to us.

Kontakion in the Third Tone
Like a lamp of two lights you illumine Christ's Church with a mystical radiance. Thou didst bring forth fruit an hundredfold in thy martyr's contest, O Anysia; and thou didst shine in asceticism, O Melania. You were found worthy of the incorruptible life of the Blessed.

The relics of St. Anysia in the Church of Saint Demetrios in Thessaloniki.
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