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 8, 2015

Synaxarion of Saint Patapios of Thebes


On the eighth of this month [December], we commemorate our Venerable Father Patapios.

Verses

You left this perishable earth on which you walked Patapios,
Now you walk where the feet of the meek walk.
On the eighth Patapios walked on green pastures.

Patapios was from Thebes in Egypt. Preferring the monastic life, he lived for many years in asceticism in the desert. Then he went to Constantinople, where he gave sight to the blind, those with dropsy he healed with the anointing of oil, he cast out demons, and the calamity of cancer he healed. And having worked many other similar miracles, he delivered his spirit to the Lord in peace.


Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
The image of God, was faithfully preserved in you, O Father. For you took up the Cross and followed Christ. By Your actions you taught us to look beyond the flesh for it passes, rather to be concerned about the soul which is immortal. Wherefore, O Holy Patapios, your soul rejoices with the angels.

Another Apolytikion in the Third Tone
Thou didst follow the divine call from thy youth, and illumine the world with the gifts of thy holy labours. Thou wast made glorious with the grace of dispassion, and dost heal various passions. O Patapios, venerable Father, pray to Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion in the Third Tone
Having found thy church to be a place of spiritual healing, all the people flock with haste thereto, O Saint, and they ask thee to bestow the ready healing of their diseases and forgiveness of the sins they wrought in their lifetime; O Patapios most righteous, in every need, thou art the protector of all.

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