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.



August 8, 2016

Holy New Martyr Triantaphyllos the Sailor of Zagora (+ 1680)

St. Triantaphyllos of Zagora (Feast Day - August 8)

Verses

Triantaphyllos has appeared like a fresh-grown rose,
Reddened by the stream of his blood.

Little is known about Saint Triantaphyllos. Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite simply records that he was a sailor from Zagora of Magnesia and was martyred in Constantinople when he was eighteen years of age in the year 1680. He owes his information to the Ephemerides of John Karyophylis, the Grand Logothetes of the Ecumenical Patriarchate who authored a number of lives of the early Neomartyrs of his time.

According to his Bulgarian Life, where he is known as Triandafil, he was born in the village of Stara Gora of Bulgaria in the year 1663. For reasons we do not know, he was pressured by Muslim sailors to embrace the Islamic faith in Constantinople, but he refused saying, "I am an Orthodox Christian and will not deny my Savior Christ." This resulted in his beheading in the Hippodrome of Constantinople on August 8, 1680.

Saint Triantaphyllos is especially honored in Zagora and Alykes in Volos, Greece. A portion of his relics can be venerated at the Monastery of Saint Nicholas in Andros, where there is also an icon of him kneeling on the beach.


Apolytikion in the Third Tone
Having the grace of divine faith, you rejoiced in your contest, bravely-minded Neomartyr of Christ Triantaphyllos, wherefore as a rose in the pleasant wind you make glad, the Church by your divine contest. Glorious Martyr, entreat Christ God, to grant us the great mercy.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Having shown yourself to be, O Holy One, an unconquerable athlete of piety, overthrowing the hostile; wherefore Christ glorified you, Triantaphyllos, with the grace of martyrdom.

Megalynarion
Rejoice, contestant on behalf of Christ, with an eager heart, O Athlete Triantaphyllos; rejoice, ornament and boast of Zagora, who have you as a protector and guardian by your entreaties.





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