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.



May 13, 2017

Synaxarion of Saint Pausikakos the Bishop of Synnada

St. Pausikakos of Synnada (Feast Day - May 13)

Verses

To the relics of Pausikakos flee,
Those who suffer distress finding an unusual cessation.

Blessed Pausikakos lived during the reign of Emperor Maurice (582-602), and his homeland was Apamea off the coast of the Black Sea. His parents were noble and well-known, and they were students of the true faith of the Christians. While he was still young, he subjected himself to extreme fasting and prayer, and every other hard work and asceticism, so that he later became a monk. From that time he only nourished himself with a little bread and water, and occupied himself with the art of medicine, healing both bodies and souls. He banished demons from the possessed, healed children either maimed or marked, corrected those who had humps on their bodies, and other such miracles did he perform.

Due to his great fame, he became known to the wondrous Patriarch Kyriakos of Constantinople (595-606), who in turn ordained him Bishop of Synnada. When the Saint arrived in his eparchy of Synnada, he banished the noetic wolves, namely the heretics, with the sling of his words, and with the sharp knife of his teachings he cut them off from the healthy body of Christians, as if they were rotten members, and he cast them out of the Church. In this way he assured his flock of security and salvation.


Later he went to Constantinople, and he healed Emperor Maurice of a sickness. In turn the emperor ordered through a chrysobull to annually give Synnada a pound of gold, namely twelve ounces, of which each one consisted of eight dirham. Returning to Synnada he went to a place called Solona, because his fellow travelers were in danger of thirst, and there through his prayers water gushed forth and satisfied their thirst. With such accomplishments did the Saint pass his life, and having become for many the cause of salvation, he departed this present life, and entered into the future one.*

Notes:

* He reposed in the year 606. His relics seemed to have been a source of many healings.

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