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.



July 15, 2017

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyrs Kyrikos and Julitta

Sts. Julitta and Kyrikos (Feast Day - July 15)

Verses

Julitta had as a fellow athlete her son Kyrikos,
She had her throat slit and he had his head broken.
On the fifteenth Julitta was beheaded, her son was broken.

The Holy Martyr Julitta flourished during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), and was from Iconium. Fearing the persecution against Christians prevailing at that time, she took her son Kyrikos and went to Seleucia. Finding the same persecution there also, she went to Tarsus of Cilicia, where the governor was savage and inhuman, whose name was Alexander, and who punished the Christians.

He had the Saint arrested and flogged, and separated the infant Saint Kyrikos from his mother, trying with flatteries to pull him towards himself, but was unable to, for the child looked steadily at his mother, and muttering she called upon the name of Christ. Because the Saint kicked with his leg, as much as he was able, the governor in the stomach, the governor threw the infant onto the staircase of the court. Having been struck in the head, the blessed one delivered his holy soul to the Master Christ, by Whom he was crowned with a contestant's crown.

Blessed Julitta endured many torments, and was not persuaded to deny Christ, therefore she was beheaded, and the renowned one received the crown of martyrdom. Their Synaxis and Feast is celebrated in the prayer house Church of the Archangel Michael, in the place called Addo.


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Blessed Julitta, Christ God's rational ewe-lamb, with holy Kyrikos, her three-year-old offspring, stood at the judgment seat and with authority and great boldness they proclaimed the true Faith of the Christians. In no wise were they afraid of the threats of the tyrants; and now in Heaven, wearing precious crowns, they both rejoice as they stand before Christ our God.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
As the Martyr of Christ God, the chaste Julitta, in her arms bare Kyrikos, she cried out in the stadium with manful courage and boundless joy: Thou art the strength of the Martyrs, O Christ my God.


Labels: , , , ,

BECOME A PATREON OR PAYPAL SUBSCRIBER


Patreon!