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.



September 27, 2017

Synaxarion of Saint Ignatios, Abbot of Vatheos Ryakos (+ 975)

St. Ignatios of Vatheos Ryakos (Feast Day - September 27)

Verses

Ignatios received a celestial monastery,
Having beforehand led a monastery as a friend of God.

Saint Ignatios was from the second eparchy of Cappadocia, during the reigns of Nikephoros Phokas (963-969) and John Tzimiskes (969-976). At a young age he was dedicated to God like another Samuel, and went to the monastery known as Vatheos Ryakos, where he learned ascetic precision from Saint Basil, who was the abbot and founder of this monastery. Having arrived at the pinnacle of virtue, he was ordained in steps as a Reader, Subdeacon, Deacon and Presbyter. Because he was a good administrator,* he increased the monastery by both bringing in more revenue and making improvements. He also built various churches, such as one to the Commander Michael, another to the God-Seeing Elias, and another to the Holy Apostles near the monastery. He also built a wall for the nuns that were there, which was strong and beautiful.


The Saint boldly and courageously rebuked and shamed the rulers appointed by the tyrant known as Skleros. When Skleros rose up in rebellion, the Saint went to Constantinople. There he procured sacred treasures, the signum, namely the sign of our Lord Jesus Christ, and a silver-gilded Gospel, which he sent to the monastery. While he was in Constantinople, he came down with dysentery. For this reason he tried to arrive at his monastery an hour before he died, but upon arriving at Amorium, his present life came to an end. Therefore he was buried there in a revered house. When a year had passed, the fathers of the monastery wanted to transfer his relics to his monastery. So when they opened his grave, they found his relic whole and preserved, and full of a spiritual fragrance. Thus they brought it to the monastery, and treasured it in the narthex of the divine church.

Notes:

* He was the fourth abbot of Vatheos Ryakos.


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