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.



June 19, 2018

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Zosimas the Soldier of Apollonia

St. Zosimas the Soldier (Feast Day - June 19)

Verses

The soul of your dearest Zosimas ran to you,
He died by the sword, and lives a life of the soul, O Word.
On the nineteenth Zosimas was slain by the sword.

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Zosimas found eternal life,
His life itself died by the sword.

This Saint was a soldier during the reign of Emperor Trajan (89-117), Domitianus being the governor of Pisidia in Antioch, and he was from Apollonia in Sozopolis. Casting aside his military armour, he fled to the Church of Christ and received Holy Baptism. For this he was brought before the governor, and having confessed that he himself was a Christian, he was suspended and lacerated. After this they put tension on the four sections of the body of the Saint, and they beat him. They then placed him on a red-hot iron bed. Because the fire was changed into dew, many Greeks who were present were awe-struck by the strange wonder, and they believed in Christ.


After this they nailed through the shoes on the feet of the Saint, and binding him to a young foal, they forced him to run behind the governor, who was going to the city of the Komanites. Thus the brave athlete of Christ not only ran, but he also was without food for three days. Two children appeared to the Saint by the Providence of God, one which gave him bread and the other which brought him water in a vessel, and these were received by the Martyr, giving thanks to God, and he ate and drank. After this he was again brought to trial, and again he was suspended and lacerated. Finally he was beheaded, and received from the Lord the unfading crown of martyrdom.


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