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 29, 2018

Translation of the Relics of Saint Donatos of Euroea from Venice to Paramythia


Saint Donatos reposed in 387 and was buried near a church he built and a grave he prepared in the village of Glyki of Paramythia, which is in Epirus, Greece. For security reasons due to the invasion of various barbaric tribes, the sacred relic was transferred in 604 to Kerkyra, where it was kept in Kassiopi. The refugees from Paramythia accompanying the relic, including Bishop John of Euroea, were welcomed by Bishop Alkison of Kerkyra and hosted in the Castle of Kassiopi.

From three letters of Saint Gregory the Dialogist, the Pope of Rome, we learn that in 604 Kassiopi became the center of a conflict between Bishop Alkison of Kerkyra and Bishop John of Euroea. It was a jurisdictional conflict as to which Bishop the castle belonged. Roman Emperor Phokas took the side of Bishop John, and Pope Gregory of Rome took the side of Bishop Alkison, who also resolved the issue. It was agreed that Bishop John would remain in the castle as a guest, without disrupting the normal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Kerkyra.

In 1125 the Venetian Doge Domenico transferred the sacred relic to the Venetian island of Murano in the Church of Santa Maria, where it was placed on a podium. The Italian faithful greatly honored Saint Donatos. In recent years efforts were made by Metropolitan Titus of Paramythia and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to have the relics of Saint Donatos returned. These efforts were realized on September 29, 2000 when the Church of Santa Maria e San Donato in Murano gave a portion of the relics of the Saint to the Metropolis of Paramythia, and they were placed in the Church of Saint Donatos in Paramythia with great celebration.

Castle of Kassiopi

Church of Santa Maria e San Donato in Murano

Marble sarcophagus containing the relics of St. Donatos in Murano

Relics of St. Donatos tranferred to Paramythia

Church of Saint Donatos in Paramythia


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