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.



November 4, 2018

Synaxis of All Saints of Cappadocia


On the first Sunday of the month of November, we commemorate all the Saints of Cappadocia, who lived or worked there, indigenous and foreigner, men and women, known and unknown, whose names the Lord alone knows.

Verses

Through piety you became holy stars,
Cappadocians indigenous and foreigner.
The multitude of Holy Cappadocians I hymn,
As truly Christ's torchbearers.

Those known to us are the following:

Holy Apostles: Peter, Paul, Andrew, Matthias.

Holy Hierarchs: Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Peter of Sebaste, Gregory the Theologian, Amphilochios of Iconium, John II of Constantinople, Achilles of Larissa, Oikoumenios of Trikke, Agapetos of Synaus and Firimilian of Caesarea.


Venerables: Savvas the Sanctified, Theodosios the Cenobiarch, Michael Maleinos, Meletios the New of Myoupolis, Irene Chrysovalantou, John the Russian, Arsenios of Farasa, Basil, Luke, Ignatios, Peter the Abbots of Vatheos Ryakos, Stephen of Chenolakkos, Rightous Eudokimos, Hilarion of Dalmatos, Gorgonia the sister of Gregory the Theologian, Macrina the sister of Basil the Great, Nonna the mother of Gregory the Theologian, Naukratios the brother of Basil the Great, Kanides and Joseph the New.

Holy Hieromartyrs: Alexander of Jerusalem, Alexander, Martyrios and Sisinios, Blaise of Sebaste, Karterios and Longinus the Centurion.

Holy Martyrs: Agathodoros, Agapios, Adrian and Euboula, Akakios, Anektos, Anthony, Germanos, Zebinas and Nikephoros, Auxentios, Eugenios, Eustratios, Mardarios and Orestes, Barlaam, Blaise, Gordianos, Gordios, George the Great Martyr, Elasippos, Mesippos, Pausippos and Neonilla, Eroteis and Kapetoline, Eupsychios, another Eupsechios, Thespesios, Hieron and Orestes, Julian and Seleukos, Julitta, Kodratos, Rufinas and Satorninos, Mamas, Merkourios, Porphyrios the Mime, Sergius, Longinus the Centurion and the Two Soldiers with him, Yakinthos.

Holy Neomartyrs: George of Neapolis, Panagiotes of Caesarea and Savvas of Nigdela.


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Chorus selected by God, sacred company, all-praised Martyrs and multitudes of Venerables, do save us, renowned ones of Cappadocia, we who praise you, deliver us from entanglements, distress and dangers, our untiring intercessors, to the Master of all.


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