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.



April 26, 2019

Saint Leo, Bishop of Samos

St. Leo, Bishop of Samos (Feast Day - April 26)

Saint Leo was a simple, pious, humble and philanthropic man who was born a pagan and converted to the faith of Christ. He served the flock of Christ as Bishop of Samos some time before the seventh century, and reposed in peace. Before his death he became known as a wonderworker for his numerous miracles, including those after his death towards those who approached his grave with faith. In the early eleventh century his relic was taken to Venice. Originally his feast day was April 29th, but the people of Samos today celebrate his memory on April 26th.

It is said that his relics were transferred to Venice in the following manner. One day a Venetian ship was docked at Samos on the feast of Saint Leo, but due to a severe thunderstorm it was prevented from leaving. Because this happened twice when the ship tried to leave, it was taken as a divine sign by the people, and an old man who was a sailor suggested after the crowds went away that the Venetians take the relic of Saint Leo with them. Therefore by night the Venetians went to the church, and after the doors were miraculously unlocked for them, which they believed confirmed this plan was God's will, they took the relic from Samos to Venice. After a series of other miracles along the way, the relic arrived in Venice, where it was placed in various churches over time, until it finally ended up in the Church of Santa Maria dell’Umilta in Venice in 1615, but from there it somehow disappeared, and its whereabouts are unknown till this day.



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