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.



May 28, 2019

Saint Ignatius the Wonderworker, Bishop of Rostov (+ 1288)

St. Ignatius of Rostov (Feast Day - May 28)

Originally Saint Ignatius was a cleric in Rostov, then he labored at the Theophany Monastery in Rostov. In 1261, when he was the archimandrite of this monastery, the Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky appointed him assistant to the Bishop of Rostov Cyril, and after the death of the latter, on 19 September 1262, Metropolitan Cyril III of Kiev appointed Ignatius to be the Bishop of Rostov.

The chronicle under 1266, 1269, 1271, 1276-1278 mentions his participation in marriages and burials of members of the princely family. In 1274 he was at a synod in the Vladimir Cathedral, assembled by Metropolitan Cyril to eliminate unrest in the church and clergy. He also participated in the Christian enlightenment of the Beloozersk region .

In 1281 he helped reconcile the brothers and princes of Rostov, Demetrius and Constantin Borisovich, who quarreled over the volosts. Traveling to Vladimir he asked the Grand Duke Demetrius Alexandrovich to come to Rostov and reconcile the brothers. In memory of this reconciliation, the Saint established the Church of Boris and Gleb in Rostov.

In 1282, not for the first time, he traveled to the horde to intercede for the clergy .

This hierarch guided the flock of Christ for twenty-six years with great love and compassion. He went to the Lord on May 28th, 1288. When he died and his body was placed in the church, some of those present saw him leave his coffin and rise up in the air above the church. He blessed the people and the city from on high, and then returned to his coffin. Those present, struck with horror, did not dare to betray his body to the earth and his relics rest until now openly in the Dormition Cathedral in Rostov, in a silver coffin (from 1795). Many other miracles were wrought at his grave.


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy doctrine was a source of enlightenment; thou didst receive a flock as a Hierarch and wast an heir to the Apostles. Thou didst receive the gift of wonderworking: O holy Bishop Ignatius, entreat Christ our God to save our souls.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Thine illustrious memory shines forth today, O blessed Hierarch Ignatius. It illumines the world and reveals to all the radiance of divine glory.


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