ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Saint Savvas, Bishop of Dafnousia

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 2, 2019

Saint Savvas, Bishop of Dafnousia

St. Savvas of Dafnousia (Feast Day - May 2)

Saint Savvas is not commemorated in the Synaxaria or Menaia of the Church, but the Bollandist scholar Hippolyte Delehaye does mention him without any biographical information. However, the Lavra Codex I 70 f. 2026 does contain the following information about him:

"Because of his virtuous conduct, according to God, which from childhood he showed himself to be completely pious and reverent and possessed the fear of God, he was synodically elected to become the Bishop of Dafnousia, and receiving the throne he taught all the true and pious faith, and converted and baptized many who were idolaters. Having lived his life well and in a God-pleasing manner, he departed to the Lord, whom he longed for since childhood."

It is not known whether the Dafnousia referred to is the municipality in central Greece or the island which is today known in Turkish as Kefken Island (pictured above) and lies off the Turkish coast in the Black Sea, a short boat ride from the mainland village of Cebeci in the Kandıra district of Kocaeli Province. It seems both had bishoprics.