ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: Translation and Placement of the Holy Relics of Saint Mary Magdalene

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 4, 2019

Translation and Placement of the Holy Relics of Saint Mary Magdalene

Verses

For the Translation.

Although dead you live, and the city is silent,
Being beforehand entranced by you Mary.

For the Placement.

Mary calls Christ, Rabbi, once again.
What did she say? Christ. Bury me with a covering in the city.

On this day, the 4th of May, we commemorate the Translation of the Sacred Relics of the Holy and Righteous Lazarus the Friend of Christ and the Holy Myrrhbearer Mary Magdalene, which took place during the reign of Leo the Philosopher and lover of Christ in the year 890.

Having died in Ephesus, according to tradition, Saint Mary Magdalene's relics were translated to Constantinople by order of the emperor Leo in 890. On May 4th in the year 912 the consecration of the Church of Saint Lazarus took place, in which were contained the relics of Saint Lazarus and Saint Mary Magdalene. This took place just days prior to the death of Emperor Leo, which happened on 11 May 912.

The Translation and Placement of the Relics of Saint Lazarus are commemorated on a separate day, specifically on October 17th.