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.



August 19, 2021

"How the Holy Hierarch Dionisie of Suruceni Healed My Little Boy"


Below is the testimony of a mother from Romania whose little boy was healed of an inability to walk or speak after receiving Holy Communion and venerating the relics of the recently canonized Saint Dionisie Erhan (commemorated on September 17). This miracle took place in October 2020.

Today, I want to let you know about the miracle that happened at the Suruceni Monastery with Mihai, who upon touching the relics of the Holy Hierarch Dionisie, began to speak.

My name is Maria. I'm from Orhei. Mihai was born healthy. At one year and a month he started walking, he spoke well. After receiving the last MMR vaccine at the age of 2, he stopped walking and stopped talking.

I hastened, first, to all kinds of doctors in the country, but to no avail. Then, staying in the United States and studying there, I took my child to good doctors in the states. One treatment after another treatment. At certain periods he was analyzed, etc.

All attempts to save my child proved futile.

Recently, more precisely in February of this year, I returned home. Desperate and not knowing which way to go with Mihai, I went to the Suruceni Monastery, that is, to the Holy Hierarch Dionisie, because this is how one of the local priests directed me, to go to the relics of the Saint and to pray.

Before coming to the Monastery, I told the child where we were going and who Saint Dionisie was. I always went to church and he knew all the rules: when to drink holy water, the right way to take Communion, etc.

We came to the Monastery and received Communion. After Communion, venerating St. Dionisie, the child said, "St. Nisie." Then, we went to get prosphoron and holy water and Mihai said: "Yes, holy water!"

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Saint Dionisie entered the Suruceni Monastery at the age of only 15, on November 28, 1883. In 1915 he was elevated as abbot of the Monastery and in 1918 became an Archimandrite. On July 22, 1918, Archimandrite Dionisie Erhan was elected Bishop of Ismail. In September 1943 he was hospitalized at the Central Hospital in Chisinau where he died on September 17, 1943.

On July 10, 2018, on the occasion of the consolidation works of the Church of Saint George at the Suruceni Monastery they uncovered the incorrupt relics of Bishop Dionisie Erhan. On September 15, 2018, the holy relics were dressed in hierarchical vestments and placed in a coffin in the Church of Saint Nicholas of the Suruceni Monastery. On October 25, 2018, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church numbered Bishop Dionisie Erhan among the Saints with a day of commemoration on September 17. 






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