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.



June 8, 2022

The Divine Visitation to Elder Kyrillos of Evia on the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Theodore the General

St. Iakovos Tsalikes with his successor Elder Kyrillos

Elder Gabriel, abbot of the Monastery of the Venerable David in Evia, told the following story in a sermon on February 8, 2021 concerning a divine vision of his predecessor, Elder Kyrillos, which took place one June 8th, which is the feast of the Translation of the Sacred Relics of Saint Theodore the General.

One time because of the temptations he was facing he was in great sorrow. He went to his small cell very sad. When he arrived, on his bed was a book of the Lives of the Saints for the month of June and it was opened to the 8th of the month, on which date we commemorate the translation of the relics of Saint Theodore. At that moment he heard a voice from heaven that said to him:

"What did he undergo this Saint, Saint Theodore, to have the place he has in the Church and in the Kingdom of God?"

"He underwent many things," replied Elder Kyrillos, who knew about all the Saints inside out. "He even endured death on the cross, like our Lord."

And the Grace of God with a heavenly voice replied:

"You also, if you endure these temptations that have come to you, you also will one day have a place in the Kingdom of God."

At that moment his sadness and temptations went away.

Source: Translation by John Sanidopoulos.  


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