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.



July 28, 2022

I Named Him Chrysovalantis to Always Remember the Gift You Gave Me: A Miracle of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou

Chrysovalantou and Chrysovalantis Sotiropoulos

My Saint Chrysovalantou Irene, I also come to thank you for the miracle you did for me too.

I have been married for nine years and after around five years we made the decision to have a child as well, but things did not turn out as we expected. We tried for quite some time without success, when we made the decision to do tests, which unfortunately showed that my husband had a problem and the doctors said was that we will not have a child if we do not do IVF.

When I heard this I lost the ground under my feet, because I never thought that something like this would happen to me in my 28 years. Six months after the exams and without expecting it, I became pregnant naturally. My joy was indescribable, but it only lasted two months. Unfortunately I had a miscarriage and from then on my psychology was very bad.

In 2012 we made the decision to do the intervention. We were told that it would succeed because I was young. So it happened. We did the operation and they put 3 embryos in me.

Unfortunately, however, the in vitro fertilization failed without being told any serious reason. It simply failed, was their answer.

After that I started not to hope for anything and unfortunately not to believe that I will ever become a mother, in contrast to my husband who started to pray daily and to hope.

Little by little I began again to pray to you, my Saint, and to beg you to give me a baby that I wanted so much and I promised to give him your sweet name, Chrysovalantis, so that I would always remember the gift you gave me.

February 2014 I suddenly learned that I am pregnant. I did not believe it. I was looking at the result and I said it can't be, it must be wrong.

My Saint Irene, you performed your miracle and placed your miraculous hand on me to become pregnant. Throughout my pregnancy, I crossed myself with your miraculous oil and wore the belt I had taken from your Monastery.

I also kept a fast and ate your apple with my husband. When the time came to give birth, I held your icon in my hand the whole time and wore the prayer rope with the 33 knots on my wrist. Everything went well and I finally held my adorable baby in my arms.

A thousand thanks, my Saint Irene Chrysovalantou.

Always have my Chrysovalantaki under your protection and give health and joy to the whole world.

The beneficiary,

Chrysovalantou Sotiropoulos

Melissia, Athens
 
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
 
 
 
 
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