tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46718332092286485682023-11-16T09:58:02.254-08:00true orthodox faith awarenesstrue orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-75547487005302558062013-11-22T01:37:00.002-08:002013-11-22T01:43:22.457-08:00Toll Houses in Orthodoxy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Aerial
Toll-Houses<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The teaching of Aerial Toll-Houses
regards the soul's journey after its departure from the body, and is related to
the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>particular judgment. In its
most general form, it refers to the idea that after death, the demons attempt
to find a basis for taking the soul to Hades, while the angels and the prayers
of the living defend the soul if it can be defended. Whether the soul is
finally seized by the demons, or taken to heaven depends on the state of the
soul at death. In either case, the soul then experiences a foretaste of what it
can expect after the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>final
judgment. According to Fr. Thomas Hopko, the teaching of the Toll Houses is
found in virtually every Father of the Church<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Patristic evidence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the
life of St. Anthony the Great, he saw a vision of souls rising towards heaven
and some being stopped by a large demon and cast down. Likewise<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>St. Bede<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>recorded certain visions of a Celtic
Saint who saw a soul arising and fighting off demons with the help of angels
and his reposed wife's soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the Philokalia, St. Diadochos of
Photiki (ca 400 – <st1:metricconverter productid="486 a" w:st="on">486 a</st1:metricconverter>.d.)
states:"If we do not confess our involuntary sins as we should, we shall
discover and ill-defined fear in ourselves at the hour of our death. We who
love the Lord should pray that we may be without fear at that time; for if we
are afraid then, we will not be able freely to pass by the rulers of the nether
world. They will have as their advocate to plead against us the fear which our
soul experiences because of its own wickedness. But the soul which rejoices in
the love of God, at the hour of its departure, is lifted with the angels of
peace above all the hosts of darkness. For it is given wings by spiritual love,
since it ceaselessly carries within itself the love which 'is the fulfilling of
the law' (Rom. 13:10)."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the Alphabetical Sayings of the
Desert Fathers, Theophilus of Antioch (who reposed in <st1:metricconverter productid="412 a" w:st="on">412 a</st1:metricconverter>.d.) we find:"The
same Abba Theophilus said, "What fear, what trembling, what uneasiness
will there be for us when our soul is separated from the body. Then indeed the
force and strength of the adverse powers come against us, the rulers of
darkness, those who command the world of evil, the principalities, the powers,
the spirits of evil. They accuse our souls as in a lawsuit, bringing before it
all the sins it has committed, whether deliberately or through ignorance, from
its youth until the time when it has been taken away. So they stand accusing it
of all it has done. Furthermore, what anxiety do you suppose the soul will have
at that hour, until sentence is pronounced and it gains its liberty. That is
its hour of affliction, until it sees what will happen to it. On the other
hand, the divine powers stand on the opposite side, and they present the good
deeds of the soul. Consider the fear and trembling of the soul standing between
them until in judgment it receives the sentence of the righteous judge. If it
is judged worthy, the demons will receive their punishment, and it will be
carried away by the angels. Then thereafter you will be without disquiet, or
rather you will live according to that which is written: “Even as the
habitation of those who rejoice is in you.” (Ps. 87.7) Then will the Scripture
be fulfilled: “Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35.10)."Then
your liberated soul will go on to that joy and ineffable glory in which it will
be established. But if it is found to have lived carelessly, it will hear that
terrible voice: "Take away the ungodly, that he may not see the glory of
the Lord." (cf. Isaiah 26.10) Then the day of anger, the day of
affliction, the day of darkness and shadow seizes upon it. Abandoned to outer
darkness and condemned to everlasting fire it will be punished through the ages
without end. Where then is the vanity of the world? Where is the vain-glory?
Where is carnal life? Where is enjoyment? Where is imagination? Where is ease?
Where is boasting? Riches? Nobility? Father, mother, brother? Who could take
the soul out of its pains when it is burning in the fire, and remove it from
bitter torments?" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">St. Mark of Ephesus wrote:"But if
souls have departed this life in faith and love, while nevertheless carrying
away with themselves certain faults, whether small ones over which they have
not repented at all, or great ones for which – even thought they have repented
over them – they did not undertake to show fruits of repentance: such souls, we
believe, must be cleansed from this kind of sin, but not by means of some
purgatorial fire or a definite punishment in some place (for this, as we have
said, has not been handed down to us). But some must be cleansed in they very
departure from the body, thanks only to fear, as St. Gregory the Dialogist
literally shows; while others must be cleansed after the departure from the
body, either while remaining in the same earthly place, before they come to
worship God and are honored with the lot of the blessed, or – if their sins
were more serious and bind them, for a longer duration – they are kept in hell
[i.e., Hades], but not in order to remain forever in fire and torment, but as
it were in prison and confinement under guard."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Liturgical Evidence<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In both the Greek and Slavonic
Euchologion, in the canon for the departure of the soul by St. Andrew , we find
in Ode 7: "All holy angels of the Almighty God, have mercy upon me and
save me from all the evil toll-houses."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Likewise, in the Canon of Supplication
at the Parting of the Soul in The Great Book of Needs are the following
references to the struggle of a soul passing through the
toll-houses:"Count me worthy to pass, unhindered, by the persecutor, the
prince of the air, the tyrant, him that stands guard in the dread pathways, and
the false accusation of these, as I depart from earth." (Ode 4, p.
77)."Do thou count me worthy to escape the hordes of bodiless barbarians,
and rise through the aerial depths and enter into Heaven…" (Ode 8, p.
81)."[W]hen I come to die, do thou banish far from me the commander of the
bitter toll-gatherers and ruler of the earth…" (Ode 8, p. 81).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the Octoechos, there are many
references to the Toll Houses:"When my soul is about to be forcibly parted
from my body's limbs, then stand by my side and scatter the counsels of my
bodiless foes and smash the teeth of those who implacably seek to swallow me
down, so that I may pass unhindered through the rulers of darkness who wait in
the air, O Bride of God."<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Octoechos,
Tone Two, Friday Vespers"Pilot my wretched soul, pure Virgin, and have
compassion on it, as it slides under a multitude of offences into the deep of
destruction; and at the fearful hour of death snatch me from the accusing
demons and from every punishment."<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Ode
6, Tone 1 Midnight Office for Sunday<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Saturday Midnight Office, the prayer
of St. Eustratius, contains the following:"And now, O Master, let Thy hand
shelter me and let Thy mercy descend upon me, for my soul is distracted and
pained at its departure from this my wretched and filthy body, lest the evil design
of the adversary overtake it and make it stumble into the darkness for the
unknown and known sins amassed by me in this life. Be merciful unto me, O
Master, and let not my soul see the dark countenances of the evil spirits, but
let it be received by Thine Angels bright and shining. Glorify Thy holy name
and by Thy might set me before Thy divine judgment seat. When I am being
judged, suffer not that the hand of the prince of this world should take hold
of me to throw me, a sinner, into the depths of hades, but stand by me and be
unto me a savior and mediator..." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The Number of the Toll Houses<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The most detailed version of the
toll-houses occurs in a vision of Gregory of Thrace, apparently from the 10th
century. The demons accuse the soul at each toll-house of sins. In some cases
the demon might accuse the soul of sins that they tempted her with, but it
didn't comply with, or of sins that she repented for, and in that cases one of
the angels, the one which was the persons guardian angel, speaks for the
person, saying that those are lies, and that payment is not necessary, taking
the soul to the next toll-house. If a person has unrepented sins, and does not
have enough good deeds and prayers of the living to pay for them, the demons of
the corresponding toll-house grab him, and take him to hades to await the final
judgment. This vision recounts the toll-houses in the following order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">At the first aerial toll-house, the
soul is questioned about sins of the tongue, such as empty words, dirty talk,
insults, ridicule, singing worldly songs, too much or loud laughter, and
similar sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The second is the toll-house of lies,
which includes not only ordinary lies, but also the breaking of oaths, the
violation of vows given to God, taking God's name in vain, hiding sins during
confession, and similar acts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The third is the toll-house of
slander. It includes judging, humiliating, embarrassing, mocking, and laughing
at people, and similar transgressions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fourth is the toll-house of
gluttony, which includes overeating, drunkenness, eating between meals, eating
without prayer, not holding fasts, choosing tasty over plain food, eating when
not hungry, and the like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fifth is the toll-house of
laziness, where the soul is held accountable for every day and hour spent in
laziness, for neglecting to serve God and pray, for missing Church services,
and also for not earning money through hard, honest labor, for not working as
much as you are paid, and all similar sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sixth toll-house is the toll-house
of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>theft, which includes stealing
and robbery, whether small, big, light, violent, public, or hidden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The seventh is the toll-house of
covetousness, including love of riches and goods, failure to give to charity,
and similar acts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The eight is the toll-house of usury,
loan-sharking, overpricing, and similar sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The ninth is the toll-house of
injustice- being unjust, especially in judicial affairs, accepting or giving
bribes, dishonest trading and business, using false measures, and similar sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The tenth is the toll-house of envy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The eleventh is the toll-house of
pride- vanity, self-will, boasting, not honoring parents and civil authorities,
insubordination, disobedience, and similar sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The twelve is the toll-house of anger
and rage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The thirteenth is the toll-house of
remembering evil- hatred, holding a grudge, and revenge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fourteenth is the toll-house of
murder- not just plain murder, but also wounding, maiming, hitting, pushing,
and generally injuring people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The fifteenth is the toll-house of
magic- divination, conjuring demons, making poison, all superstitions, and
associated acts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The sixteenth is the toll-house of
lust- fornication, unclean thoughts, lustful looks, unchaste touches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The seventeenth is the toll-house of
adultery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The eighteenth is the toll-house of
sodomy: bestiality, homosexuality, incest, masturbation, and all other
unnatural sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The nineteenth is the toll-house of
heresy: rejecting any part of Orthodox faith, wrongly interpreting it,
apostasy, blasphemy, and all similar sins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The last, twentieth toll-house is the
toll-house of unmercifulness: failing to show mercy and charity to people, and
being cruel in any way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Are They Literal?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Many of the Orthodox who accept the
doctrine of the toll-houses do not take the form or all the teachings from the
vision of Gregory literally. Thus for example Fr. Thomas Hopko maintains that
one should not try to associate a particular time after death to the process,
nor should one take the toll-houses as being literally "in the air,"
or necessarily twenty in number. Likewise, he makes no mention in his argument
for them of the doctrine of bargaining for sins (which is similar in some ways
to the Latin doctrine of merits). Instead, his description, drawing on St. John
Chrysostom and the Fifty Homilies of St. Macarius of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>, among others, takes the
toll-house encounters to describe the attempt of the demons to assault the soul
with its own vulnerability to sin, or to entice it away from God, and describes
passing through the toll-houses as the purification of the soul. St. Theophan
the Recluse likewise said that what the demons are seeking is "passions,"
and suggested that, although the toll-houses are often depicted as frightening,
the demons might equally well try to entice the soul by appealing to one of its
weaknesses. Some others go so far as to say that the demons and angels are metaphors
for </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 1.2em;">sins</span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.2em;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="background-color: #990000; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 1.2em;">and
virtues of the soul.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #990000;"><span id="Controversy"><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.5pt; font-weight: normal;">Controversy</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 14.5pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h2>
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<span style="background-color: #990000;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />
There is disagreement in certain circles regarding the status of this teaching
within the Orthodox Church. Some, including </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Archbishop</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Lazar (Puhalo) of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ottawa</st1:place></st1:city></span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, consider this teaching controversial, even false (describing it as
gnostic or of pagan origin). These accusations were later declared to be wrong
by the Holy Synod of the Russian Church Abroad. The traditional proponents
of the teaching argue that it appears in the hymnology of the Church, in
stories of the lives of saints (for example, the Life of St. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Anthony the
Great</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, written by </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">St. Athanasius the Great</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, the life of St. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Basil the New</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">,
and St. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Theodora</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">), in the homilies of
St. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Cyril of Alexandria</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"> in the Discourses of </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Abba Isaiah</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Philokalia</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ladder of
Divine Ascent</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, and the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Dogmatics of the
Orthodox Church</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"> by Blessed </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Justin
Popovich</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">. Several contemporary Church figures speak about
toll-houses.Secondly, not a single Church Father ever wrote even one sentence
expressing doubt about this teaching (which is present in its most general form
in the Church since at least fourth century), although their discussions of the
topic are always about general struggles with "tax-collector" demons,
lacking the details present in Gregory's vision (apart from one pseudo-Makarian
story which also mentions numerous toll-houses and a bargaining over sins at
each one). Thirdly, some of the greatest modern authorities of the Orthodox
Church, such as St. Ignatius Brianchaninov and St. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Theophan the
Recluse</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;">, insisted not only on the truthfulness, but
on the necessity of this teaching in the spiritual life of a Christian..</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-31173235169901108222013-11-15T07:04:00.001-08:002013-11-15T07:06:14.807-08:00Beards ~ St. Clement of Alexandria (c.150 – c. 215)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i style="background-color: #990000; border: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">~ St. Clement of Alexandria (c.150 – c. 215)</i><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000;">“This, then, is the mark of the man, the beard. By this, he is seen to be a man. . . . It is therefore unholy to desecrate the symbol of manhood, hairiness.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #990000; border: 0px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“How womanly it is for one who is a man to comb himself and shave himself with a razor, for the sake of fine effect, and to arrange his hair at the mirror, shave his cheeks, pluck hairs out of them, and smooth them! . . . For God wished women to be smooth and to rejoice in their locks alone growing spontaneously, as a horse in his mane. But He adorned man like the lions, with a beard, and endowed him as an attribute of manhood, with a hairy chest—a sign of strength and rule.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #990000;">“It is not lawful to pluck out the beard, man’s natural and noble adornment.”</span></div>
true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-37373813272156905462013-10-01T10:54:00.002-07:002013-10-01T10:54:44.129-07:00The Orthodox Duties of Parents and ChildrenThe Orthodox Duties of Parents and Children by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Compiled By Fr. Demetrios Serfes<br /><br /><a href="" name="top"></a><br />
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<i>ON THE DUTY OF PARENTS</i><br />
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<img align="left" alt="T" height="45" src="http://www.serfes.org/biography/images/t.gif" width="61" />he Holy Apostle Paul says this to parents, <i>Bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord </i>(Eph. 6:4), and he exhorts them to nurture their children in a manner befitting of Christians. All Christians are renewed in holy Baptism to the new, holy and Christian life, and they have vowed to serve God in faith and in truth, and so to please Him. But lest those who have been baptized become corrupt and come into a poor inheritance and have that saying come true in them, <i>A dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that hath been washed to her wallowing in the mire </i>(II Pet. 2:22), good nurturers of children must without fail warn them against this calamitous condition while they are yet small and young. For we sigh with pain to see that many children are corrupted in their youth; this happens to them because of the carelessness of their parents.<br />
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Many parents teach their children the arts that serve the temporal life, and spend no small sum on it, but they neglect the Christian teaching and are remiss in teaching their children to live as Christians. Such parents beget their children unto the temporal life, but close the door to the eternal.<br />
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St. John Chrysostom, in considering the misfortune of both parents that neglect the good upbringing of their children and of the children not well brought up, says this, "Parents that neglect to bring up their children as Christians, are most heinous murderers of children" (Homil 3 "Against Those that Slander the Monastic Life"). For child-killers separate the body from the soul, but these parents cast them both soul and body into the fire Gehenna. It is impossible to escape from the former death according to natural law, but would be possible to escape from the latter death were the negligence of the parents not to blame for it. <i>Bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord</i> (cf. Eph. 6:4).<br />
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Moreover, once it comes, the Resurrection is able to abolish bodily death, but nothing can overturn spiritual destruction. Therefore, parents, listen to the word of the Lord.<br />
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A Gardener binds a newly planted sapling to a stake driven and fixed into the ground lest it be uprooted from the ground by wind and storm, and he prunes unneeded branches from the tree lest they harm the tree and dry it up. You should also act likewise with your small and young children. Bind their hearts to the fear of God let they be shaken by the machinations of Satan and depart from piety, and prune away the passions that grow in them lest they mature and overpower them and so put the new, inward man to death that was born in holy Baptism. For we see that as children grow up, then sinful passions also appear and grow with them as unneeded branches of a tree. Therefore, lest these iniquitous branches matrue and harm and kill the man washed, sanctified, and justified in holy Baptism, it is absolutely necessary to prune them away with the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Then, beloved prune away these shoots from your children and <i>bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord </i>(Eph. 6:4). As soon as they begin to understand reason, even a little, and to know good and evil, you should begin your work and teach them. Do thus with them:<br />
<b>1</b>. Remind them often of holy Baptism and that at that time they promised God to live decently and steadfastly, to serve Him with faith and righteousness, and to keep away from every evil and sin.<br />
<b>2.</b> Repeat to them as often as possible that we are all born and begotten in Baptism not for this temporal life, not for the sake of obtaining honor, glory, and riches in this world - that our very death indicates that we should abide otherwise than forever in this world - but that we are born and begotten for eternal life. All our life in this world, from birth to death, is a journey on which we travel to our promised homeland and eternal life.<br />
Remind them often of this, lest they give themselves over to the vanity of this world, and so that they may learn to philosophize on higher and not on earthly things.<br />
<b>3.</b> Let them understand Who is the God of Christians, and what He requires of us, that He hates evil and loves good, that He punished man for evil and rewards him for good, and although we do not see Him, He does see us and is invisibly present with us everywhere and sees our every deed and hears our every word. It is necessary, then, to fear Him and to do what is pleasing to Him.<br />
<b>4. </b>Enlighten their inward eyes as to Who Christ is in Whom we believe, and for what cause He came into the world and lived and suffered and died. Our sins were the cause of this, and our eternal salvation, so that being delivered from sin we might obtain eternal salvation.<br />
<b>5. </b>Teach them the Law of God, and tell them what the Law demands of us: That is, that we should love God and every man; that everything that is contrary to that Law is vice and sin, while everything that is in agreement and accordance with it is virtue.<br />
In holy Baptism we promised God to keep the Law of God and so depart from every sin and live virtuously. Whoever lives otherwise does not keep these vows and is found to be false before God, and if he does not truly repent and correct himself, he will appear false at the Judgement of Christ.<br />
<b>6. </b>Set before them the last things: death, Christ's judgement, eternal life, and eternal torment, that the fear of God may so abide in them and preserve them from every evil. Pour these and other things like milk into their young hearts, that they may mature in piety.<br />
They call you parents, then be true parents. You gave them birth according to the flesh, then also give birth to them according to the spirit. You gave them birth unto the temporary life, beget them also to eternal life.<br />
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Beloved Christians, you and your children shall appear at the Judgement of Christ, and you shall give account for them to the just Judge. He will not ask you whether you have taught them to speak French, or German, or Italian, but whether you have taught them to live as Christians.<br />
Young children pay greater attention to the actions of their parents than to their teaching. Therefore, if you wish your children to be pious and good, you yourselves should be pious and good, and show yourselves as example to them, and so <i>Bring up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord </i>(cf. Eph. 6:4). And so you and your children together shall receive eternal salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br /><br />
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<i>On The Duties Of Children</i><br />
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<img align="left" alt="F" height="45" src="http://www.serfes.org/biography/images/f.gif" width="61" />irst, conscience itself convinces a man to honor his parents with love. The pagans taught and made it a law to give parents first honor after God. The word of God also commands us to honor our parents, <i>Honor thy father and mother </i>(Eph. 6:2, also Ex. 20:12, Deut. 5:16, and elsewhere). Then give all respect, Christian, to those that gave you birth, that it may go well with you. Whom should you honor, if not your parents?<br />
<b>2. </b>Second, because your parents are your great benefactors, you should render them due gratitude. Remember the pains and labors they undertook for your upbringing, and be thankful to them for it. Know well that you can give nothing in return for the benefits you have received from them. They gave to you much, and you are greatly obligated to them. Then give them heartfelt gratitude for it throughout your entire life.<br />
<b>3. </b>Third, show them every obedience. <i>Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right </i>(Eph. 6:1), and again,<i>Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord </i>(Col. 3:20).<br />
<b>4. </b>Fourth, do not undertake anything new without their advice and consent, but you ought to take counsel with them in everything and seek their consent, lest you offend them with your disrespect and lest matter that you have undertaken go without success.<br />
<b>5. </b>Fifth, be ashamed to show disorderly conduct before them and avoid it. Say no indecent word and do no indecent deed, though Christian duty demands this of you everywhere.<br />
<b>6. </b>Sixth, resolutely avoid offending them with any crude word, but speak to them and reply with every courtesy, that they may know that you love and respect them.<br />
<b>7. </b>Seventh, if they punish you for something, and you know that you are genuinely at fault for it, acknowledge your fault with humility and endure the punishment with meekness. For they punish you so that they may correct you and that you should be good. But if you know that you are innocent, and your conscience justifies you, then declare your innocence with every courtesy and humility. Show judicious meekness everywhere that they may know that you are their child.<br />
<b>8. </b>Eighth, do no abandon them in any need and want, but help them and serve them, and especially in their old age. Remember how much they labored for you, you should also render them service.<br />
<b>9. </b>Ninth, cover with silence any infirmity you may see in them, which occur even in good people. But even if you should see something scandalous, resolutely avoid judging them and revealing it to anyone else. Do not imitate Ham, the son of Noah, who saw his father's nakedness and went out and told it to his brothers. But follow his brothers, Shem and Japhet, <i>who took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father </i>(Gen. 9:23), and son on. Then you should see as though not seeing when you see anything in your parents.<br />
<b>10. </b>Tenth, if you should somehow offend them in your actions and you know it in your conscience, do not delay, but fall down before them that very hour and beg their forgiveness with humility, lest you fall under God's judgement. For if you are obliged to ask forgiveness of every man whom you have offended and to make peace with him according to Christ's words (cf. Mt. 5:23-24), how much more are we obliged to do so with our parents, to whom we owe love and honor more than to any other person.<br />
<b>11. </b>Eleventh, even the pagans have established great punishments in their books for those children who do not honor their parents. Terrible punishments are also prescribed against such miserable children in the holy Law of God. <i>He that curse father or mother, let him die the death </i>(Mt. 15:4, cf. Ex. 21:17, Lev. 20:9), and so on. Such children, or rather degenerates of the human race, are loathsome to God and men. It is a great ingratitude and a serious iniquity to be an evildoer to your benefactors and to return evil for good. Therefore, Christian, beware, lest you experience God's avenging hand on you at that very moment. After God we have no greater benefactors than our parents. Then it is a fearful thing to be ungrateful to them.<br />
<b>12. </b>Twelfth, know of a certainty that as you are to your parents, so will your children be to you, according to the words of Christ,<i>And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again </i>(Mt. 7:2).<br />
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true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-9988483037267798302013-09-26T12:10:00.002-07:002013-09-26T12:10:26.732-07:00Icon Corner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The icon corner (Greek: εικονοστάσι and Russian: Кра́сный у́гол - meaning red, bright-shining, or beautiful corner) is a small worship space prepared in the homes of the orthodox people.<br />
<br />An Orthodox Christian is expected to pray constantly. According to Bishop Kallistos Ware, "In Orthodox spirituality, [there is] no separation between liturgy and private devotion."Thus the house, just like the Temple (church building), is considered to be a consecrated place, and the center of worship in the house is the icon corner.Ideally, the icon corner is located so that it is visible when one first enters the house from the main entrance. Traditionally, when first entering the house, an Orthodox Christian would venerate the icons before greeting the members of the house.<br />
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In the past, whether in a village or in the city, every Orthodox family’s home would always have a shelf with icons, or an entire home iconostasis, located in the most visible place. The place where the icons were installed was known as the front corner, the beautiful corner, the holy corner or God’s place.<br />
For Orthodox Christians, an icon is not just a depiction of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Saints, or events from Sacred and Church History. An icon is a sacred image, i.e., it is outside the realm of ordinary reality; it is not to be confused with ordinary daily life; and it is intended only for communion with God. Thus, the primary purpose of icons is prayer. An icon is a window from our world, the earthly world, into the world above. It is God’s revelation in form and color.<br />
In this way, an icon is not simply a family relic to be passed on from generation to generation, but a holy thing that unites all family members during communal prayer – for prayer in common can take place only if those standing before the icons have mutually forgiven one another’s offenses and achieved unity.<br />
Today, of course, when the television set – which is itself a kind of a window into the motley world of human passions – has taken the place of icons in the home, the purpose of the family icon, the tradition of common prayer at home, and the consciousness of the family as the “little Church” have been lost.<br />
Therefore, an Orthodox Christian today might ask: What icons should I have in my home? How should they be arranged? Can I use reproductions of icons? What do I do with old, dilapidated icons?<br />
Some of these questions merit an unequivocal answer, while others do not demand any kind of strict recommendations.<br />
Where should one place icons at home?<br />
In a free and accessible place.<br />
The terse nature of such an answer is prompted by the realities of life, rather than by the absence of canonical requirements.<br />
Of course, it is preferable to place icons on the eastern wall of the room, because the “East” as a theological concept has special significance in Orthodoxy.<br />
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed (Genesis 2:8).<br />
O Jerusalem, look about thee toward the east, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from God (Baruch 4:36).<br />
Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord’s house, which looketh eastward (Ezekiel 11:1).<br />
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:27).<br />
But what should one do if there are windows or doors on the eastern side of one’s home? In that case, use the southern, northern, or western walls.<br />
One should not combine icons with decorative objects of a secular nature, such as statuettes, various types of pictures, etc.<br />
It is inappropriate to put icons on a bookshelf next to books having nothing in common with the Orthodox faith or that conflict with Christian teaching on love and charity.<br />
It is absolutely impermissible to have icons next to posters or calendars depicting rock musicians, athletes, or politicians – the idols of the current age. This not only diminishes reverence for the holy images to an unacceptable degree, but also puts holy icons on par with the idols of the contemporary world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSc-nSlMym2n5A09SDgODSCvNfOcaM_V19V4pHnMTpxYszERDv057qnHWLFX9i5vksTLnrvx_EHll645mODmb2__1PM26S8n3wNThBqQRxGf3_8rBCjoVMZ4e3xOcUVm6B7JTcs3n5kA/s1600/2d977b2d1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSc-nSlMym2n5A09SDgODSCvNfOcaM_V19V4pHnMTpxYszERDv057qnHWLFX9i5vksTLnrvx_EHll645mODmb2__1PM26S8n3wNThBqQRxGf3_8rBCjoVMZ4e3xOcUVm6B7JTcs3n5kA/s320/2d977b2d1280.jpg" width="320" /></a>The home icon corner can be decorated with live flowers. Traditionally, larger icons are often framed with towels. This tradition dates back to antiquity and has a theological basis. According to tradition, an image of the Savior miraculously appeared on a towel during His earthly life to help a suffering man. After washing His Face, Christ wiped His Face with a clean towel, on which an image of His Face appeared. The towel was sent to King Abgar, who was afflicted with leprosy, in the city of Edessa in Asia Minor. Upon healing, the ruler and his subjects adopted Christianity and the Image-Not-Made-By-Hands of Jesus Christ was affixed to a “permanent panel” and raised above the city gates.<br />
In times past, August 29 (new style), the day the Church commemorates the translation of the Image Not-Made-By-Hands of our Lord Jesus Christ from Edessa to Constantinople in 944, was known among the people as the feast of the “canvas” or “linen Savior,” and in some places fabric and towels made of homespun yarn were blessed.<br />
These richly embroidered towels were reserved for use in the icon corner. Likewise, icons were framed by towels for use during weddings and the Blessing of Waters. Thus, for example, after the service for the Blessing of Waters, when the priest sprinkled the icons with abundant Holy Water, people would wipe the icons with special towels that they would incorporate into the icon corner.<br />
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Which icons should you have at home?<br />
It is essential to have icons of the Savior and the Mother of God. The Image of the Lord Jesus Christ, which bears witness to the Incarnation and to the salvation of mankind, and of the Theotokos – the most perfect of those who have lived on earth, who was made worthy of deification, and who is venerated as more honorable than the Cherubim and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim – are an essential part of the Orthodox Christian home. The icon of Christ ordinarily selected for prayer at home is a waist-length depiction of Christ Pantocrator.<br />
Those with room for a greater number of icons in the home may supplement their icon corner with depictions of various revered saints.<br />
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Russian Orthodoxy has a strong tradition of special veneration for St. Nicholas the Wonderworker; almost every Orthodox family has an icon of him. One should note that, together with the icons of the Savior and the Mother of God, the image of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker has always occupied a central place in Orthodox Christian homes. People revere St. Nicholas as a saint endowed with special grace. This stems in large part from the fact that, according to the Church’s Typikon, every Thursday, when the Church offers up prayers to the Holy Apostles, is also dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia.<br />
Among the icons of the Holy Prophets of God, that of the Prophet Elias holds a prominent place; prominent among the icons of the Holy Apostles is that of the Sts. Peter and Paul, the chiefs among the Apostles.<br />
Among the images of martyrs for Christian Faith, those encountered most often are icons of the Holy Great Martyr and Trophy-bearer George and the Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon.<br />
It is recommended to have depictions of the Holy Evangelists, of St. John the Baptist, of the Holy Archangels Gabriel and Michael, as well as icons of the Feasts, to make a home icon corner complete.<br />
The selection of icons for one’s home is always an individual matter. The best person to help one make these choices is one’s priest – the family’s spiritual father – and it is to him, or to another clergyman, that one should turn for advice.<br />
As for icon reproductions and color photographs, sometimes it makes more sense to have a good reproduction than a painted icon of poor quality.<br />
An iconographer should maintain a very demanding attitude toward his work. Just as a priest does not serve the Liturgy without due preparation, the iconographer must approach his service with full awareness of his responsibility. Unfortunately, both in the past and today, one often encounters vulgar examples of images that bear no resemblance to icons. Thus, if a given depiction does not evoke a sense of piety and a sense of contact with the holy, or if it is theologically suspect and its technical execution is unprofessional, it would be best not to purchase such an item.<br />
However, reproductions of canonical icons, mounted on a firm backing and blessed in church, can occupy a place of honor in the home iconostasis.<br />
How and in what order should icons be arranged?<br />
Are there strict rules in that regard?<br />
In church, yes. As to the home prayer corner, we may limit discussion to a few principal rules.<br />
For example, a collection of icons hung without a sense of symmetry, without a well thought-out arrangement, evokes a constant sense of dissatisfaction with the arrangement and a desire to change everything – something that often distracts from prayer.<br />
It is likewise essential to remember the principle of hierarchy: for example, do not place an icon of a locally-venerated saint above an icon of the Holy Trinity, the Savior, the Mother of God, or the Apostles.<br />
Just as on a classic iconostasis, the Icon of the Savior should be to the right, and the Mother of God to the left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06NF5RiSNpmikrNMHI1oEjHtphlX_LeSfGp7tqJY64E7GyKZk89BKtQsh9aLxOwBUuiUAtp4_36smXxR9Tpl8COv7zejCdbJvqExNZAOYC7VYbk1w6AAdDWhLTgiQmzMRwVt5uPM2pKc/s1600/838_454801077913949_483567198_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06NF5RiSNpmikrNMHI1oEjHtphlX_LeSfGp7tqJY64E7GyKZk89BKtQsh9aLxOwBUuiUAtp4_36smXxR9Tpl8COv7zejCdbJvqExNZAOYC7VYbk1w6AAdDWhLTgiQmzMRwVt5uPM2pKc/s320/838_454801077913949_483567198_n.jpg" width="320" /></a> What should be our attitude toward holy things?<br />
As one of the attributes of God (Isaiah 6:3), holiness is also reflected in God’s saints and in physical objects. Therefore, reverence for holy people and sacred objects and images, as well as personal striving for authentic communion with God, are manifestations of a single order.<br />
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy (Leviticus 20: 26).<br />
Family icons have always been held in particular reverence. Following baptism, an infant was brought before and icon and the priest or master of the house would read prayers. Parents blessed their children with an icon to pursue studies, to go on extended journeys, or to engage in public service. As a sign of their approval of a wedding, parents likewise blessed newlyweds with icons. Moreover, a person’s departure from this life took place in the presence of icons.<br />
It is improper to have arguments or to engage in rowdy or otherwise improper behavior before the images of the saints.<br />One should instill proper reverence for holy images in children from a very early age.<br />
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What should you do if an icon’s condition has rendered it unfit for use and it cannot be restored?<br />
Under no circumstance should such an icon, even one that has not been blessed, simply be thrown away. A holy item, even if it has lost its original appearance, should always be treated with reverence.<br />
If the condition of the icon has deteriorated with age, it should be taken to church to be burned in the church furnace. If that proves impossible, you should burn the icon yourself and bury the ashes in a place that will not be sullied or disturbed, e.g., in a cemetery or under a tree in the garden.<br />
The faces that look at us from icons belong to eternity. Gazing upon them, raise up your prayers to them, asking for their intercessions. We, the inhabitants of the earthly world, should never forget our Savior’s eternal call towards repentance, perfection, and the deification of every human soul.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsq2so6wH_J0k6wXUhelkyBxCrxHtpurotYhpBpK53DmA5iblvBuYRylFtT6dnYGRf9zNvo_N54__X6uCCmxiZ7AqHpB67U7h35tDhie9q2Dy95wH9m8lPziJkhQF8ptKwC34EAIbbvM/s1600/DSC_1473.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXsq2so6wH_J0k6wXUhelkyBxCrxHtpurotYhpBpK53DmA5iblvBuYRylFtT6dnYGRf9zNvo_N54__X6uCCmxiZ7AqHpB67U7h35tDhie9q2Dy95wH9m8lPziJkhQF8ptKwC34EAIbbvM/s320/DSC_1473.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />Some families burn wax votive candles before the icons; however, the tradition is to burn olive oil. Electric lights are not appropriate for use as the light to burn before icons. The traditional oil lamps require an amount of attention which electricity does not, thereby directing our physical services and thoughts to God several times a day when we are required to trim the wick and refill the lamp with oil.<br />
There are a number of different kinds of utensils designed for burning oil before icons. A very common one is the wick-float which utilizes cork to keep the wick and flame floating on the oil. The burning of oil before icons, its care and practice is described below:<br />
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1. The Glass. Any low, wide-mouth glass may be used for the lamp. Once used for this, however, the glass should not be reused for any other purpose. In Greece, most of the lamps are of clear glass, but colors such as red, blue or milk-colored are also used. [It is advisable to use a large enough glass so that the oil will last at least 10 to 12 hours.]<br />
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2. The Oil. The use of olive oil for the lamps is a tradition which we have received even from the time of our father Moses. The olive oil will burn best if left open and allowed to age (or even become rancid).<br />
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3. The Wick. To make a wick, use cotton string about one foot in length. Do not use coated or waxed string. Cotton string of about 6 ply will be thick enough. If the wick is soaked in vinegar it will burn brighter and cleaner. If this is done, the wick should be allowed to dry thoroughly before being used.<br />
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4. The Flame. The fathers of the Holy Mountain [Athos] have taught us to use a very low flame which they call apathes, passionless. The flame should burn steadily, not flickering. The lamp will burn six to twelve hours, depending mainly on the oil, but also on the size of the flame, the weather, etc. Before relighting the lamp, remove the excess carbon from the wick and twist the string slightly to shape the wick into a point. [Candle wax may be used to make a firm point for ease in "threading" the wick. It should be trimmed off before lighting.]<br />
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5. Cleaning. The napkin or tissue used to wipe the carbon and oil from the fingers should be burned in a separate place (the home censer is the best place) and not just thrown into the garbage. Be careful not to drip or spill the oil when lighting the lamp (St. Theodore of Studion imposed a canon of thirty prostrations on the church ecclesiarch who spills oil from the icon lamps). The glass should be washed periodically, and the oil replaced anew. The water in which the lamp is washed, as well as the old oil from the icon lamp, should not be poured down the drain. It is best, rather, to pour it under plants or trees, or an area that is not walked upon.<br />
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Pious Orthodox faithful take oil frequently from the lamp and bless themselves, making the sign of the Cross on their foreheads.true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-58949315689136186092013-09-26T09:43:00.000-07:002013-09-26T09:43:18.102-07:00Understanding the Holy Spirit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost "called all men into unity," according to the Byzantine liturgical hymn of the day; into this new unity, which St. Paul called the "body of Christ," each individual Christian enters through Baptism and "chrismation" (the Eastern form of the Western "confirmation") when the priest anoints him saying "the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit."<br />
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This gift, however, requires man's free response. Orthodox saints such as Seraphim of Sarov (died 1833) described the entire content of Christian life as a "collection of the Holy Spirit." The Holy Spirit is thus conceived as the main agent of man's restoration to his original natural state through Communion in Christ's body. This role of the Spirit is reflected, very richly, in a variety of liturgical and sacramental acts. Every act of worship usually starts with a prayer addressed to the Spirit, and all major sacraments begin with an invocation to the Spirit. The eucharistic liturgies of the East attribute the ultimate mystery of Christ's Presence to a descent of the Spirit upon the worshipping congregation and upon the eucharistic bread and wine. The significance of this invocation (in Greek epiklesis) was violently debated between Greek and Latin Christians in the Middle Ages because the Roman canon of the mass lacked any reference to the Spirit and was thus considered as deficient by the Orthodox Greeks.<br />
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Since the Council of Constantinople (381), which condemned the Pneumatomachians ("fighters against the Spirit"), no one in the Orthodox East has ever denied that the Spirit is not only a "gift" but also the giver—i.e., that he is the third Person of the holy Trinity. The Greek Fathers saw in Gen. 1:2 a reference to the Spirit's cooperation in the divine act of creation; the Spirit was also viewed as active in the "new creation" that occurred in the womb of the Virgin Mary when she became the mother of Christ (Luke 1:35); and finally, Pentecost was understood to be an anticipation of the "last days" (Acts 2:17) when, at the end of history, a universal communion with God will be achieved. Thus, all the decisive acts of God are accomplished "by the Father in the Son, through the Holy Spirit."true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-43576400158765523402013-09-26T09:31:00.004-07:002013-09-26T09:32:54.270-07:00Orthodox Christology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Orthodox Church is formally committed to the Christology (doctrine of Christ) that was defined by the councils of the first eight centuries. Together with the Latin Church of the West, it has rejected Arianism (a belief in the subordination of the Son to the Father) at Nicaea (325), Nestorianism (a belief that stresses the independence of the divine and human natures of Christ) at Ephesus (431), and Monophysitism (a belief that Christ had only one divine nature) at Chalcedon (451). The Eastern and Western churches still formally share the tradition of subsequent Christological developments, even though the famous formula of Chalcedon, "one person in two natures," is given different emphases in the East and West. The stress on Christ's identity with the preexistent Son of God, the Logos (Word) of the Gospel According to John, characterizes Orthodox Christology. On Byzantine icons, around the face of Jesus, the Greek letters '' —the equivalent of the Jewish Tetragrammaton YHWH, the name of God in the Old Testament—are often depicted. Jesus is thus always seen in his divine identity. Similarly, the liturgy consistently addresses the Virgin Mary as Theotokos (the "one who gave birth to God"), and this term, formally admitted as a criterion of orthodoxy at Ephesus, is actually the only "Mariological" (doctrine of Mary) dogma accepted in the Orthodox Church. It reflects the doctrine of Christ's unique divine Person, and Mary is thus venerated only because she is his mother "according to the flesh."<br />
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This emphasis on the personal divine identity of Christ, based on the doctrine of St. Cyril of Alexandria (5th century), does not imply the denial of his humanity. The anthropology (doctrine of man) of the Eastern Fathers does not view man as an autonomous being but rather implies that communion with God makes man fully human. Thus the human nature of Jesus Christ, fully assumed by the divine Word, is indeed the "new Adam" in whom the whole of humanity receives again its original glory. Christ's humanity is fully "ours"; it possessed all the characteristics of the human being—"each nature (of Christ) acts according to its properties," Chalcedon proclaimed, following Pope Leo—without separating itself from the divine Word. Thus, in death itself—for Jesus' death was indeed a fully human death—the Son of God was the "subject" of the Passion. The theopaschite formula ("God suffered in the flesh") became, together with the Theotokos formula, a standard of orthodoxy in the Eastern Church, especially after the second Council of Constantinople (553). It implied that Christ's humanity was indeed real not only in itself but also for God, since it brought him to death on the cross, and that the salvation and redemption of humanity can be accomplished by God alone—hence the necessity for him to condescend to death, which held humanity captive.<br />
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This theology of redemption and salvation is best expressed in the Byzantine liturgical hymns of Holy Week and Easter: Christ is the one who "tramples down death by death," and, on the evening of Good Friday, the hymns already exalt his victory. Salvation is conceived not in terms of satisfaction of divine justice, through paying the debt for the sin of Adam—as the medieval West understood it—but in terms of uniting the human and the divine with the divine overcoming human mortality and weakness and, finally, exalting man to divine life.<br />
<br />
What Christ accomplished once and for all must be appropriated freely by those who are "in Christ"; their goal is "deification," which does not mean dehumanization but the exaltation of man to the dignity prepared for him at creation. Such feasts as the Transfiguration or the Ascension are extremely popular in the East precisely because they celebrate humanity glorified in Christ—a glorification that anticipates the coming of the Kingdom of God, when God will be "all in all."<br />
<br />
Participation in the already deified humanity of Christ is the true goal of Christian life, and it is accomplished through the Holy Spirit.true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-76022726364939580052013-09-25T07:41:00.002-07:002013-09-25T07:41:34.405-07:00Fixed Great Feasts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">January 7</span></td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">January 19</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – The Baptism of Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">February 15</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – Meeting of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ in the Temple</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">April 7</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – The Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">August 19</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – The Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">August 28</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – The Dormition of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">September 21</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever Virgin Mary</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">September 27</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – The Universal Elevation of the Precious and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord</td></tr>
<tr><td align="right" class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;" width="100">December 4</td><td class="ofd_los_body" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 10pt;"> – Entry into the Temple of our Most Holy Lady Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary</td></tr>
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true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-75112995300729850412013-09-24T11:44:00.000-07:002013-09-24T11:44:27.450-07:00St. Nilus the Myrrhstreamer of Mt Athos on the Last Times<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
A Prophecy by St. Nilus the Myrrhstreamer of Mt Athos, Greece in the year 1651<br />
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After the year 1900, toward the middle of the 20th century, the people of that time will become unrecognizable. When the time of the advent of the antichrist approaches, people's minds will grow cloudy from carnal passions, and dishonour and lawlessness will grow stronger. Then the world will grow unrecognizable.<br />
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People's appearances will change, and it will be impossible to distinguish men from women due to their shamelessness in dress and style of hair. These people will be cruel and will be like wild animals because of the temptations of the antichrist.<br />
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There will be no respect for parents and elders, love will disappear, and CHRISTIAN PASTORS, BISHOPS, AND PRIESTS WILL BECOME VILE MEN, COMPLETELY FAILING TO DISTINGUISH THE RIGHT-HAND WAY FROM THE LEFT.<br />
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At that time the morals and traditions of Christians and of the Church will change. People will abandon modesty, and dissipation will reign. Falsehood and greed will attain great proportions, and woe to those who pile up treasures. Lust, adultery, homosexuality, secret deeds, and murder will rule in society.<br />
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At that future time, due to the power of such great crimes and licentiousness, people will be deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit, which they received in Holy Baptism, and equally of remorse. THE CHURCHES OF GOD WILL BE DEPRIVED OF GOD-FEARING AND PIOUS PASTORS, and woe to the Christians remaining in the world at that time; they will completely lose their faith because they will lack the opportunity of seeing the light of knowledge from anyone at all. They will separate themselves out of the world in holy refuges in search of a lightening of their spiritual sufferings, but everywhere they will meet obstacles and constraints.<br />
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And this will result from the fact that the antichrist wants to be lord over everything and become the ruler of the whole universe, and he will produce miracles and fantastic signs. He will also give depraved wisdom to an unhappy man so that he will discover a way by which one man can carry on a conversation from one end of the earth to the other. At that time, men will also fly through the air like birds and descend to the bottom of the sea like fishes. And when they have achieved all this, these unhappy people will spend their lives in comfort without knowing, poor souls, that it is the deceit of antichrist. And the impious one! -- he will so complete science with vanity, that it will go off the right path and lead people to lose faith in the existence of God.<br />
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Then God will see the downfall of the human race and will shorten the days for the sake of those few who are being saved, because the enemy wants to lead even the chosen into temptation, if that is possible ... then the sword of chastisement will suddenly appear to kill the perverter.true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-81419551367844228292013-08-30T09:56:00.000-07:002013-08-30T09:56:06.675-07:00The Balamand Agreement 1993THE BALAMAND AGREEMENT. A DUBIOUS "KINSHIP"<br />
<br />
<br />
"Latins are not only schismatics, they are heretics as well.<br />
Therefore we simply cannot unite with them."<br />
St. Mark of Ephesus<br />
"It's a small flock that has not a black sheep" -- says a proverb. In an ecumenical "family" -- all are black sheep with the stamp of Judas Iscariot on them.What can one say about Australian Archbishop Stylianos (Patriarchate of Constantinople), who blasphemes the Holy Spirit in his sermon maintaining that "the individual and even the whole Church has never received the gifts of the Spirit sufficiently" and that "this is precisely why the well known characteristics of the Church, being "one, holy, catholic and apostolic" remain until the day of the Parousia both gifts and postulates at the same time" ?!.<br />
<br />
Archbishop Stylianos, along with the other ecumenists of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, participated in the scandalously lawless and anticanonical "Council" which has condemned Patriarch Diodorus of Jerusalem for being "too Orthodox" for them. The "Robber Synod" of the Phanar made bold to prohibit two Archbishops of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem -- Timothy of Lidda and Hesychios of Capitola -- and to "cut off from the Body of the Church" layman Nicholas Sotiropulos.<br />
<br />
This famous theologian has thus commented on his "excommunication": "the Bishops of the so called Highest and Full Synod of Phanar have rendered me, Orthodox theologian and opponent of heretics, honor and glory." The main reason for his "excommunication" Sotiropulos sees in his "denunciation of frightful<br />
heresies of Archbishop Stylianos of Australia, who preaches Christ's participation in sin (who apart from an antichristians could be capable of this? - L.P.), who maintains that the notorious film by Kazantzakis and Scorcese "The Last Temptation", portraying our Lord as a debauchee, contains no blasphemy, who declares that Orthodoxy and Papism are in no way different and constitute one Church; that man has descended from an ape; and that Holy Scripture is a great fabrication!.. "<br />
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Orthodox ecumenists are accustomed to betrayal, it has become their second nature, and is no longer experienced as a tragedy. And it is natural: frequent meetings and friendship with heretics of various persuasions could not but result in the clouding of mind and mutation of conscience. It is not for nothing that Holy Scripture, all Teachers of the Church and all Ecumenical Councils instructed Orthodox Christians to shun those of a different disposition of mind and not to associate with them. Saint Anthony the Great was frank about it when saying that a "friendship and discourse with heretics harm the soul" and advised to avoid any communication with them. The great Abba taught: "When you meet a man, who for the love of argument enters into contention with you against what is true and obvious, stop arguing and keep away from him for his mind has become petrified. Because just as putrid water affects one's stomach, so the wicked discourses corrupt the mind and the heart". The Holy Apostle Paul forewarns that "evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. 15,33), and the 2nd Rule of the Council of Antioch instructs: "If anyone... should appear to be communing with those who have been excluded from communion, he too is to be excluded from communion." The tragedy which took place in June of 1993 in Balamand (Northern Lebanon, near Tripoli) officially known as the Seventh Plenary Session of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue Between the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox Church was being prepared in all secrecy for a long time. In Balamand the "Orthodox" have for the first time officially accepted the "branch theory" and by refusing to confess the Orthodox Church as being Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, they actually repudiated the Creed.<br />
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In the course of its 1000-year history the Latin Church has persistently tried to impose itself on the Orthodox world. And wherever perfidy and stratagem failed, the Vatican resorted to fire and sword. "Lacking the power of life to attract the mind, the heart, and the will of man to follow it voluntarily, the Catholic faith" according to Saint John of Kronstadt, "can entice the right-thinking people only by force and deceit".<br />
<br />
The Vatican diplomacy is very pliant, it knows how to bide its time and how to pretend to be losing and making concessions. This was also the case in Balamand: having declared Uniatism to be the method no longer effective, the Vatican has neither lost, nor sacrificed anything. On the contrary, Balamand made its dreams come true; there the Vatican managed to achieve that which the Crusaders of old and later the Papist diplomats in the Unitarian Councils in Lion (1274), Ferrara and Florence (1438-1439) failed to do.<br />
<br />
The Orthodox Theological School of St. John Damascene at the ancient (12th century) monastery of the Mother of God of Balamand accommodated 24 representatives of the Vatican and 14 Orthodox representatives from the Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Moscow, and Rumania, and also from the Churches of Cyprus, Poland, Albany, and Finland, altogether -- 9 out of 15 Local Orthodox Churches. Co-chairmen of this conference were Cardinal Edward Cassidy and the afore-mentioned Archbishop Stylianos of Australia. This meeting resulted in the endorsement of the document "Uniatism, Method for Union in the Past, and the Present Search for Full Communion", which has made history under the name of the "Balamand Union".<br />
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The communique published in Episkepsis 325 (of 23 July, 1993) reads: "In the spirit of the ecclesiology of communion and because of the fact that the Catholic and Orthodox Churches recognize each other as Sister Churches, it was observed that, in the effort to reestablish unity, it is a question of achieving together the will of Christ for those who are His disciples and the design of God for His Church, by means of a common search for full agreement in faith, and not a question of seeking the conversion of persons from one Church to the other. This latter type of missionary activity, which has been called "Uniatism", cannot be accepted either as a method to follow, or as a model for the unity which is being sought by our Churches".<br />
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But what is the meaning of this communique translated from the "Babylonian language"? As things stand, one of the reasons for the conference in Balamand was the ever-growing and very understandable concern of Orthodox population in connection with the spread of Uniatism which followed the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Vatican's attempts to convert to Catholicism the people who have just shaken off the yoke of communism. This is why both this text and the text of the Agreement itself, making use of its language of "minitruth", aims at appeasing, or to be more precise, lulling the vigilance of Orthodox people by "censuring" Uniatism and declaring it to be an outdated method.<br />
<br />
It is worthy of attention that the Balamand Agreement condemned any missionary activity, in other words, "it denies Orthodoxy and preaches agreement with the heterodox, which in actual fact is super-Uniatism (our emphasis - L.P.) The purpose of this stratagem is to confuse the concepts of Apostolic mission and Uniatism. As it is well known, Uniatism is nothing but the Papists' method characterized by two principles: 1) all means are justified for converting people to Catholicism (economic aid, etc.); 2) converts may keep their rites and customs, provided they fully accept the Papist doctrine. In other words, Uniatism is a "fraudulent method, like sailing under an alien flag".<br />
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Moreover, one should take into account the completely different understanding of unity by Catholics and the Orthodox. "For Catholics the return to unity means the return to submission to the Pope, and at this point ecumenism, proselytism, or Uniatism are only various means of achieving the same object (see the decree on ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio of the Second Vatican Council, Ch. 1,4). Thus, a verbal condemnation of one or another method is not binding, and what is more, it does not prevent one from accomplishing one's task locally." <br />
<br />
The situation is altogether different with Orthodoxy. "The true Orthodox may decline missionary activity only when he ceases to be Orthodox. He perceives return to unity as a return of any person, as a conversion of any heterodox person to the true faith. By substituting an abstract search for unity for conversion, ecumenism has fulfilled (in Balamand - L.P.) its task: it made the Orthodox renounce Orthodoxy. There remains one question: what sort of union is espoused by the members of these Sister-Churches?!".<br />
<br />
Right at the very beginning (Paragraph 6) the Balamand document contains a historical-ecclesiological lie, which has been spread by the Latins from the Middle Ages on -- the notorious "schism of the Churches". This radically incorrect expression, imposed by the Vatican, has, unfortunately, become a rather commonly used (especially amongst lay people) definition of Rome's falling away in 1054 from the Ecumenical Church, which had excommunicated, i.e. anathematized Rome, because of the Latin distortion of the Creed. According to St. Mark of Ephesus this was something which no heretic has ever dared to do.<br />
<br />
In the devious times that we live in every Orthodox person should have sound knowledge of the fact that the Church, being the Body of Christ, cannot be divided, just as Jesus Christ our Lord cannot be divided; according to the Creed it is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Those who are incompatible with its immutable holiness can fall away from it, as was the case with the Arians, Monophysites, Monothelites, Iconoclasts, Latins and other heretics who fell away from the Holy Church on account of their heresies. The "trained" Orthodox theologians (as Bishop Maximus of Pittsburg has encouragingly called them) surely knew these rudiments. Having endorsed the formulation concerning "the division between the Churches" which is alien to Orthodoxy, do they indeed, assume that they have remained "faithful to the Lord's commandments", as this Paragraph 6 suggests?!<br />
<br />
One of the main reasons, or even the basis of the Balamand Agreement became the erroneous opinion, accepted by many Orthodox schools, about the preservation of Apostolic succession by the Papists who had fallen away from the Church. Hence also the recognition of Latin sacraments. In his historical -- theological and convincingly well-founded article "Agreement between Orthodox and Catholics" containing a brief and remarkably clear analysis of the notorious "schism", Archpriest Prof. John Romanides proves the groundlessness of the Balamand Agreement.<br />
<br />
This Agreement is primarily based on the change of ecclesiology which took place after the Second Vatican Council and the "Pan-Orthodox" ecumenical conferences, where a transition was made from the self-affirmation of each Church that it is the only preserve of salvation to the conviction that both Churches are Sister Churches. Affirmation by the "Orthodox" of such close "kinship" with the Papists who never repented of their age-old heresies and errors, only testifies to their disgraceful capitulation. However, ecumenists do their best in trying to convince themselves and others that "such a change of position has opened the way to the dialogue of love, truth and sincerity" (our emphasis - L.P.). For the Papists, on the other hand, the set expression "Sister Churches", along with the theology of "two lungs" and "dual tradition" -- is not only an expression of ecumenic kindness, but also an essentially new instrument of the ecumenical-ecclesiological policy by means of which Rome could de facto oppose the abolition of Uniatism. During the ecumenical service in Dec. 7, 1991, Pope John Paul II said: "Catholicism and Orthodoxy actually constitute two lungs of the Christian heritage of the United Europe" [334]. Cardinal Silvestrini reiterated the above: "The Church of Christ breathes with its two lungs, the Eastern and the Western", and in his speech "The Heritage of the Eastern Churches -- an essential element in the fullness of Christian Heritage" before the Synod in Rome (Dec. 1991), he advanced the arguments according to which "the existence of the Eastern rite Churches (i.e. Uniate - L.P.) within the Catholic Church is indispensable".<br />
<br />
When speaking of this "theology of the two lungs" we feel like quoting a graphic description of apostatic deviations of ecumenical Orthodox Churches, especially of the Moscow Patriarchate, which "during the recent decades has been undergoing a heart transplant operation, successful at last, it seems... Life has apparently returned... even consciousness and memory have remained. Missing is only the awareness that it is now an alien heart that beats in the chest. As to everything else, almost no external damages are visible; an effort is made to remove them as soon as possible... Grant us, o Lord, to die with our own heart within us!.."<br />
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Formulas produced by the reduced Joint Commission for the Dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholics in Vienna (Jan. 1990) and Freising (June 1990), and then in Ariccia, Rome (June 1991) are almost literally repeated in the Balamand Agreement. Such, for instance, is its Paragraph 7, which insists: "In the course of centuries various attempts were made to reestablish unity. These attempts sought to achieve this end through different courses, including conciliar ones... Unfortunately none of these efforts succeeded in reestablishing full communion between the Church of the West and the Church of the East, and at times even made resistance more acute." (our emphasis - L.P.)<br />
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How tangible in this verbal subterfuge is the school of Machiavelli, the inspirer of political insidiousness, but even more so -- of the father of every insidiousness and lies -- the devil!<br />
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Under the "conciliar means" the authors of the above text probably understand, first of all, the Council of Florence of 1439, when the Unia was signed with the aim of first absorbing and subsequently annihilating Orthodoxy. Eleven years later this Unia was anathematized by the Orthodox Council in Constantinople thanks to the efforts of Saint Mark of Ephesus, a true confessor of faith.<br />
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It is quite possible that the Vatican considers the fraudulent Unia of Brest in 1596 also as a "conciliar course". This Unia began an open persecution of Orthodoxy and was accompanied by mass killing and violence against the Orthodox population in the Polish-Lithuanian state and in South West Russia. In any event, Uniatism of the so called "Eastern Church", this brain child of Jesuits, which for 400 years has been tirelessly accomplishing its pernicious task of tearing the traditionally Orthodox populations from the faith of their fathers, although declared to be an "outdated method of unification" in the language of Babylon, in actual fact received equal rights and is even "fully included in the dialogue of love" (Balamand Agreement, Paragraphs 16, 34).<br />
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As to the Paragraphs 23, 33 feigning an expression of condolence to everyone -- Orthodox, Uniates, Catholics "who endured suffering", one should remember martyrdom and confession of faith of thousands of Orthodox people who have been shedding blood when defending the purity of Orthodox faith. Endorsing the Balamand pact, Orthodox ecumenists, obedient to the Roman curia, consign to oblivion the entire criminal history of Papism and Unia.<br />
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Having mutually recognized themselves as Sister Churches in Balamand (Paragraphs 12 and 14) the representatives of both sides declared: "that which Christ has entrusted to His Church -- profession of apostolic faith, participation in the same sacraments, above all the one priesthood celebrating the one sacrifice of Christ, the apostolic succession of bishops -- cannot be considered the exclusive property of one of our Churches. In this context elimination of any re-baptism is obvious" (Paragraph 13).<br />
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This means that "Orthodox" ecumenists have lost faith in the soteriological and ecclesiological uniqueness of the Orthodox Church as the only Church of Christ. Having agreed with the Papists not to baptize Catholics who wish to convert to Orthodoxy, in practice, after Balamand they went still further by altogether refusing to accept Catholics into Orthodoxy on the grounds that they are allegedly members of the true Church anyway. Widening the concept of the Church with each passing day, ecumenists have finally embarked on the path of "those who received baptism or the sacrifice of heretics", and therefore are subject to excommunication according to the 46th Apostolic Rule.<br />
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A true baptism as an indispensable condition for joining the Church and its distinction from the false, heretical baptism at all times was understood by Orthodoxy in the same way. Historical and local distinctions in the practice of heterodox joining the Orthodox Church are not deviations of the Church from the truth, taking into account that "one general dogmatic view permits different practice", according to Holy Fathers, e.g. Cyprian of Carthage and Basil the Great. The Church's wise recourse to acrivia (strictness) and economia (condescension) depended on whether particular heterodox communities have distorted only individual points of doctrine and individual rites, or the basic maxims of faith. Besides, the measures of strictness could be determined by particularly unfavorable circumstances affecting the Church at one time or another. Thus, the Council of Moscow in 1620 and the Council of Constantinople in 1756 categorically instructed to baptize any Catholic who wished to join the Orthodox Church. Subsequently this practice was abandoned following Peter Mogila's ideas, "who had, against his own will, become the "Trojan horse" of latinization of Orthodox theology", and later on -- under the influence of Peter I "the friend of all German Lutherans", who destroyed the conciliar order of the Russian Church". The subsequent practice of accepting the heterodox into the Orthodox Church through repentance, and Latins -- even without chrismation, "has no dogmatic basis". The application of this practice for two centuries in Russia «has imparted it a semblance of antiquity, but it would be wrong to call it Tradition. It is not for nothing that St. Cyprian of Carthage says: "Habit without truth is only an old error» ("Consuetudo sine veritate, vetustas erroris est").<br />
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In our times, taking into account a catastrophic degradation of all the principles of Western Christianity (particularly after the Second Vatican Council) and the steady growth of ecumenical heresy, manifested, for example, in Roman Catholics being allowed to partake of Communion in the Moscow Patriarchate, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad found it necessary to confirm the obligatory practice of baptizing all heretics joining the Church, by its decree of 15/28 September, 1971.<br />
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Let us keep in mind paragraphs 26, 28, and 29 of the Balamand Agreement which call on Orthodox, Catholic (or Uniate) priest "in order to avoid conflict and rivalry, to jointly organize their pastoral work, to consult one another, to unite and cooperate expressing mutual respect for the authority which the Holy Spirit has given them and also to take turns in celebrating services at the common place of worship". This thesis of the Balamand Agreement, now four years later, has surpassed all expectations: it literally "peacefully" destroys all Orthodox principles in Russia and other Slavic countries!<br />
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Paragraph 30 calls for the irreversible distortion of Church history, for the preparation in theological schools of priests unorthodox in spirit, for the rejection of "outdated ecclesiology": "Both sides must pay particular attention to the education of future priests in the spirit of new ecclesiology in order that they should be informed of the apostolic succession of the other Church and the authenticity of its sacramental life... In this way, the dissipation of the prejudices will be helped, and the use of history in a polemical manner will be avoided".<br />
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Undoubtedly, "prejudices" here refer to the definitions of Orthodox Councils regarding the hereticism, and impiety of the Papists and their denunciation by such holy hierarchs as Photius the Great, Mark of Ephesus, Gregory Palamas, as well as the spiritual struggles of many martyrs and confessors who suffered from the Latins.<br />
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All the paragraphs of the Balamand Agreement which speak of dogmatic minimalism, syncretism, rejection of holy canons and Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church, have become a reality which stifles the Orthodox spirit, misleads those at the cross-roads and seduces the "little ones".<br />
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Saint John of Shanghai and San-Francisco has thus characterized the signs of the end of the world: "There will be a mass falling away from faith, moreover many bishops will betray faith justifying themselves by pointing at the splendid state of the Church. People will be disposed to search for compromise. A forthright confession of faith will disappear. People will excel in justifying their fall, and tender evil will contribute to such general disposition, and people will become accustomed to apostasy and to sweetness of compromise and sin."<br />
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The protests of those clerics and lay people and also of very few bishops who belong to the official Churches which have taken the path of ecumenism, but who are trying to defend Orthodox positions, do not, as a rule, receive any reply, and the general apostatic orientation of bishops remains practically unchanged. Almost all bishops betrayed the faith (we speak of Orthodox bishops, since others simply have nothing to betray), except the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the old-calendarist Greek and Bulgarian bishops old-calendarists and very few Orthodox Church communities. There are only very few true Orthodox Christians left in the world. Maybe foreseeing our violent times and our human weakness, Saint Mark of Ephesus, a luminary of Orthodoxy, said that Orthodox Christians should zealously adhere to the Orthodox Faith "which lacks in nothing" and to cherish it as the apple of our eye, so that "even if we die poor in all other virtues we could at least take Orthodoxy with us, if nothing else"true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-76879979796192777012013-08-30T04:56:00.001-07:002013-08-30T04:56:09.723-07:00Sophian Heresy THE SOPHIAN HERESY AND ATTEMPTS TO FEMINIZE GOD<br />
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"Sophia" translated from the Greek means "Divine Wisdom". As used in the Bible this term designates a general attribute of Divinity, His all-wise authority, as well as His superior reason.<br />
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The terms personifying Wisdom, commonly used in the Old Testament, particularly in the passages which are akin to the New Testament, and the revelation of Christ, were unanimously perceived by the Fathers as the Hypostasis of the Son of God. For instance, such is the general Church understanding of words about the Wisdom contained in the Book of Proverbs (9,1-9).<br />
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The Acts of the First, the Third, the Sixth and the Seventh Ecumenical Councils testify to the fact that the entire Orthodox Church applied the term Divine Wisdom to the Second Divine Hypostasis. Thus, the First Ecumenical Council spoke of the inscrutable Wisdom, "Which created everything that was created", -- of the uncreated, unoriginate Wisdom, Wisdom without beginning i.e. of Christ, because Christ is God's Power and God's Wisdom (1 Cor. 1,24) [140].<br />
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In the Acts of the Seventh Ecumenical Council we read: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, the self-existent Wisdom of God the Father, Who manifested Himself in the flesh, and by His great and divine dispensation (lit., economy) freed us from the snares of idolatry, clothing Himself in our nature, restored it through the cooperation of the Spirit, Who shares His mind..."<br />
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"From the most ancient times and onwards many Orthodox countries have been consecrating churches to the Lord Jesus Christ as the Wisdom of God". This fact also confirms that the words "Wisdom of God" refers to the Second Divine Hypostasis.<br />
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Archpriest Michael Pomazansky notes the fact that generally ancient Christian temples were not infrequently given the names of Christian concepts. Thus, in Chalcedon there was a church of St. Irene -- "not of the martyr Irene, but of Irene, the peace of Christ", as is explained in Chet'yi Mineyi (The Lives of Saints in the order of their commemoration days) for January 27. "In Constantinople St. Gregory the Theologian has uttered the famous words concerning the Holy Trinity in the temple of Anastasia -- not the martyr Anastasia, but Anastasia, the Resurrection of Christ. Such also is the temple of Paraskeva -- not the martyr Paraskeva, but Paraskeva-Friday, the day of our Savior's suffering and of His descent into hell (very frequently depicted in ancient icons)".<br />
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"Therefore", says Archpriest M. Pomazansky, "the sophiologists reference to the Church tradition in the East in the preservation of the idea of Sophia which expressed itself in the building of temples of St. Sophia and in the icon-painting suffers from being extremely strained" (Archpriest Michael Pomazansky "O zhizni, o vere, o Tserkvi" /On Life, Faith and Church/, a collection of articles, Second issue, Jordanville, 1976, p. 136).<br />
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The teaching of the Fathers of the Church about Jesus Christ as the Wisdom of God and this name of the Second Divine Hypostasis was perceived "as a clear and indisputable truth by the entire universal Church".<br />
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However, the pseudo-wisdom of this world chose to see a special, spiritual personal being in the Old Testament term of "Sophia".<br />
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Vladimir Soloviev's (1853 - 1900) writings have in many ways contributed to dissemination of the Sophian mythology in Russia. This brilliant thinker exercised an enormous influence upon Russian religious philosophy and theological thinking. His impact is great even today.<br />
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The concept of Sophia occupies an exceptional place in Soloviev's writings where it underwent all kinds of metamorphoses. He would associate it with Christ, with the "soul of the world" (World Soul), with "ideal and eternal universal humanity", with the Mother of God, with the "guardian Angel of the world". (Soloviev's) Sophia acquired also a completely different spiritually questionable aspect -- that of Eternal Femininity (Die ewige Weiblichkeit) which arose on the basis of Romanticism, rabbinic cabbala and stormy gnostic fantasy.<br />
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This feminine aspect of Sophia had a special personal meaning for Soloviev. It was a kind of mystical experience of love which accompanied him all his life. "Sophia" inspired not only his poetry but his entire philosophic creativity. For Soloviev the philosopher she was not so much a speculative, as a mystically-real phenomenon (no matter how paradoxical it may sound). Soloviev (as also later Fr. S. Bulgakov) had a visual perception of Sophia and he described his mystical encounters with her image in his innermost lyrical poems which subsequently inspired the whole generation of Russian symbolists (A. Blok and A. Bely, in particular).<br />
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We would not speak of this obvious spiritual delusion and somewhat sinister metaphysical "romance" of Soloviev with "Sophia" had they not persisted in the teaching of two famous theological thinkers of the 20th c. -- priests Pavel Florensky and Sergei Bulgakov who today have many followers in Russia and in many other countries.<br />
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These direct disciples and followers of Vladimir Soloviev have absorbed not only the gnostic-pantheistic ambiguity of their teacher, but all his "turbidity of erotic delusion" (archpriest Georgii Florovsky) as well. In their intellectual reflection on the Eternal Feminine, on Sophia, Florensky and Bulgakov have left Soloviev far behind by creating even more blasphemous images of her. If, according to G. Florovsky, their teacher attempted to create an "ecclesiastic synthesis out of an unecclesiastic experience" (35), these two preachers of Sophianism were invested with clerical rank.<br />
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Archbishop Seraphim Sobolev speaks of the Sophian doctrine of Florensky and Bulgakov as a "truly heretical teaching with a gnostic and pagan world view", leading to "dogmatic chaos".<br />
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With regard to Fr. S. Bulgakov's theology, this Archbishop writes that "it is not only an abnormal development of theological thought, but also the most serious sin. According to the Fathers, the gravest sin is the sin against the Orthodox faith because it is not rooted in excusable weaknesses of human nature, but is a sin of our spiritual nature depriving us of the grace of the Holy Spirit". Being a heresy, the Sophian teaching, says Archbishop Seraphim, "may endanger the very existence of the Orthodox Church on earth, if it is not decisively refuted and condemned by the Highest Church Authorities.<br />
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Lately in Russia the Sophianist ideas of priest Pavel Florensky and of Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov have been increasingly disseminated. For many the question of Sophia remains still not quite clear.<br />
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For this reason it is extremely important to know that Sophianism was twice condemned by conciliar decision, as evidenced by two documents:<br />
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1) A decree of Moscow Patriarchate dated 24 August, 1935, No.93.<br />
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In this document the following is said: "By our decision of 24 August, 1935, No.93 it was determined:<br />
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i) The teaching of Professor and Archpriest S.N. Bulgakov -- which, by its peculiar and arbitrary (Sophian) interpretation, often distorts the dogmas of the Orthodox faith, which in some of its points directly repeats false teachings already condemned by conciliar decisions of the Church, and the possible deductions resulting from which could even prove dangerous to spiritual life -- this teaching is to be recognized as alien to the Holy Orthodox Church of Christ, and all its faithful servants and children are to be cautioned against an acceptance of this teaching.<br />
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ii) Those Orthodox Reverend Archpastors, clergy and laity who have indiscreetly embraced Bulgakov's teaching and who have promoted it in their preaching and works, either written or printed, are to be called upon to correct the errors committed and to be steadfastly faithful to "sound teaching".<br />
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2) A Decision of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad of the 17/30 October 1935 concerning the new teaching of Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov on Sophia, the Wisdom of God.<br />
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The first three points of this Decision state:<br />
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"i) To recognize the teaching of Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov on Sophia the Wisdom of God as heretical.<br />
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ii) To inform Metropolitan Yevlogy of this Decision of the Council and to request that he admonish Archpriest Bulgakov with the intention of prompting him to publicly renounce his heretical teaching concerning Sophia and to make a report about the consequences of such admonition to the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.<br />
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iii) In the event that Archpriest Bulgakov does not repent, the present Decision of the Council which condemns the heresy of Sophianism is to be made known to all Autocephalous Churches."<br />
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Among the works refuting the heresy of Sophianism one must first of all mention the works of St. John (Maximovitch) [149] and Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev's) book "A New Teaching concerning Sophia the Wisdom of God", Sofia, 1935. This is "the most significant critical work of Archbishop Seraphim on Sophiology in the 20-th century, -- with regard to both its volume (525 pages) and its content (Theological Works, 27, M., p. 61).<br />
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Apart from this book the ever-memorable Archbishop Seraphim devoted yet another work dedicated to this problem -- "The Defense by Archpriest S. Bulgakov of the Heresy of Sophianism in the Face of Its Condemnation by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad", Sofia, 1937.<br />
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The above mentioned works, written in a patristic spirit completely demolish the Sophianist heresy of Bulgakov and Florensky.<br />
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The decision of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad which condemned the false teaching of Archpriest S. Bulgakov was founded on a most serious theological analysis made by Archbishops John (Maximovitch) and Seraphim (Sobolev). For this reason the claim made by Sophianists that those Bishops who have declared Bulgakov to be a heretic allegedly did not read his works, is a flimsy lie.<br />
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Another deliberate lie is the assertion made by a cleric of Moscow Patriarchate, Hegumen Andronik (Trubachev), a relative of Florensky and a popularizer of his ideas, that "in the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad the honoring of Florensky as a martyr began in 1981. His name and his image are to be found on the icon of the New Martyrs. Fr. Pavel is especially revered as a martyr by the Brotherhood of St. Herman of Alaska (California)..." (JMP, No.12, p.31) [150].<br />
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The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad through its First Hierarch Metropolitan Vitaly made the following statement concerning the supposed glorification of priest Pavel Florensky: "In the name of the Bishops' Council and Synod the editorial office of this Messenger makes a categorical announcement that the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad did not even consider and could not bring itself to make such a glorification. An annoying error of purely iconographic character has taken place. On the icon of the New Martyrs of Russia the name of Pavel Florensky was inscribed but not his image.<br />
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If one makes an analysis of Fr. Pavel Florensky's book with a pretentious title "The Pillar and an Affirmation of Truth" and of his other works then an Orthodox reader is confronted with an image of this outstanding priest with a turbulent soul who threw himself into the sea of theology without a compass and who is sailing towards a goal which is not known to anyone including himself". (Metropolitan Vitaly, The Orthodox Messenger, a monthly publication of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, USA and Canada, No. 30/31, pp.5-6.)<br />
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The Moscow Patriarchate has been popularizing the false teaching of priest Pavel Florensky and Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov for a long time. Many hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchate have been speaking and writing about them; among them are: the now Patriarch Alexy II (Address delivered at the 8th General Assembly of the KEC, JMP No. 1, 1980), The Metropolitan of Rostov and Novocherkassk Vladimir, a former rector of Moscow Theological Academy /MTA/ (Master's dissertation, see Theological Works, collection 21; the speech made at the MTA on the 22 February, 1982, JMP No.4, 1982); Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Grodno, Patriarch's Exarch of all Belorussia, former rector of the MTA; Metropolitan Pitirim of Volokalamsk, the chairman of the Publications Committee of the MP (Theological Works, collection 5; JMP, No.4, 1969; JMP, No.l, 1975, address delivered in Uppsala; JMP, No.4, 1982); Metropolitan of Smolensk Kirill, a former rector of Leningrad (now St.Petersburg) Theological Academy -LTA, JMP, No.7, 1982).<br />
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The list of those who belong to the Moscow Patriarchate and write apologetically about Florensky and Bulgakov can be extended by many names of clerics, professors and teachers of MTA and LTA. Let us name only some of them: Archimandrite Platon (Igumenov), professor of MTA (Candidate's dissertation, St. Sergius and the Holy Trinity Lavra, 1979, JMP No. 10, 1989); M.A. Starokadomsky (JMP, Nos. 4, 8, 1969); Archpriest Ioann Kozlov, A.I. Georgievsky (The Voice of Orthodoxy, No.2, 1971); Archimandrite Innokenty (Prosvirnin), Hegumen Andronik (Trubachev); Archimandrite Iannuary (Ivliev), Archpriest Vladimir (Fedorov), both of them are teachers at St.Petersburg Theological Academy, and many other clerics of the Moscow Patriarchate.<br />
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The above list is significant evidence of the role of the MP in the cause of dissemination of Sophianist ideas in Russia.<br />
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Moreover, the Journal of Moscow Patriarchate (JMP) was until recently essentially the only spiritual reading permitted by the Soviet authorities to the millions of Orthodox people in Russia; these people were, as a rule, not only theologically uneducated but were even deprived of basic catechization. And to make matters even worse, the pages of this journal have for several decades presented a picture of "abomination of desolation". JMP preaches, apart from ecumenism, all kinds of false teachings and simply heresies to the clerics of MP and to many innocent souls.<br />
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And, probably, the heresy of Sophianism is accorded the greatest honor. This heresy, under the guise of subtle "theological creativity" is being forced on the students of Theological Academies and of Seminaries, i.e. on the future priests and theologians; it is a subject of many Master's and Candidate's dissertations; at present, thanks to the example by MP, the lay journals and newspapers mention Florensky and Bulgakov frequently, they are discussed on radio and television for hours.<br />
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The heresy of Sophianism has so deeply penetrated the minds of the many clerics of MP and of their flock, has poisoned their consciousness to such an extent that not everyone is capable of freeing oneself from it!<br />
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Serious works which subject this spiritually dangerous false teaching to rigorous criticism have been written about Sophianism. It must be emphasized that Sophianists usually either distort or persistently hush up criticisms of priest Pavel Florensky and Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov.<br />
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Explanation of the essence of the Sophianist heresy lies beyond the scope of this essay. We refer the reader to the capital work of Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) "A New Teaching on Sophia, the Wisdom of God" (Sofia, 1935) which exposes the heresy of Sophianism and on the basis of which this false teaching was condemned by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.<br />
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In this essay we are interested in this heresy because its creators priests Pavel Florensky and Archpriest Sergei Bulgakov, have introduced a fourth, feminine hypostasis into the Divine Trinity by means of a cunningly conceived teaching on Sophia (rooted in Plato's pagan philosophy, in cabbalistic teaching, as well as in gnosticism condemned by the Church, particularly in Valentinian gnosticism and a series of other later gnostics-theosophers). A few more steps and we are close to a "theology of women" and an ecumenical feminist dream of "feminizing" God. We already hear voices speaking of the "goddess-mother" beside "God the Father" within Christianity. Thus, at the 6th Assembly of the WCC in Vancouver (1983) where the "priesthood" of women was legalized, many participants "urged women to replace the idea of God the Father by that of goddess-mother. And in 1993 women-ecumenists pronounced Sophia as their goddess and worshipped her.<br />
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New "translations" of the Holy Scriptures containing feminized grammatical forms have already been published. In recent decades the Holy Bible has often been subjected to distortion by "new translations" into English and other languages.<br />
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But not one of these "translations" has introduced as many blasphemies as the one published by the WCC in 1983 and entitled "Inclusive Language Lectionary".<br />
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To please feminists the WCC decided to "rid" the Word of God of "sexism" by removing from the Holy Bible all the passages where "preference" is given to men and the male sex.<br />
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In the new "translation", blasphemous changes have entered even into such inviolable phrases as "God the Father", which now reads "God Father/Mother"; the "Son of Man" is replaced by the "Human Child"; the "Kingdom of God" is replaced by the words "the Sphere of God"; "Lord" being of masculine gender is taken out of the Holy Scriptures and replaced by the word "Sovereign One" which is of neuter gender. Instead of "the Lord God" the new "translation" offers "God the Sovereign".<br />
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In the Book of Genesis where we are told about the creation of man, the word "man" is replaced by the word "humanity". To the mention of patriarchs are added women's names: "Abraham our father/and Sarah and Agar our mothers."<br />
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In the New Testament, where the Evangelists speak of our Savior's miracles, ecumenical translators say that Christ healed a "person". The highpriestly prayer of the Savior at the Last Supper according to St. John, sounds particularly blasphemous in this translation.<br />
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For the compilation of their own Bible, the WCC established a Committee headed by Lutheran, Victor Roland Gold. It consisted of three men and six women, one of whom was a Catholic nun. In the process of work, one of the Committee members left because he thought that "this task went beyond the limits permitted by his conscience".<br />
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Of greatest difficulty for the Committee were the words "God the Father". Feminists demanded the use of "God/dess", but this turned out to be unacceptable; a suggested replacement by the word "parents" also seemed too impersonal for these innovators; therefore they came up with a disgraceful term "God our Father/Mother".<br />
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The critics of this outrageous work, published under the title "Excerpts from the Bible", are absolutely right when commenting that it undermines the very foundations of Christianity by completely destroying the dogma of the Holy Trinity.<br />
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This deliberate falsification of the Holy Scriptures caused stormy protests even from journals and newspapers which are far removed from religion, such as New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Human Events, etc.<br />
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Despite all the protests and mass criticism, the WCC announced that it fully supported the new text of the "translation" of some parts of the Holy Bible.<br />
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Therefore, it was hardly surprising that the representatives of the "theology of women" at the last Seventh Assembly in Canberra permitted themselves to speak of the Mother of God in familiar terms, or to pose a question similar to that of Dr. Margo Kessman from Germany, "is Eve, who strove to knowledge, so sinful after all?".<br />
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It is noteworthy that the "theologians" of the above-mentioned Theological Institute in Paris reason in the same manner. Thus, one of its teachers, Nikolai Osorgin, when reflecting on the Mother of God, maintains: "If we arrive at the concept of unity of all women in the image of the Mother of God, in the order of the eternal present which embraces everything that was and was not, then all women (!) have a chance (!) of becoming the Mother of God".true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-34240681096444031432013-08-30T04:22:00.000-07:002013-08-30T04:22:09.888-07:00PRIESTHOOD" OF WOMEN -- A NEW TEMPTATION BY THE ANCIENT SERPENT<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71_plkGzArYHSdkanas6PN_5VZ_OGo8iWmrms-mVwTDu_PszjUrRrK5Wc_gTRdFFNQQPRRNMM7R8EguhRnw5I0N3mqp-NrZcpQpK17U5pDOHe9bNv7_SZi8AsYiwHEn2og3XAnpdEIdw/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi71_plkGzArYHSdkanas6PN_5VZ_OGo8iWmrms-mVwTDu_PszjUrRrK5Wc_gTRdFFNQQPRRNMM7R8EguhRnw5I0N3mqp-NrZcpQpK17U5pDOHe9bNv7_SZi8AsYiwHEn2og3XAnpdEIdw/s1600/images.jpg" /></a>Degradation of women has become one of the perilous signs of spiritual, moral and physical degradation of the contemporary society. As one philosopher observed: "a society is like its women".<br />
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The struggle for rights, women's rights in particular, has created a certain "climate" of our era. Particularly ugly is a feminist movement inspired by a feeling of hatred, dissoluteness and lust for power. This movement has assumed global proportions involving in its madness even countries most backward, as regards emancipation.<br />
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The struggle of feminists is unappeasable. It is a contemporary version of the struggle of the mythological Tantalus. Instead of giving life and love in accordance with their nature, feminists are fiercely striving for power, including power in the Church .<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X6OQnz53rPEGdhZnAwsNmihkRsco6EYIb4HSiogY1VkM-cDBpc82u2dFz6R5et0gqS8zLDS0hilK1_zL7XqWT-Cu7ap_lRZagRhoN9-rZOqo8Z14hEz-PHmDqadtRI8yu6wDwZhj5aQ/s1600/0808309janiceordination034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2X6OQnz53rPEGdhZnAwsNmihkRsco6EYIb4HSiogY1VkM-cDBpc82u2dFz6R5et0gqS8zLDS0hilK1_zL7XqWT-Cu7ap_lRZagRhoN9-rZOqo8Z14hEz-PHmDqadtRI8yu6wDwZhj5aQ/s320/0808309janiceordination034.jpg" width="320" /></a>Modern day priestesses, gone mad with pride, blasphemously claim to be celebrating liturgy and offering sacraments. What an awful spectacle!<br />
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All this, contrary to the absolutely clear apostolic instruction: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; ... And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church" (1 Cor. 14, 33-35).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQf6qUMUH8-OnXBuw2vLgWJ_abAk2b1TrKL2pL6lgFUjmSjECiQ4TbhKL7M6AbSfsNjBSOT0kk9Xik5ruhidq5OzNk-1iHUoD3icECtUJoN6CktSjekhD4e1XTcDJbv72H0a82OJzTes/s1600/515767-priesthood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQf6qUMUH8-OnXBuw2vLgWJ_abAk2b1TrKL2pL6lgFUjmSjECiQ4TbhKL7M6AbSfsNjBSOT0kk9Xik5ruhidq5OzNk-1iHUoD3icECtUJoN6CktSjekhD4e1XTcDJbv72H0a82OJzTes/s320/515767-priesthood.jpg" width="320" /></a>Have the God-inspired words of the chief Apostle become obsolete, or show disdain of women, as maintained by the vain champions for equal rights?! Did not the same Apostle say that : "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3, 28). With these amazingly simple words the Apostle refutes not only the wearisome squabbling regarding freedom, nationality and chosenness, but also explains the essence of true equality of men and women.<br />
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The Apostle's scrupulous attitude to women's conduct in church is caused not only by the well-known transgression of our original mother Eve who had plunged Adam, and subsequently the entire mankind, into the original sin, but also by specific observations of confusion caused, apparently, by women (1 Tim. 2, 14). The Apostle could not but take into account that by their nature women are more exposed to all kinds of influences, including deeply sinful and pernicious ones. This phenomenon forms the predominant topic of the entire world fiction; theatre and cinema productions also address this theme.<br />
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It is sufficient to turn to some most recent events in the sphere of ecumenical feminism, in order to understand the relevance of the Apostle's words expressed 2000 years ago.<br />
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In 1993, November 4-7, in the city of Minneapolis (USA) the notorious feminist "Re-imagining" conference took place, in order to deal with a part of the WCC program agreed upon in 1988 "Ecumenical Decade: Churches in Solidarity with Women". Although this conference in which more than 2000 women and several men took part, was not sponsored by the World Council of Churches, some of its most prominent members were amongst the conference's active participants.<br />
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Not being able to bring ourselves to cite the most loathsome blasphemies, particularly those regarding our Savior's Passion, and having asked the Lord's forgiveness, we consider it necessary to list only a few details of this feminist conference and some individual theses of the papers presented.<br />
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Thus, the blaspheming women-participants of the "Re-imagining" conference<br />
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- attempted to refute the doctrine of the Holy Trinity;<br />
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- made an effort to discredit the Holy Scriptures: "As women, we feel the need to search for values above those contained in the Bible", announced Aruna Ganadazon, a member of the WCC;<br />
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- worshipped the "divine Sophia" as the third hypostasis of the Holy Trinity;<br />
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- tried to present their teaching on Sophia as a new kind of Christology;<br />
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- stressed, as being of particular importance to women, the acknowledgment of the presence of feminine qualities in God's nature under the name of "Sophia";<br />
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- scoffed at the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross (Prof. Dolores Williams of the "Union Theological Seminary" in the city of New York);<br />
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- performed new rites and the so-called "liturgy of honey and milk", during which the participants sang praise to their "sweet Sophia in whose image we were created" and with "passionate movements of their body" reminded the world of "its sweetness and sensuality";<br />
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- proclaimed sexual freedom, including freedom and equality of lesbians ("priestesses"-lesbians presented their papers and declarations).<br />
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At this point we shall quote the South Korean Presbyterian participant Chung Hyun Kyung of scandalous fame earned at the Seventh Assembly in Canberra. "The Christian Church" -- she announced -- "is too patriarchal (subordinate to men); therefore we have assembled here to destroy this patriarchal idolatry of Christianity". Speaking of her "Christianity", Chung described it as a synthesis of concepts of three goddesses: Kali of Hindu religion, Guan-in of Buddhists and the ancient Ino of Philippines!..<br />
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Regardless of the disgrace of the feminist conference "Re-imagining" which caused the storm of protests and was called neo-pagan, heretical and blasphemous, K. Raiser, the General Secretary of the WCC, defended it as "one of the most ecumenical meetings held in this country (USA) in a long while", and was pleased to note that all participants had "agreed on the need to open their horizons".<br />
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The WCC's positive appraisal of this conference manifested itself in the fact that one of its active participants and planner of its program, a Presbyterian Ann Lundy, who was dismissed after the conference from her rather high post in the USA as the result of indignation of her co-religionists Presbyterians, was nominated as deputy general secretary of the WCC, and subsequently appointed to the post.<br />
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Attacks of aggressive feminism upon Christianity, including Orthodox Christianity, make themselves felt in several countries. Theoretical basis for active attracting of women into the ranks of clergy and justification of their ordination are provided not only by the heterodox, but also by the ecumenical "Orthodox" Churches, particularly the Paris Institute of Theology (Sergievo Podvorie).<br />
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Ecumenical friendship in every way possible, promotes the dissolution of confessional borders, i.e. the destruction of the Church enclosure. "Orthodox" ecumenists become imbued with the delusions of the non-Orthodox and become accustomed to their sin. This is very clearly demonstrated by the evolution of the Moscow Patriarchate's attitude to the "priesthood" of women. The 1976 Epistle of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate decidedly rejected the ecumenical proposal to permit the "priesthood" of women, arguing that in this respect, the Orthodox Church is obliged to follow the general Church tradition foreordained by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. The Epistle also stressed the fact that "Church history knew of no precedent of women celebrating Holy Sacraments" [67]. The same Epistle pointed at the impossibility of joining the position of the Protestant majority which considers the "priesthood" of women, often expressing their attitude to this problem in secular terms foreign to Divine Revelation."<br />
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The increased frequency of ecumenical gatherings has become the cause of a "step-by-step apostasy" from the Holy Tradition right up to the above mentioned co-celebration of the "Orthodox hierarch" with the "priestesses" in Vancouver. And recently, another hierarch of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony (Blum) of Surozh, has dared to speak of a theoretical basis for admitting the priesthood of women and to state publicly that he sees no theological impediment for ordaining women [70]. By accepting the challenging liberties of the WCC, "Orthodox" ecumenists show their disregard of the Apostolic succession, and in particular, the Sacrament of Priesthood.<br />
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In the Church, all members, both men and women, constitute the mysterious union of the Body of Christ. All are called to sainthood, to a general apostolic mission and to the Kingdom of Heaven. However, this does not mean that all are called to be priests. Our Lord Himself Who established the Church in His Divine wisdom envisaged the solution of this problem. Although there were also women among those close to Christ, not one of them was among the twelve Apostles. It is impossible to admit that this was a coincidence and that the Savior made a concession to the spirit of the time.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6aNi1oPHLRTpL3Z-45noUBlLtJFf6XIT0-NazeWTvFzYtTkmH04NBAUdsBFa3lMdrBf71ZoTcRm36aETa93SLhb-TiDkO9j2FVd1lEJiC5qoMSWew_DjeOuzIdkJfxcW6hB-XPs2WwA/s1600/images+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp6aNi1oPHLRTpL3Z-45noUBlLtJFf6XIT0-NazeWTvFzYtTkmH04NBAUdsBFa3lMdrBf71ZoTcRm36aETa93SLhb-TiDkO9j2FVd1lEJiC5qoMSWew_DjeOuzIdkJfxcW6hB-XPs2WwA/s1600/images+(1).jpg" /></a>And yet, the Lord in no way belittled women as compared with His disciples. On the contrary, some women were particularly honored. Thus, Christ revealed His Divinity and preached salvation to a sinful woman from Samaria, the inhabitants of which were despised by Jews (John 4, 5-42). Following the Resurrection, the "wonderful accord" of all the evangelists (Mt. 28, 1-8; Mark 16, 1-10; Luke 24, 110; John 20, 1118) testifies to the fact that precisely women were honored to be the first to hear the Angel's tiding and to see the resurrected Christ. It was the will of Christ that they should partake of the mystery of Resurrection before the Apostles. The Holy women Myrrh-bearers were the first to see their Resurrected Teacher and to be imbued with the incredible truth of His appearance in the glorified Body, so that they might testify to this before the disciples of Christ as the latter "mourned and wept" (Mark 16,10)<br />
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The first hierarchs of the Church of Christ were the Holy Apostles, not women. The Chief Shepherd Jesus Christ Himself appointed them to tend to God's flock, to administer the Church, to celebrate the Holy Communion (Luke 22,18), to teach and to baptize (Mt. 28,19), to bind and to loose, to anoint and to heal (Mr. 6,13), etc. When ordaining deacons (Acts 6,6), presbyters (Acts 14,23; Tit. 1,5) and bishops (2 Tim. 1,6) they never ordained women. On the contrary, they instructed women to practice silence and godliness (1 Tim. 2,10-12), as directed by Apostle Paul: "Let your women keep silence in the churches" (1 Cor. 13,34).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2k1YE5akJ5o8-1C4L0Ivhc-m3Z4M8ViV4Ptm_uBIfsS8MsfKN4JrvZMVlFoNPKiTqgjko_ZASnqd0JFet3aguVz2GqQlCQfN4qt3GH_hHVPaCVcerXQzixyORhENUoVC0uZay2i_4-8/s1600/ordination072110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2k1YE5akJ5o8-1C4L0Ivhc-m3Z4M8ViV4Ptm_uBIfsS8MsfKN4JrvZMVlFoNPKiTqgjko_ZASnqd0JFet3aguVz2GqQlCQfN4qt3GH_hHVPaCVcerXQzixyORhENUoVC0uZay2i_4-8/s320/ordination072110.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
These apostolic prescriptions with regard to women in no way speak of the notorious "backwardness", "misogynism" or "disregard" with which feminists and ecclesiastical liberals like to reproach the Holy Apostles. What a contrast to all this fuss, is the peaceful high esteem shown by the Holy Apostles to their sisters in Christ!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKU6z5tDieHLpskbhHvHEorxQOfWUloKeOZaQeg9V1bYU96jPJodn2RyPetgf0sjVJRtccwzSgdww2Z-kcn21fXpxbkxQ0RLcx3SVN6dG4bxncVYo-aKU55V4o6_OlkfBgZZsTge7QbCg/s1600/cr_mega_886_women-priest-protest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKU6z5tDieHLpskbhHvHEorxQOfWUloKeOZaQeg9V1bYU96jPJodn2RyPetgf0sjVJRtccwzSgdww2Z-kcn21fXpxbkxQ0RLcx3SVN6dG4bxncVYo-aKU55V4o6_OlkfBgZZsTge7QbCg/s320/cr_mega_886_women-priest-protest.jpg" width="320" /></a>By involving a woman in the sphere of activity unusual for her, the cunning "defenders" of women's rights and freedom actually distract her from her God-intended service to the Christian community and the Church. And the lies about woman's "emancipation" in the spiritual sphere threaten to be revealed in the incomparably uglier and more painful forms than the already-revealed ugliness and morbidity of those in the secular sphere.<br />
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Enticing a woman by an imaginary freedom and new forbidden fruits, today's disciples of the ancient serpent undoubtedly pursue the same objective as their father -- Devil -- to utterly destroy a woman.<br />
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The all too-human ecumenical secular yardsticks and arguments contradict the timeless character of the Holy Scriptures. When forbidding women to teach in churches the Holy Apostles were guided by Divine reason, not the human one. The earthly philosophizing of ecumenical liberals, their speaking about the "backwardness" of Holy Apostles and "subjugation" of a woman by man, contradicts the entire tradition of the Church and her history which demonstrate reverence shown to women -- confessors of faith, martyrs and blessed ones who glorified God by their sainthood. Tsars, Patriarchs and Bishops and ordinary Orthodox Christians in all humility offer their prayers to the homeless wanderer and fool-for-Christ blessed Xenia of Petersburg and other holy women, martyrs and saints. One may cite hundreds of examples of reverence shown to holy women and thus easily refute the vain social, psychological and other arguments of ecumenists.<br />
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The most important argument against them is the example of the Mother of God, Her humility and modesty which She manifested in Her earthly life. The All-holy Virgin, who gave birth to Christ, lived a quiet unpretentious life, never teaching in a church, according to apostolic instructions.<br />
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The unprecedented innovation of ecclesiastical modernists who accept women as "priests" and even "bishops", pretends to, allegedly, restore women's rights, to emancipate them. However, Protestant promoters of women manage to combine their excessive exaltation of a woman in the spirit of modern feminism with a complete disregard for the God-chosen Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. And this -- contrary to the prophecy of the Holy Spirit that all generations shall call Her blessed (Luke 1, 48).true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-5580529224879853522013-08-30T03:33:00.001-07:002013-08-30T03:35:19.176-07:00 ECUMENISM -- A PATH TO PERDITION<span style="color: #336666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">ECUMENISM -- A PATH TO PERDITION</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">ORTHODOXY OR DEATH! [531]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The struggle for Orthodoxy requires selfless courage. This is evident from the centuries long history of the Church. Thanks to the struggles of martyrs and confessors of faith, whole countries at times were saved from invasion of false teachings, heresies, and impiety. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Holy Mount Athos has always been a "barrier against which the waves of heresies would break" [532]. From ancient times this sublime institution, the domain of the Mother of God, which lived in accordance with Divine principles, has been the stronghold of Orthodoxy. In guarding the faith of the Holy Fathers, Athonites (hagiorites), for centuries, have been an example of piety to all Christians of the world. Having renounced the world and entirely dedicated himself to serving God, "a true monk fears neither the imperial purple, nor the mitre of a patriarch, and is prepared to endure anything joyfully and happily for the love of the Orthodox faith, which is his greatest treasure . ... Monastic hood does not bow before any masters who disdain the Divine Law and the Sacred Tradition, and who subject the Faith to sinful people desirous of worldly things, to people obedient to Satan." [533] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">From the time when St. Athanasius founded the Great Lavra in 963, Mt. Athos was protected by Byzantian Emperors and was given into the possession of Orthodox monks who inhabited it. Beginning with the 10th century, Mt. Athos had become the all-Orthodox center of monasticism, the place of ascetic struggle not only for Greeks, but other Orthodox monastics as well -- Russians, Bulgarians, Georgians, Serbs, Rumanians, and others. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">In the course of centuries, spiritual and theological authority of Mt. Athos was very remarkable and it rose particularly in the 14th century due to the development of hesychasm, the spiritual essence of which made a deep impression on the culture and character of the peoples of Russia, Balkans, and the Middle East. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">During the Turkish occupation Mt. Athos was practically autonomous, and only in 1917 did it fall under the control of Greece. Since that time the Greek government, exercising its power over this new territory, began to pursue a chauvinist policy, trying to make the Holy Mount exclusively Greek, i.e. to get rid of the monastics of other nationalities [534]. However, the realization of this plan was hindered by international agreements which defended the rights of monastics of non-Greek origin [535]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">On the other hand, the events following the turmoil of 1920's caused by the calendar reform, which was instigated by one of the most odious personalities of the 20th century -- "Patriarch" Meletius (Metaxakis), served the purpose of this policy, and the Greek government did not fail to take advantage of them. Since that time the government began to rudely interfere in the internal affairs of Mt. Athos and the persecute of the uncompromising ascetics whom it found objectionable. The Patriarchate of Constantinople, to which jurisdiction Mt. Athos belongs, and which at the present time is traditionally comprised, as we have seen, of modernists-masons, has been staunchly supporting civil powers, helping them to undermine Athonite traditions and principles. This apostatic "symphony", which has nothing in common with the Justinian symphony of the Emperor and the clergy, judging by the present situation, directs its efforts to a gradual destruction of the Holy Mt. Athos. This assertion is proved in particular by the sharp decrease in the number of Athonite inhabitants. Thus, the celebration of the millennium of Mt. Athos in 1963 was marred by the announcement of the fact that during about half a century the number of monks was reduced from 7500 in 1903 to 1560 in 1963 [536]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">From 1970's Mt. Athos has been gradually populated by ambitious young men agreeable to the government authorities, the so called "New Athonites" [537]. Many of them are university graduates, who, contrary to the age-old hagiorite decrees and under the pressure of civil powers, have been appointed abbots of monasteries. They are precisely the ones who help to implement the policy agreeable to both the civil authorities and the Phanar [538], by destroying monasticism and being accessories to persecution against those who remain faithful to Orthodoxy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">On observing the anti-canonical actions and deviations from the Holy Tradition and Orthodox Ecclesiology of Constantinopolitan hierarchs-renovationists and ecumenists, hagiorites wrote open letters to them on frequent occasions and censured them, openly expressing disagreement with the stand of the Phanar. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The election of Patriarch Athenagoras, a high-ranking member of an American masonic lodge, and an adherent of the "branch theory", has made the difficult situation even worse. It should be noted that Athenagoras' election was dictated by the USA which wanted to ensure the improvement of relationships between Greece and Turkey (the latter is a country to which USA is especially attentive, because of its strategic position). Athenagoras' predecessor, Patriarch Maximos V, who proved to be a much stronger traditionalist than Athenagoras, was deposed without any reason and confined as a mentally ill person in Switzerland, where he was deprived of the right to officiate in divine services or to act in a capacity of a hierarch. Several people, who managed to visit him at the end of the 1950-ies, have testified that he was neither mentally ill, nor of unsound mind [539]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Everyone is familiar with Patriarch Athenagoras' policy: rapprochement with the Vatican and a willful lifting of anathemas from the Papists, accompanied by an active adogmatic ecumenical activity, which has been continued by his successors. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">"Much less is known, however, about the wave of profound indignation at the destructive action of Athenagoras, which had surged in all the Orthodox world, particularly in Greece and Mt. Athos. All the monasteries of the Holy Mount had categorically refused to commemorate him during Liturgy. In Northern Greece several bishops, who belonged to the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, followed the Athonite example, some expressed a decisive protest. Among them were Metropolitans -- Ambrose of Eleutheropolis, Paul of Paramythie, Polycarp of Sisianos, and also Siatistis and Augustine of Florma. At the same time the persecution against the old-calendarists (adherents of the Church calendar of the Holy Fathers -- L.P.) was redoubled. All these monks, priests, bishops had an absolute right to express their protest; on the one hand according to the Canons of the Orthodox Church, and on the other - according to civil laws which, presumably, permit pluralism." [540] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">There were many who protested at that time, perceiving the danger of a new "Florentine disgrace". In the course of time, however, despite the fact that their exhortations had no effect, some monasteries began once again to commemorate the Patriarch. However, there still remained more than half of the Athonite monasteries who suspended communion with Athenagoras and stopped commemorating him at their services. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">But during the years 1970-80, in the reign of Patriarch Demetrios, who continued and even expanded the apostatic practice of his predecessor, all monasteries, except the monks-zealots and the monastery of Esphigmenou, re-established their communion with the Patriarch. This happened due to the intrigues of the patriarchal exarchate who managed "to seduce... even the elect" (Mark 13,22). The periodically occurring mysterious "suicides", or disappearances of monks [541], threats, pressure and simply persecution to which the monks who were disobedient to the heretical Constantinople were subjected, have also had their effect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">From time to time, it is true, the Athonite monasteries censured the Patriarch of Constantinople in the appeals which they have sent him. Thus, after the regrettably notorious concelebration of Patriarch Demetrios with Pope John-Paul II, which was an unprecedented act of rapprochement of the Patriarchate of Constantinople with the Papists, the Sacred Council of Mt. Athos sent a letter to Demetrios. "We have no other form of action left to us -- they wrote -- we place this into the hands of God. We now embrace silence, leaving all to Christ our God, and await the solution of this problem from Him. The Sacred Council can no longer tell hagiorites and other faithful about the strictness of Your confession and the steadfastness of Your faith, because You personally are openly professing the opposite. The Holy Mount, inasmuch as it firmly adheres to the precepts of faith and piety, cannot express its respect and devotion to the Ecumenical See" [542]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Nevertheless, the silence embraced by those commemorating the Patriarch-heretic, "not being the silence of hesychasts" [543], has since yielded to enthusiastic welcome with which the Sacred Council of Mt. Athos honored both the late Demetrios and his successor Patriarch Bartholomeos [544]. Since then Phanar has undertaken even more insolent steps and developed unprecedented ecumenical activity when in June of 1993 it concluded the Balamand Agreement with the Vatican, and in November of the same year -- the Chambesy Agreement with the Monophysites. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The open letter concerning the Balamand in which the Kinot (Sacred Council) appealed to Patriarch Bartholomeos [545] expressed in particular the idea that the ecumenical movement has turned into all-embracing syncretism. As an illustration it quoted the blasphemous words of Patriarch Parthenios (Koinidis, died 1996) of Alexandria about Mohammed [546]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Memorandum of the Sacred Council of Mount Athos regarding the Chambesy Declaration [547] stated that the ecumenist acknowledgment of heretical churches as "sisters" casts doubt on "the continuity of the consciousness of our Church, which is but the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" [548]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">However, both in this Memorandum, as well as in the letter regarding the Balamand Agreement, the impious and decisive role of Patriarch Bartholomeos himself is passed over in diplomatic silence. These two documents, which prove that the monasteries, brotherhoods and monastics of Mt. Athos who did not discontinue their prayerful communion with the Patriarch-Apostate, and have continued to commemorate him as their ruling hierarch, are well aware of his crime against Orthodoxy. "So many ravages has the Holy Mount endured, and still continues to endure! -- comments an Athonite ascetic -- So many monks have left monasteries and refuse to return because of the anti-Orthodox and anti-monastic acts of the Patriarch which have caused division! Today it is not the monks who are in search of a monastery, but the monasteries which are in search of monks; from all sides, monasteries are crying out loud, for they are faced with desolation... The Ecumenical (i.e. Constantinopolitan - L.P.) Patriarchate has brought all these misfortunes upon the Orthodox Church, including division and desolation on Mt. Athos." [549] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Why is it, then, that despite everything those that "commemorate" the Patriarch continue to communicate with the heretic? How can one explain that today the majority of them is silent about one of the most scandalous events in the history of Mt. Athos, reminiscent of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages -- i.e. the expulsion of Russian monks from their Skete of St. Elias on May 20 of 1992, just because they refused to commemorate the Phanar apostate? [550] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The St. Elias Skete, which was built with the donations of pious Russian compatriots and became famous for the ascetic struggle (Russ. podvig) of its great elder Paisius Velichkovsky, had been attracting thousands of Russian pilgrims before the Bolshevik Revolution. In our time, before the eviction of its monks, the Skete belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the legitimate heir of the historical Russia. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Beginning in 1957, the monks of St. Elias Skete ceased commemorating the Patriarch of Constantinople because of their disagreement with the pro-Catholic policy and ecumenical heresy of the Patriarchate. Their Abbot and Superior of the Skete, Archimandrite Seraphim (Bobich), who over 20 years (since 1970) had been leading the life of an ascetic on Mt. Athos, and the brethren of the Skete had spent a great deal of money and labored heavily in order to re-establish and improve this large sacred abode. From 1985 onwards the Skete was being subjected to all kinds of pressure, in order to force the monks to resume the commemoration of the Patriarch, but they would not yield. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Finally, on May 7/20 of 1992, on the feast-day of Mid-Pentecost, Abbot Seraphim and seven other inhabitants of the Skete were forcibly evicted from Mt. Athos without trial and investigation. This criminal and shameful act was committed by the Commission of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, headed by the patriarchal Exarch, Metropolitan Athanasios of Heliopolis. The eviction was carried out with the help of the representatives of the civil authorities of Mt. Athos and numerous armed police. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The request of the fathers of St. Elias Skete to be granted at least two or three days for preparations, was rejected. "Because they were under escort and strict police supervision, the monks were unable to collect not only the most necessary personal belongings, but documents as well" [551]. These Russian zealots were forcibly ushered into military vehicles and brought to Daphne via Karyes (capital of Mt. Athos). From Daphne a motor-boat delivered them to Uranopolis (outside Mt. Athos) where they were heartlessly abandoned on the pier without money or documents. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">But persecution of these Russian monks on the part of the ecclesiastical and civil authorities did not end with this improbable, unchristian treatment: their request to have their passports returned to them was rejected (Archimandrite Seraphim and his fellow monks are American citizens). Moreover they were not even presented with a copy of the decision of either the Sacred Council, or of the civil authorities testifying to their eviction. All this was fabricated later. Immediately following the eviction of the Russian monks this rich Skete was plundered and occupied by the "monks" acceptable to Phanar and to the government [552]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The silence of "commemorating" hagiorites has greatly alarmed the Orthodox faithful who love Mt. Athos and who are historically accustomed to see Christ's warriors in Athonite monks, fearlessly struggling for the Orthodox faith and fearing God above all. The adherents of the Patriarch of Constantinople cannot but be aware that for many years, especially since 1970, "a silent and secret religious persecution has been taking place on the Holy Mount against the monks who remain faithful to Orthodox traditions." [553] Apart from the forcible measures already mentioned, they are not allowed to either tonsure Athonite zealots, or have novices in obedience (this is not permitted even to the eldest zealot monks). They are not allowed to buy cells for themselves and they cannot acquire the most necessary items for their existence [554]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">It often happened that many monks-ascetics who had vowed never to leave the Holy Mount until they died were evicted from Athos. This was the fate, for example, of ascetic-hesychast Fr. Theodorite, the author of numerous books on theology and piety, and of monk-zealot Fr. Damian [555]. In other words, the plan of finally eliminating Athonite zealots is being actually carried out, and in such a manner as to make the believers think that no one on Mt. Athos opposes the betrayal of Orthodoxy which is being committed there [556]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Will the Holy Mount Athos, "the garden of the Mother of God," become what the subjects of the prince of this world want it to be -- a tourist spot with hotels, beaches, entertainment centers and... a Museum of Eastern Monasticism ?! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">...The sacred Esphigmenou monastery has in all respects become a zealot religious community. Along with the other monks-zealots, the monks of Esphigmenou steadfastly refuse to have any communion with the apostate Patriarch. For more than 20 years the tower of Esphigmenou monastery has displayed the flag with the words: "Orthodoxy or Death". This God-loving monastic community, which is often cut off from the rest of the world [557] and which has been more than once in danger of being seized by force or with the aid of perfidy. However, with the help of God and the protection of the Mother of God, the monastery keeps resisting those who exert every possible pressure upon it. "Its steadfastness bore fruit: police themselves were ashamed of the anti-Christian task which they were forced to perform." [558] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Esphigmenou community has not only given hope to all the Orthodox world, and become a symbol of resistance to the anti-Christian evil, but has also become an example to be emulated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The fact that the Esphigmenou monastery is a model of fidelity to Christ the Savior has a profound meaning for Russia, because the father of Russian monasticism, St. Anthony of the Kiev-Caves Lavra (+1073, commemorated July 10) was tonsured and practiced asceticism in that monastery, and brought from there "the rule of faith" and the image of true piety to the Russian land. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Following the example of the Esphigmenou community, all Orthodox Christians and their monasteries should inscribe on the tablets of their hearts the words of love and faithfulness to Christ: "Orthodoxy or Death".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Until now the "Orthodox" ecumenists, while trying to justify their involvement in the World Council of Churches, have constantly insisted on their loyalty to Orthodoxy, on their inviolate preservation of the true foundations of our faith: Holy Scripture and the Sacred Tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church. Falsehood could always be seen through in the hypocritical declarations of these sham "witnesses of the beauty of Orthodoxy", as they liked to call themselves [559]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Their duplicity has now become quite obvious. The Holy Scriptures have been paraphrased at random to please the immediate needs of ecumenism, and all the notorious efforts of the "Orthodox" members of the World Council of Churches to bring about the "reunification of Christians" through the "witness of Orthodoxy" have most perceptibly resulted in the fact that in our days the "counsel of the ungodly" regards the Orthodox Church only as "a part of global Christianity", along with Nestorians, Monophysites, Hindus, Shamans, Judaists, and also Neo-pagans and all sorts of sects -- Moonies, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists, Christian Science, Pentecostals, Baptists, atheists and others [560], their name is legion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">But even though they are ranked with this legion, the Orthodox do not enjoy equal status: according to the teaching of the "great reformer John Wesley", the Orthodox Church is declared to be "an example of unbalanced Christianity"! [561]. Criteria of the "New World Ethics" and of the religious pluralism of the "New World Order" are such that, "in a certain sense, Christianity is even an obstacle to the existence of a unified humanity" [562]. It is not without reason that at the Fifth General Assembly in Nairobi [563] the following words were uttered: "We cannot permit our faith to be the cause of discords and enmity which threaten to break up the united human family" [564]. And it is no mere chance that the speculation of Lutheran evangelist Gerald Barney that "Christianity will be unable to exist in future", expressed by him in 1993 at the "Congress of Religions" in Chicago, was met with ovations... [565] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">For a long time the apostates were afraid to openly support the most fearless assaults mounted from within their ranks upon the Patristic Tradition and the Church canons. This fear has now been cast away. Ecumenism now manifests itself as the most unruly syncretism and the heresy of all heresies. It is obviously not afraid of being exposed by this world of apostasy, by the world which has lost the ability to discern spirits and which is rushing to meet its ruin. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Orthodox Christians who have courage to oppose ecumenism, are, with an ever increasing persistence, pronounced to be "schismatics" worthy of condemnation... It is not this "little flock" of Christ, however, but the disseminators of pernicious innovations and their collaborators, no matter how numerous, are the real schismatics, for they are "in disagreement with the totality of the Tradition, teaching and discipline of the Orthodox Church" [566]. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The contemporary "Orthodox" apostates are in disagreement with Christ's disciples -- the Holy Apostles, in particular with the 10th, 45th, 46th, 65th, 70th Apostolic Rules, with a whole series of canons of the Ecumenical Councils and of Holy Fathers, as well as «with the 2,000 years history of the Church Tradition, which the Holy Spirit has impressed with His indelible Seal of Sanctification, because "God's grace is immutable."» [567] Since they are in conflict with this Tradition, they "reject the blood of martyrs and of Holy God-bearing Fathers", and inasmuch as they take the liberty to lift Church anathemas, they are guilty of blasphemy "because they assume that the infallible Church consciousness could be mistaken." [568] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Orthodox Christians, who in our age of disbelief have preserved the living flame of Orthodoxy as their principle of faith and life, are entitled to address the following question to the contemporary apostates: "The sacred canons instilled by the Holy Spirit into the God-bearing Fathers, the latchet of whose shoes we are unworthy to unloose, are they valid, or invalid in the Orthodox Church? Yes, or no? And if they are invalid, one should in all dignity and boldness name the instance above the Ecumenical and Local Councils which has adopted this new decision? Because it would be the height of hypocrisy on the part of bishops, who at their consecration had vowed to unfailingly observe the Canons, to shamelessly defy them in practice to the great amazement of the rest of the faithful!" [569] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Temptation evoked by the false hierarchs today is a terrible crime and sin. The Lord referred to it saying: "But whosoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" (Mt. 18, 6-7) These words of the Savior are addressed to each one of us, and therefore, if we see that a bishop has no fear of God, then by obeying him we disobey the following instruction of the Holy Scripture: "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5, 29). The Lord also teaches that if any person does not obey the Church, then "let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican" (Mt. 18, 17). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">As we observe the apostasy of hierarchs everywhere, let us recall the words of the holy Hierarch Gennadius (George prior to tonsure) Scholarius the Patriarch of Constantinople (1459-1456): "Test your bishops in only one respect: try and find out whether they are Orthodox, whether they teach dogmas contrary to the true Faith, and whether they concelebrate with heretics, or schismatics." [570] And, as St. Nicephorus says, even if false hierarch, while being in heresy, "will succeed in deceiving and enticing a certain number of ignorants and in gathering even a considerable number of followers, then they are outside the sacred walls of the Church just the same. But even an insignificant number of the faithful, who abide in piety and Orthodoxy, constitute the Church; they have the authority and they defend the established order of the Church. And if they should suffer for true piety, then this will undoubtedly contribute to their eternal glory and salvation of their souls." [571] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">There is no time left for keeping silent. We are now living on the threshold of the reign of Antichrist, when almost all people have deviated from truth. A truly inhuman assault is directed against the Church of Christ, the Holy Orthodoxy, in order "if it were possible... to deceive the very elect" (Mt. 24,24). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Let us be inspired by the deeds of the holy confessors who were chosen by God in the most difficult times experienced by the Church. They defended the truth of Orthodoxy sometimes remaining alone against all others. But God was with them: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Ps. 118,6) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The holy martyrs of the first centuries of Christianity, on whose blood the Holy Church was founded, and later a host of martyrs and confessors, who defended the purity of the doctrine from heretics, should all inspire us with their example, and they are always ready to come to our aid -- sometimes in an obviously miraculous manner -- whenever we turn to them with prayer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">In the Life of the Holy Hierarch Basil the Great [572] we read that while he prayed before the icon of the Mother of God and of the holy great martyr Mercurius for the Church and people to be delivered from the blasphemer and persecutor of Christians, the impious Emperor Julian the Apostate, the latter was suddenly killed in the battle with Persians by an unknown warrior who pierced him with his spear and immediately became invisible. At that very time Saint Basil the Great had noticed that the image of St Mercurius disappeared from the icon for a while and then appeared again holding a blood-stained spear. "This miracle, then, became manifest because due to the prayers of St. Basil the Great, the All-holy Theotokos Herself sent this pleaser of God and of Herself, the victorious great martyr Mercurius, from the triumphant Church to the militant Church... for the defense of the holy faith and of Orthodox Christians." [573] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">One may be inspired and strengthened by exploit of St. Maximus the Confessor (+622, commemorated Jan. 21), who refused to partake of the Holy Communion with a heretical Patriarch, "even if the whole world were to take the Communion with him." [574] This holy Father remained firm in his confessing his convictions even after he was severely beaten by the Monothelite heretics. They subsequently cut off his right hand and tongue in order to prevent the saint from confessing the truth, either by writing, or in words. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">St. Martin the Confessor, the Pope of Rome (+655, commemorated April 14) was also disgraced, beaten up and exiled, when he alone opposed the Monothelites who had seized power. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Let us also remember the lonely confessors, holy brothers -- Theophan, the author of canons (+ca. 847, commemorated October 11) and Theodore the Branded (+ ca. 840, commemorated December 27). Their faces bore inscriptions pricked out with needles and branded with hot iron, accusing them of being venerators of icons. Their sufferings lasted many years and, although mutilated and exhausted, they continued their fight against heretics at a time when the entire secular and ecclesiastical power was in the hands of their enemies -- Iconoclasts. According to the Church, these confessors, through their holy efforts, "shed light over heretical darkness" having dispersed "clouds of heresy". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves Lavra (+1074, commemorated May 3) in his "Testament" to the Great Prince Izyaslav of Kiev (10541068) whom the Papists attempted to convert to Catholicism, preached as follows: "Beware, my son, of heretics and all their talking, for our land too, has become filled with them! If anyone will save his soul, it will be only through life in the Orthodox faith. For there is no better faith, than our Holy Orthodox faith. My son, it is not meet to praise another's faith. Whoever praises an alien faith is like a detractor of his own Orthodox faith. If anyone should praise his own and another's faith, then he is a man of dual faith and is close to heresy. If anyone should say to you: "your faith and our faith is from God", you, my son, should reply: "Heretic! do you consider God to be of two faiths? Don't you hear what the Scriptures say: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4,5). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Thus, my son, beware of such people and always stand up for your faith. Do not fraternize with them, but avoid them and pursue your own Faith with good deeds!" [575] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">While calling upon the Prince to observe confessional strictness, St. Theodosius, nevertheless, instructed him to show Christian charity and compassion to people of other faiths who fell into misfortune or were in need of some help in life. With regard to the defense of Orthodoxy from its enemies, the Saint said: "My son, even if there would be the need for you to die for your holy Faith, dare to embrace death! Thus the Saints died for their Faith, and now they are alive in Christ." [576] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">What can the contemporary "Orthodox" supporters of Union with the Vatican set off against the twenty-seven Martyrs of Zographou (commemorated Sept. 22)?! These Athonite monks had denounced Emperor Michael Paleologus and Patriarch John Vecca (11th c.) for joining the Latins, and preferred to be burned alive rather than become participants in their apostasy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">St. Mark of Ephesus (+1444, commemorated January 19) [577] was the only non-compromising defender of Orthodoxy at the Council of Florence (1439) who did not sign the Union. His lone voice predetermined the destiny of Orthodoxy. Alone against many, deprived of his rights and confined in a fortress -- against those enjoying power, respect, wealth, and freedom, against high clergy and the Emperor himself... And he will emerge a conqueror, for the invincible Truth is with him; one can hide it under a bushel, but the time will come, and it will rise in all its splendor. [578] St. Mark was, undoubtedly, aware of this and hoped, as George Scholarius said, "to conquer all his opponents by the power of Truth alone." [579] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The whole Orthodox Church, in the person of the Emperor, Patriarchs, Metropolitans and other high representatives of the Church, had administratively signed the Union with the Latins. However, as subsequent history showed, all their signatures meant nothing: the absence of St. Mark's signature doomed the Union to failure. When the cardinals of Pope Eugene IV triumphantly showed him the Act of the Union which was signed by the Greeks, the Pope asked whether Mark of Ephesus has signed it, and not finding his signature, the Pope said... "So, we have not achieved anything!" [580] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">At the Council of Constantinople in 1450, during the reign of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX, in the presence of three Eastern Patriarchs, the Uniate hierarchs were deposed, and the Council of Florence was anathematized. Three years before its fall, the Byzantine Empire rejected the shameful Union, and honored the memory of St. Mark, Metropolitan of Ephesus, the confessor and fighter for the Orthodox faith. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">"This mortally ill, exhausted hierarch, disgraced by the powerful ones of this world, was the spiritual leader of Orthodoxy, who represented the Orthodox Church, strong in its weakness, rich in its poverty and invincible in Divine Truth." [581] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The greatness and invincibility of the Orthodox Church has been demonstrated by the martyrdom of hundreds of thousands of holy New Martyrs of Russia. "On the territory bearing the devilishly shrill name USSR, there existed Russia. It was the unseen Russia. Its presence was known only to those who were meant to know: the inhabitants of this land themselves and its enemies." [582] During hard times, which were fiercely cruel for both Russia and the Church, there appeared fearless exposers of the godless regime and confessors of Christ. In the wake of October Revolution, as in the first centuries of Christianity, the true Church has preserved its spiritual freedom in catacombs, prisons, and concentration camps, regardless of any persecution and repressions. The militant Church of the holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, countless hosts of them, from the Tsar to pauper and infant -- the entire Holy Russia "came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7,14), -- is the true Homeland of the Orthodox Russian people. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">In these frightful times, the Orthodox Russian people should remember their holy compatriots and draw inspiration from their example. "May this great miracle, the miracle of the holy relics of so many New Martyrs in the Russian land, who now abide in Christ, inasmuch as they had rejected any compromise, may this miracle impart to Russian pe</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">ople the strength to reject ecumenism and the reforms of Orthodoxy which are now being prepared in Rome, Geneva, and Constantinople. The true essence of Russia is Orthodoxy; its true history is the history of its saints, who in the course of centuries have sanctified it and preserved it in Christ and for Christ by their victorious deeds." [583] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">In our spiritually frightful times we see the apparent triumph of "the church of the wicked". But, according to Apostle Paul "where sin abounded grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5,20). One should not be troubled by the fact that not many good shepherds are left and that there are only few of those faithful to the precepts of the Holy Church. "Let not your heart be troubled and in fear!", wrote Metropolitan Innokenty of Peking (+1931), "True worshippers of the Lord were few at all times. He Himself was abandoned even by His true disciples: and He Himself foretold that at the end-times love would grow cold and people would be at war not only with each other, but also with God Himself. Truth never had numerous followers; they always were and will be persecuted. Neither fame, nor wealth is their lot in this world, but the way of the cross. But only in this way can they reach the Kingdom of God. Whoever believes in God, need not fear the sons of this world. If Christ is within us, who is against us! With Him we are given victory over the world." [584] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">As we see temptations and enmity surrounding Orthodoxy everywhere, let us strive, with God's help, to oppose them. The Church, as the provider of our salvation, cannot bow before the "wickedness of this world". It is guided by the Spirit of Christ, and is made invincible through His power.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Grant victory over their enemies to Orthodox Christians, and protect Thy people with Thy Cross.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">CONCLUDING REMARKS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The words of prophet Daniel regarding "abomination of desolation in the holy place" (Dan. 9, 27) have acquired a special meaning in our days. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself speaks of this prophecy (Mt. 24,15; Mark 13,14; Lk. 21, 20). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Savior foretold the signs of the end times when "the stars shall fall from heaven" (Mt. 24, 29; Mark 13, 25; Lk. 21, 25). «As the Lord Himself explained "the stars" are the Angels of the Churches, i. e. bishops. The fall of bishops is of a religious and moral nature and is... one of the most characteristic signs of the end-times. Particularly terrible is the fall of bishops when they fall away from the dogmas of faith, or, as the holy Apostle says, when they "pervert the gospel of Christ"» (Gal. 1,7). The Apostle instructs that such should be "anathematized" (Gal. 1,9); and he further advises not to delay the rejection of such (Titus 3,10-11). Or else one may be judged by God for indifference to falling away from the truth (Rev. 3 16)" [585] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">"Abomination of desolation in the holy place" also refers to the profanation of sacred Orthodox objects, and to episcopal sees occupied by unworthy hierarchs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Another prophecy regarding the Antichrist who "shall... think to change times and laws" (Dan. 7,25) is literally taking place before our very eyes. When this book was already finished we have received an extremely important communication: namely, that in actual fact the World Council of Churches has already predetermined the common day for celebrating the holy Pascha (Easter). The documents of the ecumenical Consultation [586] of 5-10 March 1997 which took place in Aleppo (Syria) testify to this. These documents were signed by the Adventists, Pentacostalists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Monophysites, Old-Catholics, the Vatican, the Patriarchates of Moscow, Antioch and Constantinople, and the other participants. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">By citing words of the Savior frequently and in vain, by quoting passages from the Holy Scriptures, and by giving an outrageously false interpretation of the decision of the First Ecumenical Council [587], the ecumenical falsifiers try to prove their case and to mislead people about the most serious crime against Orthodoxy which is once again committed in secret from the faithful. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Speaking of the ecclesiastic "old calendar", which is so hateful to all reformers but which is sanctioned by Holy Fathers and is adhered to by the Orthodox Churches in Eastern Europe and the Near East, the participants of the Aleppo Consultation have falsely and in a secular fashion declared this calendar to be only "a symbol of the desire of the Churches that use it to maintain their integrity and their freedom". The recommendations accepted by this ecumenical Consultation regarding the changes in Orthodox Paschalia sound like a harsh bellow of men of power who are demanding obedience, rather than true recommendations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">That the recommendations of the WCC are actually decisions is demonstrated, for example, by the fact that the heretics-Monophysites have been de facto ranked along with the Orthodox. Undoubtedly in order to emphasize the Union with the anti-Chalcedonians concluded within the World Council of Churches, "The Consultation of the Representatives of the Orthodox Churches -- members of the WCC" of 13-15 December 1996 in Antelias (Lebanon) took place under the Chairmanship of "His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cifcia" [588], i.e. a representative of the anathematized Monophysitism! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">That same Consultation (essentially a "pan-Orthodox" one) "opposed a possible future unilateral decision by any one Local Church to leave the WCC without reaching an agreement with the other Churches". The concluding document of this Consultation points out that "such a step would violate the Inter-Orthodox solidarity, cause bewilderment and divisions within the world Orthodoxy." (emphasis - L.P.) [589] In other words, in accordance with the blasphemous ecumenical ecclesiology, the unity and wholeness of the Church which is the body of Christ depends on the membership in the WCC, rather than on our Lord Jesus Christ! This is indeed an "ecclesiological monstrosity", a harbinger of the apocalyptic beast! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">As far back as 55 years ago, in 1942, the Archbishop of Canterbury, C.V. Temple, one of the founders of the World Council of Churches, commented that "ecumenism was the most important event of our century" [590]. One cannot but agree with this utterance. The general secularization of life and apostasy which today have enveloped almost the whole of mankind, are directly bound with the contemporary lawlessness caused by ecumenists and modernists within the Church itself and outside its walls. And it is necessary for the one who will come in his own name -- the Antichrist -- that people should make a free choice in his favor: "by my own will I come to you". This is the purpose of the planet-wide and truly satanic attempt to deprive human souls of their divine image, to make them receptacles of all vices and abominations, and subsequently to cause their death. And in this ecumenism plays a very important role. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Ecumenism is, probably, the greatest counterfeit, the most comprehensive religious falsification of all that have ever existed on earth. Allowing its Orthodox members [591] to externally preserve the appearance of Christian stateliness, the WCC does everything possible to deprive them of their inner, spiritual essence without which they are but a "sounding brass". </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">All the facts referred to in this book testify that we are dealing with a werewolf, a pseudo-church, the Babylonian harlot of the chapters 17 and 18 of the Revelation: she sits "upon many waters" (17,1), which "are peoples, and multitudes, and nations and tongues" (17,15). The universal ecumenism is the main sign of this pseudo-church of Antichrist: She sits "upon a scarlet colored beast" (17,3), i.e. she acts in accord with the supreme power of the world government and crowns this power. She commits fornication with "the kings of the earth" (17,2; 18,9) (worldwide Sergianism?). She is "arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication" (17,4) -- i .e. she has the appearance of holiness, but is filled with abominations. She has "corrupted the earth with her fornication" (19,2) -- i.e. has distorted the faith and corrupted nations. Her name is "mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth" (17,5) -- i.e. heresies, demonic false teachings and the occultism. She is "drunken with the blood of the saints" -- i.e. she persecutes the true Church. Her focus is -- Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow, and the other "Orthodox" ecumenical pseudo-churches. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Metropolitan Vitaly, the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad speaks of this as follows:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">«Before our eyes, suddenly, quite unexpectedly, we are seeing the mystical revelation of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, the Apocalypse. For a long time we thought of it as a prophecy from afar off time which would assuredly be fulfilled one day in the future. But now, suddenly, not only has it appeared at the doors of our contemporary life, but the sharp, icy blast of the Antichrist has begun to howl across the whole of our planet earth. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">What exactly is the APOCALYPSE? According to the Holy Fathers who have interpreted this sacred book, the Apocalypse is the book of the last years of the earthly history of the Church of Christ. It shows the inseparably close links between the fate of the Church and the fate of the whole world, the whole human race, and the entire cosmos. This means that the only reason why the world and all that is in it still exist is the fact that the True Church of Christ continues to dwell on it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">What is the Church's lot in our days? It is being crowded out. The Church displeases most people; It is barely tolerated, people laugh at It and revile It. So now all the forces of darkness are trying to squeeze themselves into It and eat It away from inside like termites, leaving behind only an empty wrapping. But they have not managed to destroy It, and will not be able to do so. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Evil is laughing in our faces! And we thoughtlessly chase after the shadow of earthly good things and our imaginary good repute, as long as no one inconveniences us or disturbs the tempo of our life and comfort. But a great temptation will come upon us, and come without fail. We will be placed on the knifes edge of life. Nobody will be able to hide anywhere, even in a fissure in the rock. Everyone will be found and faced with the fatally tragic question: either you are with "us" or with CHRIST? Perhaps the question will not be posed quite like that, from fear of scaring the luckless Christian, but he will simply be asked, "are you with us" ? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">What shall our answer be and what we are to do? Firstly we must understand in what a terribly dangerous time we are living. Then we must force ourselves to follow a disciplined life of prayer: to pray morning and evening and to pray with the Jesus prayer wherever and whenever we can. To receive Holy Communion more often in the True Church, and not in the church of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">the hollow egg shell, eaten away from within. Nobody will then be saved by theological degrees, or knowledge, or the order of church services, or the orders of bishop or priest, or any other rank. Only a personal love from the heart for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ will save a human soul, together with faithfulness to Him, even unto death.» [592] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Disasters and crises which are inevitably threatening the contemporary mankind are of a spiritual and moral nature rather than economic, political and ecological, as the princes of this world would have us believe. It is extremely important for the true Orthodox Christians to raise their voice of truth, to become aware of the acute necessity to call "evil by its proper name, to expose lies and to decisively condemn any anti-Christian and anti-Orthodox undertaking wherever it should originate." [593] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">One should remember that the fullness of the Church is comprised of all Orthodox people, bishops, clergy, monks and lay people who are safeguarding the holy Dogmas and Canons, which we are all called to protect. The short time which is still left to us is hardly favorable for the attempts of rapprochement with heretics and an attainment of union with the apostates. As the Athonite monks wrote: "We know of only one means of achieving communion between the heretics and the Orthodox Church, and that is an official canonical written renouncement and condemnation of their errors and an act on their part of joining the Orthodox Church exclusively through Baptism." [594] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">In the not too distant future the Orthodox Christians must expect that the world which has rejected Christ and has been mocking them and their spiritual vigilance, integrity and loyalty to Christ, which are often abused and dismissed as "fanaticism", that this world will turn to cruel persecution of the last Christians. But even knowing this, can we agree to exchange the Church of Christ -- the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, the only Church which offers salvation -- for any other "church", such as, for example, the infernal "cybernetic church" which is now thriving in the electronic space, with all its pernicious inventions, like "technosophy", "ecospirituality" (i.e. Neo-paganism), and "hypertheology" with its "virtual and postdenominational spirituality", "televangelisation" and "thousands interpretations of the word of God" !? [595] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The global heyday of the New Age with its spiritual supermarket, spreading of pantheism, occultism, and magic; children in test-tubes, manipulation of genetic engineering; crisis of moral values throughout the world, propaganda of homosexualism and depravity -- all these disgraceful practices bring us closer to the end of the world history. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">People who are wallowing in apostasy, sins and heresies, whose "names are not written in the book of life" (Rev. 13, 8) are already now prepared to worship Antichrist and acknowledge him to be the only spiritual head of all religions." ...By the time of the Second Coming, the Church of Christ will be reduced in size to the utmost degree. There will remain one or two churches in which the True Body of Christ and the True Blood of Christ will be imparted to the faithful. In the remaining churches there will remain only an empty shell, with great outward adornment, but empty. "See then that ye walk circumspectly... because the days are evil." (Ephes. 5,15-16) [596] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">Those "who have eyes" everyday and everywhere see the warning signs of formidable imminent dangers closing in on us, especially on our immortal souls. Everyone of us will have to give an answer to the Impartial Judge about what we have done for our salvation. Our destiny in eternity depends on His supreme Judgment. Let rulers of this world spread the new world order without Christ, with its one government, its common economics and market, its common pseudo-culture and its "postdenominational" superchurch. We can withstand them with our freedom, the freedom which imparts "God's image" to us, and which no one can ever take away from us. We can and must courageously oppose spiritual totalitarianism and collectivization of life with freedom in Christ, which Orthodoxy bestows upon us. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">There are many indications that the "ship of the world is already surrounded by the ocean with raging apocalyptic storms and events, and Orthodoxy, the only sound force in the spiritual arsenal of mankind, must act with the responsibility that it has. The people of God struggle and pray, pray and struggle. Be firm in your stronghold, be steadfast and faithful! God is strong, not the world." [597] </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">This modest work has been addressed to all who love Christ and His Orthodox Church, and who wish to work for the glory of God by opposing and fighting, in every way possible, the bane of ecumenism, ecclesiastical modernism, and the apostasy surrounding us. We wish to conclude with the words of Metropolitan Vitaly, the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">"We are now approaching the beginning of the end, the great end; undoubtedly, we are now entering this period. Hence, we are being attacked by all kinds of adversities; underwater rocks, troubles and storms lie in wait for us... But our vessel will pass them by unharmed, because the Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the Helmsman of this vessel." [598]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">"Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22, 20).<br /><br /><u>NOTES for words in the text:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[531] The factual material of this chapter is taken from the works dealing specifically with the problem of persecution of the Orthodox Athonite monks-confessors. Firstly, it is the book: Fr. Maximos, Monk of Great Lavra, "Human Rights on Mount Athos, an appeal to the Civilized World", Stylite Publishing, Welshpool, Powys, 1990. The evidence of Fr. Maximos (Lavriotis), one of the monks evicted from Mt. Athos, is all the more objective because he was not a zealot (zealot is the name given to an adherent of true Orthodoxy) and belonged to those who "commemorated" the Patriarch of Constantinople. In addition to the book of Fr. Maximos, also of great interest is the work of the ever-memorable Pcre Patric, "La persecution des moines du Mont Athos par le Patriarchat de Constantinople", ed. Fraternite Orthodoxe Saint Gregoire Palamas, 30, Boulevard de Sebastopol, 75004 Paris, 1992; and also the collection "Protestations Orthodoxes a la suite de la visite du Patriarche de Constantinople au Pape en Dec. 1987" , ed. Fraternite Orthodoxe Saint Gregoire Palamas, Paris, 1988. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">The Greek government and the Patriarchate of Constantinople are at great pains to prevent the spreading of truth about the real state of affairs on Mt. Athos. Publications which contain the protests of zealots and which shed light on the extremely turbulent situation on the Holy Mount, are usually printed in Greek in the form of small brochures, or by insignificant and almost inaccessible newspapers, and thus remain practically unknown. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[532] Athonite monk-zealot Theoklitis Germanos, "Confession of Faith", in the collection Protestations Orthodoxes... , p. 62. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[533] Ibid., p. 63. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[534] In 1913 there were 5 thousand Russian monks living on Mt. Athos. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[535] International agreements, signed in Berlin (1878), Scvres (1913), and Lausanne (1923), made the support of ethnic minorities on Mt. Athos compulsory. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[536] Pere Patric, "La persecution des moines du Mont Athos p. 39. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[537] The name New Athonites is given to those monks who were tonsured without going through a period of obedience on Mt. Athos. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[538] The name of the place near Istanbul in which the residence of the Patriarchs of Constantinople is situated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[539] See Pere Patric, "Le persecution des moines du Mont Athos p. 24. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[540] Ibid., pp. 24-25. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[541] See the above-mentioned book by Fr. Maximos, Monk of the Great Lavra, "Human Rights on Mount Athos..." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[542] "Letter of the Sacred Council of the Holy Mount Athos to Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios", Church Life, Nos. 3-4, New York, 1988, p. 102. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[543] Expression used by Fr. Patric Ranson. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[544] See "Afonskiia zametki" (Notes from Mt. Athos), Orthodox Russia, No. 1514, 1/14 July, 1994, p. 11. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[545] Orthodox Russia, No. 1524, 1/14 December 1994, pp. 7-11; Orthodox Life, No. 4, 1994. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[546] This ecumenist, who has recently departed to stand before the judgment of God, not only stated that Christians ought to recognize Mohammed as a prophet, but also identified him with Christ. And this man was an "Orthodox" Patriarch! (See Orthodoxos Pnon, v. 7, text 64, Athens, 1994, p. 12). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[547] See Orthodox Russia, No. 1538, pp. 2-4, 15. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[548] Ibid., p. 2, col. 3. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[549] Monk-zealot Theoklitis Germanos, "Confession of Faith", ibid., pp. 61-62. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[550] Fr. Patric Ranson names three main reasons for the eviction of the monks from St. Elias Skete. 1) The desire of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, this new Papacy, to suppress and by all means to do away with any opposition (which has been put up in Greece since 1920) to its policy of aggiornamento. 2) Seizure of control of the administration of Mt. Athos by the New Athonites. The latter now control a certain number of monasteries, mainly those of Stavronicetas, Grigoriu, Simon-Peter, thus being assured of the majority of votes in the Sacred Council. This ecclesiastical council of self-government of Mt. Athos, which traditionally consisted of the representatives (antiprosops) of 20 large monasteries, at the present time, following the illegitimate exclusion of the Esphigmenou monastery, numbers 19 monastery representatives. 3) An old policy of the Patriarchate with regard to Slavs, which aims at making Mt. Athos purely Greek, rather than pan-Orthodox place, as it was throughout its history. Besides, following the changes in the political situation in the former USSR, Phanar and the New Athonites fear the arrival of thousands of Russian monks to Mt. Athos, which could have an impact on the present arrangement of forces. Similar arguments also influenced the Patriarchate of Constantinople following the October Revolution, when it prevented Russian monks to settle on Mt. Athos. Thus, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) was deprived of a chance to lead the life of an ascetic there (See Pere Patric, "La persecution des moines du Mont Athos...", pp. 18-19. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[551] See the special issue of the Esphigmenou journal Hagios Agathangelos Esphigmenitis, No. 130 A, 30 May (old style) 1992 (in Greek). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[552] It has become known that in the presence of two Metropolitans -- Athanasios of Heliopolis and Meliton of Chalcedon, who took part in the raid on the Russian Skete, a large vestry was opened and many mitres decorated with precious stones, 40 Russian gold-embroidered clerical vestments, and 5 deacons' surplices were taken out of it. "Metropolitan Meliton put aside 5 vestments saying that he is taking them for himself". Later the rest of the property of the old Russian Skete was plundered and illegitimately appropriated by the persecutors. Some inhabitants of Mt. Athos also do not rule out the fact that both the very rich Russian Skete of the Holy Apostle Andrew, which had been mercilessly plundered and taken over by the Vatoped monastery (in 1972), and the Skete of St. Elias attract the attention of Phanar by their large 6-story high town houses with churches on the top floors, which are situated in Constantinople. The Patriarchate of Constantinople obviously intends to appropriate them in time. (See the large article by hieromonk Nicholas, who represents the Russian St. Panteleimon's monastery (MP) in the Sacred Council of Mt. Athos, "About the events on Mt. Athos from May 7 to 8 (old style) 1992", Orthodox Russia, No's. 1489 and 1490, 1993.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[553] See Hagios Agathangelos Esphigmenitis, No. 130 A, 23 May (old style), 1992. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[554] Ibid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[555] See Pere Patric, "La persecution des moines du Mont Athos...", pp. 26-27. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[556] See Hagios Agathengelos Esphigmenitis, No. 130 A. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[557] The Esphigmenou monastery has often been surrounded by armed police, the central telephone station of Karyes cut off its telephone, the post office held up its correspondence, all means of communication, by land or sea, were forbidden, and the besieged monks could not even walk out to work in their vegetable garden. (See Pere Patric, ibid., p. 25.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[558] Pere Patric, ibid.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[559] One rarely notices that declarations of "Orthodox" ecumenists, as a rule, contain two contradictory, as well as hypocritical, theses. For members of their own Churches are, apparently, intended the obligatory assurances that "participation of Orthodox delegates in the WCC should be viewed as a mission and witness about the truth within the heterodox world". The ears of their heterodox "brethren", however, are obviously meant to hear the words about "the WCC having always condemned all forms of proselytism". Both phrases are uttered at practically all ecumenical gatherings. In this case they are taken from the informative communication of 17 April 1997 concerning the Inter-Orthodox Consultation in Antelias (Lebanon, 13-15 December 1996), which took place under the chairmanship... of Armenian (!) Catholicos, Aram I of Cilicia. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[560] See Collection, published by the Parliament of World Religions, ed. Joel D. Beversluis, "A Sourcebook for the Community of Religions", Chicago, Illinois, 1993, pp. 50-51, 91-108. It is interesting to note that the cover of this book displays a combination of the symbols of 14 religions: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, "nameless religion" (symbolized by an empty circle), Zoroastrism, Jainism, Shamanism, Sikhism, Judaism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Taoism and Bahaism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[561] Quoted from: Michael Woerl, "Ekumenizm, novyi vek i Parlament mirovykh religii" (Ecumenism, New Age and Parliament of World Religions), Orthodox Russia, No. 1512, 1/14 June 1994, p. 10. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[562] Hieromonk Ignatii, "Mirovoi Sovet Tserkvei. Obmanchivyi oblik sovremennago ob'edinitelnago dvizheniia v khristianstve" (The World Council of Churches. The Deceptive Face of the Contemporary Unifying Movement in Christianity), Orthodox Russia, No. 1239, 15/28 January 1983, p. 16. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[563] The very name of this ecumenical gathering -- "Breaking Barriers" -- points at its objective: to abolish the boundaries of what is permissible, to transgress them by opening the door widely to all kinds of evil beliefs, heresies, false teachings and schisms. Like all masonic projects, ecumenical plans are worked out for a long time ahead, in order to gradually destroy the boundaries set by God, "do not change the boundaries set as of old by our fathers" (comp. Ps. 103, 9). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[564] See the Collection: "Breaking Barriers", Nairobi 1975. The Official Report of the Fifth Assembly of the World Council of Churches, Nairobi, 23 November - 10 December, 1975. Edited by David M. Paton. Published in collaboration with the World Council of Churches, by SPCK, London WM. B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids. Quoted from: Hieromonk Ignatii, "The World Council of Churches, p. 16. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[565] "Divisions and Controversy Mars World Parliament", in: Christian News, 1993, p.15. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[566] Monk-zealot Theoklitis (Germanos) in Protestations Orthodoxes ..., p. 65 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[567] Ibid. p. 66. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[568] Ibid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[569] Metropolitan Augustine of Florina "Letter to Patriarch Demetrius" Quoted from: Protestations Orthodoxes ..., p. 52. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[570] "Patriarchs' Opinions about the Latins" in the collection "Protest of the Orthodox World...", p. 67. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[571] Ibid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[572] "If it were not for Basil, -- says the Church historian Sozomenos -- the heresy of Eunomios would have spread as far as Taurus, and the heresy of Apollinarius -- from Taurus to Egypt." -- The Lives of Saints by Dimitri of Rostov. "The Life of St. Basil the Great, January 1". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[573] Ibid., see 1 January and 24 November. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[574] See "Chet'i Minei", 21 January. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[575] I.P. Yeremin, "The Literary Heritage of Theodosius of the Kiev Caves Lavra", TODRL, 1947, vol. 5, p. 171-172. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[576] Ibid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[577] Archimandrite Ambrose, the author of the unique book about Bishop Mark of Ephesus, points out that, according to irrefutable proof, St. Mark's date of repose should be considered June 23, 1444 and not 1452 as it is mistakenly alleged by some authors. "Their allegations are both unsubstantiated and erroneous" -- says Archimandrite Ambrose (Pogodin). See Archimandrite Ambrose, "Sviatoi Mark Efesskii i Florentiiskaia Unia" (St. Mark of Ephesus and the Union of Florence), The Printing Press of St. Job of Pochaev, N.Y., 1963, pp. 365, 433. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">In this connection it is necessary to point out an error which year after year is repeated by the Moscow Patriarchate in its Pravaslavnyi Kalendar' (Orthodox Calendar) with respect to the date of repose of St. Mark of Ephesus: MP names the year 1457. See the already mentioned Calendar, 19 Jan / 1 Feb. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[578] Archimandrite Ambrose, "St. Mark of Ephesus...", p. 308. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[579] Ibid., p. 314. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[580] Ibid., p. 309. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[581] Ibid., p. 309. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[582] A. V. Belgorodskaia, "Potaennaia Rossija" (The Unseen Russia), Orthodox Russia, No. 565, January 1997, p. 1 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[583] Pere Patric Ranson, Protestations Orthodoxes..., p. 10. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[584] The collection of the Russian St. Elias Skete on Mt. Athos "The teaching of the Orthodox Church concerning the Holy Tradition and its Attitude to the New Style", The Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, N.Y., USA, 1989, p. 39.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[585] Archbishop Theophan of Poltava. Quoted from the collection Orthodoxy or Death, Moscow, 1997, p. 10. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[586] See the ENI documents, "Towards a Common Date for Easter". World Council of Churches / Middle East Council of Churches Consultation. Aleppo, Syria, March 5-10, 1997. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[587] This Council at Nicea (325) accepted a resolution (oros) regarding the celebration of Pascha (see our Supplement on the Julian Church Calendar). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[588] See the materials in http://www.russian-orthodox-church.org.ru/ecr-ru.htm, 04/17/97. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[589] Ibid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[590] See his book "Christianity and the Social Order", Quoted from Hieromonk Ignaty, "The World Council of Churches", p. 2. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[591] At the present time the WCC unites 330 denominations. It is comprised of all Local Orthodox Churches, except the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, a series of the Old-calendarist groups in Greece as well as the Rumanian and Bulgarian Old-calendarist Churches. Beside the WCC, the "World Council of Christian Churches", established in 1948, consists of 602 denominations. Many members of both organizations not only reject the Dogma of Redemption and the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, but they do not believe even in the Divinity of the Savior. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[592] Metropolitan Vitaly (Oustinov), the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, "Paskhalnoe Poslanie" (Paschal Epistle), Orthodox Russia, No. 1580, 1997, pp. 1-2, 15. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[593] Patriarch Diodorus, "Declaration, Read to the Synod in Istanbul (13 - 15 March 1992)" , in the Collection Protestations Orthodoxes..., p. 74-75. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[594] The Letter of the Monks of Karyes to the Holy Kinot. "Breaking off the Communion with the Patriarch". Ibid., p. 36. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[595] See the apocalyptically frightening articles: Joshua Cooper Ramo Chama, "Finding God on the Web"; Robert Wright, "Can Thor Make a Comeback?" (Obscure religions -- half-forgotten or half invented are flourishing on the Web.), Time Australian Edition, Dec. 16, 1996, pp. 72-78; 82-83. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[596] Metropolitan Vitaly, "Paschal Epistle", p. 15. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[597] Nicholas Psarudakis, "Open Letter to the New Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos", Orthodoxos Typos, No. 950, 1 November 1991. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana; font-size: medium;">[598] Metropolitan Vitaly, "Sermon After the Burial Service for Archbishop Anthony of Los-Angeles and Southern California", Orthodox Russia, No. 1566, 1/14 September 1996, p. 4.</span>true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-52795997470497498572013-08-29T00:50:00.000-07:002013-09-11T00:35:27.018-07:00Ecumenism<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What is Ecumenism?</b></div>
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Ecumenism, which is of Protestant inspiration, is a syncretistic movement of the 20th century which promotes the consolidation of all types of “Christian” heresies (Monophysites, Latins, Anglicans, Protestants etc,) through their cooperation at dialogues and meetings of the World Council of Churches, thus creating the pan-religion of the New Age, within the framework of globalization which prepares the arrival of antichrist. In order to achieve this they changed the calendar for the common celebration of all (1924). They lifted the anathemas and excommunication against the heretics of the West and have forged a secret union with them (Pope Paul IV & Patriarch Athenagoras 1965). They recognized the “mysteries” of the Western Papal pseudo-church as valid (Balamand 1993) considering it as a “Sister Church” and the second lung of the Church of Christ (perhaps with the Monophysites as the third lung?) Finally, they equated the One Only Church of Christ, the Orthodox Church with all of the degenerate pseudo-Churches which men created at the advice of the devil. (Porto Alegre – 2006 & Ravenna – 2007). Thus, today the Patriarchates of Antioch and Alexandria have full communion with the Monophysites who have been condemned by the Fourth Ecumenical Council; the Phanariotes commune Roman Catholics and the Pope is commemorated by the deacon in the Patriarchal church of Constantinople as the canonical bishop of Rome.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Ecumenists of the State Church and their joint-prayer and con-celebrations with heretics:</b></div>
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a They believe that the Church of Christ is not only the Orthodox Church but it has been broken up into various “Christian” confessions and it must be recreated with the union of all (Orthodox, Catholic & Protestant) so that the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church may be once again as we confess in the Symbol of Faith. They deny and in other words they abolish the fundamental principal that the Orthodox Church is One holding the Truth of the Faith which guides us unto salvation. And just as Christ is One, so His Church is One as the body of Christ. For this reason there can never be division in the Church.</div>
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b They are self-condemned according to St. Paul and they have ceased to be true shepherds since the Holy Fathers forbid communion and joint-prayer in anyway with heterodox and heretics and impose serious penances on those who do such things.</div>
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c For more than 80 years now they dialogue with unrepentant heretics. St. Paul says “A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject”. Let the modern-day Patriarchs and leaders of Ecumenism hear this. How many “admonishments” have they given them? Hundreds of meetings and endless contacts, discussions upon discussions, symposia, conferences, workshops and even cruises for “on board” discussions invented by today’s New Calendarist Patriarchs and Archbishops. And what have they accomplished? Today the heretics are much worse than they were before they started the dialogues. Not only have they failed to bring the heretics closer to Orthodoxy but the exact opposite has happened. The New Calendarists have drawn closer to the heretics and have become similar to them on many levels: the change of the calendar, the shortening of the services and mysteries, the adoption of sprinkling – or rather a foot-bath – in the Mystery of Baptism instead of triple immersion, degradation and utter disregard of fasting, modernization of the traditional dress and appearance of the clergy. The worst of all is the distortion of the Orthodox Church’s doctrines by adopting compromising theological phrases and ambiguous formulations. And what is the result? confusion, indifference and a complete relaxation of the Orthodox religious feeling of the faithful people who in earlier times were the guardian of the Faith. What is the consequence of all this? the loss of the soul’s salvation.</div>
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If St Paul lived today, the “enlightened” ecumenist “theologians” of the modern age would condemn him as a fanatic, regressive, fundamentalist “Old-Calendarist” because the Holy Apostles were not Ecumenists, they preached the Truth. They did not try to bridge the chasm between Truth and falsehood.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What is the conscientious Christian to do? Let the Saints speak.</b></div>
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“Even if very few remain united to the Truth and to Orthodoxy, they constitute the Church and the Body of Christ.” (St. Theodore the Studite) “Those who belong to the Church of Christ are those who are with the truth. Those who are not with the truth do not belong to the Church.” (St Gregory Palamas) “Those who pretend to confess the Orthodox Faith but maintain Eucharistic communion with the heterodox, if after being admonished they do not cease to have communion with them, not only must you not have Eucharistic communion with them but you must not even call them brethren.” (St. Basil the Great) “It is good to be peaceful with all, but at the same time to agree on those things which concern the upright faith. You should flee ecclesiastical communion with those who are excommunicated nor should you commemorate them, because they are false apostles, evil workers who simply dress as Apostles of Christ.” (St. Mark of Ephesus) “Do not accept any heretical dogma on the pretext of love.” (St. John Chrysostom) “If however the situation is concerning the Faith and the Traditions of our Church, then even he who is peaceful and quiet must war on their behalf.” (St Nicodemos)</div>
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That is why whoever wishes to save his soul must no longer remain passive, but must immediately sever all communion with the Ecumenists.</div>
true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-18041427958661366422013-08-28T23:46:00.001-07:002013-08-28T23:48:09.062-07:00The Great Schema (Monk/Nun)<div style="text-align: center;">
The Great Schema </div>
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The ανάλαβος (Analab[v]os), which is the distinctive garment of a monk or a nun tonsured into the highest grade of Orthodox monasticism, the Great Schema, is adorned with the instruments of the Passion of Christ. It takes its name from the Greek αναλαμβάνω (“to take up”), serving as a constant reminder to the one who wears it that he or she must “take up his cross daily” (St. Luke 9:23). The ornately-plaited Crosses that cover the Analabos. the Polystavrion (πολυσταύριον, from πολύς, “many,” and σταυρός, “Cross”)—a name often, though less accurately, also applied to the Analabos—reminds the monastic that he or she is “crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20):<br />
With regard to each image on the Analabos, the rooster represents “the cock [that] crew” (St. Matthew 26:74; St. Mark 14:68 Luke 22:60; St. John 18:27) after Saint Peter had “denied…thrice” (St John 13:38) Him Who lamented over Jerusalem: “How often have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (St. Matthew 23:37)<br />
The pillar represents the column to which Pilate bound Christ “when he…scourged Him” (St. Mark 15:15) “by Whose stripes we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5; I St. Peter 2:24).<br />
The wreath garlanding the Cross represents the “crown of thorns” (St. Matthew 27:29: St. Mark 15:17; St. John 19:2. 5) that “the soldiers platted” (St. John 19:2) and “put upon…[the]…head” (St. Matthew 27:29) of “God our King of old” (Psalm 73:13), Who freed man from having to contend against “thorns…and thistles…in the sweat of …[his]…face” (Genesis 3:18-19).<br />
The upright post and the traverse beam represent the stipes and the patibulum that formed “the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Gala-tians 6:14), upon which “all day long…[He] stretched forth…[His]… hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Isaiah 65:2; Romans 10:21).<br />
The four spikes at the center of the Cross and the hammer beneath its base represent the “nails” (St. John 20:25) and hammer with which “they pierced” (Psalm 21:16; St. John 19:37) “His hands and His feet” (St. Luke 24:40). when they “lifted up from the earth” (St. John 12:32) Him Who “blott[ed] out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us…[by]…nailing it to His Cross” (Colossians 2:14).<br />
The base upon which the Cross stands represents “the place, which is called “Calvary” (St. Luke 23:33), or “Golgotha, that is to say, the Place of the Skull” (St. Matthew 27:33), “where they crucified Him” (St. John 19:18) Who “wrought salvation in the midst of the earth” (Psalm 73:13).<br />
The skull and crossbones represent “the first man Adam” (I Corinthians 15:45), who by tradition “return[ed] unto the ground” (Genesis 3:19) at this very spot, the reason that this place of execution, “full of dead men’s bones” (St. Matthew 23:27). became the place where “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit” (I Corinthians 15:45).<br />
The plaque on top of the Cross represents the titulus, the “title” (St. John 19:19-20), with “the superscription of His accusation” (St. Mark 15:26), which “Pilate wrote” (St. John 19:19) “and set up over His head” (St. Matthew 27:37); however, instead of “Jesus of Nazareth the king of the jews” (St. John 19:19), which “was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew” (St. Luke 23:38). the three languages being an allusion to the Three Hypostases “of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (St. Matthew 28:19), this titulus reads, “The King of Glory” (Psalm 23:7-10), “for had they known it. they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8).<br />
The reed represents the “hyssop” (St. John 19:29) upon which was put “a sponge full of vinegar” (St. Mark 15:36), which was then “put to His mouth” (St. John 19:29) when in His “thirst they gave… [Him]…vinegar to drink” (Psalm 68:21), Him of Whom it was said that “all…wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth” (St. Luke 4:22).<br />
The lance represents the “spear [that] pierced His side”; “and forthwith came there out blood and water” (St. John 19:34) from Him Who “took one of…[Adam's]…ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof (Genesis 2:21) and Who “washed us from our sins in His Own blood” (Apocalypse 1:5).<br />
The plaque at the bottom of the Cross represents the suppedaneum of Christ, “His footstool” (Psalm 98:5), “the place where His feet have stood” (Psalm 131:7). It is slanted because, according to one tradition, at the moment when “Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the spirit” (St. Mark 15:37), He allowed a violent death spasm to convulse His legs, dislodging His footrest in such a manner that one end pointed upwards, indicating that the soul of the penitent thief, Saint Dismas, “the one on His right hand” (St. Mark 15:27). would be “carried up into Heaven” (St. Luke 24:51), while the other end, pointed downwards, indicated that the soul of the impenitent thief, Gestas, “the other on His left” (St. Mark 15:27), would “be thrust down to Hell” (St. Luke 10:15), showing that all of us, “the evil and…the good. …the just and…the unjust” (St. Matthew 5:45), “are weighed in the balance” (Ecclesiasticus 21:25) of the Cross of Christ.<br />
The ladder and the pincers beneath the base of the Cross represent the means of deposition by which Saint Joseph of Arimatruea, “a rich man” (St. Matthew 27:57) who “begged the body of Jesus” (St. Matthew 27:58; St. Luke 23:52), “took it down” (St. Luke 23:53), so that as in body He descended from the Cross, so in soul “He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth” (Ephesians 4:9), “by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison” (I St.Peter 3:19).<br />
Through these instruments, “the Cross of Christ” (I Corinthians 1:17: Galatians 6:12: Philippians 3:18) became the “Tree of Life” (Genesis 2:9; 3:22, 24; Proverbs 3:18, 11:30, 13:12. 15:4; Apocalypse 2:7; 22:2, 14), by which the Lord Jesus reified His words that, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me. though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (St. John 11:25-26).<br />
The Greek letters that appear on the Analabos are abbreviations of phrases that extol the Cross as “the power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18). From top to bottom:<br />
ΟΒΤΔ Ό Βασιλεύς της Δόξης, __ “The King of Glory”<br />
ΙC XC NIKΑ Ιησούς Χριστός νικά, ”Jesus Christ conquereth”<br />
ΤΤΔΦ Τετιμημένον τρόπαιον δαιμόνων φρίκη,”Honored Trophy, the dread of demons”<br />
ΡΡΔΡ Ρητορικοτέρα ρητόρων δακρύων ροή. ”A flow of tears more eloquent than orators” (or, more likely: Ρητορικοτέρα ρημάτων δακρύων ροή.”)<br />
ΧΧΧΧ Χριστός Χριστιανοίς Χαρίζει Χάριν. ”Christ bestoweth Grace upon Christians”<br />
ξΓΘΗ Ξύλου γεύσις θάνατον ηγαγεν, ”The tasting of the tree brought about death”<br />
Cξζ∈ Σταυρού Ξύλω ζωήν εύρομεν, ”Through the Tree of the Cross have we found life<br />
∈∈∈∈ Ελένης εύρημα εύρηκεν Εδέμ. ”The discovery of Helen hath uncovered Eden”<br />
ΦΧΦΠ Φως Χριστού φαίνοι πάσι. “The light of Christ shineth for all”<br />
ΘΘΘΘ Θεού Θέα Θείον Θαύμα, ”The vision of God, a Divine wonder”<br />
ΤCΔΦ Τύπον Σταυρού δαίμονες φρίττουσιν. ”Demons dread the sign of the Cross”<br />
ΑΔΑΜ Αδάμ, ”Adam “<br />
ΤΚΠΓ Τόπος Κρανίου Παράδεισος γέγονε, ”The Place of the Skull hath become Paradise”<br />
ξζ Ξύλον Ζωής, “Tree of life”<br />
There are other items and abbreviations that may appear on the Analabos, but these are sufficient to demonstrate that this holy garment silently proclaims “the preaching of the Cross” (I Corinthians 1:18) through its mystical symbolism, declaring for its wearer, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).<br />
<br />true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-28158553237664975932013-08-27T06:23:00.002-07:002013-09-11T00:29:13.139-07:00غطاء الرأس والحشمة في الكنيسة <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">يقول القديس بولس الرسول في رسالته الأولى </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">إلى أهل كورنثوس</span></span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver2" style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver2"> 2 فامدحكم ايها الاخوة على انكم تذكرونني في كل شيء وتحفظون التعاليم كما سلمتها اليكم.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver3"> 3 ولكن اريد ان تعلموا ان راس كل رجل هو المسيح.واما راس المراة فهو الرجل.وراس المسيح هو الله.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver4"> 4 كل رجل يصلي او يتنبا وله على راسه شيء يشين راسه.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver5">5 واما كل امراة تصلي او تتنبا وراسها غير مغطى فتشين راسها لانها والمحلوقة شيء واحد بعينه.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver6"> 6 اذ المراة ان كانت لا تتغطى فليقص شعرها.وان كان قبيحا بالمراة ان تقص او تحلق فلتتغط.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver7"> 7 فان الرجل لا ينبغي ان يغطي راسه لكونه صورة الله ومجده.واما المراة فهي مجد الرجل.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver8"> 8 لان الرجل ليس من المراة بل المراة من الرجل.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver9"> 9 ولان الرجل لم يخلق من اجل المراة بل المراة من اجل الرجل.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver10"> 10 لهذا ينبغي للمراة ان يكون لها سلطان على راسها من اجل الملائكة.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver11"> 11 غير ان الرجل ليس من دون المراة ولا المراة من دون الرجل في الرب.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver12"> 12 لانه كما ان المراة هي من الرجل هكذا الرجل ايضا هو بالمراة.ولكن جميع الاشياء هي من الله.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver13"> 13 احكموا في انفسكم.هل يليق بالمراة ان تصلي الى الله وهي غير مغطاة.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver14"> 14 ام ليست الطبيعة نفسها تعلمكم ان الرجل ان كان يرخي شعره فهو عيب له.</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver15"> 15واما المراة ان كانت ترخي شعرها فهو مجد لها لان الشعر قد اعطي لها عوض برقع.</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16" style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;">تكلم الرسول بولس</span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"> في هذه الرسالة</span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"> عن الانقسامات في الكنيسة</span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;">. </span></a><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">النساء اليهوديات كن يغطين رؤوسهن اثناء العبادة</span></span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"> فتعرية راس المراة في العبادة العامة كانت دليلا على الانحلال الاخلاقي </span></span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">ومن الجانب الاخر كانت من عاد</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;">ا</span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">ت النساء اليونانيات العبادة برؤوس </span></span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">مكشوفة.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;">جاء الحل لإنهاء الإنقسام</span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"> </span></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">و</span></span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">الوحدة بين اعضاء الكنيسة</span></span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"> واللياقة في العبادة</span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">الحشمة في الكنيسة هو واجب أخلاقي وديني واجتماعي وكل من يشذ عن ماهو مقبول يجب أن يبقى خارج الكنيسة فلا يدنسها لإن إنجيلنا المقدس واضح في هذا المجال حيث كتب بولس الرسول قائلاً: “ليكن على النساء لباس فيه حشمة، ولتكن زينتهن بحياء ورزانة. لا بشعر مجدول وذهب ولؤلؤ وثياب فاخرة، بل بأعمال صالحة تليق بنساء تعاهدن تقوى الله” (1 تيموثاوس 2: 9-10). نعم إننا جميعاً مطالبون بالحشمة ليس فقط في الكنيسة ولكن أيضاً في الشارع والجامعة والعمل والسفر لأن جسدنا هو هيكل الله المقدس فيجب صيانته حيث كتب: “أم لستم تعلمون أن جسدكم هو هيكل للروح القدس الذي فيكم، الذي لكم من الله. وأنكم لستم لأنفسكم لأنكم قد اشتريتم بثمن، فمجدوا الله في أجسادكم وفي أرواحكم التي هي الله” (1كو </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;">20،19:6.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 20px;">٨</span><span style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;">الويل لمن كان سبب عثرة لأحد هؤلاءِ الصغار المؤمنين بي، فأفضل له لو عُلِّق في عنقه حجر الرحى وأغرق في أعماق البحر. </span><span style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;">الويل</span><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"> للعالم من العثرات! فلا بدَّ أن تأتي العثرات، ولكن الويل لمن تأتي العثرات على يده" (متّى 6:18-8 </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent; font-size: large;">"الويل لمن تأتي الشكوك على يده ..." (متى ١٨</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16">فالله ما دعانا إلى نجاسة، بل إلى قداسةٍ وطهارة. (١– تسا ٤/ ١–</a></span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">٧</span></span></a></span><br />
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<u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="line-height: 30px;">عندما تنظر المرأة إلى المصلوب وهي مرتديةٌ ثيابًا غير محتشمة ومبهرجةً، يجب أن تتخيل أنها تسمع صوت المسيح بكلمات كهذه:</span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"></a></span></u><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 30px;"> انظري إليّ يا ابنتي، أنا معلّقٌ على الصليب، عريان، ومغطّى بالجراح والدم، لأكفر عن لباسك وزينتك. فأنت تحتقرين ذلّي، حين تأتين دون خجل أمام عينيّ في القداس بلباس غير لائق وغير محتشم، لتطلبي مجد البشر وإعجابهم، فانتبهي مخافة أن تُلقي في نار جهنم بعد موتكِ بسبب ملابسكِ الفاضحة وحبّ ذاتكِ. إنّ المبالغة في ارتداء الملابس غير المحتشمة والفاضحة هي عمل أثيم وأبشع ممّا يستطيع الإنسان أن يتخيّل، لأنّها تتسبّب بالشكوك التي هي خطيئة، إذا لم يندم عليها ويعترف بها، تجلب على النفس الهلاك الأبديّ</span></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent; font-size: large;">يجب على الكاهن راعي الكنيسة أن يرشد الرعية ويكون صارماً في هذا الموضوع، فاللامبالاة أمر خطير جداً. عندما نسأل أي كاهن عن موضوع الحشمة وغطاء الرأس، يجيب الجواب المعتاد المعتمد من الجميع: لا نريد أن نضغط على المؤمنين لكي لا ينفروا من الكنيسة. تعليق بسيط: لو انهم مؤمنون فعلاً فهم لا ينفرون مهما كان ويتقبلون بتواضع نصائح وإرشادات الأب الروحي أو راعي الكنيسة </span></a></div>
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</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16" style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;">وثم نريد نوعية لا كمية إلا إذا كان هم الكهنة حصد مال أكثر في الصينية،</span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"></a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 30px;">. ولننظر إلى أوروبا الشرقية كيف بعد إضطهاد من الشيوعية ما يقارب التسعين عاماً، نرى الآن نهضة كبيرة جداً وإنجذاب إلى الكنيسة وإزدياد في أعداد المؤمنين رغم الصرامة وعدم </span></span></a></div>
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</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16" style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"> المساومة على التقليد.</span></a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16" style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent; font-size: large;"> لكن نتساءل كيف جذب الناس إلى الكنيسة؟ هل كانت متراخية وسهلة؟ طبعاً لا وهذا ما ينقض ما يقوله </span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16" style="line-height: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;">الآباء أننا نتساهل ونتراخى لكي لا ينفر الناس من الكنيسة وهكذا نجذبهم أكثر في راحتهم</span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16" style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;"><span style="background-color: #fdfdfd; font-family: Tahoma; text-align: start;"> </span></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"></a></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 30px;">ومن جذب الناس هو عمل الروح القدس وليس الرخاوة واللامبالاة. </span></span></a></div>
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</a><span style="font-family: 'Arabic Transparent'; line-height: 30px;">ملعون من يعمل عمل الرب بتهاون (ارميا12:48</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4671833209228648568" name="ver16"><span style="font-family: Arabic Transparent; font-size: large;">طبعاً لا نغفل مسؤولية الأهل أمام الله في تربية اولادهم والتنشئة الصحيحة لأن لهم الدور الأكبر كي يكونوا المثل الصالح والقدوة أمام أطفالهم ليتمثلوا بهم </span></a></div>
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true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-2758336016961782112013-08-27T01:48:00.001-07:002013-09-11T00:37:18.469-07:00A Prophesy of Future Lawlessness by St. Anatoly the Younger (+1922)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(End Times prophecy)<br />
A Prophesy of Future Lawlessness by St. Anatoly the Younger (+1922)<br />
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From a letter of the Optina Elder [and New Martyr] St. Anatoly the Younger<br />
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SOURCE: Orthodox Life, #3, 1993<br />
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And from that heresies will spread everywhere and deceive many people. The enemy of the human race will act with cunning in order to draw into heresy, if possible, even the elect.<br />
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He will not begin by crudely rejecting the dogmas of the Holy Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ and the virtue of the Theotokos, but he will begin imperceptibly to distort the teachings and statutes of the Church and their very spirit, handed down to us by the Holy Fathers through the Holy Spirit.<br />
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Few will notice these wiles of the enemy, only those more experienced in the spiritual life. Heretics will seize power over the Church and will place their servants everywhere; the pious will be regarded with contempt. He (the Lord) said, by their fruits ye shall know them, and so, by their fruits, as well as by the actions of the heretics, strive to distinguish them from the true pastors.<br />
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These are spiritual thieves, plundering the spiritual flock, and they will enter the sheepfold (the Church), climbing up some other way, using force and trampling upon the divine statutes. The Lord calls them robbers (cf. St. John 10:1). Indeed, their first task will be the persecution of the true pastors, their imprisonment and exile, for without this it will be impossible for them to plunder the sheep.<br />
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Therefore, my son, when you see the violation of patristic tradition and the divine order in the Church, the order established by God, know that the heretics have already appeared, although for the time being they may conceal their impiety, or they will distort the Divine Faith imperceptibly, in order to succeed better in seducing and enticing the inexperienced into the net.<br />
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The persecution will be directed against not only pastors but against all servants of God, for all those ruled by heresy will not endure piety. Recognize these wolves in sheep’s clothing by their proud dispositions and love of power. They will be slanderers, traitors, everywhere sowing enmity and malice; therefore the Lord said that by their fruits you will know them. True servants of God are humble, love their neighbor and are obedient to the Church.<br />
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Monastics will be greatly oppressed by the heretics and monastic life will be scorned. Monasteries will become scarce, the number of monastics will decline, and those who remain will endure violence. These haters of monastic life, however, having only the appearance of piety, will strive to attract the monks to their side promising them protection and worldly goods, and threatening those who oppose them with expulsion.<br />
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These threats will cause great despair among the fainthearted, but you, my son rejoice that you have lived until that time, for then the faithful who have not shown any other virtues, will receive crowns merely for standing firm in the faith, according to the word of the Lord (cf. St. Matthew 10:32).<br />
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Fear the Lord my son. Fear to lose the crown prepared (for you), fear to be cast by Christ into the outer darkness and eternal torment. Stand bravely in the faith, and if necessary, endure persecution and other sorrows, for the Lord will be with you… and the holy martyrs and confessors, they will look upon you and your struggle with joy.<br />
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But woe to the monks in those days who will be bound with possessions and riches, who because of love of peace will be ready to submit to the heretics. They will lull to sleep their conscience, saying, “We are preserving and saving the monastery and the Lord will forgive us.” The unfortunate and blind ones do not at all consider that through heresy the demons will enter the monastery and then it will no longer be a holy monastery, but merely walls from which grace will depart.<br />
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God, however, is mightier than the enemy, and He will never leave His servants. True Christians will remain until the end of this age, only they will choose to live in secluded, deserted places. Do not fear sorrows, rather fear pernicious heresy, for it strips us of grace and separates us from Christ. This is why the Lord commanded us to consider the heretic as a pagan and a publican.<br />
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And so my son, strengthen yourself in the grace of Jesus Christ. Hasten to confess the faith, to endure suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (cf II St. Timothy 2:13), Who has said, Be faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev.2:10).<br />
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To Him, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be honor, glory, and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-13261538035255261852013-08-26T08:49:00.001-07:002013-09-11T00:33:30.035-07:00Orthodox baptism & bad practices<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><b>Christian Baptism is the mystery of starting anew, of dying to an old way of life and being born again into a new way of life, in Christ. In the Orthodox Church, baptism is "for the remission of sins" and for entrance into the Church; the person being baptized is cleansed of all sins and is united to Christ; through the waters of baptism he or she is mysteriously crucified and buried with Christ, and is raised with him to newness of life, having "put on" Christ (that is, having been clothed in Christ). The cleansing of sins includes the washing away of the ancestral sin.The word baptize derives from baptizo, the transliterated form of the Greek word βάπτειν. In a historical context, it means "to dip, plunge, or immerse" something entirely, e.g. into water. Baptism is immediately followed by chrismation and Holy Communion at the next Divine Liturgy, regardless of age. Three times immerse fully in water & in each time the priest say "in the name of the Father and the son and the holy spirit.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><b>Check below the new age orthodoxy and their bad practices. Infants are not bothered to take off their "pampers" or even full clothes, and sometimes priests don't bother to take off their own jacket during baptism.</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #f6b26b; font-size: large;"><b>NOW see how real orthodox baptism should be</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-68026187430116742162013-08-26T08:02:00.000-07:002013-09-11T00:32:23.292-07:00لماذا هناك تقويمين في الكنيسة الارثوذكسية ؟<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;">
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<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">لماذا هناك تقويمين في الكنيسة الارثوذكسية ؟</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">يختلف التقويم اليوليوسي المتبع في الشرق 13 يوماً عن التقويم الغريغوري المتبع في الغرب. لذلك فإذا عيد الغربيون الميلاد في 25 كانون الأول ، يكون العيد في الشرق بتاريخ 7 كانون الثاني. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية كانت تتبع في جميع أعيادها التقويم اليوليوسي . عام 1583 وجه بابا روما نداء إلى الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية طالبها فيه بتغيير تقويمها والاعتراف برئاسة روما . عقد آباء الكنيسة الأرثوذكسية اجتماعاً عام 1583 ورفضوا كل مطالب روما.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">اجتماع 1923 خلق فوضى الأعياد في الكنيسة الأرثوذكس</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">في العام 1923 عقد اجتماع في القسطنطينية بدعوة من بطريركها آنذاك ملاتيوس الرابع (ميتاكساكيس)، وكان على برنامج عمله اقتراحات تغيير التقويم إضافة إلى تغيير طريقة الصوم وتقصير الصلوات وأمور أخرى مثل السماح للكهنة بلبس السترة وحلق اللحى.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">حضرت هذا الاجتماع كل من كنائس صربيا ورومانيا واليونان وتغيبت عنه الاسكندرية واورشليم وروسيا ، أما بلغاريا فلم تكن قد وجهت إليها الدعوة. وعند انتهاء الاجتماع وافقت بعض الكنائس على اعتماد التقويم الغربي في الأعياد السيدية جميعها ( الميلاد وغيره ) ومنها كنائس قبرص واليونان وأنطاكية على أن يبقى عيد الفصح على التقويم الشرق</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">والوضع اليوم هو كالتالي: كنائس انطاكية، القسطنطينية، الاسكندرية، اليونان، قبرص، رومانيا، بولندا، وبلغاريا تتبع التقويم الغريغوري في تحديد الأعياد الثابتة. أما كنائس روسيا، اورشليم، صربيا، وأديار الجبل المقدس أثوس ودير القديسة كاترينا في سيناء فتعتمد التقويم اليوليوسي في تحديد هذه الأعياد. ويعيّد كل العالم الأرثوذكسي الفصح والأعياد المتحركة التي تتبعه بحسب التقويم اليوليوسي. من الناحية العددية، أغلب الأرثوذكس هم أتباع التقويم اليوليوسي، أي حوالي السبعين بالمائة.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">لماذا يهتم مجلس الكنائس العالمي في أن يعيّد الشرق والغرب معاً في الفصح ولا يهتم الأرثوذكس في أن تعيّد أنطاكية وموسكو، واورشليم والقسطنطينية، واليونان وصربيا عيد الميلاد معاً؟ لماذا يرى مجلس الكنائس العالمي أن الشهادة ناقصة في تعييد الفصح مرتين ولا يرى الأرثوذكس نقصاً في أن يصوم قسم منهم صوم الرسل ولا يصومه الباقون؟ لأن لون الوحدة الحقيقية لدى الأرثوذكس صار باهتاً ولأن العبادة فقدت أولويتها على الطقوس. إن كنيسة مضعضعة لا تشهد للمسيح ولا تكون عروساً له. فعن أي كنيسة وأي وحدة وأي شهادة نتحدث في الكلام عن توحيد تاريخ تعييد الفصح؟</span></span></span><br />
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true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-67354920881635773692013-08-26T07:55:00.000-07:002013-09-10T10:09:35.881-07:00gross violations of the Holy Canons of the Orthodox Church.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b><u>Below images show gross violations of the Holy Canons of the Orthodox Church.</u></b></div>
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Orthodox Metropolite of Komotini (Greece) gives Quran to Muslim Sheikh</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Orthodox Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria gives Quran as gift to Sudanese President Omar el Bachir</span><br />
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Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew participating in prayers in Vatican</div>
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Orthodox bishop of Jerusalem Theophilus with freemason Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovitch<br />
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Orthodox bishop of Jerusalem Theophilus & other bishop with Freemasons</div>
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Orthodox lighting Menorah of the jews</div>
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Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople joined in prayer with heretics & pagans in Vatican</div>
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Orthodox bishop with the Lions Club (freemasons)</div>
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Orthodox Metropolitan Augustine receiving a blessing with sacramental oil from a Roman Catholic prelate. </div>
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<strong style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.25px;"> </strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">Metropolitans Chrysostom of Austria, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">Chrysostom of Myra, and Archm. Gennadios </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">take blessings from Pope Paul IV </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">at St. Peter’s (June 29, 1967).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">(Athens, February of 1994) - Hierarchs Damaskenos and Ambrosios (of Diavleia) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">and presbyters Stephanos (Abramidкs) and Evangellos (Mantzouneas) </span></div>
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of the EP take blessings from the head of the Anglicans, </div>
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Archbishop George Carey of Cantebury (<span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.71875px; text-align: start;">.2/3</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.71875px; text-align: start;"> of Church of England clergy doubt or disbelieve in the physical Resurrection, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.71875px; text-align: start;">and 3/4 are unconvinced by the Virgin birth.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.71875px; text-align: start;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #282828; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.71875px; text-align: start;">nearly 2,000 of the Church's 10,000 clergy also found that only half believe that faith in Christ is the only route to salvation.</span>)</div>
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<u>N.B</u>: presbyter kissing the hand became now Patriarch of Antioch & all the East</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px; text-align: center;">Gathering for the “Ecumenical Doxology of Peace” </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px; text-align: center;">(Washington, D.C., July 9, 1990), </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px; text-align: center;">Archb. Iakovos with fellow hierarchs worships </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px; text-align: center;">together with Roman Catholics, Protestants, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px; text-align: center;">Jewish Rabbi Tzeпms Roъntin, Muslim Imam Feпsal Chбn, and others.</span><br />
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Participating in worship with Protestant , Anglican, Catholic in Germany</div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">A much younger Chrysostom of Kition </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">reverently kisses Pope Paul IV’s left hand </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">after seeking his blessing </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">[</span><em style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 16.25px;">Orthodoxos Typos </em><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 16.25px;">, March 1, 1975].</span></div>
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<br />true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-4954810783033839272013-06-04T05:38:00.001-07:002013-09-11T00:47:23.291-07:00قوانين المجامع المسكونية السبعة<div style="text-align: center;">
المجامع المسكونية السبعة</div>
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وفق للكنيستين الرومانيّة و البيزنطيّة يرون أن مجمع خلقيدونية المجمع المسكوني الرابع و أحد المجامع المسكونية السبعة.</div>
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انعقد مجمع خلقيدونية سنة 451م يُعتبر من أهمّ المجامع، إذ نجم عن هذا المجمع انشقاقٌ أدّى إلى ابتعاد الكنائس الشرقيّة (: القبطيّةوالأرمنيّةوالسريانيّة ) عن الشركة مع الكنيستين الرومانيّة والبيزنطيّة الذين يرون أن مجمع خلقيدونية المجمع المسكوني الرابع و أحد المجامع المسكونية السبعة.</div>
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قوانين المجامع المسكونية السبعة</div>
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أؤمن بإله واحد آبٍ ضابط الكل. خالق السماء والأرض. وكل ما يُرى وما لا يُرى. وبربٍّ واحد يسوع المسيح. ابن الله الوحيد. المولود من الآب قبل كل الدهور. نور من نور. إله حق. من إله حق. مولود غير مخلوق. مساوٍ للآب في الجوهر. الذي به كان كل شيء. الذي من أجلنا نحن البشر ومن أجل خلاصنا نزل من السماء. وتجسد من الروح القدس ومن مريم العذراء ونأنس. وصلب عنا على عهد بيلاطس البنطي. وتألم وقبر وقام في اليوم الثالث على ما في الكتب. وصعد إلى السماء. وجلس عن يمين الآب. وأيضاً يأتي بمجد ليدين الأحياء والأموات. الذي لا فناء لملكه.وبالروح القدس الرب المحيي. المنبثق من الآب. الذي هو مع الآب والابن. مسجود له وممجد. الناطق بالأنبياء. وبكنيسة واحدة جامعة مقدسة رسولية. وأعترف بمعمودية واحدة لمغفرة الخطايا. وأترجى قيامة الموتى والحياة في الدهر الآتي. آمين.</div>
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إننا نعلّم جميعنا تعليماً واحداً تابعين الآباء القديسين. ونعترف بابن واحد هو نفسه ربنا يسوع المسيح. وهو نفسه كامل بحسب اللاهوت وهو نفسه كامل بحسب الناسوت. إله حقيقي وإنسان حقيقي. وهو نفسه من نفس واحدة وجسد واحد. مساوٍ للآب في جوهر اللاهوت. وهو نفسه مساوٍ لنا في جوهر الناسوت مماثل لنا في كل شيء ماعدا الخطيئة. مولود من الآب قبل الدهور بحسب اللاهوت. وهو نفسه في آخر الأيام مولود من مريم العذراء والدة الإله بحسب الناسوت لأجلنا ولأجل خلاصنا. ومعروف هو نفسه مسيحاً وابناً وربّاً ووحيداً واحداً بطبيعتين بلا اختلاط ولا تغيير ولا انقسام ولا انفصال من غير أن يُنفى فرق الطبائع بسبب الاتحاد بل إن خاصة كل واحدة من الطبيعتين ما زالت محفوظة تؤلفان كلتاهما شخصاً واحداً وأقنوماً واحداً لا مقسوماً ولا مجزّءاً إلى شخصين بل هو ابن ووحيد واحد هو نفسه الله الكلمة الرب يسوع المسيح كما تنبأ عنه الأنبياء منذ البدء وكما علّمنا الرب يسوع المسيح نفسه وكما سلّمنا دستور الآباء.</div>
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ونعترف بالمثل، بحسب رأي الآباء القديسين: في المسيح مشيئتان وإرادتان طبيعيتان وفعلان طبيعيان بدون افتراق، بدون استحالة، بدون انفصال، بدون اختلاط، (ونعترف): في إرادتان طبيعيتان غي متضادتين -معاذ الله- ... ولكن الإرادة الإنسانية (في يسوع) مطيعة وغير مقاومة وغير ثائرة بل خاضعة للمشيئة الإلهية والكلية القدرة. فكان على مشيئة الجسد أن تتحرك، ولكن أن تخضع للإرادة الإلهية وذلك بحسب أثناسيوس الحكيم جدا.ً</div>
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إننا نقبل الأيقونات ونسجد لها ونكرمها،احتراماً للذين صوّرت عليهم لا عبادة لهم، لأن العبادة إنما تجب لله وحده دون غيره".</div>
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المجمع المسكوني الأول</div>
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مجمع نيقية:</div>
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المجمع المسكوني الأول هو أحد المجامع المسكونية السبعة وفق للكنيستين الرومانيّة و البيزنطيّة و أحد المجامع المسكونية الأربعة وفق الكنائس الشرقيّةالقبطيّة و الأرمنيّةوالسريانيّة .</div>
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سمي مجمع نيقية بهذا الاسم نسبة الي المدينة التي عُقد فيها وهي العاصمة الثانية لولاية بيثينية وتقع في الشمال الغربي لآسيا الصغرى، وموضعها الآن قرية اسنيك التركية.</div>
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حضر افتتاح المجمع الامبراطور قسطنطين الأول و بدأ مجمع نيقية جلساته في 20 مايو325 و لا يعرف بالضبط عدد من حضره من الاساقفة و لكن يعتقد ان العدد تراوح بين 250 الي 318 اسقف معظمهم من الشرق (يعود عدد الاساقفة ال318 إلى ما بعد السنة 360) .</div>
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عقد المجمع بناء على تعليمات من الامبراطور قسطنطين الأول لدراسة الخلافات في كنيسة الإسكندرية بين آريوس واتباعه من جهه وبين الكسندروس الأول (بابا الإسكندرية) و اتباعه من جهةاخرى حول طبيعة يسوع هل هي نفس طبيعة الرب ام طبيعة البشر.</div>
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اخذ الامبراطور قسطنطين الأول موقفا دينيا محايدا من قرارات المجمع حيث انة كان في ذلك الوقت وثنيا و لم يتم تعميدة الا علي فراش الموت ، إلا إن اهتمامة بالموضوع كان لسبب سياسي محض حيث كان مهتما بحسم الصراع لصالح أحد الطرفين ليستطيع ان يكبح جماح الفتنة الناتجة عن تصادم العقيدتين.</div>
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أنكر آريوس ألوهية يسوع فاعتقد بأنه كان هناك وقت لم يكن يسوع موجودا فيه, واعتبره رفيعا بين مخلوقات الله ومِنْ صُنْعِهِ, كما اعتبر أن الروح القدس من صُنْعِ الله ايضا. بينما أكدالكسندروس الأول (بابا الإسكندرية) علي أن طبيعة المسيح هي من نفس طبيعة الله و تغلب رأي الكسندروس الأول (بابا الإسكندرية) بالاقتراع و رفض آريوس و أثنين من القساوسة باصرار التوقيع من ثم تم نفيهم الي اليرا (حاليا البلقان) و حرقت كتب آريوس و سمي مذهبة ببدعة اريوس وصم أتباعة الي اليوم بلقب أعداء المسيحيه.</div>
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تم ايضا في المجمع الاتفاق علي الاحتفال بعيد القيامه و علي موعدة علي ان يقوم بطريرك الاسكندرية بالاعلان عنة سنويا.</div>
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نتج عن مجمع نيقية أول أشكال قانون الايمان المسيحي و بدأت علاقة الكنيسة بالسلطة بالتشكل بعد ان كانت كيانا دينيا خالصا. و بعد ثلاثة قرون من تطور الفكر المسيحي و اختلاطة بالافكار و الاديان المحيطة بحرية في كل الاتجاهات أصبحت الكنيسة الموحدة هي المرجع و السلطة في تحديد من يدخل في نطاق الإيمان من عدمة.</div>
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المجمع المسكوني الثاني</div>
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(مجمع القسطنطينية الاول)</div>
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بعد انتصار الكنيسة في نيقية اشتدّ التنافر بين أتباع آريوس من جهة وأصحاب الرأي القويم من جهة ثانية, وعمّ جميع الأوساط الشعبية رجالا ونساء, خصوصاً بعد ان تسلّم الحكمَ في الشرق ثيوذوسيوس الكبير, وذلك في السنة 379. ولعلّ ألطف ما جاء في المراجع – كما يذكر د. أسد رستم –في وصف " تدخل العوام في علم الكلام ", قولُ القديس غريغوريوس النيصصي: "والجميع في الشوارع والأسواق وفي الساحات وعند مفترق الطرق يتكلّمون في ما لا يفقهون. فإذا سألت أحداً من الباعة: ماذا أدفع لك؟ أجابك: هو مولود أو غير مولود.وإذا أنت حاولت أن تعرف ثمن الخبز, أجابوك: ان الآب أعظم من الأبن. وإن سألت:هل الحمام جاهز؟ سمعت جواباً: ان الأبن جاء من العدم". المجمع المسكوني الثاني هو نتيجة طبيعية لمجمع نيقية, وذلك لأن الآريوسيين الذين قالواب "أن الأبن جاء من العدم" كان من البديهي أن يعتقدوا بمخلوقيّة الروح القدس أيضا.أبرز محاربي الأقنوم الثالث كان مقدونيوس بطريرك القسطنطينية. يقول ثيوذوريتوس في "التاريخ الكنسي" بأن مقدونيوس "رفعه الآريوسيين إلى كرسي القسطنطينية (العام 342) ظانين انه واحد منهم، لأنه كان يجدّف على الروح القدس، غير أنهم عزلوه لأنه لم يحتمل إنكار ألوهية الابن". يعود الفضل الأول في شرح عقيدة الروح القدس إلى القديس باسيليوس الكبير الذي رقد بالرب قبل انعقاد المجمع المسكوني الثاني بسنتين, وكان قد وضع كتاباً في العام 375 بعنوان " في الروح القدس"، استند فيه على الكثير من حجج القديس أثناسيوس الكبير في رسائله إلى سيرابيون اسقف ثُموُيس (355-361) ذلك أن ثمة فئةً في مصر كانت تحارب الوهية الروح القدس, أسماها بطل نيقية أثناسيوس "التروبيك" نسبة اللى كلمة يونانية تعني اللعب على اللفاظ وتفسير الآيات بغير موضعها.اعتبر المؤرخان سقراط وصوزمينس وأيضاً القديس إيرونيموس وروفينوس أن مقدونيوس هو مؤسس بدعة التربيك، ولعلّ سبب ذلك هو أن أعوانه انضمّوا إلى هؤلاء المجدفين بعد خلع مقونيوس عن عرش القسطنطينية. لا يعلم مؤرخو اللاهوت الشيء الكثير عن جماعة التروبيك ومعتقداتهم، غير أنهم يعتقدون بأن المتطرفين منهم لم يكتفوا بإنكار الوهيّة الروح القدس وإنما رفضوا أيضاً مساواة الابن والآب في الجوهر.</div>
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الدعوة للمجمع:</div>
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التأم المجمع المسكوني الثاني في القسطنطينية سنة 381، بناء على دعوة الامبراطور ثيوذوسيوس الكبير. وعلى الرغم من المشاكل الكثيرة والتعقيدات المتعدّدة التي حصلت بسببه, ومنها ان أبرشيات الغرب بما فيها روما لم تُدعَ إلى المشاركة فيه, اعتبره القديس غريغوريوس واحداً من أربعة مجامع يحترمها ويجلّها كما يحترم ويجلّ الأناجيل الأربعة المقدسة. رئس المجمع أولاً أسقف انطاكية ملاتيوس الذي توفّي أثناء التئامه, فأُسندت رئاسته إلى القدّيس غريغوريوس اللاهوتي، وكانت قد أُقيمت عليه دعوى لخرقه القوانين التي تمنع انتقال الأساقفة لانتقاله من ابرشيته إلى كرسي القسطنطينية, فاستعفى، وترأس مكانه خلفه في أسقفية القسطنطينية نكتاريوس</div>
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إلتآم المجمع:</div>
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جدّد آباء المجمع المئة والخمسون التزامهم بعقيدة نيقية, غير أنهم اضافوا بعض التعديلات الطفيفة على دستور الإيمان مثل عبارة:"لا فناء لملكه" وذلك دحضاً لبدعة أبوليناريوس أسقف اللاذقيّة الذي قال إن مُلْك المسيح يدوم ألف سنة. أبوليناريوس هذا الذي كان صديقا لأثناسيوس الكبير تطرّف في دفاعه عن الأرثوذكسية ضد الاريوسية، وإذ أراد أن يشدّد على الوهية المسيح الكاملة وعلى وحدة اللاهوت والناسوت اضاف إلى ذلك قولَه إنه لم يحدث اي تدرّج او تقدّم في حياة المسيح الأدبية, ولكي يثبت زعمه فرّق بين ناسوت المسيح وناسوت الناس فقال غن ابن الله عندما تجسّد لم يأخذ سوى جسد ونفس غير عاقلة, اما النفس العاقلة (العقل البشري) فقد قام مقامَها الكلمة الإلهي نفسُه.ضد هذا التعليم الغريب شهد آباء المجمع المسكوني الثاني بأن كلمة الله التام الذي قبل الدهور صار انساناً تاماّ في آخر الأزمنة من أجل خلاصنا.</div>
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أعمال وقوانين المجمع:</div>
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دحض الآباء القديسون أقوال أعداء الروح القدس, مثبّتين من الكتاب الإلهي بأنه هو "الرب" كما الآب والابن, في حين لم يكن في نظر المقدونيين سوى أحد الأرواح الخادمة. وأعلنوا أنه "منبثق من الآب" وهو مع الآب والابن مسجود له وممجّد"، علماً بأن المقدونيين كانوا يقولون بأنه خليقة الابن. أصدر المجمع قوانين عدة غير ان الغبيين- الذين وافقوا في السنة 382 في مجمع التأم في رومية برئاسة البابا داماسيوس الأول على أعمال المجمع المسكوني واعترفوا به مجمعا ً قانونياً نظير مجمع نيقية- لم يسرّهم القانون الثالث الذي يقضي بجعل أسقف القسطنطينية مساوياً لأسقف رومية وله " إكرام التقدّم بعده, لأن القسطنطينية هي رومية الجديدة", كما أن القانون ذاته أقلق كنيسة الاسكندرية أيضا وكان بمثابة تحدّ لها. آثرت رومية, بعد تساؤلات كثيرة ومتنوعة, على تجاهل القانون الثالث واعتبرته مهيناً, ولم يعترف البابا رسمياً بحق القسطنطينية بتولّي المركز الثاني قبل مجمع لاتران (السنة 1215)، وكانت القسطنطينية وقتئذ ٍ في يد الصليبيين وتحت سلطة بطريرك لاتيني.</div>
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المجمع المسكوني الثالث:</div>
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(مجمع افسوس الاول)</div>
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مقدمة:</div>
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بعد المجمع المسكوني الثاني ظهرت مسائل عقائدية جديدة, موضوعها هذه المرة ليس الثالوث القدوس في ذاته وانما الوحدة الشخصية بين ابن الله والانسان يسوع المسيح. التوسع في بسط هذه الحقيقة كان يصير –في حينه- بطريقة مختلفة بين المدرسة الانطاكية التي كانت تشدّد على واقعيّة التجسد وتُميِّز، في صراعها مع الآريوسيين وأَتباع أبوليناريوس، بين الطبيعتين الإلهية والانسانية, وبين مدرسة الاسكندرية التي كانت تنطلق من وحدة الطبيعتين في المسيح.</div>
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فتح نسطوريوس بُعيد انتخابه بطريركا على القسطنطينية في العام 428، باب الجدال على مصراعيه حين ابى ان يُطْلق على العذراء مريم لقب " والدة الإله"، وكان هذا اللقب الكتابي والمستعمل حرفيا عند اوريجنس قد دخل في العبادة الشعبية. ولد نسطوريوس في مرعش من اعمال سورية على الفرات, وترهّب في انطاكية, ودرس في مدرستها على ثيوذورس اسقف مصيّصة الذي علّم ان " الله الكلمة اتخذ انسانا كاملا من نفس عقلية ونفس انسانية موجودة معها "، وكان يقول ب"تماسٍ" بسيط بين الطبيعتين. اعتنق نسطوريوس نظريات معلّمه وأيد كمال ناسوت المسيح, غير انه شدّد كثيرا على التمييز بين ناسوته ولاهوته معتبرا ان مريم ولدت طبيعة المسيح الانسانية وليس طبيعته الإلهية, وقال بأن تسميتها ب"والدة الإله " تعني امرين اثنين: إما ان يسوع ليس انسانا كاملا، وهذا ما كان يقوله ابوليناريوس, واما انه اله مخلوق, وهذا ما كان يقوله آريوس.</div>
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مقاومة النسطورية</div>
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تزعَّم مقاومة هذا التعليم على مستوى الكنيسة الجامعة كيرلُّس رئيس اساقفة الاسكندرية الذي نال تأييد بابا رومية. انطلق كيرلس في دفاعه من وحدة شخص المسيح أكثر من انطلاقه من التمييز بين ناسوته ولاهوته معتبرا ان القول بطبيعتين كاملتين في المسيح لا يعني التمييز بينهما إلى حدّ الفصل والتفريق، لان الطبيعة الانسانية فيه لم يكن لها كيان خاص اي لم تكن شخصا. ولذلك اراد ان يفرض على خصومه القبول بعبارة "الاتحاد الشخصي " في المسيح بين العنصرين الإلهي والانساني.</div>
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نظرة جديدة</div>
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يرى بعض مؤرخي اللاهوت اليوم أن افكار نسطوريوس لم تكن خاطئة، وان خلافه مع كيرلس هو خلاف لفظي, وان ما رفضه مجمع افسس في البدعة النسطورية ليس تعاليم نسطوريوس شخصيا, بل التفسير الذي اعطاه كيرلس لتلك التعاليم. من دون ان نهمل هذه النظرة نقول ان الازمة النسطورية ارغمت الكنيسة على حسم النزاع وتوضيح ايمانها بوحدة الشخص في المسيح. ففي السنة ال431 دعا الامبراطور ثيوذوسيوس الثاني إلى مجمع مسكوني عُقد في افسس, المدينة التي كانت تكرم العذراء مريم لدرجة العبادة, حضره مئتا أسقف أعلنوا جميعا موافقتهم على رسالة كيرلس التي بعثها إلى نسطوريوس, ومما جاء فيها: " اننا نعترف بأن الكلمة صار واحدا مع الجسد, اذ اتحد به اتحادا شخصيا. فنعبد الشخص الواحد الابن والرب يسوع المسيح. اننا لا نُفرق بين الله والانسان ولا نفصل بينهما وكأنهما اتحدا الواحد بالآخر اتحاد كرامة وسلطة... ولا ندعو الكلمة المولود من الله مسيحا آخر غير المسيح المولود من امرأة. وانما نعترف بمسيح واحد هو الكلمة المولود من الآب وهو الذي اتّخذ جسداً. أعطى المجتمعون عبارة " والدة الإله"(ثيوطوكس) الأهمية ذاتها في عقيدة التجسد لعبارة " المساوي في الجوهر" في عقيدة الثالوث, وذلك لانها تحافظ على وحدة شخص المسيح, ووقّع حوالي ال187 اسقفا على قرار المجمع القاضي بتجريد نسطوريوس من "الكرامة الاسقفية ومن درجة الكهنوت". ثبَّت هذا المجمع أيضا الحكم على بعض الهرطقات التي دانتها بعض المجامع المكانية, مثل هرطقة بيلاجيوس ورفيقه كَلِستوس (حكم عليهما مجمع في قرطاجة) اللذين اعادا خلاص الانسان للإرادة والجهاد البشريين منكرَيْن دور النعمة الإلهية في هذا الخلاص, ومن ثم أصدر المجمع ثمانية قوانين.</div>
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رافقت مجمع افسس احداث معقدة, وذلك ان الوفد الانطاكي المؤلف من 33 أسقفا والذي يرأسه يوحنا بطريرك انطاكية كان قد تأخر بضعة ايام عن موعد افتتاح المجمع, وكان المجمع قد أصدر حكمه بإدانة نسطوريوس. بادر الانطاكيون – فور وصولهم – إلى عقد مجمع خاص بهم مع بعض الاساقفة الآخرين وكان عددهم 150 اسقفا, فحكموا على كيرلس لكونه تصرف خلافا للشرع الكنسي, ورأوا في أقواله ما رآه نسطوريوس سقوطا في ضلال ابوليناريوس. بيد أن موفدي رومية, الذين قَدِموا بعد الوفد الانطاكي ايضا بايام, كان موقفهم مختلفا, وذلك انهم وافقوا على ما جاء في وقائع الجلسة الاولى وثبّتوا الحكم على نسطوريوس, ومن ثم حَرَمَ المجمع يوحنا بطريرك انطاكية. إزاء هذا البلبال أُقفل المجمع, وأمر الامبراطور بتوقف كيرلس ونسطوريوس معا, غير انه مال – تحت تأثير غغط الشعب والرهبان – إلى جهة المجمع, فقيل استقالة نسطوريوس وصرف كيرلس والاساقفة إلى كراسيهم.</div>
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عَمِل الانطاكيون المعتدلون وعلى رأسهم يوحنا على إعادة السلام بين الكنائس وخصوصا بين انطاكية والاسكندرية, فتوصلوا بعد حوالى السنتين إلى مصالحة نهائية على اساس نص اعتراف وضعه لاهوتيون من انطاكية والاسكندرية دُعي بقانون الوحدة, وجاء فيه:"اننا نعترف بأن سيدنا يسوع الميسح ابن الله الوحيد هو إله تام وانسان تام من نفس ناطقة وجسد, مولود من الآب بحسب اللاهوت وهو عينه مولود في الازمنة الاخيرة لاجلنا من العذراء مريم بحسب الناسوت.... اذ قام فيه اتحاد الطبيعتين.... وأن القديسة مريم بحسب هذا الاتحاد العادم الاختلاط هي والدة الإله, لأن الإله الكلمة تجسد وتأنس منها ومن بدء الحمل أَتْحَدَ ذاته بالهيكل الذي منها....".</div>
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مجمع افسوس الثاني</div>
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وفق للكنائس الشرقيّة (القبطيّة و الأرمنيّةوالسريانيّة ) المجامع المسكونية الأربعة هي; مجمع نيقية, مجمع القسطنطينية الأول, مجمع أفسس ، مجمع أفسس الثاني.</div>
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وفق للكنيستين الرومانيّة و البيزنطيّة مجمع خلقيدونية هو المجمع المسكوني الرابع و أحد المجامع المسكونية السبعة.</div>
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البابا ديوسقورس</div>
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البابا ديوسقورس: هو بطل مجمع أفسس الثاني 449م الذي عقد بسـبب بدعـة أوطاخـي ضـد الناسوت. حكم علي البابا ديسقورس فيما بعد ظلما في مجمع خلقيدونية سـنة 451م ومات في المنفي.</div>
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عقد المجمع</div>
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لسنة 449م إذ اقتنع الإمبراطور ثيؤدوسيوس الثاني بعقد مجمع طلب من ديسقورس أن يمارس سلطته في المجمع كرئيس، وطلب من يوبيناليوس أسقف أورشليم وتلاسيوس أسقف قيصريةكبادوكيا أن يكونا رئيسين شريكين معه. كان اوطيخا رئيس دير في القسطنطينية يضم أكثر من 300 راهب و إعاد مجمع أفسس الثاني اعتبار أوطيخا</div>
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عقد المجمع الجلسة الأولى في 8 أغسطس عام 449م، وحضره 150 أسقف برئاسة البابا ديسقوروس وبحضور الأسقف يوليوس ممثل بابا روما، وجيوفينال أسقف أورشليم، ودمنوس أسقف أنطاكيا وفلافيان بطريرك القسطنطينية. وبعد استعراض وقائع مجمع أفسس الأول 431م، ومجمع القسطنطينية المكانى 448م، وقراءة اعتراف مكتوب لأوطيخا بالإيمان الأرثوذكسى قدّمه إلى المجمع مخادعاً.</div>
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حكم المجمع</div>
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بعد الاستماع إلى آراء الحاضرين؛ حكم المجمع بإدانة وعزل فلافيان بطريرك القسطنطينية ويوسابيوس أسقف دوروليم وبتبرئة أوطيخا وإعادته إلى رتبته الكهنوتية. كما حكم المجمع بحرم وعزل كل من هيباس أسقف الرها وثيئودوريت أسقف قورش وآخرين.</div>
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لم يعقد المجمع (أفسس الثاني) بناء على طلب البابا ديوسقورس، ولم توجد بينه وبين الأباطرة رسائل مسبقة في هذا الشأن. هذا يعنى أن القديس ديوسقورس لم يكن يبغي نفعًا شخصيًا خطط له.</div>
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لم يصف الخطاب الإمبراطوري القديس ديوسقورس بألقاب تكريم أكثر من غيره. هذا يعنى عدم وجود اتفاقات مسبقة بين الإمبراطور والقديس ديوسقورس.</div>
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تكشف الرسائل الملوكية عن وجود اضطرابات لاهوتية متزايدة في إيبارشية القسطنطينية. كان طلب الإمبراطور من القديس ديسقورس هو الإسراع لوضع حد للمتاعب اللاهوتية. هذا ومما يجب مراعاته أن ديسقورس لم يعلن عن صيغة إيمان جديدة، بل كان يسعى للمحافظة على الصيغة التقليدية للإيمان الكنسي.</div>
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أُخذت القرارات بالتصويت، ولم نسمع أن أسقفًا من الحاضرين احتج أو انسحب من المجمع (غير فلابيانوس ويوسابيوس عند إصدار الحكم).</div>
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في الكلمة الافتتاحية التي ألقاها يوبيناليوس الأورشليمي، وصف لاون أسقف روما بـ "القديس"، "محب الله"، وأعطى لدومنوس أسقف إنطاكية لقب "محب الله"...هذه الألقاب تكشف عن روح المجمع.</div>
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عندما سأل لاون أسقف روما إمبراطور الغرب فالنتينوس وأمه وأخته بولشاريا للتوسط لدى ثيؤدوسيوس الثاني ليعقد مجمعًا آخر أرسل الأخير رسالة يمتدح فيها مجمع أفسس بأن خوف الرب كان يحكمه، وأن أعضاءه تمسكوا بالإيمان الحق وقوانين الآباء، وأنه قد فحص الأمر بنفسه وهو راضٍ.</div>
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في الرسالة الملوكية في افتتاح المجمع أعلن الإمبراطور منعه ثيؤدورت أسقف قورش من الحضور بسبب الآلام التي يعانيها المؤمنون، حتى الذين في القرى، من النساطرة. في الواقع لم يكن ديسقورس عنيفًا بل النساطرة كما شهد الإمبراطور نفسه بذلك.</div>
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لم ينطق القديس ديوسقورس حتى اللحظة الأخيرة من انعقاد المجمع بكلمة ضد روما، بينما لاون في رسائله يشير إلى بابانا القديس ديسقورس بأنه "السفاح المصري" و"معلم أخطاء الشيطان" والباذل بقوة جهده لبث التجاديف وسط اخوته. وسنرى كيف أن أناطوليوس أسقف القسطنطينية وغيره قد رفضوا نَسْب الهرطقة للبابا الإسكندري.</div>
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من الطبيعي أن ينسب النساطرة العنف للبابا الإسكندري ليخفوا سلوكهم العنيف في مجمع القسطنطينية كما شهد الإمبراطور ثيؤدوسيوس الثاني وأيضًا سلوكهم القاسي مع أوطيخا وأعوانه، وقد كتب أوطيخا في التماسه للأساقفة أنه [أكد أثناء محاكمته رغبته في إتباعه ما قد صمموا عليه، ولكن فلابيانوس رفض الالتماس، كما اعترض على العنف الذي استخدم ضده في المجمع وما بعد المجمع بواسطة العامة]. ونحن نعلم أن فلابيانوس قد حرم كثيرًا من قادة الرهبان لأنهم سندوا أوطيخا ضد الثنائية النسطورية.</div>
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إعادة اعتبار أوطيخا لم يكن خطأ ديسقورس أن المجمع أعاد اعتبار أوطيخا، وذلك للأسباب الآتية: أ. كتب لاون أسقف روما إلى بولشاريا قائلاً بأن أوطيخا انزلق في الهرطقة عن جهل منه، إن تاب فليعامل حسنًا. ب. أعلن أوطيخا عبارات أرثوذكسية مثل قوله: [فإنه هو نفسه، كلمة الله، نزل من السماء بلا جسد، صار جسدًا من ذات جسد العذراء دون أن يتغير أو يتحول، بطريقة هو نفسه يعلمها ويريدها. وهو الإله الكامل قبل الدهور هو بعينه صار إنسانًا كامل</div>
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المجمع المسكوني العظيم:</div>
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مجمع خلقيدونية:</div>
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انعقد سنة 451م: يُعتبر من أهمّ المجامع، إذ نجم عن هذا المجمع انشقاقٌ أدّى إلى ابتعاد الكنائس الشرقيّة (: القبطيّةوالأرمنيّةوالسريانيّة ) عن الشركة مع الكنيستين الرومانيّة و البيزنطيّة الذين يرون أن مجمع خلقيدونية المجمع المسكوني الرابع.</div>
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الكنائس الشرقيّة رفضوا اصطلاح "طبيعتين" الذي كان يوازي عندهم لفظة (شخصين). وكانوا يفضلون عليها تعابير أخرى وردت عند البابا كيرلّس مثل عبارة "طبيعة واحدة" في قولته الشهيرة: "طبيعة واحدة للإله الكلمة المتجسد" ..</div>
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الخلقيدونيين يقولون إنه إن كان مجمع خلقيدونية سنة 451م قد سبب شقاقًا في الكنيسة، فإنهم يرون أن ما حدث كان رد فعل لمجمع أفسس الثاني عام 449م، الذي دعاه لاون أسقف روما بالمجمع اللصوصي، ويتهم المؤرخون واللاهوتيون القديس ديوسقورس بالعنف .</div>
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الخلاف العقيدى</div>
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البحث الدقيق يبرهن أن البابا ديسقوروس لم يكن أوطاخياً، ولهذا لم يحكم عليه مجمع خلقيدونية لأسباب عقائدية، كما ذكر أناتوليوس بطريرك القسطنطينية رئيس المجمع في جلسة 22 أكتوبر عام 451م. كما أن البطريرك فلافيان والأسقف يوسابيوس لم يكونا نسطوريين. </div>
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بعد وفاة البابا ديسقوروس انتخب في 16 مارس 457م البابا تيموثاوس الثانى (الشهير بأوريلُّوس) خليفة وتمكن في عهد الإمبراطور "باسيليسكوس" من عقد مجمع عام آخر في أفسس سنة 475م (يلقبه البعض مجمع أفسس الثالث) حضره 500 أسقف من سوريا واسيا الصغرى وغيرها . هذا المجمع حرم تعاليم أوطيخا وتعاليم نسطور ورفض مجمع خلقيدونية. وقد وقّع على قرار هذا المجمع 700 أسقف شرقى. </div>
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الذين اتحدوا مع باباوات الإسكندرية جهاراً من بطاركة القسطنطينية هم: أكاكيوس 481م، وأفراويطاس 491م، وتيموثاوس الأول 511م، وأنتيموس 535م، وسرجيوس 608م، وثيوذوروس 666م، ويوحنا 721م.. وخلاف ذلك تقّر كنيسة القسطنطينية بالمذهب الخلقيدوني.</div>
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ثمّة مساعٍ بين هذه الكنائس كافّة لإعادة الوحدة فيما بينها نتج عنها تحقيق بعض الخطوات في هذا النحو. بعد قانون الوحدة -الذي وضعه لاهوتيّون من أنطاكية والاسكندرية- حصل اختلاف حول بعض التعابير الواردة فيه حسم البابا شنودة الثالث الخلاف العقيدى بين الكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية وبين الكاثوليك في هذه النقطة مع الكاثولـيك وتم الأتفاق بـأن المسـيح طبيـعة واحدة متحدة من الـلاهوت والناسوت بغير اختلاط ولا امتـزاج ولا تغيير لم تؤمن الكنيسة المصرية بالصورة التي وُصِفَت في مجمع خلقيدونية. وكانت ذلك يعني في المجمع، الإيمان بطبيعة واحدة. أما الأقباط فيؤمنون أن السيد المسيح كامِلاً في لاهوته، وكامِلاً في ناسوته، وهذان الطبيعتان مُتَّحِدَتان في طبيعة واحدة هي "طبيعة تَجَسُّد الكلمة"، والتي أوضحا البابا كيرلس السكندري. الأقباط إذن، يؤمنون بطبيعتان: "لاهوتية" و"ناسوتية"، وهما مُتَّحِدَتان بغير إختلاطٍ ولا إمتزاجٍ، ولا تغيير وهذا من الاختلافات التي حسبت ضد الكنيسة القبطية.</div>
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أسباب عقد مجمع خلقيدونية</div>
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تم رفض قرارات مجمع أفسس الثاني من قبل بابا روما واعداد كبيرة من الاساقفة ودعى الإمبراطور مرقيانوس والإمبراطورة بولخيريا لانعقاد مجمع خلقيدونية بناء على طلب أسقف روما فتم عقد مجمع خلقيدونية في مدينة خلقيدونية سنة 451 وحضره 330 أسقفاً (في رواية) و600 أسقف في روايةأخرى.</div>
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و يعتبر مجمع خلقدونية اكبر المجمعات , و اتخذ قرارت هامة وذهب البعض إلى ان أوطاخي قد "دلّس به وخدع آباء المجمع الذين أقرّوا بأرثوذكسيته، وهذه الكنائس هي التي رفضت لاحقاً مجمع خلقيدونية وإن كان آباؤها قد قاموا في ذلك المجمع (خلقيدونية) بالحكم بهرطقة أوطاخي ، أما الكنائس التي اعترفت بخلقيدونية فتطلق على مجمع إفسس الثاني المجمع اللصوصي وترفض نتائجه .</div>
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اعلن لاون (أسقف روما) طومسه قبل المجمع ، وقام الإمبراطور مرقيون والإمبراطورة بوليخاريا بجمع التوقيعات عليه منذ عام 450 م - بغرض إعداد ورقة اساسية ضد اللاهوتيين الإسكندريين وإتهامهم بأن الأقباط اعتنقا البدعة الأوطاخية الذى سقط في الهرطقة أثناء مقاومته للنساطرة ( ظن أوطاخى أن لاهوت المسيح (كلمة الرب الإله) أبتلع ناسوته أوجسده ، أو أن جسده ذاب في لاهوته ) ، وحاول لاون أسقف روما تشوية صورة الكنيسة المصرية بنسب الأوطاخية لآبائها .</div>
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ويرى بعض المؤرخين ان مجمع خلقيدونية لعب دوراً هاماً في التأثير على الكنيسة أو أن رؤساء بعض الكنائس وجهت السياسة لصالحها على أى حال يقول Aloys Grillemeier الألمانى : " تحت الضغط المستمر من جانب الإمبراطور مرقيون وافق آباء خلقيدونية على وضع صيغة جديدة إيمانية .</div>
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البابا ديوسقورس و مجمع خلقيدونية</div>
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أنه لما دعي البابا ديوسقورس إلى المجمع المسكوني الخلقدوني بأمر الملك مرقيان ، رأى الملك ، فقال ان كان هذا المجمع بأمر السيد المسيح ، فأنا أحضره ، وأتكلم بما يتكلم به الرب على لساني وان كان قد اجتمع بأمر الملك ، فليدبر الملك مجمعه كما يريد ، وأذ رأى أن لاون بطريرك رومية قد علم أن للمسيح طبيعتين ومشيئتين من بعد الاتحاد ، انبرى لدحض هذا المعتقد الجديد فقال "ان المسيح واحد ، هو الذي دعي إلى العرس كإنسان ، وهو الذي حول الماء خمرا كإله ، ولم يفترق في جميع أعماله" ، واستشهد بقول البابا كيرلس "ان اتحاد كلمه الله بالجسد ، كاتحاد النفس بالجسد ، وكاتحاد النار بالحديد ، وان كانا من طبيعتين مختلفتين ، فباتحادهما صارا واحدا" . ، كذلك السيد المسيح ، مسيح واحد ،. ورب واحد ، طبيعة واحدة ، مشيئة واحدة . فلم يجسر أحد من المجتمعين في المجمع أن يقاومه وقد كان فيهم من حضر مجمع أفسس الذي اجتمع على نسطور وأعلموا الملك مرقيان Marcian والملكة پولكاريا Pulcheria ، أنه لم يخالف أمركما في الأمانة إلا ديوسقورس بطريرك مدينة الإسكندرية . فاستحضراه هو والمتقدمين في المجمع من الأساقفة ، واستمروا يتناقشون ويتباحثون إلى أخر النهار ، والقديس ديسقورس لا يخرج عن أمانته ، فشق ذلك على الملك والملكة ، فأمرت الملكة بضربه على فمه ، ونتف شعر لحيته ، ففعلوا ذلك ، فاخذ الشعر والأسنان التي سقطت ، وأرسلها إلى الإسكندرية قائلا : هذه ثمرة الإيمان ، أما بقية الأساقفة فانهم لما رأوا ما جرى لديوسقورس ، وافقوا الملك ، لأنهم خافوا أن يحل بهم ما حل به، فوقعوا بإيديهم على وثيقة الاعتقاد بان للمسيح طبيعتين مختلفتين مفترقتين ، فلما علم ديوسقورس ، أرسل فطلب الطومس Tome ( أي الإقرار الذي كتبوه ) زاعما أنه يريد أن يوقع مثلهم ، فلما قرأه كتب في أسفله بحرمهم وحرم كل من يخرج عن الأمانة المستقيمة ، فاغتاظ الملك وأمر بنفيه إلى جزيرة غانغرا ، ونفى معه القديس مقاريوس أسقف إدكو ، واثنان آخران ، وظل المجمع بخلقيدونية يعمل لصالح المسيحية .</div>
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الجدير بالذكر ان اسباب مجمع خلقيدونية المعلنة لعزل البابا ديوسقورس اسباب عقائدية لاهوتية واسباب ادارية تتعلق بموقفه في مجمع أفسس الثاني حيث اعاد اوطاخي للشركة وتمت الاساءة لفلافيان. وكان لابد من مجمع خلقدونية .</div>
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أحداث مجمع خلقيدونية</div>
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بدأ مجمع خلقيدونية أعماله في الثامن من تشرين الأول سنة 451 في خلقيدونية. وتكون من عدد كبير من الاساقفة في مختلف ارجاء سوريا وما حولها .</div>
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أساقفة سوريا</div>
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الوفد الأنطاكي: وتألف الوفد الأنطاكي السوري من مئة وثلاثين أسقفاً وذلك على الوجه التالي:</div>
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أساقفة سورية الأولى: مكسيموس أسقف أنطاكية وماراس أسقف خناصير (جنوب شرق حلب على بعد ستين كيلومتراً عنها) وثيوكتيستوس أسقف حلب ورومولوس أسقف قنسرين وبوليكاريوس أسقف جبلة وبطرس أسقف الجبّول ومكاريوس أسقف اللاذقية وسابا أسقف بلدة وجيرونتيوس أسقف سلفكية. </div>
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أساقفة سورية الثانية: دومنوس أسقف أبامية ومرقس أسقف الرستن وتثموثاوس أسقف بلنياس وافتيخيانوس أسقف حماه وملاتيوس أسقف شيزر وبولس أسقف مريمين إلى شرقي المشتى ولمباذيوس أسقف رفنية وافسابيوس أسقف جسر شغور. </div>
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أساقفة أسورية: وهم اثنان وعشرون أولهم باسيليوس أسقف سفلكية الساحلية ويأتي بعده يعقوب أسقف أنيموريون واكاكيوس أسقف أنطاكية. </div>
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أساقفة قيليقية الأولى: ثيودوروس أسقف طرسوس وفيليبوس أسقف ادنه وثيودوروس أسقف أوغسطة وخمسة آخرون. </div>
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أساقفة قيليقية الثانية: كيروس أسقف عين زربة ويوليانوس أسقف الإسكندرية وباسيانوس أسقف موبسوستي ويوليانوس أسقف أرسوز وخمسة آخرون.</div>
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أساقفة الفرات: اسطفانوس اسقف منبج وقوزمة قورش وتيموثاوس أسقف دولك وداود أسقف جرابلس ويوحنا أسقف مرعش وبتريقيوس أسقف صفين وماراس أسقف روم قلعة واثناثيوس أسقفبيرين ومايانوس أسقف الرصافة وروفينوس أسقف سيمساط واوراتيوس أسقف سوريه وسوره على الفرات وايفولغيوس أسقف بلقيس. </div>
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أساقفة الرها: نونوس أسقف مدينة الرها ودانيال أسقف بيرة جك ودميانوس أسقف الرقة وابراهيم أسقف كيراسيوم ولعلها قرقيسيون بالقرب من الرقة عند مصب الخابور في الفرات وصفرونيوس أسقف قسطنطينية ويوحنا أسقف حران اعالي الجزيرة السورية وقيومة أسقف مركوبوليس ويوحنا أسقف العرب . </div>
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أساقفة ما بين النهرين: سمعان أسقف أمد وماراس أسقف غزى (وهي مجهولة الموقع) وقيومة أسقف آنجل ونوح أسقف [كيفا] وزبنوس أسقف ميافارقين وافسابيوس أسقف صوفانة . </div>
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أساقفة العربية جنوب سوريا : قسطنطين أسقف بصرى وبروكلوس أسقفة درعا ومالك أسقف مسمية ، وثيودوسيوس أسقف القنوات وسُليم أسقف قسطنطينة اللجا منطقة اللجا جنوب سوريا في السويداء ، وماراس أسقف السويداء ويوحنا أسقف الصنمين وزوسيس أسقف حسبان واناستاسيوس أسقف حران وبلانكوس أسقف جرش وغيانوس أسقف مادبا وسويروس أسقف نوى وغوطوس أسقف مشنّف مشنف في السويداء وافلوجيوس أسقف عمان وهورميداس أسقف شهبا ونونوس اسقف اذرع. </div>
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أساقفة فينيقية الأولى والساحلية: فوطيوس أسقف صور والكسندروس أسقف طرطوس وبولس أسقف أرواد ( جزيرة أرواد مقابل طرطوس ) وايراقليطس أسقف عرقة وافستاثيوس أسقف بيروتويورفيريوس أسقف بترون وبطرس أسقف جبيل وفوسفوروس أسقف عرطوز واوليمبوس أسقفبانياس وتوما أسقف النبي يونس Porphyreon وبولس أسقف عكا ودميانوس أسقف صيداوثيودوروس أسقف طرابلس.</div>
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أساقفة فينيقية الثانية : ثيودوروس أسقف دمشق ويردانوس أسقف [[سوق وادي بردى] (في الغوطة) وثيودوروس أسقف مهين وأورانيوس أسقف حمص وتوما أسقف جوارين ويوسف أسقفبعلبكبعلبك وافسابيوس أسقف يبرود وفاليريوس أسقف قطيبة ويوحنا أسقف تدمر وافستاثيوس أسقف العرب . </div>
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الوفود الأخرى: وتألف الوفد الروماني من الأسقفين باسكاسينوس ولوشنتيوس والقسين بونيفاتيوس وباسيليوس وانضم إليهما يوليانوس أسقف جزيرة كوس للمرة الثانية. وجاء ديوسقوروس ووراءه سبعة عشر أسقفاً. وانضم إلى هؤلاء أساقفة آسية وتراقية واليونان واليرية وأفريقيا. ومثل الدولة الرومانية أناتوليوس القائد الكبير وبلاذيوس برايفكتوس الشرق وتاتيانوس برايفكتوس العاصمة وخمسة عشر موظفاً. </div>
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الجلسة الأولى</div>
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افتتحت أعمال المجمع في الثامن من تشرين الأول في كنيسة القديسة افيمية في خلقيدونية بحضور هذا العدد الكبير من الأساقفة (وصل عدد الآباء في هذا المجمع لـ 600) ووجود عدد من وجهاء الدولة والاساقفة السوريون في صدر المجمع أمام الباب الملوكي وعن يسارهم نواب رومة القديمة وأناتوليوس أسقف رومة الجديدة فمكسيموس أسقف أنطاكية وعن يمينهم ديوسقوروس أسقف الإسكندرية يوبيناليوس أسقف أورشليم ثم سائر الأساقفة من الجهتين .</div>
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وبعد الافتتاح قام باسكاسينوس ووقف في وسط المجمع وقال لعظماء الدولة: "إن أسقف مدينة الرومانيين الرسولي الجزيل الغبطة رأس جميع الكنائس أمرنا أن نخاطبكم بأن لا يجلس معنا ديوسقوروس أسقف الإسكندرية. فإما أن يخرج هو وإما أن نخرج نحن". فرأى ممثلو السلطة أن يجلس ديوسقوريوس في وسط المجمع فجلس. ثم وقف افسابيوس أسقف دورلة ودفع كتاباً مضمونه ملخص ما جرى من التلصص في أفسس. وبعد أخذ ورود اقترح ممثلو السلطة قطع كل من ديوسقوروس الإسكندرية ويوبيناليوس أورشليم وثلاثيوس قيصرية وافسابيوس أنقيرة وافستاثيوس بيروت وباسيليوس سلفكية باعتبارهم زعماء التلصص في أفسس. ثم ارتفعت الجلسة فخرج الآباء يرددون: "قدوس الله قدوس القوي قدوس الذي لايموت ارحمنا" وهي أول مرة يرد فيها ذكر التريصاجيون في تاريخ الكنيسة. وهتفوا بعد ذلك قائلين: "لتكن سنو الأمبراطور عديدة! المسيح أسقط ديوسقورس القاتل! قدوس الله قدوس القوي قدوس الذي لا يموت ارحمنا".</div>
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الجلسة الثانية</div>
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في العاشر من تشرين الأول وظل ديوسقوروس ويوبيناليوس وسائر المتهمين بأعمال التلصص في أفسس خارج المجمع. فطلب ممثلو السلطة من الآباء المجتمعين أن ينظروا في أمر الإيمان وأن يتفقوا على صيغة نصبح هي المعول عليها. فذكر الآباء أن المجمع المسكوني الثالث حرم أي تعديل في قانون الإيمان النيقاوي. ولكن نظراً لإلحاح السلطة فإن الآباء أصغوا إلى نصوص رسائل كيرلس إلى نسطوريوس ويوحنا وإلى "الطوموس" رسالة لاون إلى فلابيانوس الشهيد. فهتف معظم الآباء هذا هو إيمان الآباء هذا إيمان الرسل. جميعنا هكذا نؤمن. الأرثوذكسيون هكذا يؤمنون. محروم من لا يؤمن هكذا. بطرس نادى بهذا التعليم بواسطة لاون. كيرلس هكذا علم. محروم من لا يؤمن هكذا. وتردد أساقفة فلسطين وطلبوا شرح الطوموس ولم يتخذ أساقفة مصر موقفاً معيناً نظراً لتغيب رئيس وفدهم ديوسقوروس. وقبيل ارفضاض الجلسة هتف بعض الاليريين للأساقفة المتهمين.</div>
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الجلسة الثالثة</div>
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التأم المجمع في جلسته الثالثة في الثالث عشر من تشرين الأول وفي كنيسة مجاورة لكنيسة القديسة افيمية تضم رفاة بعض الشهداء. وتغيب ممثلو السلطة. ونهض افسابيوس أسقف دورلة وقرأ مذكرة جديدة يبين فيها هفوات ديوسقوروس وذنوبه. ثم تلاه أربعة اكليريكيين اسكندريين انتقدوا ديوسقوروس من حيث موقفه من أسرة سلفه كيرلس وقساوته وظلمه ومن حيث طمعه بالمال وجشعه في جمعه. فدعا المجمع ديوسقوروس ثلاث مرات فلم يحضر فقال باسكاسينوس -مترأس المجمع- لقد دعي ديوسقوروس ثلاث مرات ولم يحضر فماذا يستحق هذا الذي يزدري بالمجمع؟ فقال المجمع: يستحق جزاء العصاة. ثم قال لوقيانوس أسقف بيزا ونائب أسقف هرقلية: لقد أجرى المجمع المسكوني السابق أعمالاً ضد نسطوريوس فلنقف على إجراءاته ولنعمل بموجبها. فقال باسكاسينوس: أتأمرون أن نطبق في حقه عقوبات كنسية؟ فقال المجمع: "إننا نوافق على ما هو حسن". وخاطب الأسقف يوليانوس وفد رومة وطلب إلى رئيسه باسكاسينوس أن يبين القصاص المعين في القوانين. فقال باسكاسينوس: إني أكرر ماذا تستحسنون؟ فقال مكسيموس أسقف أنطاكية العظمى: "كل ما يستحسنه برّكم نوافق عليه". فاقترح باسكاسينوس قطع ديوسقورس لأنه برَّأ أوطيخة وقبله في الشركة قبل اجتماع افسس ولأنه لم يسمح بقراءة رسالة لاون إلى المجمع ولأنه أصرّ على قطع العلاقة مع الأرثوذكسيين. فقال أناتوليوس أسقف رومة الجديدة: إني أعتقد في كل شيء مثل الكرسي الرسولي أوافق على قطع ديوسقوروس. وقال مكسيموس أسقف أنطاكية: إني أضع ديوسقوروس تحت العقاب الكنسي الذي فاه به لاون أسقف رومة القديمة وأناتوليوس أسقف رومة الجديدة. ووافق كثيرون آخرون فحكم على ديوسقوروس بالقطع. أما الأساقفة الباقون من المتهمين فإنهم قدموا ندامة ونالوا الصفح.</div>
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الجلسة الرابعة والخامسة</div>
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بحث الآباء في الجلستين الرابعة والخامسة أمر العقيدة. فنظروا في طوموس لاون على ضوء دستور الإيمان الذي سُنَّ في المجمعين المسكونين الأول والثاني وعلى ضوء تحديدات القديس كيرلس كما جاءت في أعمال المجمع المسكوني الثالث.وحاول برصوم أن يدافع عن ديوسقوريوس ولكنه لم يُفلح. فإنه ما كاد يطل على الآباء المجتمعين حتى تعالت الأصوات بوجوب خروجه. فقال البعض: "إلى الخارج أيها القاتل إلى المرسح المدرج إلى الوحوش الضارية". فخرج برصوم والوفد الذي كان يرافقه.</div>
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وأُلِّفت تمثل جميع الآراء في المجمع لتعد صورة اعتراف يبت في قضية الطبيعة الواحدة التي أثارها أوطيخة. فقامت هذه اللجنة بالمهمة الموكولة إليها خير قيام وتقدمت من المجمع في جلسته الخامسة بمشروع اعتراف هذا نصه:</div>
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إننا نعلّم جميعنا تعليماً واحداً تابعين الآباء القديسين. ونعترف بابن واحد هو نفسه ربنا يسوع المسيح. وهو نفسه كامل بحسب اللاهوت وهو نفسه كامل بحسب الناسوت. إله حقيقي وإنسان حقيقي. وهو نفسه من نفس واحدة وجسد واحد. مساوٍ للآب في جوهر اللاهوت. وهو نفسه مساوٍ لنا في جوهر الناسوت مماثل لنا في كل شيء ماعدا الخطيئة. مولود من الآب قبل الدهور بحسب اللاهوت. وهو نفسه في آخر الأيام مولود من مريم العذراء والدة الإله بحسب الناسوت لأجلنا ولأجل خلاصنا. ومعروف هو نفسه مسيحاً وابناً وربّاً ووحيداً واحداً بطبيعتين بلا اختلاط ولا تغيير ولا انقسام ولا انفصال من غير أن يُنفى فرق الطبائع بسبب الاتحاد بل إن خاصة كل واحدة من الطبيعتين ما زالت محفوظة تؤلفان كلتاهما شخصاً واحداً واقنوماً واحداً لا مقسوماً ولا مجزّءاً إلى شخصين بل هو ابن ووحيد واحد هو نفسه الله الكلمة الرب يسوع المسيح كما تنبأ عنه الأنبياء منذ البدء وكما علّمنا الرب يسوع المسيح نفسه وكما سلّمنا دستور الآباء.</div>
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الجلسة السادسة</div>
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في الخامس والعشرين من تشرين الأول حضر الأمبراطور بشخصه وخطب في الآباء فحضهم على استقامة الرأي والسلام. وتلي تحديد المجمع فأمضى عليه الآباء وصدق الأمبراطور على القرارات والنتائج .</div>
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نتائج مجمع خلقيدونية</div>
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نفي البابا ديوسقورس فجعل اقامته جبرية في كنغريس افلاغونية </div>
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انفصال تدريجي لكنائس مصر والحبشة وسوريا وأرمينيا انقسمت الكنيسة إلى شطرين: </div>
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الكنائس الغير خلقيدونية: وتضم الكنيسة القبطية (ومعها الحبشية)، وكنيسة أنطاكية ،وكنيسة أورشليم، وكنائس آسيا الصغرى -عدا القسطنطينية- التي –كنائس آسيا الصغرى- ظلت متمسكة بقرارات المجامع الأولى ومعتقدات أثناسيوس وكيرلس وديسقوروس في طبيعة واحدة للمسيح أي اتحاد اللاهوت بالناسوت بغير اختلاط ولا امتزاج ولا تغيير. (وحالياً الكنائس الشقيقة للكنيسة القبطية الأرثوذكسية هي الكنيسة الحبشية والإريترية والسريانية والهندية والأرمنية).</div>
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الكنائس الخلقيدونية: تضم كنيسة رومية، وكنيسة القسطنطينية - اللتين اعتنقتا المعتقَد القائل بأن للمسيح طبيعتين ومشيئتين.</div>
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مجمع القسطنطينية الثاني:</div>
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مجمع القسطنطينية الثاني هو خامس المجامع الكنسية المسيحية و تم عقدة في القسطنطينيه من 5 مايو الي 2 يونيو سنة 553 بناء علي اوامر الامبراطور جستنيان.</div>
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حاول الامبراطور جستنيان ان يفرض ارادته على الاسقفيات الغربية لكن إيطاليا أظهرت العناد. حقق الامبراطور فيه رغبته رسميا باعلان بطلان الفصول الثلاثة غير ان قرارات المجمع لقيت مقاومة عنيفة في الغرب ، و مع ذلك فقد اعترف الغرب نفسه بانه مجلس مسكوني وانه صحيح.</div>
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المجمع المسكوني السادس : ( مجمع القسطنطينية الثالث )</div>
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المجمع المسكوني السابع : ( مجمع نيقية الثاني )</div>
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عقد هذا المجمعان لاحقا بعد مجمع القسطنطينية الثاني ، وكانا مختصان للكنيسة الرومية لوضع المزيد من القوانين والأحكام بالنسبة للمنشقين الكاثوليك. </div>
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true orthodox faith awarenesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07052263555944428830noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4671833209228648568.post-85551144618681688272013-06-04T04:53:00.002-07:002013-06-04T04:54:41.853-07:00Freemasonry and Its Condemnations by the Orthodox Church<h1 style="color: saddlebrown; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.6em; padding: 5px 0px; text-align: center;">
Freemasonry and Its Condemnations by the Orthodox Church</h1>
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<b>“Masonry [is that religion] around whose altars the Christian, the Hebrew, the Moselm, the Brahman [Hindu], the followers of Confucius and Zoroaster, can assemble as brethren and unite in prayer...” (Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (Charleston, SC, The Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United Stated, 1906), pg. 226.)</b></div>
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Consider this quote from a more contemporary Masonic thinking, taken from the current manual of instruction used by Masons in the state of Kentucky (Kentucky Monitor by Henry Pirtle, pg. 95): <b>“Masonry makes no profession of Christianity... but looks forward to the time when the labor of our ancient brethren shall be symbolized by the erection of a spiritual temple... in which there shall be but one altar and one worship; one common altar of Masonry on which the Veda, Shastras, Sade, Zend-Avesta, Koran, and Holy Bible shall lie untouched by sacrilegious hands, and at whose shrine the Hindoo, the Persian, the Assyrian, The Chaldean, The Egyptian, the Chinese, The Mohammedan, the Jew, and the Christian may kneel and with one united voice celebrate the praises of the Supreme Architech of the Universe.”</b></div>
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In the journal Le Temple, published in Paris, the official organ of Scottish-Rite Masonry, in the article “The Union of the Churches” (no. 3, Sept. Oct., 1946), masonry itself gives the following acknowledgement of its success:</div>
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<b>“We are asked why we enter into disputes of a religious nature, to what extent questions of the union of the churches, ecumenical congresses, etc., can present any interest for masonry...Even if we attempted to forget that masonry has a religious origin, all the same the very fact of the existence of religions would call forth in us a constant endeavor to bind in unity all mortals, in that unity of which we always dream. The problem raised by the plan of the union of the churches that confess Christ closely interests masonry and is akin to masonry, since it contains in itself the idea of universalism. And let us be permitted to add that if this union...stands on the right path, for this it is obliged to our Order.”</b></div>
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The only reasonable deductions one can make from the refusal of the Ecumenist Jurisdictions to repudiate any association with Masonry and condemn it as contrary to Orthodox Christianity is that they are members of the fraternity, don’t wish to be forced to leave it by being exposed, and won’t condemn it because they don’t wish to condemn themselves and what they believe in. It goes without saying that the Ecumenism of the hierarchs of World Orthodoxy corresponds exactly to the teachings and practice of Freemasonry, and this coincidence proves no wonder if they are masons themselves (which is in fact the case, as will be seen further on below).</div>
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We should also not forget the actual facts about freemasonry, and the decisions of the Church against her. Here follow some very forceful examples:</div>
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<b>From The Rudder (1950 English Masterjohn translation), p. 550</b></div>
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THE APHORISM AGAINST FREEMASONRY<br />by Cyprianus, Archbishop of Cyprus</h2>
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<b>Cyprus, February 2nd, 1815</b></div>
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<i>“Wherefore, clad in the sacred vestments of epitrachelion and omophorion we say, If any man preach unto you any other </i><i>gospel than that which we have preached unto you, even though an angel from heaven, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1,8,9) </i><i>As many as are befitting, that pursue after such a diabolic and lawless employment of Freemasonry, and all they that follow </i><i>unto their infatuation and unto their error, let them be excommunicated and accursed by the Father, the Son, and the Holy </i><i>Spirit. After death, they shall be unpardoned, indissoluble, and bloated. Groaning and trembling, as Cain, shall they be </i><i>upon the earth. (Gen. 4:14). The earth shall cleave and swallow them up, as Dathan and Abiram (Num. 16, 31-32). The </i><i>wrath of God shall be upon their heads, and their portion together with Judas the betrayer. As angel of the Lord will </i><i>prosecute them with a flaming sword and, unto their life’s termination, they will not know of progress. Let their works and </i><i>toil be unblessed and let them become a cloud of dust, as of a summer threshing floor. And all they indeed that shall abide </i><i>still unto their wickedness will have such a recompense. But as many as shall go out from the midst of them and shall be </i><i>separated, and having spat out their abominable heresy, and shall go afar of from their accursed infatuation, such kind </i><i>shall receive the wages of the zealot Phineas; rather let them be blessed and forgiven by the Father, and the Son, and the </i><i>Holy Spirit, the Only unconfused and undivided Trinity, the One God in nature, and by us His servants.”</i></div>
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This is the APHORISM of the NATIONAL MARTYR, Cyprianus, Archbishop of Cyprus, who in the year 1821, during the Greek revolution against Turkey, shed his blood in defense of the liberty of his Greek homeland from Turkey. Likewise, Archbishop Hierotheus of Patras, Greece, published two comprehensive encyclicals against Masonry, one on October 5, 1897, and another on August 22, 1899.</div>
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The Russian Orthodox Church’s Attitude towards Freemasonry was very forcefully proclaimed by Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) the Presiding member of the Sremski-Karlovcy Synod in Yugoslavia, who is at the head of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia.</div>
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On August 15, 1932, the Metropolitan issued a Pastoral letter to the faithful, entitled ‘An Encyclical on Freemasonry, Theosophy, and Allied Systems’, from which we quote some excerpts and its conclusions and the decrees the ROCA adopted concerning Freemasonry and related sects:</div>
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+<br />THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA TO ALL THE FAITHFUL OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN DIASPORA</h2>
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<b>15/28 August 1932</b></div>
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“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (I John iv. 1.)</div>
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If there was ever a time when these holy words of the beloved disciple of Christ, St. John, could find their most prophetic application, it is certainly ours.</div>
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Our troubled period is very poor in prophets. On the other hand, it abounds in false prophets. The world is becoming poorer in the “Spirit of God,” but waxes rich in the “spirit of error.”</div>
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“That old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan (Rev. 20:2) has poisoned and infected the hearts of men with many false doctrines, heresies, and sects, which he uses to seduce those whose faith is not solid, those who are not instructed in the knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, turning them away from faith in God, in the Church of Christ...</div>
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<i>[There follows a closely documented examination of the general and higher level Masonic doctrines and aims from various </i><i>Masonic sources and Constitutions. It also shows the ties of Freemasonry with revolutions against Christian States and the </i><i>Church. It exposes clear connections of Freemasonry to the Russian Revolution. Finally, the conclusions state:]</i></div>
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“Freemasonry is a secret international organisation to struggle with God, Christianity, and all National Governments, and especially Christian Governments.</div>
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“In the international organization the first place of influence and importance belongs to the Jewish membership.</div>
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“Because of this, and other important reasons it is forbidden for all Orthodox Christians to become Freemasons.</div>
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In view of what has been stated above, the Holy Council decides to:</div>
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(1) Condemn Masonry as a doctrine and an organization contrary to Christianity.... (2) Condemn equally all the doctrines and organizations having an affinity with Masonry, like Theosophy, Anthroposophy, all forms of “Christian gnosticism” [which would include such things as “Christian Yoga,” “Christian Zen, etc], and the YMCA. (3) Recommend to the diocesan bishops and to chiefs of missions to furnish their clergy with all information which may serve to enlighten the faithful regarding the above-mentioned erroneous doctrines and organizations.... (4) Recommend to pastors the necessity of questioning every person presenting himself for confession with a view to finding out whether or not that person is a member of a Masonic organization and whether or not he shares its doctrines. If it appears that the person is a member or shares its teaching, explain to him that participation in these organizations is incompatible with the name of Christian, with being a member of the Church of Christ. That he must take a firm decision to break with Masonry and with doctrines related to it; and if he does not do so, not to admit him to Holy Communion; and if he should refuse to repent, to excommunicate him from the Holy Church.</div>
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After having given you our pastoral recommendations concerning the enemies of God and of our salvation, we would remind you of the exhortations of the Holy Apostle: “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.... Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” (Jude 3, 20, 21.)</div>
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“Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?.... We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the True God, and eternal life.” (I John v. 4-5, 19-20.) Amen!</div>
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President of the Council of Bishops Of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia,</div>
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+Metropolitan ANTHONY</div>
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[Taken from: Rev. P. Kohanik-Christian Orthodox Light on Speculative Freemasonry, 1948, Passaic, N.J.; St. Nectarios Educational Series No.24 Excerpts from the Encyclical on Freemasonry, Theosophy, and Allied Systems]</div>
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FREEMASONRY: THE OFFICIAL STATEMENT OF THE CHURCH OF GREECE (1933)</h2>
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<i><b>St. Nectarios Educational Series, No. 22</b></i></div>
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It is clear from the following statement that Orthodox Christians must disavow the Masonic movement and resign from it if they have joined it in ignorance of its goals. Pike, in his <i>Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry </i>tells us that “Every Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion; and its teachings are instruction in religion.” (p. 213) “Masonry, around whose altars the Christian, the Hebrew, the Moslem, the Brahim, the followers of Confucius and Zoroaster, can assemble as brethren and unite in prayer to the one God who is above all the Baalism.” (p. 226) “Masonry, like all religions, all the Mysteries, conceals its secrets from all except the Adepts and Sages or Elect and uses false explanations and interpretations of its symbols to mislead those who deserve only to be misled.” (p. 105 )</div>
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Patriarch Athenagoras and Archbishop Iakovos have frequently quoted or rephrased the following from Chapter 10 of the above work. “No human being can with certainty say, in the clash and conflict of hostile faiths and creeds, what is truth, or that he is surely in possession of it, so every one should feel that it is quite possible and another equally honest and sincere with himself, and yet holding a contrary opinion, may himself be in possession of the truth.” One needs only to read the Christmas 1967, statement of Patriarch Athenagoras or Archbishop Iakovos’ sermon at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, January 19, 1969, to realize that they continually expound Masonic doctrine which is opposed to sound Orthodox teaching. The very ecumenical movement’s founders and chief exponents are members of the Masonic order which inspires them and gives them their guidelines. Is it no wonder then that Orthodoxy becomes unimportant to these people?</div>
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Read and reread this statement in order to understand the correct Orthodox opinion in this matter.</div>
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The Official Statement</h2>
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The Bishops of the Church of Greece in their session of October 12, 1933, concerned themselves with the study and examination of the secret international organization, Freemasonry. They heard with attention the introductory exposition of the Commission of four Bishops appointed by the Holy Synod at its last session; also the opinion of the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens, and the particular opinion of Prof. Panag Bratsiotis which was appended thereto. They also took into consideration publications on this question in Greece and abroad. After a discussion they arrived at the following conclusions, accepted unanimously by all the Bishops.</div>
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“Freemasonry is not simply a philanthropic union or a philosophical school, but constitutes a mystagogical system which reminds us of the ancient heathen mystery-religions and cults–from which it descends and is their continuation and regeneration. This is not only admitted by prominent teachers in the lodges, but they declare it with pride, affirming literally: “Freemasonry is the only survival of the ancient mysteries and can be called the guardian of them;” Freemasonry is a direct offspring of the Egyptian mysteries; “the humble workshop of the Masonic Lodge is nothing else than the caves and the darkness of the cedars of India and the unknown depths of the Pyramids and the crypts of the magnificent temples of Isis; in the Greek mysteries of Freemasonry, having passed along the luminous roads of knowledge under the mysteriarchs Prometheus, Dionysus and Orpheus, formulated the eternal laws of the Universe!</div>
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“Such a link between Freemasonry and the ancient idolatrous mysteries is also manifested by all that is enacted and performed at the initiations. As in the rites of the ancient idolatrous mysteries the drama of the labors and death of the mystery god was repeated, and in the imitative repetition of this drama the initiate dies together with the patron of the mystery religion, who was always a mythical person symbolizing the Sun of nature which dies in winter and is regenerated in spring, so it is also, in the initiation of the third degree, of the patron of Freemasonry Hiram and a kind of repetition of his death, in which the initiate suffers with him, struck by the same instruments and on the same parts of the body as Hiram. According to the confession of a prominent teacher of Freemasonry Hiram is “as Osiris, as Mithra, and as Bacchus, one of the personifications of the Sun.”</div>
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“Thus Freemasonry is, as granted, a mystery-religion, quite different, separate, and alien to the Christian faith. This is shown without any doubt by the fact that it possesses its own temples with altars, which are characterized by prominent teachers as “workshops which cannot have less history and holiness than the Church” and as temples of virtue and wisdom where the Supreme Being is worshipped and the truth is taught. It possesses its own religious ceremonies, such as the ceremony of adoption or the masonic baptism, the ceremony of conjugal acknowledgement or the masonic marriage, the masonic memorial service, the consecration of the masonic temple, and so on. It possesses its own initiations, its own ceremonial ritual, its own hierarchical order and a definite discipline. As may be concluded from the masonic agapes and from the feasting of the winter and summer solstices with religious meals and general rejoicings, it is a physiolatric [nature-worshipping] religion.</div>
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“It is true that it may seem at first that Freemasonry can be reconciled with every other religion, because it is not interested directly in the religion to which its initiates belong. This is, however, explained by its syncretistic character and proves that in this point also it is an offspring and a continuation of ancient idolatrous mysteries which accepted for initiation worshippers of all gods. But as the mystery religions, in spite of the apparent spirit of tolerance and acceptance of foreign gods, lead to a syncretism which undermined and gradually shook confidence in other religions, thus Freemasonry today, which seeks to embrace in itself gradually all mankind and which promises to give moral perfection and knowledge of truth, is lifting itself to the position of a kind of super-religion, looking on all religions (without excepting Christianity) as inferior to itself. Thus it develops in its initiates the idea that only in masonic lodges is performed the shaping and the smoothing of the unsmoothed and unhewn stone. And the fact alone that Freemasonry creates a brotherhood excluding all other brotherhoods outside it (which are considered by Freemasonry as “uninstructed”, even when they are Christian) proves clearly its pretensions to be a super-religion. This means that by masonic initiation, a Christian becomes a brother of the Muslim, the Buddhist, or any kind of rationalist, while the Christian not initiated in Freemasonry becomes to him an outsider.</div>
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“On the other hand, Freemasonry in prominently exalting knowledge and in helping free research as “putting no limit in the search of truth” (according to its rituals and constitution), and more than this by adopting the so-called natural ethic, shows itself in this sense to be in sharp contradiction with the Christian religion. For the Christian religion exalts faith above all, confining human reason to the limits traced by Divine Revelation and leading to holiness through the supernatural action of grace. In other words, which Christianity, as a religion of Revelation, possessing its rational and superrational dogmas and truths, asks for faith first, and grounds its moral structure on the super-natural Divine Grace, Freemasonry has only natural truth and brings to the knowledge of its initiates free thinking and investigation through reason only. It bases its moral structure only on the natural forces of man, and has only natural aims.</div>
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“Thus, the incompatible contradiction between Christianity and Freemasonry is quite clear. It is natural that various Churches of other denominations have taken a stand against Freemasonry. Not only has the Western Church branded for its own reasons the masonic movement by numerous Papal encyclicals, but Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian communities have also declared it to be incompatible with Christianity. Much more has the Orthodox Catholic Church, maintaining in its integrity the treasure of Christian faith proclaimed against it every time that the question of Freemasonry has been raised. Recently, the Inter-Orthodox Commission which met on Mount Athos and in which the representatives of all the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches took part, has characterized Freemasonry as a “false and anti-Christian system.”</div>
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The assembly of the Bishops of the Church of Greece in the above mentioned session heard with relief and accepted the following conclusions which were drawn from the investigations and discussions by its President His Grace Archbishop Chrysostom of Athens:</div>
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<b>“Freemasonry cannot be at all compatible with Christianity as far as it is a secret organization, acting and teaching in mystery and secret and deifying rationalism. Freemasonry accepts as its members not only Christians, but also Jews and Muslims. Consequently clergymen cannot be permitted to take part in this association. I consider as worthy of degradation every clergyman who does so. It is necessary to urge upon all who entered it without due thought and without examining what Freemasonry is, to sever all connections with it, for Christianity alone is the religion which teaches absolute truth and fulfills the religious and moral needs of men.</b> Unanimously and with one voice all the Bishops of the Church of Greece have approved what was said, and we declare that all the faithful children of the Church must stand apart from Freemasonry. With unshaken faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ “in whom we have our redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of His Grace, whereby He abounds to us in all wisdom and prudence” (Ephes. 1, 7-9) possessing the truth revealed by Him and preached by the Apostles, “not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in the partaking in the Divine Sacraments through which we are sanctified and saved by eternal life, we must not fall from the grace of Christ by becoming partakers of other mysteries. It is not lawful to belong at the same time to Christ and to search for redemption and mora1 perfection outside Him. For these reasons true Christianity is incompatible with Freemasonry.</div>
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“Therefore, all who have become involved in the initiations of masonic mysteries must from this moment sever all relations with masonic lodges and activities, being sure that they are thereby of a certainty renewing their links with our one Lord and Savior which were weakened by ignorance and by a wrong sense of values. The Assembly of the Bishops of the Church of Greece expects this particularly and with love from the initiates of the lodges, being convinced that most of them have received masonic initiation not realizing that by it they were passing into another religion, but on the contrary from ignorance, thinking that they had done nothing contrary to the faith of their fathers. Recommending them to the sympathy, and in no wise to the hostility or hatred of the faithful children of the Church, the Assembly of the Bishops calls them to pray with her from the heart in Christian love, that the one Lord Jesus Christ “the way, the truth and the life” may illumine and return to the truth who <i>in ignorance</i> have gone astray.”</div>
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<b>Reprinted from: Borichevsky, Rev. Fr. Vladimir S. and Jula, Rev. Fr. Stephen N., <i>Masonry or Christ?</i>, Ch. V.</b></div>
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Evidence of Masonry in Ecumenist Jurisdictions</h2>
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On the official website of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Greece (<a href="http://www.grandlodge.gr/Famous_gr_home.html" style="color: saddlebrown; font-weight: bold;">http://www.grandlodge.gr/Famous_gr_home.html</a>) is a listing of famous known Masons from 1800-1950. They name as Masons with their lodges of initiation:</div>
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Ecumenical Patriarchs Meletios II [Metaxikis] Basileios III, and Joakeim III, Alexandrian Patriarch Photios (Georgios Peroglou), Jerusalem Patriarch Benedictos (Basileios Papadopoulos). Furthermore, Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras is named as a Mason by several Masonic sources:</div>
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“Some Bishops in the various Eastern Orthodox Churches oppose Freemasonry, but the Orthodox Church itself has no position on the matter. Indeed, two of the most outstanding leaders of the Orthodox Church within the last generation - <b>Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople</b> and <b>Patriarch Benedict of Jerusalem</b> - were Freemasons.”</div>
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<i><b>The Truth About Freemasonry: A Master Mason Responds With Truth to Anti-Masonic Lies</b></i>; The Rev. Baron Dr. Lloyd Worley, Fellow of the Philalethes Society, Associate Regent, York Rite Sovereign College (2644 11<sup>th</sup> Ave. #D-109, Greelely, CO 80631); copyright 1986, 1992, 1995.</div>
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In one contemporary Greek Newspaper, “Christian News”, this is found:</div>
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“In Paris, a book entitled <i>The Sons of Light</i> was published, in which it is stated that Patriarch Athenagoras is a Freemason. On page 313, the Patriarch is called a Freemason. Since the Patriarch has not come forward to deny this, the scandal persists in the consciences of Christians who have read such frightful news in the daily Athenian press and in publications coming from America–a scandal not so much because of what the journalists report, but because the Patriarch himself, who seems indifferent about the matter or does not wish, for reasons best known to himself, to come forward and deny this report” (see<span style="font-family: Symbol;"> Cristianikh Spiqa</span>, No. 268 [January 1964]).</div>
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The leading Masonic Periodical of Greece not only states Patriarch Athenagoras’s successor, Demetrios, is a Mason, but places him prominently on the cover of one of its issues:</div>
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<img alt="The cover of the leading Masonic Periodical of Greece which states Patriarch
Athenagoras’s successor, Demetrios, is a Mason." border="0" src="http://www.trueorthodoxy.org/images/non_christian_others_freemasonry_condemnations/Demetrius-the-Mason.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" /></div>
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Other Ecumenist bishops have appeared in Masonic photographs from time to time, such as the former Greek New Calendar Archbishop of Australia Seraphim, who appears with the Masonic-connected Lion’s Club below:</div>
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<img alt="The former Greek New Calendar Archbishop of Australia Seraphim appears with the
Masonic-connected Lion’s Club." border="0" src="http://www.trueorthodoxy.org/images/non_christian_others_freemasonry_condemnations/Archbishop-Seraphim-Mason.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" /></div>
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It would appear, in fact, that many bishops of World Orthodoxy have capitulated. For example, the new calendar Greek religious newspaper, <i>Orthodoxos Typos</i> (December 9, 1988), openly laments:</div>
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“The leadership of many local new calendar Churches -- that is, bishops, other clergy,theologians, etc. -- have been overcome by Masonry. Well-known church leaders are accused of being Masons. And when they are asked if they are Masons, they avoid answering. A recent example is [the new calendar Archbishop] Iakovos of America, who, despite the challenge made by <i>Orthodoxos Typos</i> (Apr. 29, 1988) [that he answer this question], evaded taking any position on the subject of Masonry, although various periodicals accuse him of having joined its ranks. The usual response to this matter is, “But Freemasonry is not a religion, nor does it purport to be one.”</div>
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It does not appear to be limited to the Greek Patriarchates.</div>
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In the June 1986 issue of <i>The Word Magazine</i>, the official publication of the North American Archdiocese of the Antiochian Orthodox Church, on p. 24 (under “Dialogue”), we find to be <u>denied</u> the assertion that Freemasonry among Orthodox Christians is anti-canonical and “incompatible with the Church teachings”. The official respondent, Fr. Joseph Antypas of Detroit, after asserting that Masonic membership <u>is compatible</u> with Orthodox Christian doctrine and church membership, assures us that “Throughout the years of my ministry I have known many Masons who were good [Orthodox] Christians.”</div>
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We should not forget though that in the rites of Freemasonry, the personality of Jesus Christ, as well as His Divinity, and His Gospel’s doctrines are all conflated with the personalities or symbols of the Jewish Kabbalah, the Essenes, the worship of Isis and Osiris, Mithra, Hinduism, Buddhism, Gnosticism, the Mahdi of Islam, etc., all in such a way that Christ, ‘divinity’, and Christianity are redefined or understood symbolically so as to correspond to Freemasonry and a pantheistic or natural or rationalistic deism. Therefore, a Freemason may well speak of himself ‘sincerely’ as a Christian but mean a Mason. He may well profess his ‘whole-hearted belief in Christianity’ and understand that to imply, in fact, Christ’s Masonic Gospel, because Freemasonry teaches him that Christ was a Freemason and taught its doctrine within His Own misunderstood system of ‘symbols’. He may well speak of the divinity of Christ, but understand by divinity or by Christ a principle of nature or a kabbalistic Adam Qadmon, or other cunning subtle Christ-denying meanings that Freemasonry teaches him to impute to his religions terms and rites.</div>
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