MYSTAGOGY

Pascha Under Turkish Domination (5 of 6)

2013-05-19T15:44:00.000-04:00

Part Four

The Certified Document of the Patriarch

This historical document, written by Patriarch Theodosios II is addressed to the clergy, priests and hieromonks of the Great Church of Christ, and through them to the faithful people of Constantinople. It refers to the "stern command" of the Porte and urges among other things the following:

Most-honorable clergy of our Great Church of Christ and all the most-pious priests and most-venerable hieromonks, who chant in the churches of the city, of Galata, Katasteno, grace to you and peace from God.

It is known to all, that today I was invited before the most-glorious efendi of Istanbul, and having gone there I heard boldly read the issued royal venerable definitions, which dictate that during the days of Pascha, all Christian slaves are to spend them in quietness and modesty, without dances and songs and games, and not to walk gathered together in the streets, going neither to Baloukli nor to Egri-kapi and other holy water shrines, but to quietly rest in their homes and their lofts.

The people are not to wear a high kalpak, fur with a long guard and other "unseemly" things which belong to those who hold us, that is, salvaria and mintani and other such prohibited dress, but to keep intact the royal venerable definitions given for garments.

Whoever dares to transgress any of these dictates, will be disciplined with the heaviest punishment. Hence, embrace it and in a few days, as we have written and as we have advised, you will spend these holy days quietly and modestly. Behold, even now that we have revealed the aforementioned stern command and proclaim to all Christians, small and great, young and old, men and women, to take care of yourselves during these holy days, according to the issued royal venerable definitions, and to (...) keep without wavering the dictates above, the royal venerable definitions which have been issued.

For whoever annuls any of these commands, they should know that they will be disciplined with the heaviest punishment.

The aforementioned patriarchal document began with the word "the Patriarch" as a heading and closed with the word "Constantinople", without the name of the Patriarch being written. From the date of the document however (1772), it shows that the Patriarch on the throne at that time in Constantinople was Theodosios II.

Theodosios II was elected Patriarch on 04/11/1769 and remained on the throne until 1773. He was appointed Patriarch during difficult times, as is written by the chronicler. He performed his duties with peace and gentleness. He was distinguished for his wisdom, virtue, goodness and simplicity. He was lovingly-just and endearing to the clergy and the people.

He was Cretan in origin and became an abbot in a monastery on the island. For some time he was the head-priest of the Sacred Church of Saint George in the Queen City. He was later ordained Bishop of Ierissos and Mount Athos from where he was promoted to the Metropolis of Thessaloniki and then was elected Patriarch.

The Orlov Revolt (1770) made the position of Theodosios as Patriarch of Constantinople very difficult. Orthodox clergy and the faithful people were considered suspects and dangerous at that time by their conquerors, which is why hard measures were imposed even for their religious duties.

To be continued...

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women Gospel Explanation

2013-05-19T08:52:00.004-04:00

Third Sunday of Pascha: The Myrrh-bearing Women

Mark 15:43-16:6

By St. Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria

42-47. Now when the evening was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and asked for the Body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if He were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether He had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the Body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen, and laid Him in a tomb which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where He was laid.

While yet a servant of the law, the blessed Joseph recognized Christ as God, and this is why he dared to do such a praiseworthy deed of courage. He did not stop to think to himself, "I am a wealthy man, and I will lose my wealth if I ask for the body of one condemned by the rulers authority, and I will be slandered by the Jews." No such thoughts did he harbor, but placing all other considerations second, he begged to bury the Body of the One condemned. "Pilate wondered if He were already dead," for Pilate thought that Jesus would endure on the cross for a long time, as did the thieves. So he asked the centurion if Jesus had already died some time before. Joseph then took the Body, having bought linen, and when he had taken It down from the cross he wrapped It in the linen, and buried reverently that which was worthy of all reverence. For Joseph too was a disciple of Christ, and he knew that it was necessary to honor the Master. He was noble, that is, devout, pious, and blameless. And he held the rank of counsellor, a title which conferred duties of public service and responsibility; the counsellors supervised the affairs of the marketplace, and danger often befell one holding this position because of the evil doings in the market. Let the wealthy, and those engaged in public business, heed that Josephs high rank in no way hindered him from living a virtuous life. Joseph means "increase," and Arimathea means "taking hold of that." Let us be like Joseph, always increasing in virtue, and taking hold of that which is truly good. Let us also take the Body of Jesus, through Holy Communion, and place It in a tomb hewn out of a rock, that is, place It within a soul which always remembers God and does not forget Him. (1)

And let that soul be hewn from a rock, that is, from Christ Who is the Rock on which we are established. Let us wrap the Body of Jesus in the linen, that is, let us receive It within a pure body. For the body is the linen and the garment of the soul. We must receive the divine Body of the Lord not only with a pure soul, but with a pure body as well. And we must wrap It and enfold It within ourselves, and not leave It exposed. For this Mystery is something veiled and hidden, not something to be exposed.

16:1-8. And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the tomb at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, "Who shall roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, "Be not affrighted: ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, Who was crucified: He is risen; He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you." And they went out quickly, and fled from the tomb; for they trembled and were amazed; neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

The women had no understanding of Christs divinity while they sat by the tomb, and they bought myrrh with which to anoint His Body in accordance with the Jewish practice, so that It would remain fragrant and not begin to have the foul odor of decay. Myrrh also dries things out, and thus it absorbs the moisture of the body and preserves it from corruption. Thinking such thoughts as these, the women rose and came to the tomb "very early in the morning," or, as Matthew says, "after the sabbath," or, as Luke says, "at early dawn." [Mt. 28:1; Lk. 24:1] All four Evangelists say, "On the first of the sabbath" [mias Sabbaton], meaning, on the first day of the week (for "sabbath" was also the name they gave to the seven days of the week considered together, so that the "first day of the sabbath" meant Sunday). As the women approached the tomb, they talked among themselves about who would roll away the stone. While they were thinking about this, the angel rolled away the stone without their noticing. Matthew says that the angel rolled away the stone after the women had come to the tomb [Mt. 28:2] On this point Mark is silent, because Matthew had already said who rolled away the stone. Do not be troubled that Matthew says that the angel was sitting on the stone, while Mark says that after they entered the tomb, the women saw the angel sitting on the right side. It is likely that they first saw the angel sitting on the stone outside the tomb, as Matthew says, and that he then went before them into the tomb, where they saw him again. Some say that the women mentioned by Matthew were not the same ones mentioned here by Mark. Mary Magdalene, however, was with all of them, as she was fervent and aflame with zeal. The angel who appeared to the women said, "Be not affrighted". First he takes away their fear, and then he announces to them the good tidings of the Resurrection. He calls Jesus "the Crucified", for the angel was not ashamed of the Cross, which is the salvation of mankind and the beginning of good things. "He is risen." How do we know this? Because "He is not here". Do you want further assurance? "Behold the place where they laid Him." This is why the angel had moved away the stone, to show them the place. "But go your way, tell His disciples and Peter." He names Peter separately from the other disciples, as Peter was the foremost of the apostles. Also, because Peter had denied the Lord, the angel singles him out by name so that, when the women came and said that the Lord had commanded them to tell the disciples, Peter could not say, "I denied the Lord, and therefore I am no longer His disciple. He has rejected me and abhors me." The angel added the words "and Peter", so that Peter would not be tempted to think that Jesus found him unworthy of mention, and unworthy to be ranked among the Lords disciples, because of his denial. He sends them [out of Judea] into Galilee, delivering them from tumult and from their great fear of the Jews. Fear and amazement had taken hold of the women at the sight of the angel and at the awesome mystery of the Resurrection, and because of this "neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid." Either they were afraid of the Jews, or they were so in awe of what they had seen that their minds were confounded. For this reason "neither said they any thing to any man", and they even forgot the command the angel had given them.

1. The Greek word for "tomb," mnemeion, is derived from the word mneme, which means "memory."

Source

Pentecostarion Resource Page

2013-05-18T16:03:00.000-04:00

The Greatest Event in Human History

2013-05-18T09:54:00.003-04:00

The Resurrection of Christ and the Death of Death

The Greatest Event in Human History

By Protopresbyter Fr. George Metallinos

The Resurrection of Christ is the greatest event in the course of History. It is the event that differentiates Christianity from any other religion. The other religions have leaders who are mortal, whereas the head of the Church is the Risen Christ. “Resurrection of Christ” means deification (theosis), the resurrection of human nature, and the hope for the deification and resurrection of our own person. Since the medicine was found, there is hope of life.

Through the Resurrection of Christ life and death acquire another meaning. Life means communion with God. Death is no longer the end of the present life, but is now man’s turning away from Christ. The separation of the soul from the body is not death, but an interim sleep.

The Resurrection of Christ justifies Christ’s uniqueness and exclusivity as Savior, who is truly able to create life, to transfuse His death-destroying Life into our corruptible life. One is the Christ, one is the Resurrection, one also is the possibility of salvation - deification. This is why it is on Him that we focus the expectation of getting over the impasses that choke our life. This is the Christ of the Saints, the Christ of History.

The “diluted Christ” of the heresies, or the “relativized Christ” of religious syncretism, the inclusive-religion of the new age, constitute a rejection of the true Christ and of the Salvation which is offered by Him.

The Christ of our Saints is the Christ of History, who excludes every confusion of Himself with any saving substitutes which are invented in order to deceive the masses. Because only in this way can fallacy maintain deception, facilitating the domination of antichrists (which may have intruded even inside the Church) who spread death, although they appear as “angels of light” and “ministers of justice.”

It is from the experience of our Saints that we realize that the most tragic beings are those “that have no hope” – hope of resurrection – but see biological death as the destruction and end of their existence. Unfortunately, even science bows to this tragic condition as it desperately searches to find methods of prolonging life and thereby transmits the delusion of overcoming natural death. However, equally tragic are those – even Christians – who are trapped into hermetically sealed compartments of chiliastic visions of universal prosperity and secular eschatology, and thereby lose the true meaning of the Resurrection, and sacrifice the supernatural to the natural and the eternal to the temporal.

The Resurrection of Christ as the resurrection of man and of the entire creation acquires its meaning only in the context of the Patristic doctrine of salvation. That is, only in sharing in the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. This is the way that Hellenism appropriates the Resurrection in the course of its history. Orthodoxy, remaining faithful to the Resurrection of Christ, has been characterized as “the Church of the Resurrection,” because it builds up its entire historic presence on this faith, inoculating with the hope of the Resurrection the consciousness of its Peoples, and by this means reveals its cultural continuation. Among these Peoples of Orthodoxy the Greek People learned to dispel the dark nights of their enslavement with the Light of the Resurrection, as in the period of Tourkocratia (Turkish-occupation), when they joined to the salutation “Christ is Risen” the other one “and Greece is risen!” And they did this for 400 years.

It is within this context of perception that that hopeful invitation moves: “Come and receive the Light!” It is the invitation to the uncreated Light of the Resurrection, which is received by those who have cleansed their heart from vices and passions. Without the purification of the heart, i.e., without repentance (metanoia = change of mind), no one can partake of the Light of the Resurrection. Repentance is the transcendence of sin and of the cause of every one of our deaths. This is what they are constantly reminded of in their ears those who are uninitiated by the curious monastic saying: “So, if you die before you die, you will not die when you die!”

From The Forerunner, April–May–June 2013. Translated by Fr. George Dragas. Edited by John Sanidopoulos.

Pascha Under Turkish Domination (4 of 6)

2013-05-18T08:56:00.001-04:00

Part Three

A Mournful, Silent Pascha

Let us see now how they celebrated Pascha after the privilege of the three-day uninhibited celebration of it was abolished in the Queen City.

A historical document of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which was discovered many years ago in the Sacred Monastery of Sinai and dates to around 1772, reveals how the Turkish conquerors acted to smother the religious sentiment of the slaves during their great feasts and especially during the days of Pascha. In order to destroy the enthusiasm, consistency and hope that the traditional celebration of Pascha gave the slaves, they now put into practice decrees of oppression and exclusion which were issued from time to time and established how they should dress and how the Romans should celebrate these days.

For Constantinople in particular, the administration of the Ottoman Porte invited the Ecumenical Patriarch and gave him strict orders and instructions for the celebration of Pascha by Orthodox Christians in Constantinople.

They commanded the Patriarch to bring to his flock the orders of the Porte which stated that Christians, during the days of Pascha, should be dressed in poor clothing and not bright formal dress, nor beautiful and colorful outfits. These were only allowed for the tyrannical masters and were "prohibited dress" for the slaves.

As is apparent from the patriarchal document of 1772, the mandates of the conqueror stated that Christians could not celebrate their Pascha, as in olden times, with their dances and their songs in the streets, but they were to celebrate with mournful silence, with "quietness and modesty", remaining in their homes and avoiding travel and visitations to their sacred shrines in the City.

The Patriarch of Constantinople at that time (1772) was Theodosios II. It was to him that the Porte gave strict orders that Orthodox were not to celebrate Pascha with celebrations. Accompanying the decree was a stern warning of the dire consequences offenders would encounter.

The Patriarch, seeing that the climate was hostile for Orthodox Christians and being well aware that the conquerors for even the most trivial reason could alter the great feast into a dire ordeal, acted as a good shepherd. He issued a document with instructions for the slaves to avoid being considered offenders.

To be continued...

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Pascha Under Turkish Domination (3 of 6)

2013-05-17T09:43:00.003-04:00

Part Two

Monk Agapios and the Dance

Let us allow Daponte to narrate the incident:

Agapios, a monk from Ithaca, an apostolic herald, virtuous, landless, an unmercenary - eternal be his memory. At one time he was found to be in Constantinople during the days of Holy Pascha, in the time when the king would give license to the Romaioi for three days to wear whatever they want and to dance in the Phanar and places nearby, boldly within the huts and in the streets, shouting and singing, with violins and musical instruments and with jugs of wine. This I also attended and visibly saw it as well as Agapios when he came to Skopelos and had the friendship of my father. These dances were occurring one day, with professional guilds, that is to say dancing boys, the guild of furriers, and other guilds, similarly called rousfetia. Agapios was then found to be in the Metochion of the Holy Sepulcher, and the fathers came to the door to see the dancing and frolicking. Agapios also came out, and such a man as Agapios saw such disorder among Christians occurring on such a holy day, that he was confounded, saddened, tearful, mournful, and shaking his head he cried:

"Ah Christians! Ah Romans! Is this how you celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord? Is this how you glorify Christ risen from the dead, our true God?"

Saying such things he was immediately interrupted by one of the fathers standing there, who said:

"Teacher, you see these who today are dancing, jumping, yelling, drinking and being naughty, or as you say, acting unbecomingly, and you are saddened for them and crying? Tomorrow, if there is a royal command for them to deny Christ, they will be the first to willingly run and be martyred for Christ and be slaughtered like lambs."

Having said this, there alone, you could see the face of Agapios immediately change to being joyful, and he immediately went out, shaking off his raso, and joined those who were dancing in order to dance. Immediately the fathers grabbed him, and they held on to him not letting him go. Agapios yelled:

"Let me go! Let me go and dance with the Christ-lovers and martyrs of Christ!"

This privilege, for the slaves to celebrate Pascha with their customs freely for three days, came to an end in 1682 when the act was repealed. Dapontes writes:

"It is now thirty years, that among others, this privilege was removed from the poor Romans."

To be continued...

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Patriarch Kirill's Mission to China in 2013

2013-05-17T02:44:00.003-04:00

- Patriarch Kirill meets with Chairman of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping

- Patriarch Kirill: The Church contributes to the strengthening of genuine friendship among nations

- Patriarch Kirill meets with director of Chinese State Administration for Religious Affairs

- Patriarch Kirill celebrates Divine Liturgy in Beijing

- Patriarch Kirill: The dreams of the Chinese Orthodox Church’s bright future begins to come true

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: China came to the knowledge of Russia through Russian Orthodox Mission

- Primate of Russian Orthodox Church meets with religious figures of China

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Harbin

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill visits St. Sophia Cathedral in Harbin

- Patriarch Kirill celebrated Divine Liturgy at Intercession Church in Harbin

- Patriarch Kirill meets with vice-governor of Chinese province of Heilongjiang

- Metropolitan Hilarion: There is every condition for the Orthodox Church in China to revive

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Shanghai

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Divine Liturgy in Shanghai

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: We are witnessing revival of Chinese Orthodox Church

- His Holiness Patriarch Kirill completes his visit to China

The Pious Cat of Hagia Sophia

2013-05-17T01:37:00.000-04:00

This pious cross-eyed cat, who goes by the name Gli, is a permanent resident of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. Perhaps the most famous cat in Turkey, Gli has been living in Hagia Sophia since it was born in 2006.

Gli is one of the seven cats that are being taken care of at Hagia Sophia. Workers provide food for the cats throughout the day and take care of all their needs.

Follow Gli on Twitter and Tumblr.

Pascha Under Turkish Domination (2 of 6)

2013-05-16T12:18:00.000-04:00

Part One

Constantinople

There often prevailed among Christians and Turks, for about the first two centuries of slavery, a good climate during Pascha and Christmas, and there was an exchange of gifts. The Sultan "kissed the Patriarch, and was kissed by him". The Patriarch even served a rich table to the representatives of the Sultan on these great feasts.

Kaisarios Dapontes [1713-1784] refers in his chronicles to the Pascha of the Greeks of Constantinople during the years of slavery, especially for the period until 1682. In his chronicles, he describes the festivities as follows:

On Great Saturday the Patriarch sent the chancellor to Pasha Kapisi, to the Vizier-Kehagia, with two thousand red eggs and would seek his permission [for the three-day celebration].

On the holy and great Sunday of Pascha, when the Divine and Patriarchal Liturgy had concluded, the Patriarch with all the hierarchs and the Holy Synod went up to drink their coffee, and those Christians who attended the Liturgy kissed the hand of the Patriarch and each received from his hand two red eggs. They then went into the courtyard where they began to dance around at the Patriarchate as much as they liked, and they danced out into the streets, without the women. Then the guards came and venerated him, granted many years to the Patriarch, receiving in return from the Patriarch eggs after kissing his hand, then they immediately joined in the dancing; they danced leaving and dancing they went. This continued for three days, and a crowd of Turks and other races crowded about watching the festivities, having come from Galata and elsewhere. It's been said that occasionally the Grand Vizier and even the Sultan would come secretly to enjoy the festivities.

In this manner other peoples in the city would join the Romaioi [Greeks] in a common joy and celebration for three days.

At one time, before 1682, writes Daponte, during the great feast of Pascha, there was found in the City a monk named Agapios. He, seeing the manner in which the slaves celebrated Pascha, that is, with dancing and songs, was saddened and disappointed, thinking that in this way Christians lost the meaning of the feast.

Then another clergyman not only reassured Agapios but excited him, saying that those who danced and sang were ready to run and be martyred for Christ if the Sultan decreed for them to deny Him. Agapios, hearing these words, became so excited that he ran and joined the dance of these faithful slaves, but those fathers who were near him troubled him.

To be continued...

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Patriarch Bartholomew Refers To "Leading Contemporary Figures of Orthodoxy"

2013-05-16T10:40:00.001-04:00

The Ecumenical Patriarch of Orthodox Christians, Bartholomew, characterized Elder Paisios and Elder Porphyrios, among others, as leading contemporary figures of Orthodoxy in a speech he gave on May 15th in Milan, where he is celebrating 1700 years since the issuance of the Edict of Milan.

Addressing the Roman Catholic ecumenical Monastic Community of Bose, Bartholomew said:

"We must confess that we are touched by the many years of spiritual effort of Fr. Enzo and your Brotherhood; by your love, interest and respect for the Orthodox Church and Orthodox spirituality, variously expressed through the organization of a monastic life which has the Eastern monastic experience as a prototype; through the organization of conferences to deepen into Orthodox spirituality, where representatives of Orthodox theology and thought participate; as well as through the elevation and study of the life and teachings of leading contemporary figures and elders of Orthodoxy, such as Saint Silouan, Elder Sophronios Sakharov of Essex, Elder Porphyrios, Elder Paisios, and of course through the remarkable publishing work of your Community."

The Patriarch noted how many things divide East and West. He even quoted one Orthodox figure who is often used to show the great divide between East and West - St. Kosmas Aitolos.

"Oftentimes we have already said, and we will repeat saying it: 'Did you see your brother? You have seen the Lord your God.' And a Saint of the Orthodox Church, Kosmas Aitolos, instead of the classical greeting 'Good morning' or 'Good Evening', greeted his fellow man by saying: 'Christ is Risen, my joy!'"

The Patriarch further noted the efforts to translate the works of Saint Gregory Palamas, "a misunderstood Saint" as he referred to him in Italian.

On May 17, the respective anniversary celebrations of the Edict of Milan’s commemoration will continue in Istanbul.

Patriarch Bartholomew: What the Edict of Milan Means For Us Today

2013-05-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

May 16, 2013

Asia News

Some 1,700 years have passed since Emperor Constantine granted Christians the right to believe in God, yet "the persecution of Christians has not ceased"; thus, "the Church of Christ will never cease to generate martyrs" until God "enlightens everyone, so that they understand that peace, reconciliation, tolerance, meekness, and mercy can only have a positive effect on human society in general, especially in terms of deeds and words."

Religious freedom and the journey of a divided Church "towards unity according to the Lord's command" are central to the thoughts Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I expressed this morning at the ecumenical prayer that saw him in Milan's Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, together with Cardinal Angelo Scola.

The celebration of the Edict of Constantine is behind the Ecumenical Patriarch's visit to the Archdiocese of Milan. For the Orthodox Church, the emperor is a saint, and the event provided the two 'sister Churches' an important opportunity to reaffirm their ecumenical will. Indeed, the patriarch's words and attitudes are evidence of this, as are the "fraternal greetings" Pope Francis sent him yesterday.

The spirit of the Constantinian document issued in the year 313 naturally centres on religious freedom.

If in his message Pope Francis expressed hope that "today as then, the common witness of Christians of East and West, sustained by the Spirit of the Risen One, can contribute to spreading the message of salvation in Europe and throughout the world and that, thanks to the far-sightedness of civil authorities, the right to public expression of one's faith is respected everywhere and the contribution Christianity continues to offer to culture and society of our time is welcomed without bias," Bartholomew noted instead that, "with great sorrow today we see Christians, of all denominations, persecuted in many places, deemed enemies of society and the state; [we see that] the Christian faith is not tolerated in many countries and under many laws. Despite the progress apparently noted in the world with regard to respect of human rights, the persecution of the Christians has not ceased."

Similarly, Card Scola noted that "such freedom is trampled upon in many different ways, from martyrdom in the lands of the Middle East to legal obstacles that prevent its full implementation as sometimes happens in Europe."

The patriarch's visit begun yesterday with a celebration in the church of Santa Maria Podone - which the diocese gave to the Orthodox community - and continued in the afternoon in the Hall of the Caryatid in Milan's Royal Palace, Bartholomew and Card Scola gave keynote addresses on the topic of religious freedom as a fundamental right from which stem all other human rights.

Today, the Patriarch stressed the "great benefit" the Edict of Milan offered humanity. "For the first time, religious freedom was enshrined into the law of an Empire, the Roman Empire, which then influenced 'the fate' of the world. Because of this freedom that had been given, and thanks to the reforms of Constantine the Great at all levels of legislation and life of his empire, under the strong influence of Christian teachings, the bases and foundations of basic human rights were laid."

"However," he added, "the laws are unfortunately changed on the whim of those in power. Sometimes for the better, but most of the times for the worse, under various pretexts, when it comes to human rights. We have all experienced, even today, the will of those in power and those who have rejected and denied from the start the Christian message of love and sacrifice."

Another aspect of Constantine's work that Bartholomew highlighted is the fact that "the Emperor was very interested, and rightly so, in the unity of the Church, which presupposes unity in faith, without which it is essentially impossible. Constantine the Great understood the need for spiritual unity among his subjects, as a commitment to the prosperity of the state, and as his ardent desire to see the people of his empire united under one and only guide of life and love, our Lord Jesus Christ."

"The organisation of a united Christian empire was part of Constantine the Great's broad vision, in which peace, fraternity, solidarity, harmony and love would have reigned. Certainly, without such a vision, today's Europe, speaking by analogy, would not have this spiritual heritage. The world too would not have caught with the same depth the spread of the Christian message on God, man and the world, a message that has and should have the single purpose of man's deification man. With faith, man conquers selfishness, leaves the bounds of the "self", and enters a new transcendent reality, in which new laws are in place: "the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come'(2 Cor., 5:17-18).

Bartholomew concluded by saying, "By living according to the commandments of the Holy Gospel and acting with wisdom and continued sanctification, we are trying not to let fear stop us from resisting the destructive power of globalization and material life in today's world-with, as our role models, Constantine the Great and of Saint Ambrose, whose relics are preserved in this temple 'to cheer and delight' all our hearts, collected in order to announce 'what is to happen to you in days to come' (Genesis, 49:1)."

Pascha Under Turkish Domination (1 of 6)

2013-05-15T11:46:00.001-04:00

Many times, during the years of slavery, the Greeks celebrated Pascha with bitterness, pain and tears, with oppression, threats, persecutions, sufferings and torments. There were periods, however, due to religious privileges conceded by the occupier, that the celebration of Pascha in Constantinople was unhindered, and even Turks participated in some way in the celebration.

One of the privileges of the slaves of the City was the three-day celebration of the great feast of Pascha, which stated:

"The feast of Pascha is to be celebrated in freedom, and for three nights the door to the Phanar is to remain open for Christians, for those in the suburbs who want to attend church at the Patriarchate."

This privilege, along with others, was granted by Sultan Selim in 1519, as Athanasios Ypsilantis writes in his work After the Fall.

In this way, therefore, for a long period of time, every Pascha, the doors of the Phanar in Constantinople remained open for three nights at Pascha. For this purpose, in fact, there was issued the relevant decree for the opening of the gate.

The aforementioned religious privilege for the slaves was also written about in the travel diary of the German Gerlach.1 He notes that the Turkish night guards left the door to the wall open, and through there Christians came freely, coming from the countryside at night with their lanterns. In those days no one dared harm the women or children of Christians, because it brought a very harsh punishment if something like that was done. Gerlach also refers to the fact that he was in awe of the freedom received by the Greek Christians during their religious feasts.

1. Stephan Gerlach resided in Istanbul in 1573-1588 as Lutheran chaplain of the Imperial embassy.

To be continued...

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Elder Eusebius: "Habit In Worship Is the Greatest Danger"

2013-05-15T10:22:00.000-04:00

By Elder Eusebius Yiannakakis

So that which is a risk, a great risk, is habit; a great and terrible danger is habit.

We cannot allow ourselves to be habitual, neither during the Liturgy, nor with chanting, nor with the Chalice of Life - let us not be habitual with them.

We must feel awe every time a Liturgy is done. Let us follow it with much emotion, awareness and gratitude.

We can always follow the Divine Liturgy as if it was the first and the last time.

Therefore, the greatest danger is habit. Habit in one's rule, and in prayer, and in the Liturgy, and, and, and....

When someone is trying to feel the Lord close to them, and to live their ideal, they never become habituated. Even if there is no time, let's say, for them to do their entire rule, if they do that rule at least well, neatly, clearly, and with much awareness, God will receive it as ten rules. Let our minds and thoughts be on God and feel God there with us. Well, then the Lord blesses and sanctifies.

Our life should walk away from weaknesses, and far from divisions and compromises. Let us seek a pure life, a completely pure and Sacramental life. For it to be fragrant with prayer, worship, and spiritual and holy struggle. So that all of these will attest that we are steadfast in our calling, and that we hold strongly to the holy inheritance of our life which has placed faith in the Lord.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

The Gospel Through a Homicide Detective's Lens

2013-05-15T09:47:00.001-04:00

Stoyan Zaimov

May 7, 2013

Christian Post

A Christian author, church planter and homicide detective has examined many of the big claims made in the Gospel and used the available evidence to examine whether or not they are true – offering that the case for Christianity holds strong.

"Jim Wallace was an angry atheist for many years. Today, he is one of the most thoughtful and winsome apologists for the Gospel I know. Cold Case Christianity is packed with insights to share with skeptics and will give you the confidence to share them," Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California writes about Cold-Case Christianity.

The author, J. Warner Wallace, answered a number of questions by The Christian Post in an email interview about his book, which was released in January 2013 by David C Cook. While an atheist for 35 years, Wallace dismissed many of the big claims made in the Bible, including the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

When the author came to realize that the Gospel can be looked at much like the cold cases he solved as a homicide detective, he applied his skill to the assertions of the New Testament. In a preview of Cold-Case Christianity, Wallace says that he came to the "startling realization" that Christianity is as a convincing case as any of the ones he worked on as a detective.

CP: What are the advantages to studying the Bible and Christianity from a cold-case investigation standpoint?

Wallace: Cold-case homicides are events (murders) from the distant past for which there are often no living eyewitnesses and little, if any, direct or forensic evidence to make the case. Detectives learn how to evaluate and employ circumstantial evidence to demonstrate what happened at the scene of the crime. In a similar way, Christianity makes a claim about an event in the distant past for which there are no living eyewitnesses and little, if any, direct or forensic evidence. Cold-case detectives develop a set of skills that can be directly applied to the examination of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

CP: What are the biggest misconceptions non-Christians have about Christianity?

Wallace: I was a non-Christian until the age of thirty-five. I was often frustrated by the few Christians I knew on the police department because they weren't able to respond evidentially to my skeptical (and often sarcastic) objections. I thought, "How can these folks who seem to have such high regard for evidence in their professional life, believe something about God for which they have no evidence at all?" I was similar to other atheists I knew at the time. I didn't think there was any good evidence to support the claims of Christianity. The more I learned about the nature of evidence generally, and the more I learned about the evidence for Christianity specifically, the more convinced I became that the claims of the Gospels were true.

CP: With so much historical evidence behind Jesus Christ, why do so many continue to believe the entire story is fiction?

Wallace: Much of my skepticism as an atheist was rooted in the fact I had a presuppositional bias that prevented me from following the evidence where it led: I was a committed naturalist. I refused to accept the possibility that anything supernatural or miraculous could occur or exist. I was being unfair with the investigation from the onset. In essence, I was trying to answer the question, "Does God (a supernatural Being) exist?" by starting with the premise that nothing supernatural exists. It was an exercise in circular reasoning. I rejected any reasonable inference that pointed to God's supernatural existence because I rejected the supernaturalism foundationally.

I often say that people "shun" the truth for one of three reasons. They either have ra"shun"al (rational), emo"shun"al (emotional) or voli"shun"al (volitional) objections. In my case, it was the latter. I was very content being the only god Jim really needed; I refused to bend my knee to anyone other than me. As I examined the evidence, I eventually had to ask myself, "Am I resisting this because I think there isn't enough evidence to demonstrate this is true, or am I resisting this because I don't want there to be enough evidence to demonstrate this is true?" I eventually had to admit that I was resisting for volitional reasons. Today, I recognize that God used the evidence as the means to reach me. I was a skeptical evidentialist and God certainly knew that. But God first removed my hostility toward Him so I would be able to evaluate the evidence fairly. When I engage my non-believing friends these days, I am quick to remind myself that it's my job to address the rational objections people have related to evidence; God alone, however, can address the kind of volitional objections that many of us hold. I've learned to articulate the evidence while seeking God's power in prayer.

Saint Achillius Church in Arilje, Serbia

2013-05-15T09:06:00.005-04:00

Saint Achillius Church, (Serbian Cyrillic: Црква светог Ахилија) is a church in Arilje, Serbia. It is dedicated to Saint Achillius from Larissa (Greece), fighter against Arianism and participant of the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Saint Achillius Church was built in 1296, and is closely connected with the Nemanjic dynasty, the first Serbian archbishop St Sava and the misfortunate King Dragutin. With its surreal whiteness and slimness it continues to dominate the core of the west-Serbian town of Arilje as a lighthouse of Christ's faith. In close proximity to St Achilles Church there is the Raspberry Monument that declares the outstandingly convenient soil for growing raspberry, from which the inhabitants of the entire region live very well.

In terms of its architecture St Achilles Church belongs to the Raska School which marked the 13th century with the coherent mixture of Romanesque outside dressing and Byzantine space concept. Facade painting of the St Achilles Church in the Byzantine cell type style, the technique which included alternating rows of stone and brick, on the walls dressed in Romanesque style makes the Church of St Achilles a unique 13th century structure in the whole Byzantine world, considering the fact that there is no preserved example of any Orthodox place of worship dating from that period with the facade entirely decorated in this way.

Besides its architectural value and historical significance the St Achilles Church also stands out as the gallery of valuable frescoes among which the most interesting are the portraits of the rulers belonging to the Nemanjic dynasty, their relatives and all the archbishops since 1219 - the foundation of the independent Serbian Church. The most attractive are the portraits on the south part of the internal narthex, the standing figures of king Dragutin the founder holding the model of the church in his hands, and the fresco above the holy grave of Dragutin's younger son Urosic, who died young as monk Simon and was buried in the Church. Being the clear document of the king's sponsorship and an illustration of the mutual respect (brothers lived peacefully in the time of fresco-painting the church), one of the most beautiful idealized portraits is the portrait of the ruling brothers Milutin and Dragutin Nemanjic accompanied by Dragutin's wife, Hungarian Princess Katelina.

For the first time in the history of Serbian fresco painting a new iconographic solution appears. By that time it was usual that the Mother of God or the saint protector approaches Christ on the throne with the founder holding the model of the temple in his hands and with his head bowed. But here in the medallion there is a reduced painting of the Lord standing in the middle of the two kings Dragutin and Milutin who are frontally turned and blessing them with his raised hands. The representations of these characters occupy a special place in the development of the Serbian medieval portraiture. The fresco of the Archangel Gabriel, called the Blue Angel, which represents the elegant holy character in brilliant simple vestment, is the incarnation of the idea of the Lord's representative of surreal beauty and magnificent kindness. The figure of the archangel with his clearly expressed character, strong musculature and rich robe of a warrior is of extraordinary artistic value. It is one of the masterpieces of old Serbian painting. The portraits of Dragutin's sons Vladislav and Urosic bear high historical significance and the depictions of Serbian archbishops, members of the Nemanjic dynasty and the portraits of Moravica bishops and metropolitans make one of the most important compositions of wall paintings in which important persons of Serbian history can be recognized.

The names of the authors of the frescoes in Arilje Church are unknown, but we do know that they come from Thessaloniki. In terms of both their style and iconography, the frescoes from Arilje in St Achillius Church announce the turning point in the development of wall painting and a new style which will mark the art of painting during the first decades of 14th century Serbia in King Milutin's court.

Dragutin's younger son, prince Urosic is buried in the temple of Arilje. This fact points to the importance of the temple for the king himself and possibility that one of the courts was located near Arilje. The thing that undoubtedly distinguishes this temple from all the other Nemanjic dynasty memorials dating from this period, besides its height and lack of bell tower above the external narthex which is the feature of all bishopric centers, is the entrance on south side instead of the usual west. Unlike other churches built by the Nemanjic's in the 12th and the 13th century which were not cathedral temples for large number of believers, the church in Arilje had exactly that purpose and it was built on a hill top so that it could be easily visible.

During the reign of Tzar Dusan and after the Serbian Patriarchate in 1346 was proclaimed, the Moravica Bishopric was promoted into a Metropolitan's residence. Arilje Metropolitan's residence and monastery fraternity shared the same fate with their people and state in the horrible attack of the Turks led by Mehmed II the Conqueror of Constantinople. The Moravica Metropolitan's residence revived again during the forties of the 17th century. Not until 1833 will the church bells be heard again. But this time not from the Metropolitan's residence but from the parish church only. The St Achilles position and its appearance even today cause in the spectator the feeling of awe, thrill and uniqueness. The Church of St Achillius is a pronounced cultural monument of great significance.

Source

Orson Welles and Chartres Cathedral

2013-05-14T18:42:00.002-04:00

Orson Welles discussing Chartres Cathedral in a monologue/eulogy on authorship, art and existence. From the 1974 film essay F for Fake.

"And this has been standing here for centuries. The premier work of man perhaps in the whole Western world, and it’s without a signature: Chartres.

A celebration to God’s glory and to the dignity of man. All that’s left, most artists seem to feel these days, is man. Naked, poor, forked radish. There aren’t any celebrations. Ours, the scientists keep telling us, is a universe which is disposable. You know, it might be just this one anonymous glory of all things, this rich stone forest, this epic chant, this gaiety, this grand, choiring shout of affirmation, which we choose when all our cities are dust, to stand intact, to mark where we have been, to testify to what we had it in us to accomplish.

Our works in stone, in paint, in print, are spared, some of them for a few decades or a millennium or two, but everything must finally fall in war or wear away into the ultimate and universal ash. The triumphs and the frauds, the treasures and the fakes. A fact of life. We’re going to die. ‘Be of good heart,’ cry the dead artists out of the living past. Our songs will all be silenced — but what of it? Go on singing. Maybe a man’s name doesn’t matter all that much."

– Orson Welles, F Is For Fake

The Risen Christ - The Test of Logic

2013-05-14T11:31:00.000-04:00

By Photios Kontoglou

The faith of a Christian is tested by the Resurrection of Christ like gold in a furnace. Out of the entire Gospel, the Resurrection of Christ is the most unbelievable thing, totally inadmissible by our logic and a true cause of its suffering. Because it is something totally unbelievable, for this reason it requires all of our faith to believe in it. We people often say we have faith, but we only have it for those things that are believable to our minds. But then faith is not needed, since logic is enough. Faith is required for the unbelievable.

Many people are unbelievers. The same disciples of Christ did not have faith in the teachings of their Teacher who had told them He would be raised, despite all the respect and loyalty they had for Him and the trust they had in His words. And when the Myrrh-bearers went at dawn to the sepulcher of Christ, and beheld the two angels who spoke with them, who told them that He had risen, they ran to tell the joyful news to the disciples, but the disciples did not believe their words, having the idea that it was just a fantasy: "But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense" (Lk. 24:11).

Do you see with how much unbelief Christ Himself struggled? And from His own disciples. Do you see with how much long-suffering He endured everything? And with all this, the majority of us are separated from Christ by a wall of ice, the wall of unbelief. He opens His arms to us and calls us, but we deny Him. He shows us His pierced hands and feet, and we say that we do not see them.

We try to find support for our unbelief to satisfy our ego, and we call these Philosophy and Science. The word Resurrection does not have a place in our books of knowledge. Because "the knowledge of this world cannot know anything except the multitude of their thoughts, not however with the simplicity of ones mind." Yes, those who have this mind of blessed simplicity, the Lord blessed, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." And to Thomas, who sought to touch Him in order to believe, He said: "Because you have seen Me Thomas, you have believed? Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe."

Let us ask the Lord to give us this rich poverty, this pure heart, so that we can see Him being raised and be raised with Him. "This ignorance is higher than knowledge" (St. Isaac the Syrian). Most fortunate and thrice-fortunate are they who have it.

Christ is Risen!

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

3rd Anniversary of the Miraculous Return of the Sacred Relic of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite

2013-05-14T10:32:00.002-04:00

In the Holy Coenobium of Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite of Pentalofos in Goumenissa, a Metochion of Simonopetra Monastery, was celebrated for the third year in a row the miraculous finding and return of the sacred relic of St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite after it had been stolen. This is celebrated annually on the Sunday of Saint Thomas.

Four times St. Nikodemos appeared alive to the sacriligious thief, gently prompting him to repentance, saying to him the following: "Please, my child, take me to my home from where you took me, you have afflicted me enough!" This is exactly what the Police wrote in their report.

A great number of faithful and dignitaries attended this celebration.

Another Icon of St. George Gushes Myrrh

2013-05-13T11:43:00.001-04:00

Loukas Panagiotou

May 13, 2013

Romfea

Another icon of St. George, this time in the town of Larnaca, seems to be gushing myrrh. According to information, the frescoed icon of St. George the Trophy-bearer from 1853/4, in the katholikon of the Sacred Monastery of Saint George in Larnaca, on the outskirts of the city, is gushing myrrh.

This happening was revealed by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Kition, who celebrated yesterday morning the inauguration of the renovated Monastery of Saint George in Kontos, on the occasion of the transferred feast of St. George the Trophy-bearer.

His Holiness stressed that there was a strong fragrance in the church that was so intense that they were forced to open the windows to continue the Divine Liturgy. It was then discovered, after an investigation, that the fragrance came from the historical icon and showed three points from where the myrrh gushed.

It is worth noting that the work in restoring and renovating the interior and exterior of the historic Monastery of Saint George in Kontos near Larnaca lasted about two years. On its location was established the Orthodox Cultural Center of Saint George, at the restaurant which offers daily meals to hundreds of unemployed and homeless people of the city who are in urgent need.

We recall that a corresponding appearance of myrrh also appeared on the icon of St. George on Pascha Monday, in the community of Kambi in Farmaka. This icon was painted in the 15th century and repainted in 1624, and has particular hagiographic value. It depicts St. George and is found in the church of the community named after the Saint. The Metropolitan of Tamasos immediately brought experts and examined the icon, apparently finding no natural cause for the phenomenon. According to the testimony of locals, "the icon of St. George gained weight rapidly during the procession and it took six men to lift it with great effort. After prayers before all the people a great amount of tears of myrrh began to flow and it was giving off a fragrance."

Translated by John Sanidopoulos

A Personal Testimony About the Myrrh-Gushing Icon of St. George in Cyprus

2013-05-13T11:06:00.001-04:00

From our dear spiritual brother KICHEM we have a personal testimony about the myrrh-gushing icon of St. George.

Personal Testimony

Thursday 05/09/2013

My brethren, I have just returned with my family from a pilgrimage to St. George in the village of Kambi in Farmaka. One hour traveling full of anticipation brought us before the beautiful church in the village, and although it was late at 9:00PM, there were still pilgrims who gathered by the grace of our Saint. The people were simple, happy and laughing both outside and inside the church. With child-like anxiousness we took our place, we approached, and we kissed the icon in order for it to bathe us with its grace and fragrance. As you can see from the photo below, the course of the myrrh is obvious, which began from the top, to the left of the head of the Saint, even though today it was limited. The priest was making cross-wise marks with oil on its acrylic cover and distributing it to the people. I asked for the details to the story and with great joy Father Polydoros and the commissioner Mr. Anthony, together with some women who were present all these days to protect the church, gave it to us for the world to know better.

The phenomenon seems to have began on Sunday, although it existed to a limited extent, unbeknownst to all. Therefore, beginning on Sunday one villager simply saw something and reported it as unusual, but the problem came during the procession, when those who held the icon noticed it was heavy. Especially on Monday, it took six people to lift it, as they told me. On Monday towards Tuesday, it seems that the myrrh reached its peak, with testimonies that the icon was fragrant while on the road towards the church. The outflow of liquid which they saw, occurred in at least two places on the icon. The distinctive Priest did not immediately want it to be known, and he contacted the responsible Bishop, Metropolitan Isaiah of Tamasos and Oreinis, who undertook an examination of the phenomenon. He immediately called specialists from the antiquities museum and the Archdiocese, and indeed, I was told that the iconologist went to the church at 10 at night because the Metropolitan is very ordered and considered that it would be good for his flock to perform a Liturgy quickly, which he did.

The experts concluded that the happening could not be explained scientifically and it was probably supernatural, and therefore a miracle. It was determined that the myrrh was gushing from the inside, beneath the varnish, which is why it was moistening the icon externally, and a hidden stream formed on its surface, which had almost solidifed (at least when I saw it). This can also be seen in the photographs. Perhaps this is the reason why it is said the icon gained weight. Of course, they told me that for many hours, the icon of myrrh was changing - and perhaps changed again - and appeared to be fluid, but by the instruction of the Bishop, there was placed around the icon a protective cover, so that the faithful would be prevented from touching and scratching the icon and inadvertently harming it.

It is worth mentioning that at times the icon flowed more myrrh, and at other times the fragrance became more intense, presumably because people would come and sit for a long time praying, or because the faith of some was more shallow and the Saint allowed, by the grace of God, for the phenomenon to more intensely burn within their heart. It was also moving, according to testimonies, that the face of St. George, especially on Monday, was so lively that it seemed as though he would talk.

From the time this became known, the church remains open until 10 every night, with the priest ministering to the people, and they intend to keep it this way until people stop coming. It should be noted that it is not permitted for anyone to be allowed to take advantage of this happening, so that no one outside is selling anything, as often happens, specifically so that the people will not be scandalized in order from the outset there would not be an aim toward economic benefit.

In closing, I want to mention that the church is unique because it has two icons of St. George on its icon-screen, the second being on the left edge of the icon-screen and cannot be seen in the photos - and they have particular ecclesiastical value, let alone spiritual value for the event.

See photos at this link: http://imageshack.us/g/1/10143066/

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Patriarch Bartholomew: "I have no fear, no concern"

2013-05-13T09:29:00.002-04:00

May 12, 2013

Agioritikovima

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew made the following comments after being informed of the arrest of a suspect who planned his assassination.

"I have no concern, no fear," said the Ecumenical Patriarch on Saturday when he visited the Church of Saint John in Adrianople.

"I believe that God helps us, and employees of the state guard us well. I am not afraid, I have no concern. That's why I came here. I go everywhere. I do not change my schedule. Glory to God, I'm in safe hands," said the Patriarch.

Turkish authorities are looking for two suspects and continue to interrogate Serdar A., who has so far denied that he planned to assassinate the Ecumenical Patriarch on May 29th, which is the 560th anniversary of the Fall of Constantinople.

Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Read: Plot To Kill Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew Uncovered By Turkey

Patriarch Bartholomew: God and state will protect me

May 12, 2013

Today's Zaman

Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I, commenting on a recently uncovered alleged plot to assassinate him, has said that he is not concerned over assassination claims as he believes God and his state will protect him.

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into an alleged plot to assassinate Patriarch Bartholomew on the 560th anniversary of the conquest of İstanbul by the Ottomans.

The probe was launched on an anonymous letter sent to the Kayseri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office that informed officials about the plot. According to the letter, Serdar A., who was later detained by police, and two other suspects, who have yet to be identified, were planning to assassinate Bartholomew on May 29, the anniversary of İstanbul's conquest.

The letter said the suspect traveled to İstanbul between April 15 and 20 as part of their plan. He later returned to Kayseri to inform his two friends about the details of the plot to assassinate the patriarch.

Bartholomew attended the opening ceremony of a culture center, which was once an Orthodox church, in Uzunköprü, a town in the northwestern province of Edirne, on Saturday. In response to a reporter's question regarding the recent investigation into his planned assassination, Bartholomew said he did not give much attention to the incident, adding: “I know God, first of all, and then the security forces of our state protect us very well. Therefore, I am not concerned at all over such incidents and I don't have any fear. That is why I am here [in Edirne] now. I go wherever I want without any fear. Thanks to God, I won't change my schedule [out of fear of such incidents].”

The police detained Serdar A. in the Melikgazi district of Kayseri as part of the investigation and are reportedly searching for the two other suspects. During a police interrogation, the suspect denied accusations that he was planning to kill the patriarch. He said he visited his relatives during his İstanbul visit and looked for a job there.

“I do not even know where Bartholomew lives. I do not know what his title or job is. I just saw him in the media. I have no plans or intentions to kill him,” he reportedly told the police.

Police officers later sent the suspect to the Kayseri Courthouse to be interrogated by prosecutors. Serdar A. was arrested and sent to jail pending trial after the prosecutor's questioning.

Police sources said the suspect has been detained six times before for being involved in various crimes, including issuing threats and racketeering. This is the second time Turkish authorities have discovered a plot to assassinate Bartholomew.

On Doubting Your Doubts

2013-05-12T14:02:00.005-04:00

"The only way to doubt Christianity rightly and fairly is to discern the alternate belief under each of your doubts and then ask yourself what reasons you have for believing it. How do you know your belief is true? It would be inconsistent to require more justification for Christian belief than you do for your own, but that is frequently what happens. In fairness you must doubt your doubts. My thesis is that if you come to recognize the beliefs on which your doubts about Christianity are based, and if you seek as much proof for those beliefs as you seek from Christians for theirs – you will discover that your doubts are not as solid as they first appeared."

- Tim Keller, The Reason for God, pg. xix

Read also: Dealing With Doubt by Gary R. Habermas

Mother's Day and the Church

2013-05-12T13:37:00.000-04:00

By Petros Panagiotopoulos

Today is Mother's Day and children throughout the earth have an opportunity to remember and honor their mother. Besides these there are also several challengers who see the introduction of this "celebration" as a marketing event, or others who believe that the sanctity of a mother is such that it belongs to every day of the year and not just a special one.

The Church displays the person of the Panagia as the mother par excellence and subtly commemorates the feast of the Presentation (February 2nd) as the day in which a mother is to be honored.

Furthermore, in our tradition we encounter the very Church as a mother, who gives birth to us and regenerates us in Christ, leading us to salvation. This does not mean, however, that there is some contradistinction: the wisdom and obedience of the Theotokos is considered the center of the Church. In her person we encounter the Mystery of the Divine Economy, says St. John of Damascus. And her free acceptance of God's will opened the path for humanities return to the divine embrace. The Incarnation of God the Word which took place in her womb, brought to reality the union of the divine with human. The Church, therefore, treads down history as a "continuous Theotokos" (Paul Evdokimov).

The Panagia is an eternal model of a mother, who sympathizes and co-suffers with every person in pain and is both a shelter and comfort for all the persecuted. The sad icon of the sword that pierced her as she watched her Son suffer for humanity, makes her a person par excellence of compassion and philanthropy. She is the archtypal mother, aching and caring for her children for the grief and injustice which prevails in the world, continually sighing for suffering man. In her person mothers primarily find a unique assistant and absolute understanding in their concern for the future of their children and that of the whole world. In wars it is mothers who die, says the poet.

For these reasons, the ecclesiastical proposal is to eminently honor the person of the mother.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

A Poem Elder Paisios Wrote For His Mother

2013-05-12T09:04:00.000-04:00

The following poem - letter was written by Elder Paisios to his mother when he left his home in Konitsa to become a monk at Mount Athos.

The translation below is more literal than poetic like the poem is, so if anyone with better poetic skills wants to offer an alternative translation, feel free in the comments below. For this reason I am also offering the original Greek.

The video below is this poem in song.

My mommy, I bid you farewell, I go to become a monk,

I am leaving this futile life, of delusion, to laugh,

In the solitude of the desert, I will pass my youth,

For the love of Christ, I will sacrifice all.

All the goods of this world, like offal I will leave,

To complete the first commandment, to love God,

With the cross of Golgotha, to follow Christ,

And in the Jerusalem above, I pray we meet again.

I leave your great affection, mommy to be able,

In order to be eternally with, Jesus, I will supplicate,

For this reason black, is what I wanted to wear,

In order to be dedicated to Christ, to like the things of God.

And for a mother hereafter, I will have the Panagia,

To protect me harmless, from the slyness of the enemy,

My mom with devoutness, in the desert here with quietude,

I will pray for you always, and for all citizens.

Monk Paisios of Philotheou. Mount Athos. 05/01/1957

Dedicated to my pious Mother.

Paisios

Μαννούλα μου σε χαιρετώ εγώ πάω να μονάσω,

Φεύγω την μάταιαν ζωήν, τον πλάνον, να γελάσω,

Στην μοναξιάν στην έρημον τα νιάτα να περάσω,

Δια την αγάπην του Χριστού, όλα θα τα θυσιάσω.

Όλα του κόσμου τα αγαθά,σαν σκύβαλλα θα αφήσω,

Να εκτελέσω την πρώτη εντολήν, τον Θεόν να αγαπήσω

Με τον σταυρόν στον Γολγοθάν, τον Ιησούν ν’ακολουθήσω,

Και εις την άνω Ιερουσαλήμ, εύχομαι να σε συναντήσω.

Φεύγω απ’την μεγάλην σου στοργήν, μαννούλα να μπορέσω

Δια να ήμεθα αιώνια μαζί, τον Ιησούν, θα παρακαλέσω,

Διαυτό μικρός εθέλησα τα μαύρα, δια να φορέσω,

Να αφιερωθώ εις τον Χριστόν, του Θεού να αρέσω.

Και δια μητέρα εις το εξής, θα έχω την Παναγίαν,

Να με φυλάξη αβλαβή, απ’ του εχθρού την πανουργίαν

Μάννα μου με κατάνυξιν, στην έρημον εδώ στην ησυχίαν

Θα εύχομαι πάντα δια εσέ, και διόλην την πολιτείαν.

Μοναχού Παϊσίου Φιλοθεΐτου. Αγ. Όρος 1-5-1957

Αφιερούται στην σεβαστήν μου Μητέραν.

Παΐσιος

Elder Paisios with his father Prodromos and his mother Evlambia

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos

Antipascha — Thomas Sunday Gospel Explanation

2013-05-12T08:15:00.002-04:00

The Second Sunday of Pascha - Thomas Sunday

John 20:19-31

By Saint Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria

19–23. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, "Peace be unto you." And when He had so said, He showed unto them His hands and His side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, "Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

When Mary Magdalene brought her news to the disciples, it is likely that they reacted in one of two ways: either they did not believe her, or, if they did, they were crestfallen because they were not deemed worthy to see Christ. Meanwhile, fear of the Jews was increasing the disciples’ longing to see the only One Who could relieve their anxiety. And so the Lord appeared to them that very evening, when all of them were gathered together. It is written that He appeared "when the doors were shut", meaning, He entered through locked doors. This was to show that He had risen in the very same manner, while the entrance to the tomb was shut with a stone. One would think they might have taken Him for a ghost, but Mary Magdalene’s testimony had greatly strengthened their faith. Also, He manifested Himself in such a way as to calm their tumultuous thoughts: "Peace be unto you," He said gently, meaning, “Be not afraid.” This was to remind them of what He had told them before the crucifixion: "My peace I give unto you" (Jn. 14:27). "Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord." This, too, He had foretold before His death: "I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice" (Jn. 16:22). It was well that He should say to them again, "Peace," for the disciples were now engaged in desperate struggle with the Jews. As He had said, "Rejoice!" to the women (Mt. 28:9), because sorrows were their lot, so He grants peace to the disciples, who were now, and would always be, at war with the Jews.

It is fitting that He grants joy to the women, condemned to bear children in pain and suffering; and peace to the men, on account of the warfare that would engulf them for preaching the Gospel. At the same time He reveals that the cross has ushered in peace: “The cross has brought peace: now I send you forth to proclaim it.” To strengthen and embolden the disciples, He declares, “As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. It is My work you have undertaken, so do it boldly: "I will be with you.” Behold the authority of his command: “It is I Who sends you.” No longer does He condescend to the limitations of their understanding, saying as He often did before the resurrection, “I will ask My Father and He will send you.” Now He breathes on them and gives them the Holy Spirit—but not the entirety of the gift He would bestow at Pentecost. "Receive ye the Holy Spirit," means, “Let this partial bestowal of grace make you ready to receive later the fullness of the Holy Spirit.” The words, "Whoseoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them," indicate the particular gift He gives the disciples now: power to forgive sins. Later, on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit Himself would descend in all His might, lavishing upon the apostles every spiritual gift and power to work wondrous deeds, such as raising the dead.

It is worth considering why John records only that Christ appeared to His disciples in Jerusalem, while Matthew and Mark say that He promised to appear to them in Galilee (see Mt. 26:32; Mk. 14:28). Some have explained it this way: “Christ never said He would appear to the disciples only in Galilee, and not in Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, He appeared to the twelve, whereas in Galilee, He appeared to all His disciples, in accordance with His promise. The fact that He showed Himself many times to the twelve indicates that He honored them more highly than the others.” From this we again see that there are no irreconcilable disagreements between the accounts of the Evangelists. There were many appearances of the Lord after His resurrection, and each Evangelist selected certain ones to record. When two Evangelists describe the same event, the second usually tells what the first has omitted. And now, O reader, reflect upon the divine rank of the priesthood. The power to forgive sins is a divine power; hence, we must show honor to the priests as to God. Even if they are unworthy, they are still ministers of divine gifts, and grace empowers them (ἐνεργεῖ διʹαὐτῶν) just as it empowered Balaam’s ass, enabling it to speak (see Num. 22:28-30). Human frailty does not hinder the working of grace. Therefore, since grace is bestowed through the priests, let us honor them.

24–29. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said unto them, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be unto you." Then saith He to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing." And Thomas answered and said unto Him, "My Lord and My God." Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Thomas … was not with the disciples, perhaps because he had not yet returned from where he was hiding after the disciples had scattered. Elsewhere, we learned that the Hebrew name “Cephas” means “Rock” (Πέτρος, see Jn. 1:42); here we are told that “Thomas” means “Twin” (Δίδυμος). The Evangelist provides the meaning of the name here to indicate that Thomas was prone to be of two minds—a doubter by nature. He doubted the news brought to him by the others, not because he thought they were liars, but because he considered it impossible for a man to rise from the dead. And his doubt made him excessively inquisitive. Gullibility is a sign of light-mindedness; but stubborn resistance to truth is a sure indication of thick-headedness. Thomas would not even trust his eyes, but demanded proof by touch, the least discriminating of the senses: "except I shall … thrust my hand into His side." How did Thomas know there were wounds in Christ’s hands and side? Because the other disciples had told him. And why does the Lord wait eight days before appearing to him? To allow time for each of Thomas’ fellow disciples to tell him what they had witnessed. Hearing the same story from each one individually made him more willing to believe, and increased his desire to see the Lord. In order to show that He was invisibly present eight days earlier, when Thomas had expressed disbelief, the Lord does not wait for Thomas to speak. Instead, He straightway proposes exactly what Thomas desired, quoting his very words.

First He rebukes Thomas, saying, "Reach hither thy hand;" then He admonishes him: "and be not faithless, but believing." From this it is clear that Thomas’ doubt was caused by lack of faith, and not because he was careful to verify the facts (as some say, wishing to put him in better light). But as soon as Thomas touched the Lord’s side, he was revealed as a superb theologian, proclaiming the two natures and single hypostasis of the one Christ. Thomas refers to the human nature of Christ, calling Him "Lord;" for the term “Lord” (Κύριος) is applied not just to God, but to men as well. (Thinking that Jesus was the gardener, Mary Magdalene had said to Him, "Sir (Κύριε), if thou have borne Him hence…" (v. 15). But when Thomas cries out, "…and My God," he confesses Christ’s divine essence, and affirms that the names Lord and God refer to one and the same Person. By declaring blessed those who have not seen, and yet have believed, the Lord teaches us that faith means the acceptance of things not seen. He is referring, first to the disciples who believed without touching His side or the print of the nails, and second to those who would later believe (without any physical confirmation). He is not depriving Thomas of his share of blessedness, but encouraging all who have not seen. There was a common saying, “Blessed are the eyes that have seen the Lord.” Christ, however, praises those who will believe without seeing, declaring them to be truly blessed.

A question arises: how can an incorruptible body display the mark of nails and be touched by human hands? The answer is that such things are possible as part of the divine economia: they are manifestations of God’s condescension and love for man. By entering the room when the doors were shut, Christ makes it absolutely clear that after the resurrection His body is altered: it is now light and subtle, free of all material coarseness. But to confirm that it is indeed their Lord and Master Who has appeared to them, He permits His resurrected body, bearing the wounds of the crucifixion, to be touched. For the same reason, when He walked on the water before the Passion (see Mk. 6:48]), His body was unchanged from when He was walking about on land, and this reassured the disciples. But though He allows His resurrected body to be touched, it is now impassible and incorruptible. When Christ eats now with the disciples, it is no longer to satisfy any physical demands of His body (for there were none). Food once eaten is altered in the stomach and passes out into the drain (see Mt. 15:17). But it was not so with Christ after the resurrection. The food He ate during that time was consumed by an invisible, divine power. His only purpose in eating was to confirm the reality of His resurrection, and He permitted His incorruptible body to bear the mark of nails, and to be handled, for the same reason. Do you see, O reader, how, in order to save one doubting soul, the Lord did not spare His own dignity, but condescended to bare His side? Neither should we despise even the least of our brethren.

30–31. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.

To what other signs is the Evangelist referring? To those that Jesus did after the resurrection, and not those before His crucifixion, as one might suppose. The Evangelist is speaking about the signs which Jesus did in the presence of His disciples only. The miracles before the Passion were performed in the presence of the multitude and revealed Jesus to all as the Son of God. The miracles after the resurrection were performed while He was alone with the disciples during the forty days: their purpose was to convince them that He was still the Son of Man, with a human body, albeit one now incorruptible, more Godlike, and no longer subject to the laws of the flesh. Of the many miracles after the resurrection, only these are written. They are not described ostentatiously, to vaunt the glory of the Only-begotten, but simply, as the Evangelist says—"that ye might believe." So what is the profit here, and to whom does it accrue? Certainly not to Christ, for what does He gain by our belief? It is we who gain. The Evangelist himself tells us that he wrote so that "believing ye might have life" through Jesus’ name. When we believe that Jesus rose from dead and lives, we win for ourselves eternal life. He arose, and is alive, for our sake. But whoever imagines that Christ is dead and did not rise from the grave has no life in him. Indeed, by thinking this he confirms and ensures his own eternal death and corruption.

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