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Freemasonry and the Rise of Ecumenism in the Orthodox Church

September 21, 2020

The Greek Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church have many, many longstanding disagreements. As a catechumen, many of us learned whole lists of Roman Catholic practices and teachings that we Orthodox find unacceptable. But despite almost 1,000 years of constant disagreement on everything from the Eucharist to Ecclesiology, the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics emphatically agree that Freemasonry is a dangerous religious cult.

The Greek Orthodox Church (in Greece, not Constantinople as we shall see) officially condemned Freemasonry first in 1933, and then repeated that condemnation in 2014. The Roman Pope Clement XII first forbade Roman Catholics from membership in the Masons in 1738. Since then, the Roman Catholic Church has condemned Freemasonry 21 times by name. ROCOR also condemned Freemasonry in 1932.

As Americans and Canadians, this can be hard to fathom. We are used to thinking of Freemasons, if we think of them at all, as a men’s social club that does charitable work around the community. We see “conspiracy theory” documentaries about them from time-to-time pop up on TV, of course, but hardly anyone seems to take them seriously. Regardless of our mental image of Shriners in small cars and funny hats helping needy kids, very sober-minded and holy men (on the Orthodox side anyway) consider Freemasonry a serious problem.

Why? Several very important reasons.

First and foremost, Freemasonry is an occult religion hiding in plain sight. For a concise description of this, we can borrow from a Roman Catholic source (Please note: Some Roman Catholic sources are used in this article because, despite their many other errors, Catholic writers are very knowledgeable when writing about Freemasonry):

Freemasonry displays all the elements of religion, and as such it becomes a rival to the religion of the Gospel. It includes temples and altars, prayers, a moral code, worship, vestments, feast days, the promise of reward or punishment in the afterlife, a hierarchy, and initiation and burial rites.

The Greek Church’s condemnation of Freemasonry included the following conclusions:

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.

Such a link between Freemasonry and the ancient idolatrous mysteries is also manifested by all that is enacted and performed at the initiations.

Thus Freemasonry is, as granted, a mystery-religion, quite different, separate, and alien to the Christian faith.

Freemasonry rejects Orthodox creeds and dogma, and in place offers a competing neo-gnostic, mystery cult which comes complete with its own Theology, rituals and symbols (icons). Much of this occult symbolism and Theology has “crossed over” into other movements and into popular culture, giving the Masonic religion a much wider influence than mere numbers of Freemasons would indicate possible.

Second, Freemasonry tends to attract some of the most intelligent and successful members of any society. In his book The Greek Police Problem (1970), Brigadier Drempelas described how embedded Freemasons were at the top-levels of Greek Society:

To Masonry belong very many intellectuals, politicians, judges, high-ranking state officials, army officers, moneymen, all wealthy Greek Americans and Hierarchs or theologians. The Lodge of Athens up to the year 1963 had as its Grand Master the University Rector, who was also professor at a Theological Faculty…

The situation has been much the same elsewhere in the world. Studies of Freemasons in the United States have found, overall, that they are disproportionately drawn from the upper social-economic classes. Fourteen Presidents of the United States have been Freemasons, including George Washington. If you peruse the list of notable Freemasons on Wikipedia, you will note billionaires, artists, politicians, doctors, scientists, judges, U.S. Supreme Court justices, writers – really men from all over the globe and from almost every conceivable field of human activity.

Putting aside “conspiracy theories” or the like, it is shocking and troubling that so many powerful men, past and present, have been influenced by a religion that our Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church officially declares is “quite different, separate, and alien to the Christian faith.”

Third, these powerful men have not been content to sit around their lodges and discuss the role of Lucifer, the light bearer, in human social evolution. Freemasonry has a strong inclination towards changing the world, and existing governments (particularly monarchs) tend to get in the way. The role of political Freemasonry in carrying out the February 1917 Revolution in Russia is well-researched. Interestingly, the Communists banned Freemasonry as an unacceptable rival to power after taking control of the country later that year. Freemasonry also played a significant role in other conflicts such as the Greek War of Independence, the French Revolution, and the American Revolution.

Freemasonry is always subversive to the existing religious and social order, which is why it provided many of the political and military leaders of the American Revolution. The Masonic religion, in fact, was essential in preparing the societal groundwork for rebellion long before 1776:

The role of Freemasonry and individual Masons prior to and through the American Revolution was that of the destruction of the traditional social and political order based on an authoritarian philosophy and characterized by inequality and privilege. Speaking generally, in the ancient regime the church and state mutually supported each other in maintaining their respective places of predominance and privilege. Liberalism and liberals, which included Freemasonry and Masons, were declared to be traitorous by the state, and heretical and atheistic by the Church…

… probably no other institution was so widely distributed in the colonies as Freemasonry. Differences in religion, government, and economy, difficulties in transportation and communication, and a spirit of localism and individualism existed from north to south from east to west in varying degrees, but the basic principles of Freemasonry were identical in the approximately one hundred colonial lodges established by 1775, not excepting the colonial governments, had so many leaders of the people in thought or in action from the local community level, as were contained in the ranks of Masonry.

The religion of Freemasonry, and its ideal of brotherhood, helped both motivate and unify the many individual Masons such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and Paul Revere who were at the center of the American Revolution. After the Revolution, Freemasonry played a very public and prominent role in shaping the ideas and the symbolism of the new nation:

On September 18, 1793, President George Washington, dressed in his Masonic apron, leveled the cornerstone of the United States Capitol with the traditional Masonic ceremony. Historian Stephen Bullock in his book Revolutionary Brotherhood carefully notes the historic and symbolic significance of that ceremony. The Masonic brethren, dressed in their fraternal regalia, had assembled in grand procession, and were formed for that occasion as representative of Freemasonry’s new-found place of honor in an independent American society. At that moment, the occasion of the laying of the new Republic’s foundations, Freemasons assumed the mantles “high priests” of that “first temple dedicated to the sovereignty of the people,” and they “helped form the symbolic foundations of what the Great Seal called ‘the new order for the ages’.”

One might wonder, then, if the anti-Christian influence of Freemasonry accounts for some of our stranger national art and architecture in the city of Washington D.C. For example, the fresco of George Washington in the U.S. Capitol building in which the first president ascends to Heaven the way we Orthodox depict Jesus doing:

The Apotheosis of Washington depicts George Washington sitting amongst the heavens in an exalted manner, or in literal terms, ascending and becoming a god (apotheosis). Washington, the first U.S. president and commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, is allegorically represented, surrounded by figures from classical mythology. Washington is draped in purple, a royal color, with a rainbow arch at his feet, flanked by the goddess Victoria (draped in green, using a horn) to his left and the Goddess of Liberty to his right.

It is somewhat bizarre for a “Christian” nation to consecrate and decorate its public buildings in such a fashion. One must wonder at the long-term effect of the Masonic religion on the United States, given its influence on so many men of prominence and on so many public spaces. Could the current cultural and social decline America is experiencing be related to that influence?

Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, Freemasonry created the ecumenical movement that threatens our own Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. For the Greek Church, participation in the ecumenical movement began with Freemasons infiltrating the Church during the end of the 19^th Century. In his article, Some preliminary notes on the influence of Freemasonry on early Greek Ecumenism, Scholar and Monk Seraphim (Zissis) details how multiple Greek Patriarchs of Constantinople, Greek bishops, and Greek Theologians were secret Freemasons who promoted the early ecumenical movement. These included Patriarch Joachim III, who first named the Roman Catholics and Protestants “churches” from an Orthodox point of view, and Patriarch Meletios IV (Metaxakis), whose innovations included adopting the new calendar to align with the other “churches” and a keen interest in the Anglican “Church” at a time when sources indicate as many as ¾’s of Anglican clergy were with the Masons.

Freemasons treat unifying the various “Churches” as an essential project, and to that end, dogma that separates one body from another must be eliminated at best or at least downplayed as “optional.” Manley Palmer Hall (1901-1990), magician, Luciferian, and Freemason wrote:

The true Mason is not creed-bound. He realizes with the divine illumination of his lodge that as a Mason his religion must be universal: Christ, Buddha, or Mohammed, the name means little, for he recognizes only the light and not the bearer. He worships at every shrine, bows before every altar, whether in temple, mosque, or cathedral, realizing with his truer understanding the oneness of all Spiritual Truth. All true Masons know that the only heathen are those who, having great ideals, do not live up to them. They know that all religions are one story told in many ways for peoples whose ideals differ but whose great purpose is in harmony with Masonic ideals

The reader will probably recognize in those ideas the kind of “universalist” notions espoused by many ecumenical thinkers of today (“Many paths to God,” “God wills diversity of religion,” “All Churches are essentially the same,” “God will save everyone”). The severe danger of this blasphemous thinking was articulated by Saint Nikolaj Velimirovic in 1930:

The Great Church of Constantinople noted in its own List some heresies by their name, like Uniatism, Chiliasm etc., but the Masonic danger outmatches all other dangers and, unfortunately, numerous intellectuals are affiliated with it. This is the new Arianism; and before us stands a great struggle, which we have to undertake fearlessly in the name of God. The greatest threat to Christianity in the world is not Bolshevism or something else, but Masonry, because it is an enemy [both] external and internal. We say that the Christian religion is the Religion, the sole religion, and that Orthodoxy the only true one; but they [Freemasons] renounce the Gospel and Christ, putting Him on a level with Moses, Buddha, Mohammed

If everything in all religions is true, then nothing is. If all religions can be made one, then so can all governments and all societies.

Besides infiltrating the Holy Orthodox Church, the adherents of the Masonic religion in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, mostly under the guise of fostering Christian cooperation for worthy charitable purposes, was busy laying the ground work for the modern ecumenical movement by organizing meetings and organizations such as the Y.M.C.A., the Parliament of Religions, the World Council of Churches, and more. Masons said all the right things and seemed to be at the forefront of “humanitarianism” as they infiltrated throughout religious and civic organizations.

As one Catholic writer described it:

This “religion” is only apparently tolerant. In fact, it is [an] utmost demanding and intolerant [religion]. The Freemasons say about themselves that they would be the “initiated,” the “perfect” and the “illuminated” people. And the remaining humanity is for them profane, imperfect, and darkened. Historians recognized in Freemasonry the seed of political totalitarianism (e.g. A. Cobban, Historia de las Civilizaciones, quoteted in: A. Bárcena, Iglesia y Masonería, Madrid 2016, 71). The confusion and the deceit of it consists in the fact that Freemasonry praises itself with attractive names and definitions, like “philanthropy,” “humanism,” “intellectuality,” “tolerance,” and at the same time, Freemasonry masks itself with these names.

One of our biggest problems, as Orthodox Christians, is that we believe our cultural enemies are “secular” or “atheists.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Whether they recognize it or not, the enemies of the One True God are profoundly religious. Whether called “Freemasonry” or “Scientism” or “Antiracism” or “Wicca” or “Antifascism” or “Progressivism” or by any other name, their faith is deep and their god is both demanding of sacrifice and profoundly intolerant. The way for these new faiths was paved through Freemasonry rejecting supernatural Divine Revelation, without which man lies naked before raw power. The Freemason Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote: “The life of a human being is not only a gift of nature, but a conditioned gift by the state” (The Social Contract II, 5).

The truth is, that like the Masonic religion that prepared the way, the god of all those religious fanatics, whether they recognize it or not, is Satan.

As one Catholic writer explained:

In the first grades of Freemasonry, there is venerated an uncertain and nebulous divinity as the “Great Architect of the Universe,” who in the higher and then in the highest grades becomes more and more concrete; in the higher grades this uncertain divinity is identified as the Lucifer, as Satan, as the good god, the adversary of God; and the true God is here the “bad God.”

Satan, of course, is the original conspirator against God. He has never ceased his activity. He has never given up. His disciples follow him in wishing to transform this world into their vision of a utopia. Far from trying to create Hell, they are trying to create a Heaven right here on Earth in the form of a new order they control. They believe they are the heroes of this story, and those of us clinging to destructive fables such as Orthodoxy are the villains. Their “god” represents progress, while ours represents the Dark Ages. Key to creating this new order is first and foremost, destroying the old:

Political and social anarchism is a phenomenon which mostly embodies the spirit of Freemasonry, since one of their key principles is “ordo ab chao” [“order out of chaos”]. This means that one must first create a chaos and then build a new, other order, an order created by men.

One could add to that “create religious anarchism” as fostered by the ecumenical movement. Those who support ecumenical dialogue and organizations say that participation is good for the Orthodox Church. It provides a way for us to witness to the world. But aside from its suspicious beginning in the Greek Church under Masonic influence, the ecumenical movement seems less about witnessing to the Truth of the Orthodox Church and more about making her conform to the world and to other faiths. Academics and hierarchs with ecumenical ties are calling for and even implementing innovations that betray and weaken the Orthodox Faith. Innovations frequently cause Faithful to fall away, often lead to schisms, and always weaken the witness of the Faith. Instead of resisting Satan and his plans for this world, a weakened and disunited Church either retreats or, even worse, actively cooperates in her own enslavement by promoting the Satanic Order under various, seemingly innocent guises such as “charity,” “public health,” “science,” “fighting poverty,” “antiracism,” etc.

The ecumenical movement is Satan’s effort to destroy the Church from within. Rather than being the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the ecumenical movement makes her simply one among many religious bodies dedicated to Jesus Christ. Freemasonry and similar movements have been tools used by Satan to accomplish her reduction in status. Without the preservation of God’s full self-revelation through her holy dogma, the Church is powerless against the world. There is a reason why the Church Fathers fought so vigorously to defend the Orthodox teachings of the Church. If who Christ is does not matter, then how can Christ himself matter? How can the Church stand for truth if she no longer even knows what the truth is?

We can’t really say how, in today’s world, the activities of Freemasonry overlap with other forces such as political movements (Marxism, BLM, antifa, Chinese Communist Party, radical environmentalism), secret societies (Bohemian Grove, Bilderbergers), foundations / think tanks (Rockefeller, Ford, Council on Foreign Relations, Trilateral Commission), global organizations (UN, EU, IMF, WHO), occult religions (New Age, Wicca, Satanism, Neo Paganism) and activist billionaires (Soros, Gates, Koch, Buffet). What we can say is that Freemasonry was the “grand daddy” of all this, and many of its occult ideas have been “mainstreamed,” even within some quarters of the Orthodox Church. As churches are closed by governments to combat a relatively mild virus, our societies are descending into chaos, authoritarianism, and satanism. All around us are images of the demonic, particularly featuring sexualized children. What would once have been considered an affront to all decency, now masquerades as mere entertainment as we meekly go about our business of trying to survive a government-induced economic catastrophe. All the while, we hear that the “new normal” will allow us to “build back better.”

Meanwhile, many “Orthodox” Theologians collaborate with the Heterodox extolling confusion and immorality.

Abbot Tryphon, one priest who is standing for truth at this difficult hour, has made clear:

Is this not a moment in the history of the Church that demands her priests and bishops stand firmly in the face of the demonic powers that would enslave us all with a secular-marxist future devoid of God?

Not since the earliest days of Christianity have we seen a period where the need for spiritual leadership willing to face martyrdom rather than succumb to the evil powers that would take us all down into the pit of darkness, as we are seeing now.

As Faithful Orthodox Christians, we may not be able to do much about many of the problems in this world. But one thing we can do is refuse to support any ecumenical movements within Orthodoxy. Do not attend the conferences, donate to the organizations, or buy the books. We can refuse to participate in the errors of hierarchs, theologians, and academics who are harming the faith through participation in ecumenism. And we can pray earnestly and fervently for our Church in these troubled times.

Orthodox Reflections Editorial Collaboration – Writers adding to this article are from multiple countries and local Orthodox Churches

Tags: apostasy, conspiracies, ecumenical, ecumenism, eucharist, Fordham, freemasonry, freemasons, heresy, Leftist Infiltration, multiple spoons, occult, occult symbolism, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Orthodox fundamentalism, pop culture, secret societies, Theology

For Orthodox Subversion, a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

February 27, 2024

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A couple of years ago, I had to attend the heterodox wedding of the child of one of the couples from our parish. They had embraced Orthodoxy, but their adult children had stayed Episcopalian. One of their daughters was getting married in an Episcopal ceremony, and they asked a few of us to attend for moral support. When my wife and I arrived, we saw that our priest was already there. He was dressed inconspicuously in a suit and tie. I had never before seen him in public without a cassock. Sitting next to him, I asked him why he was in “civilian” attire.

“Because,” he said, “If I were here in a cassock and pectoral cross, some people could think I am endorsing what is happening here. There could be pictures of me. They could put those next to pictures of an Episcopalian priestess on Social Media, and the result will be confusion on all sides. I’m only here because two of my parishioners needed me here.”

He sat quietly through the marriage “service” conducted by the Episcopalian priestess. He then spent a few minutes at the reception, before hugging his parishioners, congratulating the happy couple, and quietly making his way to the exit.

He drew no attention to himself. He caused no scandal. Few at the wedding even realized he was an Orthodox priest. A simple parish priest understood the power that images of him at such an event, attired in clerical garb, would have had for Orthodox and heterodox alike. He wisely avoided all that, while still being there to support his beloved parishioners who were both happy (wedding, yeah!) and troubled (heterodox, boo!) at the same time.

If only more of our Orthodox Bishops displayed such discernment. As we shall see, some of our bishops are either clueless about optics, or they are intentionally trying to undermine the Orthodox Faith. We tend to think the latter is the case, but intentional or not, the effects are harmful.

Here are some examples.

On October 4, 2023, a His Grace Bishop Athenagoras Nazianzos of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America participated in an “Interfaith Harmony Day” held at a large Hindu temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The event brough together representatives from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Mormonism, Judaism, and Buddhism. It was part of the celebrations that culminated in the consecration of the temple a few days later on October 8.

At the event, Bishop Athenagoras read a letter from Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of GOARCH. Here are some of the sentiments expressed:

In the boundless tapestry of creation, we are called to recognize and celebrate the diverse ways in which humanity seeks to connect with the divine. As Orthodox Christians, we are continually reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words, for from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.

In this spirit, we celebrate the unity and oneness that underline our shared human journey towards a world of peace and reconciliation. May the opening of this beautiful shrine be a beacon of joy, understanding, harmony within the Hindu community and beyond. May this unique peace of Indian art stand as a testament to our common humanity and may its sacred hall be a place where hearts are uplifted and souls find solace.

Such words are very much in keeping with the ecumenist beliefs frequently expressed by the Patriarch of Constantinople and the bishops under him such as Archbishop Elpidophoros. After all, it was not long ago that His Eminence scandalized so many with his “many paths to God” speech at a conference on freedom of religion.

This is from a speech given by Patriarch Bartholomew on February 1, 2024 at the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Constantinople.

To this end, we must recognize that there is nothing to divide us from our brothers and sisters of other denominations or religions. On the contrary, there are many things that unite us; the life of every individual, irrespective of their religious beliefs, unfolds as a sequence of crucifixion and resurrection moments and days. It is precisely this sequence that will bring us closer, enabling us to offer one another encouragement, optimism, vigor, and hope. This mutual support will assist us in navigating through challenging situations, knowing that resurrection days will come.

Such ecumenist teaching is very much at odds with Orthodox Christian Tradition. They are the sentiments of politicians looking to build coalitions, not the thoughts of holy men who rightly divide the Word of Truth. Ecumenism of this variety falls in line with the expressed goals of the Global Elite, Freemasons, New Agers, and others who, inspired by Demonic beliefs, seek to join all religions into one. Such talk from “Orthodox” hierarchs demoralizes the Orthodox Faithful, while giving inquirers the wrong idea about who and what the Orthodox Church really is.

But while the speeches, interviews, articles, books, and academic writings espousing ecumenist teaching are bad, the pictures are worse. Way, way worse. As Orthodoxy has understood for over 2,000 years, you may forget words, but images stay indelibly etched in your mind. Below are two of the pictures of Bishop Athenagoras at the “Interfaith Day”.

These striking images go far beyond being a “good neighbor”. They also go far beyond merely being an advocate for religious freedom. A bishop of the Church, posing with non-Christians in celebration of their paganism, will be seen as endorsing an equal status for that religion to Orthodoxy – “We are all just seeking God in our own way, so bless you in your search!”

A few days later, Bishop Athenagoras did apologize for his participation. While any act of public contrition by an Orthodox Hierarch is a welcome change-of-pace, an apology is of no real value. Bishop Athenagoras was not sent there by accident. The men who sent him are not idiots. They knew exactly what they were doing, and why. This was not a “mistake”. This was a calculated move to push forward the ecumenist agenda within Orthodoxy. Another opportunity to habituate Orthodox Christians to images of our hierarchs praying / officiating / participating with heterodox Christians and non-Christians.

As the images pile up, those of us complaining will get a pat on the head, and a condescending smile, while we are told, in a voice full of pity, “There’s nothing to see here. We’ve been doing this for years. Don’t be such a paranoid conspiracy theorist.”

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Unfortunately, there is something to see here. There is a faction of Orthodox hierarchs, academics, rich laity, and clergy that truly believe Orthodoxy is antiquated and greatly in need of “modernization”. We have covered them before.

When trying to transform a 2,000 year old Divine / Human organization that prides itself on never changing, one thing above all is crucial. People cannot be allowed to connect the dots on what you are doing. Each subversive action must appear to be an isolated incident. If a pattern becomes too obvious, Orthodox Christians might actually wake up and take some action.

Ecumenism is not the only front on which attempts are being made to change Orthodoxy. There is a serious drive afoot to “revive” the office of Deaconess. The newly re-envisioned office of Deaconess is expected to have a liturgical role, unlike the historic office which most definitely did not. But a liturgical role for women brings up a problem. Orthodox Christians are not used to seeing women at the Altar. Suddenly putting women there would cause an uproar, and might even bring about a schism. It is necessary to go slowly in a way that gets the laity accustomed to seeing women functioning in liturgical roles.

Which brings us to The Most Reverend Michael, Archbishop of New York and New Jersey. (There’s New Jersey again, just like with the Hindu Temple incident!) It has been reported to us, by a member of one of his parishes, that at least 4 times, most recently on 2/25, His Eminence Michael has blessed a female Seminary student, Amber Prather, to give the homily at Sunday Divine Liturgy. The St. Vlad’s student is pictured below. Find the video here (her sermon is around the 1:32:00 minute mark). Amber’s husband is Andrew, who appears to be working towards ordination in the Orthodox Church.

Probably all of us have attended workshops, speeches, classes, etc. with female Theologians. A woman teaching is not an issue, if her talk is separated from the Divine Liturgy. However, this was not the case with Amber Prather. In the middle of a campaign to “modernize” the roles of women in the Church, Archbishop Michael has seen fit to put a woman in front of the Altar on multiple occasions to preach the homily at Divine Liturgy. There is no way Archbishop Michael is unaware that this symbolism bolsters the drive towards deaconesses and more. His Eminence must have seen the work of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, who have have put real money and effort into promoting deaconesses. We have even seen Ancient Faith Radio recently wade into this debate by hosting a roundtable discussion on the topic.

Of course, it’s not just women preaching homilies. We are also seeing attempts to put female acolytes at the Altar. The picture below is of Varvara Gulina and her daughter. An Antiochian parish in Boston let her stand on the solea with her daughter and the acolytes. The Metropolitan had to “talk to” the clergy there to correct the situation. Perhaps such an incident will not be repeated in that parish. Unfortunately, however, Varvara had already got what she wanted – pictures that she put into public view, and a guest column on Public Orthodoxy to promote female acolytes titled Orthodox Christian Altar Girl.

By the way, Varvara is wearing a tiara in the picture above. She does not have a Theological education, and seems inclined to play “princess” dress-up at Church. An individual who knows her described her as “not well” and little more than a “tool” for those pushing for women at the Altar. As you might suppose, this isn’t really about women Deacons or women preaching homilies or female Altar servers. Those are all just steps towards making Orthodox Christians comfortable seeing women at the Altar, taking on male roles. After a specific comfort level has been reached, the next move is the real goal – women’s ordination to the priesthood. A goal that the most honest opponents of Orthodox Tradition, such as Aristotle Papanikolaou from Fordham’s Orthodox Christian Studies Center, are already open about.

Of course women can preach! Archbishop Michael has given his blessing on multiple occasions for a woman to preach homilies in one of his churches. What other hierarchs will join him in doing so? That remains to be seen, but it is a good bet that more will. Women can obviously serve at the Altar, look at all the pictures proving that! At some point in the future, the modernizers will remind us that the world did not end when women preached homilies and fulfilled Liturgical roles. So why would the world end just because women can now be ordained?

Please do yourself and Orthodoxy a favor – don’t think all of these things are simply coincidences. This is a sophisticated propaganda effort along the lines of the ones used to successfully transform Rome, the Episcopal Church, and other mainline Protestant denominations. Do all of the people playing roles in this even understand the combined ramifications of all these efforts? Surely not. But we owe it to ourselves to understand what is happening, while there is still time to do something about it.

Nicholas – member of the Western Rite Vicariate, a part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America

Tags: altar girl, Amber Prather, anaxios, Andrew Prather, apostasy, Archbishop Elpidophoros, Archbishop Michael, Archons, Archons Ecumenical Patriarchate, Constantinople, Deaconess, deaconesses, ecumenical, Ecumenical Patriarch, Ecumenical Patriarchate, ecumenism, female altar servers, female ordination, First Without Equals, Fordham, freemasonry, freemasons, GOARCH, Greek Archdiocese, greek orthodox bishop, Greek Orthodoxy, heresy, Hindu, Hinduism, His All-Holiness Bartholomew, Leftist Infiltration, modernity, Nicholas, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, parish life, Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Constantinople, Patriarchate Constantinople, priestess, priestesses, Primus Sine Paribus, revolution in kind, revolution within the form, studied ambiguity, unborn life, Varvara Gulina, woke, wokism, women's ordination

The Orthodox Church of Today: What is Happening and Why, Part II

September 29, 2023

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Please click here for Part 1 of this article.

Imposter Bishops (continued)

God waits for the sinner to repent, but there is a limit to how long He will wait. When He gave Life and Freedom to all His logical creatures – the angelic powers and mankind – He also assigned accountability. While Lucifer and his bodiless followers were plotting their rebellion against God (which the All-knowing was always aware of) they were still members of the Church in Heaven – until they consummated their sin and were thrown out. That was the first mutinous persecution of the Church by Satan, and one third of the angelic powers who fell with him.

Satan’s rage against God and all of Creation – but especially His Church – has never diminished since. After Adam and Eve also sinned (and were thrown out of Eden), there has been war between Satan and God, with humanity as the battleground. Which of them wins over us depends on how we use our freedom. There have always been people in both camps, persecutions both without and within the Church. From Judas’ kiss to Diocletian’s bloody executions, followed by the Arians, the Nestorians, the Iconoclasts, the Crusaders, the Western schismatics, the Ottomans, and finally the Ecumenists of today – all these and many, many other assailants throughout Church history, have incessantly rocked the Ark of Salvation. And yet, despite the volleys of betrayals, massacres, heresies and prodigal bishops, the Church has and will stay the course with Christ at the helm.

We know this because Christ promised, “on this rock [of faith] I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). This never meant that the Church on Earth would find things easy. It meant that Christ’s Church, those in and of her, would never be overcome by the evil one. It is this rock-like faith that led millions to martyrdom. Just like Jesus, they won the war by dying. Their physical deaths did not end their membership in the Church, but further sealed it with their confession of faith. Despite the death toll of the early martyrs, the Church not only survived, but increased. These Christian martyrs understood Christ when He told Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). They knew that although they were in the world, they were not of the world either. They were sojourners on earth who strove for a permanent membership in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, if some of us lament the abysmal quality of some hierarchs in the Orthodox Church today, listen to what Christ said to His Disciples: “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). Being the all-knowing God, and not interfering with the free will of His creatures, but giving them every opportunity to know Him and follow Him, Jesus knew in advance that Judas Iscariot, despite following Him closely for three years, would betray Him. He knew he would do it with a kiss and would not seek forgiveness, but would destroy himself. Christ gave Judas every opportunity to repent, but when Judas would not return to the Master, the Master used the devil to abolish the devil’s power over us by allowing his freely made choices to play out. Although one of the “twelve,” Judas did not cultivate the rock-like faith required for the gates of hell not to prevail against him. He succumbed to his final temptation, becoming “the son of perdition” (John 17:12). He was in the Church, but he was not of the church – a condition of the heart and mind that can apply to anyone, including bishops.

As She did from the very beginning, the Church continues Her struggle against both external and internal enemies. It is the “kissing” internal ones that pose the greatest threat to the flock, the ones that lie to the Holy Spirit when they say, “nor will I give You a kiss as did Judas.” The New Testament refers to such as these as Judaizers (refuted by St. Paul), the sexually immoral Nicolaitans (in Revelations), false teachers, false prophets and wolves masquerading in sheep’s clothing. While Papal heresies led to the Protestant Reformation in the West, the East struggled under the Ottoman yoke, keeping Orthodoxy alive by the light of the moon. During her occupation, many more new martyrs of the suffering Church on Earth were added to the Church in the Heavenly Kingdom.

About a century after the Eastern Church was liberated, Her hierarchs began yielding to the seductions of the West. Operating like papal “primates”, with their arbitrary innovations to the Faith, the more recent patriarchs of Constantinople, beginning with Joachim III and Meletios IV (Metaxakis) all the way to present-day Bartholomew, have been yearning after the new pan-heresy of unorthodox Ecumenism. This heresy aims to lead all faiths to one global religion, one all-accepting watered-down creed that accepts everyone’s god. This type of ecumenism, which can only be accomplished by destroying the Orthodox Church, has been the long-term plan of Freemasonry.

Freemasonry is a secret, neo-gnostic, occult religion, with its own theology, rituals and symbolism (icons). The higher levels have attracted many wealthy intellectuals who hold key positions in society and politics, including many religious and political leaders. Freemasonry rejects the Holy Trinity and anything having to do with faith, accepting only knowledge (gnosis) in the form of science or rationalism. They look upon faithful Christians with disdain, as those being “in the dark.” Ironically, the higher levels of Freemasonry still practice a form of faith in that they worship Lucifer as the “good god”, who enlightens and illumines his followers and strives to overcome the “bad” God, the Creator of matter. This is hypocritical because science and rationalism have everything to do with matter. Freemasonry is a form of idolatry, where the false god being worshiped is Satan, for God said, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7).⁶ Of course, people are free to worship any god they choose, and follow any lifestyle they wish, but anyone who claims to be Christian knows that they “cannot serve two masters” (Luke 16:13). If this is true for all Orthodox Christians, how much truer is it for Orthodox clergy?

The Greek Orthodox Church (in Greece, not Constantinople) officially condemned Freemasonry first in 1933, and again in 2014. Scholar and Monk Seraphim (Zissis) details how multiple Greek Patriarchs of Constantinople, like Joachim III and Meletios IV (Metaxakis), other Greek bishops, and Greek theologians were secret Freemasons who endorsed the early ecumenical movement and helped create the World Council of Churches (WCC) to promote it. Patriarch Joachim III was the first to name the Roman Catholics and Protestants “Churches” from an Orthodox perspective. Patriarch Meletios IV (Metaxakis) adopted the new calendar to align with the other “churches”, and was very interested in the Anglican church when most of their clergy were Masons. Political Freemasonry played a key role in the February 1917 Revolution in Russia, which established Communism, an ideology that heavily persecuted the Russian Orthodox Church.

In abuse of their honorary “ecumenical” titles, the Freemason patriarchs of Constantinople began exercising a papal type of authority, creating divides in the Orthodox Church. They did this by arbitrarily consecrating new bishops as autocephalous leaders in other countries and jurisdictions. Patriarch Bartholomew’s interference in Ukraine in 2019 was not the first example, nor will it be the last. In addition, Bartholomew threatened to break communion with the Autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church in Greece if She did not transfer to his control 36 of her dioceses. The Church of Greece capitulated to prevent schism. Using similar means, he also absorbed many churches of the diaspora that were under the control of other patriarchates, who also conceded to prevent schism. This year, he has gone so far as to announce his intention to consecrate the dregs of rogue clergy, like Alexander Belya (planned to be the new bishop of Nicopolis) previously defrocked by ROCOR, and the divisive Theophan Koja, of whom the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania had grave concerns. Theophan Koja (now the new bishop of Philomelion) was no sooner consecrated when he recited the Creed with the Latin filioque at his consecration! Despite severe criticism, these two are being used by Bartholomew to create Slavic and Albanian “Vicariates” (under the American Archdiocese of Elpidophoros) based on the ethno phyletism of the laity, so as to absorb this flock and their temples into Bartholomew’s see.

What is this all about? It is about achieving the end goal of unorthodox Ecumenism, the child of the Constantinopolitan Freemason hierarchy, which they have been planning for over the past 100 years. April 20^th, 2025 is the much-anticipated calendar date when the Roman Catholic Easter and the Orthodox Pascha will coincide. It will mark the 1700^th year anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, and as Bartholomew and his bishops have already announced, their planned union of the Roman Catholic Church of the West to the Eastern Orthodox Church of the East, thereby symbolically annulling all previous Ecumenical Council decisions. This explains Patriarch Bartholomew’s global meddling in other Orthodox jurisdictions, his high-handed take-over of diaspora Churches, and his seemingly endless crowning of riffraff “Charlemagnes.”⁴ He rushes to non canonically expand as much as he can, the size of the Eastern Orthodox Church, while setting Her up for a devastating downfall in a false union with Rome. The mutinous patriarch of “shock and awe” hurries to bring as many followers as possible into perdition with him, as his father, Lucifer, did before him. On the North American continent, this would include all Greek Orthodox Churches of the American Archdiocese under colorful Elpidophoros, and all those of the Greek Canadian Archdiocese, controlled by sinister Sotirios. It would take too long to list the churches in Australia and other parts of the world that are in Bartholomew’s see.

If consummated, the result of this false union will be a schism similar in tragedy and trajectory to that of 1054, but the Freemasons don’t care because their goal is to destroy the Orthodox Church anyway. Patriarch Bartholomew told us so himself, when he was asked in 2021 how he felt when the Moscow Patriarchate severed full communion with the Phanar, because of his meddling in Moscow’s jurisdiction by granting autocephaly (independence) to the newly created Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). This new “autocephaly” was an affront to the already established Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), which was self-governing under the see of Moscow. The schism was hoped to be a temporary disciplinary measure to make Bartholomew recant and restore unity, but his response was – σκασίλα μου – he just didn’t care.

The Holy Fathers, on the other hand, cared a great deal about schisms. St. Irenaeus of Lyons, sums it up perfectly with these words: “He [God] shall also judge those who give rise to schisms, who are destitute of the love of God, and who look to their own special advantage rather than to the unity of the Church; and who for…any kind of reason which occurs to them, cut in pieces and divide the great and glorious body of Christ, and so far as in them lies, destroy it – men who prate of peace while they give rise to war.” Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-bearer could not make it more clear in his Epistle to the Philadelphians: “Do not err, my brethren. If any man follows him that makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.” It is vital to note here that it is he who makes the schism that is the schismatic, which is why the faithful must not leave their schismatic church until after the schism is made, to remain blameless of this enormous sin.

Bartholomew and his predecessors justify their uncanonical activities by abusing their honorary title of “ecumenical” (which means universal) Patriarch, also expressed as “first among equals” (first in honor). Not long ago, Bartholomew went further by (uncanonically, of course) adopting the title “first without equal,” unprecedented in the Orthodox Church, but well known to the popes of Rome who invented it. This new title was defended in a 2014 essay by the incumbent American “orthodox” Archbishop Elpidophoros, who, in 2019, was rewarded with a hierarchy of his very own by his mentor … Bartholomew. Many of the papal heresies and fabrications that led to the Great Schism of 1054 are strikingly similar to those of the Constantinopolitan patriarchs during the past 100 years.⁴Bishops like these fully disregard that the Apostles never selected amongst themselves a “first among equals” let alone a “first without equal.”

Instead of working on the more important and pressing issues that concern the Church today, such as pandemic issues, abortion issues, contemporary morality issues or properly framed reunification issues, all of which should have “a return to Orthodoxy” as their basic tenet (this is proper Orthodox ecumenism); and instead of strengthening the bonds between existing Orthodox jurisdictions and resolving political and cultural differences that have divided some Orthodox Churches, the “first without equal” (in all manner of “shock and awe”) does the opposite. By “lording it over” all other patriarchates, he creates and widens inter-Orthodox rifts while focusing on “union” with the non-Orthodox, without any indication of their conversion to the Orthodox Faith from which they have tragically departed. Ecumenical dialogue has focused predominantly on “similarities,” opportunities for ‘economia’ (which should only be used for rare exceptions), and a “downplaying” and even avoidance of dogmatic differences. As they did in Kolymbari, Bartholomew and his bishops keep drifting into the most emetic of “lukewarm” arenas of the dilution of our Faith, which makes our Lord Jesus Christ so upset, He says, “I will vomit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16). Should this false union ever be consummated, he and his bishops will be thrown out of the Church by God Himself, like their father, Lucifer. Woe to the blind, complacent and lukewarm sheep who follow them into the abyss of an easy, convenient and false “Christianity.” The true Church will not follow these deceivers! She knows the voice of the Good Shepherd and will follow Him, staying the course.

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In the Name of “Love”

The Orthodox Church is essential, not only as the Ark of Salvation, but also as the spiritual hospital for the healing of the soul.¹ Spiritual growth and healing, however, can only be accomplished through the in-person (never virtual) sacraments of Holy Baptism, Repentance (Holy Confession) and Holy Communion. In the name of “love,” too many misguided “orthodox” bishops have disregarded these soul-saving tools, to enforce unprecedented political temple lockdowns and vaccine mandates – because these, and not Christ, will save us. In the name of “love,” they have embraced sexual immorality, and the non-Orthodox without calling anyone to repentance. They have even served Holy Communion with multiple spoons – because the “Giver of Life” spreads disease and death – and marched and celebrated under a rainbow flag, as did Archbishop Elpidophoros, twice, at Anglican St. Bart’s Cathedral, all in the name of “love,” for as they say, “God is Love”. Yes, that He is, but love without truth is a lie. God is Love and Truth. God is true Love, not an exhibition of “love” where “everything goes.” Love without Truth is not the Love of God, and lust is not love. God said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second [commandment] is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mark 12:28-34). In true Love, obedience to God and His commandments always comes first because He is Love and He is Truth. Christ also commanded us: “Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:9-17), which Christ did for us. True love is sacrificial. There is nothing lustful or selfish about it; and there is nothing sacrificial in lust.

In the name of “love,” these same bishops have denied the Power of God in the Holy Chalice; they have denied the flock access to the Holy Gifts; and they continue to deny to the non-Orthodox knowledge of the Truth, lest these convert and judge them. When did any of these “lovers” of ours risk their lives to commune the faithful during the lockdowns? When did any of them even conduct a litany for God to lift the pandemic? Are these “lovers” of sexual immorality and all its ideologies, now ready to lay down their lives for their LGBTQ+ “friends?” or is it because they secretly practice sexual immoralities together with them that they publicly support their sin? They haven’t left much to the imagination when a number of “orthodox” hierarchs are already known to have open and unrepented homosexual lifestyles. And even if they don’t, do they really think that they love the stray sheep more than God loves them?

In their arrogance, they forget that the fallen human condition (which includes theirs) cannot even begin to fathom the mystical depths of God’s Power, Mercy and Love. Theirs is more a love of the self and the body, manifested as lust, greed, and hypocrisy. In their self-serving delusions, they have lost the meaning of Love because the Holy Spirit has departed from them, and the “other” spirit has made its abode in them. Saint Peter warns about false teachers, like these bishops, who are unholy and communicate heresy. They are arrogant, sensual and greedy deceivers, denying accountability in their lives. Isolating themselves from Apostolic doctrine concerning Christ, they hold their own “private interpretations,” misconstruing doctrines and Holy Scripture (2 Peter 2:1-3). These are not the words of the author. These are the words of the Orthodox Study Bible.⁵

Homosexuality among the Eastern Orthodox hierarchy under the Constantinopolitan patriarchate, is more prevalent than meets the eye. It is rumored that “to become a bishop in the Eastern Orthodox Church, one must be an ecumenist, a Freemason and a homosexual.” You must belong to the “other” club before you can belong to Bartholomew’s. This explains the ‘rogue clergy’ consecrations that we see taking place in rapid succession, the cowardice of established hierarchs who did nothing to spiritually support their flock during Covid, and the countless hushed up reports of open episcopal homosexuality, witnessed by scandalized laity, which this author is also privy to. Bishops such as these are not worthy of their ordination according to the impediments set out by the Holy Canons of the Church and they must be deposed.⁶ St. Paul said, “…an overseer [bishop] must be above reproach…” (1 Timothy 3:1-2), but if you are an imposter patriarch (bishop), you need other imposters worse than yourself, to support your agenda and not hold you accountable! The fish rots from the head!

Recent publication from our friends at Fordham University Press, home of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center which has extremely close ties to the Patriarchate of Constantinople

St. John the Theologian records Christ’s message to the bishop of the Church of Ephesus: …”but you have this in your favor, you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (Revelations 2:6). In his book of homilies, Archimandrite Athanasios Mitilinaios explains below:

“The Nicolaitans were gnosticizing heretics … Gnosticism did not die and will not die until the end of history …The Nicolaitans … had a very lax attitude towards idolatry and carnal sins…they had great difficulty accepting the commandments of God … more specifically, in the area of bodily sins. They were tremendously loose … specifically regarding the subject of abstinence or sexual control …

… Gnosticism attempts to create a melting pot of all the ideologies of all times. It is a mixture: a little philosophy, a little Christianity, a little Buddhism, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little idolatry. It is a smorgasbord of all religions [like unorthodox Ecumenism] that maintains the name of Christianity; but it is a Christianity of maximum distortion. They were classified as heretics because they attempted to give themselves a Christian garb, a Christian color, while their abuse and distortion of the Gospel was horrendous …

…Freemasonry is a revival of Gnosticism …neo-Gnosticism … They claim to have the light, the illumination, and the pathway to the depth of knowledge, the depth of wisdom, the depth of philosophy … [which are] the depths of Satan … [Their] hope [is] to destroy all religions and especially Orthodox Christianity.”⁷

“There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The Holy Apostles were painfully aware of spiritual dangers like Gnosticism, the oldest and most pervasive heresy in Christian history. Saint Peter warns, “be sober-minded, be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:9). Saint Paul admonishes, “In their case the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Saint John also writes, “We know we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19).

The Holy Apostles admonished and exhorted their flock to guard against the dangers of the secular world. Which Eastern Orthodox pulpit or encyclical today, warns the Church about the dangers that are being propagated by politicians around the world as “freedom and rights for all”? Which hierarch has urged their flock to “stand firm and hold to the traditions that [the Apostles] taught” (2 Thessalonians 2:15) because 2000 years of Orthodox Christian Tradition comes in direct conflict with “modern society’s teachings” in our schools, governments, and institutions around the industrialized world today? What bishop has taught our children that the Garden of Eden was lost because not everything is a “FREE FOR ALL,” but that God had placed a single restriction on mankind – to love and obey Him.

Certainly not those hierarchs who already serve two masters, hating The One and loving the “other.” Freemason “Grand Commanders” like Canadian Archbishop Sotirios, have never stood up to the slings and arrows that buffet the Church; they only capitulate to them, as they capitulated to Covidism, to unorthodox ecumenism, and to a false union with Rome in 2025, to strip Holy Orthodoxy down to Her “commonalities” with all other religions. Their goal, as we said, is to align all citizens of the world with one “common global religion,” the “other” master being “common” to all. The false union with Rome will not stop there; there will be many other false unions.

How do “orthodox” hierarchs fall for such deceit? Actually, they don’t. They are fully on board with the neo-Gnostic “system” that selected them and elected them, purposely “groomed” them in the cult of Freemasonry and “approved” them to fill the role in the way that enables their agenda. This is why in the last hundred years or so, the new hierarchy stopped consecrating hieromonks as bishops to succeed them, and craftily figured out how to remove the laity from the electoral process to select new hierarchs. With all arrogance, these present-day, neo-Gnostic Nicolaitans hijacked the Orthodox Church, and through the preferential ordinations of like-minded, lascivious jackals, they have multiplied their numbers to circumvent accountability, and to destroy the Church from within. Such as these shall be the new leaders of the harlot church. “…and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns…decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelations 17:3).

These harlot hierarchs will not heed the voice of the Good Shepherd because they neither love Him nor believe in Him. Willful, shameless and unrepentant sodomites and piranhas, “in the name of Jesus,” they extract and extort millions of dollars from the temples of a pious flock that naively funds them for the false unification of all religions and the destruction of Truth. What more evidence do we need? “[We]…know them by their [rotten] fruits” (Matthew 7:16)!

The Time is Near

When Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15), He was not exaggerating. These self-serving hierarchs are the neo-Gnostic wolves in sheep’s clothing against whom Saint Paul warned, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith…” (1 Timothy 6:20-21); and “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Saint John also warned, “Whoever says “I know Him” but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” (1 John 2:4) See how carefully the Holy Apostles trained and prepared those like Timothy, who they ordained as bishops to continue the Apostolic mission in service to the Church!

The faithful “Timothies”, in the Eastern Orthodox Church today, are tragically outnumbered by the “devils” and “liars” who have taken over behind an “orthodox” facade. Blinded by their lust for their true master, Satan, they despise the true Love of God. These duplicitous, high-ranking Freemasons repeatedly injure the Body of Christ, His Church, with their demonic innovations, arrogant power-grabs and hypocritical justifications to the sheep, who they also despise, claiming they are “orthodox” bishops who must be obeyed because they have the Apostolic succession through ordination, an ordination they desecrate, mock and usurp. They forget, or rather, they do not believe or care, that when the Pharisees puffed themselves up because they were descendants of Abraham, Christ responded, “…do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father. ‘ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Matthew 3: 9-10).

If they do not repent, they will “bring on themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1), as did all their wicked predecessors before them (2 Peter 2:4-22). The same holds true for the complacent, comfortable, lukewarm sheep that enable them. Over and over, God’s providence uses His enemies, just as He used “the son of perdition” to accomplish His purpose. Even if things seem they can get no worse, as they did from the foot of the Cross, that is when Christ will renew and purify His suffering Church, leading Her to glory, for He has built her on the rock of Faith and “…the gates of hell shall not prevail against Her” (Matthew 16:18).

It is very tempting to be scandalized by all that has been taking place in the Orthodox Church these days, but Christ said, “such things must come” (Matthew 6:8). Why? Because, even now, God is using the evil ones who are in but not of His Church to separate the sheep from the goats. According to His Divine Justice, everyone will use their free will to sort themselves out, like wheat from chaff, depending on who they follow. Will they follow the steep and narrow path of the Good Shepard, or will they follow the wide and easy path of Satan’s harlot church? See how the enemies of God cannot and will not destroy His Body, His Church! All they can do is leave and by doing so, they will create the schism. Therefore, they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Those that do not know the voice of the Good Shepherd, those who are not of His flock, will all fall away. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us” (1 John 2:19)

But as for us, “if we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:11-13). So, let us prepare ourselves. Let us find a trusted Orthodox spiritual father, even if he belongs to another jurisdiction, and seek advice from him; let us withhold our financial support from corrupt hierarchy who use our donations to promote their blasphemous agenda; let us worship in the temples of other Orthodox jurisdictions, but if that is not possible, remember that (until the false union takes place) God’s grace is still imparted to the faithful even if unworthy bishops are in charge. Do not abstain from the Divine Liturgy or from the Holy Gifts because of scandal; and do not be afraid of becoming spiritually orphaned. God will provide for his sheep. Above all, do not leave the Orthodox Church, for She is the Ark of Salvation, no matter how many “Judases” lurk inside. They will not be there for much longer and some of them may even repent.

When the traitors leave, the authentic Orthodox Church may become smaller, but having been cleansed, She will shine much brighter, and more faithful sheep will find Her and flock to Her; for She will reject all idolatry and immorality, all lies and falsehoods, all heresies and blasphemies. She will hold a proper and true Great and Holy Ecumenical Synod and will put everything in order, properly missionizing “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The sham church with her harlot bishops, will follow the globalists and ultimately the Antichrist.⁸ While the devil does his work, Christ is already revealing true and worthy priests and bishops that will properly guide the faithful; bishops who recognize and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, up the narrow path, leading His Church to the top of the mountain. There, the full number of saints (of whom God has foreknowledge) will be completed; and then, the history of the world will be ended by God, who will abolish all evil forever.

The time is near. Let us all correct ourselves. Let us “exhort one another daily…lest any of [us] be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). Let us be vigilant, “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). While the enemies of God war against Him as they did from the beginning of time, let us steadfastly pray and study God’s word, choosing wisely, exercising repentance with patient endurance in these spiritually hard times (Hebrews 6:15). The Lord will win for us, provided we persevere like “a woman in travail” (John 16:21-23; Revelations 12:1-6), up the steep and narrow path, the only Path, in and of the only Church, the only Ark that leads to the Heavenly Kingdom. Let us be able to say “yes” to the Lord’s question, “…when the Son of Man comes, shall He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8).

—Demetrios Georgiou

Do you support freedom of worship for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church? Then please read, sign, and share our petition supporting Metropolitan Onuphry and his Church.

References:

Fr. George Nicozisin. The Orthodox Church, A Well-Kept Secret – A Journey Through Church History. Light & Life Publishing Company, Minneapolis MN
The Orthodox Study Bible – New Testament and Psalms, New King James Version. Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. Peter 2:1-3 (Footnoted Exegesis, pp 563-564)
Fr. Ted Bobosh. Canonical Ordination and Deposition https://frted.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/canonical-ordination-and-deposition/
Archimandrite Athanasios Mitilinaios. Homilies on the Book of the Revelation, Volume One. Translation, Foreword and Notes by Constantine Zalalas, St. Nicodemus Publications, Bethlehem PA 2009 (Chapter 9, pp 133-134; Chapter 16 – Freemasonry – the Depths of Satan)
G.M. Davis, PhD. Antichrist: The Fulfillment of Globalization – The Ancient Church and the End of History. Uncut Mountain Press, 2022

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Preparing for Hard Times: Forging Relationships and Skills to Survive

January 16, 2023

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The world is littered with abandoned cities. Not little towns either, but giant, monumental cities that housed large populations and sat at the centers of impressive civilizations. Cities built by some of the most skilled craftsmen to ever live. Cities that took generations and vast riches to build. Then, they were simply left to rot. The jungle, the forest, the desert allowed to come and swallow them up till they were completely forgotten, even by those whose ancestors used to live in them.

In some cases, a military defeat emptied the city. In others, the climate changed making the cities no longer habitable as the sea retreated, fresh water dried up, or deserts advanced. A volcano, earthquake or other catastrophe overtook the city and repairs were impossible. Natural resources could be exhausted, leaving the city with nothing to offer in trade. In some cases, the entire complex system of trade and taxation on which cities depend would collapse or be destroyed by enemies.

Cities are complex and hard to maintain. Their existence is often dependent on the connections between civilizations. Historians have written about several known instances, around the Mediterranean basin, when multiple, interconnected cities and their civilizations all collapsed in sequence like a line of falling Dominos. The collapse of one deprived another of needed trade goods, which then caused it to collapse which then deprived another of needed goods and on and on it went. High civilization is a very fragile thing.

Whenever the cities became unlivable, the people fled them and went back to farming in small villages. The ones who didn’t die, of course. Because any time a civilization collapsed, the deaths of many was the inevitable result. Not everyone has the health, the skills, the tenacity or the luck to go from being a maid or a bureaucrat or a stone cutter to being a dirt farmer in a hut. Many would rather die. So they did. And so they will.

A good, working definition of modern hubris – believing that we are so advanced that calamities which have befallen generations of our ancestors could never happen to us. You would be shocked how easily our own cities could empty out as starving people go in search of food and fuel. Two things which the Climate Change policies of our current ruling elite threaten to make very scarce.

Is this the end? It can easily be an end, even if Jesus Himself does not come back and the Antichrist is not yet ready to appear. It might be better for all of us if it were, but there are no guarantees. We may have decades of struggle ahead of us. With that in mind, we offer John Lee’s recommendations below as food for thought. Now is a good time to learn a skill. To make friends with other people who have skills and resources that complement your own. To get your soul right with God, from Whom all blessings flow.

Our world is more fragile than you think. There are millions of Ukrainians shivering in the dark, their power having been cut by Russian air attacks, who are putting many of these recommendations into practice as you read this. They are not the only ones in the world doing so. War, famine, disease, political violence, and economic collapse are stalking many lands right now.

John Lee may very well be wrong about some of his concerns involving technology. It probably doesn’t matter, since in a serious societal collapse the communications infrastructure will not survive. In any case, we have been so lied to by our elite ruling class, that it should surprise no one if they deployed unproven, potentially dangerous technology to increase their profits and their control.

All food for thought. John Lee’s article begins below the line.

—OR Staff

Discerning friends, voices, leadership, who can you trust?

Evaluate the people around you, for putting your lives in the hands of the wrong people in a crisis can be deadly.

Purity of heart. Some who seem well meaning are really wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are untrustworthy, because when it comes right down to it, they will abandon you or stab you in the back. They have conflicts of interest. This is a heart issue. Under close observation, the little things are very telling. The wolf cannot hide everything. 80% of the time two things tell you what you need to know: how he spends his money and what his children are like. There is no guarantee he will reveal himself clearly. However, usually multiple “red flags” will appear if you know what to look for. Pay attention.
Competence in a field. If one is honest, it does not mean he knows what he is talking about. Is he in his “wheel house”? Can he take whatever he talks about, spin it around and articulate it from every direction? An honest man is not always a competent man and the competent man is not always trustworthy. If you have to choose between the two, take the honest man. The honest man will usually know and admit to his limits. The honest man stops, goes back to repair his mistakes. The dishonest man just keeps going.
Of what relevance is he/she to you? God puts the Church together as He sees fit. Life flow or supply comes from the joints (St Paul), where bones are joined bone to His bone. Correct relationships are edifying, fulfilling, and trustworthy. Knowing where, and with whom, you belong goes a long way.

Knowing Your True Friends

During your life you will have three kinds of friends—the 3 C’s:

Constituents. These are those that generally hold the same values as you; they stick with you as long as in some way they profit from the relationship. Whenever they—for whatever reason—no longer need you, they will leave and go elsewhere. As long as you provide some form of comfort, service, or affirmation to them, they will be there. Without that they go away.
Comrades. These are stronger than the first group because they are motivated by anger or fear. It is those with whom you share a common enemy. As long as you are fighting the same battle, being mad at the same people or events, they are with you. As soon as you leave that fight or find another enemy, they will abandon you.
Confidants. These are those that will be there with you. no matter what. If you end up in the gutter, they will be the ones who will come and get you out – no matter what it costs them. These are those who live by covenant. Those that God has placed near you. You may only have one or two in your entire lifetime. These are those with whom you can share your deepest secrets.

Never share the deep things of your heart with the first two. Guide all things by the axiom, “appropriate for”. By that I mean, whatever commitment you have toward somebody it must be measured according to what is appropriate for that relationship and in balance with reciprocity—what their level of commitment is toward you.

In the last days of the last days, hard choices will have to be made. Gather up the fragments of your soul—attachments to anything or anyone not God—and go all out seeking God. Maximize your prayer life in and out of the temple. Nothing less will bring safe journey.

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Hard Times Coming: Prepare Now

Let us start with some basic operative presuppositions and suggestions.

What you don’t know can and will kill you and your children. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”. Strive to understand what you need to know; don’t be trapped in a rabbit hole that has no impact on your life; don’t be distracted from the essentials. Don’t expect to understand everything that is happening. As conspiracies in conspiracies, within conspiracies continuously unravel, our understanding of the world changes every day.
A new—really very old—evil is afoot. Face it: malevolent forces are now in control, and they have a goal in mind: universal dominion and destruction of mankind. Many things have changed since 2019. If you live as you have for decades, it will probably be fatal. Everything, of this world, will let you down. Trust only God for health, healing, and supply. Only use doctors for repairable injuries (e.g. broken bones). Get out of debt, get off all meds (sensibly), but do it with God’s guidance. Learn what you need to know to self-treat conditions. Start with detox: detox is to the body what repentance is to the soul.
Know God is in control. All that is happening—while full throttle evil—is God’s preparation for the Kingdom and eternity. Seeking first the Kingdom will bring everything you need to know to escape, even thrive, in hard times.
Be flexible. The proud man is inflexible. He cannot accommodate changes in his environment. He thinks he has it all figured out. An old saying: “as long as you are green you will grow, but once you are ripe you will rot”. Live life as a student, learning new things every day, which means we adapt to change very quickly. There are three kinds of people. One group prefers to ignore what is going on in the world, living as if nothing has changed. This is terminal. The second group is so tuned into the evil, he/she offers no solutions, optimism, or faith in God to answer our prayers. They only expound upon the bad things happening and are of no aid to others. In the third group—those who will go through fine—they can see the world clearly and adapt as necessary. If you are stuck in a rut—a grave with both ends kicked out—make changes and do things differently. With one eye tracking evil’s every new move, our main focus is on Christ. If you trust any man—including your priest (as good as he is)—to get you through, you’ll be disappointed. Take responsibility for your own salvation.
Learn a valued skill for dystopian survival. If all you can do is computer engineering, you will be totally worthless in the situations to come. But if you can sew, cook, can and store food, frame a house, grow crops, wire a socket, others will need you. Time to go “old school.”

Somewhere in each Christian is a hidden skill yet to be developed that will be a component for survival in the evil days to come. As God prepared everything for Adam before Adam was made, so also God has placed everything we need to survive the coming difficult days. It’s all there, just look for it, grasp it before it goes away. In nearly every problem, the solution is nearby—easily within reach— if we can only see it. All wilderness skills will be needed: hunting, fishing, farming, ranching, butchering, all kinds of repairs.

For what you don’t know, find those that do; know how to network with the RIGHT people. Illustration: three men are riding in a car. One is a bishop, one is a priest, and one is a paramedic. Who is the most important? Who has the most authority? If you had to leave one or two behind, which would you choose? Think about it. Coming upon an accident, several people are laid out on the highway bleeding to death. In this situation: who has the most authority? The bishop? The priest? OBVIOUSLY, the paramedic does not need the bishop’s permission to treat those bleeding to death, nor should he take the time to go to confession to be sure his soul is clear on all channels, or get a “blessing” to act. He/she must spring into action; the bishop and the priest must yield—defer —to the right man for the job. Every skill carries an authority according to the dominion mandate of creation.
Know the hazards of RF. Get the damn cell phone away from your head, stop microwaving your brain, hard wire all computers—shut off WiFi. Toss away the microwave oven, it disables nutrition. The frankenshots are activated by cell phone technology; cancers, spontaneous death—especially in the athletic young—, and every conceivable malady are inflicted by electromagnetic radiation. Don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself.
Create sacred space. For some centuries now, the world has been free of extreme evils—giants, Nephilim, Egyptian type sorcerers, and demonic lying wonders. But, that is changing, and much of that will be returning as the gates of hell are more and more being opened. That which prevails against these gates of hell, is defined as the true Church—the Church that Christ builds. Those that succumb, are faux-church. The home is to be a church within a church, within the Church. Set up home devotions every day. If your children go out for school, lay your hands on them and pray over them building a “prayer shield” against the evil you are sending them into. Even some of our own bishops have a propensity to shut down churches; your Faith must survive and thrive even when priests, bishops, and temples are unavailable. Dads, be the high priest of your home, do it now. Sanctify yourselves from every habitual sin. If Satan has any hook in you, at some point he will reel you in; you and all around you will suffer damage.

For several years now, the Holy Spirit has been prompting me—over and over again— to prepare for hard times in the ways natural to my skills set. I know I don’t have the full picture, but others can fill in the gaps. Interestingly, my neighbor has an underground greenhouse and grows veggies year round. What are your neighbors doing?

In my next installment—Lord willing, the Creeks don’t rise, and the charity of the editor—, I’ll bring some concepts I am employing to prepare for food shortages, energy shortages, and a toxic environment. BTW: Alex Jones is a Mormon. The Mormons are the world’s foremost experts in long term food storage because of their eschatology. Every devout Mormon family has a room—not just a closet—of stored foods. Alex Jones sells food supplies and other products for those preparing for hard times, but buying from him means supporting the Mormon eschatology of Mormonism eventually ruling the world. Be careful when buying, and be sure to know whom your money is supporting.

Also be careful how much advice you take from someone like Alex Jones. Like Donald Trump, Jones is another conspiracy within a conspiracy – some good things wrapped around an ulterior motive. You can go with them so far, but you have to know where and when to get off that bus. Mormonism, New Age, Luciferianism, Free Masonry, it’s all the same traps of the New World Order in different wrappers; a few elites sitting atop a bunch of ignorant peons doing their dirty work.

Seeing the signs of the times, preparing for the future is less about filling a 401k, than getting your hands on hardware, tangibles needed for survival. In the future, currency will be those things needed for daily life and the skills you have that others need. My garage is full of tools. My craftsmanship can be traded for food. So can yours.

Becoming the Church—that prevails over the gates of hell—, means having to learn interdependence for the things we need. God often humbles us by giving His gifts to us through somebody else—that way we learn to rightly discern and appreciate the body of Christ, beyond what we see in the clergy.

It would not be a bad idea to create a network of advisors, especially within your parish, in specific things for assistance in time of need. Do you know a valued survival skill? Can you skin a rabbit? Can you raise chickens? Can you garden? Can you gun-smith? Can you fix cars? Do you know how to block 5g? (I do).

John Lee – an Orthodox Christian

Tags: Alex Jones, animals, antichrist, climate change, community, crops, detox, Donald Trump, fishing, gardening, hunting, preparation, skills, survival

The Lie of Ecumenism

January 11, 2023

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The first duty of every Orthodox Christian is to defend his faith publicly and to be prepared to accept threats, persecution, ridicule, contempt, and so on. He must be particularly sensitive to Ecumenism, which subverts the only correct belief in the one, true God. The learned Hagiorite monk, Theoklitos Dionysiatis, used many examples to expose how devastating Ecumenism is for Orthodoxy. Unfortunately, the pan-heresy of Ecumenism is encouraged and preserved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in the hopes that it will become the lifeboat of this critical and highly dangerous era of ours. Clearly this constitutes a delusion, which many clergy and theologians are unable to abandon.

Ecumenism is a cocktail of various peculiar religious beliefs and eccentric philosophies. It is unacceptable syncretism. Everything fits within it – truth and lies, Orthodoxy and heresy. Ecumenism resembles a collapsing roof, beneath which exists everything that humankind can think of. It is a lie most difficult to discern, yet an attractive lie, which tests the conscience, one’s determination, and one’s faith. It is a charming “nothing”, which takes on an existential “hypostasis” within the soul of those who have not experienced the fullness of Orthodoxy, and who have not found “rest for their souls” (Orthodox studies, 1974, pg. 102)

Ecumenism is not [just] a movement that is casually being promoted by certain “foolish individuals of ambition.” It has a clear, global purpose, which if pondered upon, is shocking. Its construct is demonic, for “it claims that there is no truth in anything. With its mosaic composition, it promises to solve all of mankind’s problems. It comprises the means of a new view of life. It is Godless within its own polytheism. It is irreverent in its acceptance of all the irreverent ones under its roof. It sees fragments of truth everywhere – fragments of a broken mirror – which it aspires to unite. It does not accept a personal God and refuses to accept authentic, divinely inspired doctrines. It does not believe in any revealed Truth. [According to Ecumenism] there is no single absolute Truth but rather many imperfect [truths].”

[Recall how on July 15, 2021, Archbishop Elpidophoros, a representative of the Patriarch of Constantinople, stated that all religions are equal, and one should not be put above the other. According to him “all religions are myriads of paths leading to one God”. (UOJ News, Union of Orthodox Journalists, July 19, 2021)]

Furthermore, Ecumenism does not upset anyone; it does not acknowledge the existence of homelands or religions. [In its view] there is only an ambiguous god. Its goal is one universal religion. In other words, ‘let the people have their gods, even if they are idol-worshiping pagans’, provided there are no fanaticisms, so that world peace may prevail, and those most guilty of the misfortunes of the world might have an unrestricted playing field, and undisturbed activity, to take advantage of nations and keep them under oppression and in total dependency.

Therefore, in the face of this great danger – the pan-heresy of Ecumenism – vigilance and a courageous mindset are needed, as well as public outcry and dynamic resistance [to its tenets].

Archpriest, Father Dionysios Tatsis

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COVID Vaccines: Covenant With Death and Hell

November 21, 2022

30 Comments

The Garden Variety Orthodox Christian

No common Orthodox in their right phronema/nous would ever go out and join a Luciferian cult group by following the protocols of initiation. But, getting the “vaccine” is precisely just that. To get the shot is to form a covenant with whatever and whoever is behind the shot. On every level it is an instrument of covenant—which is even more damning than the physical effects. One does not have to go out and look for it. They have made it convenient and brought it to you every way possible. Keep in mind, anything free comes with a high price. Some will be paying until the grave and others even beyond.

If you cannot take my word for it, scroll down to the video link and at least hear the testimony of one of our own. His experience validates everything I know about evil following covenant principles.

When one discovers his error, the only realistic action is to do a 180 and tact their ship hard into the wind of opposition from relatives, friends, fellow Orthodox and hierarchs to come clean. While progress might be zig-zagging into the storm, it is the only option.

The saddest scenario of all, are those who do not know the difference; perhaps their consciences have been seared by a hot iron. Or bad influences have taken hold; they put their trust in those who betrayed them.

Illumination Through Covenant Wisdom

Undoing the covenant bond, requires another covenant act; the absolution by an agent of the Church. Any priest or confessor who thinks the shots to be innocuous is deceived. Do not participate in this delusion by placing yourself under his authority. Whatever his weaknesses are, they will have covenant ground in you. If your confessor does porn, you, your wife, and your kids will struggle with the same issues. If your confessor struggles with cancer, the likelihood of this becoming your life story goes up exponentially. In the covenant scheme of things, it just works this way.

For those who cause others immature in the Faith to stumble, a mill stone for the neck awaits. Because the Church operates by covenant, any misuse of the Holy Mysteries comes back to bite…and bite hard. Not rite-ly discerning the Body brings sickness and even death, according to St. Paul. To disregard even the least of these, is to disregard Christ. It’s all in the covenant.

Living by covenant means you set every self-interest on the shelf. No matter what it costs, you do what the covenant directs; it is the universal plumb line. Before addressing the shots, let’s touch on covenant.

What Does Covenant Do?

First off, every covenant creates a bond of obligation. Due to free will bestowed, all things of Man work through covenant. When in the world, a man’s obligation is to the world, he is a slave of the world. To be the bondservant of Christ is to be in the world but not OF the world, never using its devices of self-attained-godhood.

Next: covenant defines relationships both vertically and horizontally. The meaning in the head covering in Church of a married woman is submission to her husband. While both are equal ontologically, hierarchy as to administration still exists.

Obvious examples of covenant enactment are baptism, marriage, and even the oath of office of any clergy. All 7 sacraments stand squarely on the foundation of covenant. Without covenant, nothing sacerdotal can exist. All rites and rituals are covenant in action.

Additionally, covenant creates a sanctuary of trust for fellowship, cooperation, and union on any level. When trust is violated, fellowship is automatically disrupted. Because there is no sanctuary due to broken trust, fellowship is negated. If we cannot trust our bishop, any and all semblances of cooperation are destroyed. Without trust nothing can stand.

Any fellowship (intimacy) outside (the appropriate) covenant is the equivalent of adultery.

Any “mark” whether of God or the Beast are elements of covenant. If the Mark of God tells the world one belongs to God—is under His jurisdiction—then the Mark of the Beast means that one is in Satan’s hand. The shot fits into this genre of marks of Satan.

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Blood Covenant

The most powerful, the most binding, the most unbreakable covenants are “blood covenants.” In any blood covenant, the sanction clause (result of breaking covenant) is death.

In ancient times with tribes and city-states, if two neighbors wanted to create a treaty to help each other (think Amish ethos of mutual support) in the event of an invasion of barbarians or any catastrophe, they both would come together at the boundary between their properties. Each making a cut on the hand, they would then clasp hands sealing—putting into force—by mixing the blood as the two become one covenantally. Often a pile of rocks would be erected at that very site as these covenants were multigenerational. Every father would bring his son to the covenant memorial to explain his relationship with his neighbor a continuation of covenant.

With the covenant actions of cutting and clasping the hands, and the recitation of words, a covenant was put in place.

In the story of Melchizedek coming out to meet Abraham, covenant was enacted with bread and wine. At that point in time, Melchizedek was the senior member in that covenant, so Abraham paid tithe to him. Because Melchizedek was the overseer (like a bishop) of the land, he opened the door covenantally for Abraham and his posterity to possess the land. Covenant actions open doors. Sometimes the wrong doors.

Covenant Renewal

The two neighbors who made covenant would renew their covenant by shaking hands, whenever they met. This is where the custom of shaking hands comes from. Anytime you shake hands, you are creating a bond of covenant on some level. Previously, business transactions were done—old school— merely on a handshake and every man’s word was his bond. The words and the handshake created a covenant obligation. Anytime you eat a meal with somebody, you are either renewing or enacting covenant on some level. Many business deals are cut over dinner. Most marriage proposals follow a fine dining meal. Likewise, receiving the blessing of a priest is—like the shaking of the hands—a covenant act. Covenant establishes a relationship both vertically as well as horizontally.

If the two men bound by covenant saw each other from a distance, they would waive the hand, exposing the scar left by the covenant initiation; again, an acknowledgement of a bond of obligation and a renewal of that bond. Shaking and waving the hands are signs of covenant.

At the time of Jesus, men would kiss; that was covenant renewal. The kiss of Judas is rife with meaning. St John Chrysostom points this out, that during the Mystical Supper, Judas supped with Christ[1] and the others, making his betrayal beyond hideous.

Covenant of Abraham

God’s covenant with Abraham stands uniquely wonderful as it fully expresses the blood enacted New Covenant. In the vision, the words God spoke were peculiar to the Hebrew people only, yet the vision of the slain animals depicts the New Covenant. St Paul echoes this fact, that the New Covenant is actually a recapitulation of the Abrahamic covenant, in which the whole world would be blessed.[2]

In those days, if two men entered into a blood covenant, they would slay animals (Hebrew ethics refused the marring of the body, so animals stood in proxy), lay them out in a pattern and each person would walk between the pieces signifying that if either abdicated his obligation, the other could do unto the other as the animals—put him to death. To break covenant was to bring death for the offending party.

Notably, in Abraham’s vision, it was not Abraham who passed between the pieces, but a Smoking Furnace and a Burning Lamp. In this, God the Father—the Smoking Furnace—and Theanthopos—the Burning Lamp—walked between the pieces. Make no mistake, the New Covenant is not between us and God but between God the Father and God the Son—the Last Adam recapitulating the creation covenant as St Irenaeus said. Our participation in that covenant is that we are in Christ making us party to the Covenant. Outside of Christ we have no covenant with God.

In the Adamic covenant, his fall brought to us the effects—not the guilt—of that fall, because it has bound us to sin as we were in Adam when he sinned; “by one death came on all”. Baptism is a covenant act undoing Adam’s covenant with sin, Satan, and evil. “Do you renounce Satan?” “I renounce Satan and I spit on him”.

Covenant Assets and Liabilities

Coming into covenant has always meant—in an appropriate manner for the particular relationship—a sharing of assets and liabilities. In the covenant between David and Jonathon, this was represented by the exchange of garments. Likewise the trading of weapons meant one would fight for the other unto the death. Take note of Ruth’s covenant with Naomi, it demonstrates a commitment not seen today. In these last days, we will rediscover that trust and sharing are everything.

In the New Covenant, God shares with us His assets—salvation, gifts, healings, wisdom, Himself—a list that never ends. His taking on to Himself our liabilities, among them our corruption, makes the full meaning of the Incarnation and the Passion come forth. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him as in covenant He becomes what we are: sin. Here in the Incarnation and the Passion, covenant reaches its pinnacle expression, nothing is more beautiful.

How marvelous is God who would condescend to make covenant with Man. In the cross, Divinity is nailed eternally by covenant to the wood (soul) of humanity. The cross is God’s guarantee, He will never abandon you in time of need…never! He nailed Himself to us. Is He not the solution to all our concerns?

The Shots as Covenant Enactment, Renewal

Even evil operates by covenant. The fact of the matter is: if Satan could kill you, you would already be dead. Fortunately, he can only access where covenant grounds have been given. In other words: if you or somebody related to you does not open the door for his access, Satan is locked out.

Inherently, sin is breaking covenant with God and opening the door for demons. This is why the absolution in the rite of confession covenantally removes the ground for access. Confession, repentance, and absolution slam the gate of hell. So powerful is this sacrament, it is probably the most misunderstood and abused.

Where things get dicey is that fathers (primary), priests, confessors, husbands and bishops can open access to the demonic for others. Whatever private sin they have becomes everybody’s sin, thus mystically opening access to the flock to demonic influence and sickness.[3] The gate keeper always lets into the fold who and what he is.

We see this understanding when the disciples asked regarding the man born blind, “Who has sinned, this man or his parents?” (John 9:2). In the common understanding of that day, most all sickness came from the sin of the afflicted or those in authority over him. That for this man, it was for the glorification of God, is the exception rather than the rule. In summary, sickness and the demonic generally (not always) issue from a sin component. Somebody has forfeited ground to the enemy. In diagnosing one’s sickness, looking for sin is a good starting place for healing. Always ask, “What am I missing here?” and pray that God will reveal the sin that conceded ground to the enemy.

Covenant always engages the body. Christ died in His body to establish the New Covenant. The whole salvific essence of the Passion is based in it being done in His most pure body. The human body is the nexus of covenant on many levels. To tamper with one’s body by mRNA injection is tantamount to desecrating the Eucharist. This is rite-ly discerning the body. It is no mystery that most hierarchs who advocated for the shots also altered the liturgy; they are one and the same profanity; disregard for the body. Demons seek entrance, but they can only gain access by covenant means.

In this video, the demonstration of the “vaccine” as a covenant bondage to demons is expressed in the personal testimony of one able to find freedom through repentance. While the dialog is not fully couched in covenant terms, the presence of covenant is unavoidably obvious.

For those who have taken the jabs, there is hope, but renewing the covenant with death by taking the boosters is not an option. The value of this testimony is that it reveals in somebody’s experience everything that can be seen in the shots through the covenant lens.

While in this testimony there is too much to digest now, here are a few take-aways related to covenant:

God tried to save him from taking the shot (:40 min). If we are sensitive to God, we will know where not to go, what not to do. It is in overriding the inward witness that we fall into the enemy’s trap.
Like the original fall, the transgression brought shame (1:13). Stripped of his garments of Light, Adam felt naked. Taking the shot strips one of God’s presence inherent in God’s people; “Oh Lord, take not thy Holy Spirit from me.” After taking the shot, God’s sensible presence left.
Taking the shot broke fellowship with other Christians (1:45, 3:23). St John declares, “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). This living fellowship is the body principle. When we sin, we are out of fellowship with the whole even if not yet out of covenant (excommunicated).
Not only was fellowship broken within the body principle, but also with the altar—the substantiation of the Holy Mother of God (2:51). As with Adam, entering into a conspiracy with God’s enemy is always a breaking of covenant with God. Because of the shot, the altar was rejecting him, he was not worthy, trustworthy with the things of God.
Establishing covenant with the demonic by the taking the shot, brought fellowship (unwanted) with the demonic realm. After getting the shot, Satan would pay him a visit (4:21).
Being out of fellowship with God—unable to sense His presence— is the first step toward being lost covenantally. Without remediation, disenfranchisement deepens by the day. People do fall away from the Faith and its never intentional, just bad judgement and listening to the wrong voices.
All of the elements that the shot is a covenant instrument of evil come together (5:29). The blood sacrifice is there in the fetal tissue (6:41), rituals with covenant declaration (7:13) were made in a “lodge” (Free Masonry), and initiation is largely (although under seduction 7:44) voluntary. Make no mistake: taking the shots gives covenant grounds for demons to inflict, possess, and torment Orthodox Christians. Some will get sick, some will be depressed, some will have encounters with demons, yet, if they do not make the connection between the afflictions and the shots, things will continue to degenerate; destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Taking the boosters is covenant renewal (12:03).
The shot is a seal or mark (elements of covenant), but not the final Mark of the Beast. It is an important forerunner, however. (12:22).
In order for clergy to justly make amends, it must be done publicly (14:03). As a general rule, asking forgiveness must always go to the extent of the offense. In other words: if your sin was only private, confession should be private. If one’s offense caused harm to a single person, forgiveness must be sought from that person only, before engaging the confessor. If one’s error affects an entire parish, the confession must be to that whole congregation. As St James said, “confess one to another” to be healed. If one’s offense was as a bishop, the asking for forgiveness must be to all the churches under his jurisdiction. To offend a large number of the faithful, and think a private confession will absolve alone, is pure fantasy. That is hiding the sin, totally contrary to the nature of confession. In the early centuries, all confessions were public, which is impractical for most sins. At the very least, however, confession for Church leaders must extend the range of the effects of the sin.
For the jabbed who do not repent, their salvation is in danger (18:37).

*There will be no forgiveness for Orthodox Bishops who encouraged the jabs, some even demanded them for their flocks, without public repentance.*

Now is the Day of Salvation, Now is the Time to Repent

You have no guarantee of tomorrow; do not be careless with things eternal. Having had the shot is serious; influencing others to get it is much more serious and even damning. God’s road to recovery is repentance and that repentance must be honest, clear, and open—when required.

What makes this video so powerful is that it is the testimony of an Orthodox monk—one of our own—and that his recovery was achieved by unwinding the spell brought by covenant means.

While repentance can restore right fellowship with God under the covenant, many times (as David experienced with his own sin)[4] there will be a price to pay anyway. Just accept it with thanksgiving, that you can be restored unto your Lord; nothing is sweeter than His presence. Once you know it, you’ll never be satisfied with anything else. Whatever ailment you live with will keep repentance ongoing and fellowship with God fresh.

If an eye offend thee, pluck it out. Do whatever it takes to come clean with God, with yourself, and everyone else. To all those repentant for taking the shot(s), the Word of the Lord to you was penned long ago:

And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it (Isaiah 28:18 KJV).

In the suffering (scourge), there is salvation and the covenant with death will lose its chilling grip upon your soul day by day. Once the sweet presence of God returns, know all is well.

Consider yourself warned of all these things.

John Lee – an Orthodox Christian

[1] Homily 27

[2] See Galatians 3

[3] See 2 Kingdoms 24

[4] 2 Kingdoms 24

Tags: blood covenant, confession, covenant, covenant bondage, covenant community, covenant renewal, COVID vaccines, death, demonic possession, effects COVID vaccines, Free Masonry, freemason rituals, freemasons, gatekeeper, Greek monk, jabs, Mark of the Beast, Moderna, mRNA, Pfizer, repentance, sacrament, sacraments, Satan, sin, spiritual effects COVID shots

The Scandal of Ecumenism – Greek and English

November 29, 2021

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The article was originally written in Greek, and translated into English. Click here to skip down to the English version.

Ο Σκανδαλισμός του Οικουμενισμού – Αναστάσιος Γεωργίου

Για μας τους Χριστιανούς Ορθοδόξους, ή ταυτότητά μας είναι ή Πίστις μας και η Oρθοδοξία. Όχι Oρθοδοξία «των παπάδων», όχι τῶν Οἰκουμενιστῶν επισκόπων … αλλά Ορθοδοξία του Χριστού, των Αγίων Αποστόλων, των Προφητών και των Αγίων Πατέρων. Αυτή είναι η Ορθοδοξία, για την οποία πρέπει όλοι μας να αγωνιζόμεθα καὶ εάν χρειασθεί να δώσουμε και τη ζωή μας ακόμη, όπως τα εκατομμύρια Μαρτύρων τής πἰστεώς μας.

Ο γνήσιος Ορθόδοξος Χριστιανός δεν παρασύρεται εις τὸν Οικουμενισμό, πού λέει ότι ο Παπισμός είναι εκκλησία, ο Προτεσταντισμός είναι εκκλησία και πρέπει να έχουμε συνεργασία και αγάπη … Ναι, αγάπη! Αγάπη όμως εν Αληθεία, διότι ή Παντοδύναμος Αγάπη συμπορεύεται πάντοτε με την αλήθεια. Ο Θεός διοχετεύει τη δύναμη τής Αγάπης Του, όταν προσκυνήται «ἐν πνεύματι και αληθεία» (Ιωανν. 4,24) Ως Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί αγαπούμε όλους καὶ επιθυμούμε να έρθουν σε επίγνωση της Αληθείας. Έτσι μας δίδαξε «Ο Θεός τής αγάπης». Δεν μισούμε τους ανθρώπους εξ’ αιτίας της αιρέσεως ή της απιστίας των, αλλά και δεν θα αγαπήσουμε ποτέ, μα ποτέ, την απιστία των ή την αίρεσιν χάριν των ανθρώπων, διότι θα αποξενωθούμε από τον Θεόν.

Ο Οικουμενισμός προσπαθεί να βρει κοινά σημεία πίστεως μεταξύ Ορθοδόξων και ετεροδόξων. Ποτέ δεν έλαβε υπόψιν τις βασικές διαφορές που υπάρχουν μεταξύ Ορθοδοξίας και Παπισμού. Διακηρύττει ότι και στις άλλες θρησκείες, ακόμη και στις μονοθεϊστικές, υπάρχει σωτηρία … Έτσι ανατρέπει την θεμελιώδη Χριστιανική πίστη, ότι «ουκ έστιν ἐν άλλω οὐδενὶ ἡ σωτηρία» (Πραξ. 4,12) Ἐν ολίγοις, απορρίπτει τον λόγο τής Άγιας Γραφής.

Προχώρησε ακόμη και στο λατρευτικό επίπεδον. Στην Ασίζη, Ορθόδοξοι Ιεράρχες συμμετείχαν σε πανθρησκειακές εκδηλώσεις και κοινές συμπροσευχές και δοξολογίες με ετεροδόξους, και μάλιστα με Ιουδαίους και Μουσουλμάνους. Στην Καμπέρρα της Αυστραλίας (Ζ’ Γ. Συνέλευση Π.Σ.Ε.), οι Οικουμενιστές κάλεσαν σε συμπροσευχές ακόμη και ειδωλολάτρες, για να αποκτήσουν οἱ Ορθόδοξοι συνείδηση ότι κατά βάθος, μία εκκλησία, ή ένα τζαμί… αποβλέπουν στην ίδια πνευματική καταξίωση του ανθρώπου. Αυτό δεν είναι αυτόματη διαγραφή της εν Χριστώ σωτηρίας και του Ἁγίου Πνεύματος; Αν υπάρχει και κάπου αλλού δυνατότητα σωτηρίας, δηλαδή θεώσεως, τότε γιατί ή εν Χριστώ αποκάλυψη, προφητεία σαρκώσεως στην Π. Διαθήκη, και της ενσαρκώσεως στην Κ. Διαθήκη; Γιατί η Σάρκωση, ἡ Πεντηκοστή, ἡ Εκκλησία, ως Σώμα Χριστού και κοινωνία Αγίων; Αυτές οἱ πράξεις των Οικουμενιστών δεν φανερώνουν απόρριψη του Χριστιανισμού; Επίσης στην Γενεύη, ὁ Γενικός Γραμματέας του Π.Σ.Ε. Eugene Blake, κάλεσε τους ηγέτες όλων των θρησκειών σε μία ὑπερομολογιακή λειτουργία και προσευχή στον καθεδρικό Ναό του Αγίου Πέτρου, όπου ὁ καθένας προσευχήθηκε στη δική του γλώσσα και σύμφωνα με το τυπικό της θρησκείας του. Ἡ ενέργεια αυτή είχε σκοπό να συνυπάρξουν στην λατρεία του ίδιου Θεού.

Όλα αυτά γίνονται για τα συμφέροντα της Νέας Εποχής, και όχι γιὰ την «ἐν Χριστώ αλήθεια», τη ην «εν Αληθεία» ενότητα. Και όμως, το Ιερό Ευαγγέλιο του Χριστού διαψεύδει τις διάφορες προφάσεις και ενέργειες. Όταν οι Οικουμενιστές μας απορρίπτουν και μας περιφρονούν ως φανατικούς και φονταμενταλιστές, ότι δεν έχουμε «πέντε κλωνάρια μυαλό», να γνωρίζουν ότι απορρίπτουν και περιφρονούν τους Αγίους Αποστόλους και τους Αγίους της Εκκλησίας, τους οποίους μιμούμεθα. Αλλά απορρίπτουν και περιφρονούν και αυτόν τον Κύριον, ο οποίος μη θέλοντας να συνάξει οπαδούς θυσιάζοντας την αλήθεια είπε «Μη και ὑμεῖς θέλετε, ὑπάγειν» (Ιωάννης 6,48). Και δεν είναι μόνον αυτές οι προδοσίες των. Είναι πάρα πολλές που είναι δύσκολο να αναφερθούν σ ’αυτό το κείμενο, που γίνονται αιτία να διχάζεται το ποίμνιο της Εκκλησίας.

Αν αγαπούν τον Σωτήρα Χριστό και θυσιάζονται για την πίστη όπως οι προηγούμενοι Άγιοι Πατέρες, πρέπει να απορρίψουν τον Οικουμενισμό και να αντιμετωπίσουν σθεναρά τις δυνάμεις του κόσμου και τις μεθοδεύσεις του. Αλλ’ αυτό απαιτεί την αναβάπτισή μας στην Ορθόδοξη Παράδοσή μας, αλλά και την ενότητα όλων των Ορθοδόξων με την μετοχή στην άκτιστη Θεία Χάρη με τα Μυστήρια της Εκκλησίας. Η παρουσία της Ορθοδοξίας στο σύγχρονο κόσμο οφείλει να είναι πρωταρχικά Πνευματική και Λειτουργική. Η Θεία Λειτουργία, με όλη τη λατρεία μας, είναι ο σημαντικότερος θησαυρός μας, διότι περικλείει και διασώζει δυναμικά το φρόνημα και τη ζωή τῶν Ἁγίων μας, την πίστη και τον Θεϊκό νόμο και τρόπο της ύπαρξής μας. Αν υπάρχει κάτι το πολύτιμο εδώ εις την γῆν, για το οποίον αξίζει να δώσουμε τα πάντα και αυτήν την ζωή μας, είναι ἡ Ορθόδοξος Πίστη του Χριστού μας, τῶν Ἁγίων Αποστόλων, Μαρτύρων, Ιεραρχών, Οσίων, δικαίων καὶ πάντων τῶν Ἁγίων Πατέρων της Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας μας.

Βαδίστε, λοιπόν, στα ίχνη τους και πάψτε νὰ σκανδαλίζετε τον πιστό λαό οδηγώντας αυτόν εις την ανυπακοή και τον αποτειχισμόν. Δὲν ἀντέχει άλλο νὰ βλέπει την ισοπέδωση του Χριστού στην πράξη, με τις διάφορες θεότητες. Δεν αντέχει άλλο να βλέπει την ταπείνωση τῆς Ορθοδοξίας. Δὲν ἀντέχει άλλο να βλέπει να ταυτίζεστε με τις δυνάμεις του κόσμου, διότι αγαπήσατε «την δόξα των ανθρώπων μάλλον ἢπὲρ την δόξα του Θεού» (Ιωάννης 12,19). Τί κατάπτωσής! Αλήθεια, σεις οι «ποιμένες» σε ποιόν θεόν πιστεύετε; Τα έργα σας φανερώνουν ότι πιστεύετε στον θεό του Οικουμενισμού που δεν είναι άλλος παρά ο εχθρός του Χριστού, ο Αντίχριστος! Η μήπως δεν γνωρίζετε ότι ο Οικουμενισμός είναι παναίρεσις και οι υπηρετούντες αυτόν είναι αιρετικοί; Πως έχετε λοιπόν την απαίτηση υπακοής από το ποίμνιο, τη στιγμή που το οδηγείτε «στο στόμα του λύκου»;

To Ιερό Ευαγγέλιο μας συμβουλεύει να μένουμε μακριά από τους κακούς ποιμένες, διότι είναι «λύκοι άρπαγες» (Ματθ 7,15) Τα πιστά μέλη της Εκκλησίας του Χριστού, δεν πρόκειται ποτέ να δείξουν υπακοή στους ανάξιους ποιμένες του Οικουμενισμού. Θα μείνουν σταθεροί στην πίστη και θα αγωνισθούν σθεναρά κατά των θεοκάπηλων προδοτών της Ορθοδοξίας και των Πατερικών Παραδόσεων. Μετανοήσατε! Μη γίνεσθε αρνησίχρηστοι, αρνούμενοι το φρόνημα τῶν Ἁγίων Πατέρων οι οποίοι ποτέ δεν συνθηκολόγησαν με αιρετικούς και άρχοντας του κόσμου τούτου σε θέματα πίστεως,

αλλά υπέστησαν τρομερά βασανιστήρια, ακόμη και θάνατον. Ο Κύριος μας παρέδωσε ΜΙΑ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ, που ομολογούμε στο Σύμβολο της Πίστεως, και μόνον αυτή ή Εκκλησία του Χριστού έχει τη Χάρι να οδηγεί στη σωτηρία της ψυχής.

Καμία θρησκεία εκτός της Ορθοδόξου Χριστιανικής, και καμία Χριστιανική ομολογία δύναται να οδηγήσει στη σωτηρία. Αυτό διδάσκει το Ευαγγέλιο του Χριστού, το οποίο δυστυχώς σεις οι Οικουμενιστές με τα έργα σας το διαγράφετε. Σας παρακαλούμε! Μη γίνεσθε θεομπαίχτες! Μη παραπληροφορείτε το ποίμνιο του Χριστού! Μὴ συνεχίζετε να σκανδαλίζετε τον πιστό λαό. Το ποτήρι της υπομονής του ξεχείλισε. Φοβηθείτε το Θεό, πού σταυρώθηκε και για τη σωτηρία σας. Μετανοήσατε… Δεν είναι αργά.

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For us Orthodox Christians, our identity is the Orthodox Faith – not the “Orthodoxy of the priests,” or the Orthodoxy of Ecumenist Hierarchs… but the Orthodoxy of Christ, the Holy Apostles, the Prophets, and the Holy Fathers. This is Orthodoxy, for which we must all struggle, and if need be, even give our lives, as did the millions of martyrs who witnessed for the Faith.

The genuine Orthodox Christian is not drawn to Ecumenism, which accepts Roman Catholicism or Protestantism as true churches to whom we must show co-operation and love. Yes, we must love them, but we must love in Truth because Divine Love is always united with Truth. God sends the power of His Love when He is worshiped “in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) As Orthodox Christians we love everyone, and we desire that they come to know the Truth. This is what the “God of Love” teaches us. We do not hate anyone because of their heresy or infidelity to Christ, but we will also never love infidelity or heresy for the sake of any person, because that will alienate us from God.

Ecumenism tries to find common ground between the faith of Orthodoxy and heterodoxy, never considering the fundamental differences between the two. Ecumenism proclaims that there is salvation in all religions, thereby overturning the very foundation of the Christian faith and rejecting the teachings of Holy Scripture, which states, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth … Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:11-12)

Ecumenism even goes so far as to alter Orthodox worship. In Assisi, Orthodox Hierarchs participated in pan-religious events and joint prayers and eulogies with heterodox and even with non-Christians (Muslims and Jews). In Canberra, Australia, (6-3 General Assembly of the World Council of Churches), the Ecumenists even invited pagans and idol-worshippers to joint prayers to persuade the Orthodox conscience that deep down, a church is no different than a mosque in a person’s spirituality. How does this new belief not nullify our salvation in Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit? If humanity’s salvation and theosis are possible elsewhere, then what is the purpose of the Old Testament Prophecies, the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, Pentecost, and the Church as the Body of Christ? Do these actions of the Ecumenists not demonstrate outright rejection of Christianity? Furthermore, in Geneva, the General Secretary of the WCC, Eugene Blake, invited the world’s religious leaders to a joint liturgy and prayer service at St. Peter’s Cathedral, where everyone prayed in their own language and according to their own confession of faith. The purpose of this was to unite everyone in common prayer to the same God, but not in truth.

All this is done in the interests of the New Age Movement, and not for “Truth in Christ,” or for unity “in Truth.” And yet the Holy Gospel of Christ rejects as false such actions and pretexts. When Ecumenists reject us, who uphold Holy Scripture, as fanatics and fundamentalists, they should realize that they not only scorn and reject the Holy Apostles and Saints of the Church, who we imitate, they even scorn and reject the Lord, Himself, who said. “will you also go away?” (John 6:67)

And yet, it is not only these betrayals which cause the flock to be divided, for there are too many others to be listed in this text. If our present-day hierarchs truly loved Christ the Saviour, they would act as did our Holy Fathers, by making sacrifices for the Orthodox Faith, rejecting Ecumenism, and vigorously opposing the idolatrous, blasphemous, and secular forces of this world. Such love demands a rebirth in Holy Orthodox Tradition, but also a unification of all Orthodox faithful through the Sacramental and Liturgical sharing of God’s uncreated Grace in the life of the Holy Orthodox Church.

Orthodoxy’s presence in today’s world must first be Sacramental and Liturgical, a salvific way of life that is found only in the Orthodox Church, the only vessel that can carry us safely through every storm. It is only within this Church that one finds the greatest treasure – the experience of Divine Liturgy and all its worship. This infinite treasure encompasses and preserves the fulness of the Christian Faith, the Mind of God and His Laws as expressed by the Apostles and Holy Fathers, the lives of the Saints, and the meaning of our very existence. If there is anything of unlimited value in this world that is worthy of every sacrifice, even our very lives, it is the Orthodox Faith, which was given to us by Christ, fought for, preserved, and passed down to us by His Holy Apostles, Holy Fathers, Martyrs, Saints and every righteous man or woman of our Holy Orthodox Church.

Therefore, follow in their footsteps and stop scandalizing the Faithful by leading us towards disobedience, heresy, and spiritual failure. We can no longer bear to watch the degradation and humiliation of Orthodoxy. We can no longer bear the belittling of Christ, the only true God, Whom you lower to the level of other false deities. Nor can we bear to see you consorting with the powers of this world, because you “love the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:43).

What a great fall for you! In which god do you “shepherds” believe then? Your works show that you believe in the god of Ecumenism, who is none other than the enemy of Christ, the Antichrist, the god of the New Age. Do you not realize that Ecumenism is a pan-heresy that incorporates all other past and current heresies? How, therefore, can you expect obedience from your flock, when you are leading us to the “jaws of the wolf”? The Holy Gospel warns us to stay far away far from bad shepherds, for they are “ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15) The faithful members of the Orthodox Church of Christ, will never submit to the unworthy shepherds of Ecumenism. They will remain steadfast to the True Faith and will fight vigorously against the traitors of Orthodoxy and her Holy Traditions.

Repent, therefore! Don’t be obstinate in your denial of the phronema and mindset of the Holy Fathers, who never compromised the Faith with heretics and the rulers of this world. Instead, they preferred to endure torture and even death, to uphold The Truth. The Lord, Himself, gave us our Orthodox Church, which we confess in the Creed; and it is only this Church of Christ that has the Grace to lead us to salvation. No other religion or Christian denomination can do this because only Orthodoxy rightly teaches the Gospel of Christ, which you, Ecumenists, distort and undermine. Please stop deceiving the flock of Christ! Stop scandalizing the faithful! Our cup of patience has overflowed. Fear God, Who was also crucified for your salvation. Repent! … before it is too late.

Tags: anaxios, authentic Orthodoxy, ecemenism, false dieties, fanatics, Greek Archdiocese, heresy, Leftist Infiltration, martyrs, modernity, name above every name, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox fundamentalism, Orthodox martyrs, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism

Changing of the Guard – Times and Seasons of the Church

September 9, 2021

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God’s Church is Permanent

One thing is for sure, the Orthodox Church will always be here. Nations come and go, but the Church remains. Those nations, political ideologies, that sought to destroy her have failed, and will fail until the end.

If the Church is the permanent thing, other questions rise to the surface. What will it look like in terms of leadership five or ten years from now? Where will be its center of gravity? What is the current season?

If the Church is the only permanent thing in the world, how does it retain its resilience against corruption over the centuries? It does so, because as corruptions sets in (we are in denial if we see no corruption), purging, siftings, and separations come in order to keep it true.

In the first three chapters of Revelation, St John delineates the sorting of that time; it is a mistake to think it does not happen from time to time. The handwriting is now on the wall, and things hidden are now being revealed.

Obviously, what is happening now in our Church is very different from, say, five or ten years ago. Something has changed. We know that much for sure. But what, and for what purpose?

A Time of Sorting

“Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it—those who do know history, repeat it anyway.”[1]

A wise man once said:

A time to give birth, a time to die.

A time to plant, A time to pluck up what is planted.

A time to pull down, a time to build up….

A time to throw stones, A time to gather stones…

A time to tear, And a time to sew (Ecclesiastes 3).

So it seems, the Church is in uncharted territory, but is it really? Is there anything new under the sun? Some suppose, the whole COVID storm is very different than anything we have seen in history—but not so much. During the Iconoclasm controversy, kissing icons became a sign to all which side folks were on—it was the defining issue of the day. For those who refused to kiss the icons, their status was clear. They were iconoclasts. While we would think some churches would go one way and others the opposite, often that line of division ran right down the center of many parish communities.

There was clear division among the faithful, unavoidably and painfully in plain sight. No matter how hard some strove for unity, it was not to be. One side had to win and the other had to lose; a divided house cannot stand. Through that battle, we have some glorious things to remember, like the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

At the time, there was confusion; brother was set against brother, bishop against bishop, bishop against parishioner, parishioner against bishop. In all of this came true the Lord’s words,

Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household (Matthew 10:34-5).

This sword sorts. It separates based on ideals, not outward appearances. It is part of the Gospel (red in KJV). Why would God bring this about, or allow this to happen? Whenever we see this happening, God is trying to get His Church to deal with something, something important, something germane to her existence, something in her constitution.

Interestingly, before the controversy, the abuse of icons by some was prevalent. They were employed as talismans, good luck charms, some form of Christian magic. In reality, the image had become what non-Christians (like modern Protestants) said it was; idol worship. In the misuse, icons do become idols and there was an element of truth in the accusations. Purification took place, and the correct usage was restored, when Islamic pressure to eschew images came to bear. The faithful had to rethink their loyalty towards the icon as more than an amulet, but as an avenue of worship that it was meant to be.

No doubt, some of my readers will recoil at the suggestion that the questions of to vax or not to vax, to mask or not to mask, rise to the level of iconoclasm. Do they? At the same time, I know other readers will say, they most certainly do rise to that level and future generations will see that also. Our current controversy embodies the state pirating Church Sovereignty. Viewed in hindsight, it is obvious to us who, during the iconoclasm controversy, was on the right side of history and consistent with the Fathers. In the middle of such a controversy, we have only history as a guide. We must sort what is really going on and take the steps to preserve the Church from alterations. Future generations of Orthodox will stand in judgment of what we are doing right now.

There Is Only One Issue

If Orthodox Church history teaches us anything, it is that when the Church falls into conflict with itself, there is only one issue. No matter whether it’s homousious vs homouosious, Iconoclasm or Vaccine mandates (or recommendations) the question always is—what is the True Orthodox Faith of the Church? Answering that question always settles everything. This is called Vincentian Canon.

Do mask mandates pass muster with the Vincentian Canon? Does closing churches pass muster with the Canon? How has the Church behaved during the pandemics of the past? Actually, the Orthodox of old, jumped right in the middle of every pandemic joining the effort to minister to the afflicted risking their own health.

The Testimony of the Church

If we are to understand the Church and its relationship to the world as God’s representative, we must understand the “Testimony” of Christ, which is the testimony of the Church, and the testimony of the Saints. If we don’t get this, we miss God’s working in our day and how it relates to the past.

Often in the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant (the symbol of the Theotokos equating to God’s good will toward His people at that moment) was often called the Ark of the Testimony. What is meant by that term, “Testimony”? Ark means keep, vault, or cache, but keep of what? Of course, the “keep” of Christ, but in terms of the “Testimony” what does that mean? What does it mean to keep the “Testimony,” the Testimony of Christ, or the Testimony of the Faith?

We know from Hebrew history, when the Ark of the “Testimony” left the people of God, it was a sign that God had abandon them. Whatever formalities of worship they engaged in, something was not right. This was not to say there were no longer genuine believers there, but that God’s working at the location differs. While they had form, they lost something else: God’s presence as the Lamp Stand of God’s light to the world.[2]

It is not just in the Old Testament; it is in the New Testament as well, especially in the St John Revelation of Christ.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:17, bold added).

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10, bold added).

God loves mankind so much, He vows to have His voice made present, made real, among men at all times in every generation. Not just as something of the past but something in the now. How does this work? God elevates a location as a light bearer to the entire world – a city on a hill.

Consider: St Vladimir sent representatives to Constantinople to “witness” the Christian Faith. They returned with the report that in the Hagia Sophia, they thought themselves to be in Heaven. What they encountered there was—as St John put it—a working of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Prophecy testifying to Christ as the True Faith. This “Testimony” was so powerful it converted an entire nation. Every Russian Orthodox knows this story by heart. It is their emancipation from pagan tribalism into viable Christian civilization. God had forged Himself a people for the world to see. Like Abraham, in them, all nations would be blessed.

The Testimony is this: that any pagan, secularist, or unregenerate in the world who sought to know the True Faith, could find it wherever the “Testimony” was. This Testimony is not just forms of worship, praxis, or the ancient ethos (though those are included) but it is the Life of the Holy Spirit animating the community of God to the point that others take note. This church becomes a people magnet by nature.

How does that relate to now? If any seeker went to Istanbul (formerly Constantinople) seeking the same experience as Vladimir’s ambassadors, would they find it? The ever glorious Hagia Sophia is now a mosque. Is that not a statement in itself that Constantinople has fallen? What Constantinople was in the past—the light to the whole world—Istanbul is not even remotely. The “Ark of the Testimony” has left and no longer resides there. Whatever genuine Orthodoxy may still be there, the former glory is gone. What is now there is of a different spirit, just like the Old Rome. It’s no wonder the Pope and the EP are so close. They both preside in jurisdictions that were at one time the torch bearers, the standard bearers, the flagships of the Faith. Now, they grasp for power, becoming predators and not shepherds. Tell me this is not true. The handwriting on the wall is so clear. Each has been weighed in the balance and found wanting. God is animating a remnant elsewhere. So we must ask: where is the Orthodox center of gravity now?

What happens when we lose the Testimony? We are no longer God’s voice to a dying world; missionary outreach is replaced with territorial aggression. We no longer reprove the world of sin, or speak prophetically into society, culture, or government, but become obsessed with control of territory. Here is an axiom of the Faith: when you spend all your time defending your office, your time is over.

Without the Testimony, we are no longer the witness to the world. We are an organization that has a form/s of godliness, but is denied the power to change the world, one man at a time.[3] The signature characteristic of this kind of church is that it stops growing, a sure sign something has died as all living things grow.

Ecclesial Center of Gravity

Earlier in Christendom, deference was given to the Bishop of Rome—“first among equals” (not first among subordinates). What was the basis for labeling the Pope of Rome first in anything? Why was this honor given? It was because for the first few centuries, after Jerusalem, Rome was the center of gravity for the Faith. It was a missions center from which the Church reached out to the world.

But Rome drifted, then the Great Schism.

Historically, this center of gravity moved from Rome to Constantinople. This is not an just an organizational change, or a political change but a change in the center of gravity of the True Christian Faith. But where is it now? Like the first Rome, the second Rome succumbed to drifting from the True Faith. Some claim, Moscow is the Third Rome. In that claim what are they saying? That the center of gravity of the Orthodox Faith, that the “Testimony” to the entire world, has shifted to Moscow. Is this true? Perhaps.

Who Is Cleaving Whom? Revealing the True Schismatics

Without boring my reader (and exposing my ignorance) we’ll pluck only a few choice facts from the Great Schism. In the final slash of the cleaver that severed East and West, it was the West that “went nuclear” by placing a Papal Bull on the altar of the Hagia Sophia. More often than not, it is the schismatics that separate themselves from the Church even when it is done by a hierarch. They cut others off from themselves.

But here, we need to clarify our thinking. What is the True Church? Is it the hierarch who drives others out with mask mandates, or is it the young family with young children who are driven out? Think of it this way: a hierarch who does such things has “left the reservation” and the families raising their children in church are the real Church. If the bishop is not channeling the true Faith of the Fathers, what is he channeling? The anti-Christ spirit of government?

The assumption, that the hierarch is always “THE Church” does not carry water in history. Just look at the prime examples of Arius (a bishop) and Nestorius (a Patriarch). With the Conciliar Controversies, the True Church won out and finally preserved the unity, but in the Great Schism the outcome was different. At some point the East had to get over the fact that the West had drifted so far that reconciliation was impossible without doing violence to the True Faith. St John put it this way:

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. (1 John 2:18-9).

By the time St John wrote this, he had seen everything. What he noted was that those in error were the ones quick to sever relations. They opt for divorce to defend their pseudo-authority. They cut off anyone who disagrees or tries to bring light to their senses. Those that depart are in error. But this begs the question: who is the one departing the True Faith? Could it not be the bishop who by fiat does things never before seen in the Church?

The correct question always is: who is abandoning the classic practice of the Faith?

I dare say: by St John’s rule of thumb, in the most recent COVID melee, some bishops left for things inconsistent with the Faith. They channeled more a belief in government than in God.

The question will then become for the rank and file: when bishops make void the Faith by consorting with and giving validation to heretics and apostates – what are the options?

As long as there is a unity at any cost, there will be this monkey business tampering with things Holy. But when the people have had enough, then the rogue hierarchs will have to submit themselves back to the legacy Church.

Going back to the Great Schism another interesting fact appears, in the final approach toward schism, the pope closed Greek (Eastern Rite—non-Latin) churches in his jurisdiction. Of course, in a gesture of reciprocation, the Eastern Patriarch closed some Latin churches in his jurisdiction. How does this relate?

Because the action by the pope to close churches was uncalled for and an action of obvious bias. He was the obvious schismatic. This raises the question: is a modern bishop who closes a church to certain individuals who refuse to wear a mask likewise a schismatic? How is he not modeling the Pope who did not like the way the Greeks were doing Liturgy (not the Latin Mass)?

These are things to think about. How long will we put up with non-canonical actions? How is this not a vacating of the True Church as St John said?

Our Liturgy

I have a burning question: regarding the liturgy of the Holy Orthodox Church; was it a creation of man or did it come down to us from heaven? (note: Luke 20:4) Was it a pagan assimilation as Protestants claim, or is it Divine modeled after worship in heaven? Is this the worship that Moses saw? (note: Exodus 25:9). And, is this the worship St John saw in Revelation? If it is what the Fathers have always claimed it to be (if it is from Heaven—not man) then why would anybody want to tempt the Almighty by tampering with what, for generations, men feared to change even an iota? I ask you: does Caesar govern heaven? How can it be unless men make it so?

Changing of the Guard

When we say there is coming a changing of the guard to the Church—as well as societies with their governments—we must ask ourselves, what is that going to look like? Will it be like Arius, whose entrails became his extrails in the bottom of the latrine? Will it be like the Great Schism, where divorce is necessary in order to preserve a remnant of the True Faith?

We would rather God intervene, with rogue hierarchs going away and being replaced with those more true to the Faith. But that scenario does not appear to be taking place.

In order to preserve the “Testimony”—God’s living, current, witness on earth to all mankind—we know God will have His way through this sifting. God is testing us through what is being revealed. COVID does not make anyone different from who or what they are. It only reveals what they have been for some time. We know the true shepherds from the bad, we know those willing to give all for the Faith, and those who have too many political alliances to properly lead the flock. All is above board, out in the open.

[1] While the first part has been universally known, the second was a quote from Anglican Bishop Ray Sutton of Dallas.

[2] Revelation 2:5

[3] 2 Timothy 2:5

John Lee – an Orthodox Christian, jurisdiction withheld by request

Tags: church closings, clergy / laity rift, corona conflict, coronavirus, correct faith, COVID mandates, COVID victims, Covid-19, ecumenism, finding true faith, Great Schism, Hagia Sophia, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox fundamentalism, parish life, re-open parishes, schism, single spoon, St. Mark of Ephesus, St. Vladimir of Kiev, true Orthodoxy

Orthodoxy Needs Communication and Repentance

July 30, 2021

20 Comments

Fr. Demetrios has decades of experience as a priest. During his career, he has served under several bishops in more than one jurisdiction. He had reached out to us for technical assistance with a project he was working on. While we had him on the phone, we couldn’t help but ask him about the state of our Orthodox Church in the United States.

His response caught us by surprise. Fr. Demetrios said, “All we need in Orthodoxy is communication and repentance. That would fix everything.”

During the rest of the conversation, he explained what he meant. In his experience, most bishops were at least difficult, if not impossible, to communicate with. Often they have, at most, a small group of trusted advisors to whom they listen. Sometimes they only listen to a chancellor playing the role of “gatekeeper.” When mistakes are made, they are rarely acknowledged and repented of. Usually the goal is to just quietly “move on.”

As we talked, the truth of what Fr. Demetrios was saying became more and more apparent. Many of the problems we see around us are directly attributable to lack of communication and repentance.

Bishops are Largely Incommunicado

Fr. Demetrios explained to us that, in his experience, bishops are rarely interested in the opinions of their priests or the laity. We have seen multiple public confirmations of this. For example, most bishops did not ask for any input on how to deal with Covid at the parish-level. Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon was thrilled that Bishop Anthony, via an administrative assistant, contacted him for his ideas 10 months into the pandemic:

As far as I know, this is also the first time, during these ten miserable months, an Orthodox bishop has asked for “creative ideas addressing this issue” from the local pastors of our congregations.

His advice was not heeded, but at least he was able to tender it. Via email. To an assistant. Did Bishop Anthony even read it? Or even a summary of it? Who knows?

A group of OCA priests wrote this in an article The Broken Covenant about the church lockdowns:

Without the sacramental rudders and moorings of the Church, the OCA bishops were cast adrift, as they tried to navigate the political landscape. They seemingly closed their minds to reason, as they closed the doors of the Church and they wanted no input from the priests fearing it would undercut their point of view.

The bishops didn’t want any input from the men directly serving in the parishes among the people. Or the people themselves. These bishops would rather be wrong in their suppositions, than to hear the truth from the local parishes. They were very out-of-step with many sheep in their flocks over the Church’s Covid response, and most still seem totally oblivious to that fact. You cannot govern in truth, if you refuse to hear it.

In addition to ignoring emails, phone calls, letters, and petitions, more than one Orthodox hierarch is known for blocking / unfriending anyone on social media who asks an unwelcome question or “steps out of line” in even the slightest way. On Twitter, whoever runs Archbishop Elpidophoros’ account is notorious for quickly blocking users, even priests, over seemingly trivial comments / questions. His Eminence even blocks accounts that have never contacted him on the basis of those accounts having interacted with blocked accounts.

Those wanting to have their concerns heard end up writing blogs, posting on their own social media, and signing petitions – all in the hopes of getting some episcopal attention. Orthodox Reflections came into existence for this very reason. As all private avenues of communication are cut off, there is not much choice besides going public. The lack of meaningful engagement and cooperation hurts and divides the Church. It also makes the men charged with making decisions and representing the Church look and sound completely tone-deaf.

Tone-deafness

In the secular world, before we issue a statement to clients or put out a press release, the text goes through multiple layers of vetting by different departments. Everyone brings their own expertise to bear. Much of our review effort is geared towards identifying ways any statement can be misconstrued. Anything you say or publish can instantly turn into a public relations nightmare. We could paraphrase Murphy’s Law a bit to say: Anything that can be misconstrued, will be. A good rule – don’t say and do things which can reasonably be misunderstood (or understood if that really is your point) as being contrary to your values and/or your previous commitments. Doing so provides ammunition to your enemies and demoralizes your supporters. In the Orthodox context, souls are literally on the line, so you had better be careful with what you say and do.

On a regular basis, bishops ignite firestorms. Sometimes it seems to be accidental. At other times, it is clear that they took controversial positions and steps on purpose, but it is hard to believe they were in any way prepared for the severity of the backlash that followed. If they listened to anyone at all in the preparation of their controversial texts or planning some of their controversial actions, then it was to individuals who agreed with them completely and looked at everything from the same perspective as the hierarchs. An echo chamber does not prepare you for contact with the real world.

The latest example was Archbishop Elpidophoros seemingly endorsing “many paths to God” and rejecting Christ as the only way to salvation: “When you elevate one religion above all others, it is as if you decide there is only one path leading to the top of the mountain.” We covered the speech here and here.

Of course, the unfortunate “new age” wording has already spawned many negative responses. Among them are humorous memes such as the one to the right.

In the best case, this speech was a blunder based on being completely tone-deaf to easily anticipated public reaction:

In my opinion, Archbishop Elpidophoros could have done a better job of bracketing his comment about having only one path leading to the top of the mountain, i.e., that he was talking about state-religion relations, not about theology in the usual sense. Loosely read, Elpidophoros’ mountain metaphor can be construed as an allusion to a universalist soteriology—an affront to Orthodoxy.

The Greek Archdiocese, so far, has not even attempted to explain the comments. At best, a major blunder. At worst, a case of using plausible deniability to advance heresy publicly. Either way, in a healthy organization with proper checks and balances, this speech would never have been given.

One has to pity priests and deacons in the Greek Archdiocese. Their own hierarchy makes their difficult jobs even harder, and then won’t even listen to their cries of pain.

More examples of tone-deafness abound. We’ll cover just a few:

Bishop Benjamin of the OCA sent a letter to his priests mandating that anyone not wearing a mask could not receive communion, and warning his priests, “If I learn you are not strictly observing these directives and one of your parishioners dies of COVID 19, I will not hesitate to suspend you.” This letter was received so badly in his parishes, that six months later members of the Diocese of the West are still complaining about it. Some referenced that letter as the last straw in their leaving the OCA.
Archbishop Paul (Gassios) of the Diocese of the Midwest suspended Fr. Mark Hodges after he legally participated in a Constitutionally protected rally, and suggested in a letter to the priest that he was “guilty by association” for having been in the presence of illegal activity. When contacted repeatedly, the chancellor of the diocese finally responded to state that Fr. Mark Hodges was not suspended for participating in the rally. Despite the fact that this suspension had become an international news story, the chancellor refused to comment on why Fr. Mark was suspended, if not for participation in the rally. So of course, as you can see from the comments on our coverage, a huge fight ensued among the Faithful all over the Internet concerning the justness of the suspension and the underlying causes. The diocese never clarified the reasons for the suspension. A few months later, it was quietly announced that Fr. Mark’s suspension had been lifted. No explanation was given as to what, if anything, had changed. All that bad blood between faithful Orthodox Christians, all that bad press coverage internationally, and just like that – it all gets dropped down the memory hole. The lack of transparency harms the witness of the Orthodox Church, and seems to be driven by bishops not realizing or not caring how much controversy their actions stir up among the Faithful.
Archbishop Elpidophoros publicly endorsed extending Orthodox communion to unconverted spouses to help keep those in interfaith marriages from leaving the Church. That might help those in that particular situation, though in a way that actually harms those unworthily receiving communion. However, even discussing opening communion to the non-Orthodox caused faithful Greek Orthodox to denounce the idea as heresy. The Greek Archdiocese has already lost a large number of attending members in the past year (maybe as high as 30% in some surveys). If this change is implemented, doubtless more will leave. Priests and Faithful in other jurisdictions quickly began openly discussing the possibility of full-blown schism. If the Archbishop is trying to keep ethnic Greeks in the “fold” of the Church, this is going to backfire horribly. How could the Archbishop possibly be so isolated that not one faithful Orthodox Christian was there to tell him, “This is a terrible idea!”
On the Feast Day of St. Bartholomew, June 11th, Archbishop Elpidophoros presided over a Divine Liturgy at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in Manhattan. On July 3, he was back at St. Bart’s in a more personal capacity to visit with their rector, Bp. Dean E. Wolfe. St. Bart’s has been criticized as “ground zero for the queering of Manhattan.” This level of engagement looks very much like an endorsement of the Episcopal Church’s homosexual-friendly agenda. As one commenter summed up this pattern of behavior by Archbishop Elpidophoros, “We cannot but conclude that the archbishop is sending the wrong message to his faithful followers.” Not only did the Archbishop do these things, but he highly publicized them. Does no one at the level of the Archdiocese understand how badly these actions are received among faithful Orthodox Christians? Or what ridicule the Orthodox Faith is being subjected to by those outside of the Church?
A recent encyclical from Archbishop Sotirios of Canada asserted that supporters of a single communion spoon are “pagan.” That was not received well by the long-suffering Greek community in Canada, and will likely drive away even more people.
Archbishop Elpidophoros famously marched with Black Lives Matter over a year ago. At the time, we wrote an article questioning the Archbishop lending his moral authority to a group associated not only with violence but also with abortion on demand, Marxist economic policies, homosexuality, transgenderism, and the disruption of the nuclear family. Not surprisingly, the progressive Orthodox over at Fordham University roundly applauded the Archbishop for his march. Many faithful Orthodox Christians were scandalized by his words and actions. The Archbishop’s support for BLM has never looked good, but it looks especially bad now since the group issued a statement siding with the
Cuban Communist dictatorship against the brave people of Cuba who are in the streets demanding their freedom.
Even worse, in the middle of the pro-freedom protests, the Ecumenical Patriarch announced an official visit to Cuba this November at the invitation of the communist regime. This will be the EP’s second visit to Cuba. There is an Orthodox Cathedral in Cuba with the mosaic you see to the right of the EP receiving a key from mass murderer Fidel Castro. The plaque says, “THIS CATHEDRAL IS A GIFT FROM THE PEOPLE OF CUBA TO THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH AND TO ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW, FIDEL CASTRO RUZ -NOVEMBER 2003” Partnering with communists is not really a good look for Orthodox hierarchs, particularly when immortalized in a mosaic. A fact most normal parish priests and/or laypersons would be happy to inform the hierarchs of, if only they could.
His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrosios, the former Metropolitan of the Metropolis of Kalavryta and Aigialeia in northern Greece, recently published a lengthy list of abuses of the Orthodox Faith including: sacraments of heretics being recognized, donating the Qur’an as a sacred book, common prayers and concelebrations of bishops with heretics, metropolises locking churches and threatening priests, masks in front of the Holy Altar, single-use disposable spoons for distributing of the immaculate Body and Blood of our Christ, and bishops prohibiting the sacrament of Confession. It was a blistering call to change course and repent.

Repentance is Needed

His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrosios also said in his article, “Wherever there is Orthodoxy there are wounds.” That is true all over the globe. But despite those wounds, most of the hierarchy simply goes on with business as usual. Most acknowledge only the pandemic, while ignoring any of the pain and suffering caused by the hysterical, harmful responses to it. The one exception we have seen is Archbishop Mark of Philadelphia and Eastern America (Orthodox Church in America) who at least seems to “feel our pain“:

The past year has truly been a rollercoaster ride for all of us and we need to be mindful and considerate of those suffering from isolation, fear, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and loneliness, as well as those who have lost loved ones. Additionally, divisions occurred as people lost the ability to discuss differing opinions on a variety of matters.

While a welcome acknowledgment that bad things have happened, the archbishop’s statement is hardly repentance for the role he, and his fellow bishops, played in the “rollercoaster ride.” This lack of repentance over the Covid responses, the political missteps, and the ecumenist scandals is frequently discussed among Orthodox Christians. The attitude of the bishops has caused some Orthodox Christians to stop attending liturgy or to switch jurisdictions.

This really can’t continue. The most sincere and holy hierarchs will find it within themselves to set a public example of repentance for their mistakes. We also recognize that there appear to be Orthodox hierarchs who are intentionally trying to change the Orthodox Faith – either out of conformity to the world (weakness) or under demonic influence. They need to be called to repentance and held to account, particularly by other hierarchs.

The people will forgive hierarchs who embrace public repentance and flock to them. To minimize future mistakes, the best hierarchs will commit themselves to open communication, accountability, and transparency. They will not always take the advice of their priests and laity, but they will at least give them a fair hearing and avoid openly scandalizing them.

Fr. Demetrios was quite right, all we need is communication and repentance.

Nicholas – member of the Western Rite Vicariate, a part of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America

Tags: anaxios, Archbishop Elpidophoros, Archbishop Paul, authentic Orthodoxy, Bishop Benjamin, Black Lives Matter, BLM, Bp. Dean E. Wolfe, clergy / laity rift, common spoon, communication, corona conflict, Ecumenical Patriarch, encyclicals, Fordham, Fr. Mark Hodges, Greek Archdiocese, guilty by association, homosexual propaganda, Leftist Infiltration, LGBTQ propaganda, memes, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox jurisdictions, Orthodox PR, pagan, parish life, pride, repentance, Russian missionaries, St. Bart's, St. Bartholomew's, tone deaf, tone deafness, Twitter ban

How and Why the Jesus Prayer?

February 19, 2021

3 Comments

Click here to read the Greek language version of this article.

“Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”

The “Jesus Prayer,” loved and practiced by many, misunderstood and discouraged by others, has been widely taught and discussed throughout the history of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church has a great many beautiful and important prayers for numerous needs and occasions. However, the Jesus Prayer, often repeated continually, has gained high esteem by many saints and spiritual fathers as a way of learning to “pray without ceasing,” a practice which cleanses and opens up, first the mind and then the heart. Those who diligently practice the Prayer first acquire the Prayer of the Mind or the Noetic Prayer (Νοερά Προσευχή) and then the Prayer of the Heart (Καρδιακή Προσευχή). The Prayer of the Heart is considered to be the Unceasing Prayer that the Apostle Paul advocates in the New Testament, when he says “pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

According to Wikipedia, the origin of the Jesus Prayer is probably the Egyptian desert, which was settled in the 5^th century by the monastic Desert Fathers (such as St. Anthony the Great) and Desert Mothers (such as Saints Syncletica and Theodora of Alexandria). A formula similar to the standard form of the Jesus Prayer is found in a letter written by Saint John Chrysostom (347 – 407 AD). This letter speaks of “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy” and “Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on us” being used as ceaseless prayer.

Possibly the earliest explicit reference to the Jesus Prayer in today’s fuller form, can be found in Discourse on Abba Philimon from the Philokalia. Philimon, who lived around 600 AD, cited, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me.”

Why, of all the prayers known to us, has the Jesus Prayer entered our Holy Tradition as the unceasing Prayer of the Heart; and why not the prayer “I thank you, I glorify you, lord, have mercy on me,” which was recently innovated and recommended by Archbishop Sotirios on January 24, 2021? What is the difference between these two prayers?

First, Saint Theophan regarded the Jesus Prayer stronger than all other prayers by virtue of the power of the Holy Name of Jesus. When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” He got several answers from them, including John the Baptist, Elijah and one of the prophets. However, when He asked, “but whom do you say that I am?” Simon Peter jumped up with “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus replied, “Blessed are you Simon…for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by My Father in Heaven.” (Matthew 16:13-18) “(For)…no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

By this we see that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Holy Trinity, speaks through us when we confess Jesus as the Messiah, and as the Son of the Living God, for the Son is the second Person of the Holy Trinity (i.e. God, Himself), and not some dead (false) god, for there are many false gods that people worship and refer to as “lord.” Therefore, when we say Lord (i.e. God), Jesus Christ (the anointed one), Son of God…” we are witnessing that Jesus is the Messiah (the anointed one) and God. The name of Jesus in the proper context carries so much power, that the Desert Fathers and Mothers who were sorely tempted by the demons in the wilderness used this prayer to strengthen themselves in their spiritual struggles against the dark forces of Satan. We, too, as we live our lives in the spiritual wilderness of today’s world, can use the Jesus prayer to protect ourselves from the daily temptations of the evil one.

“I thank you, I glorify you, lord, have mercy on me,” is a prayer which does not mention the name of Jesus, the Saviour of the world, nor does it acknowledge Him as God. It is, therefore, a weak prayer with which to do battle with demons who tremble at the name of Jesus.

Second, the Jesus Prayer actually dates back even further than Wikipedia indicates, for it is not a mere or random invention of the 5^th century Elders (Γεροντάδες) of our Church. As we see below, it originates as far back as the first century, for it combines three Bible verses found in Holy Scripture:

(i) The Christological hymn of St. Paul: “…being in the form of God, He (Jesus) thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men; and…as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. For this reason, God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phillipians 2:6-11)

(ii) The Annunciation: “And the angel said…fear not, Mary, for you have found favour with God; and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign…for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end…The Holy Ghost shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you. Therefore, that Holy Thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:30-35)

(iii) The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican (sinful tax collector) spoken by Jesus, Himself: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people – robbers, evildoers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

Here we see that Jesus, Himself, teaches the Jesus Prayer and He completes it with the words, “a sinner.” Notice Jesus does not correct the prayer of the tax collector. He does not say the tax collector should have said “I thank you, I glorify you, lord have mercy on me.” Instead, He says the tax collector went home justified; whereas the Pharisee, who did thank God, but did so, proudly boasting of his good works, was not justified. This means that the Jesus Prayer has not only great power against demons because of the name of Jesus, but also the power to save us from sin because of the great humility and repentance found in the words of confession, “have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Third, there are many other Biblical references in which Jesus, Himself, endorses the Jesus Prayer. Consider the cleansing of the ten lepers. “… as Jesus entered a certain village, there met Him ten lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:12-13) Note how they called him by his name, Jesus. They also said Master, meaning Lord or God. They approached Him for the miracle because they first acknowledged that Jesus is God. This was their public declaration of faith. Jesus healed them all of their leprosy and note that He did not correct the way they addressed Him. He did not say, “No, don’t say, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us,’ but rather say, ‘We thank you, we glorify you, lord have mercy on us’, because that is more correct.” He did not say that at all! He healed them straightaway, but He did expect them all to thank God after they were healed.

Consider also the blind man who was begging by the roadside near Jericho. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and asked him,“What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,”… Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.” (Luke 18:35-43)

Note that Jesus did not correct the blind man who called out to Him in this manner, and also called Him Son of David, which, according to Old Testament prophecy, is the Messiah (the anointed Christ). The blind man did not call Jesus, ‘son of Joseph’ as had some others, who did not believe He was the Messiah. “Then they scoffed, isn’t this the carpenter’s son?…and they took offense at Him.” (Matthew 13:54-58) Instead, the blind man called Him “Son of David.” Despite being blind and unable to read, even the blind man knew that “Son of David” is a Messianic title which originates in the Old Testament, because God promised King David that one of his descendants would rule forever. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the City of David, and according to his earthly genealogy and Mosaic Law, He was understood as the son of Joseph, the carpenter, whose ancestor was King David. In Matthew’s Gospel, there are six instances where Jesus is called “Son of David.”

There are many more Biblical references which name Jesus and confirm His Divinity. Let us examine some of these:

(i) As soon as Nathaniel, the Disciple, met Jesus, he cried out, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” (John 1:49) and Jesus did not correct him, because there was nothing to correct.

(ii) St. Paul, the Apostle to the Nations, writes: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)

(iii) St. Peter, the Apostle, said to the lame beggar, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” (Acts 3:6)

(iv) The Evangelists write: “The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord (Jesus), even the demons are subject to us in your name!’” (Luke 10:17) “And whenever the unclean spirits saw him (Jesus), they fell down before him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God.’” (Mark 3:11) Also, “…a man with an unclean spirit…cried out, “What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!…” (Mark 1:21-28)

(v) Jesus, Himself, said: (i) “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) thereby affirming that He is the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the triune God, Who existed before time began. (ii) He also promised, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13) (iii) He likewise prophesied, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (Mark 16:17-18)

Therefore, dear reader, not only is the Jesus Prayer correct, but there are no other words which can substitute for the divinely inspired words, “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” With these words, we confess our faith that Jesus is the Master of all (Lord); that He is the anointed Messiah (Christ) who came to redeem the world from sin; that He is begotten of the father (Son of God) and is therefore of the same essence as the Father, meaning Divine. Furthermore, by uttering His human name, Jesus, we also acknowledge His dual nature as God and Man, or the God-Man, who was born of the Virgin Mary so that he could live, suffer and die like a man, to save mankind. As the only perfect and sinless human, He became High Priest for us, offering Himself on the cross as the ultimate sacrifice to make atonement for our sins and re-unite us with the Father. He alone became the Offerοr and the Offering. All of this was accomplished by none other than Jesus.

“Jesus Christ the faithful witness, (is) the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. (He) has freed us from our sins by His blood.” (Revelation 1:5) “For there is one God, and there is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) “Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14)

Our confession is the Jesus Prayer, which is supported by reams of Holy Scripture, contains volumes of Orthodox theology and great power. It was not just any “lord,” not Mohammad, not Allah, not Buddha, not Brahma, or any other deity who died for us and shattered the gates of Hell. Only the crucified Lord Jesus destroyed the power of Sin and Death and Satan’s hold on mankind. This is why the demons tremble at the name of Jesus. This is why the elders (Γεροντάδες) of our Holy Orthodox Church ceaselessly pray the Jesus Prayer – to ward off demonic temptations and spiritual attacks, by exercising humility and ceaselessly calling on the name of Jesus.

To remove the name of Jesus, keeping only the unassigned word “lord,” enables several threats to erode our Orthodox faith and identity and to jeopardize our salvation:

First, the newly innovated prayer advances pagan and polytheistic Ecumenism, which for years, has been focusing only on “common ground” to promote a type of “love” that ignores differences and Truth. “I thank you, I glorify you, lord, have mercy on me,” is a non-denominational prayer that can be comfortably spoken by any Jain, any Jew, any Hindu, any Sikh, any Zoroastrian, any Muslim, even any idol or Luciferian worshipper. This prayer is not only un-Orthodox, it is even un-Christian.

Second, removing the name of Jesus replaces a Confession of Faith with a Denial of Faith. Are we suddenly afraid or ashamed to identify as Christians by saying the name of Jesus? A denial of faith threatens our salvation! Jesus said, “…whosoever shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven.” (Matthew 10:33-34)

Third, by removing the name of Jesus, thousands of years of sacred prophecies, Biblical teachings and Patristic dogma become discounted and overturned, arbitrarily and for no good reason. This is unacceptable if we wish to maintain an Orthodox identity. On judgment day, when everyone rises from the dead, including all those who lived before us, it will be difficult to justify in the presence of God and His martyrs, any disobedience to the words of St. Paul, “Do not get carried away by various and strange teachings,” (Hebrews 13:9) even if the strange teachings came from someone that has the title of a bishop. Let us not forget that historically, the majority of heresies battled by the Orthodox Church, came from wayward bishops!

The more one utters the proposed innovated prayer, instead of the Jesus Prayer, the further away one drifts from Jesus, the Orthodox ethos and ecclesial consciousness, and the closer one draws towards heresy. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

I hope and pray that the innovated prayer was an unintended error in judgment on the part of his Eminence Sotirios, and not another assault against those who adhere to Patristic Holy Orthodox Tradition. Those who are not interested in Orthodox Tradition are free to leave and join other jurisdictions anytime they wish; but we, the faithful, will not follow them…

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!

Demetrios Georgiou – member, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada

Πως και Γιατí η ευχή «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού ελέησòν με τον αμαρτωλό»?

Η «Ευχή», αγαπητή και συνηθισμένη απο πολλούς, αλλά παρεξηγημένη και προς αποφυγή απο αλλους, έχει διδαχθεί και συζητηθεί ευρέως σε όλη την διάρκεια της ιστορίας της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας. Η Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία έχει πολλαπλές σημαντικές και όμορφες προσευχές που αρμόζουν σε αναρίθμητες ανάγκες και περιστάσεις. Πάντως, η «Ευχή», συχνά και συνεχώς επαναλαμβανομένη, εχει αποκτίσει υψηλό κύρος από πολλούς αγίους και πνευματικούς πατέρες ως ένας τρόπος εκμάθησης της «αδιάλειπτης προσευχής», μία πράξη η οποία πρώτα καθαρίζει και διανοίγει τον νου, και κατόπιν την καρδιά. Όσοι ασκούν με επιμέλεια την Ευχή πρώτα αποκτούν την Νοερά Προσευχή, και μετέπειτα την Καρδιακή Προσευχή. Η Καρδιακή Προσευχή φέρεται να ειναι η «αδιάλειπτη προσευχή» που παροτρύνει ο Απόστολος Παύλος στην Καινή Διαθήκη, όταν λέει «αδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε» (1 Θεσ. 5,17).

Κατά την Wikipedia, οι ρίζες της Ευχής πιθανολογούνται στην έρημο της Αιγύπτου, στην οποία εγκαταστάθηκαν τον 5^ο αιώνα οι ερημίτες-μοναχοί Πατέρες της Ερήμου (όπως ο Μέγας Αντώνιος), και οι Μητέρες της Ερήμου (όπως οι αγίες Συγκλητική και Θεοδώρα Αλεξανδρείας). Σε μιά επιστολή του Αγίου Ιωάννου του Χρυσοστόμου (347-407 μ.Χ.) βρίσκεται μια σύνταξη με ομοιότητες προς την συνηθισμένη μορφή της Ευχής. Αυτή η επιστολή αναφέρει το «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού Ελέησον», και το «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ Υιέ Θεού ελέησον ημάς» ως αδιάλειπτη προσευχή.

Ίσως η αρχαιότερη επίσημη αναφορά στην Ευχή με την σημερινή της ολοκληρωμένη μορφή να βρίσκεται στον Λόγο περί του αββά Φιλήμονος, (Φιλοκαλία των Ιερών Νηπτικών, Τόμος Β’). Ο Φιλήμων, ο οποίος έζησε κατα το 600 μ.Χ. ανέφερε το «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ του Θεού, ελέησόν με».

Γιατί άραγε εντάχθηκε η Ευχή στην Αγία μας Παράδοση, μεταξύ όλων των γνωστών μας προσευχών, ως η αδιάλειπτη Καρδιακή Προσευχή, και όχι η προσευχή που προσφάτως επινόησε και πρότεινε ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Σωτήριος στις 24.1.2021 – «Σε ευχαριστώ, Σε δοξάζω Κύριε, ελέησόν με»; Ποία η διαφορά μεταξύ των δύο αυτών προσευχών;

Κατ’αρχήν, ο Άγιος Θεοφάνης ο αναχωριτής θεωρούσε την Ευχή ως ισχυρότερη απο τις υπόλοιπες προσευχές λόγω της δυνάμεως του Αγίου Ονόματος του Ιησού. Όταν ο Ιησούς ρώτησε τους μαθητές Του «Ποιός λένε οι άνθρωποι οτι είναι ο Υιός του ανθρώπου;» έλαβε διάφορες απαντήσεις από αυτούς, συμπεριλαμβανομένων του Ιωάννου του Βαπτιστού, του Προφήτη Ηλία, του Προφήτη Ιερεμία, και ενός άλλου προφήτη. Όμως όταν τους ρώτησε «Εσείς όμως ποιός λέτε ότι είμαι;» ο Σίμωνας Πέτρος έσπευσε με το «Εσύ είσαι ο Χριστός, ο Υιός του Θεού του ζώντος.» Τότε ο Ιησούς απάντησε «Μακάριος ει Σίμωνδιότι αυτό δεν σου το απεκάλυψαν η σάρκα και το αίμα, αλλά ο Πατέρας μου στους ουρανούς» (Ματ. 16,13-18). «Διότι…κανείς δεν μπορεί να πει ότι ο Ιησούς είναι Κύριος, παρά μόνο με το Άγιο Πνεύμα» (1 Κορ. 12-3).

Έτσι βλέπουμε ότι το Άγιο Πνεύμα, το τρίτο πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος, ομιλεί διαμέσω μας όταν ομολογούμε τον Ιησού ως Χριστό και ως τον Υιό του ζώντος Θεού, επειδή ο Υιός είναι το δεύτερο Πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τριάδος (δηλ. ο Θεός ο Ίδιος), και όχι κάποιος νεκρός (ψεύτικος) θεός, διότι υπάρχουν πολλοί ψευτο-θεοί τους οποίους άνθρωποι λατρεύουν και αποκαλούν «κύριο». Έτσι λοιπόν, όταν λεμε «Κύριε (δηλ. Θεέ) Ιησού Χριστέ (εκείνος που φέρει το χρίσμα), Υιέ Θεού…» μαρτυρούμε ότι ο Ιησούς είναι ο Χριστός (ο φέρων το χρίσμα) και Θεός. Πλαισιομένο σωστά, το όνομα του Ιησού φέρει τόση ισχύ, ώστε οι Πατέρες και Μητέρες της ερήμου, δεινά πειραζόμενοι από τα δαιμόνια, χρησιμοποιούσαν αυτή την Ευχή για να ενισχυθούν στους πνευματικούς τους αγώνες εναντίον των σκοτεινών δυνάμεων του Σατανά. Και εμείς λοιπόν, βιώνοντας την ζωή μας στην πνευματική έρημο του σημερινού κόσμου, μπορούμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε την Ευχή για να προστατεύσουμε τους εαυτούς μας απο τους καθημερινούς πειρασμούς του πονηρού.

Το «Σε ευχαριστώ, Σε δοξάζω, Κύριε ελέησόν με» είναι μια προσευχή η οποία ΔΕΝ αναφέρει το όνομα του Ιησού, του Σωτήρα του κόσμου, αλλά και ούτε Τον αναγνωρίζει ως Θεό. Άρα, αποτελεί μία αποδυναμωμένη προσευχή για μια μάχη με τους δαίμονες οι οποίοι τρέμουν στο άκουσμα του ονόματος του Ιησού.

Δεύτερον, η Ευχή χρονολογείται ακόμα νωρίτερα από την εποχή που επισημαίνει η Wikipedia, διότι δεν πρόκειται για μια απλή η τυχαία εφεύρεση των εκκλησιαστικών μας Γερόντων του 5^ου αιώνα. Όπως παρατηρούμε παρακάτω, η προέλευσή της χρονολογείται και από τον 1^ο αιώνα, διότι συνδυάζει τρία ρητά της Αγίας Γραφής:

α) Τον Χριστολογικό Ύμνο του Αποστόλου Παύλου: «…ο Οποίος (Ιησούς) υπάρχων σε μορφή Θεού, δεν θεώρησε το ότι ήταν ίσος με τον Θεό σαν κάτι προς αρπαγμό (κλοπή), αλλά εκένωσε τον εαυτόν Του, έλαβε μορφή δούλου, και έγινε όμοιος προς τους ανθρώπους. Και βρισκόμενος σε μορφή ανθρώπου, εταπείνωσε τον εαυτόν Του, γενόμενος υπάκουος μέχρι θανάτου, και μάλιστα θανάτου σταυρικού. Για αυτό ο Θεός Τον υπερύψωσε, και Του χάρισε το υψηλότερο Όνομα από όλα τα ονόματα, για να κάμψει κάθε γόνατο στο όνομα του Ιησού, στον ουρανό, στην γη και στα καταχθόνια (υπό της γης), και κάθε γλώσσα να ομολογήσει οτι ο Ιησούς Χριστός είναι Κύριος εις δόξαν του Θεού Πατρός.» (Φιλ. 2,6-11)

β) Τον Ευαγγελισμό: «..και της είπε ο άγγελος, μη φοβάσαι Μαριάμ. Διότι βρήκες χάρη από τον Θεό. Και δες, θα συλλάβεις στην κοιλία σου, και θα τέξεις υιό, και θα καλέσεις το όνομά του Ιησού. Αυτός θα γίνει μέγας, και θα αποκαλεσθεί Υιός του Υψίστου, και θα του δώσει ο Κύριος ο Θεός τον θρόνο του Δαυίδ, του πατέρα Του, και θα βασιλεύσει…για πάντα, και η βασιλεία Του δεν θα έχει τέλος ποτέ…Το Άγιο Πνεύμα θα επέλθει έπανω σου, και η Δύναμη του Υψίστου θα σε επισκιάσει. Για αυτό, θα αποκαλείται Υιός του Θεού το άγιο [τέκνο] που θα γεννηθεί.» (Λκ. 1,30-35)

γ) Την Παραβολή του Τελώνου (αμαρτωλού φοροεισπράκτορα) και Φαρισαίου αφηγημένη απο τον Ιησού τον Ίδιο: «και είπε την εξής παραβολή για κάποιους οι οποίοι είχαν την πεποίθηση ότι ήσαν δίκαιοι ενώ εξουθενούσαν τους υπολοίπους…Δύο άνθρωποι ανέβηκαν στο ιερό να προσευχηθούν, ο ένας Φαρισαίος, και ο άλλος τελώνης. Ο Φαρισαίος στέκοντας όρθιος, προσευχόταν στον εαυτό του (προς εαυτόν) τα ακόλουθα: Σε ευχαριστώ Θεέ, ότι δεν είμαι σαν τους λοιπούς ανθρώπους – άρπαγες, άδικοι, μοιχοί – η ακόμη σαν αυτόν εδώ τον τελώνη. Νηστεύω δύο φορές την εβδομάδα, αποδεκατώ τα πάντα όσα αποκτώ. Ο δε τελώνης, στεκόμενος μακρυά, ούτε τα μάτια του δεν ήθελε να σηκώσει προς τον ουρανό, αλλά χτυπούσε το στήθος του λέγοντας: Ο Θεός ιλάσθητι μοι τω αμαρτωλώ (Ο Θεός δείξε μου έλεος [ελέησόν με], εμένα τον αμαρτωλό). Σας λέω οτί αυτός (ο τελώνης) επέστρεψε στο σπίτι του δικαιωμένος, και όχι εκείνος (ο Φαρισαίος). Ότι όποιος υψώνει τον εαυτόν του θα ταπεινωθεί, και όποιος ταπεινώνεται θα υψωθεί.» (Λκ. 18,9-14)

Σε αυτό το σημείο βλέπουμε ότι ο Ίδιος ο Ιησούς διδάσκει την Ευχή, και την συμπληρώνει με τις λέξεις «τω αμαρτωλώ». Παρατηρήστε οτι ο Ιησούς δεν διορθώνει την προσευχή του τελώνου. Δεν λέει ότι ο τελώνης θα έπρεπε να πει «Σε ευχαριστώ, Σε δοξάζω, Κύριε ελέησόν με». Αντιθέτως, μας λέει οτι ο τελώνης επέστρεψε στο σπίτι του δικαιωμένος, και ο δε Φαρισαίος, ο οποίος όντως ευχαρίστησε τον Θεό, αλλά με έναν υπερήφανο τρόπο, καυχόμενος για τις καλές του πράξεις, ΔΕΝ δικαιώθηκε. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι η Ευχή δεν περιορίζεται στο να έχει μεγάλη δύναμη εναντίον των δαιμόνων λόγω του ονόματος του Ιησού, αλλά επίσης έχει την δύναμη να μας γλυτώσει από την αμαρτία επειδή τα λόγια ομολογίας «ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό» περιέχουν μεγάλη ταπείνωση και μετάνοια.

Τρίτον, υπάρχουν πολλές άλλες παραπομπές στην Αγία Γραφή στις οποίες ο Ιησούς ο Ίδιος υποστηρίζει την Ευχή. Θυμηθείτε τον καθαρισμό των δέκα λεπρών… «και ερχόμενος σε ένα χωριό, Τον συνάντησαν δέκα λεπροί άνδρες, οι οποίοι στέκονταν από μακρυά, και φώναξαν λέγοντες Ιησού Επιστάτα, ελέησον ημάς.» (Λκ. 17, 12-13). Παρατηρήστε πως τον αποκαλούν με το όνομά του, Ιησού. Επίσης τον αποκαλούν Επιστάτη, που σημαινει Κύριος, η Θεός. Τον πλησιάσανε ζητώντας το θαύμα επειδή πρώτα αναγνωρίσανε ότι ο Ιησούς ειναι Θεός. Αυτή ήταν η δημόσιά τους ομολογία πίστης. Ο Ιησούς τους γιάτρεψε από την λέπρα τους, και παρατηρήστε ότι ΔΕΝ διόρθωσε τον τρόπο με τον οποίο Τον απεκάλεσαν. Δεν τους είπε «Όχι, μην λέτε το Ιησού Επιστάτα, ελέησον ημάς, αλλά καλύτερα πείτε το Σε ευχαριστούμε, Σε δοξάζουμε, Κύριε ελέησον ημάς, επειδή αυτό είναι το πιο σωστό..». Δεν το είπε αυτό καθόλου! Τους ίασε αμέσως, αλλά είχε βεβαίως την προσδοκία ότι θα ευχαριστούσαν τον Θεό έπειτα απο την ίασή τους.

Σκεφτείτε και τον τυφλό ο οποίος ζητιάνευε παράπλευρα του δρόμου κοντά στην Ιεριχώ. Όταν άκουσε ότι ο Ιησούς περνούσε, φώναξε «Ιησού, Υιέ Δαυίδ, ελέησόν με. Και εκείνοι που προηγούνταν τον επετιμούσαν να σιωπήσει, αλλά εκείνος πιό πολύ φώναζε Υιέ Δαυίδ, ελέησόν με.» Ο Ιησούς σταμάτησε και τον ρώτησε «Τι θέλεις να κάνω για εσένα; Κύριε, να δω το φως μου (να αναβλέψω). Και ο Κύριος του είπε Ανάβλεψε! Η πίστη σου σε έσωσε. Και αμέσως ανέβλεψε, και ακολούθησε τον Ιησού, δοξάζοντας τον Θεό.» (Λκ. 18, 35-43)

Παρατηρούμε ότι ο Ιησούς ΔΕΝ διόρθωσε τον τυφλό ο οποίος Του απευθύνθηκε με αυτόν τον τρόπο, αποκαλώντας Τον Υιό του Δαυίδ, ο οποίος κατά τις προφητείες της Παλαιάς Διαθήκης είναι ο Μεσσίας (ο Χριστός). Ο τυφλός δεν αποκάλεσε τον Ιησού «υιό του Ιωσήφ» όπως κάνανε κάποιοι άλλοι οι οποίοι δεν πιστεύανε ότι ήταν ο Μεσσίας. «δεν είναι αυτός ο γιός του μαραγκού (τέκτονος);» (Ματ. 13,55)… «και σκανδαλίζονταν από Αυτόν»(Ματ. 13,57). Αντιθέτως, ο τυφλός τον απεκάλεσε «Υιό του Δαυίδ». Χωρίς να μπορεί να διαβάσει επειδή ήταν τυφλός, ακόμα όμως και εκείνος γνώριζε οτι ο τίτλος «Υιός του Δαυίδ» πρόκειται για περιγραφή του Μεσσία που προέρχεται από την Παλαιά Διαθήκη, επειδή ο Θεός υποσχέθηκε στον Βασιλέα Δαυίδ ότι ένας από τους απογόνους του θα βασίλευε για πάντα. Ο Ιησούς γεννήθηκε στην Βηθλεέμ, την Πόλη του Δαυίδ, και κατά την επίγεια γενεολογία και τον Μωσαϊκό Νόμο, Τον κατανοούσαν ως τον υιό του Ιωσήφ, του μαραγκού, του οποίου ο πρόγονος ήταν ο Βασιλέας Δαυίδ. Στο κατά Ματθαίον Ευαγγέλιο, υπάρχουν έξι περιπτώσεις οπού αναφέρεται ο Ιησούς ως «Υιός του Δαυίδ».

Υπάρχουν αρκετές άλλες παραπομπές στις Γραφές που ονομάζουν τον Ιησού και βεβαιώνουν την Θεότητά Του. Ας εξετάσουμε μερικές από αυτές:

α) Μόλις συνάντησε τον Ιησού ο Ναθαναήλ ο Μαθητής, ανεφώνησε «Ραββί, Εσύ είσαι ο Υιός του Θεού, Εσύ είσαι ο Βασιλέας του Ισραήλ!» (Ιω. 1, 49) και ο Ιησούς δεν τον διόρθωσε, διότι δεν υπήρχε τίποτα να διορθώσει.

β) Ο Απόστολος Παύλος, ο Απόστολος των Εθνών γράφει «και δεν υπάρχει σε κανέναν άλλον η σωτηρία, διότι δεν υπάρχει κανένα άλλο όνομα υπό του ουρανού που να έχει δοθεί στους ανθρώπους και δια του οποίου πρέπει να σωθούμε.»(Πρα. 4, 12). «η ανταμοιβή της αμαρτίας είναι ο θάνατος, το δε χάρισμα του Θεού η αιώνια ζωή, εν Χριστώ Ιησού τω Κυρίω ημών.» (Ρωμ. 6, 23). «Ότι εάν ομολογήσεις με το στόμα σου τον Ιησού ως Κύριο, και πιστεύσεις με την καρδιά σου οτι ο Θεός τον ανέστησε από τους νεκρούς, θα σωθείς.» (Ρωμ. 10, 9). «Και ό,τι πράξετε, εν λόγω η εν έργω, όλα κάντε τα στο όνομα του Κυρίου Ιησού, ευχαριστούντες τον Θεό δι’Αυτού.» (Κολ. 3, 17).

γ) Ο Απόστολος Πέτρος είπε στον χωλό ζητιάνο, «δεν έχω αργύριο και χρυσάφι, αλλά εκείνο που έχω σου το δίνω. Στο όνομα του Ιησού Χριστού του Ναζωραίου, σήκω και περπάτα!» (Πρα. 3, 6).

δ) Οι Ευαγγελιστές γράφουν – «Οι εβδομήκοντα-δύο επέστρεψαν με χαρά λέγοντες Κύριε και τα δαιμόνια υποτάσσονται σε έμας εν τω ονόματί Σου.»(Λκ. 10, 17). «Και τα πνεύματα τα ακάθαρτα, όταν τον είδαν, έπεφταν μπροστά του φωνάζοντας και λέγοντας ότι Εσύ είσαι ο Υιός του Θεού.» (Μαρ. 3,, 11). Επίσης «…ανθρωπος με πνεύμα ακάθαρτο μέσα του…φώναξε Τι έχεις με έμας Ιησού Ναζαρηνέ; Ήλθες να μας καταστρέψεις; Γνωρίζω ποιός Είσαι, ο Αγιος του Θεού. Αλλά ο Ιησούς τον επετίμησε λέγοντας, φιμώσου, και βγες από αυτόν!» (Μαρ. 1, 21-28)

ε) Ο Ίδιος ο Ιησούς είπε: 1) «Αμήν λέγω υμίν, ότι πριν γεννηθεί ο Αβραάμ, υπάρχω Εγώ.» (Ιω. 8, 58) καθορίζοντας έτσι οτι εΙναι το Δεύτερο Πρόσωπο της Αγίας Τρίαδος, του Τριάδικου Θεού, ο Οποίος υπήρχε και πριν αρχίσει ο χρόνος. 2) Υποσχέθηκε επίσης «και ό,τι αν ζητήσετε στο όνομά μου, θα το κάνω για να δοξασθεί ο Πατέρας μέσω του Υιού.» (Ιω. 14, 13) …3) Επίσης προφήτευσε «σημεία θα ακολουθήσουν εκείνους που έχουν πιστεύσει. Θα εκβάλλουν δαιμόνια στο όνομά μου, νέες γλώσσες θα μίλουν, και φίδια θα κρατούν στα χέρια τους, και ό,τι θανάσιμο και να πιούν δεν θα τους βλάψει…θα βάζουν τα χέρια τους επάνω στους αρρώστους, και θα γίνονται καλά.» (Μαρ. 16, 17-18)

Έτσι λοιπόν, αγαπητέ αναγνώστη, όχι μόνο είναι ορθή η Ευχή, αλλά δεν υπάρχουν άλλες λέξεις οι οποίες μπορούν να αντικαταστήσουν τις θεόπνευστες λέξεις «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό». Με αυτά τα λόγια ομολογούμε την πίστη μας ότι ο Ιησούς είναι ο Κύριος όλων, ότι είναι ο χρισμένος Μεσσίας (Χριστός) που ήρθε να σώσει τον κόσμο άπο την αμαρτία, ότι ειναι εκ του Πατρός γεννηθής (Υιός του Θεού) και κατά συνέπεια ομοούσιος με τον Πατέρα, δηλαδή Θεϊκός. Εν συνεχεία, με το να λέμε το ανθρώπινο όνομά Του, Ιησούς, αναγνωρίζουμε και τις δυό Του φύσεις, ως Θεό και Άνθρωπο, η ως τον Θεάνθρωπο, που ετέχθη από την Παρθένο Μαρία για να ζήσει, να υποφέρει, και να υποστεί τον θάνατο ως άνθρωπος, για να σώσει την ανθρωπότητα. Ως ο μόνος τέλειος και αναμάρτητος άνθρωπος, έγινε ο Αρχιερέας μας, προσφέροντας τον εαυτόν Του στον σταυρό, ως την έσχατη θυσία για την εξιλέωση των αμαρτιών μας, και για να μας ξαναενώσει με τον Πατέρα. Ο Ίδιος έγινε και ο Θυσιαστής και η Θυσία. Όλα αυτά δεν κατορθώθηκαν από κανέναν άλλον, εκτός από τον Ιησού.

«…και από Ιησού Χριστού, ο μάρτυς και πιστός, ο πρωτότοκος των νεκρών, και ο άρχων των βασιλέων της γής. Αυτός που …μας λύνει από τις αμαρτίες μας με το Αίμα Του.» (Αποκ. 1, 5) «Ότι υπάρχει ένας Θεός, και ένας μεσίτης του Θεού» (1 Τιμ. 2, 5) «Επειδή έχουμε μέγα αρχιερέα, που διήλθε τους ουρανούς, τον Ιησού, τον Υιό του Θεού, ας κρατήσουμε την ομολογία μας.» (Εβρ. 4, 14)

Η ομολογία μας ειναι η Ευχή, η οποια υποστηρίζεται απο στοίβες Αγίων Γραφών, η οποία περιέχει τόμους Ορθόδοξης θεολογίας, και μεγάλη δύναμη. Δεν ήταν απλά κάποιος τυχαίος «κύριος», ούτε ο Μωάμεθ, ούτε ο Αλλάχ, ούτε ο Βούδας, ούτε ο Βράχμα, ούτε κάποια άλλη θεότητα η οποία θανατώθηκε για εμάς και έθραυσε τις πύλες του Άδου (της κολάσεως). Μόνο ο σταυρωθείς Κύριος Ιησούς κατέστρεψε την ισχύ της Αμαρτίας και του Θανάτου, αλλά και το κράτος του Σατανά. Για αυτό ακριβώς τρέμουν οι δαίμονες με το όνομα Ιησού. Για αυτό οι Γέροντες της Αγίας Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας αδιαλείπτως προσεύχονται την Ευχή – για να απωθήσουν δαιμονικούς πειρασμούς και πνευματικές επιθέσεις, καλλιεργώντας ταπείνωση και ασταμάτητα καλώντας το όνομα του Ιησού.

Το να εκτοπίσουμε το όνομα του Ιησού, κρατώντας μόνο τον αόριστο όρο «κύριε», ενισχύει αρκετές απειλές που μπορούν εν συνεχεία να φθείρουν την Ορθόδοξή μας πίστη και ταυτότητα, και να θέσουν σε κίνδυνο την σωτηρία μας:

Πρώτον, η νεωτεριστική προσευχή προωθεί τον παγανιστικό και πολυθεϊστικό Οικουμενισμό, ο οποίος για πολλά χρόνια εστιάζει την προσοχή του αποκλειστικά σε «κοινά σημεία», με σκοπό την εξάπλωση ενός είδους «αγάπης» η οποία αγνοεί τις διαφορές και την Αλήθεια. Το «σε ευχαριστώ, σε δοξάζω, κύριε ελέησόν με» αποτελεί μια ουδέτερη προσευχή η οποία μπορεί με ευκολία να ειπωθεί από οποιονδήποτε Jain, εβραίο, ινδουιστή, ζωροαστρικό, μουσουλμάνο, η και οποιονδήποτε ειδωλολάτρη η εωσφορολάτρη. Αυτή η προσευχή δεν είναι μόνο ανορθόδοξη, αλλά και μη Χριστιανική.

Δεύτερον, αφαιρόντας το όνομα του Ιησού, καθιστά αντικατάσταση της Ομολογίας Πίστεως με μια Άρνηση Πίστεως. Φοβόμαστε η ντρεπόμαστε ξαφνικά να ταυτοποιούμαστε ως Χριστιανοί με το να λέμε το όνομα του Ιησού; Η άρνηση της πίστης απειλεί την σωτηρία μας! Ο Ιησούς είπε «…όποιος Με ομολογήσει μπροστά στους ανθρώπους, θα ομολογήσω και Εγώ εκείνον εις τον Πατέρα μου στους ουρανούς. Αλλά όποιος με αρνηθεί μπροστά στους ανθρώπους, και Εγώ θα τον αρνηθώ στον Πατέρα μου στους ουρανούς» (Ματ. 10, 33-34)

Τριτον, με το να αφαιρούμε το όνομα του Ιησού, χιλιάδες χρόνια ιερών προφητειών, Βιβλικών διδασκαλιών, και Πατερικών δογμάτων απαξιώνονται και ανατρέπονται, αυθαίρετα, και χωρίς εύλογη αιτία. Αυτό είναι απαράδεκτο, εφ’όσον επιθυμούμε να κρατήσουμε μια Ορθόδοξη ταυτότητα. Στην Δευτέρα Παρουσία, όταν όλοι αναστηθούν, ακόμη και εκείνοι που ζήσαν πριν από εμάς, θα είναι πολύ δύσκολο να δικαιολογήσουμε – παρουσία του Θεού και των μαρτύρων Του – την οποιαδήποτε ανυπακοή στα λόγια του Αποστόλου Παύλου «διδαχαίς ποικίλαις και ξέναις μη παραφέρεσθε» (μην παρασύρεστε με διάφορες διδαχές οι οποίες είναι ξένες [από την Ορθή]) (Εβρ. 13, 9), ακόμη και εάν αυτές οι παράξενες διδασκαλίες προήλθαν από κάποιον με αξίωμα επισκόπου. Ας μην ξεχνάμε, ότι ιστορικώς, η πλειονότητα των αιρέσεων που καταπολεμήθηκαν από την Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία προήλθαν απο επίμονους επισκόπους!

Όσο περισότερο κάποιος ψελλίζει την προτεινόμενη νεωτεριστική προσευχή αντί της Ευχής, τόσο και απομακρύνεται εκείνος από τον Ιησού, το Ορθόδοξο ήθος και την εκκλησιαστική συνείδηση, και τόσο πιο πολύ προσεγγίζει την αίρεση, «(διότι) αυτοί είναι ψευαδαπόστολοι, εργάτες δόλιοι, μετασχηματιζόμενοι σε αποστόλους του Χριστού. Και δεν αποτελεί θαύμα αυτό, διότι και ο Σατανάς μετασχηματίζεται σε άγγελο φωτός…και το τέλος αυτών θα είναι κατά τα έργα αυτών..» (2 Κορ. 11, 13-15)

Ελπίζω και προσεύχομαι ότι η νεωτεριστική προσευχή υπήρξε απλά μια στιγμιαία ολίσθηση κρίσεως εκ μέρους του Σεβασμιωτάτου κ. Σωτηρίου, και όχι μια ακόμη επίθεση εναντίον εκείνων που ακολουθούν την Αγιοπατερική Ορθόδοξη Παράδοση. Όσοι δεν ενδιαφέρονται για την Ορθόδοξη Παράδοση είναι απολύτως ελεύθεροι να φύγουν και να γίνουν μέλη σε οποιάδηποτε άλλη δικαιοδοσία όποτε το επιθυμήσουν…αλλά εμείς οι πιστοί, ΔΕΝ θα τους ακολουθήσουμε…

Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού, ελέησόν με τον αμαρτωλό!

Δημήτριος Γεωργίου

Tags: authentic Orthodoxy, Demetrios Georgiou, desert fathers, ecumenism, Greek Archdiocese, Have Mercy on Me a sinner, Jesus Prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, Orthodox Bishops, Orthodox monastics, Orthodox prayer, Orthodox spirituality, prayer heart, Son of God, Sotirios, Theology, unceasing prayer

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Πως και Γιατí η ευχή «Κύριε Ιησού Χριστέ, Υιέ Θεού ελέησòν με τον αμαρτωλό»?