Relics: The Power of God Revealed

 

Recently I have been doing a lot of articles on miracles and prophecies and the like. I started with the Theotokos and have been increasingly reading about miracles and their power in our everyday world on YouTube and the internet. Today I would like to offer up another kind of miracle, one that is more easily understood by both Orthodox and non-Orthodox a like. I’m often reminded of the phrase KISS (Keep it simple stupid) and today I think I’ll try to stick to that philosophy and keep it simple. We will be discussing relics and their place within the Orthodox world and how we the faithful react to them. I truly believe in the power of relics and ask humbly that God will keep my faith strong in Him.

Relics to put it bluntly is an item associated with a saint. This is usually a piece of the body of the saint, or an object associated with them, for example the hat of St. Mark the Gravedigger. Most often though we associate the body of the saint as their relics. We as Americans are humbled to have the relics of a few saints on the shores of our country and someday I hope I can visit a few of them. St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco for example is still incorrupt nearly sixty something years after his death. St. Spyridon in Greece is known to also be incorrupt nearly 1600 years after his death. His shoes that are located on his body must be changed every month because he is known as the walking saint, still walking about the island though his earthly body has reposed in the Lord. One of the relics I have recently read about is that of St. John the Russian, who’s coffin remains closed and unopenable until it is time to change the vestments on the saint. He will appear to a person of great faith who he will send to the priest in charge of his relics and will tell this person to go and have his vestments changed. St. Seraphim of Sarov my patron saint, had his relics lost during the soviet period of Russian history and they were rediscovered in recent years in 1991, a year before I was born. Pieces of the true cross, the nails that were used to nail Christ to his cross, and his holy tomb are all relics in the sense that they were associated with Christ at the point of his death and resurrection. We read about the aprons and handkerchiefs that St. Paul sent to heal people of disease and illness in the Holy Scriptures. We also know of the miracles such as Holy Fire that are sent into the Tomb every year that they are used by God to show his power and authority on earth.  These examples of relics are a few of the mysterious and wonderful gifts of divine grace that God has granted to us. St. Ephraim also has relics that have been placed inside of a cross that one can wear and recently a young man with liver problems was miraculously healed by wearing this cross and he intends to build a church in the saint’s honor. Relics form an important part of our faith, not because we worship them as this would be considered idolatry but because they do show the very nature of God. God knows us to be weak of heart and strength and because of failings allows gifts like this to occur so that we might have our faith strengthened and to proclaim the gospel more boldly.

We know that God created both body and soul. And that they share the same holiness in regard to the nature that God gave it at the creation of the world.  Relics are a source of God’s power not of man’s and all relics point back to God as the supreme source of holiness. Those who have been open to God’s grace and plan for their lives more fully have been endowed with the Holy Spirit in such a way that their relics, and the items associated with them are granted the power of holiness to help perform miracles and healings to draw people closer to God. They are not meant to be worshipped but may be given veneration, which is a different concept entirely and worship and veneration are clearly set and defined by Orthodox Theology. Worship is for God, whereas veneration can be given to the created being, and is kept free of idolatry because we are not associating the power of the creature with God. We understand that without God the created being could do nothing miraculous.

Orthodox Christians have venerated relics since the beginning of the Faith. Those who the Church considers to be Christians before the time of Christ such as Moses and the Prophet Elisha have both been at the center of relics before Christ appeared on earth in the incarnation. Moses made the bronze serpent, which healed the Israelites if they merely looked at it.  Elisha’s body was thrown into a common tomb with another man, and the bones of the man were revived in full and he stood up. These miracles were not because of any special power that either one had, they weren’t magicians or sorcerers, but because God granted these miracles to occur for the benefit and salvation of all mankind. Lastly, I would also like to point out that the Ark of the Covenant which was carried by the Israelites and resided in the first temple, is a relic as well. This reliquary housed the ten commandments, the staff of Aaron, and the manna of the wilderness.  We know of miracles associated with it, such as when one touched it, or when it caused the Philistine gods to be broken into pieces upon its capture. Throughout the life of the servants of God, there have been great objects and miracles that have been associated with items that otherwise without the express grace that was granted it, would be considered ordinary.

Finally, there is the concern that many of the relics are fake. People love to question the faith and to discredit it means that the pagans and non-believers can have a small victory over those of us who remain true to the Apostolic faith. While the problem with fake relics is more common in the west among the Roman Catholic Church, there still is the concern that some relics are faith. The Orthodox Church counters this by understanding the history of the relic, the miracles it has been granted and so on. From a scientific point of view, there is no way we can actually assume that the relic is real. The authenticity of the relic therefore is based solely on faith alone. This faith is granted to us through God because he wants all to be called to repentance and live. Times are harder now than they have been in the past. People are searching for the truth. The Orthodox Church confirms the truth through these relics, and through the power of God. We do not claim to be some sort of mystical cult that can decipher the scriptures to the nth degree and everything is clear for us. Rather we know that God is a mystery and that he works in mysterious ways. Our job is not to question and to argue with others, rather it is to believe with such fervor that nothing else matters in our lives. God alone is our center, our focus. He brings about these miracles with the relics, not for the glory, but for our salvation that we might live. May God grant to us, the salvation that we so desperately need.

Amen.

The Invisible Elders: A Short Summary of the Invisible Elders of Mount Athos

 

            When the Holy Spirit wants you to write something, you better listen. The Holy Spirit is important as He will guide you and work in your life to bring about salvation in your heart and desire for God. I as I normally do I have been watching a lot of YouTube videos and been heavily involved in Orthodox Miracles and Prophecies. In one of the videos, he discussed the twelve invisible monks of Mount Athos.  According to tradition they will perform the last divine liturgy on Mount Athos. These naked hermits live with no clothes and pray for the entire world at the top of the Mountain. These are men who have completely rejected all earthly glory, their names forgotten, their faces not well known, they go to the peak of Mount Athos are rarely even seen unless they want to be. These men are the epitome of what it means to be an Orthodox Christian. Though their earthly bodies will die, and they will be replaced, the monks at the end will not taste death and will usher in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Let’s take a look at what information we have on these twelve monks of Mount Athos and what we can glean from their holy wisdom.

            From what we understand of these monks, they are the twelve invisible, naked monks, secret elders gather at the top of Mount Athos. There is a sacred area that is set off from the rest of Mount Athos. It is called the Desert of Athos. These monks do not wear material garments and appear to whoever they wish. Sometimes they appear to monks, other times with pilgrims, but always to those who have lived a pure Christian life. Those who know the names of these monks, will always keep it a secret. They consider themselves to be the unimportant and feeble among themselves. They have mastered fasting and are fed through the Lord Jesus Christ. They are give special grace through the Theotokos.  Hieromonk Athanasios has met with St. Paisios and had many conversations with the beloved saint. Of course, the topic of these monks was brought up at some point during their extensive conversations. When one dies, they know that their numbers must remain the same, so they call from below to an elder and he ascends to the peak and becomes one of their number. They pray without ceasing and do not sleep for they pray for the whole world as I said day and night.  One the most amazing things about these monks, is that living at the top of Mount Athos under the snow they require no shelter. These men do not sleep in huts, or houses, but they are so full of the grace from God they sleep in the open. These are anchorites that have become living saints. Devoid of all earthly passions they seek only to glorify God at the peak of Mount Athos.  Here is a quote I found from a Father Ephraim it says, ““That the invisible elders exist is a fact. A few years ago, a revered elder, Fr. Gerasim of Little St. Anne’s Skete, reposed on Mt. Athos. He told us that some people would come into his cell at midnight, and then leave. One of these men would approach the elder to take Communion, and silently leave” He also said this in regard to the monks of Mount Athos, but I believe it can be applied here to the invisible elders of the Holy Mountain. He says, “There is no greater blessing in this world, than to experientially live and experience grace,” Abbot Ephraim said. “We have known virtuous people on Athos who lived by grace, because they loved Christ. We often saw them in the Uncreated Light, and we were often witnesses to how they saw the future,” he added. The Uncreated Light is the Light of Mount Tabor, or the Tabor Light, we associate this as Orthodox Christians with the transfiguration of our Lord on Mount Tabor on August 6^th. It is not uncommon for those who have become living saints, such as the elders of Mount Athos to experience this Divine Light and joy in their lifetime. So beyond the normal monks, one might meet on Mount Athos, these invisible monks are like the special forces of monks, they have had more extensive training and more in tune with central command as it is aka God and are able to complete the work of God more fully than those who live within the confines of a skete or monastery. They radiate joy and love, and as I have said do not seek earthly glory. Why then are they so important?

            I believe they are important because of a few things. One, is that they show that God is always watching over us. He never leaves us without a witness to follow and examples to give us of how our lives should be. Secondly, these monks praying for the whole world, are living saints, examples of men who have gone to Mount Athos seeking nothing but their own salvation and have come away with the light of God flowing through them with the special divine grace given to them. Thirdly these men are intercessors for the world and are granted the grace to intercede at the footstool of God for the salvation of the world. Holding back the demons by their prayers, keeping the devil at bay for just a while longer, allowing the plan of salvation to come to completion. As I said they will perform the last divine liturgy ever on Mount Athos and then the trumpets will sound and Jesus will come. The world will be renewed. It is this renewal that we see in them. They have already experienced what those of us living in the world have not yet seen, the transformation of our souls and bodies into the incorruptible and transfigured bodies of heaven. They are given to us as a sign of what is to come, of what will be. We may not see them, they may not reveal themselves to us, but they are there. They are watching over the world and protecting it until their final breath. I pray that I may be prayed for by these holy ascetic monks on the peak of Mount Athos and I pray that God will continue to use them for a little while longer, though I do not know the hour of the Second Coming. May God have mercy on us through their prayers. Amen.

A World of Wonder: Orthodox Miracles and Prophecies

 

First before we start, I would like to congratulate newly elected Bishop Alexis of Alaska. His election marks the beginning of a new era in Alaska, one that I pray will be full of blessings and renewal of the Orthodox Faith in the land of Alaska. With that said today we are going to look at something that has been on my mind the past few days. Miracles, Miracles, and more miracles. Oh, and some prophecy too.  We know that God works everything for our good and does not that will harm us or hurt us in any way. Those that blame God for their problems and troubles in life are nothing more than denying their own reality in the fact that they have rejected God and fled far from him. We also know that God only does things that will benefit our salvation. In a time when people are searching for signs and revelations from God in an increasingly bizarre and worsening world, people look to signs to give them comfort, confirmation, or belief. Unfortunately, most of the people searching for these signs are also trying their best to disprove the existence of God.

Miracles have existed since time began. Miracles occurred throughout scripture, beginning with the creation of the world, the exit of Adam and Eve out of the Garden, the mark placed on Cain after he killed Abel, the flood and so on. Miracles were then sent by God to either pronounce judgement or blessing on the people of Israel throughout both the judges period and the kingship period. After this we reach the New Testament where Christ begins his earthly ministry with the changing of water into wine, the healing of blind men, the healing of leprosy and many others that I do not have the time to recount here. The biggest miracle scripturally is the focal point of all Christianity, the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third on Holy Pascha. We also witness the apostles in the book of Acts performing signs and miracles bringing the pagans and Jews out of idolatry and into everlasting life with Jesus Christ. Paul himself uses handkerchiefs and aprons that would heal the sick from illnesses and disease. (by the way noting this it is one of the many examples you can find within scripture in regards to relics being venerated a vital part of Orthodox Christianity) We see that miracles have been performed by the saints of old, and the early church in drawing people to Christ through these wonders and yet people today dismiss them as being only performed in the bible, that miracles today do not happen. I believe this is because people’s faith is not what it once was. People have forsaken the truth found in Holy Orthodoxy and the scriptures for science and the faith of man. They reject anything that they cannot tangibly hold in their hands or explain with reason.

               I would like then to offer another point of view here. The Orthodox Church has never believed that miracles have ceased to exist. In fact if you look closely you will find miracles all around us. I have been delving into a few that I found interesting that have happened in recent years. Many of these are easily accessible on the internet, and in fact there is a whole YouTube channel dedicated to them that I find very interesting. One such miracle I heard about recently being performed was that of witnessing the Passion of the Christ (not the movie the actual passion) at the site of Golgotha. The person who witnessed this miracle recorded the whole experience and when one watches the video, you can hear the breathing of Christ, the whipping of Christ, the dragging of the cross across the surface of the rock and his heartbeat. I was given chills when I watched the video. I also recently watched a video in which the Eucharist, or Holy Communion, was transformed into the flesh of Christ by the spirit in the form of a dove, and if it was not the same video a very similar video in which the Eucharist was transformed into the broken and disfigured face of Christ. All these miracles have occurred for our benefit, allowing us to see the power of God within the world and to not be scared or frightened of the future no matter what the New World Order and rulers of this world say. Continuing with the miracles that I have recently seen on video, I recently saw a photograph taken by a layman who was swimming in the ocean when a large group of fish began congregating near the bottom of the sea. The person took a photo of the location and when he went to look, there at the bottom of the ocean resting on the sea floor was an elder monk, prayer rope in hand praying for the whole world. Which elder this is I cannot say, some have said St. Kosmas, others St. Paisios. 

Perhaps the most famous Orthodox miracle that I can point to and there are several videos on it, is the Holy Fire of Jerusalem, that occurs on Pascha every year celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Fire only appears on Holy Saturday and has appeared for centuries. The Patriarch of Jerusalem enters the tomb, but only after a non-orthodox Christian checks the entire church for signs that no oil or flames have been left burning so that the Patriarch cannot be accused of lighting it himself. Once the Patriarch has been given the go ahead, he prays special prayers inside the tomb and the Holy Fire descends from Heaven. This fire is described as blue, then regular flame, and it can neither burn nor hurt you. People have put it up to their faces without the faintest hint of a singe. The Holy Fire of Jerusalem is a miracle I personally want to witness myself in person one day. If I could ever get to Jerusalem. Before we talk about prophecies to end this article today, I would like to mention that the first miracle I heard about when inquiring about Orthodoxy was that of the Snakes of Kefalonia. These snakes appear on August 6^TH the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, and stay until the 15^TH of August at the Dormition of the Theotokos. They are not seen again until the following year. While I could continue on there are too many miracles to count and I would be here all day. So let’s discuss prophecy

I want to discuss prophecies that have been fulfilled in recent years. Especially those of St. Paisios. St. Paisios was a beloved man and elder of our Church who died a few years after I was born. He was gifted with the ability of foresight and knew what was to come. Now we understand that only God knows when the time is that prophecy will be fulfilled and some due to repentance or failure to repent may not come at all. St. Paisios, however of note has two prophecies that I would like to expand on here. The first is that of the Hagia Sophia. As many of this blog will note, the Hagia Sophia was the largest church in the world before its capture by the Muslims in 1453 and transformation into a mosque. At the fall of the Ottoman Empire it was transformed again into a museum so that neither Christians, nor Muslims could claim it as their own. However in 2020, in the midst of Covid-19 it was rededicated as a mosque for use in Islamic worship. St. Paisios predicted this would come to pass and that it was sign that Turkey was going to be brought to its knees. The second prophecy also regarding Turkey is that of the Six-Mile. In recent years there has been talk of extending the Six-Mile to 12 miles and thus the water borders of Greece would be extended further. St. Paisios discussed this at length and said that the time you hear of this, it would not be long before then that the war would begin. In this he also discusses Turkey being separated into three parts, one part killed, one part Christianized, and one part fleeing to the very depths of Turkey never to be a nation again. In this same prophecy he talks about the city of Constantinople being given back to the Greeks and the restoration of the Hagia Sophia. All of this has yet to take place at the time of writing so I could be decades and years away, though personally I think we are closer than anyone knows. I say this because if you look this up, my facts are easily fact checkable. So if you want please do.

There are many signs and wonders in the world today, many of which people leave unnoticed because of the hustle and bustle of the world. I believe if we just would slow down and look at the world we would see a world full of wonder, a world full of beauty, and a world filled with God.

Amen.

Angels in the Corner: A detailed look at the Angels of God.

 

Today’s blog is something I believe is extremely cool and interesting. One that doesn’t get so much attention in the protestant west, and though there are many references to Angels in scripture we don’t really get the full picture of angels. We know they exist; we know that God created them, we know that some fell into sin and rejection, but what about their presence? What about why they are designed the way they are? We know that God must have a purpose for their presence. We know that God doesn’t do anything without an intention. Therefore, it is safe to say that angels are important. Even in religions outside of Christianity we see the acceptance of these beings. Angels even get a lot of attention though in the media and television in general. We have had shows like Angels in the Outfield, Touched by an Angel and Highway to Heaven to name a few. But I dare say people cannot name the ranks of angels, the titles of various angels, and even the meaning the word angel. Today we look at what the Orthodox Church says about angels and why they are important to the salvation of the world.

Angels themselves are messengers. In fact, the meaning of the word is just that, messenger. In doing so, we understand that this means that angels were there from the very beginning and were sent to be the helpers to mankind. They are there to provide us with a guide to God. They are not to be worshipped, or given sacrifice to, and you certainly would not want to mess with them if you are an enemy of God. The first known scriptural reference to angels comes from the Garden of Eden, when God places a cherubim with a flaming sword at the entrance to the Garden after Adam and Eve’s fall (Genesis 3:24). From there Abraham has an encounter with an Angel in Genesis 24 when he sends his servant out to retrieve Rebekah for Isaac. Jacob the son of Isaac saw angels both when he was asleep and awake. He fought an Angel of the Lord and was only defeated when the angel took his hip out of socket. The Psalms, Job, and other books of the Bible reference angels in such a way that they form the Council of God, the council which helps God govern the world. In 1 Kings 22:19-23, we see that God takes the advisement of the angels under consideration on how to deal with Ahab, though God knew everything that was to take place. Daniel sees the thrones of these angels placed before God as they decided the fate of the empires. All of this is to show that angels have a place in helping God shape the fate of mankind and are his servants to do his bidding. They as a sign of God’s abundant love are allowed to share in God’s rule over the universe, though God as the Most High does not need them.  They then share in the glory of announcing the births of St. John the Forerunner, and Jesus Christ himself. Eventually in the book of revelation they are used to pass judgement on the world for the sins committed by the people. All in all, the angels have been there since the beginning and are God’s servants. They are his messengers both of good tidings and judgement.

               As I stated they have been there since the beginning. In the Nicene Creed, the Symbol of Faith, we say, I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth, and of all things both seen and unseen. It’s not every day one sees an angel. Though I have referenced scripture as to when mankind has been granted a vision of an angel, for most people they will never see the unseen world. St. Ambrose, St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome, and other great early church fathers all say that Angels were created long before the creation of the world and already stood before the throne when the universe was created.  They were also given the ability to be incorporeal, meaning they do not have fleshly bodies, and are not confined by time and space as us humans are. Though they do not have the ability to be in two places at once, they can travel great distances an a single moment. St. Peter says they have power and strength that surpasses all earthly authority. They are not bound to this world like we are. They are there for a single purpose, to guide mankind and to serve God with all their heart. They do this freely and openly and to reject God brings about their downfall like the third of the angels who fell with Satan. They are not all knowing, and the best example of this is when St. Gabriel the Archangel appears to Mary and announces that she will conceive the Son of God. St. Gabriel for the first time was hearing the salvation of the world, just like Mary was. That is why he was so amazed at the love of God in the Gospel of Luke. And lastly, we get to the heart of this article, the ranks of angels. We know that heaven is a kingdom and within a kingdom there is a hierarchy. This is mirrored in the church, with the ranks of patriarchs, archbishops, metropolitans, bishops, priests, deacons, subdeacons, and readers. So too the ranks of angels are divided into a hierarchy and are grouped according to the purpose that they serve within the divine plan of God.

               The first set of angels, the first hierarchy of angels is simple enough. These are the closest to God and the throne of God. The Seraphim, of whom St. Seraphim of Sarov, the saint I was named after was granted this name. They are the closest to God and the closest to the throne. They are said to be flames of fire, because of their closeness to God.  The are kindled by their love of God and they also kindle the flame of love for God in others. That is their purpose-to light the world on fire for God and bring the love of God into the hearts of all men. The Cherubim are the second highest in the order of angels and stand continuously before the throne of God. They kindle the wisdom and understanding of God to the people, and are constantly filled with understanding and knowledge from God himself. They enlighten the eyes of the soul and show the truth of God to others.  The thrones, the third of this first hierarchy are the ones who mystically bear God on his throne. They are given the grace and office of bearing God upon his throne, and in doing so, have a special connection to God through this office. They pour out his power, his justice to the world. God is a just God and in doing so he must dispense justice upon the world to maintain the world.

               The second hierarchy of angels are the powers, dominions, and principalities. The powers are so named because they have authority and power over the evil ones. They are called to help those who are tempted by the evil one to resist that power and to dwell in the light of God. The powers are called to strengthen those who live an ascetical life, like the monks who pray without ceasing. The dominions are those who having abandoned fear and restraint are able to have dominion over the other angels and serve God with joy. They control the passions of mankind, and help people to understand their place within God’s kingdom. They give wise management to the rulers of the world, though many rulers reject this counsel. They help to teach us how to subdue our thoughts and desires and replace them with God’s thoughts and desires for our lives. The principalities, also called authorities are those who direct and guide the lower ranks of angels into completing and conforming to the divine will of God. They do not seek honor or glory for themselves, but rather want to spread the glory of God in all the lands and principalities of the world. They help teach us to submit to the authority of the church, and of the government and are charged with maintaining all the lands of earth.

               The third hierarchy is that of the virtues, archangels, and angels. The virtues are those who fulfill the full power of God with strength and vigor. They help heal the sick, send divine grace down to the saints to perform miracles, and at the request of God, they too perform their own miracles. They help maintain the obedience that is placed on people to their superiors and help carry the burdens placed on them. Thus they give courage to those who would otherwise faint without the help of God through them.  The archangels are those who spread the good news to the people of the world. There are seven which I shall detail in the next paragraph. These are the messengers of the gospel of God.  They reveal the prophecies and knowledge of God. They give their messages to the lower rank of angels and through them to men. The angels are the lowest class of the ranks of angels.  They are the bodiless powers of heaven and the messengers of God. They relay the messages God wants for his people to all mankind.  Thus being the lowest of the ranks they are the closest to mankind.

               I said I would discuss the archangels a little more before I ended this blog. And I shall. There are seven archangels of which we have a name and those are the ones that we will focus on. St. Michael and St. Gabriel are the two most well-known of the archangels. St. Michael is known through Holy Tradition to have been instrumental in several key old testament events, including: appearing to Joshua at Jericho, helping Gabriel defeat the Persians, being the pillar of smoke and fire that led the Israelites out of Egypt, smiting 185,000 Assyrians, protecting the three Holy Youths in the fiery furnace, transporting Habakkuk to the lions den to feed Daniel, and contesting with the devil over the body of Moses. He also saved a young man cast to sea by robbers on Mount Athos. He saved the church of Colossae by carrying a cross and diverting two rivers that were meant to destroy the church underwater and protecting the Christians there in that city. Gabriel is the leader of the heavenly hosts, and though Michael is the general of God’s army, Gabriel is the leader of the host. He was sent to give Moses the ability to write Genesis, he foretold the birth of Mary to Joachim and Anna, he announced the birth of Christ to Mary and to St. Joseph. Gabriel announced the resurrection to the myrrh-bearing women on the third day. He taught Joseph in Egypt the seventy languages with which to be the second in command to Pharoah, though it is not recorded in scripture. The name of Raphael is completely contained within the Book of Tobit, probably a book unfamiliar to my protestant readers. There is too much to relay here, but he guided Tobit in his life and helped him with many miracles as Tobit completed his journey to God. It is also said that at the pool of Bethesda that Raphael was the one who would stir the waters so that one might be healed. Uriel is another of the four great archangels. While not much is known about Uriel, it is said that along with other three archangels he surrounds the throne of God. His missions are not detailed in any writing that I can find, nor in scripture, but his existence is confirmed by the number of orthodox writers who have detailed his name and status as an archangel. The other archangels are Salathiel, Jehudial, and Barachiel. This we get from the history and writings of the church.

               The angels are an important part of the world around us. We may not see them, we may not be able to understand that they are there, but we must accept their presence in our lives. May we pray that God will show us the unseen world for the benefit of our salvation, and for the love of mankind. I pray that all the angels will intercede for us on our behalf before the throne of God and that the love they have for God will enter us.

 

               Amen.  

              

The Most Uneducated, Educational Blog on the Internet: A look At Orthodox Review Youtube Channel

 

The most uneducated, educational program on the internet today. If you haven’t heard Raphael Fiedler speak, then you honestly don’t know what you’re missing.  I converted to Holy Orthodoxy five years ago this November and for much of that time I have listened and learned from one of the most knowledgeable people I know. Raphael takes in-depth looks at a variety of orthodox resources that allows people to learn and grow in the faith. There have been several books that I have picked up right after he recommended them. Today we’re going to look at Orthodox Review and I am going to highlight this man’s great work.

First let me say, that without Raphael there may not be a Tsar’s Corner blog. His ability to promote the Orthodox faith and do so in a way that is both relatable and educational is the foundation for this blog as well. I am no means better than Raphael, in fact I feel inferior to his knowledge and love of books and reading, but I learnt a great deal by watching his videos over the course of the past few years. I first came across Raphael and Orthodox Review two years ago when he was first reviewing the Jordanville Prayer Book, a book that I really want and hope to someday acquire a copy of. His ability to highlight the features of the prayer book and detail the history of the publication allowed me to get an understanding of why and how books like this have shaped the faith both here in America where Jordanville is and abroad. From there Raphael branched out to psalters, New Testament translations, bibles, and other prayer books. Each one of them having a history and a background what was both good and bad about them.  Not only that but Raphael has provided people with the tools to help perform the services at home in the role of a reader, especially during the trying times of Covid when many people have not ventured out to church in two plus years. He also has reviewed the use of prayer ropes and lestovkas which led to me purchasing a lestovka about two years ago now, though that one got used so much it has worn itself out. From his suggestions I have acquired the Monastic Diurnal, the Hapgood Service Book (which is still my all-time favorite book by the way), and more recently a copy of the Small Book of Needs. Something also that I find very interesting is his love of both western rite books and old rite books, something that was very foreign to me when I first converted to Orthodoxy. Not only the reviews of the books, but his talk about the divine liturgy is a thing of beauty! The way he is able to articulate the parts of the divine liturgy and why the Orthodox do the things we do, makes me cherish the faith even further. I have always been one to learn history and you certainly will learn history and a have a fun time with Raphael over on his YouTube channel. So please I implore you to seek out Raphael and Orthodox Review on YouTube and give his channel a subscribe. It is a blessing for me, and I believe it will be a blessing for you.

Amen.

Our Identity in Christ

 

Identity. There’s a lot of discussion in the media today about identity and what people identify as. Where that be pansexual, nonbinary, transgender, or some of the one hundred and twelve different genders I found doing my research. However, we as Orthodox Christians know that there are only two genders for in Genesis it says in 1:27, “He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.” While man might have twisted and corrupted the divine plan for mankind, God has never abandoned us. He loves us beyond our wildest understanding. There is always hope for even the worst of sinners. As a lay person, I am the last one who should be talking about the scriptures and interpreting them, but I want to present here that our identity has already been defined for us, and that whether we are male or female, we are united in Christ.

Having been blessed to enter the Orthodox Church in recent years, I have come to have an understanding of Christ and his identity in a unique way that is not present in many places in the world. Christ himself did not come to just save us from the fires of hell, like the fire and brimstone preachers would tell us. No, Christ came to bring man into the fullness of light and life with his incarnation. His incarnation gave to us the uniting of both the divine and mortal and brought us into a place in which St. Athanasius says, “God became man that man might become God.” In that we have the ability to overcome the world just as Christ did. We can create and mold and shape the world as the sub-creators of the world. We are given the Holy Spirit upon our acceptance into the Church, and we use the Holy Spirit to guide our lives and become more like Christ with every passing moment. We can also deny this gift and become more like the demons who rejected God. Our identity is defined first and foremost by how we react and how we have interpreted the incarnation of God. Are we willing to sacrifice our own wills and thoughts for God? The great saints of our time willingly surrendered their lives at the hands of the Soviet persecutors and St. Nektarios when accused of immoral behavior did not try to resist his tormentors but rather accepted it as God’s will and sacrificed his own desire as a bishop to love God more fully.

Secondly our identity is not of this world. If we identify with the spirits of this world, we become more in tune with the world and what they want. In my opening paragraph I discussed the world and how they want to reject the nature of gender and sex in this current age. I see women laying with women, and men with men, and people are okay with it. They claim that their identity cannot be defined by the labels that man has given it, rather they want to be free to do as they please. They want to throw off the yoke of God, which Christ says is “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” They want the heavy yoke of sin around their neck not knowing that they are plunging themselves deeper and deeper into torment and sin. Our identity is a heavenly one.  We are called to be citizens of paradise, as one of my favorite hymns says. The people of this world, especially those in the west, have lost their faith because they do not practice it. It is better to hide their light under a basket than to stand for something they believe in. The reason we have allowed practices today to begin to warp the minds and hearts not just of the older generation, but the children is because we do not practice the faith. We do not pray, we do not attend services, we simply want to be able to be left alone and do what we want. We cannot be saved alone; we need others to hold us accountable and in doing so we need orthodoxy to bring about a change in our hearts through Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, our identity is defined in how we react to persecution. If we have accepted the first two points, then we understand that Christ is the savior of the world, and that we have a higher calling, a purpose to be of heaven not of earth. Our reaction to persecution is also a defining factor of our identity. I know that I have spoken before on this topic but let me go in detail as to what I mean in relationship identity. Christians since time immemorial have suffered at the hands of those who wish to see the seal of Christ stamped out from the world. Reading through the lives of apostles other night I saw how much the pagans took their anger and their unbelief out on the holy men of God. Trying to eradicate the Church before it could really be established, these pagans would crucify, burn, and torture those who stood for the faith. Today, with the gender identity craze is becoming more and more of threat to traditional and orthodox Christian belief, we have seen the weakest of Christians fall to the wayside and accept this perverse and disgusting teaching as if it came from the mouth of God himself. Instead of holding firm to the apostolic tradition, these so called Christians have rejected even the scriptures themselves. Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, Anglicans, and many other faith traditions have placed themselves up as God and have allowed both women priests and homosexual priests within their ranks. They have torn asunder the scriptures and done evil in the sight of God. This is persecution and when the test came to decide whether they were true or false, the fire tested these people as false. While I no doubt there are many who hold firm to Christ in these traditions, the leaders of their respective traditions have turned many astray. Those who hold firm to their identity in Christ will accept persecution with open arms, knowing that Christ himself was subject to persecution and his response was to accept the cross willingly without complaint or argument. Are we so holy that we are better than even Christ himself? The apostles saw and were blessed, blessed more so are those of us who have not seen and yet believed.

While this article took a turn in a different direction that I assume many of you thought it would, it is still good to understand that our identity in Christ is what is most important. I am sure that I will return to this topic many times and expand on my thoughts further in future articles. For now though with the celebration of the Holy Cross tomorrow I am reminded that I must sacrifice myself daily and take up the cross and follow Christ. Wherever that leads me I am willing. For it is not I that lives, but Christ who lives through me.

Amen.

Holy Places of God: A look at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary

 

I think I’m going to start a new series on the blog, along with the teachings and things I find interesting about the faith. This series is going to detail different locations and places within the Orthodox community that have had a particular interest to me or an impact on my life. As I detailed in a previous article, I wholeheartedly believe in the mission of Orthodox Africa and what they are doing to achieve great things on the continent. Another organization and location I am particularly fond of is St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, a place that I hope to one day visit and express my love for. I hope to detail the history and the meaning behind this seminary and why it is important not just for the Orthodox of America, but for the whole world.

               The beginnings of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary begin earnestly in 1794 when eight monks would travel from Russia to sow the seeds of Orthodoxy on Alaskan soil. Though it would become American soil later, this place was firmly rooted in Russian culture up until the sale of Alaska to America. These monks established a school on Kodiak Island, where they taught and grew the local population in the faith. Eventually His Grace, Archimandrite Innocent of Alaska established a seminary in Sitka. Though this place had a growing number of Orthodox Christians and populations, the community was still predominantly an immigrant one, with the priests and bishops being sent from the mother church in Russia. St. Tikhon of whom I have written about before on this blog, knew there was a great need for American born and bred priests and other clergy if the church was to survive in this part of the world. He established a seminary in Minneapolis in 1905, and eventually moved it to Tenafly, New Jersey where it was renamed St. Platon’s.  From there, it eventually closed and 1938, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary was officially established.

               After the second world war, things began to grow for St. Vladimir’s Theological Seminary with the arrival of several renown Orthodox scholars from across Europe. The sixties were shaped by Father Alexander Schmemann who helped even more to formulate the seminary into what it is today. Father Alexander believed as many Orthodox do, that the liturgy should be the focal point of our lives and we should spend our time in prayer and repentance. Father also searched for a permanent campus home for the seminary and did so by 1962. A new chapel was dedicated by the Patriarch of Antioch and a new administrative building was dedicated by the Primate of the OCA Metropolitan Theodosius.  The Summer Institute was established as well as the Octet. The SVS Press from where I get many of my books was established and the bookstore as well. The eighties saw the growth of the library and the growth of married student program and housing was also an integral part of the seminary during this time. Perhaps the most important period of the history of the seminary was during the time of Father Thomas Hopko. Father Hopko was the first American born dean of the seminary and was appointed in September 1992, a month after I was born.  During this time the financial growth of the seminary and the building of new areas of the seminary were conducted. While Father Hopko retired in 2002, his lasting impression on the seminary makes him one of the most widely read and respected priests of the 21^st century. John Erickson became the first layman and convert to the Faith to be appointed to the position of dean. While as dean he was eventually ordained to the Holy Priesthood. Though governance of the seminary has changed after the retirement of Father John in 2006, the seminary remains strong, and the teaching of the seminary has been far reaching.

               The seminary continues to produce many good priests and holy men. The seminary is growing under the leadership of Dr. Ionuţ-Alexandru Tudorie, a professor from Romania. I hope that in the future the seminary continues to grow the faith in America and abroad, leading all to the Kingdom of God and proclaiming orthodoxy to the whole world. While I have covered many of the important details of the ministry of the seminary here in this short article, I pray that you will do your own research and will learn about this amazing institution. May God use these men and teachers to create a place of divine grace and spread that grace through the world.

Amen.