Weeping Icon of Saint Nicholas in Hempstead, New York

MYSTAGOGY

Φορητή εικόνα του αγίου Νικολάου δακρύζει μύρο από τα μάτια της επί μία εβδομάδα, στη Νέα Υόρκη, δηλ. από την Κυριακή της Πεντηκοστής μέχρι την Κυριακή των Αγίων Πάντων 2008. Δείτε το ενδιαφέρον βίντεο.

Εδώ και μια αντίστοιχη περίπτωση, με εικόνα της Παναγίας που δάκρυσε κατά τη διάρκεια κοπτικής (δηλ. αιρετικής, μονοφυσιτικής) λειτουργίας σε ορθόδοξη εκκλησία στο Μιλάνο.

*****

This amazing video (probably the best I've ever seen of a weeping icon) was taken by Bishop Savas while he was chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America almost a year ago. He sent it to me with the following note:

"Long story short: I took this video in the sanctuary of the Cathedral of St Paul in Hempstead, New York, around 3:15 p.m. on June 22, 2008, Sunday of All Saints. This icon of St Nicholas the Wonderworker began to stream a clear, sweet-smelling liquid during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the morning. I don't know what to make of it. It smells of myrrh. I don't know if I would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, handled it with my own hands, inhaled the aroma for myself. Take a look and see for yourselves. +S" [for the video, click here]

Apparently it began gushing myrrh on Pentecost Sunday and it was examined by the Greek Archdiocese a week later on the Sunday of All Saints when this video was taken.

I also had the opportunity to visit this parish and venerate this icon in July 2008, a month or so after the miracle, but it had stopped weeping by that time. What surprised me most was that this was not the first weeping icon of this parish. More can be read about these other weeping icons here and the parish website is here.

Who is St. Nicholas? (& Nicholas of Myra: The Movie)

The Monster Within: Where Horror and Theology Meet

MYSTAGOGY

- "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man."

(Jesus in Matthew 15:19-20)

- "Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." 

(Stephen King)

- "In each of us, two natures are at war – the good and the evil. All our lives the fight goes on between them, and one of them must conquer. But in our own hands lies the power to choose – what we want most to be we are."

(Robert Louis Stevenson in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde")

- "The heart is but a small vessel; and yet dragons and lions are there, and there likewise are poisonous creatures and all the treasures of wickedness; rough, uneven paths are there, and gaping chasms. There also is God, there are the angels, there life and the Kingdom, there light and the apostles, the heavenly cities and the treasures of grace: all things are there." 

(St. Macarius the Great in Homilies 43:7)

- "Within the heart is an unfathomable depth. There are reception rooms and bedchambers in it, doors and porches, and many offices and passages. In it is the workshop of righteousness and of wickedness. In it is death, in it is life.... The heart is Christ's palace... There Christ the King comes to take His rest, with the angels and the spirits of the saints, and He dwells there, walking within it and placing His kingdom there." 

(St. Macarius the Great in Homilies 15:32-33)

Saint Macarius the Great of Egypt

St. Makarios the Great of Egypt (Feast Day - January 19)

MYSTAGOGY

St. Macarius tbe Great was born in the year 300 and died in 390. Thus his life was passed entirely in the fourth century, that exceptional and remarkable period in the history of the Church. At its very beginning the persecution of three centuries against Christians came to an end, and there was born the great Byzantine/Eastern Roman culture which gave to the whole world for all times the greatest spiritual treasures which Orthodoxy contains.

In the epoch of persecutions every Christian had to be prepared at any moment for the exploit of confessing the Faith and suffering martyrdom. Such a condition could be the lot of only a few chosen ones. Now religion became accessible to the masses and the former high spiritual level was inevitably lowered. It began to be difficult to live in a Christian way in the world. The new epoch required a new means for acquiring "heavenly crowns." In order to attain passionlessness, one had to traverse a long path of battling with the passions. The martyr's exploit was replaced by a voluntary martyrdom: self-renunciation and asceticism, life in the desert amidst labor and privations. There began a great exodus into the desert. The epoch of monasticism was born.

A marvelous and striking spectacle is to be seen in the astonishing spread of monasticism at its very beginning. Egypt, where paganism had its chief support, where superstition and idol-worship reached the highest degree, now assimilated such a throng of monks that there were no fewer dwellers in the desert than there were in the cities.

"I saw in Egypt," testifies Rufinus, "fathers who live on the earth but lead a heavenly life ... new prophets, of whose worth there is the testimony of their gift of signs and miracles. None of them is anxious over food and clothing, for they know that after all these things do the Gentiles seek (Matt. 6:32). They seek justice and the Kingdom of God, and all this, according to the promise of the Savior, will be added to them. Their faith is such that it can move mountains. Thus certain of them by their prayers stopped river torrents that were about to inundate neighboring villages, crossed over Waters as on dry land, subdued wild beasts, and performed numberless miracles; so that there is no doubt that it is by their virtues that the world stands."

"The heavens, speckled with a multitude of stars, are not as bright," says Chrysostom, "as the Egyptian desert, which displays everywhere the huts of monks ... It is better than paradise, where we see in human form numberless choirs of angels, throngs of martyrs, assemblies of virgins; we see the whole tyranny of the devil overthrown, and the Kingdom of Christ shines."

The founder of monasticism was the great Anthony. His disciple and continuator of his work was the great Macarius.

ST. MACARIUS was born in the Egyptian village of Ptinapor, which was situated not far from the Nitrian desert. The melancholy and solemnity of the place, the eternally clear sky, the majestic pyramids with their severe lines, the ruins of gigantic temples and buildings – all this earthly grandeur reduced to dust involuntarily called forth thoughts of the instability of everything earthly. In addition, these places were filled with remembrances of the great Old Testament events that had occurred here: all this disposed one to the contemplative life and to self-reflection.

The parents of Macarius, the Presbyter Abraham and Sarah, were of righteous life and, like the Old Testament forebears of the same name, lived to old age without having children. The birth of St. Macarius was foretold to his father by the Patriarch Abraham, who appeared to him in a dream, and then by an angel as well. Likewise in a dream an angel appeared to the Presbyter Abraham when he was sick, healed him and, predicting the birth of a son, said, "He will be a dwelling of the Holy Spirit and will bring many to God." The new-born son was given the name Macarius, which signifies "blessed."

This "chosen vessel" was distinguished by an extraordinarily sensitive conscience. The Saint himself related an incident from his childhood. His companions stole some figs from somebody's garden. In running away they dropped one. Macarius picked it up and ate it. For his whole life he grieved over his action and could not remember it without tears.

When Macarius grew up, he submitted to his parents’ will and, against his own wishes, entered into marriage; however, feigning illness, he evaded married life. Soon his wife died, and in a short time his aged parents also departed to the Lord.

Macarius prayed fervently that the Lord would send him a wise instructor in the spiritual life. By Divine inspiration there came to church an ascetic of fair appearance, with long hair and a beard, with a body weakened by ascetic labors. There Macarius met him. Spending the whole day in spiritual conversation in the cell of an anchorite, the exhausted Macarius fell asleep with the approach of night; the elder, however, stood at prayer and had a prophetic vision suddenly there appeared throngs of monks in white garments and with wings and began to walk around the sleeping Macarius, calling him to the service indicated to him by God. The elder advised Macarius not to postpone his intention to devote himself wholly to the monastic life. Macarius accepted the advice. Having given away all his possessions, he returned to the anchorite, who, accepting him with love, instructed him in the monastic life and in basket-weaving. He settled him in a separate: cell not far from himself where Macarius gave himself zealously over to ascetic deeds, advancing rapidly in the spiritual life.

Macarius acquired the love and respect of the residents of the nearby village, his native Ptinapor, and they persuaded the bishop who was visiting them to make Macarius a cleric of their church, despite: the fact that he was still very young. This was against the wishes of Macarius. A few days after his ordination as a deacon he left and settled near another village.

Here there came upon him a difficult trial which he bore with extraordinary good-heartedness, which testified of the already high degree of his spirituality. In this village a girl, being pregnant, under the influence of the evil spirit slandered Macarius, saying that he was the Cause of her sin. The enraged parents together with their fellow-villagers subjected him to beating and tortures. Leaving him scarcely alive, they obligated him to furnish support for the girl. Meekly and without murmuring, St. Macarius bore all this and began to work all the harder saying to himself: "Now Macarius you have a wife and children, and therefore you have to work day and night to furnish their support."

When it came time for the girl to give birth, the just judgment of God overtook her for several days she was in terrible torment and could not be delivered of her burden. Then she understood that this was a punishment for her slandering of an innocent man. She acknowledged everything and indicated the one who was really guilty. Heating this, all were greatly frightened, fearing God's chastisement for wronging the righteous one, and, bothered by their conscience, they decided to go to Macarius in order to obtain forgiveness for themselves. A friend of Macarius with joy forewarned him of this. But Macarius, who had willingly accepted dishonor, did not desire to receive honors and glory. At night he secretly left for the desert of Nitria.

There he lived and labored in asceticism in a cave for some time, and then went to St. Anthony in the desert of Pharan. For a long time Macarius had thirsted to see the great anchorite; the glory of his ascetic deeds and holiness had then' spread everywhere. Abba Anthony, trying the patience of St. Macarius, did not at once allow him into his cell. Then, opening the door, he greeted him, saying, "I have long desired to see you, Macarius!'' - and with love he accepted him, consoling and reassuring him.

Macarius remained a long time with Anthony as his disciple. When Macarius had completely matured for an independent anchoretic life, St. Anthony commanded him to depart to the desert of Scetis. At that time the Mount of Nitria and the desert of Cellia that lay immediately beyond it were already peopled with monks, whose dwelling there, with the blessing of Abba Anthony, had been begun by St. Amoun. The desert of Scetis lay some days' journey beyond the desert of Cellia. It was a wild, sandy desert, where only rarely were springs to be found, and then with scarcely potable water. To this place no road had been laid out, and one directed one's course by sun and stars. It was in this unpopulated and somber locality that St. Macarius settled, giving himself over to ascetic labors, unceasing prayer, and contemplation of God.

St. Macarius, like his Abba Anthony, began to be subjected here to demonic attacks. He had to fight day and night with the demons. Sometimes they fell upon him in fury in the form of various monsters; sometimes in the form of enraged soldiers with a wild roar and cry they fell upon him, as if wishing to kill him; and sometimes they strove to unsettle him by means of trickery. Thus once at night demons, taking the: form of angels, surrounded him and woke him up and said: "Arise, Macarius, and sing with us and do not sleep" But he, recognizing the demonic attack answered them without rising from his bed: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for your father the devil and for you'" The demons continued to call him to prayer, but not succeeding in this they began to beat him. The Saint, however, called out to the Lord: "Help me, Christ my God, and deliver me from those who encompass me, for a pack of dogs has encompassed me and opened their mouths against me!" And the whole multitude of demons disappeared suddenly with a great roar.

When St. Macarius was gathering palm branches in the desert, a demon encountered him and said to him: "I suffer a great sorrow in being unable to conquer you. Everything that you do I do also: you fast, and I eat nothing at all; you keep vigil, and I never sleep. In one thing only do you surpass me -- in humility."

Soon after St. Macarius had settled in Scetis, disciples began to gather around him. The more terrible was the desert of Scetis, the more courage was required to settle in it. And it was only such that St. Macarius accepted. And all his disciples surpassed the other monks, as much by their zeal for ascetic labors as by the perfection of their life.

ST. MACARIUS was only 30 years old when he went off into the desert, and then he was already called "youth-elder" for his spiritual experience and wisdom. At about the age of forty St. Macarius was ordained priest. At this time he possessed already the gift of prophecy and wonderworking. He was always distinguished by exceptional emaciation, whether he had been fasting or not. When asked. the reason for this, the Saint replied: "As a poker used to turn burning logs and sticks in a stove is always being scorched by fire, so in a man who directs his mind always to the Lord and always keeps in mind the terrible torments of the fire of gehenna, this fear not only gnaws the body, but dries up the bones as well."

When the number of the brethren had significantly increased, St. Macarius erected four churches. Each church had its own priest. The monks lived in cells separately from each other. St. Macarius himself lived also separately far off in the desert and had with him only two disciples. Ham his ceil the Saint dug a subterranean passageway a half-mile long, and at its end a small cave. When he wished to hide from his numerous visitors, he went off to the cave, and no one knew where he was.

St. Macarius continued to visit his teacher, Abba Anthony, often and he was enabled to be present at his blessed repose. He received St. Anthony's staff. This gift he received as a precious holy object, and there with the spirit of the great Anthony reposed upon him, as once the Prophet Elisha bad accepted the spirit of the Prophet Elijah.

Socrates, the biographer of St. Macarius, speaks of how he performed numerous miracles and freed so many from evil spirits that to describe it all would require a whole book. Here are some of them.

A certain man was burning with passion for a married woman, but she had spurned him. Then he turned for help to a sorcerer. In order to make the husband put away his wife, the magician by means of demonic sorceries cast upon her such a spell that she began to appear to everyone like a horse. The husband surmised what was the matter and brought her to St. Macarius. Those around him took her for a horse and prevented him from entering the monastery. St. Macarius, however, said to them: "You yourselves are like animals if your eyes see the form of a beast; but she, created a woman, will remain one, and only seems an animal to your eyes which have been deceived by sorcerers." Having blessed water, he poured it out upon the woman, and she instantly resumed her natural appearance. And he told the woman that her trial had been allowed because she had not communicated of the Divine Mysteries for five weeks.

St. Macarius' gift of working miracles was so great that he could raise the dead. Once the heretic Hierax, who taught that there would be no resurrection of the dead, appeared in the desert and began to disturb the minds of the anchorites. He came also to Scetis and, in the presence of Macarius and numerous brethren, began to unfold his teaching, mocking the Saint's simplicity of speech. Seeing that the brethren were beginning to waver, Macarius proposed that all go to the cemetery; there, having prayed, he turned to the grave of a recently deceased monk and loudly called him by name. He answered from under the earth. The brethren hastened to dig him up and brought him alive out of the grave. Struck with terror, the heretic took flight and, pursued by the brethren, left their boundaries.

On two other occasions also St. Macarius raised a dead man: once (witnessed by Abba Sisoes) to exonerate an innocent man accused of murdering the dead man, and once (related by Rufinus) to save a woman about to be sold into slavery with her children.

A multitude of pilgrims and the sick flocked to St. Macarius. For them a guest-house was built in the monastery. The Saint had the custom of healing every day, anointing with oil, only one sick man, with the wise intention that the sick, remaining longer in the monastery, would receive spiritual benefit.

Once there came a priest with his head afflicted with gangrene, with open wounds on his neck. St. Macarius explained the reason for this: the priest had dared to serve Liturgy after committing the sin of adultery. The priest promised never again to serve, and St. Macarius healed him.

Of the Saint's extraordinary power of prayer and his clairvoyance the following incident will testify. His young disciple was selling baskets and mats in town. Here he was subjected to the peril of falling when a harlot, wounded by the beauty of the youth, by cunning, under the pretext of buying something, lured him to her. When she began to incline him to sin, the novice cried out to the Lord: "O Christ and King, Who delivered HIS servant from the belly of the whale, deliver me also from this sin!" And instantly he was carried off and found himself in his cell in the desert, where he saw St. Macarius, who with his spiritual eyes had seen his disciple in danger and had prayed for him to God.

ABBA Macarius constantly instilled the idea that the foundation of everything is humility: "If we see that anyone exalts himself and becomes haughty because he is a participant of grace, then even were he to perform signs and raise the dead, if he does not acknowledge his soul to be dishonored and debased, and himself poor in spirit and vile, he is robbed by malice and does nor know it." This feeling of humility in the presence of an abundance of the gifts of grace is explained by St. Macarius in an excellent comparison: "If a king leaves his treasure with a poor man, the one who receives it does not consider this treasure as his own property, but everywhere acknowledges his poverty, not daring to spend another's treasure, because he always reasons with himself: this treasure is not only not mine, but what is more has been left me by a powerful king, and he, when he wishes, will take it from me. Thus should those who possess the grace of God think of themselves. If they exalt themselves and their hearts begin to grow haughty, the Lord will take from them His grace, and they will be left the same as they were before receiving it." "If anyone says, 'I have enough and more than enough,' he is deceived and a liar."

St. Macarius related how once he had had a revelation that he had not attained as yet such perfection in virtuous life as two women who lived in town. Then he left immediately on the long journey to town and sought them out, and at his request they related to him the following concerning themselves: "We married two brothers and lived together in one house for fifteen years. During this time we did not utter a single malicious or shameful word and lived together in peace and harmony. We wanted to leave our husbands and go to a convent, but, even though we begged with many tears our husbands did not let us go. Then we made a covenant with God and among ourselves -- not to utter a single worldly word to our very death." And the Saint said; "In truth God seeks neither virgin nor married woman, neither monk nor layman, but a free intent, accepting it as the deed itself, and He grants to the free will of every man the grace of the Holy Spirit, which operates in a man and directs the life of everyone who desires to be saved."

"I am not yet a monk, but I have seen monks," said Abba Macarius to the Nitrian brethren, and related how once by inspiration from above he went to the inner desert and, coming to an immense marsh, saw wild animals who had come to drink water. Among them were two naked men. They informed the Saint that they had dwelt here for thirty years already and lived on the food of dumb animals. They informed the Saint that they suffered neither from frost in winter nor from heat in summer. "What must I do to be a monk?" Macarius asked them. They said: "If you cannot renounce the world as we have, then go to your cell and weep over your sins."

The gift of love in St. Macarius attained the highest degree. His love for his neighbor was revealed especially in his condescension to the weaknesses of others. By the testimony of the elders of Scetis, he was as it were an "earthly god" just as God, they said, while seeing the whole world docs not chastise sinners, so also Macarius covered up men's weaknesses, which as it were he saw without seeing, and' heard without hearing.

"Christians," he said, "should judge no one, neither an open harlot, nor sinners, nor dissolute people, but should look upon all with simplicity of soul and a pure eye. Purity of heart, indeed, consists in seeing sinful and weak men and having compassion for them and being merciful."

With meekness arid mildness Macarius directed his brethren, inspiring in them above all love for each other. He said: "If, in giving someone a reprimand, you come in irritation, then you are gratifying your passion. In this fashion, without saving others you cause harm to yourself as well."

Having received power over evil spirits, St. Macarius could see them with his spiritual eyes and enter into conversation with them. Once he saw a demon coming as if with gourd dishes hanging from him. Questioning him, the Saint discovered that he was going to a neighboring monastery to tempt the brethren. In the dishes various temptations had been prepared as if some kind of victuals. Finding out from the demon that a certain monk by the name of Theopemptus was to be subjected to temptations, Abba Macarius hastened to that monastery. All the brethren came out with palm branches to meet the great and renowned Abba. Each one hoped that he would stop at his cell, but the Saint went to Theopemptus. The latter was extremely gladdened and consoled by this. In conversation with Macarius this brother was ashamed to confess his impure thoughts, and even denied that they tempted him. Macarius said: "How many years I have labored in asceticism, and I, an old man, am troubled by the spirit of fornication." And Theopemptus replied: "Believe me, Abba, I am likewise troubled." The elder spoke also of other thoughts, as if they tempted him, and in this fashion brought the monk to complete avowal. Then, having given him instruction on the battle with thoughts and on fasting, he left him. And from that time [his brother labored in asceticism more than others.

With love and humility St. Macarius converted to Christ a certain pagan priest. A disciple of the Saint met him first and called him a demon. The indignant priest beat the monk almost to death. When, however, Macarius met him right after this and behaved kindly to him, this so affected him that he grasped Macarius' feet and said: "You are a man of God; I will not let you go until you make me a monk." Following the priest, many pagans too were converted to Christ. Recalling this incident, the elder said: "A bad word makes bad even the good, but a good word makes good even the bad."

One youth, desiring to become a monk, asked St. Macarius: “How may I be saved?" The latter sent him to the cemetery, at first to rebuke and then to praise the dead, and then asked him what they had replied. "They were silent both to praise and to reproach," replied the youth. "And so you too," said the elder, "if you wish to be saved, be dead like the dead: think neither of insults from men nor of human glory."

Let us cite several instructions of St. Macarius:

"If for you disgrace is like praise, poverty like wealth, insufficiency like abundance, then you will not die."

"If we shall remember the evil that men have done us, the remembrance of God will grow weak in us; but if we shall remember the evil brought upon us by demons, we shall be safe from their arrows."

Asked how to pray, he replied: "It is enough if you will often repeat from your whole heart: 'Lord, as it pleases Thee and as Thou knowest, have mercy on me.' And if temptation comes upon you: 'Lord, help me!' The Lord knows what is profitable for us and has mercy on us."

IF WE speak of Macarius the Great, we should make note also of his contemporary, St. Macarius of Alexandria. He was priest in a monastery in the desert of Cellia which adjoined Scetis and was a close friend in asceticism of Macarius the Great (known also as "of Egypt"). Like the latter he was a disciple of Anthony the Great and likewise was of lofty spiritual life. The two Macarii often met for conversation and prayer.

During the domination of the Arians in the reign of the Emperor Valens (364-378) there was a severe persecution of the Orthodox. After the death of Athanasius the Great his see in Alexandria was forcibly seized by an Arian, Lucius, who banished the canonical successor, Patriarch Peter. The Egyptian desert dwellers were zealous defenders of the Nicene Creed. Lucius attempted by cruelty and tortures to force them into Arianism, but he did not succeed in this. Then he began to send the holy desert dwellers into captivity. St. Macarius the Great and St. Macarius of Alexandria were among the first seized. Together with some of the brethren they were placed by soldiers in a ship at night and sent to an island where only pagans lived. But here also the Lord glorified His faithful slaves. The daughter of the local pagan priest was possessed by an evil spirit. Sensing the approach of the Saints, she ran out to meet them, calling in a loud voice: "Why have you come here? This island is our dwelling place from of old." The Saints drove the demon out of her. Then the father of the healed girl, and after him all the dwellers on the island as well, were baptized. When news of this reached Alexandria, Lucius, because of the danger of a popular uprising, was forced to return the exiles to their desert.

An extraordinary and irresistible impression was produced by St. Macarius on all who came into contact with him. Divine grace transfigured his whole being. It could be noticed in his glance, in his speech, and in that extraordinary love which poured out upon all around him. His word, even the simplest, was always uttered with authority. It created and built. Filled with divine wisdom and power, it penetrated to the very depth of the human spirit. Even those who didn't know St. Macarius recognized him instantly amidst other monks by his extraordinary appearance.

Not long before the death of Macarius, the desert dwellers of the Mount of Nitria appealed to him with a request: "Father, so as not to trouble: the whole multitude of the brethren with coming to you, do you yourself, before: you depart to the Lord, come to us." When the: Saint came: to them, all with great joy came out to meet him. The elders begged him to give them all instructions, and St. Macarius said: "Let us weep, brethren: let our eyes pour out tears before we depart for a place where our tears will burn our bodies." All burst out weeping, fell on their faces and begged: "Father, pray for us!"

St. Macarius possessed the grace-bestowed gift of tears. He often shed them and said : "You will become worthy of the vision of the wondrous and blessed images of the Jerusalem on high in no other way than by day and night shedding tears according to the example of him who said: Every night I flood my bed, I water my couch with my tears (Ps. 6:7). A tear shed from great sorrow and heartfelt distress is food for the soul, given from heavenly bread."

FOR SIXTY YEARS St. Macarius lived in his desert of Scetis, and at the age of 90 he departed to the Lord. Not long before his death, there appeared to him from the world above his Abba Anthony the Great, chief of the desert dwellers, and Pachomius the Great, founder of the coenobitic monasteries in Egypt. They said, "Rejoice, Macarius; the Lord Jesus Christ sent us to announce to you your joyful death. On the ninth day after today you will depart into eternal life. On that day we shall come again to you and with joy shall take you with us, so that together with us you might appear before the Lord's Throne and enjoy immortal life." St. Macarius summoned the brethren. He instructed them to preserve strictly the rules of the fathers and the traditions of the monks, placed the more experienced and advanced brethren as teachers among them, blessed all, bade farewell to them, and in solitude began t6 prepare for his departure.

On the day of his death a Cherubim appeared to him with a multitude of angels and said: "Arise, O follower of the Lord, and come with us into eternal life.” The Cherubim indicated to him the throngs of saints who had come out to meet him: "Behold the assembly of apostles, behold the throng of prophets, behold the multitude of martyrs, behold the choir of holy hierarchs, fasters, monks and righteous men. Give Unto me now your soul, which I was commanded by God to preserve during its earthly life." With the words, "Into Thy hands, 0 Lord, I commend my spirit," St. Macarius departed to the Lord.

The compiler of his life, Bishop Sarapion of Thmuis, relates how he heard from St. Paphnutius, the disciple of St. Macarius, that certain of the fathers saw with their mental eyes the ascension of the Saint's soul, as they saw also standing in the distance legions of demons who cried out: "You have escaped our hands, Macarius, you have escaped!" Only after having reached the gates of paradise did Macarius answer: "Yes, guarded by the power of my Christ, I have escaped your snares'"

ANTHONY THE GREAT, in his God-inspired insights, gave a direction to monasticism for all times, both by his instructions and rules for beginners and for those in various stages of spiritual development, and by his guidance for the accomplished. It remained for following generations only to discover and develop the possibilities which the great Anthony gave them.

Macarius the Great, the disciple and closest friend of St. Anthony, having attained the measure of his Abba, not only assimilated his teaching, but in his writings transmits also his own contemplations and insights. His Homilies are founded on personal experience, and therefore their language is clear, expressive, and possessed of an extraordinary imagery and power. His teaching is the writings of a dweller of heaven, a heavenly man. To him, who had attained perfection, the spiritual world and its laws were open. He beholds the soul and sees all that takes place in it. He indicates to it the path to perfection. He is entirely caught up in contemplation of God and in exaltation. To him the great Secrets of the world above are open.

His writings speak to us chiefly of deification. He develops the philosophy of communion with God, although he built no philosophical system. "Genuine philosophy is ascetical doing, the acquisition of the Spirit of Wisdom and Reason. A God-bearing contemplator or seer of mysteries is a true wise man or lover of wisdom (philosopher)." He speaks of the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. External labors -- fasting, vigil, prayer -- are only means to this and are not in themselves an end. This teaching of the acquisition of the Holy Spirit comes down through the centuries to our own great Seraphim. In the renowned Conversation with Motovilov St. Seraphim reveals to our whole contemporary world this ancient yet all-but-forgotten teaching.

As a precious heritage of the spiritual wisdom of St. Macarius, there remain to us fifty of his Homilies and seven Ascetic Treatises.

Several prayers written by Macarius the Great have entered into Church use. These are:

From the Prayers before Sleep, the first prayer, “O Eternal God," and the fourth, "What shall I offer Thee."

From the Morning Prayers, the-first prayer, “O Lord, cleanse mc," the second, "Having risen from sleep," the third, "To Thee, O Lord," the fourth, “O Lord, Who in Thy abundant goodness," and according to Greek manuscripts the ninth also, "O Holy Angel."

The relics of St. Macarius the Great repose in Italy, in the city of Amalfi on the Gulf of Salerno, not far from Naples.

Source

Apolytikion in the First Tone

 
Thou didst prove to be a citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Makarios, our God-bearing Father. By fasting, vigil, and prayer thou didst obtain heavenly gifts, and thou healest the sick and the souls of them that have recourse to thee with faith. Glory to Him that hath given thee strength. Glory to Him that hath crowned thee. Glory to Him that worketh healings for all through thee.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
 

The Lord God established thee, O great ascetic, in the house of abstinence, like an unerring star that lit the farthest regions with guiding light, Father of Fathers, O righteous Macarius.

Ράππερ Σεραφείμ (JAMSTER) - Ακούστε τα τραγούδια του.

Σημείωμα του δημιουργού, με ημερομηνία 16.9.2009

hiphopmusical.eu 

Με τη χαρη Του Θεου κ μονο, το νεο μου μουσικο βιντεο με τιτλο "ΔΟΞΑ ΣΟΙ" δημοσιευτηκε στο SphereofHipHop.com. Μια απο τις πιο διασημες παγκοσμιως γνωστες HOLY HIP HOP ιστοσελιδες που εδρευει στις Ηνωμενες Πολιτειες της Αμερικης, ενδιαφερθηκε για το ελληνικο Χριστιανικο Hip-Hop κ επελεξαν να δημοσιευσουν το βιντεο μου ως την 1η επισημα παρουσιαση παγκοσμια για το τι κανει ο Θεος στην Ελλαδα μεσα απο εναν πλουσιο στην αμαρτια νεαρο ανθρωπο.

Εναν Χριστιανο Ορθοδοξο ραππερ απο την Θεσσαλονικη με το ονομα Σεραφειμ που υπηρετησε το Hip-Hop απο το 1997 επισημα κ εγινε ενας συνειδητα Χριστιανος Ορθοδοξος απο το 2003 & επειτα.Το νεο μου αλμπουμ/CD με τιτλο "Δόξα Σοι" ειναι πλεον διαθεσιμο κ στο iTunes (Ευρωπαικο & Αμερικανικο) με μονο ?8.99 για την Ευρωπη & $9.99 για την Αμερικη (το αλμπουμ περιεχει 17 τραγουδια!).
Ευχαριστω τον Θεο που μας μαθαινει καθημερινα την γλωσσα Του που ειναι η Αγαπη, η οποια ειναι παγκοσμια κ διδασκαλος της ειναι μονο ο Ιησους Χριστος κ μπορει κανεις μελετωντας τους Αγιους Του να μαθει πολλα γι' αυτην ωστε καθε μερα να Του μοιαζει περισσοτερο κ το ευαγγελιο Του Χριστου να μην εχει συνορα κ περιορισμους, οπως μου απαντησε μια αλλη HOLY HIP HOP γνωστη ιστοσελιδα, που διαλεξε να μην αναρτησει το βιντεο μου εξαιτιας της γλωσσας του...

Νεκρός για τον κόσμο: Ακούστε τα τραγούδια του - παρακολουθήστε τη συνέντευξή του στο Ράδιο Αρβύλα και μπείτε στο ΥΤ να δείτε και τα υπόλοιπα βιντεάκια. Μπράβο στην παρέα του Ράδιο Αρβύλα γι' αυτή την κουβέντα που έκανε με το JAMSTER.
JAMSTER, Σεραφείμ, δεν ξέρω τι κάνεις τώρα, αλλά εύχομαι καλή πορεία με την ευλογία του Χριστού που τόσο αγαπάς. Δόξα Σοι.

Ομολογώ ότι θα ήθελα όσοι επισκέπτονται αυτό το post να διαβάζουν και το άρθρο μας Ροκ, ροκάδες, χέβι μέταλ και Ορθοδοξία, αν και αναφέρεται σε άλλη μουσική οικογένεια... Πειράζει;
 
Προσκλήσεις για μια βολτίτσα...
Γιάννο Wu (Mastermind): ακούστε τα τραγούδια του
Λυκόσχημος Αμνός (ραπ ιστορίες & ορθόδοξη κληρονομιά)  

Μουσική της Κόλασης - Μουσικοί στην Κόλαση

Νεκροκεφαλές - Κρανία - Σκέλεθρα...

Οι φυλακές ανηλίκων, η παρακμή, ο Χριστός, τα δάκρυα της Παναγίας... (ταινία)

Έλα όπως είσαι!

Αυτογνωσία

Όπου κι αν έχεις πέσει, σε περιμένει. Έλα πίσω!

Ζήσε πέρα από τα όρια!

Παπάδες & πόρνες

"Πες του Χριστούλη να με δεχτεί" - και ξεψύχησε...

Η θρησκεία της χαράς - Γελαστοί άγιοι 

Ηθικισμός; Όχι ευχαριστώ!

Χάσε την ψυχή σου (ή... σώσε την)

Ταξί για τον παράδεισο

Για την αγάπη του Θεού, τη μετάνοια, την κατάθλιψη

Ο παπάς στη φυλακή, οι φονιάδες & οι σατανιστές

Ο άγιος μεγαλομάρτυρας Εφραίμ & οι ναρκωμανείς

Ο Χριστός στις αμερικάνικες φυλακές

Magazine "Death to the World", Punk & Orthodoxy in USA

Για την Κάρτα του Πολίτη

Η είδηση κυκλοφόρησε πολύ, ιδιαίτερα στο Διαδίκτυο. Φυσικά, είμαι βέβαιος πως ο λαός δεν την πήρε χαμπάρι. Αλλά, κι αν την έπαιρνε, ποιος νοιάζεται τι τσαμπουνάνε οι καλόγεροι, που τόσο συκοφαντούνται στη συνείδηση των Νεοελλήνων από τους εχθρούς του λαού και τους αφελείς "προοδευτικούς"... Πάντως το Άγιο Όρος πήρε θέση. Ακόμα κι αν δεν πιστεύετε πως είναι μια κοινότητα με υψηλή πνευματικότητα, που μπορεί να καθοδηγήσει το λαό σε κάποιο σωστό δρόμο, θέλετε -έχετε την περιέργεια- να μάθετε πώς τοποθετήθηκε;

Ανακοίνωση της Ιεράς Κοινότητας του Αγίου Όρους για την Ηλεκτρονική Διακυβέρνηση και την Κάρτα του Πολίτη

Πηγή: Ακτίνες

ΚΑΡΥΑΙ ΤΗ 22.4/5.5.2011

Ἐξ ἀφορμῆς τῆς προσφάτου καταθέσεως στήν Βουλή τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοῦ νομοσχεδίου «Γιά τήν Ἠλεκτρονική Διακυβέρνηση» καί τήν ἀπορρέουσα ἐκ τούτου μελλοντική ἔκδοσι τῆς «Κάρτας τοῦ Πολίτη», ἡ Ἱερά Κοινότης τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους ἐπιθυμεῖ νά ἐπισημάνη τά ἀκόλουθα:

Ἡ «Κάρτα τοῦ Πολίτη» ταυτοποιεῖ τήν προσωπικότητα τοῦ πολίτη καί τόν μετατρέπει σέ ἕνα ἀριθμό τοῦ συστήματος τῆς ἠλεκτρονικῆς διακυβερνήσεως. Ὅλοι οἱ πολίτες ἐντάσσονται πλέον σέ ἕνα ἠλεκτρονικό σύστημα, τό ὁποῖο ἐλέγχει καί ἐπεξεργάζεται τά στοιχεῖα τῆς προσωπικῆς τους ζωῆς (οἰκονομική δραστηριότης, θέματα ὑγείας, ἐργασίας, κοινωνικῆς συμπεριφορᾶς κ.λπ.), καταργώντας οὐσιαστικά τίς προσωπικές τους ἐλευθερίες.

Ἐπειδή τό σύστημα αὐτό ἔχει τήν δυνατότητα νά μετεξελίσσεται εὔκολα θεωροῦμε ὅτι εἶναι ὁρατός ὁ κίνδυνος γιά τούς Χριστιανούς νά παραβιάζεται ἡ ἐλευθερία τῆς θρησκευτικῆς τους συνειδήσεως, στερώντας τους τήν δυνατότητα νά ὁμολογοῦν ἐλεύθερα τήν πίστι τους καί νά κηρύσσουν τό Εὐαγγέλιο τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἐπειδή μάλιστα ἡ ἐξουσία χρήσεως τοῦ συστήματος αὐτοῦ παραδίδεται σέ φορεῖς ἀκαθόριστους ὡς πρός τόν δη­μόσιο ἤ ἰδιωτικό τους χαρακτήρα καί τούς δίδεται ἡ εὐχέρεια νά προσθαφαιροῦν στήν Κάρτα δεδομένα, ὑπάρχει τό ἐνδεχόμενο ἀκόμη καί τῆς ἀνεπίγνωστης ἐκ μέρους τῶν πιστῶν χρήσεως ἀντιχριστιανικῶν συμβόλων.

Γιά ὅλους τούς παραπάνω λόγους ἡ Ἱερά Κοινότης τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους ἐκφράζει τήν ἔντονη ἀνησυχία της καί ὑποβάλλει θερμή παράκλησι πρός τήν Ἑλληνική Κυβέρνησι νά μή προχωρήση στήν ἔκδοσι τῆς ἠλεκτρονικῆς «Κάρτας τοῦ Πολίτη», συνιστᾶ δέ στούς χριστιανούς νά χρησιμοποιοῦν τά συμβατικά μέσα ταυτοποιήσεώς τους. Ἡ ὑποχρεωτικὴ ἐπιβολή τοιούτου εἴδους Κάρτας μᾶς εὑρίσκει ἀντιθέτους.

Ὡς Ὀρθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί δέν λησμονοῦμε ὅτι «μείζων ὁ ἐν ἡμῖν ἤ ὁ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ», καί ὅτι ὁ Χριστός «νενίκηκε τόν κόσμον»· τοῦτο ὅμως δέν συνεπάγεται καί τήν συμφωνία μας σέ ὑποχρεωτικές καί ἀνελεύθερες πρακτικές. Εὐχόμεθα ὁλοψύχως ἡ Κυρία Θεοτόκος, ἡ Προστάτις καί Ἔφορος τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους, νά δίδη στόν εὐλαβῆ λαό τῆς πατρίδος μας τήν δύναμι νά ἀνταπεξέρχεται σέ ὅλες τίς δυσκολίες τοῦ βίου, μάλιστα μέσα στή δυσχερῆ αὐτή συγκυρία πού διερχόμεθα.

 

Ἅπαντες οἱ ἐν τῇ κοινῇ Συνάξει Ἀντιπρόσωποι καί Προϊστάμενοι

τῶν εἴκοσιν Ἱερῶν Μονῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους Ἄθω.

Προτεινόμενα άρθρα για το θέμα της "Κάρτας του πολίτη"

(Επιλεγμένα από το blog Πέρα από το Άτομο)

 

Μηνάς Σαματάς, Ο ανελεύθερος “καρτο-πολίτης”

Ριχάρδος Σωμερίτης,Ψηφιακός ολοκληρωτισμός

Όψεις της νέας παρακολούθησης (προδημοσίευση από το ομώνυμο βιβλίο των εκδόσεων Βιβλιόραμα)

Γνωμοδότηση του δικηγόρου παρ' Αρείω Πάγω Χ. Παπασωτηρίου για την "Κάρτα του Πολίτη"

 

Ας μου επιτραπεί ένας μικρός επίλογος. Το θέμα της Κάρτας δεν είναι μεμονωμένο, αλλά συνδέεται άμεσα με τη διαχείριση της ζωής και της συνείδησης όλων μας από σκοτεινά παγκόσμια κέντρα εξουσίας, που, ως σκοτεινά, είναι και αντίχριστα. Ας το έχουμε υπόψιν αυτό και ας μην αμελήσουμε τον πνευματικό μας αγώνα. Η ύψιστη μορφή πολιτικού αγώνα είναι η ορθόδοξη πνευματικότητα - αυτή που αναβαθμίζει τον άνθρωπο σε επίπεδο Ιησού Χριστού και τον κάνει ολόφωτη προσωπικότητα, γεμάτη αγάπη για τον πλησίον και για όλη την κτίση, αλλά και άτρωτο από στερήσεις, κατατρεγμούς, διώξεις, απειλές ή θάνατο. Η μελέτη της ζωής των αγίων μαρτύρων μας, παλαιών και σύγχρονων, έχει να μας διδάξει πολλά - γι' αυτό ακριβώς και τίθεται στο περιθώριο.

Σε μια εποχή αναζήτησης & σύγχυσης...

ΑΠΑΝΤΑ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑΣ

«Ποτέ δεν έχει υπάρξει», έγραφε ο π. Σεραφείμ, «τέτοια εποχή ψεύτικων διδασκάλων, όπως συμβαίνει στον θλιβερό εικοστό αιώνα, τον τόσο πλούσιο σε υλικές απολαύσεις και τόσο φτωχό σε νου και ψυχή. Κάθε διανοητική σύλληψη, ακόμη και η πιο παράλογη, ακόμη και εκείνη που απορριπτόταν μέχρι τώρα με καθολική συμφωνία όλων των εκπολιτισμένων λαών, έχει τώρα τη δική της ιδεολογική πλατφόρμα και τον δικό της «δάσκαλο». Μερικοί από αυτούς τούς δασκάλους έρχονται με την επίδειξη ή την υπόσχεση "πνευματικής δύναμης" και ψεύτικων θαυμάτων, όπως κάποιοι αποκρυφιστές και "χαρισματικοί", αλλά οι περισσότεροι από τούς σύγχρονους δασκάλους δεν προσφέρουν παρά μια άκριτη σωρεία ανήκουστων ιδεών που πήραν "από τον αέρα", όπως ήταν, ή από κάποιον σύγχρονο αυτόκλητο "σοφό άνδρα" (ή γυναίκα), ο οποίος γνωρίζει περισσότερα από όλους τους αρχαίους, κυρίως επειδή ζει στους "φωτισμένους" σύγχρονους καιρούς μας. Κατά συνέπεια, η φιλοσοφία έχει χίλιες σχολές και ο "Χριστιανισμός" χίλιες αιρέσεις.

Πού βρίσκεται η αλήθεια σε όλα αυτά, εάν πράγματι μπορεί να βρεθεί μέσα στην εντελώς αποπροσανατολισμένη εποχή μας;

Μόνο σε ένα μέρος μπορεί να βρεθεί η πηγή της αληθινής διδασκαλίας, που προέρχεται από τον ίδιο τον Θεό. Που δεν φθίνει κατά τη διάρκεια των αιώνων, αλλά είναι πάντα ακμαία και δροσερή, παραμένοντας μία και η αυτή ανάμεσα σε όλους εκείνους που τη διδάσκουν αληθινά, και η οποία οδηγεί εκείνους που την ακολουθούνε στην αιώνια σωτηρία. Αυτό το μέρος είναι η Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία του Χριστού, η πηγή είναι η χάρις του Παναγίου Πνεύματος και οι αληθινοί διδάσκαλοι του θείου δόγματος που πηγάζει από αυτή την πηγή είναι οι άγιοι Πατέρες της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας».

Ο νεομάρτυρας καλλιτέχνης, γνώστης πολεμικών τεχνών, ιεραπόστολος στην εμπόλεμη Γεωργία & ορθόδοξος ιερέας στην παραμελημένη ρωσική ύπαιθρο, Νέστωρ του Ζάρκι. Αξίζει να τον γνωρίσετε (εδώ).

Δεδομένου ότι ο π. Σεραφείμ υψώθηκε πνευματικά στην έρημο, η ψυχή του δροσίστηκε από την πηγή της χάριτος της Εκκλησίας: από τις εμπνευσμένες Θείες Γραφές της Εκκλησίας και από τούς αληθινούς ερμηνευτές των Γραφών, τους άγιους Πατέρες. «Στους άγιους Πατέρες», έγραφε, «βρίσκουμε τον "νου της Εκκλησίας", τη ζώσα αντίληψη της αποκάλυψης του Θεού. Είναι ο σύνδεσμος μας μεταξύ των αρχαίων κειμένων που περιέχουν την αποκάλυψη του Θεού (δηλ. της Αγίας Γραφής) και της σημερινής πραγματικότητας. Χωρίς έναν τέτοιο σύνδεσμο, κάθε άνθρωπος ερμηνεύει όπως θέλει εκείνος - και τον αποτέλεσμα είναι να έχουμε χιλιάδες ερμηνείες και αιρέσεις»

Κάπου αλλού, ο π. Σεραφείμ αναφέρεται στον πατερικό θεολόγο Αρχιεπίσκοπο Θεοφάνη της Πολτάβα για να διευκρινίσει αυτό το σημείο: «Η Εκκλησία είναι ο "οίκος... τον αληθινού Θεού, ο στύλος και το θεμέλιο της αλήθειας" (Α' Τιμ. 3:15). Η χριστιανική αλήθεια διασώζεται στην Εκκλησία μέσα από την Αγία Γραφή και την Ιερά Παράδοση - αλλά απαιτείται μια σωστή διαφύλαξη και μια σωστή ερμηνεία. Η σημασία των άγιων Πατέρων βρίσκεται ακριβώς σε αυτό: ότι είναι οι ικανότεροι φύλακες και ερμηνευτές αυτής της αλήθειας, λόγω τις αγιότητας του βίου τους, της βαθιάς γνώσης του λόγου του Θεού και της αφθονίας της χάριτος του Αγίου Πνεύματος που κατοικεί σε αυτούς».

Κατά τη διάρκεια ετών παραγωγικής ανάγνωσης, ο π. Σεραφείμ απέκτησε εκτενή γνώση της πατερικής διδασκαλίας. Όταν εξέταζε κάποιο ιδιαίτερο ζήτημα στα γραπτά του, χρησιμοποιούσε ευρύ φάσμα των πατερικών πηγών, αρχαίων και σύγχρονων, τόσο από την ανατολική όσο και από τη δυτική χριστιανοσύνη - πολλά από αυτά τα πατερικά κείμενα ήταν σχεδόν άγνωστα και ποτέ πριν δεν είχαν αποδοθεί στην αγγλική. Ο στόχος του, εντούτοις, δεν ήταν να γίνει ένας πολυμαθής, τού όποιου η ειδικότητα θα ήταν οι άγιοι Πατέρες. Τέτοιοι εμπειρογνώμονες, έγραψε, είναι συχνά «εξ ολοκλήρου ξένοι προς την αληθινή πατερική παράδοση, και διαβιούν μόνο σε βάρος της».

ΒΙΒΛΙΟ: π. ΣΕΡΑΦΕΙΜ ΡΟΟΥΖ Η ΖΩΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΑ ΕΡΓΑ ΤΟΥ, ΤΟΜΟΣ Β'.

Δες και: Μαγεία & πολυγαμία: δύο συμπτώματα της νόσου του δυτικού ανθρώπου, & η βοήθειά του από την Ορθοδοξία.

Παραψυχολογικές δυνάμεις στις Πολεμικές Τέχνες.

Τα πνεύματα των νεκρών και εμείς.
Και γενικά τις αναρτήσεις μας στις ετικέτες New Age και Θάνατος.

Visions Outside the Church

by Monk Gorazd
From this very interestingr site

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΕΔΩ

Click here:
A Comparison: Francis of Assisi and St. Seraphim of Sarov.
Why Orthodoxy is the True Faith?.

Many people have heard that the Mother of God has supposedly appeared to Roman Catholics in various places. They do not know what to think about these events. Some even go so far as to think that since the Mother of God appears to Roman Catholics, it follows that the Roman Catholic Church is a true, grace-filled church, especially since various miracles and healings take place at the locations of the visions. Fatima, in particular, has aroused much interest among Russians living abroad because the apparition allegedly speaks about Russia in strongly anti-communist terms, leading them to overlook the heretical and anti-Orthodox content of the message as a whole. What are we to make of these appearances and the claims made for them? What criterion should we use to guide us in testing the truth of visions outside of the Orthodox Church? Hopefully, what follows will help in understanding such phenomena.

The Holy Fathers, knowing that Satan can transform himself into an angel of light, advise us to be cautious and distrustful of all appearances in the visible world. “If you are silent in a good way, desiring to be with God,” says St. Gregory the Sinaite, “never accept any physical or spiritual appearances, either outside or inside yourself, even if it might be an image of Christ, or an angel, or some Saint, or if light should appear, or imprint itself in the mind...Be attentive, that you may not come to believe something, even if it is something good, and be not captivated by it before consulting those who are experienced and are able to analyze the matter, so that you do not suffer harm...God is not displeased with the person who is attentive to himself, even if he, out of fear of deception, does not accept even that which is from Him, without consulting and testing....” We might add that the Lord God could at all times give full assurance to a person, if He is pleased to do so, concerning the truth of a vision. If such caution is necessary concerning visions WITHIN the Orthodox Church, how much more circumspect should we be in relation to apparitions OUTSIDE the one, true Church! The sole criterion for examining these visions should be their Orthodoxy. If in any respect their Orthodoxy is lacking, then they must be rejected: even if 99% of the message is Orthodox and only 1% deviates from the doctrines laid down by the Church, then the whole must be rejected. God cannot deny Himself or preach untruth even in the smallest degree.

Let us examine three well-known cases which have occurred in our own century. First, we will deal with Fatima, which is of special interest, since the apparition there speaks about Russia and its role in the destiny of mankind.

Towards the end of the First World War, at Fatima in Portugal, between May and October, 1917, three shepherd children, two girls and a boy, had a series of visions of someone whom they said was our Lady, the Blessed Virgin.... Throughout the six months of the apparitions, the messages which Lucia was told to make public, at that time or somewhat later, were largely concerned with the need to encourage devotion to the rosary and to our Lady’s immaculate heart, and with the need for mankind to change the direction in which it was moving. Failure to make that change would bring down the wrath of God... (from Studies in Comparative Religion. A Question Concerning the Second Vatican Council, by Verak).

In December, 1940 Sister Lucy (the only one of the three who remained alive and who is now a nun of the Carmelite order) wrote to Pope Pius XII saying, “In 1917 the Most Holy Mother prophesied to us the end of the war which at that darkened the face of Europe; she prophesied another war and said that she would come again. She insisted on the dedication of Russia to her most sacred heart, promising in return to hinder the spread of false teaching from Russia and to convert Russia.” (from News About Fatima, the Greatest Miracle of Our Time, Brussels, 1962 p. 144). It is necessary to remember that Catholics understand “the conversion of Russia” to mean her conversion to Roman Catholicism. Again we read in the journal The Fatima Crusader (issue #17, April-May, 1985): “So it may well be that the conversion of a few Russians to Catholicism now is part of God’s preparations for the conversion of Russia when the Pope and bishops finally obey the command of our Lady of Fatima to consecrate Russia in the manner prescribed by God...The reason why Jesus gave this specific command to the Pope and bishops is because he wants his whole church to recognize the consecration of Russia as a triumph of the immaculate heart of Mary...Sister Lucy records...in a letter dated May 18, 1936: ‘Intimately I have spoken to our Lord about the subject and not long ago, I asked Him why He would not convert Russia without the Holy Father making the consecration. He replied, “Because I want My whole Church to acknowledge that consecration as a triumph of the immaculate heart of Mary so that it may extend its cult later on and put the devotion to the immaculate heart beside the devotion to My sacred heart”.

Here something should be said about the un-Orthodox forms of devotion to the sacred heart of Jesus and the immaculate heart of Mary which the apparition advocates.

A Roman Catholic nun, Mary Margaret Alacoque (who died in 1690), allegedly had a vision of Jesus Christ who showed her His heart, burning with love, and asked her to spread devotion to it. The revelations she received were first printed in the account of her life by the Jesuit bishop Lanje and caused such a scandal that the edition was destroyed. Due to the fact that these “revelations” were so exposed to the public eye, they were condemned by Pope Clement in 1772. Nonetheless, this cult continued to exist under the auspices of the Jesuits, and finally entered into the mainstream of Catholic religious life (Pastoral Theology, Part II, Archimandrite Constantine, Jordanville, 1961, p. 16). Sacred heart pictures and devotions became a major part of Catholic spirituality, and the popes added their endorsements in encyclicals, granting indulgences for the observance of the devotion. Not to be outdone, other groups, claiming to have seen apparitions of Mary, put forward the idea of devotion to “The Immaculate Heart of Mary.” 

The heart of Mary was sometimes depicted together with the sacred heart of Jesus motif: a picture with two hearts...and later, the sorrowful heart of Mary, with five or seven swords piercing it, became extremely popular... It would be difficult to accuse Roman Catholicism of denying the divinity of Christ, rather they have split the wholeness of Christ, emphasizing His human nature as a separate devotion, sometimes in a crudely biological way. This violates a central principle of the Councils, that devotion should be given to the devotion of Christ, and not to one of His natures, or parts of His body. Thus, by fragmenting the wholeness of the Son of God, a tendency develops to ‘Nestorianize.’ Parts of the body of Christ should not become parts of isolated objects of adoration, nor should they be pictorially depicted (i.e., a heart on fire, or a heart crowned with thorns surrounding it)” (from Comparative Religion, “Roman Catholicism: Some Devotional Practices,” by Father George Mitchell). We mention these devotions here in order to illustrate the abyss which lies between Orthodox and Roman Catholic spirituality.

Yet another series of apparitions took place in a small mountain village called San Sebastian de Garabandal in the north of Spain.

These apparitions took place between June, 1961 and November, 1965. The seers were four young girls. We repeat some of the messages given:

“The Virgin also reminded us very often about visiting the blessed sacrament. As a matter of fact even in her final apparition (November 13, 1965) the Virgin told me, ‘Conchita, why do you not go more often to visit my Son in the tabernacle?’ When I saw the Virgin I said to her, as if there were a spy in the village, ‘You know, there are some Protestants here.’ The Virgin replied, ‘They are all my children.’ The angel came and said, ‘Many cardinals, many bishops and many priests are on the road to perdition and taking many souls with them. Less and less importance is given to the Eucharist.”

It is interesting to note that in 1967 Conchita Gonzales (one of the seers) started to have doubts about the apparitions:

“Yes, in 1967, sometime after the apparitions had taken place, I did have doubts. It happened suddenly on August 15. I will never forget it. There were many people around me and I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I was not honest. I felt I was deceiving all those people and that I ought to confess it. I went to a priest and told him that it was like an illusion or a dream or living a lie, that I had never seen the Virgin and that I had been deceiving everybody all the time...These doubts and denials of the Virgin’s apparitions lasted five or six days. Since then, up to this time, I have confusion and doubt within me” (from Miracle at Garabandal by Conchita Gonzales with Harry Daley, Dubleday and Company, N.Y., 1983).

We mention this apparition here to show that even in a case where the seer herself is ultimately uncertain of the reality of what she saw, the story still seems to find apparently serious believers. They are not even discouraged by such disturbing facts as the following, reported by one of the seers:

“After the apparitions started, we never missed a day of communion. When there wasn’t a priest in town, an angel would come down to give us communion...At one point we were instructed by a priest to ask how it was that, since only a priest could consecrate the hosts, the angel was administering communion to us. We did ask, and the Virgin said that the angel would come down and take the already consecrated hosts from tabernacles on earth.”

Can we not imagine the consternation this would cause in the church from which the hosts were taken! Can it be possible that angels need to take hosts from the tabernacles of churches? In the Orthodox life of St. Onuphrius an angel does, indeed, bring the Holy Communion, but it is quite unthinkable that an angel would need to take the Holy Gifts from an earthly tabernacle.

The third series of visions we will mention began on June 24, 1981, in the Yugoslavian town of Medjugorje, where a number of young children began to have visions of what they considered to be the Mother of God. The apparition has claimed that these revelations will be the last in the world. In November, 1982 the apparition said, ‘After these revelations finish there will be only some false revelations in the world.” People have flocked to Medjugorje from all over the world even though the local Roman Catholic bishop of Mostar, Pavao Zanic, who denies the verity of the apparitions, made a public declaration in the name of the Yugoslavian Bishops’ Conference to the effect that “It is not permitted for pilgrimages or for other manifestations to be organized which are motivated by the supernatural character supposedly attributed to the events of Medjugorje.”

Already in 1981 the seers were saying: “There will be a visible and lasting sign on the hill of the apparitions; it will come soon, you will see it in a short time. Wait a little longer, be patient.” And again: “The sign will be on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, 1981, then at Christmas, then at New Year, etc.” Needless to say, no sign has yet appeared on the hill. For an Orthodox reader it is sufficient to know only some of the ecumenical messages given by the apparition to be certain that it is not the Mother of God who is appearing there. For instance:

“All the religions are the same before God. God commands in all these religions as a king in his realm.” (Counter-Reformation-Catholic, 201 Eng. ed. Cf. Fr. Blaise, 500 Messages a Vivre, p. 370, Montreal, 1986.) “In God neither divisions or religions count. It is you in the world who have created the divisions because believers have separated themselves from one another.” (Apparition of the Virgin Mary at Medjugorje, Jan Urban [in Czech]. The Catholic Counter-Reformation in the XX Century, Sept ./Oct;, 1987; Nov./Dec., 1985).

For the uninformed, this message has a seductive appeal and is in keeping with the “one world” thinking. But as Orthodox Christians we know that to say “all the religions are the same before God” is a denial of Christ as the only Truth. Is it not He Himself who says, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Therefore, to say that all religions are the same is a denial of Christ!

Αll the religions are the same before God?

Without attempting to analyze too deeply the meaning of all the messages it is sufficient enough to realize that each one of these apparitions, claiming to be the Mother of God, accepts the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church (Holy Communion, Priesthood, Confession) as true, grace-filled Mysteries. This alone makes these apparitions totally unacceptable for us since we know that grace-filled Mysteries can only be found in the one, true Church of Christ. Since the Western Church separated itself from the one, true Church in the 11th century there can be no question about the existence of true Mysteries in the Roman Catholic Church. “The Church is one and only she has the fullness of the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit. No matter who, or in what way one has fallen away from the Church, whether in heresy, schism, or in uncanonical gatherings, one loses the communion of the grace of God. Therefore no sacraments performed outside the Church have any grace-filled power.” (Archbishop Hilarion, There Is No Christianity Without the Church, p. 114, San Paulo, Brazil, 1954.).

Even the presence of healings is not a proof of the truth of the appearances. Healings might be from God, from natural causes, or if God allows, from the evil one. Sozomen, in his Ecclesiastical History (Book II, #5) writes: “The temple of Aesculapius in Aegis, a city of Cilicia, and the temple of Venus at Aphaca, near Mt. Lebanon and the river Adonis, were undermined and entirely destroyed. Both of these temples were highly honored and revered by the ancients...because those among them who were infirm in body were delivered from diseases because the demon manifested himself by night and healed them.” In the Vita Patrum of St. Gregory of Tours we read in the life of St. Friardus the Recluse, “And as they courageously persevered in prayer, the tempter appeared at night to the deacon Secundellus, taking the form of the Lord and saying to him, ‘I am Christ, to whom you pray every day. Already you are holy, and your name is written in the Book of Life. So go out from this island and perform healings among the people.’ Secundellus, taken in by this deception, left the island...and even so as soon as he laid his hand upon the sick in the name of Jesus Christ, they were healed.”

The words of Archpriest Boris Molchanov are very timely here:

“It is very important to be aware of that little-known but remarkable spiritual law by which all false and hypocritical Christianity will inevitably lead its followers to acceptance of the Antichrist or to a movement which will prepare for his appearance. In every false teaching, like in the Pharisee’s attitude towards truth, there is hidden the seeds of eternal damnation. Foolishly and in vain many people do, not accept the importance of dogma. The close union between dogma of the faith, practical, moral activity, and the struggle for salvation has been expounded on by bishop Ignatius (Brianchaninoff) and His Beatitude Metropolitan Anthony (Krapovitsky). According the teaching of the Church, there is nothing as import as confessing divinely-revealed Truth, in the work of The Word of God itself bears witness that God must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23-24). Truth is not some kind of insignificant thing, which one could relate to as one wishes. In the truth, the Spirit of Truth, Who proceeds from the Father, is present in a real way. And correspondingly, in every lie, there is present the father of lies, the devil. Therefore, a person who confesses the truth receives the Spirit of Truth; and the one who confesses a lie will necessarily assimilate the spirit of lies, the fallen spirit. Outside the one, holy Orthodox Church there are not, and there will not appear the means for recognizing the Antichrist, nor is there any grace-filled power to resist him and all his temptations (Epoch of Apostasy, Jordanville, 1976, p. 18)

We do not need heterodox apparitions to call us to repentance, prayer, and fasting. Further, these apparitions accept Roman Catholic sacraments, the papacy, encourage un-Orthodox forms of piety, and embrace false ecumenism. In our troubled times, times of subtle temptations and sublime deceptions, when false miracles, visions, and apparitions are on the increase, we Orthodox Christians should work out our salvation with fear and trembling, holding firm to our Holy Orthodox Faith and looking for guidance and inspiration to our Holy Orthodox Church alone.

From the monograph The Vatican and Russia, and Visions Outside the Church: A View of the Spiritual and Political Trends in Roman Catholicism (Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1990). Reprinted with permission. Posted on 11/12/2007.