The Blind Anastasios (+2004)

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.  

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THE BLIND ANASTASIOS (+2004)

After seventy years of life, one becomes unbeknown to this world...About his sicknesses, he would say: "If a man does not arrive at this point of decline with sickness, he could not comprehend the meaning.

After being admitted to the hospitals endless times, a short time before his death, he would say: "sickness is a good thing. It helps you not to become angry and makes us very thankful that we found ourselves at this work to glorify God, glory be to You Oh God! Billions of times glory be to You, and he would then cry...saying, Holy God. What does the sinless Christ want from us? A Christian ending to our lives. He came into the world to save sinners. We should pray to our Guardian Angel when he comes at the hour of our death to protect us from the evil spirits that they may not take us away. Oh God, save me! Oh my God, save me! Merciful One, have mercy on me Oh God! May the Holy Mother who like a mother, receive us into the pen of the sheep. And although he himself was suffering such pain, as if they were sawing off this gangrenous leg, and had also shortness of breath because of his weak heart he would pray for others. During the last days of his life, he would say: "Oh, my God, save humanity. My God, save humanity! I do not wish anything else. Give me the strength and courage to keep Your name in my heart...

He died at the Papanicolaou Hospital where he had been admitted at dawn on Monday the 30th of August, 2004 without ever losing consciousness. He asked his wife to kiss her hands for taking care of him for so long and then gave up his soul in peace.

One week before his death, he was suffering great pain from the sores on his gangrenous leg and was also having difficulty breathing because of his weak heart, yet he would not stop praying. Right up to the end, his mind was clear and he did not say anything irrational. Before he died he desired to say goodbye to his wife as if leaving on a trip. A little while later she saw him cross his hands on his chest and say: "My Holy Mother, deliver me" and she saw his face illumined. He opened once his mouth gently and his wife then saw coming out a white substance like vapor, like a wet bird, ascending high and as it would ascend higher it would progressively open its wings more until it disappeared. It was dawn on Monday, August 30th, 2004. It was on this day that he was scheduled for surgery to have his other leg amputated because of the spreading of gangrene.

A person who came to know the blessed Anastasios very well and intimately, the man of patience, of prayer, of meekness and faith in the Resurrection, said: "Whatever they do to me I will not stop saying after what I witnessed, that there is another life and that life begins after the grave." Such was the influence of the righteous life of the servant of God Anastasios on his life. What many sermons did not accomplish it was accomplished by the holy example of the enlightened and bedecked with the grace of God, Anastasios.

May the world, that staggers in the darkness of sin, have more such plain, humble, pure, enlightened people as Anastasios, "unlettered, blind, foolish to the world", so that we may be enlightened, the so-called knowledgeable and wide-eyed ones, who however suffer the sickness of unbelief and seek after the sinful and vain things of the world.

May we, my dear readers, be strengthened by this brilliant example of the faithful servant of God, Anastasios, the man of prayer, of forgiveness and of kindness, that we too may live on this earth with prudence, justice and genuine reverence to the glory of God, and become an example to our fellow men and for our salvation.  (Source: Pantokratoras)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

"Unia: The Face and the Disguise"

Martyr Varus

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

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"UNIA: THE FACE AND THE DISGUISE"
By Father George Metallinos , Professor Emeritus of the Athens University School of Theology.

Father George Metallinos examines the historical course and the significance of the religious-political entity named "Unia", that is, of the Papist communities in the Orthodox regions of Eastern Europe and the Middle East - mainly during the past four centuries - who have deceptively been observing the Orthodox liturgical rubric (sacred services, language, vestments, etc.), but have acknowledged primacy and infallibility in the person of the Pope of Rome. Professor Metallinos analyzes Unia's early link to the Papist "holy inquisition", but also the Jesuits, who has originally organized Unia as a disguised Latinism. According to Father George, Unia was -on the one hand- a factor that balanced out the damage sustained by Papism on account of the Protestant Reform form the 16th century onwards, and on the other hand, it was also a lever that elevated the Pope as a universal bishop, whose prestige is supposedly recognized not only in the West but also in the East, that is by the Uniates, who are a mere semblance of "Easterners". Unia exploited various favorable coincidences, such as the financial adversity that prevailed in various countries as well as schisms, but, par excellence, it exploited the support of Roman Catholic Governors, to impose itself en masse or even with force on Orthodox Christian populations. The strengthening of Unia was nothing short of the continuance of the Papacy's medieval struggle for dominance (investiture Controversy), for the implementation also a political and not only ecclesiastic authority by Rome. It was the Pope's oppression of the Orthodox Christians through Unia that made the Orthodox of Eastern Europe turn to Russia during World War II - the same time during which the Uniates were collaborating with the German Nazis.

The Professor of Ecclesiastic History especially focuses on the emergence of Unia in the region of Greece and the reaction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Church of Greece, as well as - for example - the successful proselytism to Unia of the destitute Asia Minor refugees, through Uniate "philanthropy". The upgraded (with Cardinals) status of Unia by the Vatican, both in the Ukraine and the broader area during the last decades, but also the Vatican's stance on the ethnic and ecclesiastic subject of Skopje's pseudo "Macedonia" and the wars of former Jugoslavi, prove that the problem of Unia is not one of the past. The Vatican's persistence in preserving and strengthening Unia despite the reactions of the Orthodox, but also of many important Papist personages - and in spite of the damage to the ecumenist "dialogue of love" - proves that Unia continues to this day to be extremely precious to the Vatican, for the salvaging of its crumbled moral status and also for the weakening of Orthodox peoples, States and alliances (the current events in the Ukraine are most revealing).

Finally, Professor George Metallinos analyzes the soteriological repercussions of Unia's activity, given that by maintaining all the heretic dogmas of Papism - dogmas that were condemned by Ecumenical Councils - Unia is deemed detrimental to the prerequisites for in-Christ salvation. The matter of Unia is no longer a hiero-canonical one, as were the instances of Rome's encroachment over a thousand years ago in the jurisdiction of Eastern Orthodox Patriarchates; it is primarily an ecclesiological problem and should be considered as a reason for the revision and redefinition of the theological dialogue of the Orthodox with an uncompromising and aggressive Rome. The text is also flanked by significant, related, pan-Orthodox documents. (Source: UNIA: The face and the Disguise (New Edition) by Protopresbyter Fr. George Metallinos, Professor Emeritus of the Athens University School of Theology)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Our Place in the World and the Hope of the World (Part II)

Saint Luke the Evangelist

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

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OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD AND THE HOPE OF THE WORLD (Part II)
By Father Anthony Alevizopoulos, PhD. of Theology and PhD. of Philosophy

The Orthodox Christian believer knows that man after the Fall ceased to offer creation up to God as a doxology, i.e., to practice his priestly duties vis-a-vis creation; it was he who led creation into servitude to corruption. Within the Church, however, he acquires the experience of freedom from this servitude. With this experience, he is now called to return to the world with the assurity of the transfiguration and salvation of the entire creation. Having once again acquired within the liturgical place his correct relationship with creation and his correct place within it, he is called to practice his service as priest of the world.

This transfiguration of man and creation in the Church is still not yet the "new heavens" and the "new earth". These will become a reality during Christ's Second Coming. Thus it is the Christian hope is "not of this world". Every chiliastic-messianic concept which looks to an establishment of an earthly kingdom and the creation of Paradise on earth is foreign to the spirit of Christ.

Christians respect the authorities of the world and submit themselves to human laws which do not go against their Christian hope (Romans 13:1-8; Acts 3:30). They do not preach a "gospel" conforming to the aspirations and the aims of this world. This is the saving message of the Church to a world which has an exclusively inter-secular character and can discern no other vertical dimension in its life. It is for this reason that Orthodox Christian Monasticism with its Ascetical character and Heavenly orientation offers to our society a great service. It shows to contemporary man, who is exclusively orientated towards the horizontal dimension, the vertical dimension which is at the center of Monastic life.

The monks thus constitute the indicators of the reality of heaven, which man who lives in the world cannot easily grasp. Monasticism opens the way to the absolute experience of life in Christ: a way of asceticism and obedience which is followed throughout one's life without ending; a way which is at the same time dangerous for those who fail to remain humble and steadfast in love that "seeks not its own". This life of the Monastic constitutes a continuous vocation to contemporary man's disposition and an excellent prefiguration of the future life.

We believe that after their separation from the body the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God (Wisdom of Solomon, 3:1) and they await the resurrection of the bodies, so that they may "totally" become partakers in God's love and glory. On the contrary, the souls of the unrighteous who in their lives rejected God's love and communion with Him and with the brethren, and who had as the only center of reference their "ego", are deprived of this love, for their egoism does not allow them to accept it.

Christ's Second Coming will signal the General Resurrection; our bodies will be clothed with incorruption and immortality. The righteous shall be raised unto life, the unrighteous unto condemnation. This will be the General Judgment of the world; God's love will judge man in accordance with the position he assumes towards it, i.e., whether he accepts it or rejects it.

The Lord desires the salvation of all men and their return to their true homeland: to the love and communion with the Triune God. This we call Paradise. By this word, we do not mean a material but a spiritual reality. Holy Scripture compares this communion to the relationship between the Bridegroom and the Bride, and their union is compared to marriage (Revelation 19:7).  

The sons of the Kingdom shall be eternally united with Christ and shall henceforth absolutely live the condition of being "one in Christ"; then shall we be in Him participators by grace of His unity with the Father ("I in My Father and you in Me" (Saint John 14:20). All who live in this life closed up within themselves, all those who do not rejoice in seeing the face of their brother shall be deprived of this joy. They of their own accord have chosen their eternal torment.

Christ's Second Coming if for the faithful the fulfillment of their hope, just as is the arrival of the Bridegroom for the Bride. This is why the preparation for the reception of the coming of Christ constitutes the chief concern of this life.

But when shall the Lord come? Christians do not concern themselves in pinpointing a specific date. They are vigilant and take care to be ready at every moment, for the Lord will come suddenly when we do not expect Him (Saint Matthew 24:13.33; Acts 1:7). The Lord Himself warns us to protect ourselves from false prophets who will be workers of guile and treachery. Outwardly they shall appear in the guise of Christ or in the form of an angel (St. Matthew 24: 4-5; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Their teaching shall not be identical with that of Christ; thus the knowledge of the only real truth of Christ is necessary in order to avoid error and deceit.  (Source: The Monastery)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

Our Place in the World and the Hope of the World

Prophet Hosea

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

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OUR PLACE IN THE WORLD AND THE HOPE OF THE WORLD
By Father Anthony Alevizopoulos, PhD. of Theology, PhD. of Philosophy

The entire world is God's creation and therefore it is by nature good; evil does not have an ontological existence. Natural evil is the result of discord which was created after man's fall; even death is a means of educating man in order to lead him back to communion with God. Moral evil, sin, does not have its cause in man's nature, but in man's disposition.

Through man's fall, all of nature was dragged into servitude to corruption. God, however, in the Person of His Incarnate Logos or Word entered into the reality of the world and renewed it. By His death, Resurrection and Ascension, He led man, whom He had assumed, to the life of incorruption and immortality; and He exalted him to the height of the glory of God and Father.

This glory, which during the Second Coming of our Lord shall become our possession, is prefigured in the life of the Church, and especially in the life of the Saints. The bodies of the Saints, the sacred relics, are surrounded by the sanctifying grace of God and become a source of divine blessings and miracles (IV Kings 13:21; Wisdom of Sirach 18:14). The grace, honor and glory which man's transfiguration and that of all creation. This same grace surrounds the Saints even during this life and can be discerned in some as a warmth, in others as light, or through various miraculous energies, which are blessings for man. Even material objects in the life of the Church bear God's grace.

The presence of God's grace and glory of man and in material creation prefigures the liberation of all of creation from servitude to corruption and guarantees the certainty of our hope in life and incorruption. The world's sanctification was also wrought in the Jordan River during our Lord's Baptism. The hymns of our Church on the day of Epiphany and the prayers of the Great Sanctification of the Waters reveal the new reality of the world: "Today the earth and the sea share in the world's joy and the world is filled with gladness", states the prayer of Saint Sophronios of Jerusalem.

Christ hallowed the waters of the Jordan, the banks of the river and all of creation: "You, O Lord, being baptized in the Jordan did sanctify its waters"; "having hallowed the waters of the Jordan You did crush the power of sin"; "Today creation is enlightened; today all things rejoice, the heavenly together with the earthly", states the hymnology of our Church.

Through the participation of the material creation in the Divine worship of the Church and in the praise and doxology of God the hope of incorruption is expressed. In the Divine Liturgy all of creation is taken on and become a new creation in Christ. It is the bread and wine that becomes the Body and Blood of Christ, the candles, the icons, the Holy Cross; and all material objects participate in some way in the Divine Liturgy. The water, the oil, the incense, the palms, the flowers, and even the new harvest of the crops of the earth are blessed, and the whole world regains that which it lost through man's fall: internal unity, the correct relationship with god, which is an Eucharistic relationship, a relationship of offering in which all things are referred up and offered to god, Who becomes once again the center of the world.

The unity of the entire creation which offers up "with one mouth" doxology to the Triune God is expressed at the end of the prayer for the Great Blessing of the Waters: "...that with the elements, and men and angels and with all things visible and invisible they may magnify Thy most Holy Name, together with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen." Man thus forsakes his autonomy and his egoistic use of God's creation; he once again finds his correct place in the world and his "royal" and "priestly" ministry (Genesis 1: 28. 2:15).

The Christian does not reject the world, nor does he consider it to be something negative. He is not called to abandon the world, but to serve or liturgize in it. Christ wants his faithful to be in the world; to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world" (Saint Matthew 5:13-14). If our world is "tasteless and unsalted" and in darkness, if it follows a process of disintegration, then this means that Christians do not serve "as the salt of the earth" and the "light of the world". We must not then look for the cause of the world's misfortune in others.

This place that the Christian hold in the world implies responsibility for the preservation and the sanctification of God's creation, a task which stems from the service which God instructed to man in Paradise ("...to cultivate and preserve", Genesis 2:15). A Christian cannot be indifferent to the world's problems; he must labor to bring the world once again back to its doxological relationship with God. This means that the use of the world cannot have as it center the satisfaction of man's ego and the "needs" which man constantly creates.

The true believer does not attribute absolute and exclusive value to the needs of this life nor to man's abilities. He does not intervene in God's creation in an autonomous way, independent of God's Will, and egocentrically; he feels that he is responsible for creation. He does not seek knowledge and use of God's creation "unconditionally". The faithful does not use the power of the world in a manner not blessed by God and contrary to the balance and harmony in creation and to the unity of God's world. (Source: The Monastery)

(To be continued)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+ Father George

A Self-Examination for Mystery of Holy Repentance/Confession (Part II)

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

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A SELF EXAMINATION FOR THE MYSTERY OF HOLY REPENTANCE/CONFESSION (Part II )

The Institution of the Mystery (Sacrament) of Repentance/ Confession

The Lord instituted the Mystery (Sacrament) of Repentance/Confession after His Resurrection, when, having appeared to His Disciples who, except for Saint Thomas, were gathered together, He solemnly said to them: "Peace be unto you...And when He had said this, He breathed to them, and saith unto them: Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained" (St. John 2);21-23).  

Priests are only the visible instruments at the performance of the Mystery, which is performed invisibly through them by God Himself. Saint John Chrysostom, having in mind the Divine institution of the authority of the priests of the Church to loose and bind, says: "The priests decree below, God confirms above, and the Master agrees with the opinion of His slaves (δούλοι). The priest is here the instrument of God's mercy and remits sins not on his own authority, but in the name of the Holy Trinity.

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Eighth Commandment: "Thou shall not steal."

* Have I stolen anything, or wished to do so?
* Have I kept anything that did not belong to me?
* Have I tried honestly to find owners of lost articles that I have found?
* Have I cheated anyone?
* Have I paid my debts?
* Have I lived within the means of my income?
* Have been wasteful and extravagant?
* Have I given to charitable causes in proportion with my means?
* Have I been honest and upright?

Ninth Commandment: "Thou shall bear false witness against thy neighbor."

* Have I told lies, or added or subtracted from the truth?
* Have I made careless statements or spoken evil of anyone?
* Have I told any secrets entrusted to me, or betrayed anyone?
* Have I gossiped about anyone, or harmed their reputation?
* Have I concealed the truth, or assisted in carrying out a lie?
* Have I pretended to commit a sin of which I was not guilty?
* Have I tried to see the good in others, rather than their shortcomings?

Tenth Commandment: "Thou shall not covet."

* Have I envied anything good that has come to others?
* Have I been jealous of another's good fortune?
* Have I wished for anything that was another's?
* Have I damaged or destroyed the property of others?
* Have I wished for things that God has not given me?
* Have I been contented with my lot?
* Have I been stingy?
* Have I held back anything due to another?
* Have I hoped for the downfall of anyone so that I may gain by it?
* Have I failed to be gracious and generous to anyone?
* Have I expected God to give me something that I would refuse to give a brother or sister in Christ?

PRAYER OF REPENTANCE

O Lord Our God, Good and Merciful, I acknowledge all of the sins which I have committed every day of my life, in thought, word, and deed; in body and soul alike. I am heartily sorry that I have ever offended You, and I sincerely repent. With tears I humbly pray to You, O Lord, of Your mercy forgive me all of my past transgressions and absolve me from them. I firmly resolve with the help of Your grace to amend my way of life and to sin no more, that I may walk in the way of righteousness and offer praise and glory to the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Amen.

ON REPENTANCE

"Every sin that is left without repentance is a sin unto death, for which if even a Saint shall pray, he shall not be heard" (St. Mark the Ascetic).

"God will cleanse your sins if you yourself are dissatisfied with yourself  and will keep on changing until you are perfect" (St. Augustine).

"If someone falls into any sin and is not sincerely grieved about it, it is easy for him to fall into the same thing again" (St. Mark the Ascetic).

"The Lord greatly loves the repenting sinner and mercifully presses him to His bosom: "Where were you, My child? I was waiting a long time for you." The Lord calls all to Himself with the voice of the Gospel, and his voice is heard in all the world: "Come to Me, my sheep. I created you, and I love you.  My love for you brought Me to earth, and I suffered all things for the sake of your salvation, and I want you all to know my love, and to say, like the Apostles on Tabor: "Lord, it is good for us to be with You." (Saint Silouan the Athonite)

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With agape,

+Father George

Genuine and False Experiences of the Grace of God

Martyr Longinus the Centurion, who stood at the Cross of the Lord

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

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GENUINE AND FALSE EXPERIENCES OF THE GRACE OF GOD (Part III)
By Archimandrite George of the Holy Monastery of  Gregoriou- Mount Athos

False Experiences of the Grace of God (continued)

A young man who had become a monk at the Holy Mountain after first becoming involved in Hindu Yoga (you should know that there are approximately 500 Hindu heresies in Greece), described to me what experiences they strive for in there. Whenever they desired to see light, they would rub their eyes until they could see little stars. Whenever the desired to hear unusual sounds they applied some sort of pressure on their ears so that they could create sounds.

Similar psychological experiences that are produced artificially, are attributed by some heretics to the Holy Spirit.

Other experiences in heretic gatherings are not only psychological. They could also be demonic. The devil manipulates the seeking of such experiences by some people and presents them with various "signs" that are not from God but from them; i.e., diabolical. These people cannot understand that they allow themselves to become victims of the Devil. They actually believe such "signs" to be heavenly and brought by the Holy Spirit. The Devil can also give them some prophetic abilities, the way he does to the various "mediums" and "psychics". The Lord has however forewarned us: "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (St. Matthew 24:24). They won't merely perform miracles and wonders, or scary signs: just like the Antichrist, who will not do bad things when he comes. He will perform good deeds, heal the sick and various other impressive things that will deceive people, if possible even the elect, so that they will acknowledge him as a savior and follow him.

That is why we must be careful. Everyone who can perform signs and prophesies is not always from God. Again as the Lord says: "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practiced lawlessness!" (St. Matthew 7:22-23).

I knew a young man who was led astray by occult and Pentecostal heresies, who admitted that the various experiences they had when they were members of these heresies, were obviously diabolical.

A former Pentecostal man for example admitted that during the Pentecostal gatherings when some "prophetess" would utter a "prophecy' he could feel a disturbing demonic presence and that when he tried to say the prayer, 'Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me the sinner", the "speaking in tongues" would again begin, and would drown out his attempt and impede him from saying the prayer.

Given that the devil can transform himself into an angel of light, we must be careful with experiences. The holy Apostle John advises us "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God" (1 John 4:1). Not all the spirits are from God. Those who have the Apostle Paul's gift of discernment of spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10) can discern if the spirits are from God or from the devil. The Confessors of the Church have this gift. That is why when we have such problems we must see out our Father Confessor and he will determine the source of every experience.

Even Monastics can be deceived. We have had cases at the Holy Mountain where monks were deceived by such experiences. For example, an angel appeared to a monk - which was in fact the devil - and told him "Come to the peak of Athos, so I can show you great miracles". He guided him there and he would have fallen off the precipice, had he not invoked Divine help. He made the mistake of believing that the vision was from God when he shouldn't have. Monastics know that when they have a vision, they must tell it to their Geronda (Elder) and he will tell them if it is from God or from the demons. Where there is pride, deceit is very possible.

Every Saint of our Church is a Spirit-bearing man or woman, full of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In this very critical time, any Orthodox Christian who perseveres in his Orthodox faith in Christ, will receive great blessings and great rewards from our Holy God. And this is because in this evil and corrupt time he was not led astray by contemporary idolatry and false gods, nor did he bend a knee to them, but remained steadfast and immovable in Our Orthodox Faith.

We wish therefore that no Orthodox Christian become a traitor, a Judas and apostate of our Holy Orthodox faith. May all those who were led astray by the Evil One due to their ignorance into deceits and heresies, be illumined by God and return to our Holy Orthodox Christian faith, so that they may have the hope of salvation.

We may all be sinners but when we are within our Holy Orthodox Church we have the hope of salvation. On the contrary, even if were "righteous" outside the bosom of the Church, we have no hope of salvation. All of us who are within the Church shall repent, shall confess, shall be forgiven and God will have mercy on us. Outside the Church who will save us? What Holy Spirit will forgive our sins and which Church will intercede after our death for our souls? Therefore, any Orthodox Christian who dies Orthodox should know he/she has a hope of salvation. However, anyone who departs from the Church, even if he believes he had done good works, has no hope of salvation.

For this, our brothers, let us remain within our Orthodox Church, faithful and immovable, with a holy stubbornness on our part so that we may all have, with the grace of God and the blessing of the Theotokos hope for our salvation.  (Source: Pantokratoras)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George