Entitlement Mentality

My syndiakonoi (co-workers) in our Risen Lord,
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

"Once one realizes they are entitled to nothing, they become grateful for everything."

Who is considered to be a healthy church member? And who is considered to be the opposite of a healthy church member?

For decades many Orthodox laity felt that they were entitled church members. He or she understood the church as a secular organization that doles out benefits somewhat like a country club. The church, therefore, exists for the members rather than the members serving sacrificially as the Body of Christ as Saint Paul writes to the Corinthians: "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many...that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually" (1 Corinthians 12).

There is no such thing as an "individual" Christian. Being "knit together in love" (Col. 2:2), we are called in Christ to "suffer" together, be honored together and rejoice together. The purpose of spiritual gifts is the growth of the whole Church. "A charism is a gift of the Holy Spirit given for the benefit of others. But no person possesses all the gifts" (Saint Basil the Great). Every member of Christ's Body is important to the overall life and work of the Church.

What are some of the negative consequences of this entitlement mentality?

1. More conflicts and church fights. When church members have an entitlement mentality, they get angry when they don't get their way. It thus leads to conflict and even church fights.

2. Priest and staff perceived to be hired hands. Forget the idea of the priest/shepherd teaching the saints (Christians) to serve in Christ's diakonia (ministry). Entitled members view the priest to be as hired by them for a 'specific' purpose i.e., to conduct the Divine Liturgy, Sacraments, funerals, etc. and someone who can be fired by them if dissatisfied with his performance according to them. And as an employee of the parish he has no opinion on the direction of the church, that is only their prerogative, after all they "pay his salary."

3. Keeps the focus off the Holy Mission of the Church. Christ is dethroned and replaced by certain politically powerful members of the parish council.

4. Creates unhealthy alliances. Entitled parish members often form alliances with other parish members of similar unhealthy mindsets. They are called cliques and power groups. They can be members of an extended family, i.e., koumbaroi, cousins, in-laws, etc, or can be a diverse group of members simply determined to get their own way.

5. Stewardship manipulation. The money given to the church is not done so with open hands. It has string or conditions attached, and those strings will jerk the money or even volunteering work back the moment entitled church members do not get their way.

6. Turns the church facility into a shrine. When members insist on getting their way, the church facility becomes an object of their own desires. The fight could be over a color of paint or carpet, insignificant errors in financial reports, of personal interpretations of the Uniform Regulations of the Archdiocese, etc. The sad possibilities are endless.

Orthodox Christianity, the Authentic Church is founded by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the only Head of the Church. God the Holy Spirit nurtures and guides His Church. Millions of Christian believers have sacrificed their life for Christ and the Church over 2,000 years. The Church is Christ. There is no one that can change either the character, course, or the mission of the Church in the world. Jesus Himself assures us that "I will built My Church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (St. Matthew 16:18).

I ask all of you to be humble and obedient to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to His Holy Church.

In His Divine Diakonia,

+Father George

Stewardship - A Way of Life

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ,
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

+

STEWARDSHIP- A WAY OF LIFE

"Stewards of the Faith. All Things are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ."

The Church belongs to each of us. It is our second home. It is a place to come together to learn the teachings of Jesus Christ and enjoy Orthodox Christian fellowship. In order to sustain a place of worship, we are obliged to fulfill certain needs, both functional and financial. The Church requires the time, talents and treasures of all members of the church to function successfully. 

Orthodox Christian Stewardship is a way of life, which acknowledges accountability, reverence, and responsibility before God. Stewardship begins when we believe in God, To Whom we give our live, loyalty and trust and act on those beliefs. As stewards, we affirm that every aspect of our lives comes as a gift from Him. Stewardship calls on the faithful to cheerfully offer back to God a portion of the gifts with which they have been blessed.

An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Christian Faith to become practicing stewards. Each year the Steward is expected to carefully review his or her personal circumstances and make a commitment of Time, Talent and Treasure to the support the parish and her ministries.

In order to be a "member in good standing" of Saint Andrew, each person or family must make a financial commitment (pledge) to the church on an annual basis. Your pledge amount should be prayerfully considered remembering that yes it does go to operating expenses of our church first, as it should.

Stewardship, therefore, also includes volunteering to serve on church committees, helping to organize and execute church functions, singing in the Chorus, teaching in the parish Church School, assisting working at the only major fundraising event of the parish, the annual parish festival. It is engagement in the total life of the church.

What makes you a parishioner in good standing? "Any person, 18 years of age or older, who was baptized according to the holy rites of the Orthodox Church, or who was received into the Church through baptism or Chrismation, who lives according to the faith and holy canons of the Church, who has met his or her stewardship obligation (part of which to meet his or her stewardship financial obligation to the Parish) and abides by the regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the by-laws of the parish.

To be in good standing you must practice your Orthodox Christian faith and be committed to Christ Our Lord and His Holy Church:

(1) by frequent worshiping

(2) by pledging to the church and fulfilling your stewardship, and

(3) living by the Holy Canons of the Church.

In other words, you should be active in the life of Saint Andrew.

The Parish Dependency on the Annual Parish Festival

For 44 years the parish of Saint Andrew has dependent on the success of the annual Greek festival to meet its financial obligations and operating cost for the year. By strengthening the Parish Stewardship it will eliminate this dependency on the Greek Festival revenue and other fundraisers to meet operating needs. Funds raised from these events may then be used for the upgrades to our Parish facility, and philanthropic efforts.  

I would even go as far as to say any kind of dependency becomes eventually an addiction. Unfortunately, festivals have become truly an addiction for most of the Greek Orthodox parishes throughout the Archdiocese. One of our parishioners had said that by having and depending on people outside the church to fund the operating expenses of the church that we become "a welfare church." The responsibility of having a church falls squarely on the shoulders of every Orthodox Christian and family.

I find it most alarming when it is reported by the Stewardship Committed how very few young adults over the age of 18 are contributing anything to their church. Stewardship does not require a minimum and therefore everyone 18 years and older can afford to give something towards the parish church. These same young adults will want the church in the near future for a wedding, a baptism of their children and in case someone needs a priest to have a priest to serve their other needs. Must they wait until that day comes around to give something to the parish? When they spend thousands of dollars for their personal needs.

In other religions when the young people reach the age of 18 they are required to serve on missions for two years in far away countries. If they have a profession then to offer their professional expertise or skills, i.e., electrician, plumbing, teaching, etc, free of charge to their local parish.  

Complacency of the members of the local parish is destructive and dangerous. If you say that you love Saint Andrew and have been served by Saint Andrew all of your life than it is only right that you support Saint Andrew spiritually and materially. Remember what Saint John the Evangelist and Theologian said: "My little children, let us not love in words or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

In Christ's Service,

+Father George

What Makes an Orthodox Church a Spiritually healthy, Vibrant and Growing Community?

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,

CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE RISEN!

+++

WHAT MAKES AN ORTHODOX CHURCH SPIRITUALLY, VIBRANT AND GROWING COMMUNITY?

As Orthodox Christians, we believe that "the goal of the Christian life is the acquisition of the grace of the Holy Spirit" (St. Seraphim of Sarov). Our Holy Tradition teaches that man is created to participate in the life of God. Man is a spiritual being and the true meaning of human existence. According to our Holy Tradition, God grants to man "through grace" that which belongs to Himself "by nature. i.e., Divine Life. Man was created to be a vessel of Divine grace.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ teach us that agape (love) is the true mark of a genuine disciple, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another" (St. John 13:34-35). "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 John 4:7-9). "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this, we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments" (1 John 5:1-2). Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, are those who live in the way Christ commanded, who love others.

Man is created in the image and likeness of God. The spiritual goal of the Orthodox Christian believer is to attain moral and spiritual perfection through participation in the Divine uncreated energies. Man was created, according to the Holy Fathers of the Church with the potential to achieve perfection through grace. The ultimate purpose of man is to become perfect in God, through agape (love). That is, to attain perfect, selfless agape of God and one's fellow man.

The Orthodox Christians of the local parish who are willing to be obedient to our Lord are called to a life in Christ, that is, a Christ-centered life, a Christ-like life. The genuine spirituality of the Orthodox Christian believer is portrayed as a life in Christ, a life of obedience, of true commitment to the Lord, and complete submission to His will. The authentic Christian lives only to do everything for Christ's sake and glory, as Christ wants it and as Christ would do it.

Our divine worship is Christ-centered and Christ is manifested in the divine Eucharist offered to everyone who comes to receive Him "with fear of God, with faith and love draw near." In the Mysteries (Sacraments), we receive divine grace, and in the case of the divine Eucharist, Christ Himself, who aids us in waging war successfully against the satanic powers. All Orthodox Christian rites and Mysteries are meant to combat the power of the Evil One. Thy Mysteriaki (Sacramental) life of the Orthodox Church is the principle means toward the attainment of spirituality, of healing, and of the ultimate salvation.

Our church is a hospital and the Physician is the "Physician of our souls and bodies" Jesus Christ Himself. The antidote to the poison from the 'serpent', evil one, is the Eucharist. There is no one who has not been bitten from the 'serpent' and who does not need the cure which only our Lord can provide. The Mystery of the Holy Eucharist is the preeminent means for our salvation and spiritual perfection. In receiving Holy Communion, we not only participate in Christ Jesus, but we also unite with Him.

As long as we do not lose sight of Christ and His Divine Commandments we will grow in Him. The Holy Eucharist unites us to Christ and to one another. This is the makeup of the Mystical Body of Christ: The Holy Church. This concept of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ is the very essence of our Holy Orthodox Christian Tradition because it expresses the reality of Christ in the world and the unity of the Church, which is real only when our Lord is the central figure.

A spiritually healthy Orthodox Christian parish is one which abides in the commandments of Jesus Christ and which loves and serves Him unconditionally. It is one where love prevails in everything that we think and do. "Now by this, we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this, we know that we are in Him" (1 John 2:3-4). Saint John writes, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18).

___________________

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

+++

With sincere agape in Divine Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

"Be Holy, For I Am Holy" (1 Peter 1:16)

Venerable Isaac the Founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at Constantinople

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

+++

"BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY" [1 Peter 1:16]

By Geronda [Elder] Dionisie of Colciu, from "Familia Orthodoxa," May 2017.

Sure, the Church has all sorts of prayers for the fulfillment of all of one's needs. But in each one of us, as persons, in our souls and our thoughts can be installed a prayer that is small enough, yet very powerful: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner", the propensity to sin is chased out from your thoughts and ideas, and Christ dwells in your heart.

The goodness of God helps us as many times as we run to Him and cry out, "Lord, I pray to You, help me!" At that second, the grace of the Holy Spirit comes and helps you. But we should request, as the Holy Fathers tell us, with humble-mindedness. We should consider ourselves to be sinners before God, that we are not worthy of help: "Lord, You Who descended from the Holy Trinity and took on a human body in order to deliver us from evil, I pray to You, help me!" When we do so with humble-mindedness, it is rendered impossible for God to not help you, nor under any pretext whatsoever.

But we are indifferent: "Eh, Lord, help me...Eh, if You want, You can help me, but if not, it doesn't matter." No! We should consider ourselves to be as we really are, unworthy. You see what the Lord says: "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). But look, we constantly make mistakes, that is why we can never expect that we are worthy for Him to help us. Not so, as we continuously trample upon the will of God, willingly and unwillingly. It is such that, if we request with meekness and with humble-mindedness the help of God, at that second the grace of the Holy Spirit helps us. Oh! May God help us.

You Need To Show Spiritual Manliness

From childhood, our minds turn toward the bad, the unclean, but more so they are led toward the bad by the Tempter (Evil One). Because this is his weapon, in order to ruin our minds. But we need to show spiritual manliness. As much as we can, we should fight, we should not receive unclean thoughts (logismoi). Do you see? "From my youth passions have warred against me," as the Antiphon says. Many passions. "But You Yourself help me"--we pray to God to help us, and with the help of God we will all be victors. For God help us, since the Savior tells us thus: "For apart from me you can do nothing" (St. John 15:5).

That is why we must always, for whatever we request, we must request it with humility. God accounts the humble-minded person closer to Him, and He prizes humility more than any other virtue or good deed which you may have. If you request from God, whatever you request of Him with humility, it is not possible for God to not listen to you. He listens to you, He fulfills your wish, but you need to request it with humility.

Whatever happens, realize first that it is from God, because that's how it is, this is the truth. Since God wants it, we are at this moment here and we are speaking to each other, and we were at the church...but if God does not want it...That is why "Without Me." without God we cannot do anything.

However, we ought to know this thing, because if we know it, from now on, with humble-mindedness whatever we request from God, we will receive. What does the Lord say? Whatever your request from God, request it, but you must believe, you should be convinced that God will fulfill your wish. But if you say, "Give, O Lord, such-and-such," and you see that He did not give it to you, you begin to grumble: "Eh, God does not listen to me..." No! Hold on tight and constantly consider yourself unworthy.

Many times, God delays in fulfilling your wish because it is not beneficial for you; there is no other reason for non-fulfillment of your wish other than that it is not beneficial. Yet at other times God wants to try you more. It is thus with God. You need to show spiritual manliness then. It's not that the Tempter now comes and puts his bell to your ears, with all kinds of his misfortunes, and we should listen to him. No! Go forth with God, only with god and never the tempter.

Be Humble-Minded

"He who endures to the end will be saved" (St. Matthew 10:22). You need patience. Humble-mindedness. Well yes, if we would have these three spiritual gifts--obedience, cutting off or personal will and ego, and humble-mindedness--we would count everything as good. Even if you were to be beaten all day long, or to have your heart poisoned by some words if we had all three of these gifts, which the Holy Fathers counsel, we would consider everything to be good. However, if we do not have them...we then focus and chase exclusively our own desires. "Well, my will is good! Look at what He did, He made a mistake! He didn't go the right way."

Thus, if you decide to be obedient to whatever they would tell you, to cut off your will, and to never do what you want, then you are covered by the grace of the Holy Spirit, instantly. Yes. And afterward, you should be humble-minded. Humble-mindedness, that is to say, you should always consider yourself to be inferior to everyone else.

"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!"

As much as you can, you should always pray. If you cannot read, you should constantly say in your soul and in your mind and in your heart: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." It is a very small prayer, but it has the greatest strength so that the Great Saints gave up all their philosophical books and drew near to this prayer which is small, yet mighty in power.

For the one which has this prayer, even if he stops to speak with someone, the prayer works in his mind the entire time. This is a fearful thing, a divine work. He goes, does, mends, without letting the prayer stop...That is why the Holy Books say that in normal times there were men who lived in royal palaces and nevertheless possessed the noetic prayer. Irrespective of the turmoil that was likely there and the countless distractions and temptations, these men attained and maintained their godliness.

And this is exactly how you should speak and live the rest of your lives. Since your obligation is to always "pray unceasingly," you should continuously maintain the Jesus prayer! You must do so without pondering whether you will eventually acquire the noetic prayer or not. And when the thought comes to you to slander someone, repeat, "Lord Jesus Christ...;when some defiled thought comes, say Lord Jesus Christ...The mouth and mind should always be accustomed to saying, Lord Jesus Christ...., and slowly, without realizing it, God shall descend His grace upon you. (Source: Orthodox Heritage)

_____________

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

+++

With sincere agape in His Divine Resurrection,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Fall of Constantinople - May 29, 1453 (Part II)

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

+++

THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE ON MAY 29, 1453 (Part II)

After the sack of Constantinople, many feared other European Christian kingdoms would suffer the same fate as Constantinople. Two possible responses emerged amongst the humanists and churchmen of that era: Crusade or dialogue. Pope Pius II strongly advocated for another Crusade, while Nicholas of Cusa supported engaging in a dialogue with the Ottomans.

The Morean (Peloponnesian) fortress of Mystras, where Constantine's brothers Thomas and Demetrius ruled, were constantly in conflict with each other and knowing that Mehmed would eventually invade them as well, held out until 1460. Long before the Fall of Constantinople, Demetrius had fought for the throne with Thomas, Constantine, and their other brothers John and Theodore. Thomas escaped to Rome when the Ottomans invaded Morea while Demetrius expected to rule a puppet state, but instead was imprisoned and remained there for the rest of his life. In Rome, Thomas and his family received some monetary support from the Pope and other Western rulers as Byzantine emperor in exile, until 1503. In 1461 the independent Byzantine state in Trebizond fell to Mehmed.

Constantine XI had died without producing an heir and had Constantinople not fallen, he likely would have been succeeded by the sons of his deceased elder brother, who were taken into the palace service of Mehmed after the fall of Constantinople. The oldest boy, renamed to Murad, became a personal favorite of Mehmed and served as Beylerbey (Governor-General) of Rumeli (the Balkans). The younger son, renamed Mesih Pasha, became Admiral of the Ottoman fleet and Sancak Beg (Governor) of the Province of Gallipoli. He eventually served twice as Grand Vizier under Mehmed's son, Bayezid II.

With the capture of Constantinople, Mehmed II had acquired the "natural" capital of its kingdom, albeit one in decline due to years of war. The loss of the city was a crippling blow to Christendom, and it exposed the Christian West to a vigorous and aggressive foe in the East. The Christian re-conquest of Constantinople remained a goal in Western Europe for many years after its fall to the House of Osman. Rumors of Constantine XI's survival and subsequent rescue by an Angel led many to hope that the city would one day return to Christian hands. Pope Nicholas V called for an immediate counter-attack in the form of Crusade. When no European monarch was willing to lead the Crusade, the Pope himself decided to go, but his early death stopped this plan. As Western Europe entered the 16th century, the age of Crusading began to come to an end.

Third Rome

Byzantium is a term used by modern historians to refer to the later Roman Empire. In its own time, the Empire ruled from Constantinople (or "New Rome" as some people call it, although this was a laudatory expression that was never an official title) was considered simply as "the Roman Empire". The fall of Constantinople led competing factions to lay claim to being the inheritors of the Imperial mantle. Russian claims to Byzantine heritage clashed with those of the Ottoman Empire's own claim. In Mehmed's view, he was the successor to the Roman Emperor, declaring himself Kayser-i Rum, literally "Caesar of Rome", that is, of the Roman Empire, though he was remembered as "the Conqueror". He founded a political system that survived until 1922 with the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.

Stefan Dusan, Tsar of Serbia, and Ivan Alexander, Tsar of Bulgaria both made similar claims, regarding themselves as legitimate heirs of the Roman Empire. Other potential claimants, such as the Republic of Venice and the Holy Roman Empire have disintegrated into history.

(To be continued)

+Father George

The Fall of Constantinople - May 29, 1453

My beloved spiritual children in Our Risen Lord Jesus Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN!

+++

THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE MAY 29th 1453

The Fall of Constantinople (Greek: 'Αλωσις τής Κωνσταντινουπόλεως) was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire by an invading Ottoman army on 29 May 1453. Our Holy Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the anniversary of this event which sent shock waves throughout Christendom. The attackers were commanded by the 21-year old Sultan Mehmed II, who defeated an army commanded by Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos and took control of the imperial capital, ending a 53-day siege that began on 6 April 1453. After conquering the city, Sultan Mehmed transferred the capital of the Ottoman State from Edirne to Constantinople and established his court there.

The capture of the city marked the end of the Orthodox Byzantine Empire, a continuation of the Roman Empire, an imperial state dating to 27 BC, which had lasted for nearly 1,500 the years. The conquest of Constantinople also dealt a massive blow to the defense of mainland Europe, as the Muslim Ottoman armies thereafter were left unchecked to advance into Europe without an adversary to their rear.

It was also a watershed moment in military history. Since ancient times, cities had used ramparts and city walls to protect themselves from invaders, and Constantinople's substantial fortifications had been a model followed by cities throughout the Mediterranean region and Europe. The Ottomans ultimately prevailed due to the use of gunpowder (which powered formidable cannons).

The army defending Constantinople was relatively small, totaling about 7,000 men. At the onset of the siege, probably fewer than 50,000 people were living within the walls. The Ottomans had a much larger force. Recent studies and Ottoman archival date state that there were about 50,000-80,000 Ottoman soldiers including between 5,000 and 10,000 Janissaries (Γενίτσαροι).

The Ottoman army had made several frontal assaults on the land wall of Constantinople but was always repelled with heavy losses. On 21 May, Mehmed sent an ambassador to Constantinople and offered to lift the siege if they gave him the city. He promised he would allow the Emperor and any other inhabitants to leave with their possessions. Moreover, he would recognize the Emperor as governor of the Peloponnese. Lastly, he guaranteed the safety of the population that might choose to remain in the city. Constantine XI only agreed to pay higher tributes to the sultan and recognized the status of all the conquered castles and lands in the hands of the Turks as Ottoman possession.

"Giving you though the city depends neither on me nor on anyone else among its inhabitants; as we have all decided to die with our own free will and we shall not consider our lives."

State of the Byzantine Empire

Constantinople had been an imperial capital since its consecration as the first Christian capital in 330 A.D. under the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (later Saint Constantine). In the following 11 centuries, the city had been besieged many times but was captured only once: during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Mutinous Crusader armies sent from the Latin West and Pope Innocent III, looted, and destroyed parts of Constantinople. The Crusaders looted, terrorized, and vandalized Constantinople for three days, during which many ancient and medieval Roman and Greek works from the Hippodrome were sent back to adorn the facade of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where they remain. The Crusaders systematically violated the city's holy sanctuaries including the Cathedral of Saint Sophia which was desecrated and destroying or stealing all they could lay hands on; thousands of sacked churches, monasteries and convents. Women, including nuns, were raped by the Crusader army. The Crusaders' decision to attack the world's largest Christian city was unprecedented and immediately controversial. Reports of Crusaders looting and brutality scandalized and horrified the Orthodox Christian world; relations between the Catholic and Orthodox were catastrophically wounded for many centuries afterward.

The Byzantine Empire was left much poorer, smaller, and ultimately less able to defend itself against the Ottoman Turkish conquest that followed; the actions of the Crusaders thus directly accelerated the collapse of Christendom in the East, and in the long run facilitated the expansion of Islam into Europe. (Wikipedia)

(To be continued)

__________________

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

+++

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

+Father George