Saturday, February 16, 2008

Pictures Worth Looking at and Discussing










I received the following e-mail, with the four above posted pictures, several weeks ago from Costa and of course I found it very interesting.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Many of you may have already seen one or more of these amazing photos over the past year or so.
What is even more amazing is that, from what I have been told, the man on the newly illumine's right was Chrismated on the very same day that she was BOTH Baptized and Chrismated.
No other comments are needed, as you will see from the pictures.
In Christ,
+Fr. Demetrios



Costa just last week looked at this picture on the left which he states in the text here he had taken at St. Paul's Church here in Las Vegas on Pascha Night. I was there next to him that evening and the reason he took the picture in the first place was that the guy in the blue tanktop standing in front of the camera had walked into the Church this particular evening drunk and making a general nuisance of himself. So Costa took a picture of him, sort of in jest and then forgot about it.

He was quite surprised upon seeing the bright light above the Altar.

These are his words:

"I took this picture from my cell phone camera on Pascha 2005 or 2006 at Saint Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church in Las Vegas. I transfered it to my computer and kind of forgot about it. I was looking through pictures on my computer and I came across this one and it seemed kind of interesting and peculiar. It's a picture of the altar, but I am not sure what the bright light over the top is."
I believe that the quality of the light appears identical in both that above the Altar and that with which the newly baptized woman is suffused in and with.
The following New Testament texts came to mind:
From the Gospel according to Saint Mark, chapter 9 verses 2 and 3:
2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no lauderer on earth can whiten them.
and
From the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 28 verses 1 through 4:
1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.
2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.
4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
Also I recall the story of Moses after he was on the mountain with the Lord receiving the Ten Commandments and how he had to veil his face from his brethren for it shone.

7 comments:

Dixie said...

Breathtaking....

Reminds me of a story of a country priest who was reported to have this kind of light displayed at the liturgies he served. The bishop came to confirm and asked the priest if he knew why this happened and the country priest said he assumed it happened at all divine liturgies! I probably botched the story but hopefully the essence is still there.

Anonymous said...

I have heard of similar things, but I am, of course, a neo-phyte. Is the caption arguing that converts should be baptized?

Anyway, unless this was photoshopped, amen and amen.

Jay

Anonymous said...

Sophocles, those pictures are awesome. Where did you find them? At what parish were those pictures taken? Just curious. When Costa posted his picture in his email, I wondered why there was a guy wearing a blue tank top for PASCHA! How interesting he was taking the picture in jest and yet he captured our Lord's light/presence, now we are here we are discussing it a few years later.

Great post!

Sophocles said...

I was present at the Divine Liturgy where the light is over the Altar and there was no phenomena that I or anyone witnessed out of the ordinary during this Pascha Service.

I can testify personally on this photo.

As to the series of four above, I was not present nor do I know the source of the pictures but if authentic, and I am allowing myself to suspend doubt, then yes, they truly are breathtaking and I echo with all my heart "Amen and Amen!"

As to the caption's insinuation, Jay, you are correct in your understanding of them implying that both Baptism and Chrismation are superior to Chrismation alone.

Anonymous said...

I'm just glad Costa got humbled! Heretic!

Soph,

It's been a while my firend but thanks for the pictures. Reminds me of all the unique and uncontainable mysteries that we can't explain about our Lord and the Holy traditions of our church. This is what makes us truly Christian.

Talk to you soon heathen!

-George-

Sophocles said...

George,

Long time no hear, schismatic! 'Bout time. Now I know what it takes, miraculous pictures, to get your attention.

Since those are so few and far between and beyond my control, I guess i won't be hearing from you again for awhile.

And I thought we were friends.

Anonymous said...

There was a bunch of times I was trying to get to your site but forgot you don't use www in your link. Now that I know, I'll be back. Talk to you soon. Don't put any heretical stuff on here. God Bless.

Oh yes, right now in church history we're learning about the great schism. For some reason it reminds me of you. ;)

-George Demas-

Pray for me!