New-Martyr Saint Eugene Rodionov & Warrior for Christ

I really like this blog, Milk and Honey.

It has this really neat, well, feel to it. Just the way of its lay out with its colors and the posts put up there. Visit them often, dear reader.

I was visiting there and came across this story on the New Martyr, Eugene Rodionov, Warrior for Christ. The story really just got me so I will post the entire thing as it is posted on Milk and Honey.

Pray for us Saint Eugene!

Eugene Rodionov,19 years old, did not lose his faith despite horrible tortures “The Chechen captivity is the most horrid, the most inhuman and barbaric thing that can ever happen,” says Eugene’s mother. She had to survive hell to find her son, the body of her son, to be more precise. Eugene’s death coincided with his 19th birthday. Eugene’s mother, Lubov, was a little late: she was just seven kilometers far from the place of her son’s execution.

“Eugene was born 30 minutes after midnight on May 23, 1977. His delivery was not hard. He was a good and healthy child, his weight was 3900 grams. I was so relieved, when I heard his first cry. As if he was trying to say: “I came into this world, love me!” I incidentally looked at the window. It was dark outside, and I suddenly saw a falling star. I went pale, my heart turned to a cold small piece. Doctors tried to convince me that it was a good sign. They told me
that a falling star was a sign of good life for my baby. However, I had to live with a sense of something dangerous coming over us. Time made me forget about it, but I had to remember the sign in 19 years.”

The Russian patriotic press has already reported about the deed of a 19-year-old Russian soldier, Eugene Rodionov. This young man found himself in the Chechen captivity in 1996. He did not betray either his fatherland or his faith. He did not take off his cross even at the hardest moment of beastly tortures. The state decorated Eugene with the Order of Courage. People’s donations made it possible to put a two-meter high Orthodox cross on his grave. People come to visit his grave from most distant parts of Russia. His mother, Lubov Rodionova, says that people’s attitude changed her entire awareness of life. A WWII veteran once came to visit Eugene’s grave. He took off his military decoration – the Bravery Medal – and put in on the tombstone. Eugene Rodionov’s biography was published in a book that came out in 2002. The book was called “The New Martyr of Christ, Warrior Eugene.” This is not really a book, but a booklet, which was written by priest Alexander Shargunov. However, we know little about Eugene’s inmost thoughts, feelings, emotions, or what he had to go through during three months of the Chechen hell. A lot of things remain a mystery.

Lubov Rodionova shared her thoughts with the priest about her son’s childhood, his interests at school, his attitude to the military service. She also shared her most horrible thoughts – about the news of his alleged desertion from the army, and what followed that news afterwards.

Eighteen-year-old Eugene Rodionov was taken captive with three other soldiers at night of February 14th, not far from the Chechen settlement of Galashki. The guys arrived from the Kaliningrad region. They patrolled the border between the republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Their control and registration post was located some 200 meters far from the security detachment. The post was just a small cabin, without any light or wire communication. The cabin did not even have a military support, in spite of the fact that it was a single cabin on the mountainous road, which was used for carrying weapons, ammunition, captives, drugs and so on. The border guards stopped an ambulance vehicle to check it. More than ten armed Chechens got out of the vehicle. Needless to mention that it was very easy for them to cope with young inexperienced soldiers. The guys showed as much resistance as they could, but the outcome of the fight was evident before it even started. Lubov Rodionova believes that this incident happened over officers’ negligence, basically.

“The captivity has always been considered to be the most horrible thing that can ever happen to a person. It implies no freedom, but only tortures and humiliation. Experience showed that the Chechen captivity is the most horrid, the most inhuman and barbaric thing that can ever happen,” Lubov Rodionova believes.

As soon as she learned that her son was a captive of Chechen guerrillas, she started looking for him all over Chechnya for nine months. She had to go through every horror imaginable. “I think that God was watching over me. I was walking along mined roads, but I did not step on a bomb. He protected me from bombings, he did not let me die, because my duty was to find my son, to bury him on his native land, according to Christian traditions. I have realized that recently. When I was walking along those military roads, I just kept silence, praying to God in my heart.”

Chechen bandits murdered Eugene Rodionov on May 23, 1996 in the Chechen settlement of Bamut. Russian troops occupied the village the next day. Lubov Rodionova learned about her son’s death only in September. She had to put a mortgage on her own apartment in order to find Eugene’s body and to take it away along with the bodies of his murdered friends. A Chechen man agreed to show her the place, where Eugene was buried. She had to pay him a lot of money for that.

“When I came to Chechnya in the middle of February, a living private cost ten million rubles. This price was 50 million in August. A friend of mine was told to pay 250 million rubles for her son, since he was an officer. It was nighttime, when I and some sappers were digging the pit, in which the bodies of four Russian soldiers were thrown. I was praying all the time, hoping that my Eugene was not going to be there. I could not and did not want to believe that he was murdered. When we were taking out the remnants, I recognized his boots. However, I still refused to accept the fact of his death, until someone found his cross. Then I fainted.” Eugene Rodionov was murdered by Ruslan Khaikhoroyev. This bandit confessed that himself. “Your son had a choice to stay alive. He could have converted to Islam, but he did not agree to take his cross off. He also tried to escape once,” said Khaikhoroyev. The guerrilla was killed together with his bodyguards on August 23, 1999 in a fight between armed Chechen groups.

When Lubov Rodionova came back home, Eugene’s father died five days after the funeral. He could not stand the loss of his son. Archpriest Demetrius Smirnov, acting chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for cooperation with the Armed Forces, says that Eugene Rodionov will definitely be canonized. The adequate inquiry has already been made, although more information about Eugene’s fate is needed. Father Demetrius said that Eugene would be canonized as soon as the information was collected.

A sign in memory of the brave Russian border guard was put at the entrance to the school, where he studied. There was also a documentary released about him. The writings on Eugene’s grave cross run: “Russian
soldier Eugene Rodionov is buried here. He defended his Fatherland and did not disavow Christ. He was executed on May 23, 1996, on the outskirts of Bamut.” “We know that he had to go through horrible long-lasting sufferings that could be compared to the ones of great martyrs in ancient times. They were beheaded, dismembered, but they remained devoted to Jesus Christ anyway,” priest Alexander Shargunov said during the requiem in Eugene Rodionov’s memory.

Taken from Desert Wisdom Book Room at All Saints of North America Orthodox Church.

"CONFESSION OF FAITH Against Ecumenism".

I just realized I have never actually posted the full letter on this blog yet.

From here.

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A CONFESSION OF FAITH
Against Ecumenism

From the Convention of Orthodox Clergymen and Monks April 2009

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Translated from Greek by WWW.OODEGR.COM

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Those of us who by the Grace of God have been raised with the dogmas of piety and who follow in everything the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, believe that:

The sole path to salvation of mankind [i] is the faith in the Holy Trinity, the work and the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, and their continuance within His Body, the Holy Church. Christ is the only true Light [ii]; there are no other lights to illuminate us, nor any other names that can save us: «Salvation is not within anything else; nor is there any other name under the heavens that has been given to mankind, in which we can be saved» [iii]. All other beliefs, all religions that ignore and do not confess Christ "having come in the flesh" [iv], are human manufacturings and works of the Devil, [v] which do not lead to the true knowledge of God and rebirth through divine Baptism, but instead, mislead men and lead them to perdition. As Christians who believe in the Holy Trinity, we do not have the same God as any other religion, nor with the so-called monotheistic religions, Judaism and Mohammedanism, which do not believe in the Holy Trinity.

For two thousand years, the Christ-founded and Holy Spirit-guided Church has remained stable and unshakeable in the salvific Truth that was taught by Christ, delivered by the Holy Apostles and preserved by the Holy Fathers. She did not buckle under the cruel persecutions by the Judeans initially and later by idolaters during the first three centuries; She brought forth a host of martyrs and came out victorious, thus proving Her divine origin. As Saint John the Chrysostom beautifully expressed it: «Nothing is stronger than the Church... if you fight against a man, you either conquer or are conquered; but if you fight against the Church, it is not possible for you to win, for God is the strongest of all» [vi].

Following the cessation of the persecutions and the triumph of the Church over Her external enemies - in other words, the Judeans and the idolaters - the internal enemies of the Church began to multiply and strengthen. A variety of heresies began to appear, which endeavoured to overthrow and adulterate the delivered faith so that the faithful would become confused, and their trust in the truth of the Gospel and traditions be debilitated. In outlining the ecclesiastic state of affairs that the prevalence for over 40 years - even administratively - that the heresy of Arius had created, Saint Basil the Great says: «The dogmas of the Fathers have been entirely disregarded, the apostolic traditions withered, the inventions of younger people are observed in the Churches; people are therefore technologizing when they should be theologizing; the wisdom of the world seems to be pushing aside the boasting in the Cross. Pastors are sent away, and in their place are inserted harsh wolves, who disperse Christ's flock» [vii].

Whatever happened to the external enemies - religions - also happened to the internal ones - heresies. Through major and enlightened Holy Fathers, the Church demarcated and entrenched the Orthodox faith with decisions by Local and Ecumenical Synods (Councils) in the cases of specific, dubious teachings, but with the agreement of all the Fathers (Consensus Patrum), on all the matters of the Faith. We are therefore safe, when we follow the Holy Fathers and do not move the boundaries that they had set. The expressions «Following after our Holy Fathers» and «Not withdrawing the boundaries that our Fathers had set» constitute a steady, straight course and a safety valve for the Orthodox faith and way of life. Consequently, the basic positions of our Confession are the following:

1. We maintain, irremovably and without alteration, everything that the Synods and the Fathers have instituted. We accept everything that they accept and condemn everything that they condemn; we furthermore avoid communication with those who innovate on matters of the Faith. We neither add, nor remove, any teaching, nor do we alter it. Already, the God-bearing Saint Ignatius of Antioch in his epistle to Saint Polycarp of Smyrna had written: «Anyone who says contrary to what has been decreed - even if he is trustworthy, even if he fasts, even if he is celibate, even if he performs signs, let him appear to you as a wolf in a sheep's hide, aspiring to the corruption of the sheep». Saint John the Chrysostom in interpreting the Apostle Paul's words "should anyone evangelize to you something that was not delivered to you, let him be anathema", he observes that the Apostle "did not say if they should proclaim something contrary or if they should overturn everything, but that even if they should evangelize even the smallest thing that has not been delivered to you, even if they should prompt it, let them be anathema" [viii]. Upon announcing its decisions against the Iconoclasts to the clergy of Constantinople, the 7th Ecumenical Synod wrote: «We have followed the tradition of the Catholic Church, and have not made any omission or any redundancy, but, having been taught in the apostolic manner, we maintain the traditions that we received, accepting and respecting everything that the Holy Catholic Church has received from the first years, unwritten and written... for the true and straightforward judgment of the Church does not make any allowance for innovations within Her, or for attempts to remove anything. We, therefore, by following the laws of our Fathers, having received grace by the one Spirit, have duly safeguarded without any innovations and reductions, all the things of the Church» [ix].

Along with the Holy Fathers and the Synods, we too reject and anathematize all the heresies that appeared during the historical course of the Church. Of the old heresies that have survived to this day, we condemn Arianism (still surviving, in the pseudo-Witnesses of Jehovah) and Monophysitism - the extreme form of Eutychius and the more moderate form of Sevirus and Dioscorus - according to the decisions of the 4th Ecumenical Synod of Chalcedon and the Christological teaching of major Holy Fathers and Teachers such as Saint Maximus the Confessor, Saint John of Damascus, Photios the Great and the hymns of our worship.

2. We proclaim that Papism is the womb of heresies and fallacies. The teaching of the "Filioque" - that is, the procession of the Holy Spirit AND from the Son - is contrary to everything that Christ Himself taught about the Holy Spirit. The entire chorus of Fathers, both in Synods and individually, regard Papism as a heresy because apart from the Filioque, it produced a host of other fallacies, such as the primacy and the infallibility of the Pope, the unleavened bread (host), the fires of Purgatory, the immaculate conception of the Theotokos, created Grace, the purchasing of absolution (indulgences)... it has altered nearly all of the teaching and the practice pertaining to Baptism, Chrismation, the Divine Eucharist and the other Sacraments, and has converted the Church to a secular State.

Contemporary Papism has deviated even further than medieval Papism from the teaching of the Church, to the extent that it no longer comprises a continuance of the ancient Church of the West. It has introduced a swarm of new exaggerations in its "Mariology", such as the teaching that the Theotokos is a parallel redeemer (corredemptrix) of the human race. It has reinforced the "Charismatic Movement" of Pentecostal (supposedly Spirit-centered) groups. It has adopted further innovations to Divine Worship, such as dances and musical instruments. It has shortened and essentially ruined the Divine Liturgy. In the area of Ecumenism it has set down the bases for the Pan-religion with its 2nd Vatican Council, by recognizing "spiritual life" in the people of other religions. Dogmatic minimalism has led it to a minimizing of moral prerequisites, on account of the bond between dogma and morality, the result of which was the moral failures of leading clergymen and an increase in moral deviations such as homosexuality and pedophilia among clergymen [x]. By continuing to support "Unia" - that caricature of Orthodoxy with which it victimizes and proselytizes faithful - Papism is sabotaging the Dialogue and is contradicting its supposedly sincere intentions for union.

Generally speaking, there has been a radical change in Papism and a turn towards Protestantism after the 2nd Vatican Council, and even an adopting of various "spiritual" movements of the "New Age".

According to Saint Simeon of Thessaloniki, the Mystagogue, Papism caused more damage to the Church than all the heresies and schisms put together. We Orthodox have communion with the pre-Schism Popes and we commemorate many Popes as saints. The post-Schism popes are heretics; they have ceased to be successors to the throne of Rome; they no longer have Apostolic succession, because they no longer have the faith of the Apostles and the Fathers. It is for this reason that with each such pope, «not only do we have no communion, but we also call him a heretic». On account of their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit with their teaching of the Filioque, they forfeited the presence of the Holy Spirit and therefore everything of theirs is deprived of Grace. Not one of their sacraments is valid, according to Saint Simeon. «Therefore the innovators are blaspheming and are far away from the Spirit, by blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, hence everything of theirs is Grace-less, inasmuch as they have violated and have demoted the Grace of the Spirit... which is why the Holy Spirit is not among them, and there is nothing spiritual about them, as everything theirs is new and altered and contrary to divine tradition» [xi].

3. The same things apply to an even greater degree to Protestantism, which as the offspring of Papism has inherited many heresies, but has also added many more; It has rejected Tradition, accepting only the Holy Bible (Sola Scriptura) which it however misinterprets; it has abolished Priesthood as a specialized sacramental Grace, as well as the veneration of Saints and of holy icons; it has vilified the Person of the Holy Mother Theotokos; it has rejected Monasticism; of the Holy Sacraments, it accepts only Baptism and the Divine Eucharist, albeit altering in them also the teaching and the praxis of the Church; it teaches absolute predestination (Calvinism) and vindication only through faith. Furthermore, its more "progressive" sector has introduced Priesthood for women and marriage between homosexuals - who they even accept into the Priesthood. But above all, it lacks ecclesiology, because the notion of Church as perceived by the Orthodox Tradition is nonexistent to them.

4. The only way that our communion with heretics can be restored is if they renounce their fallacy and repent, so that there may be a true union and peace: a union with the Truth, and not with fallacy and heresy. For the incorporation of heretics into the Church, canonical precision requires that they be accepted through Baptism. Their previous "baptism", performed outside the Church without the triple immersion and emersion of the one being baptized in specially sanctified water, and performed by a non-Orthodox priest, is in no way a baptism. It lacks the Grace of the Holy Spirit (Who does not remain within schisms and heresies) and as such, we have nothing in common that unites us, as Basil the Great points out: «As for those who have distanced themselves from the Church, they no longer have the grace of the Holy Spirit upon them, for transmission has ceased with those who have interrupted the succession... as for the ones who have broken away, who have now become laity, they no longer have the authority to either baptize, or ordain by the placing of their hands, being now unable to provide the grace of the Holy Spirit, from which (grace) they have fallen away» [xii].

That is why the new attempt by Ecumenists to project the position that we have a common baptism with heretics is unfounded and hanging in mid-air, as is their assertion that it is possible to support the unity of the Church with this nonexistent baptismal unity, which supposedly exists wherever a baptism may exist [xiii]. In the Church however, one enters and becomes Her member, not with just any baptism, but only with the one, uniformly performed Baptism, officiated by Priests who have received the Priesthood of the Church.

5. For as long as heretics continue to remain in their fallacy, we avoid communion with them, especially in common prayer. The holy canons in their entirety prohibit not only common officiating and in-temple common praying, but even ordinary prayers in private quarters. The Church's strict stance opposite heretics springs from true love and sincere concern for their salvation, and out of Her pastoral care that the faithful are not carried away by heresies. Whosoever loves, reveals the truth and does not leave the other in a falsehood; otherwise, any love and agreement with him would only be counterfeit and false. There is such a thing as a good war and a bad peace. «...for a praiseworthy war is superior to a peace that separates one from God» says Saint Gregory the Theologian [xiv]. And Saint John the Chrysostom recommends: «If you should see devoutness vitiated, do not prefer the harmony of a truth, but stand fast to the death... betraying the truth nowhere». And elsewhere, he recommends with emphasis: «Do not acknowledge any illegitimate dogma that has the pretext of love»[xv]. This stance of the Fathers was also adopted by the major defender and confessor of the Orthodox faith against the Latins, Saint Mark of Ephesus, who concluded his own Confession of Faith in Florence with the following words: «All the teachers of the Church, all the synods and all the divine Scriptures exhort us to keep away from those with other beliefs, and to refrain from communion with them. Therefore, am I to disregard them all, and follow those who under the pretense of a manufactured peace strive for union? Those, who have counterfeited the sacred and divine Symbol (Creed) and who introduced the Son as the second cause of the Holy Spirit? [...] May this never happen to us, o benevolent Paraclete (Comforter), and may I never fall away from my own duteous thoughts, but, by following Your teaching and the blessed men who were inspired by You, may I be added to my fathers, by bringing in, if nothing else, this: piety» [xvi].

6. Up until the beginnings of the 20th century, the Church has steadfastly and immutably maintained a rejective and condemnatory stance towards all heresies, as clearly formulated in the Synodicon of Orthodoxy which is recited on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. Heresies and heretics are anathematized, each one separately; furthermore, in order to ensure that not one of them has been left out of the anathema, there is a general anathema at the end of the text: «Let all heretics be anathematized».

Unfortunately, this uniform, steady and unswerving stance of the Church has, up until the beginnings of the 20th century, begun to be gradually abandoned, following the encyclical that was released by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1920 «To all the churches of Christ», which for the first time had officially characterized heresies as 'churches' that are not alienated from the Church, but are familiar and related to Her. It recommended that «the love between the Churches should above all be rekindled and reinforced, no longer thinking of each other as foreign and alien, but rather as related and familiar in Christ, and co-inheritors and co-incorporated in the promise of God in Christ» (see I.Karmiris', "The Dogmatic and Symbolic Monuments of the Orthodox Catholic Church", vol. 2, page 958).

The path is now open for the adoption, the shaping and the development within the sphere of the Orthodox Church, of the initially Protestant invention - and now with Papal acceptance - heresy of Ecumenism; this pan-heresy, which adopts and legalizes all heresies as 'churches' and insults the dogma of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Now developed, taught and imposed by Patriarchs and bishops is the new dogma regarding the Church, a new ecclesiology. According to this, no Church is entitled to demand for itself exclusively the character of a catholic and true Church. Instead, each one of them is a piece, a part, and not the entire Church; they all together comprise the Church.

All the boundaries that the Fathers had set have been torn down; there is no longer a dividing line between heresy and Church, between truth and fallacy. Even heresies are now 'churches'; in fact, many of them -like the Papist one- are now regarded as 'sister churches' to which God has entrusted, jointly with us, the care for mankind's salvation [xvii].

The Grace of the Holy Spirit now also exists within heresies, and therefore their baptisms - like all their other 'sacraments' - are considered valid. All who have been baptized, and in whichever heresy they may belong, are now considered members of Christ's Body, the Church. The condemnations and the anathemas of the Synods are no longer valid and should be stricken from liturgical books. We are now lodged in the "World Council of Churches" and have essentially betrayed - even just with our accession to participate - our ecclesiastic self-awareness. We have removed the dogma regarding the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church - the dogma of «one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism» [xviii].

7. This inter-Christian syncretism has now expanded into an inter-religion syncretism, which equates all other religions to the unique, God-revealed, through Christ reverence for God, the knowledge of God and the Christ-like way of life. Consequently, it is not only the dogma of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in relation to heresies that is being attacked, but also the fundamental dogma worldwide of the one and only Revelation and salvation of mankind through Jesus Christ in relation to the religions of the world. It is the worst imaginable fallacy, the biggest heresy of all ages.

8. We believe and confess that only in Christ is there a possibility for salvation. The religions of the world and the heresies all lead to perdition. The Orthodox Church is not merely the true Church; She is the only Church. She alone has remained faithful to the Gospel, the Synods and the Fathers, and consequently She alone represents the true catholic Church of Christ. According to the blessed Elder Justin Popovitch, Ecumenism is a common name for the pseudo-churches of Western Europe; their common name is actually "pan-heresy" [xix].

This pan-heresy has been accepted by many Orthodox patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, clergymen, monks and laity. They teach it, «barefacedly»; they apply it and impose it in practice, communing with heretics in every possible manner - with common prayers, with exchanges of visits, with pastoral collaborations - thus essentially placing themselves outside the Church. Our stance, per the Conciliar canonical decisions and per the example of the Saints, is obvious. Each one must now undertake his own responsibilities.

9. There are of course collective responsibilities also, and chiefly in the ecumenistic conscience of our Hierarchs and Theologians, towards the Orthodox corpus and their individual flocks. To them, we declare with a fear of God and with love that this stance of theirs and their openings towards all Ecumenistic activities are condemnable from every aspect, because:

a) they are doubting in practice our Orthodox-Patristic tradition and Faith;

b) they are sowing doubt in the hearts of their flock and are unsettling many, thus leading things to division and schism, and

c) they are misleading a portion of the flock towards a fallacy, and through it, to spiritual disaster.

We are therefore declaring that, for the aforementioned reasons, those who are moving within this Ecumenist irresponsibility, whichever rank they may be holding within the Ecclesiastic Organization, are opposed to the tradition of our Saints and consequently opposed to them.

This is the reason that their stance must be condemned and rejected, by the entirety of the Hierarchs and the faithful People.

NOTICE:

Whosoever of the clergy, monks, nuns and the laity desires to participate in this small deposition of Orthodox confession may declare it, by writing:

"I agree with the Confession of Faith against Ecumenism, and subscribe to it"

They may send this declaration indicating their name and their ecclesiastic, monastic or professional status, to the following address:

Periodical "THEODROMIA", P.O.Box 1602, Thessaloniki 541 24, Greece - Fax +30 2310 276590 - email address: palimpce@otenet.gr

The above Confession of Faith has been signed by the following, as a first indication.
It has been signed and will be signed by many more:

Last update: 6/30/09

Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes
Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythira
Metropolitan Kosmas of Etolia and Akarnania
Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus
Metropolitan Jeremiah of Gortyno and Megalopolis, Professor, School of Theology, University of Athens
Metropolitan Artemios of Raskas and Prizrenis, Kossovo and Metohia.

Archim. Christodoulos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain
Archim. Joseph, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Xeropotamou, Holy Mountain
Archim. Philotheos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Karakalou, Holy Mountain
Archim. Agathon, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Constamonitou, Holy Mountain.

Protopr. George Metallinos, Peer Professor, School of Theology, University of Athens
Protopr. Theodoros Zisis, Peer Professor, School of Theology, University of Thessaloniki
Archim. Markos Manolis, Spiritual Head of "Pan-Hellenic Orthodox Union"
Archim. Athanasios, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Stavrovouniou, Cyprus.
Archim. Timotheos Sakkas, Abbot of the Holy Monastery Paraklhtou, Oropos
Archim. Kyrill Kehagioglou, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Pantokratoros Melissohoriou Langada
Archim. Sarantis Sarantos, Priest of the Dormition of the Theotokos,Amarousio, Attica.
Archim. Maximos Karavas, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Milohoriou, Ptolemaidas
Archim. Gregory Hadjinikolaou, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Ano Gatzeas Volou.
Archim. Athanasios Anastasiou, Abbot of the Hily Monastery of Great Meteorou.
Archim.Theoklitos Bolkas, Abbot of Holy Isihastirio of Saint Arsenio the Kapadocian, Halkidiki
Archim. Chrysostomos, Abbot of the Holy Community of Saint Nikodemos, Pentalofos, Goumenitcha.
Archim. Theodore Diamantis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Theotokos, Molyskepastou, Konitsa.
Archim. Palamas Kyrillidis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Kallipetra, Veria.
Archim. Eudokimos, Spiritual Father of the Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Archim. Chrysostomos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Gerasimos the Jordanian, Jerusalem.
Archim. Laurentios Gratsias, Holy Metropolis of Florina, Prespon and Eordeas.
Archim. Meletios Vadrahanis, Holy Metropolis of Florina, Prespon and Eordeas.
Archim. Paul Demetracopoulos, Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Moutsialis, Veria.
Archim. Ignatios Kalaitzopoulos, Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Melohoriou, Ptolemaidas.
Archim. Symeon Georgiadis, Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Ano Gatzeas, Volos
Archim. Augustine Siarras, Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Ano Gatzeas, Volos
Archim. Ambrosios Gionis, Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Ano Gatzeas, Volos
Archim. Benedict, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Archangels, Prizreni, with following.
Archim. Gerasimos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint George, Jourgevi Stoupovi, with following.
Archim. Nicholaos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Archangels, Mavropotami, with following.
Archim. Romylos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Entry of the Theotokos, Doumboki Potok, with following.
Archim. Symeon, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Baniska, with following.
Archim. Stephanos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Saints Anargyron Zotsitse, with following.
Archim. Ioannikios Kotsonis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Sohos, Thessaloniki
Archim. Paul Danas, Hieropreacher of the Holy Monastery of Etolias and Akarnanias.
Archim. Constantine Paleologopoulos, retired priest of the Holy Monastery of Kalavriton and Egalias Egio.
Archim. Paisios Papadopoulos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Gregory Palamas, Filota, Metropolis of Florina.
Archim. Epiphanios Hadjigiagou, Head Metropolitan of the Church of Florina, Florina.
Archim. Athanasios Siamakis, Hieropreacher of the Holy Monastery of Florina
Archim. Anargyros Afthonidis, Military Priest, Florina
Archim. Augustine Andritsopoulos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Myrtias of the Holy Monastery of Etolia and Akarnania.
Archim. Theodosis Kyprianou, Holy Monastery of Saint Filotheou, Skete Saint George, Karyes, Holy Mountain.
Archim. Ignatios Kalaitzopoulos, Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Milohoriou, Ptolemaidas.
Archim. Ierotheos Skiadas, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos, Vlohou, Agriniou.
Archim. Ioasaph Makris, Holy Monastery of Meteora.
Archim.Kosmas Paleogiannis, Cell of Saint John the Theologian of the Holy Monastery of Dohiariou, Holy Mountain.
Archim. Sevastianos Amantidis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevis Vasiliados, Kastoria.
Archim.Christos Kyriazopoulos, past Educational Adviser, Thessaloniki
Archim. Nektarios Ziombolas, Military Priest
Archim. Joseph Aivazoglou, Holy Church of the Theotokos Ahiropiitou (not made by hand) Thessaloniki.
Elder Gregory, HieromonkHoly IsyhastirionDanieleon, Katounakia, Holy Mountain.
Elder Efstratios, Hiermonk, Holy Monastery of Great Lavvra, Holy Mountain.
Elder Fillipos, Hieromonk, Kalyvi of Great Athanasiou, Mikra Agia Anna, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Athanasios, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katounakia, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Nikodemos, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katounakia, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Nephon, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katounakia, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Chrysostom Kartsonas, Kalyvi of Saint George, Holy Skete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Onoufrios, Kalyvi of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Skete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Chrysanthos, Kalyvi of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Skete of Saint Anna , Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Azarias, Kalyvi of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Skete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Gabriel, Holy Cell of the Theotokos Gorgoepikoou, Holy Monastery of Pantokratoros, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Panteleimon, Holy Cell of Saint Panteleimon, Holy Monastery of Saint Pantokratoros, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Basil, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saints Anargyron, Vratsevo, with following.
Hieromonk Efthimios, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Forerunner, Sotsanitsa, with following.
Hieromonk Theoktistos, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Sopotsani, with following.
Hieromonk Tychon, Holy Isyhastirion of Pantokratoros, Melissohorion
Hieromonk Chariton, Hily Cell of Ascension, Karyes, Holy Mountain.
Hieromonk Nestor.
Hieromonk Augustine, Holy Monastery of All Saints and Saint Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Hieromonk Modestos Diasakis, Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Kastoria.
Hieromonk Raphael Kyriakou, Holy Monastery of Saint Raphael-Marina, Larnaka, Cyprus.
Hieromonk Photios Georgiou, Holy Monastery of Kastorias.

Protopr. Lambros Photopoulos, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Kosma Etolos, Amarousio, Attica.
Protopr. John Photopoulos, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Paraskevi, Attica.
Protopr. Athanasios Minas, Loutraki Korinthias.
Protopr. Eleftherios Palamas, Saints Christophori (God-bearers) Ptolemaid.
Protopr. Constantine Mygdalis, In Charge of the Holy Church of Saint Constantine, Volos.
Protopr. Photios Vezynias, Teacher, Holy Metropolis of Langada.
Protopr. Anthony Bousdekis, Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas of Nicea.
Protopr. Demetrios Vasiliadis, Holy Metropolis of Maronia and Komotini
Protopr. Vasilios E. Voloudakis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Nicholas Pefkakion, Athens.
Protopr. Vasilios Gogidis, Officiating priest, Holy Metropolitan Church of Saint Nicholas, Megapoleos.
Protopr. Nicholas Zaharopoulos, Officiating priest of the Holy Church of Saint Fanourios, Drapetsonas.
Protopr. Haralambos Lalaitis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of the Theotokos Myrtidiotissis, Piraeus.
Protopr. Chariton Pappas, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Demetrios, Piraeus.
Protopr. Panagiotis Sahtouris, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Nilus, Pireaus.
Protopr. Constantinos Tzafestas, Officiating priest, Holy Metropolitan Church of Kerkyra, Theologian, retired Professor M.E., Kerkyra.
Protopr. Christos Christodoulos, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Constantine and Helen, Piraeus.
Protopr. Radoslav Jankovic, Secretary of the Holy Metropolis of Raskas and Prizrenis and Kossovo and Metohia.
Protopr. Dimitrios Vasiliadis, Komotini.
Protopr. Anastasios Semertzidis, Hierarchal Commissioner of the Kastoria eparchy.
Protopr. George Kougioumtzoglou, Thessaloniki.
Protopr. Constantinos Andreopoulos, Holy Monastery Florinis.
Protopr. Vasilios Christidis, Holy Monastery Attikis.
Protopr. Haralambos Nalpadidis, Holy Monastery Florinis.
Protopr. Photios Bithas, Holy Monastery of Saint Spyridon, Great Yarmouth, England.
Priest Dionysios tatsis, Educator, Konitsa.
Priest Demetrios Sarris, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Pammegiston Taksiarhon, Sesklou, Esonias.
Priest Efthimios Antoniadis, Holy Metropolis of Larisa.
Priest Anastasios Gotsopoulos, Officiating priest of the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas, Patra.
Priest George Papageorgiou, Holy Metropolis Demetriados.
Priest Peter Hirs, Petrokerasa, Halkidiki.
Priest Theophanis Manouras, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Athanasiou Valestinou, Magnesias.
Priest Pashalis Ginoudis, Holy Metropolis of Larisa.
Priest George Diamantopoulos, Lavrio, Holy Metropolis Mesogeas.
Priest Vasilios Kokolakis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of the Holy Cross, Holargos.
Priest Peter Pantazis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of the Transfiguration, Halandriou.
Priest Anthony Valvis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Nilus, Piraeus.
Priest John Vernikos, Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, Montgomery, Alabama.
Priest Nicholas Gavalles, Holy Church of the Holy Apostles, Psalidiou, Amarousio.
Priest Iraklis Drivas, Officiating Priest, Holy Church of the Theotokos Myrtidiotissa, Piraeus.
Priest Demetrios Kalabounias, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Nilus, Piraeus.
Priest Demetrios Lambrou, clergy, Holy Monastery Prevezis, Aneza-Artas.
Priest Basilios Mouzelis, Officiating priest, Chapel of Saints Anargyron, Hospital of Halkidos.
Priest Panagiotis Balis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of the Entry of the Theotokos, Imerovigliou, Thera.
Priest Christopher Chronis, Holy Monastery Etolias and Akarnanias.
Priest Sotirios Manolopoulos, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Basil Vrahneika, Holy Monastery of Patra.
Priest George Vasilakis, Lyon, France.
Priest Theoharis Megas, Hieroteacher, Director of Plystylou, Kavalas.
Priest Daniel de Oliveira Pinheiro, Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Brazil.
Priest Demetrios Sykopoulos, Holy Monastery Kastorias.
Priest Triantafyllos Xeros, Thessaloniki.
Presvytera Maria Tsiplakaki, Vathilakkos, Kozani.
Stewart Demetrios Papagiannis, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Fanourios, Drapetsonas.
Stewart John Psarras, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint George Mesoropis, Holy Monastery Eleftheroupoleos.
Stewart John Kyprianou, Officiating priest, Holy Church of Saint Nicholas, Egomi-Lefkosia, Cyprus.
Priest Miltiadis Karagiannis, Kefalohori Imathias.

Hierodeacon Theologos Kostopoulos, Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity, Ano Gazeas Volou.
Hierodeacon Antonios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Hierodeacon George Theodoridis, Holy Metropolis of Lerou, Kalymnou and Astypaleas.
Hierodeacon Iraklidios Kleanthous, Holy Metropolis Tamasou, Cyprus.

Elder Theoliptos Monk, Hut of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Scete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Elder Gabriel Monk, Cell of Saint Christodoulou, Karyes, Holy Mountain.
Elder Ilarion Monk, near Arsana Constamonitou, Holy Mountain.
Elder Daniel Monk, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katanoukia, Holy Mountain.
Elder Akakios Monk, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katanoukia, Holy Mountain.
Elder Stefanos Monk, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katanoukia, Holy Mountain.
Elder Paul Monk, Holy Cell of the Holy Apostles, SceteXenofontos, Holy Mountain.
Elder Onoufrios Monk, Holy Cell of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Holy Monastery Pantokratoros,Holy Mountain.
Elder Nektarios Monk, Holy Cell of the Lifebearing Spring, Holy Monastery Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain.
Elder Isaak Monk, Holy Cell of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Holy Monastery Stavronikita, Holy Mountain.
Elder Moses Monk, Holy Cell of Saint John Chrysostom, Scete of Saint Panteleimon, Holy Monastery Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain.
Elder Heruvim Monk, New Scete, Holy Mountain.
Monk Arsenios Vliakoftis, Holy Isyhastirion of Saint Arsenios of Kappadocia, Halkidiki.
Monk George, Holy Cell of the Nativity of the Theotokos, Holy Monastery of Pantokratoros, Holy Mountain.
Monk Christopher, Holy Cell of the Apostles, Scete Xenofontos, Holy Mountain.
Monk Maximos, Holy Isyhastirion Danieleon, Katanoukia, Holy Mountain.
Monk Dositheos, Kathisma Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain.
Monk Spyridon, Cell of Saint Nicholas, Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain.
Monk Damaskinos Agiorite, Holy Cell of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Monastery of Karakallou.
Monk Savvas Lavriotis, Holy Monastery of Great Lavra, Holy Mountain.
Monk Theophilos Agiorite, Holy Cell Sanbri, Holy Mountain.
Monk Paisios, Holy Cell of the Holy Archangels "Savveon", Holy Mountain.
Monk Herouvim, Holy Cell of the Holy Archangels, Saint John Koukouzeli, Holy Mountain.
Monk Nikodemos, Holy Cell of Saint Nektarios, Kapsala, Holy Mountain.
Monk Disitheos, Holy Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Sohos, Langada.
Monk Chariton, Hut of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Scete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Monk Nikodemos, Hut of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Scete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Monk Averkios, Hut of the Holy Forerunner, Holy Scete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Monk Prodromos, Hut of the Holy Forerunner, Scete of Saint Anna, Holy Mountain.
Monk Arsenios, Holy Hut of Saint Gerasimos, Scete of Saint Panteleimon, Holy Monastery Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain.
Monk Arsenios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Demetrios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Dionysios, Holy Isyhastiorion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Efstratios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Ignatios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Mardarios, Jerusalem.
Monk Michael, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Nektarios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Nicodemos Bilalis, Cell of the Visitation (Ypapanti) - Kapsala, Holy Mountain.
Monk Pahomios, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Raphael, Holy Isyhastirion Pantokratoros, Melissohoriou.
Monk Arkadios Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Arsenios Kotzias, Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Kastoria.
Monk George, New Scete, Holy Mountain.
Monk Efraim Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Zosimas Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Ioannikos Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Iosaph Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Kallinikos Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Lazaros Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem
Monk Merkourios Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Paisios Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Raphael Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Savvas Mousdikas, Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Kastoria.
Monk Seraphim Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.
Monk Philotheos Tzimoropoulos, Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi, Kastoria.
Monk Herouvim Sabbaite, Holy Lavra of Saint Savva the Sanctified, Jerusalem.

Nun Agathi Antoniou, Abbess, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Mariam, Abbess, Holy Monastery of Saint Laurentios, Pilio.
Nun Christonymphi, Holy Monastery of Saint Laurentios, Pilio.
Nun Laurentia, Holy Monastery of Saint Laurentios, Pilio.
Nun Agathinoi Antoniou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Agathodouli Hondrou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Agathokliti Athanatou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Alexia Peppa, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Vessaria Laskou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Eufimia Dionysopoulou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Thekla Barka, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Theodosia Bouba, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Theoktisti Paila, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Theologia Papadaki, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Theoproti Tzitzira, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Theotekni Mitsikosta, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Theophania Kyriazopoulou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Justina Demetriou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Magdalen Papadam, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Makrina Pappa, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Mariam Kalogianni, Holy Shrine of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Holy Metropolis of Ierissou and of the Holy Mountain.
Nun Marina Famisi, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Markella Gaki, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Nektaria Bali, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Nikodimi Siahouli, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Kseni Karamihou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Prodromi Kapeti, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Sarra, Abbess, Holy Monastery of Saint Nicholas, Kontsoul, with following.
Nun Silouani Phillips, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Stephania Tesia, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Synglitiki Rekata, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Fevronia Dalla, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Philothei Bali, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Haralambia Mastoraki, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Christoniphi Bandeka, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Chrysostomi Polyzou, Holy Monastery of Saint Stephen, Holy Meteora.
Nun Melani, Thessaloniki.
Nun Christodouli, Thessaloniki.


Archimandrite Philemon Castro, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines
Ieromonah Ioan Buliga, Manastirea Jacul Romanesc
Ieromonah Leontios, Slobozia, Romania
Hieromonk Mark, Economos
Hieromonk Nicolas (Vera) Parish Priest of the Parish of Saint Andrew and Saint Nicolas SerbianPatriarchate,
Jeromonah Naum Mirkovic, Proiguman Manastira Crna Reka Serbija
Hieromonk Nicolás (Vera), Parish Priest of the Parish of Saint Andrew and Saint Nicolás, Alicante (Spain), Serbian Patriarchate
Jeromonah Irinej Ristic, iguman manastira Bogorodia Brainska, eparhija rasko prizrenska i kosovsko-metohijska
Jeromonach Varnava Dimitrijevic, manastir Crna Reka, eparhija rasko prizrenskai kosovsko-metohijska

P. Protopresbitero Jorge (Georgios) Faraj, Sacerdote Ortodoxo del patriarcado de Antioquia en Honduras, Centro America
Protopresbyter Roman Cheb, Russia Siberia, sity Prokopyevsk, Paris Priest, Sacred Temple of Saint Nicholas
Pr. Constantin Diboș
Presbyter Sasha Petrovich, parish priest os St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Priest Koniukhov Dimitry
Priest Toderita Rusu, the Ascenssion of Lord, Bucharest Romania
Fr. Photios, Spiritual Director, St. James the Just True Orthodox Center website, Russian True Orthodox Church.
Pr. Paroh Mihai Solomon, Parohia Sf. Ilie, Girona, Spania
Protodeacon Basil Alexandrovich Yakimov, Russian Orthodox Church
Diacono Ignacio Miranda, Catedral Ortodoxa Antioquena de San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Centro America
monah Hariton Vlajic, manastir Plocnik, eparhija rasko prizrenska i kosovskometohijska

Monahia Eufimia, Mănăstirea Sfinţii Arhangheli, Slobozia, România

Subdeacon Jorge Luiz Slobodaniuk, Ukrainian Orthodox church in Brazil (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople)

Last update: 6/30/09

This list will be regularly updated with added names.
Readers can see the constantly updated list of signatures in Greek, here:

http://www.impantokratoros.gr/ABF82395.el.aspx"

[i] See treatise by Gennadius II Scholarios, Patriarch of Constantinople: "Regarding the only way to the salvation of mankind" , to George Scholarios "The complete extant works - Oevres Completes de Georges Scholarios", Volumes I-VII, Paris 1928-1936, publ. L. Petit - X. Siderides - M. Jugie, Vol. III, 434-452.

[ii] John 8:12 «I am the light of the world - whosoever follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life». John 3:19 «The light had come to the world and men loved the darkness rather than the light».

[iii] Acts 4:14.

[iv] 1 John 4:2-3 «Every spirit that confesses Jesus had cometh in the flesh, is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ had cometh in the flesh, is not from God. And this is what you have heard regarding the antichrist: that he cometh and is now already in the world».

[v] See "Didaches" (Teachings) of St.Cosmas of Aetolia, of I.Menounos, "Cosmas of Aetolia teachings (and biography), Tinos publications, Athens, Didache A1, 37, page 142: «"All faiths are false, counterfeit, all of them the Devil's. This I realized as being true, divine, heavenly, correct, perfect, both by my word and by your word: that the faith of the pious and orthodox christians is good and holy, and that we must believe and be baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit».

[vi] 'Homily prior to the exile' 1, ΕΠΕ 33, 186.

[vii] Epistle 90, "To the most holy brothers and bishops in the West" 2, ΕΠΕ 2, 20

[viii] Galatians. 1, 9. To Gall. Homily chapt. 1, PG 61, 624.

[ix] Mansi, 13, 409-412.

[x] The moral laxity and decadence, even among the clergy, had already been noted at the beginning of the 15th century, by Saint Simeon of Thessaloniki (see 'Dogmatic Epistle 16' in D. Balfour, by Simeon of Thessaloniki (1416/17-1429) "Theological Works, Vlatades gleanings 34, Thessaloniki 1981, page 218: «And furthermore, that they did not regard fornication at all entailing Hell, not even among their priests, but instead, they would unscrupulously have concubines and youths for fornication and would every day officiate.» Ibid, 15, page 216: «They also do not follow an evangelical lifestyle; for, every kind of luxury and fornication to them is not a reprehensible matter, nor anything else that is forbidden for Christians». ) The moral decadence that is observed of late even among the Orthodox clergy is the result of Ecumenism's liberalism and secularism..

[xi] Dialogue 23, PG 155, 120-121. Epistle regarding blessedness 5, in D. Balfour, Simeon Archbishop of Thessaloniki (1416/17-1429), "Theological Works, Vlatades gleanings 34, Thessaloniki 1981, page 226.

[xii] Canonical Epistle Ά, To Amphilochios of Iconion, Canon a.

[xiii] In the text of the 9th General Convention of the World Council of Churches in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2006, which was accepted by the representatives of the Orthodox churches and was titled "Called to be the One Chuch", in paragraph 8 it states: "All those baptized in Christ are united in His name." In paragraph 9: "That we all belong in common to Christ through baptism in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, gives the churches the possibility and it invites them to walk together, even when they disagree. We assure that there is one baptism, exactly as there is one body and one Spirit, one hope in our calling, one Lord, one Faith, one God and Father to all of us (see Ephes.4:4-6)". The Metropolitan of Pergamos John (Zizioulas) in his work "Orthodox Ecclesiology and the Ecumenical Movement", Sourozh Diocesan Magazine (England, August 1985, vol.21, page 23), had paved the way for this position, by stating: "Within baptism, even if there is a break, a division, a schism, you can still speak of the Church... The Orthodox, in my understanding at least, participate in the ecumenical movement as a movement of baptized Christians, who are in a state of division because they cannot express the same faith together. In the past this has happened because of a lack of love which is now, thank God, disappearing."

[xiv] Apologetics on the flight to Pontus 82, ΕΠΕ 1, 176.

[xv] To Romans, Homily 22, 2, PG 60, 611. To Philippians, Homily 2,1, PG 62, 119.

[xvi] Confession of faith displayed in Florence, in Documents relatifs au Concile de Florence, II, Oeuvres anticonciliaires de Marc d'Ephèse, par L. Petit, Patrologia Orientalis 17, 442.

[xvii] See joint statement by Pope John-Paul II and Patriarch Bartholomew during the latter's visit to Rome on the 29th of June, 1995. The same had been proclaimed at an earlier date by the Combined Theological Committee for the Dialogue between Orthodox and Papists, in Balamand of Lebanon in 1993.

[xviii] Ephesians 4: 5.

[xix] Archmandr. Justin Popovitch, Orthodox Church and Ecumenism, Thessaloniki 1974, page 224...

Translation: A. N.

Translation of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God to Moscow

Commemorated on October 13

The Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, located on Mount Athos, has been glorified by many miracles. Accounts of the wonderworking image were spread throughout Russia by pilgrims. His Holiness Patriarch Nikon (then still Abbot of the Novospasky monastery) asked Abbot Pachomius of the Iveron Monastery on Mt Athos, (who was in Moscow collecting alms for the Athonite monasteries) to supply a copy of the wonderworking Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Athonite monk Iamblichos painted the copy of the Iveron Icon, and after a year the icon was taken to Moscow, accompanied by monks of Athos. On October 13, 1648 it was solemnly greeted by a multitude of the people. The Iveron Icon of the Russian Orthodox Church was also glorified by the Lord with many miracles (February 12).

The Iveron Icon is also commemorated on February 12, March 31, and Bright Tuesday.

SOURCE:

SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2008(with 2007's link here also):

Monastery of Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain Letter - signing of the "Confession of Faith"

From here.

-------------------

Monastery of Koutloumousiou, Holy Mountain
Letter - signing of the "Confession of Faith"

Holy Royal Stavropegic and Patriarchical
Monastery of Koutloumousiou
Holy Mountain, Athos
29-05/11-06-2009

To the Congregation of Orthodox Clerics and Monks of Thessaloniki
Honourable and dear in Christ brothers and co-celebrants

Through this present sacred sealed and undersigned monastic Letter, we proceed, first, by expressing our thanks, as much for Your steadfast blessings on the feast of the Divine Resurrection and Ascension of our Despota Jesus, as also those and all the rest included in Your 31-05-2009 letter of Your Congregation. Then we wish to inform you, that Your above letter and its enclosed text, which arose from Your proper and blessed uneasiness and Your good sense and sense of responsibility of Your will, so that You may arouse the conscience of the Orthodox against the damage occurring within the framework of Ecumenism that has received phenomenal intensity through the religious schemes of devotional communication and collaboration with the heterodox and non-christians of some section of the contemporary Orthodox Body, Your aptly titled "Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism" has found us totally in agreement with the soul searching content and brought us unconditionally to Your side.
Consequently the Congregation of Elders of our Holy Monastery decided unanimously that the said Confession be signed also by us.
On this we congratulate You and pray that the commemorated Most Holy Spirit strengthen You in the conduct of the present struggle crowning it with His blessings of victory, we remain with great love and brotherly love in the Lord and God Jesus.

The Abbot of the Holy Coenobium of Koutloumousiou
Archimandrite Christodoulos and with me the in Christ brothers.

And something on the lighter side

Hat tip to Steve.

I was married in this Church and worship there as well sometimes, here in Las Vegas.

From here.
-----------------------------------------
Oct. 11, 2009
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Greek Orthodox congregation celebrates 50 years

Liturgies, food, drink, dancing will mark milestone by St. John the Baptist church

By JOHN PRZYBYS
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

The current St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, 5300 S. El Camino Road, is consecrated during a 2005 ceremony.
St. John the baptist greek orthodox church Courtesy photo

The interior of the dome of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church shows icons of Jesus, in the center, as well as the Virgin Mary, apostles, saints and angels.
Photo by Jerry Henkel/Review-Journal

The Rev. John Hondros, below, pastor of St. John's church, stands in the sanctuary, which was built and consecrated after members of the 50-year-old parish spent years meeting in such locales as a Las Vegas hotel and a converted synagogue.
Photo by Jerry Henkel/Review-Journal

A 2004 photo shows the Greek Food Festival, which also offers music, dancing and other entertainment to Southern Nevadans of all ethnic backgrounds. The annual event was created in 1973 as a way to pay for the construction of St. John church and various parish programs.
St. John the baptist greek orthodox church Courtesy photo

You won't see it, not even if you look really hard, but St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church is a church built on a foundation of souvlaki, moussaka and baklava.

This month, members of St. John -- the church most Southern Nevadans probably know because of its annual Greek Food Festival fundraisers -- will celebrate the parish's 50th anniversary.

And, as they do, it will be an occasion for members to observe it not just with liturgies, but with food, drink, dancing and celebration of the community they've created.

In a way, St. John's beginnings can be traced to the small, then steadily growing, number of Greek immigrants who settled in the Las Vegas Valley beginning in the early 1900s.

Susan Stamis, who has compiled the church's history, notes that, in 1929, John Pappas and two partners opened the city's first Greek-owned restaurant, the White Spot Cafe. But Pappas' introduction to Las Vegas actually came earlier: In 1909 when, as a water boy with the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, he first passed through town.

Pappas would, Stamis says, come to be regarded as the "godfather" of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church.

Also among the valley's early Greek settlers and St. John founders were George Sackas and his wife, Lea, who came here from Los Angeles after their marriage in 1931. Because they were Las Vegas' only married Greek couple, their home became the city's gathering place for Greeks to celebrate and socialize, Stamis says.

As the Greek population of Southern Nevada grew, Greek Orthodox residents began to hold informal religious observances in their homes, she continues, although baptisms required traveling to parishes in Salt Lake City or Los Angeles.

In 1954, after a Greek Orthodox baptism that took place in a borrowed Christian church here, Bishop Athenagoras Kokinakis, who had traveled here to perform the baptism, asked to meet with the women in attendance.

Kokinakis suggested that the women form a local chapter of Philoptochos, a church women's philanthropic group, because "that's the only way you are going to be able to get a church started here," Stamis says.

Kokinakis, Stamis adds, even kicked things off with a donation of $10.

On April 9, 1959, the Eastern-Greek Orthodox Community of Las Vegas was formally incorporated, and fundraising efforts for a church began in September of that year with a dinner dance. John Pappas, Stamis says, won the right to name the church in an auction, and chose to dedicate it to St. John the Baptist, his son's patron saint.

For two years, the congregation celebrated Masses at Christ Episcopal Church while searching for a facility of its own. In 1961, members purchased a former synagogue at Maryland Parkway and Carson Avenue and converted it into a church.

While the congregation's new church was simple, at least by Greek Orthodox standards, it did have its charms.

It wasn't "a grand church like most Greek Orthodox churches are," Stamis explains. "But it was so warm. When you walked in, it felt like (you were) in a little country church somewhere, because it was all white, which is unusual for a Greek Orthodox church, and it had stained-glass windows, which also are not common in Greek Orthodox churches."

That building served as St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church until the congregation's move into its current sanctuary, built upon purchased land at 5300 S. El Camino Road and completed in 1992. As a fundraiser for the church's construction -- then as a fundraiser to pay the church's mortgage and, now, for other parish activities -- the Ladies Philoptochos Society in 1973 instituted the Greek Food Festival.

Parishioner Rena Kalkas came to the United States from Crete in 1973 and attended the first festival as a tourist. Watching the food, the music and the dancing, she recalls, "I was like, where are these people coming from? It was like they all came from the villages (in Greece). Wow."

And, Kalkas notes, "soon, I became one of them."

During the annual festivals, the Rev. John Hondros, St. John's current pastor, leads visitors on tours of the church. Some of those visitors, Hondros says, have converted to the faith because of those tours.

"Our physical food brings them in," he explains, "but they are attracted to the spiritual stuff eventually."

Today, Hondros calls St. John's "an inclusive parish" that cherishes both its own ethnic traditions and its outreach into the community. In addition to its own Greek Orthodox members, the church serves members of Russian, Bulgarian, Ethiopian, Serbian and Romanian Orthodox communities across the valley.

Above all, the 450 or so families of St. John's share a strong sense of community, both in worship and as fellow parishioners. According to Hondros, visitors -- there are many, Hondros notes, including out-of-towners who visit St. John to be married -- invariably are impressed not only by St. John's Byzantine architecture but by the sense of community they feel.

"When people come here to worship from other parishes on Sunday, they tell me, 'This parish is really alive,' " he says.

In fact, Stamis adds, smiling, "when we come into church, somewhere during the service -- forgive me, Father -- we turn to our neighbor and say, 'Are you going to coffee hour?' "

Hondros laughs. "You do?" he responds in mock surprise. "I thought it was, 'Wow, that was a great sermon.' "

But Hondros is OK with that. While liturgy is the most crucial aspect of church life, he says, a strong sense of community is almost as important.

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280.

Dinner, dance part of celebration

St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church's 50th anniversary celebration will begin at 6 p.m. Friday with historical lectures and a tour of a pictorial display of the church. That event will cost $30.

On Saturday, the observance continues with Great Vespers and Artoclasia at 5 p.m., followed at 6:30 p.m. by a Greek Village dinner dance for $50.

Then, on Oct. 18, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Memorial Service is at 10 a.m., followed by a champagne brunch immediately afterward.

The cost is $20 for adults or $10 for children younger than 12.

Reservations are required for all events. For information, call 221-8245.

Martyr Probus at Tarsus, in Cilicia

Commemorated on October 12

The Martyrs Probus, Tarachus and Andronicus suffered for Christ in the year 304 at Tarsus in Cilicia. When the pagans ordered him to offer sacrifice to idols, the old soldier Tarachus replied that he would offer a pure heart to the one true God instead of sacrifices of blood. Seeing the firmness of the saint's confession the true Faith, the proconsul gave them all over to torture.

"When my body suffers," St Probus said to the idol worshippers, "then my soul is healed and invigorated." The tormentors refined their tortures, such as their rage could invent, and then they tore the bodies of the saints apart. Christians secretly took up the relics of the saints and buried them.

Troparion - Tone 5

The heavenly powers were amazed at the triumph of the holy martyrs Probus, Tarachus, and Andronicus.
For having fought the good fight with their mortal bodies,
they conquered bodiless enemies by the power of the Cross.
Now they intercede with the Lord
that He may save our souls.

Kontakion - Tone 2

The brave warriors of Christ, the martyrs Probus, Tarachus, and Andronicus,
revealed to us the glory of the Trinity.
They refuted the godlessness of their torturers
by bravely contending for the Faith.

SOURCE:

SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2008(with 2007's link here also):

Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim (Church of Greece) Letter - signing of the "CONFESSION OF FAITH Against Ecumenism"

From here.

-------------------------------------

Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim
(Church of Greece)

Letter - signing of the "CONFESSION OF FAITH
Against Ecumenism".

Most Holy and Reverend Brothers.

With great brotherly love I proceed through this letter to return to You the "Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism" which You sent to me, duly signed by my insignificance, congratulating You from the depth of my soul for Your outstanding initiative which covers a major void in the pastoral Church in the present hopper of syncretism and uncertainty of conditions. I also inform You that with my own Encyclical Notice I have already sent Your most important article on alertness and spiritual readiness to the ministering of the Church Holy Clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Piraeus, with the call for each of the shepherds of the Church to assume his sacred responsibilities towards God and his entrusted flock by endorsing the confession of Faith against the obnoxious Ecumenism.

Embracing You in the Resurrected Christ, I remain with great honour and brotherly love

The Metropolitan of Piraeus Seraphim.

Another letter in favor of "A Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism"

From here.

---------------------------------

Metropolitan of Etolia and Akarnania, Kosmas
(Church of Greece)

Letter - signing of the "CONFESSION OF FAITH
Against Ecumenism".

18-06-09

Dear Fathers and brothers, Greetings in the Lord.

With all the soul, heart, mind and lips I testify and sign the "Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism".
It is an article full of faith in our immortal Orthodoxy. It is an axe against the heresies and the heretics, in fact against the pan-heresy of the century, Ecumenism.
We, by the grace of God Bishops, we gave a grim oath during our ordination in front of the altar and the Holy Bible.
We promised not to blemish the treasure of the untainted faith, which was delivered to us by the Saints and Godbearing Fathers, of whom we are not worthy to loosen the laces of their footwear...
We owe therefore to act correctly in the confession of Faith, accepting all sacrifice.
No, we shall not betray the sacred and holy of our holy Orthodoxy, for the sake of a fake kindness and expressions of love of the ecumenists.
We shall remain with the grace of our Triadic God "firm and immovable" (Col 1:23) in the faith, in conviction and in the practice of the Holy Fathers, like for example of Saint Gregory Palamas, of Saint Mark Evgenikos, of Saint Fotios and of all the holy fathers of our One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the only Church in the World.
We shall remain, with the grace of God, Orthodox and faithful to the truth and, if God permits, even our lives we may surrender for Orthodoxy.
I conclude with the battle song of Orthodoxy of the holy monk Joseph Bryenniou: "We shall not deny you our dear Orthodoxy, we shall not lie about you, respect delivered to us by our fathers. We were born in you, we live in you and in you we shall repose. If however times demand it, we shall die for you a thousand times".

With glowing blessings
The Metropolitan
of Etolia and Akarnania, Cosmas.

Martyr Zenaida (Zenais) of Tarsus, in Cilicia

Commemorated on October 11

The Martyrs Zenaida and Philonilla lived in Tarsus in Cilicia during the first century, and were related to the holy Apostle Paul. They were pious Christian women, and both of them shared a love of learning. By whatever means were available to them at that time, they acquired medical knowledge.

The two sisters left their home and settled in a cave near the city of Demetriada, where they lived in constant prayer and work. The citizens of Demetriada soon learned that there were two women doctors who gladly treated everyone who turned to them for help, yet did not require payment for their services. They also healed people's souls by converting them to Christ.

One night, some pagans went to their cave and stoned them. Sts Zenaida and Philonilla suffered martyrdom for Christ, thereby receiving incorruptible crowns of glory from the Lord.

SOURCE:

SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2008(with 2007's link here also):

Venerable Job the Abbot of Pochaev

Commemorated on October 10

Saint Job, the Igumen of Pochaev Monastery, is also commemorated on August 28 (uncovering of relics) and October 28 (repose).

SOURCE:

SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2008(with 2007's link here also):

Apostle James the Son of Alphaeus

Commemorated on October 9

Holy Apostle James the son of Alphaeus one of the Twelve Apostles, was the brother of the holy Evangelist Matthew. He heard the Lord's words and witnessed His miracles. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle James Alphaeus and the Apostle Andrew the First-Called (November 30), made missionary journeys preaching in Judea, Edessa, Gaza, Eleutheropolis, proclaiming the Gospel, healing all sorts of sickness and disease, and converting many to the path of salvation. St James finished his apostolic work In the Egyptian city of Ostrachina, where he was crucified by the pagans.

Troparion - Tone 3

Holy Apostle James,
entreat the merciful God
to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions.

Kontakion - Tone 2

Let us bless James, praising him as the messenger of God,
for he filled the souls of the pious with wise dogmas.
Standing at the throne of glory before the Master,
he rejoices with all the angels unceasingly praying for us all.

SOURCE:

SOURCE FOR ICON ON RIGHT:

SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2008(with 2007's link here also):

Signers to "A Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism"

I made this post when I added the website, Iero Isichastirio Pantokratoros, to my sidebar. I receive their e-mails and when I do, I have been posting them here on this blog.

"A Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism", is the document referenced in this post's title which is increasing in names signing it to show solidarity with it's contents.

I have here two new e-mails showing the letters sent to makers of the document, "A Confession of Faith Against Ecumensim", stating solidarity with the document.





The first one came from here.

---------------------------------

Holy Monastery of Filotheou, Holy Mountain - signing of the "CONFESSION OF FAITH
Against Ecumenism".
01-07-09

Honourable and dear in Christ Brothers and Fathers.

We humbly ask for your forgiveness, for the delay in our answer and the signing of the " CONFESSION OF FAITH Against Ecumenism" which you sent to our Holy Monastery, due to our absence abroad. We wish to extend our thanks for providing us the opportunity to take part in the justified uneasiness on the fostered progress and spread of Ecumenism through systemic and numerous other manifestations
In this, I remain with befitting honour, love and countless wishes for the success of the God pleasing intentions of the Congregation of the Orthodox Clerics and Monastics, we sign with pleasure and with feelings of responsibility, the said Testimonial Article against Ecumenism

The Abbot of the Holy Monastery of Filotheou (Mount Athos)

Archim. Nikodemos
And those with us in Christ Brothers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This one is from here.
-----------------------------------

Metropolitan of Kythira, Seraphim, (Church of Greece)

Letter - signing of the "CONFESSION OF FAITH
Against Ecumenism".

My Most Reverend and honourable professor Fr. Theodore,
Christ Resurrected!

With great spiritual joy and mental elation I received and became breathless after reading the ponderous and inspired article of the Congregation of Orthodox Clerics and Monastics, the "Confession of Against Ecumenism".
I am in total agreement with all the points of this Orthodox testimony and gladly with all my "soul and heart" I sign it. I would rest even more if in the SYNOPSIS OF THE TESTIMONY (page18, para.3) you could add the condemnation of Arianism, which while of course it has not survived in its original form, yet it forms the nucleus of the preaching and the bedrock of the self styled "martyrs of Jehovah", who sow continuously weeds in the field of our Lord.
Congratulating wholeheartedly the Congregation of Orthodox Clerics and Monastics for this God pleasing initiative, I warmly plead to you to be allowed to enter this article in the website of the Holy Metropolis of Kythira for the erudition and the spiritual edification of my flock.

In this I remain,
With brotherly resurrection blessings

Seraphim of Kythira.