WHAT IS PAPISM?

(TI EINAI ΠΑΠΙΣΜΟΣ)

Without reservation we say that papism is a toppling of the fundamental laws of the Church, of genuine Christianity. And behold why.

According to Scriptures, the root, head, and foundation upon which the entire Christian edifice is supported is the God-man Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Alpha and the Omega of our faith, of our hope and of our love. He is the Leader. The voice of the Father heard twice from heaven, at the Jordan river and on Mount Tabor, established Him as eternal Leader in the Church: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well decided; listen to him” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5). The faith in Christ, the active faith, which is exhibited through absolute obedience to his commandments, even the least of them, is a fundamental law of the Church. Without this faith the Church can not be conceived.

Moreover, a fundamental law in the Church, which the God-man Lord established, is: as often and whenever among the faithful there appear serious disagreements concerning things of the faith, things that need to be done, worship matters – these differences are not solved by one only member of the Church, however official is his position, holiness and wisdom might be; but these matters are solved by the collective whole, by the Church, coming together and convening in holy Spirit (Matt. 18:17). According to this manner, that argument concerning circumcision, which shook up the apostolic Church, was solved, during which both Peter and Paul and the rest of the apostles and disciples spoke and developed their views on the subject; but when the decision was made, all subjected themselves to the voice of the Church (Acts 15:6-29). No one of them set his own authority above the authority of the Church. The infallible criterion in the Church, even when the chiefs of the apostles were living, was the Synod (Council).

But both of these fundamental laws, which pertain to the administration of the Church, papism overturned. In the Church the leader is the pope. In the Church the pope possesses infallibility. In the Church the pope is everything. Being driven by the demon of luciferian pride the pope usurped all the authorities, set his throne above the clouds, opened his mouth and, as another Nebucadnezzer, said: Nations and peoples, do you see me? Fall down and worship, pay homage to me. “By divine right” I am above lay people, monastics, deacons, priests, bishops, metropolitans, archbishops, patriarchs, regional and even those ecumenical Synods. When I am found on my seat and speak, I speak in holy Spirit and my decisions are infallible. I am the one and only, unique referee of Christ upon the earth. The soldiers who are faithful to me preach to the whole world the motto:

“Just as one God exists, one sun for the day, one moon for the night, in like manner God gave to the Church only one leader, the pope.” But not only ecclesiastical, but also political leaders obligated to obey me in all things. The two swords in the Gospel (Luke 22:38) symbolize the spiritual and worldly authority, and I must hold and use these two swords. Every authority comes from me. Woe unto the one who set himself against my volitions…

The pope, being clad with such ideas, established in the world a tyranny, a tyranny in the name of the Crucified One, whom he would say, that he and only he would represent upon the earth. And this tyranny ended up being unbearable, especially when upon the papal throne there sat individuals, who had no internal relation with the Christian faith and life. Popes thieves and robbers, making unrestrained use of power, brought huge corruption to the flocks of the West. The people murmured. The godly would sigh. Courageous preachers of the divine word, who dared to protest against the antichristian live and conduct of the popes, were apprehended and burnt alive, as the famous Jerome Savonarola (1452-1498), whose statue adorns today one of the squares of Florentia. Rome, with the corrupt and unfaithful popes, who abolished every evangelical virtue, would appear already in the eyes of the peoples of the West as the whore of the seas, as the new Babylon. Finally the volcano of the wrath of the peoples erupted. In 1520 a revolution was preached and the strong struggle against the papists began. At the head of the struggle was Martin Luther, concerning whom Thomas Carlyle writes, that Luther took the ax of truth and with the surge of a hero attacked and crushed the idol of papism. The struggle lasted many decades. The civil war was raging. Blossoming cities were transformed into smoking ruins. The blood ran like a river. And the cause, the most serious of all, of that big disaster, which struck Europe, was the foolish, the antichristian ambition of the pope, so that all might fall down and embrace the edge of his foot and recognize him as the only leader of the Church upon the earth.

The popes, if they had even an ounce of real godliness or true piety, would be ashamed in projecting such foolish and antichristian ambitions, and, the worst of all, struggling for the enforcement of them upon the totality of Christianity. He who studies the history of this period oftentimes remembers J. Chrysostom, who, lamenting on account of the bad situations of the ecclesiastical divisions would preach, that the chiefest cause of them is the controlling-spirit, philarchia.

“Nothing is capable of dividing the Church thusly as the controlling-spirit, nothing thus kindles the wrath of God as the dividing of the Church” (See 11th homily on his commentary on the epistle to the Ephesians: P.G 62.85).

+ Archimandrite Augustinos Kantiotes, 1956

MΟΛΙΣ ΚΥΚΛΟΦΟΡΗΣΕ

ΤΟ ΝΕΟ ΒΙΒΛΙΟ ΤΟΥ π. ΕΥΘΥΜΙΟΥ ΤΡΙΚΑΜΗΝΑ

Η Αντιμετωπισις της Αιρεσεως του Οικουμενισμου

κατα τον Όσιο Θεοδωρο τον Στουδιττη

Η Διακοπη της Μνημονευσεως

Η αίρεσις του Οικουμενισμού ξεκίνησε πριν ενενήντα περίπου χρόνια. Σε όλο αυτό το διάστημα παραδόξως αντί να κατασταλή και καταδικαστή, συνεχώς εξαπλούται, σε σημείο που να έχη αλλοιώσει το φρόνημα και αυτών των συνειδητών Ορθοδόξων. Η εξάπλωσις και μη καταδίκη της αιρέσεως των καιρών μας αποτελεί πρωτάκουστο και πρωτοφανές γεγονός εις την διαχρονική ιστορία της Εκκλησίας. Κάποιες προσπάθειες που κατά καιρούς έγιναν δια την απομάκρυνσι από την αίρεσι, οδήγησαν σε άλλες εκκλησιολογικές εκτροπές και πλάνες, εις τρόπον ώστε και οι θέλοντες σήμερα να απομακρυνθούν από αυτή να προβληματίζωνται όχι δια το από που να φύγουν, αλλά δια το που να πάνε.

Ποία η επίπτωσις της αιρέσεως δια την Εκκλησία.

Ποία η ευθύνη όλων των Ορθοδόξων κληρικών και λαϊκών.

Ποία η σωστή αντιμετώπισις δια την κατάσβεσι της αιρετικής πυρκαϊάς.

Πως δεν θα λοξοδρομήσουμε ούτε προς τα αριστερά (συμμετοχή στην αίρεσι), ούτε προς τα δεξιά (δημιουργία παρατάξεων και σχισμάτων).

Ποίες τέλος οι συνέπειες της ομολογίας εις την εποχή μας.

Όλα αυτά εξετάζονται με βάσι την διδασκαλία και την ζωή του Οσίου Θεοδώρου του Στουδίτου, ο οποίος σε ανάλογες περιστάσεις αιρέσεως, η οποία εξαπλούτο μέσα εις την Εκκλησία, ετήρησε απαράμιλλη στάσι και είναι δια τις ημέρες μας ο απλανής οδηγός μας.

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Κυριακὴ Ι΄ Ματθαίου (Ματθ. 17,14-23)

«Ω γενεα απιστος και διεστραμμενη!»

«Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη! ἕως πότε ἔσομαι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν;…» (Ματθ. 17,17)

ΑΚΟΥΓΟΝΤΑΣ κάποιος τὰ λόγια αὐτὰ ἴσως πῇ· Τί ἱεροκήρυκας εἶσαι σύ; πῶς μιλᾷς ἔ­τσι; τί θὰ πῇ «γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη»…; Ἡ­συχάστε, ἀγαπητοί μου. Δὲν τὰ λέω ἐ­γὼ αὐ­τά. Τὰ λέει τὸ σημερινὸ εὐ­αγγέ­λιο. Δὲν τ᾽ ἀκούσατε; Τὰ ἐπαναλαμβάνω· «Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη!…». Ὁ Χριστὸς τὰ λέει αὐτά. Μὰ γιατί ὁμιλεῖ τόσο σκληρά; Ἐμεῖς, θὰ πῆτε, ξέρουμε, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς εἶ­νε πρᾶος, ὁμιλεῖ γλυκά· πῶς αὐτὴ τὴ φορὰ τὰ λόγια του εἶνε βροντὴ καὶ ἀστραπὴ καὶ κεραυ­νός;… Μὴ ταράζεσθε. Ὁ ἴδιος ὁ Χριστὸς εἶνε. Κι ὅταν λέῃ τὰ γλυκά του λόγια, ποὺ γλυ­κύτερα δὲν ἀκούστηκαν στὸν κόσμο, κι ὅ­ταν ἐλέγχῃ, καὶ πάλι ὁ ἴδιος εἶνε. Διότι ὁ Χριστὸς εἶνε πατέρας. Τί κάνει ὁ πατέρας ποὺ ἀ­γαπάει τὸ παιδί του; Τὸ συμβουλεύει μιά, τὸ συμβουλεύει δυὸ φορές· ἀλλ’ ὅταν βλέπῃ ὅτι τὸ παιδὶ δὲν ἀκούει, τότε ὑψώνει τὴ φωνή, τὸ μαλώνει καὶ τὸ τιμωρεῖ. Καὶ πρέπει νὰ τὸ τιμω­ρήσῃ. Διότι ὅποιος δὲν ἐλέγχει καὶ δὲν τιμωρεῖ τὸ παιδί του, λέει ἡ Γραφή, δὲν τὸ ἀγα­πᾷ (βλ. Παρ. 13,24). Χρειάζεται ἐπιείκεια, ἀλλὰ σὲ ὡρισμένες περιπτώσεις χρειάζεται καὶ αὐστη­ρό­της. Τὸ ἴδιο κάνει καὶ ὁ γιατρός· ὅταν δῇ ὅτι ἡ ἀσθένεια προχώρησε, χρησιμοποιεῖ μαχαίρι! Ἔτσι καὶ ὁ Χριστός, ποὺ εἶνε ὁ κατ’ ἐ­ξοχὴν ἰατρός, χρησιμοποιεῖ ὀξεῖα γλῶσσα. Για­τὶ ὅταν ὁ ἄνθρωπος διαφθαρῇ ψυχικῶς, τότε χρειάζεται ἔλεγχος. Καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐδῶ ἐλέγχει καὶ λέει «Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη!…».

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Ἂς ἐξετάσουμε, ἀγαπητοί μου, σὲ ποιούς τὰ λέει τὰ λόγια αὐτά;
Τὰ λέει πρῶτα – πρῶτα γιὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους. Τί ἦταν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι; Ὁ περιούσιος λαὸς τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης. Ἐὰν ὑπάρχῃ ἕνας λαὸς ποὺ ἰδιαιτέρως ἀγάπησε ὁ Θεός, αὐτὸς ἦταν ὁ Ἰ­ουδαϊκός. Τὸ πᾶν ἔκανε γι’ αὐτόν. Ἦταν σκλά­βοι τετρακόσα χρόνια κάτω ἀπὸ τὴν τυραννία τῶν φαραώ· ποιός τοὺς ἐλευθέρωσε; Ὁ Θεός. Πῶς τοὺς ἐλευθέρωσε; Διὰ μέσου τοῦ Μωυσέως. Πείνασαν μέσα στὴν ἔρημο· ποιός τοὺς ἔθρεψε; Ὁ Θεός· τοὺς ἔστειλε τροφὴ γλυκύτατη, τὸ μάν­να. Δίψασαν στὴν ἐρημιά· ποιός τοὺς ἐπότισε; Ὁ Θεὸς πάλι· δι­έταξε τὸ Μωυσῆ νὰ χτυπήσῃ μὲ τὸ ῥαβδί του, καὶ μέσα ἀπὸ τὸν ξηρὸ βράχο βγῆκε ποτάμι, Ἁλιάκμων ὁλόκληρος, ποὺ τοὺς δρόσισε. Ποιός τοὺς φώ­τιζε τὴ νύχτα μέσ᾽ στὸ σκοτάδι; Ὁ Θεός. Ποιός τοὺς ἔσωσε ἀπὸ τὰ φίδια τὰ φαρμακερά; Ὁ Θεός. Ὅλα ὁ Θεὸς τὰ ἔκανε. Ἐν τούτοις αὐτοὶ στάθηκαν ἀγνώμονες καὶ ἀχάριστοι. Πρὸ παντὸς ὅμως ἀγνώμονες καὶ ἀχάριστοι φάνηκαν ὅταν ὁ ἴδιος ὁ Θεὸς κα­τέβηκε στὸν κόσμο κ’ ἔγινε ἄνθρωπος, καὶ περπάτησε πάνω στὴ γῆ, κ’ ἔκανε θαύματα, ἀν­αρίθμητα θαύ­ματα, καὶ δίδαξε τὴν ὑπέροχη διδασκαλία του, καὶ θεράπευσε τοὺς ἀρρώ­στους (ἔκανε τυφλοὺς ν’ ἀνοίξουν τὰ μάτια τους, κουφοὺς νὰ ἀκούσουν, παραλύτους νὰ θεραπευθοῦν), ἀ­κόμη καὶ νεκροὺς ἀνέστησε. Τότε οἱ Ἑβραῖοι τί ἔκαναν; Μίσησαν τὸ Χριστό, τὸν βλαστήμη­σαν, τὸν κατεδίωξαν, τὸν σταύρωσαν.
«Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη…». Γι᾽ αὐτοὺς τὰ εἶπε. Ἀλλὰ τὰ λόγια αὐτά, ποὺ εἶ­πε ὁ Χριστὸς γιὰ τὴ γενεὰ ἐκείνη τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἰσχύουν καὶ γιὰ μᾶς τοὺς Ἕλληνες. Ἰ­σχύουν καὶ γιὰ μᾶς, διότι ὕστερα ἀπὸ τοὺς Ἰ­ουδαίους τὸ Ἑλληνικὸ ἔθνος ἔγινε κατὰ κάποιο τρόπο ὁ δεύτερος περιούσιος λαὸς καὶ εὐεργετήθηκε ἐξαιρετικὰ ἀπὸ τὸ Θεό. Σκλαβωμένοι ἤμεθα κ’ ἐμεῖς τετρακόσα χρόνια στοὺς Τούρκους. Ποιός μᾶς ἐλευθέρωσε; Ὁ Χριστὸς ἐνέπνευσε ἀνδρεία καὶ θάρρος στὰ παιδιὰ τῆς Ἑλλάδος. Μᾶς ἔσωσε ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ πολλοὺς κινδύνους. Ἂν ὑπάρχῃ σήμερα Ἑλ­ληνικὸ κράτος καὶ δὲν ἔχουμε σβήσει ἀπὸ τὸ γεωγραφικὸ χάρτη τοῦ κόσμου, ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ἔ­κανε αὐτὸ τὸ θαῦμα. Οἱ ἐχθροί μας (λόγου χά­ριν οἱ Γερμανοὶ τὸν καιρὸ τῆς κατοχῆς) ἔ­λεγαν· Ἂν μπορούσαμε, καὶ τὸν ἀέρα ἀκόμα θὰ ἀφαιρούσαμε, νὰ πεθάνουν ἀπὸ ἀσφυξία οἱ Ἕλληνες, νὰ μὴν ὑπάρχουν πάνω στὴ γῆ… Ὁ Κύριος μᾶς ἔσωσε. Μᾶς ἔσωσε μὲ θαύματα, πολλὰ θαύματα.
Τί ἔπρεπε τώρα νὰ κάνουμε ἐμεῖς; Μέσα στὴν πατρίδα μας δὲν ἔπρεπε νὰ ὑπάρχῃ οὔ­τε ἕνας ἄπιστος. Ὕστερα ἀπὸ τόση διδασκαλία ποὺ ἀκούσαμε, ὕστερα τόσα θαύματα ποὺ εἴδαμε, ὕστερα ἀπὸ τόσα χειροπιαστὰ γεγονότα ποὺ ζήσαμε, ἔπρεπε στὴν Ἑλλάδα νὰ μὴ βρίσκεται οὔτε ἕνας ἄθεος. Καὶ ὅμως δὲν ἔ­μεινε πιὰ οὔτε ἕνα χωριὸ καθαρὸ ἀπὸ τὰ ζι­ζάνια τῆς ἀπιστίας. Ὡρισμένοι μᾶς τὸ λένε ἀπεριφράστως· Ἄστε τα αὐτά, παπᾶδες καὶ δεσποτάδες· αὐτὰ εἶνε παραμύθια τῆς Χαλι­μᾶς… Στὰ σχολεῖα μας διδάσκαλοι καὶ καθηγηταὶ δὲν πιστεύουν, καὶ πολλοὶ ἄλλοι θεωρούμενοι μεγάλοι στὴν κοινωνία δὲν πιστεύουν. Ἀπιστία μεγάλη παρατηρεῖται σὲ μία κατ’ ἐξοχὴν ὀρθόδοξη χριστιανικὴ χώρα, ποὺ τὰ παιδιά της εἶνε ἀπόγονοι εὐλαβῶν καὶ ἁγίων προγόνων. Ἐκεῖνοι ἄκουγαν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ στὸν Πόντο καὶ στὴ Μικρὰ Ἀσία καὶ κλαίγανε. Πῶς μετεβλήθησαν, πῶς ἄλλαξαν τὰ παιδιὰ αὐτά; πῶς ἔγιναν ἔτσι, θηρία ἄγρια, καὶ δὲν πιστεύουν πλέον τίποτα καὶ ξερρίζωσαν μέσα ἀπ’ τὶς καρδιές τους κάθε αἴσθημα ἀγάπης πρὸς τὸ Θεό; Τί συμβαίνει καὶ κατήν­τησαν ἄπιστοι;…
Καὶ σ’ ἐμᾶς λοιπόν, στὴ σημερινὴ γενεά, ἁρ­μόζει ὁ λόγος τοῦ Χριστοῦ «Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη…». Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε! Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε, θὰ φανερώναμε τὴν πίστι μας μὲ τὰ ἔργα μας, μὲ τὴ γλῶσσα μας, μὲ ὅλη τὴν καθημερινὴ διαγωγή μας. Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε, καν­­είς δὲν θὰ βλαστημοῦ­σε. Στὸν Πόντο περνοῦ­σαν ἑκατὸ χρόνια καὶ βλαστήμια δὲν ἀκούετο. Τώρα στὴν Ἑλ­λά­δα; Καὶ στὸ σπίτι βλαστημοῦν, καὶ στὰ σχολεῖα οἱ μαθηταὶ βλαστημοῦν, καὶ στὸ στρατὸ ἀξιωματικοὶ καὶ στρατι­ῶτες βλαστημοῦν, καὶ στὸ δρόμο οἱ γυναῖ­κες καὶ τὰ μικρὰ παιδιὰ ἀκόμα βλαστημοῦν. Οἱ πάντες βλαστημοῦν. Γίναμε γένος βλάσφη­μο. Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε στὸ Θεό, δὲν θὰ τρέχαμε στὰ δικαστήρια νὰ παλαμίζουμε μὲ τὰ βρωμερά μας χέρια τὸ Εὐαγγέλιο καὶ νὰ παίρνου­με ψεύτικους ὅρκους γιὰ νὰ καταδικάζωνται καὶ νὰ πηγαίνουν ἀθῷοι στὶς φυλακὲς καὶ οἱ ἔνοχοι νὰ ἀθῳώνωνται. Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε στὸ Θεό, δὲν θὰ εἴχαμε διαζύγια. Τὸ διαζύγιο ἄλ­λοτε ἦταν ἄγνωστο στὴν Ἑλλάδα· μόνο τὸ φτυάρι τοῦ νεκροθάφτου χώριζε τὸ ἀντρόγυ­νο. Τώρα ποιά γυναίκα μένει πιστὴ στὸν ἄν­­τρα της καὶ ποιός ἄντρας μένει πιστὸς στὴ γυ­­ναῖκα του; μοιχεία καὶ πορνεία ὑπάρχει στὸν κόσμο. Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε στὸ Θεό, δὲν θὰ ἔκλεβε ὁ ἕνας τὸν ἄλλο. Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε στὸ Θεό, τὴν Κυριακὴ ὅταν χτυπᾷ ἡ καμπάνα θὰ κάναμε φτερὰ στὰ πόδια γιὰ νὰ βρεθοῦμε στὴν ἐκκλησία τοῦ Χριστοῦ μας. Ποιός πάει τώρα στὴν ἐκκλησία; Ἕνα ἐλάχιστο ποσοστό. Οἱ πολλοὶ ἀπέχουν καὶ προβάλλουν διάφορες προφάσεις. Ἐὰν πιστεύαμε στὸ Θεό, θὰ εἴχαμε ἄλλη διαγωγή. Συνεπῶς σ’ ἐμᾶς ταιριάζουν τὰ λόγια αὐτά· «Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη…».
Ἐγὼ θαυμάζω ἕνα πρᾶγμα· τὴ μακροθυμία τοῦ Θεοῦ, πῶς μακροθυμεῖ ὁ Θεός. Τὸ εἶπε ὁ ἴδιος· «Γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη! ἕως πότε ἔσομαι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν»; ἕως πότε θὰ σᾶς ὑ­ποφέρω; Δὲν εἶνε ἀπορίας ἄξιο πῶς, ὕστερα ἀπὸ τέτοιες ἁμαρτίες ποὺ κάνουμε καὶ φύγαμε ἀπὸ τὸ Θεό, πῶς ἡ γῆ δὲν κάνει σεισμὸ τέτοιο ποὺ νὰ μὴν ἀφήσῃ οὔτε ἕνα σπίτι ὄρθιο;
Ἀλλὰ ἔρχεται σεισμὸς μεγάλος. Ἐξαντλεῖ­ται πλέον ἡ μακροθυμία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ τὰ ποτάμια καὶ οἱ λίμνες θὰ ξεραθοῦνε, καὶ τὰ δέν­­τρα θὰ μαραθοῦνε, καὶ τὰ βουνὰ θὰ φύγουν ἀπὸ τὴ θέσι τους, καὶ τὰ ἄστρα θὰ πέσουν ἀ­πὸ τὸν οὐρανό. Τὸ λέει τὸ εὐαγγέλιο σήμερα· «Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη, ἕως πότε… ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν;». Δὲν εἶνε λόγια δικά μου αὐτά, εἶνε λόγια τοῦ Χριστοῦ μας, τοῦ ἐ­σταυρωμένου καὶ Θεοῦ μας.

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«Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη». Ἂς ἐξ­ετάσουμε, ἀγαπητοί μου, τὸν ἑαυτό μας, ἂς ἐ­­ρευνήσουμε τὴ ζωή μας, καὶ ἂς μετανοήσου­­με εἰλικρινῶς. Ἂς ζητήσουμε τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ Θεοῦ ὅλοι, μικροὶ καὶ μεγάλοι, λαὸς καὶ κλῆ­ρος. Διότι ἔρχονται ἡ­μέρες φοβερὲς καὶ τρομερές. Θὰ δοῦμε σημεῖα μεγάλα. Καὶ τὸ 666, ποὺ ἔκανε τὴν ἐμφάνισί του, δὲν εἶνε μικρὸ ση­­μεῖο· ἔρχονται ὅμως κι ἄλλα. Ἐν τούτοις ἐ­μεῖς, ἄντρες γυναῖκες παιδιά, μένουμε ἀμετανόητοι. Ποῦ ὁμιλῶ, ἀγαπητοί μου; σὲ ζῷα ὁμιλῶ; σὲ θηρία ὁμιλῶ; σὲ βουνὰ καὶ λαγκάδια ὁμι­λῶ; σὲ νεκροὺς ὁμιλῶ; Σ’ ἐσᾶς τοὺς ζων­τα­νοὺς ὁμιλῶ, ποὺ εἶστε παιδιὰ μεγάλων καὶ ἐν­δόξων προγόνων. Ἂς μετανοήσουμε λοιπόν, ἀγαπη­τοί μου, ἂς μετανοήσουμε, γιὰ νὰ μὴν ἀκουστῇ καὶ πάλι ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ «Ὦ γενεὰ ἄπιστος καὶ διεστραμμένη! ἕως πότε ἔσομαι μεθ᾽ ὑ­μῶν; ἕως πότε ἀνέξομαι ὑμῶν;».

† ἐπίσκοπος Αὐγουστῖνος

(Ομιλία του Μητροπολίτου Φλωρίνης π. Αυγουστίνου Καντιώτου στον ιερό ναό της Ἀναλήψεως Κυρίου, στον Πελαργοῦ – Ἀμυνταίου 27-8-1989)

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METΑΦΡΑΣΜΕΝΟ ΣTA ΡOYMANIKA

ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΒΙΒΛΙΟ “ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ” ΤΟΥ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΟΥ ΦΛΩΡΙΝΗΣ π. ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΙΝΟΥ

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PREDICĂ LA DUMINICA A X-A DUPĂ RUSALII

Year 61 – ATHENS – March-April – 1985 – Page No. 438

WE SEEK A FREE AND VIBRANT CHURCH

Editor-Publisher

Augustine N. Kantiotis

CHRISTIAN SPARK

• “If someone comes toward you and bears not this teaching, accept him not into your home, and greet him not.” (2 John verse 10)
• “For heretics things sacred are untreadable” (From the interpretation on the 6^th canon in the Laodikeia canon)“The advocate of the religion is that very body of the Church, that is that (faithful) people’ (Response – Encyclical of patriarchates of 1848)

OPEN EPISTLE TO THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

MR. DEMETRIOS [*]

• [*] This was published in issue no. 438 of March-April 1985 page of the periodical “Christian Spark”. From the year 1972, after the death of Athenagoras, upon the ecumenical throne of the patriarchate of Constantinople is found, as we said, another patriarch. Despite the change, however, of the person at the peak of Orthodoxy and despite the confessedly peace-loving and humble successor of Athenagoras, his all-holiness mr. Demetrius, the line followed has in no way changed. Indeed the ecumenical activities and violations of the sacred canons have intensified to the point, that all who pain on account of Orthodoxy are becoming very anxious and are orienting themselves towards avoidable activities, as was that of the three in action bishops going under the jurisdiction of the new lands (of the ever-memorable metropolitan Eleftheroupolis mr. Ambrose, of the metropolitan of Paramythias mr. Paul and of the present writer), cutting off the commemoration of the name of the patriarch Athenagoras from the year 1970 and afterwards. This present letter constitutes an expression of this agony, which 23 years after the preceding letter to Athenagoras (1962), will come to also ring the bell of danger to mr. Demetrios.

Your all-holiness,

By the grace of God, by the mercies, and pities of the all-good God, the present writer happens to be a bishop of the Orthodox Church of Christ. For eighteen consecutive years I serve in this end region of Florina and try to properly respond, as much as I am capable of doing, to my most weighty episcopal duties in these hard times, during which huge waves of materialism and atheism rise up and strike against the sacred ship of the autocephalos church of Greece.

Concern for the whole Church

Now these duties would be capable of sucking my entire interest as shepherd having the responsibility for the perdition even of one only soul, on account of which the blood of the God-man was shed. But as member of the Hierarchy of the Orthodox Church I am not capable of remaining indifferent, also, regarding everything and anything that occurs in the entire region of the Orthodox Church, which spreads her branches even unto the five continents. For according to the teaching of the chief of the apostles, Paul, those belonging to the Church constitute a singular body, the body of Christ, and “when one member suffers” (1 Cor. 12:26), the rest of the members must co-suffer, and indeed particularly those members, which have a protruding, prominent position, as the head. And, as the ecumenical teacher of the Church, John the Golden-mouthed, (Chrysostomos), says that, if a thorn  plunges into the sole of a foot, the whole body slouches, and the head leaves its upright position, it is humbled and bent over towards the suffering member and makes every effort for the removal of the thorn. In like manner, observes the sacred father, it must occur in the Church of Christ. If, that is, one member of the Church runs the risk of undergoing some serious danger, all the members – for yet a greater reason the bishops – are in duty bound to display vitally their interest towards the therapy of the evil, so that this does not evolve into gangrene, threatening the whole body.  But even the prayers, which every regional church sends forth in behalf of all the rest of the member-parts, the orthodox churches, as well as the remembrances, which are done in the services, constitute a proof, that all the Christians, and indeed bishops, must not limit their interest to the borders of their small areas, but to extend that interest unto the ends of the earth, in which orthodox people dwell. Indeed the same sacred father, John Chrysostom, in weaving an encomium to saint Efstathion, bishop of Antioch, says concerning him that his interest used to extend beyond the bounds of his bishopric.

For “he had received good paideia (education; culture; learning; right nurturing) by the grace of the Spirit, for being in charge of the Church not only there [in his own bishopric,] was he in duty bound to rule, which he was ordained by the Spirit to do, but also [to rule] every (church) subsisting in the inhabited world; and he learned these things from the sacred prayers. For if he must make prayers, he says, in behalf of the catholic Church, which is from one end of the inhabited world to the other, how much more does he also have to show providence in behalf of all of her (the Church), and in like fashion to lead and care for all” (See Greek Fathers Mign 50, 602).

It is, then, a sacred duty, of the most sacred duties, for every bishop of the Orthodox Church to actively observe with interest, attention and anxiety everything and whatever happens in the orthodox sphere, and to contribute to its spiritual progress. Woe if the bishop becomes enclosed within the narrow bounds of his bishopric and remains completely indifferent towards the general state of the Church, contenting himself with the idea that the voracious fire of errors, of heresies and of atheism, which happen to set aflame all the bishoprics, will not reach in a short time his region, too.

The one studying the sacred canons of the Church with amazement observes that, though these (canons) prohibit the intervention of a bishop in the administrative duties of other bishoprics, yet, nevertheless, there does exist the case, according to which, altogether exceptionally, not only is it allowed, but it is demanded, that bishops, besides the prayers, petitions and admonitions, display their more vital interest in behalf of other bishoprics. And this very case is when a bishop of one eparchy, though he sees the wave of heresy threatening his eparchy, does not only take no measure whatsoever, but remains completely neglectful and indifferent; or, what is still worse, he co-agrees, [consents, and collaborates] with these heretics and utters words insulting the orthodox faith (See canons 121 of the Synod of Carthage and the 15^th of the First-second [Synod]). The struggle in behalf of orthodoxy, as we see, demands still more, manifestations of extraordinary activity, which, though they are found to be outside the usual scheme, not only are not condemned, but are praised. And even as ecclesiastical history testifies, because of such manifestations and operations in behalf of the patristic piety, whole regions were saved, which were in danger from the expansion of heresies.

The Church in the Face of Heresies and Schisms

If, your all-holiness, the above [considerations] are taken seriously into view, then my present epistle will not be considered a [kind of] superseding of duty or as an intervention into the duties of others, but as an expression of the unrest of an elder High-priest, who, on account of his position, has spiritual dependence, too, from the Ecumenical Patriarchate. He for already half a century by means of the grace of God is working in the vineyard of the Lord, and on account of his oral and written preaching, comes often into communication with the more broad strata of the people.

With all due respect, then, which we have for the Ecumenical Patriarchate, let it be permitted us to say, that the contemporary state in general in the orthodox sphere, and particularly in the region of the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, judged by orthodox criteria, as are the sacred canons, is not at all pleasant, but engenders great dangers. And behold why.

According to our faith, which for centuries we declare in the Creed of the Faith, the Church is ONE (“I believe…in one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church”, 9^th article of the Symbol of faith). And this very same ONEChurch is our holy Orthodoxy, which preserves as a priceless treasure the sacred deposit, which the Lord gave to her through his holy apostles and through the ecumenical and regional synods. Concerning this deposit, the apostle Paul writing to his disciple and bishop of Ephesus Timothy, says:

“O Timothy, [keep vigilant] guard over the deposit, derailing the sacriligious vain-voices and contrieties of pseudo-knowledge, by which certain ones in declaring them concerning the faith, have missed the mark.”

Now in the response of the great Church of Constantinople to the encyclical of the pope of Rome Leontios 13^th, during the year 1885, we read the following characteristic remarks.

“Christ-loving peoples of the glorious lands of the West! … The redeeming faith in Christ for all time ought to be correct in every respect and according to the holy Scripture and the apostolic traditions, upon which is based the teaching of the divine Fathers and the seven holy and god-selected Ecumenical Synods. It is obvious to the aforementioned that the entire Church of God, which contained within her bosoms the singular and unadulterated and wholesome salvific faith as a divine deposit, … this same Church is one and singular unto eternity, and not some multiple and variegated with time product; insomuch that evangelical truths do not accept variation or progress in time, as do the various philosophical systems, because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever more” (Hebrews 13:8)” (See “The Dogmatic and Symbolic Monuments of the Orthodox Catholic Church” by John N. Karmiris, vol. 2 Athens 1953, p. 944).

And as an ever-memorable High-priest, a fervent lover of Orthodoxy, used to say,

“this same deposit contains everything and whatever our Orthodoxy has that is sacred: dogmatic exactitude, god-taught ecclesiastical commonwealth, sacred and holy traditions, a long and glorious history.”

The Church is ONE, the Orthodox Church. Besides her all the other religious forms are heresies or schisms. And they are improperly called churches. Now what should the relation of the Orthodox Church be towards the other confessions-heresies – this constituted the initial issue of discussion in regional and ecumenical synods. These same [synods,] in interpreting the teaching of the New Testament, and particularly a certain few of its characteristic passages, (as, for example, Math. 7:15; 16:6; Titus 3:10; 2 John verse 10,), articulated in the form of sacred canons and ordained, on penalty of defrockment (unrobing) or excommunication, the mind-set and stance of orthodox before heretics. Behold the text of the above passages:

• a) “Beware of the pseudo-prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but within are ravenous wolves” (Math. 7:15).
• b) “And Jesus said to them: Look (out for yourselves) and be careful, (keep guard) from the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Math. 16:6).
• c) “Quit (communicating with) a heretical man after the first and second admonition” (Titus 3:10).
• d) “If somebody comes to you and bears not this teaching, do not accept him into your home, and do not greet him” (2 John verse 10).

Shall we, here, also call to remembrance the sacred canons? They are known to every bishop. We call to remembrance, however, certain ones of them, the following. 45^th, 65^th of the holy Apostles, of the 1^st and 3^rd Ecumenical Synod, and the 6^th, 9^th, 33^rd, and 37^th of the Synod of Laodikeia (See “Pedalion” published by “Asteros”, Athens 1957, pp. 50-51, 84-85, 170-171, 422, 433, 435). By the sacred canons, then, as many annotated and interpreted  them, distinguished canon law specialists and interpreters, among which, also, is saint Nicodemos the Hagiorite, it is prohibited literally for heretics to enter into the sacred churches of the orthodox (“what is sacred is not to be treaded upon by heretics”); prohibited are: common concelebrations, joint prayer, addresses and counter addresses in the sacred churches: prohibited is the exchange of gifts between orthodox and heretics; prohibited is the entrance of orthodox into synagogues (congregations) of Jews or heretics, as also into conventions of apostasy [*].

[*] Of these sacred canons called to remembrance we cite herein the text of one only (the 6^th Canon of the Laodiceia Synod), as well as the interpretation, which was composed by saint Nicodemos the Hagiorite, as also the related, relevant commentary from the sacred-canonical book “Constitution of Divine and Sacred Canons” of the authors G. Ralli-M.Potli (vol. III. Athens 1853, p. 176).

CANON 6 (Text): “Concerning the non allowance of heretics to enter into the house of God, who persist in heresy.” Interpretation (Nicodemos the Hagiorite); The ordinance of the present Canon is for heretics not to have license, permission to go inside the sacred temple of God, which is held by Orthodox, that is, if they persist in the heresy and do not want to return” (See “Pedalion”, publication of “Asteros”, Athens 1957, p. 422). Commentary (from the above mentioned book of Ralli-Potli); “Those who have fallen into heresies, and remaining in them, are ostracized from the Church, as being aliens” (Zonaras). “Heretics are not to step on what is sacred. It is not allowed for heretics to enter into the house of God…” (Aristenos).

Are the Sacred Canons [Kept and Actively] Observed?

And we ask: These sacred canons, which were put together in holy Spirit by god-bearing fathers, whose shoe laces we modern fathers are unworthy of untying, are in force or not in force in the Orthodox Church? Yes or no? If not, then honorably and with straight talk it must be said and it must be indicated, which organ superior to ecumenical and regional synods took such a more modern decision. For it will constitute an example of the ultimate hypocrisy, for the bishops, on the one hand, during the dreadful hour of their ordination to promise that they shall [vigilantly keep or actively] observe them without deviating, but in practice though, to trample them underfoot flagrantly and to provoke in this way the astonishment of the remaining faithful, who in this century of faithlessness preserve the kindlings of Orthodoxy, as the canon (rule) of faith and life. If however, the sacred canons continue to be in force, then these canons should be enforced in practice and every person that dares to stray away from their line should undergo the demanded annulments. To this question there must, at all events, be given an answer. For, it is not concerning an issue which, according to the teaching of the canons, there is room for economy and condescension. This is about the issue related to the faith, concerning the protection of that which is of the orthodox faith from apostates and heretics, who, so long as they do not repent, but persist in their errors, must be found at the canonical, [proper] distance. Now the keeping of such a distance must not be characterized as “misallodoxia” (hatred for people of other views) and harshness, but as an expression of a robust orthodox “phronema” (mentality; mind-set; mental orientation) and genuine Christian love, which through strictness looks to the enlightenment and coming to an awareness of the those in error and their return to the sacred fold. For this kind of strictness, which encloses depth of love, sacred Augustine clamours: “O merciful strictness!”.

Unfortunately, it must be confessed that the hurried and untortured (lax and unexamined) lifting of the anathemas between Rome and Constantinople that took place at the time of your predecessor patriarch Athenagoras, against which very visible hierarchs of the ecumenical Patriarchate protested, without however being heard, opened, as was consequent, the doors also to papism, and to the other heresies and schismatic bodies. The capstones (ceilings; roofs) of the Orthodox Church were abolished. The sacred canons, which ordain, define and regulate the relations of orthodox towards heretics, were trampled upon and are being trampled upon without reserve [shamelessly], and the scandalization coming from this is big. And so that we are not considered to be speaking undefinably [abstractly] and generally, from the many such violations we mention here certain ones, that is, the most known ones.

Samples of Violations

• 1) The yearly concelebrations by orthodox and papists of the enthronement feast-day of the apostle Andrew (November 30) in the patriarchal church of the Phanar. Also the concelebration of the corresponding enthronement feast-day of the apostle Peter (29 June) in Rome by the papists and orthodox, and during these concelebrations the relative addresses and counter-addresses, and the exchange of gifts.
• 2) The addresses that are delivered, counter-addresses, and joint prayers in orthodox churches during the visits of the pope in Sydney, Australia (in December of 1970), in Constantinople (the year 1979), in the patriarchal temple of Sambesy in Geneva, Switzerland (in June of the year 1984), and in Canada (in September of the year 1984).
• 3) The joint prayers and observances of common liturgies by orthodox and papists during the conventions of members of the so-called Theological Dialogue in Patmos-Rhodes (the year 1980), in Monacho of Germany (in July of 1982) and in Chania-Crete (end of May – beginning of June of the year 1984).
• 4) The observed joint prayers at the conventions of the “World Council of Churches” (W.C.C.), as also at its last general convention performed in VancouverCanada in the fall of the year 1983.
• 5) The exchanging of gifts from time to time between papists and orthodox high-priests in Rome and elsewhere, on the occasion of various occurances (visits to the Vatican, the returning of sacred relics on its [Vatican’s] part to sacred metropolises of the Church of Greece, and so on).
• 6) The public and spectacular reception of cardinal Vilemrants by the orthodox church of Crete, who followed the orthodox divine liturgy in the sacred church of Saint Mena in Heraclion, dressed in priestly adornment and finally blessed the orthodox people from the beautiful gate of the above [mentioned] sacred temple.
• 7) The ecumenical co-prayer or joint prayer of orthodox and papists in the orthodox church of Brussels of Belgium, in which, on the part of the orthodox participated the previous metropolitan of Belgium mr. Aemilianos.
• 8) The performance of a trisagion by orthodox high-priests of the ecumenical throne before the corpse of pope Paul the 6^th who had passed away in the year 1978.
• 9) The event during the enthronement of the metropolitan of Sweden (of the ecumenical throne) mr. Damascene, of a joint prayer session of orthodox, papists, and protestants in the sacred temple of Saint Paul of Geneva.
• 10) The referral made during the year 1983 for the transmission of the divine eucharist to the papists by orthodox clerics of the sacred archdiocese of Thyateron and Great Britain, as also the participation more previously (in the year 1979) or orthodox clerics of greater London in an ecumenistical vesper service within the papal temple of Westminster.
• 11) During the past year (May-June 1984) the reception and entrance into orthodox churches of cardinal of Vienna, Kainich, as also his entrance and his co-prayer or joint prayer held with orthodox in a sacred monastery of Mount Athos.
• 12) The participation of the metropolitan of Germany, mr. Augustine (Lambardaki) in an ecumenistical worshipful function (blessing of the sweet bread) in July of the passed year 1984, as the newspapers of Stuttgard wrote up.

Towards the Wolves Politeness, Towards the Sheep Austerity?

The above cases, few of the many, constitute flagrant violations and trampling upon the sacred canons, which, if they occurred in other times, when the orthodox faith was robust, they would not be dared, and whichever chance violators would be punished in an exemplary manner. But today they take place publicly and indeed provocatively, and the most scandalous thing of all is this: wherever, that is, orthodox appear, faithful children of the Church, protesting against the violations, these are placed into persecution by their head parish priests of the regional orthodox churches, are excommunicated and punished, and by Hagiorite (Mount Athos) fathers that go about abroad in the diaspora, are placed under austere, strict penances (as the deprivation of the divine communion, and so on.) There are not lacking also even threats against the protesters, as additionally their beatings by those holding opposite views, which remind one of the frightful periods of the Church, during which the heretics were supported and taken care of [in every way], and the faithful were persecuted cruelly or mercilessly, as occurred during the period of arianism. What a frightful thing! Where have we ended up! Heretics of every sort, masons and [so-called] Jehova’s Witnesses, atheists and unbelievers, are not being excommunicated, but faithful children of the Church are being excommunicated, children which, as we said, preserve still the kindlings of the orthodox faith and the patristic piety/godliness. The most rev. of Australia, mr. Stylianos, the most rev. of Switzerland mr. Damascene, the god-beloved bishop of Toronto (Canada) mr. Soterios, and whoever else, forget that, according to the encyclical of the patriarchates of 1848, the faithful “laos,” people is the guardian of Orthodoxy and for no reason whatsoever is it permitted for him to be spurned, reviled or abused. Behold an excerpt from this most important response-encyclical:

“Among us neither Patriarchs nor Synods were capable ever of introducing new [things/lawless innovations], because the advocate or supporter of the Religion is that very body of the Church, that is the people itself, who wants its religion eternally unchanged and of the same form as that of its fathers” (See the cited work “The dogmatic and symbolic monuments of the Orthodox Catholic Church” by John N. Karmires, vol. 2, Athens 1953, p. 920.)

Now, as Basil the Great observes in his famous homily on the Six-day Creation, just as the sheep that grazes in the meadow discerns the poisonous plant and does not touch it quantitatively, thus also the rational sheep of the flock of Christ, however humble the position that they might posses, are taught godwards (from God, theothen) and discern the kind of spiritual food that is offered to them. The remaining faithful people, this remnant of Orthodoxy, today unfortunately is mocked, disdained and excommunicated, while the masons, the papists and the rest of the heretics chance to enjoy affectionate embraces and various forms of [delicate] attending towards the full, as it appears, application of the prohibitive ordinances of the canons of the Orthodox Church which are against this.

Under such circumstances the dividing line between orthodox and heretics is continually weakening and is tending towards disappearance or extinction, and the pan-heresy of ecumenism, according to the ever-memorable Justin Popovitch, is tending to flood Orthodoxy. In the souls of godly/pious priests and bishops of the Orthodox Church there are observed already crises of conscious, about whether, after such deviations – why not also betrayals? – they should continue to commemorate the names of bishops, archbishops and patriarchs, as correctly dividing  the word of TRUTH. A few of them, to be sure, overstress love, saying that, because of love, it is demanded that many retreats and sacrifices be made. But genuine, authentic love is closely conjoined to the truth. It is not enough simply to say that we love, but also to “be true in love” (Ephesians 4:15); that is, to have real love and sincere love, accompanied by the true faith, and for us to look for the spiritual and psychical interest of the beloved [one]. For love without truth, without the faith, is falsehood and deception. Love as a heavenly plant, as a plant rejoicing in truth, takes pleasure, blossoms, and bears fruit only within the truth. And the whole truth, not only a part of it, is found in Orthodoxy.

The orthodox people, found before such kinds of unacceptable manifestations begins already to be in serious unrest. And the black flag, which was raised in some sacred monastery of Mount Athos, as a robust protest on account of the anti-orthodox deviations and manifestations, has touched and moved many.

We do not Threaten, But We Pain and Are in a State of Unrest

Your all-holiness, in finishing already my present epistle, with tears I ask you, as well, also, as the Sacred Synod about you, that you give the necessary attention to whatever an elder presbyter bishop of the Orthodox Church of Greece directs to you, melting his life away in the service of the vineyard of the Lord, and receiving for a long time now a very great many letters of faithful Christians asking for guidance and support. Therefore I also straightway ask you, that you re-evaluate your in the main prohibited stance before the heretics and especially before papism, which, as it speaks and acts, continues to win ground at the expense of Orthodoxy, of which 9/10ths remain unfortunately for a long time under the influence of atheists and totalitarian regimes. It is not the time for unifying endeavors with the heretics. Shut out then whatever entrance to the papists and the rest of the heretics from the orthodox sacred churches, since no proof exists that these people recognize their cacodoxies (false views) nor display sincere repentance. Moreover, prohibit the entrance of orthodox clerics to worship areas of heretics, as well as to Jewish synagogues. The orthodox people throughout the earth, the front-line of battling Christianity – let it come together and close ranks; let it examine and let it solve the problems occupying it; and, to begin with, let it exert itself in its sacred endeavor for the unity of the orthodox world. And if this happens, then the time will come for the outreaches outside the garden of Orthodoxy. Otherwise, if the same situation continues and the violators of the sacred canons, on the one hand, in relation to the heretics remain unpunished, and, on the other, the children of Orthodoxy are threatened with penances and excommunications, how is it possible for the present writer, who for reasons of conscience together with other high-priests had stopped previously the commemoration of your predecessor, how is it possible – I say – now, when the openings towards those outside became broader and already very dangerous, for me to continue to remember your name as rightly dividing the word of truth?

In ringing, then, the bell of danger from this very end of the Hellenic fatherland, I express the agony not only of my flock, but also of thousands of other Christians of Hellas and abroad. Hear these voices as a voice of many waters and do not bring us to the difficult position to cease anew the remembrance of the ecumenical patriarch. Let this not be considered a threat, but as a cry of pain and agony and as the very last petition towards your all-holiness for the immediate return of the great church of Constantinople to that orbit, which in holy Spirit was circumscribed in the ecumenical and regional synods and from which ever-memorable fathers and teachers of the Church, prototypes of true shepherds, did not stray away from the least bit, but sacrificed even their very life in behalf of Orthodoxy.

I undersign reverently

The least brother in Christ

+ Metropolitan of Florina, Prepon, and Eordaias

AUGUSTINE (Kantiotis)

Open Letter to Patriarch:Politeness to Heretics and Harshness to Pious O…

Τοῦ ἁγίου Παντελεήμονος
27 Ἰουλίου

Εδιωχθη απο φθονο

«Ηδει γὰρ ὅτι διὰ φθόνον παρέδωκαν αὐτόν» (Ματθ. 27,18)

ΚΑΙ ΠΑΛΙ, ἀγαπητοί μου, τιμοῦμε τὴν ἱερὰ μνήμη τοῦ μεγαλομάρτυρος Παντελεή­μο­­νος. Τὸ θέμα μας θὰ εἶνε τὸ ἐρώτημα· Ποιά ἡ αἰτία τοῦ διωγμοῦ τοῦ ἁγίου Παντελεήμονος; Σ᾿ αὐτὸ θὰ δώσουμε μία σύντομη ἀπάντησι.

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Ὁ ἅγιος Παντελεήμων ἔζησε καὶ ἤθλησε στὴν ἐποχὴ τῶν διωγμῶν, ὅταν στὴ ῾Ρώμη αὐ­τοκράτωρ ἦταν ὁ Διοκλητιανός. Γεν­νήθηκε στὴ Νικομήδεια τῆς Μικρᾶς Ἀσίας. Ὁ πατέρας του ἦταν εἰδωλο­λά­τρης, ἀλλὰ ἡ μητέρα του ἦταν ἀπὸ τὶς γυναῖ­κες ποὺ φύτευαν βαθειὰ στὴν καρδιὰ τῶν παιδιῶν τους τὴν πίστι στὸ Χριστό. Διδά­χθηκε λοιπὸν ὁ ἅγιος Παντελεήμων ἀ­πὸ τὴ μη­τέρα του τὶς ἀλήθειες τῆς πίστεως.
Ἦταν εὐφυής. Εἶχε κλίσι στὰ γράμματα. Σπούδασε τὴν ἰατρικὴ κοντὰ σὲ δι­α­κεκριμέ­νους ἐπιστήμονες. Ἀ­νεδεί­χθη κορυφαῖος ἰατρός. Πολλοὶ ἰατροὶ ὑ­πῆρ­χαν τότε, ὅπως ὑπάρ­χουν καὶ σήμερα. Εἶ­­νε ὅ­μως σπάνιο νὰ βρεθῇ γιατρὸς Χριστιανός. Ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον εἶνε ἄπιστοι, ὑλισταί. Καὶ νά ᾿ταν καμμιὰ ἀξία; ὁ Θε­ὸς νὰ σᾶς φυ­λάῃ, μὴν πέσετε στὰ χέρια τους.
Ὁ ἅγιος Παντελεήμων διέφερε. Κατὰ τί διέφερε; Διέφερε σὲ τρία σημεῖα.
⃝ Πρῶ­τον ὡς πρὸς τὸ χρῆμα· ἐκεῖνοι ἦταν φι­λάργυροι· ἐκμεταλλεύοντο τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς καὶ θησαύριζαν· ὁ ἅγιος Παντελεήμων ἦταν ἀν­ιδιοτελής, ἰδεολόγος. Ἀσκοῦ­σε τὴν ἐπιστήμη ὡς ἱεραποστολή. Τὸν ἔβλεπαν νὰ ἐπισκέπτεται τὴ νύχτα σὰν ἄγγελος τὶς καλύ­βες. Ἐνῷ οἱ ἄλλοι πήγαιναν μόνο στὰ σπίτια τῶν μεγά­λων, αὐτὸς πήγαινε στὶς φτωχο­συνοικίες καὶ ὑπηρετοῦσε τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς.
⃝ Τὸ δεύτερο στὸ ὁποῖο δι­­έφερε ἀπὸ τοὺς ἄλ­­λους. Ὅπως εἶπε διάσημος Ἕλλην καθηγητὴς τοῦ πανεπιστημίου, οἱ ἰατροὶ συχνὰ ἀ­σκοῦν τὴν ἰατρικὴ ὡς κτηνιατρική· εἶνε κτη­νί­ατροι μᾶλλον παρὰ ἰατροί. Δὲ βλέπουν τί­ποτε ἄλλο παρὰ μόνο φλέβες, κόκκαλα, σάρ­κες, ἱστούς, καρδιές, πνευμό­νια. Ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἶνε καὶ αὐτὰ ἀσφαλῶς· ἀλ­λὰ πίσω ἀπὸ αὐτὰ ὑπάρχει κάτι τὸ ἀόρατο· ὑ­πάρχει ἕνα «μοτεράκι», ποὺ κινεῖ τὴν βιολογι­κὴ – σωματι­κὴ ὕπαρξι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Καὶ ὁ γιατρός, ὅ­ταν δὲ «βλέπῃ» τὸ «μοτεράκι» αὐ­τό, εἶνε τυφλός, δὲν εἶνε εἰς θέσιν νὰ ἀσκήσῃ τὸ ἔργο του. Τὸ «μοτεράκι» αὐτὸ εἶνε ὁ ψυχικὸς πα­ρά­γων, ἡ ψυχὴ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. Πλῆθος πειρά­ματα καὶ παρατηρήσεις ἀπέδειξαν, ὅτι ἡ ψυ­χὴ μὲ τὰ πάθη, τὴν ἐνοχή, τὸ ἄγχος της ἐπιδρᾷ πολὺ στὸ σῶμα. Ὑπάρχει ἀλληλεπί­δρα­σι μεταξὺ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς. Αὐτὸ ποὺ ψάλ­λει ἡ Ἐκκλησία μας τὸ Δεκαπενταύγουστο εἶ­νε καὶ ἐπιστημονικῶς ἀληθές· «Ἀπὸ τῶν πολλῶν μου ἁμαρτιῶν ἀσθενεῖ τὸ σῶμα, ἀσθε­νεῖ μου καὶ ἡ ψυχή» (Μικρ. Παρακλ. κανών). Καὶ τὰ δύο ἀσθενοῦν· ἀλλὰ ἡ πηγὴ – ἡ ῥίζα τοῦ κακοῦ εἶνε ἡ ἁμαρτία. Ἔκανε λοιπὸν ὁ ἅγιος Παντε­λεήμων τὴν ὀρ­θὴ διάγνωσι· ἔβλεπε ὅτι, ὅταν ἡ ψυχὴ ἀπαλλαγῇ ἀπὸ τὴν ἐνοχή, τὸ σῶμα ζω­ογονεῖται, ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀναπνέει. Πολλὲς ἀσθέ­νειες (ἀποπληξίες, ἐμφράγματα, καρκίνοι) ἔ­χουν τὴν αἰτία τους στὸν ψυχικὸ κόσμο· κά­ποια πίκρα ἀπὸ τύψεις ἢ ἀπὸ συκοφαντία ἢ διαβολὴ ἢ ἀδι­κία ἢ παραγκωνισμὸ ποτίζουν μὲ φαρμάκι τὸ σῶμα.
⃝ Διέφερε λοιπὸν πρῶτον διότι δὲν ἀπέβλεπε στὸ χρῆμα, δεύτερον διότι ἔβλεπε τὸν ἄν­θρωπο ὡς ψυχοσωματικὴ ὁλότητα, καὶ τρίτον διότι, ἐκτὸς τῶν ἄλλων φαρμάκων ποὺ εἶχαν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἰατροί, ὁ ἅγιος Παντελεήμων διέθετε ἕνα σπάνιο – μοναδικὸ φάρμακο, καὶ αὐ­τὸ ἦταν ἡ πίστις. Πίστευε βαθειά. Γι᾿ αὐτό, μα­ζὶ μὲ τὰ φάρμακα ἀπὸ βότανα τῆς γῆς ποὺ χορη­γοῦσε, γονάτιζε δίπλα στὸ προσκέφαλο τοῦ ἀ­σθενοῦς, προσευχόταν καὶ ―ἂς μὴν πιστεύ­ουν οἱ ἄπιστοι, ἐμεῖς πιστεύουμε― ὁ ἀ­σθε­νὴς ἐ­θεραπεύετο. Καὶ μέχρι σήμερα βλέπουμε τὸ σημεῖο τοῦ σταυροῦ σὲ κλινικές, νοσοκομεῖα καὶ θεραπευτήρια. Εἶνε πράγματι τεραστία ἡ δύναμις τῆς πίστεως, φάρμακο θεραπείας ψυχικῶν καὶ σωματικῶν νοσημάτων.
Αὐτὸς ἦταν ὁ ἅγιος Παντελεήμων. Καὶ γι’ αὐ­τὸ στὸ ἰατρεῖο του σχημάτιζαν κάθε μέρα οὐ­ρὰ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς, ἐνῷ στοὺς ἄλλους γιατροὺς τῆς Νικομηδείας δὲν πήγαιναν πλέον. Αὐτὴ ὅμως ἡ προτίμησις ἄναψε στὶς καρδιὲς τῶν συναδέλφων του τὴν κίτρινη λαμπάδα τοῦ φθό­νου. Τὸν φθόνησαν, τὸν μίσησαν. Ἔβλεπαν ὅ­τι, ὅσο ἦταν αὐτὸς γιατρὸς στὴ Νικομήδεια, αὐτοὶ ἔπρεπε ν᾿ ἀλλάξουν ἐπάγγελμα· ὅλοι ἔτρεχαν στὸν ἅγιο Παντελεήμονα. Καὶ ἀσθενεῖς, ποὺ ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς ἀπήλπιζαν, εὕρισκαν τὴ θεραπεία τους κοντά του. Ἰδού λοιπὸν ἡ αἰτία τοῦ φθόνου. Γι’ αὐτὸ τὸν κατεδίωξαν. Τὸν μή­νυσαν στὶς ἀρχές. Μὲ ποιά κατηγορία, ὡς τί; ὡς φιλάργυρο; ὡς πλεονέκτη; ὡς μοιχό; ὡς πόρνο; ὡς κίναιδο; ὡς ἐγκληματία; Τίποτε ἀ­πὸ αὐτά. Ἐὰν τὸν κατηγοροῦσαν γι᾿ αὐτά, μέ­σα στὸ παρηκμασμένο τότε καθεστώς, θὰ ἀ­πηλλάσ­σετο. Τὸν κατηγόρησαν μὲ μιὰ κατηγορία ποὺ ἔπιανε. Ἔτσι εἶνε, ἀλλάζουν οἱ κατηγορίες γιὰ τοὺς πιστοὺς κατὰ ἐποχή· χρησιμοποι­εῖται ἄλλοτε ἡ ἄλφα, ἄλλοτε ἡ βῆτα, ἄλλοτε ἡ γάμμα κατηγορία. Δὲν θὰ ἐπεκταθῶ ἐπ’ αὐ­τοῦ, νὰ σᾶς παρουσιάσω πῶς, ἀπ’ τὸν καιρὸ ποὺ φτειάσαμε βασίλειο, μὲ διάφορες ψευτο­κατηγορίες, μὲ ταμπέλλες ποὺ κολλοῦν φθονεροὶ στὶς πλάτες ἀξίων ἀνθρώπων, τοὺς ἐξ­οντώνουν ―ἐνῷ κατὰ βάθος δὲν πιστεύ­ουν τὶς κατηγορίες― καὶ πῶς κρίνουν πλέον τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μὲ κριτήρια ὄχι σταθερά (ἠθικά), ἀλλὰ μεταβλητά (πολιτικὰ κ.λπ.).
Τὸν κατηγόρησαν λοιπὸν μὲ τὴν φοβερὰ τότε κατηγορία ὅτι εἶνε Χριστιανός. Καὶ ἔ­φτανε ἡ κατηγορία αὐτὴ νὰ ὁδηγήσῃ τὸν ἄν­θρωπο στὸ ἐκτελεστικὸ ἀπόσπασμα. Συνε­λή­φθη, ὡδηγήθη ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀρχῶν, ὡμο­λόγησε μὲ παρρησία τὴν πίστι του, ὑπεβλήθη σὲ παντοειδῆ μαρτύρια, καὶ ἔτσι ἡ ἁγία του ψυχὴ σὰν ὁλόλευκο περιστέρι πέταξε στὰ οὐ­ράνια σκηνώματα, γιὰ νὰ συναγάλλεται μὲ ἁ­γίους ἀγγέλους καὶ ἀρχαγγέλους.

* * *

Ἰδού, ἀγαπητοί μου ἡ αἰτία τῆς καταδιώξεως καὶ τοῦ μαρτυρίου τοῦ ἁγίου Παντελεή­μονος· ὁ φθόνος.
῎Ω ὁ φθόνος, μεγάλο – ἀ­βυσσαλέο πάθος! Εἶνε σκουλήκι καὶ ἔχιδνα ποὺ κατατρώει τὰ σπλάχνα τοῦ φθονεροῦ, ἀλλὰ εἶνε καὶ ὁ τά­φος μεγάλων ἀνδρῶν. Τρο­μερὰ τ᾿ ἀποτελέ­σματά του. Ἂν ἀνοίξουμε τὴν ἱερὰ ἱστορία, θὰ δοῦμε, ὅτι αὐτὸς ὑπῆρξε ἀρχὴ τῆς καταστροφῆς τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου γένους. «Φθόνῳ δι­αβόλου», λέει ὁ Σολομῶν, «θάνατος εἰσῆλ­θεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον» (Σ. Σολ. 2,24). Φθόνησε ὁ σατανᾶς τὸ μεγαλεῖο τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ τὸ φθο­νεῖ. Γιὰ τὸ πρῶτο αἷμα ποὺ χύθηκε πάνω στὴ γῆ αἰτία ἦταν ὁ φθόνος· ὁ Κάϊν φθόνησε τὸν ἀδελφό του Ἄβελ καὶ τὸν ἐφόνευσε «εἰς τὸ πεδίον» (Γέν. 3,8). Ἀπὸ φθόνο ὁ Ἠσαῦ κατεδίωξε τὸν Ἰακώβ (βλ. ἔ.ἀ. 27,41), τὰ ἕντεκα παιδιὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ κατεδίωξαν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὸν πάγκαλο (βλ. ἔ.ἀ. κεφ. 37ο), ὁ βασιλεὺς Σαοὺλ κατεδίωξε τὸν Δαυΐδ (βλ. Α΄ Βασ. 19,10), καὶ μακρὰ σειρὰ ἁγίων ἀνθρώπων ἐξωντώθηκαν.
Παραδείγματα ἔχουμε καὶ στὴ δική μας ἐ­θνικὴ ἱστορία. Μεγάλοι ἄνδρες ἐξωντώθηκαν, ὅπως ὁ δίκαιος Ἀριστείδης στὴν ἀρχαιότητα, ὁ Σωκράτης ποὺ ἤπιε τὸ κώνειο, στὰ νεώτερα χρόνια ὁ Χαρίλαος Τρικούπης, κ.ἄ..
Ἀλλὰ τί χρειάζονται τὰ ἄλλα παραδείγματα; ῾Ρῖξτε ἕνα βλέμμα στὸ πραιτώριο καὶ στὸ Γολγοθᾶ. «Ποιόν ἀπὸ τοὺς δύο θέλετε ν᾿ ἀ­πο­λύσω», ἐρωτᾷ ὁ Πιλᾶτος, «τὸν Βαραββᾶ ἢ τὸν Ἰησοῦν;». Ὅλοι φωνάζουν· «τὸν Βαραββᾶ». Καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ψυχολογικώτατα σημειώνει· «ᾜδει γάρ», ἐγνώριζε δηλαδὴ ὁ Πι­λᾶ­τος, «ὅτι διὰ φθόνον παρέδωκαν αὐτόν» (Ματθ. 27,18). Ὁ φθόνος τῶν γραμματέων καὶ φα­ρισαίων, ποὺ σὰν πυγολαμπῖδες ἔσβηναν πλέ­ον ἐμπρὸς στὸν ἥλιο-Χριστό, ὡδήγησε τὸν Κύριό μας στὸ Γολγοθᾶ.
Ἔκτοτε, ἀδελφοί μου, εἶνε γενικὸς κανών·  ἂν παρουσιασθῇ κάποιο ἀνάστημα, κάποια φυ­σιογνωμία ἱκανή, ποὺ θὰ πράξῃ τὸ καθῆκον, προκαλεῖ φθόνο καὶ ἐπισύρει διωγμό. Οἱ ἀσή­μαντοι δὲν ἐνοχλοῦν· καταδιώκον­ται ἐκεῖνοι ποὺ προσφέρουν ὠφέλεια καὶ δίνουν ζωὴ γύρω τους. Τὸ εἶπε καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος Παῦλος· «Πάν­τες οἱ θέλον­τες εὐσεβῶς ζῆν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διωχθήσονται» (Β´ Τιμ. 3,12)· θὰ διωχθοῦν ὅσοι πιστεύουν στὸ Χριστὸ καὶ ζητοῦν νὰ ζή­σουν μὲ τὶς ἐντολές του. Εἶνε ὁ κλῆρος τους.
Ὅσοι εἶνε ζωντανοί, εἴτε διὰ τοῦ λόγου εἴ­τε διὰ τοῦ παραδείγματος προκαλοῦν σεισμό. Ὁ σεισμὸς ὅμως αὐτὸς εἶνε σωτήριος. Μακά­ριες οἱ κοινωνίες ποὺ ἔχουν τέ­τοιους ἄνδρες, εἴτε στὴν ἐπιστήμη εἴτε στὸ στρατὸ εἴτε στὴν πολιτικὴ εἴτε στὸν ἱερὸ κλῆρο· διότι αὐτοὶ ἀ­ποτελοῦν τοὺς παράγοντας ὀρθῆς ἀγωγῆς.
Προσευχηθῆτε, ἀδελφοί, τὸ νόσημα τοῦ φθό­νου νὰ ἰαθῇ, νὰ ἐκλείψῃ. Καὶ εἴθε ὁ Κύριος διὰ πρεσβειῶν τοῦ ἁγίου Παν­τελεήμονος ν᾿ ἀ­παλ­λά­ξῃ τὶς καρδιὲς ὅλων μας ἀπὸ αὐτὸ καὶ νὰ πορευ­ώμε­θα ἐν ἀρετῇ καὶ ἀγάπῃ πρὸς δόξαν Θεοῦ· ἀμήν.

† ἐπίσκοπος Αὐγουστῖνος

(Oμιλία του μητροπολίτου Φλωρίνης π. Αυγουστίνου Καντιώτου στον ιερό ναὸ του Ἁγίου Παντελεήμονος Φλωρίνης 27-7-1976)

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ΣΤΑ ΡΟΥΜΑΝΙΚΑ

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Sfântul Mare Mucenic Pantelimon – 27 Iulie

Predica Mitropolitului Augustin de Florina la pomenirea

Sfântului Mare Mucenic Pantelimon

– 27 iulie –

A FOST PRIGONIT DIN INVIDIE

„Căci ştia că din invidie L-au predate lui” (Matei 27,18)

Şi iarăşi, iubiţii mei, cinstim sfânta pomenire a Marelui Mucenic Pantelimon. Tema noastră va fi întrebarea: Care este pricina prigoanei Sfântului Pantelimon? La aceasta vom da un scurt răspuns.

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Sfântul Pantelimon a trăit şi s-a nevoit în epoca prigoanelor, când la Roma era împărat Diocleţian. S-a născut în Nicomidia, din Asia Mică. Tatăl său era idolatru, iar mama lui era dintre femeile care sădeau adânc în inima copiilor lor credinţa în Hristos. Aşadar, Sfântul Pantelimon a fost învăţat adevărurile credinţei de mama lui.

Era inteligent, binecrescut. Avea înclinaţie spre studiu. A studiat medicina lângă distinşi oameni de ştiinţă. S-a dovedit un medic excepţional. Mulţi medici existau atunci, după cum există şi astăzi. Însă rar se întâmplă să găseşti un medic creştin. Majoritatea sunt necredincioşi, materialişti. Şi măcar de-ar fi valoroşi?… Dumnezeu să vă păzească să nu ajungeţi pe mâinile lor. Sfântul Pantelimon era diferit. Prin ce era diferit? Era diferit în trei puncte.

Mai întâi, în ceea ce priveşte banul. Ceilalţi erau iubitori de arginţi. Profitau de pe urma bolnavilor şi adunau comori. Sfântul Pantelimon era dezinteresat, ideolog. El îşi exercita ştiinţa ca pe o misiune. Îl vedeau noaptea, vizitând colibele ca un înger. Dacă ceilalţi mergeau doar la casele celor mari, el mergea în cartierele sărace şi îi slujea pe cei bolnavi.

Al doilea lucru prin care se deosebea de ceilalţi: Precum a spus un renumit professor universitar elen, medicii, adeseori, exercită medicina ca pe o medicină veterinară; sunt mai degrabă medici veterinari, decât medici. Nu văd nimic altceva decât vene, oase, carne, ţesuturi, inimi, plămâni. Omul este şi asta, cu siguranţă. Dar, în spatele acestora, există ceva nevăzut. Există un “motoraş”, care mişcă existenţa biologico-somatică a omului. Şi doctorul, când nu “vede” acest “motoraş”, este orb, nu este în stare să-şi exercite lucrarea. Acest “motoraş” este un factor sufletesc, sufletul omului. O mulţime de experienţe şi observaţii au demonstrat că sufletul cu patimile, vinovăţia şi anxietatea lui acţionează mult asupra trupului. Există o influenţă reciprocă între trup şi suflet. Ceea ce cântă Biserica noastră în Postul Adormirii este un adevăr şi din punct de vedere ştiinţific: “Pentru păcatele mele cele multe mi se îmbolnăveşte trupul şi slăbeşte sufletul meu”  (Paraclisul Mic). Ambele sunt bolnave. Dar izvorul-rădăcină a răului este păcatul. Aşadar,  Sfântul Pantelimon avea o diagnoză corectă. A înţeles că atunci când sufletul se izbăveşte de vinovăţie, trupul se revigorează, omul respiră. Multe boli (apoplexii, obstrucţii, canceruri) îşi au cauza în lumea psihică, sufletească; vreo amărăciune din remuşcări sau din calomnie, învrăjbire, nedreptate sau înlăturare adapă trupul cu otravă.

Aşadar, s-a deosebit mai întâi pentru că nu se uita la bani. În al doilea rând, pentru că vedea omul ca pe un tot psiho-somatic, iar în al treilea rând, pentru că, în afara celorlalte medicamente, pe care le aveau şi ceilalţi medici, Sfântul Pantelimon dispunea de un medicament rar şi unic, iar acesta era credinţa. Credea profund. De aceea, împreună cu medicamentele din plantele pământului, pe care le dăruia, îngenunchea lângă căpătâiul bolnavului, se ruga şi – să nu creadă necredincioşii, noi credem! – bolnavul se vindeca. Şi astăzi vedem semnul crucii în clinici, bolniţe şi spitale. Şi, într-adevăr, e uriaşă puterea credinţei, un medicament de vindecare pentru bolile trupeşti şi sufleteşti.

Acesta a fost Sfântul Pantelimon. La spitalul său, bolnavii formau în fiecare zi o coadă, în vreme ce la ceilalţi medici din Nicomidia nu se mai ducea nimeni. Însă această preferinţă a aprins în inimile confraţilor săi flacăra galbenă a invidiei. Îl invidiau, îl urau. Îşi dădeau seama că atât cât va fi el medic în Nicomidia, ei ar trebui să-şi schimbe meseria; toţi alergau la Sfântul Pantelimon. Şi bolnavi, pe care ei îi aruncaseră în deznădejde, îşi aflau vindecarea lângă el. Iată, deci, pricina invidiei. De aceea, l-au prigonit. L-au denunţat autorităţilor. Cu ce acuzaţie, ca ce? Ca iubitor de arginţi? Ca lacom de bani? Ca desfrânat? Ca adulter? Ca puşchiu? Ca şi criminal? Nimic din toate acestea. Dacă l-ar fi acuzat de aceste lucruri, în sistemul decăzut de atunci, l-ar fi scăpat. L-au învinuit cu acuzaţii care prindeau. Aşa este, pentru cei credincioşi acuzaţiile se schimbă, după epocă; se foloseşte, uneori, “x”, alteori, “y”, alteori, “z” acuzaţii. Nu mă voi extinde de aici, ca să vă prezint cum, din vremea în care am creat un regat, prin diferite acuzaţii false, prin cozile pe care le lipesc cei invidioşi pe spatele oamenilor vrednici, îi nimicesc – deşi în esenţă ei nu cred acuzaţiile – şi cum îi judecă pe oameni prin criterii neîntemeiate (moral), ci variabile (politic).

Aşadar, l-au denunţat cu acuzaţia, gravă atunci, că este creştin. Şi această acuzaţie era suficientă să-l conducă pe om spre plutonul de execuţie. A fost arestat. A fost dus înaintea autorităţilor, şi-a mărturisit cu îndrăzneală credinţa, a fost supus la tot feluri de chinuri şi, astfel, sfântul lui suflet, ca un porumbel cu totul alb, a zburat în corturile cele cereşti, ca să se bucure împreună cu sfinţii îngeri şi arhangheli.

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Iată, iubiţii mei, pricina prigonirii şi a muceniciei Sfântului Pantelimon: invidia.

O, invidia, mare, abisală patimă! Este viermele şi vipera care mănâncă cele dinlăuntru ale invidiosului, dar este şi mormântul marilor bărbaţi. Urmările ei sunt groaznice. Dacă vom deschide sfânta istorie, vom vedea că aceasta a fost începutul distrugerii neamului omenesc. “Prin invidia diavolului”, zice Solomon, “moartea a intrat în lume” (Înţelepciunea lui Solomon 2, 24). A invidiat satana măreţia omului şi o invidiază. Pentru primul sânge care a fost vărsat pe pământ, pricină a fost invidia. Cain l-a invidiat pe fratele său, Abel, şi l-a ucis “în câmpie” (Facere 3, 8). Din invidie, Esau l-a prigonit pe Iacov (Facere 27, 41), cei unsprezece copii ai lui Iacov l-au prigonit pe Iosif cel preafrumos (Facere 37), regele Saul l-a prigonit pe David (I Împăraţi 19, 10) şi un lung şir de oameni sfinţi au fost nimiciţi.

Exemple avem şi în istoria noastră naţională. Mari bărbaţi au fost nimiciţi, precum dreptul Aristidis în antichitate, Socrate, care a băut cucută, iar în vremurile mai recente, Harilaos Trikupis şi alţii.

Ce ne trebuie alte exemple? Aruncaţi o privire spre Pretoriu şi Golgota. “Pe care din cei doi vreţi să vi-l eliberez?” – întreabă Pillat – “pe Baraba sau pe Iisus?”. Toţi strigă: “Pe Baraba!”. Şi evanghelistul consemnează profund psihologic: Pilat ştia că, “din invidie L-au dat lui” (Matei 27, 18). Invidia cărturarilor şi fariseilor – care ca nişte licurici s-au stins înaintea soarelui-Hristos – a condus pe Domnul nostru spre Golgota.

De atunci, fraţii mei, este o regulă generală. Dacă va apare vreo statură, vreo persoană capabilă, care îşi face datoria, provoacă invidie şi atrage prigoană. Cei neimportanţi nu deranjează; sunt prigoniţi cei care aduc vreun folos şi dau viaţă în jurul lor. A spus-o şi apostolul Pavel: “Toţi cei ce voiesc să trăiască cucernic întru Hristos Iisus vor fi prigoniţi”(II Timotei 3,12). Vor fi izgoniţi toţi cei care cred în Hristos şi care caută să trăiască potrivit poruncilor Lui. Este soarta lor.

Toţi câţi sunt creştini, fie prin cuvânt, fie prin pildă, provoacă un cutremur. Însă acest cutremur este mântuitor. Fericite societăţile care au astfel de bărbaţi, fie în ştiinţă, fie în armată, fie în politică, fie în sfântul cler, pentru că aceştia constituie factorii educaţiei corecte.

Rugaţi-vă, fraţilor, ca boala invidiei să fie vindecată, să dispară. Şi fie ca Domnul, cu mijlocirile Sfântului Pantelimon, să izbăvească de această boală inimile noastre, ale tuturor, ca să petrecem în virtute şi în dragoste spre slava lui Dumnezeu. Amin.

† Episcopul Augustin

(Sfânta Biserică a Sfântului Pantelimon din Florina,

27-7-1976)

(traducere: M.L., sursa: http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/?p=14059)

ΣΚΕΨΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΙΣΤΟΣΕΛΙΔΑΣ “ΑΠΟΤΕΙΧΙΣΗ”,

ΣΤΟ ΠΑΡΑΠΑΝΩ ΑΠΟΜΑΓΝΗΤΟΦΩΝΗΜΕΝΟ ΚΗΡΥΓΜΑ

ΤΟΥ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΟΥ ΦΛΩΡΙΝΗΣ π. ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΙΝΟΥ

Διάβαζα σήμερα τον βίο του εορταζομένου αγίου μεγαλομάρτυρος Παντελεήμονος και έκαμα καποιες συνειρμικές σκέψεις και σύνδεσι παραστάσεων.

Είδα ότι ο βίος των αγίων, και πρώτα-πρώτα ο βίος του Παναγίου Κυρίου μας αλλά και όλων των αγίων Του έχουν κάποια ομοιότητα. Λέει σήμερα ο βίος του αγίου Παντελεήμονος ότι ήταν τελείως διαφορετική η ζωή του, από την ζωή των άλλων ιατρών της εποχής του. Ολοι οι άνθρωποι τον ακολουθούσαν αφού τους ενεπνεε η ζωή του και ο λόγος του, και έτσι ανάγκασε τους άλλους επαγγελματίες γιατρούς ή να αυτοκαταργηθούν ή να αλλάξουν πόλι ή επάγγελμα διότι θα χρεωκοπούσαν, αφού δεν πήγαινε κανείς εις αυτούς, δεν τους επισκέπτονταν κανένας. Και μετά από αυτήν την ροή των γεγονότων μπήκε μέσα τους το φοβερό σαράκι του ΦΘΟΝΟΥ και τους κατέτρωγε και τους σαρακότρωγε.Και αυτό το πάθος γιγάντωσε μέσα τους και τους καταπίεζε να τον καταγγείλουν και να ζητήσουν μέχρι και την καταδίκη του σε θάνατο. Ολοι αυτοί οι εχθροί του αγίου, που βρίσκονται σήμερα; Σε ποιά κατάστασι αηδούς μνήμης των επιγενομένων γενεών; Αυτή θά είναι η αέναος κατάστασι και όλων των παρομοίων με αυτούς ΦΘΟΝΕΡΩΝ ανθρώπων της γης. Ο Θεός να μας φυλάξη από το φοβερό, σατανικό αυτό πάθος, το πάθος του Φθόνου.

Ο επίσκοπος Αρτέμιος είχε μία διαφορετικήν ζωήν από τους άλλους «παραδελφούς του» που έφερον…ακαδημαϊκούς τίτλους. Του Γιέφτιτς, του Μπούλοβιτς και του Ράντοβιτς. Και οι άνθρωποι προσέτρεχον πίσω από τον «κοντορεβηθούλη» Αρτέμιο, όπως ο κοντορεβηθούλης Ζακχαίος προσέτρεχε σαν διψασμένο ελάφι να ακούση τον Κύριο Ιησού επάνω στην συκομορέα της Ιεριχούς. Και ο επίσκοπος Αρτέμιος αροτρίωνε την γήν την αγαθήν του ποιμνίου του και το προσείλκυε με τον αγνόν και καθαρόν και ορθόδοξον και αυθεντικόν Ιουστίνιον λόγον του και το μετέφερε εις νομάς σωτηρίους.

Και έγινε το φλάμπουρο και η σημαία του λαού του Κοσσόβου και ταύτισαν τον ποιμένα με την τόπο τον άγιο και ιερό. Και από τούδε και στο εξής όταν ακούμε γιά το Κόσσοβο και τα Μετόχια συνειρμικά έρχεται στην σκέψι μας ο αυθεντικός ηγέτης του Κοσσόβου και των Μετοχίων ο καλός επίσκοπος Αρτέμιος.

Και ενώ οι άλλοι με τους αρχιερατικούς και τους …ακαδημαϊκούς τους τίτλους περιήρχοντο την γήν και την οικουμένην και συγκέντρωναν τον θαυμασμό και τα …χειροκροτήματα με τις …κορώνες που πετούσαν, ο σεμνός και αθόρυβος Αρτέμιος καλλιεργούσε βαθειά το χωράφι του. Και η συγκομιδή του ήταν πολλαπλάσια της συνήθους συγκομιδής, δεκαπλάσια, ογδονταπλάσια, εκατοτανταπλάσια και γέμισε το Κόσσοβο και τα Μετόχια με μοναστήρια, με μοναχούς και μοναχές, χάρμα οφθαλμών και δόξα και τιμή και εγκαύχησις της Εκκλησίας της Σερβίας. Και οι άλλοι; Οι άλλοι; Οι λεγόμενοι «παραδελφοί» του; ΕΦΘΟΝΗΣΑΝ ΠΟΛΥ. Και άρχισαν να σχεδιάζουν και να μεθοδεύουν και να βυσσοδομούν εναντίον του αδελφού τους. Διότι αναντίρρητα ΕΦΘΟΝΗΣΑΝ ΠΟΛΥ.

Και κατάφεραν να πάρουν μαζί τους τις αρχές και τις εξουσίες εκκλησιαστικές και πολιτικές εξουσίες και χρησιμοποίησαν «τα όπλα και τα ρόπαλα» γιά να ικανοποιήσουν τον ΦΘΟΝΟΝ ΤΟΥΣ, τον απύθμενον ΦΘΟΝΟΝ ΤΟΥΣ. Και μεθοδευμένα και παράνομα τον «δίκασαν», τον καταδίκασαν και τον εξεδίωξαν και τον εξόρισαν. Αλλά ο κοντορεβηθούλης επίσκοπος, όπου και να πάη, όπου και να σταθή, ο λαός τον αρπάζη και τον σηκώνει ψηλά στα χέρια του και τον θαυμάζει και τον αποθαυμάζει και τον υπεραγαπάει.

Και οι αηδείς κακοί και φθονεροί εχθροί του, η Αντι-ιστουστίνεια Ζηζιουλική τρόϊκα, έχασε τον ύπνο της και συνέχεια τρομοκρατεί και απειλεί και αφρίζει και τους οδόντας τρίζει.

«Το αίμα αυτού εφ’ ημάς και επί τα τέκνα ημών,» εκραύγαζον οι χριστοκτόνοι πρός τον Πιλάτον.

«Επί την κεφαλήν ημών η του Ιωάννου καθαίρεσις», έβεβαίωνον τον αυτοκράτορα Αρκάδιο και την εμπαθεστάτη Ευδοξία η ΦΘΟΝΕΡΗ κάστα των κακουργούντων αρχιερέων της εποχής του.

Η θλιβερά ιστορία επαναλαμβάνεται.

Το ίδιο ζητούν και οι τρείς ΦΘΟΝΕΡΟΙ οργανωτές και διοργανωτές και δημιουργοι και βυσσοδόμοι του επισκόπου Αρτεμίου. Επιθυμία τους μεγάλη, πελωρία και τρανή είναι να εξαφανισθή ο Αρτέμιος από το πρόσωπο της γής, να μετατραπή σε πεταλούδα ο Αρτέμιος, να χαθή και να αφανισθή στον ορίζοντα ο Αρτέμιος, για να μην τον βλέπουν τελείως και να μην τον ακούν. Το σαράκι της εμπαθείας και του ΦΘΟΝΟΥ , τους κατατρώει τα σωθικά όπως ο γυπαετός τον Προμηθέα Δεσμώτη. Ο Φθόνος τους ξεπέρασε τα σύνορα και έφθασε και μέχρις ημών και κατακυρίευσε τα πέρατα της γής και της οικουμένης.

46 ΜΟΝΑΧΟΙ ΚΑΙ 33 ΜΟΝΑΧΕΣ ΑΠΟ 16 ΜΟΝΑΣΤΗΡΙΑ

ΤΟΥ ΚΟΣΟΒΟΥ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΤΟΧΙΩΝ

Καλούν τον Πατριάρχη να συγκαλέσει έκτακτη συνεδρίαση της Ιεραρχίας ώστε να αλλάξει η απόφαση για απομάκρυνση του Σεβ. Αρτεμίου και να τον γυρίσει πίσω.
Και οι ίδιοι θα γυρίσουν πίσω στα μοναστήρια τους μόνο στην περίπτωση που ο Πατέρας τους ο Σεβ. Αρτέμιος θα επιστρέψει στην έδρα του.
Οι μοναχοί εξέφρασαν την χαρά τους για την απόφαση του Αρείου Πάγου για την μη έκδωση του π. Συμεών στην Σερβία, στυλιτεύοντας την δήλωση του Πατριάρχου Ειρηναίου, που είπε, ότι· «μάλλον έγινε κάποια παρέμβαση» στον Άρειο Πάγο.
Οι μοναχοί επίσης αποθούν κάθε έννοια σχίσματος για το οποίο κατηγορούνται.
Ως αίτιο πλεκτάνης η οποία έφερε την απομάκρυνση του Σεβασμιωτάτου αναφέρουν τον πρώην Ερτζεγοβίνης Αθανάσιο Γιέβτιτς και την διοίκηση της μονής Ντέτσανι τ.ε. τον βοηθό Επίσκοπο Θεοδόσιο και τον βοηθό του π. Σάββα Γιάνιτς.
Την κοινή δήλωση την υπέγραψαν και μοναχοί που δεν έχουνε φύγει ακόμα από την Μητρόπολη, αλλά επιθυμούν την επιστροφή του σεβασμιωτάτου Αρτέμιου.

• (Αιτία όλης της πλεκτάνης εναντίον του Μητροπολίτου Αρτεμίου είναι ο φθόνος. Και αιτία του φθόνου είναι· 1) η πνευματική καρποφορία του επισκόπου Αρτεμίου. Τα 2/3 των μοναχών ολόκληρης της Σερβίας ανήκουν στην δική του Μητρόπολη. Όσο για τον «βοηθό» του τον επίσκοπο Θεοδόσιο, δεν τον επέλεξε ο ίδιος ο Μητροπολίτης Αρτέμιος, αλλά οι διώκτες του! Τον έστειλαν κοντά του, για να του δημιουργεί προβλήματα! Εκεί φθάνει ο φθόνος των αρχιερέων· Και 2) είναι οι πιέσεις της Αμερικής και του ΝΑΤΟ, που έγιναν αφεντικά σε ξένον τόπο. Το μόνο ισχυρό εμπόδιο για την ανεξαρτησία του Κοσόβου ήταν ο Μητροπολίτη Αρτέμιος, γι’ αυτό και συνεχάρηκαν την εκκλησιαστική ηγεσία, για την απομάκρυνση του).

Περισσότερα για την κοινή δήλωση των μοναχών, διαβάστε στα Σέρβικα στην ιστοσελίδα·

www.mancr.org

ЈАВНИ АПЕЛ МОНАШТВА РАШКОПРИЗРЕНСКЕ ЕПАРХИЈЕ

понедељак, 26 јул 2010 12:07

ЈАВНИ АПЕЛ МОНАШТВА РАШКОПРИЗРЕНСКЕ ЕПАРХИЈЕ

Ми, долепотписани свештеномонаси, јерођакони, монаси, монахиње, искушеници и искушенице манастира богоспасаване Епархије рашкопризренске осећамо потребу да се поново и јавно обратимо свеукупној српској јавности, како Његовој Светости, Патријарху Иринеју и тренутном Администратору Епархије рашкопризренске, Митрополиту Амфилохију, тако  и свим Оцима Архијерејима СПЦ, све до оног последњег верника наше Свете Цркве, у које нека бисмо и ми, као последњи, били убројани.

Са радошћу смо примили вест да је Врховни суд Републике Грчке – Ареопаг, пустио на слободу о. Симеона Виловског, увидевши да за пласиране и монтиране оптужбе против њега нема никаквих доказа. У нашој јавности се то покушало тенденциозно, а нетачно, објаснити на разне начине, од тога да је пуштен уз кауцију, да је пуштен на основу лажног сведочења Еп. Артемија, преко тога да је, скандалозно потирући сваку веру у неовисност судског система у Грчкој (па је таква изјава дотурена и потурена и Његовој Светости, Патријарху) »вероватно у питању нека интервенција».

Но, како било, док се у Србији уз повике на једну страну: Држ’те лопова! обављао сасвим други посао (уклањање са епископске катедре Епископа Артемија), уз непримерено упадање у просторије Епархије рашкопризренске, обијање брава и пробијање врата, распиривање немира, подела и раздора, запаљивих говора, беседа и клевета, грчки Врховни суд је мудро и мирно донео своју, верујемо, не сумњајући у непристрасност и неутралност грчког судства, поштену и правичну одлуку.

У међувремену је велики део монаштва рашкопризренске епархије, не могући се помирити са неправедним одлукама, поготово оне, да им се владика Артемије декретом одузме и изузме, отме као духовни отац, одлучио на тешко и болно напуштање своје епархије, својих манастира. Они преостали, од којих многи хтедоше да иду још месецима раније, остадоше, многи притиснути претњама и страхом, са болом у души, молећи се, чекајући и ишчекивајући повратак вољеног пастира.

Све то време, избегло монаштво је са разних страна, а  поготово од Епископа бившег захумско-херцеговачког Атанасија, било »човекољубиво» и »пастирски» чашћено разним именима и епитетима: »парасинагога Артемијева, Артемити, псевдозилоти, зурлоти, дрвени адвокати, епигони, расколници, цркворушитељи“, (и многим другим, непобројаним и небројивим). Ми смо се, пак, трудили, по сили својих моћи да испунимо Господњу заповест и да се молимо за оне што нас вређају и гоне и да благосиљамо оне што нас куну (ср. Мт, 5:44), јер нам је истинска жеља била и остала да будемо синови Оца Небескога и верна чада Светосавске нам Мајке Цркве, из које, очигледно, покушавају да нас прогнају и истерају, пласирајући приче о наводном »расколу» и »расколницима», са нама чудним, а Еванђељу и Цркви противним тоном прижељкивања истог.

А раскола није било и нема га (а ако Бог да, неће га ни бити) не само на делу, него ни у примисли, никога од нас, јер нас је тако учио наш Авва, а он учио, и научио од свога Авве, затворника, ангела и благовесника  Ћелијског.

У светлу ових најновијих дешавања, пуштања, услед непостојања доказа,  на слободу о. Симеона Виловског, као и позива Њ. Преосвештенства, оца нашег, Епископа Артемија, да се вратимо у своје матичне манастире пострига и покајања, смирено, но искрено и одговорно изјављујемо да смо спремни то истог часа прихватити и вратити се на распето Косово и Метохију и у Рашку област, да чувамо, Светим Тајнама и Светим Врлинама, постом и молитвом, бивствовањем и остајањем, светиње које су нам поверене, како нас је и чему  нас је, годинама, а неке и деценијама учио Преосвећени владика Артемије. На све то у потпуности смо спремни  уколико Пастири наше Свете Цркве смогну храбрости и снаге да, пажљиво и одговорно преиспитавши одлуку о смени и прогону епископа Артемија,  (као последицу неоснованих оптужби на његов рачун), икономијски преиначе исту, како би нама омогућили миран повратак, у циљу потпуног поштовања молбе САСинода као и нашег духовног оца да се вратимо у ЕРП, следујући, како и у позиву пише,  »духу Светих Отаца и Подвижника», који су пожртвовано свагда истрајавали на тешком путу одбране истине и правде Божије, не пристајући на супротно.

Да оваквим захтевом не правимо преседан и не тражимо ништа страно, непримерено и противно  САСабору и саборности наше Цркве говоре нам и речи светог Јустина Ћелијског, којег Оци Архијереји ове године једногласно уврстише у диптихе светих, потврђујући тако његову аутентичност и богонадахнуст његовог богословља: „Све пак ово (мисли на синтагму «човекољубивије неке одлуке», као што каже, на пример, пети канон Св. Првог Васељенског Сабора) говорили су, и тако поступали, свети Епископи Цркве Божје не што нису веровали у непогрешивост Цркве Христа Богочовека, напротив, у питањима вере и догмата они су свагда били неотступни и непопустљиви чувари светог Апостолског Предања и, силом Духа Светога, непогрешиви тумачи његови.

Међутим, Свети Оци су тако поступали што су као Епископи и Пастири Цркве Христове знали да се ради црквене користи, – а то може да буде само спасење људи у Цркви, у Христу – може преиспитати и «икономијски» преиначити чак и правилно донета ранија одлука, а камоли одлуке које су дале повода или и изазвале веће немире и нереде него ред који су у почетку хтеле да заведу. То су управо Свети Оци и називали црквеном икономијом (εκκλησιαστική οικονομία), а исту називали «одличним и премудрим средством» (Св. Кирил Александријски, Писмо 72) и «леком» за болна места и ране на црквеном организму.“ Једино ће нам на овај начин бити омогућен повратак који неће бити противан нашој савести.

У том смислу синовски и коленопреклоно позивамо Његову Светост, Патријарха Иринеја, Високопреосвећене и Преосвећене саборске оце Архијереје да, после ових најновијих дешавања, и све очигледније и видљивије намештености процеса против Владике Артемија, у што скоријем року, сазивањем ванредног Архијерејског Сабора, исправе велику неправду свргавања Епископа рашикопризренског са његовог досадашњег вишедеценијског трона. Знамо да ни Његова Светост, нити многобројни Оци Архијереји нису деловали из злонамерности или пакости, већ на основу лажи, клевета и инсинуација, потеклих првенствено од Епископа бившег захумско-херцеговачког Атанасија (који се ни ових дана у томе не зауставља, него, међу многобројним клеветама, тврди, авај, уз гомилу многих других клевета, како наше монаштво купује у Срему куће од, ваљда, опљачканог сиротињског новца), и управе манастира Високи Дечани (викарног Епископа Теодосија и протосинђела Саве Јањића), главних виновника ове умишљене и измишљене, лажне и лажиране, а ничим поткрепљене, кампање, која дубоко потреса нашу Цркву, претећи да уколико се не залечи правдом и правицом на Телу Цркве остане као незарасла рана.

Повратком Епископа Артемија, Свештеноначалије наше  Свете Цркве би само отворило двери онога што од нас захтева, тј. да се вратимо у наше манастире, а пре свега би свима, а посебно светским моћницима, показало, да заиста у христоводећој црквеној политици наше Светосавске Цркве није дошло ни до каквог умекшавања и промене става и курса према Косову и Метохији, како већ најави Питер Фејт, а како би то они здушно желели, и како, славодобитно, на својим »совјетима» најављују), већ да сви, удруженим и једномисленим снагама и даље, Светом Тројицом вођени, Оцем крепљени, Христом сабрани, а Светодуховски љубећи један другога, не само чувамо то свето, распето косовско парче неба на земљи, него да и у вечности сви будемо причасници неприступне тајне Живота Вечнога.

Овом апелу избеглог монаштва придружујемо се и ми, остало монаштво манастира Рашкопризренске епархије, које и даље у својим манастирима пребива, очекујући повратак наше браће и сестара у своје манастире наше богоспасаване Епархије, али пре свега хотећи и смирено и коленопреклоно молећи Његову Светост и Оце Архијереје да учине све да нам се врати, на своју катедру и у своју Епархију, недужно прогнани отац, Епископ Артемије.

СПИСАК МОНАШТВА-ПОТПИСНИКА АПЕЛА (79 браће и сестара из 16 манастира)

(Υπογράφουν την δήλωσοι 79 μοναχοί, από 16 μοναστήρια του Κοσόβου και των Μετοχίων)

Манастир Црна Река

(Μοναστήρι Манастир)

1. протосинђел Николај Николић
2. јеромонах Наум Мирковић
3. јеромонах Дамаскин Вацић
4. јеромонах Висарион Шуловић
5. јеромонах Иринеј Ристић
6. монах Антоније Маринковић
7. монах Климент Недељковић
8. монах Рафаило Пејчић
9. монах Кипријан Кељевић
10. монах Јоасаф Лојић
11. монах Харитон Влаић
11. искушеник Јован Банков
12. искушеник Дејан Стојановић
13. искушеник Дејан Матијашевић
14. искушеник Драган Младеновић
15. искушеник Александар Стопа
16. искушеник Јован Ердељан
17. искушеник  Александар Козулин
18. искушеник Јован Банков
19. искушеник Марко Трајковић

Манастир Бањска

1. јеромонах Агапит Бичанин
2. јеромонах Пимен Дејановић
3. монах Леонтије Кантар

Манастир Сопоћани

1. јеромонах Доситеј Вукосављевић
2. јеромонах Максим Новаковић
3. монах Пајсије Марковић
4. искушеник Оливер Ђурђев
5. искушеник Дејан Макић

Манастир Свети Архангели

1. јеромонах Бенедикт Прерадовић
2. јеромонах Ксенофонт Томашевић
3. јеромонах Јован Милојевић
4. јерођакон Прохор Ацковић
5. монах Мелхиседек Миљковић
6. монах Владимир Милић

Манастир Девине Воде

1. јеромонах Роман Папић
2. јерођакон Павле Дрековић
3. искушеник Бобан Весић
4. искушеник Александар Мартиновић

Манастир Богородица Браинска

1. протосинђел Варнава Димитријевић
2. јеромонах Јован Узелац
3. искушеник Славко Мирковић

Манастир Дубоки Поток

1. јерођакон Јаков Купрешак
2. монах Платон Бабић
3. искушеник Миле Василић

Манастир Зочиште

1.  Протосинђел Стефан Миленковић
2. Јерођакон Мартинијан
3. Монах Дионисије Сујић

Манастир Сочаница

1. јеромонах Евтимије Милентијевић

Манастир Светог Јована – Велика Хоча

1. Протосинђел Мирон Косаћ
2. Синђел Алексеј
3. Монах Давид
4. Искушеник Ђорђе

Манастир Драганац

1. Јеромонах Кирило Ђурковић
2. Јеромонах Игњатије
3. Искушеник Ђорђе Талић

Манастир Ђурђеви Ступови

1. монах Козма Арсеновић

Манастир Грачаница

(Μοναχές)

1.   монахиња Филотеја Микулек
2.   монахиња Пелагија Станић
3.   монахиња Јована Јеремић
4.   монахиња Варвара Станкић
5.   монахиња Марта Лисинац
6.   монахиња Јерусалима Филиповић
7.   искушеница Митра Андрејевић
8.   искушеница Ирена Симић
9.  искушеница Биљана Чанади
10. искушеница Зорица Ивановић
11. искушеница Радојка Јанковић
12. искушеница Мирослава Савковић

Манастир Св. Петке – Улије

1. Настојатељица монахиња Злата

Манастир Гориоч

1. монахиња Антуса Маринковић
2. монахиња Олимпијада Маринковић

Манастир Кончул

1.  монахиња  Сара Мосур
2.  монахиња Митродора Јовичић
3.  монахиња Варвара Тишма
4.  монахиња Исидора Рајковић
5.  монахиња Домна Здравковић
6.  монахиња Марија Гегић
7.  искушеница Маријана Ђурић
8.  искушеница Мирјана Мартиновић

Συνεντευξη Τυπου στο Κεντρο Πολυμεσων

26/7/2010 Συνέντευξη Τύπου στο Κέντρο Πολυμέσων  για την απόφαση του Ανωτάτου Δικαστηρίου της Ελλάδος στην υπόθεση του ιερέα Συμεών (Vilovskog) και την κατάσταση της Σερβικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας

Σημερα, 26/7/2010, 12:00, Terazije 3, II όροφος, Great Hall

Δόθηκε η συνέντευξη Τύπου στο Κέντρο Πολυμέσων

Ομιλητές ήταν·

1) Branislav Tapušković, δικηγόρος του π. Συμεών
2) Ο πατέρας Νικόλαος, ηγούμενος του μοναστηριού Black River ERPKIM
3) Ο Ζέλικο Žugić Kotor δεξιά., ένας εμπειρογνώμονας στο εκκλησιαστικό δίκαιο.
4) Ζόραν Čvorović, επίκουρος καθηγητής στη Νομική Σχολή του Kragujevac

Σκοπός της συνεντεύξεως ήταν·
α) Η ενημέρωση του Σέρβικου λαού για την χαώδη εκκλησιαστική κατάσταση στην Σερβία και τις αντιφάσεις των επισκόπων της.
β) Η καταπάτηση των ιερών κανόνων και η συνταγματική τάξη στην Επισκοπή Raska-Πρίζρεν.
γ) Οι ψευδείς και συκοφαντικές επιθέσεις κατά του π. Σιμεών (Vilovskog), και κατ’ επέκταση του επίσκοπου Αρτέμιου, που ξεκαθάρισαν με την απόφαση του Ανωτάτου Δικαστηρίου της Ελλάδος, τον Άρειο Πάγο.
Ο Άρειος Πάγος απεφάνθη ότι ο π. Συμεών (Vilovskog)  διώκεται (όχι για κλοπές, όπως διέδιδαν ψευδώς επίσκοποι της Σερβικής Εκκλησίας και μ’ αυτή την δικαιολογία έπαυσαν τον επίσκοπο Αρτέμιο από τα καθήκοντά του και τον εξόρισαν προς το βόρειο μέρος της Σερβίας, αλλά), για πολιτικούς και θρησκευτικούς λόγους. Γι’ αυτό και ο Άρειος Πάγος δεν έκανε δεκτή την αίτηση της Σερβικης Κυβερνήσεως να εκδώσει τον π. Συμεών στην Σερβία, αλλά τον άφησε ελεύθερο στην Ελλάδα.

δ) Η συνέντευξη τύπου είχε και έναν άλλο σκοπό, να  μάθει ο Σέρβικος λαός τους λόγους που οδήγησαν στη μετανάστευση των μοναχών και μοναζουσών του Κοσσυφοπεδίου και των Μετοχίων από τa μοναστήριa τους προς αναζήτηση του επισκόπου και πνευματικού τους πατέρα Artemije που εκτοπισθηκε από την επισκοπή του.

Περισσότερα μπορείτε να μάθετε από τις Σέρβικες ιστοσελίδες

1) www.mancr.org

2) www.ihtus.us (Συνέντευξη Τύπου στο Media Center)

3) www.Novimar de (Grčke sudije otkrile prevaru)

4) www.borbazaveru (Εφημερίδες υποβολή εκθέσεων σχετικά με  την συνέντευξη τύπου στο Media Center)

5) http://www.danas.rs/danasrs/drustvo/pravnici_ukazuju_na_politicku_pozadinu.55.html?news_id=195845 ).

6) http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/aktuelno.69.html:293976-Trazi-prava-za-monaha

7) http://www.glas-javnosti.rs/clanak/drustvo/glas-javnosti-27-07-2010/monasi-vracamo-se-na-kosovo-ako-poniste-smenu-vladike

8) http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2010&mm=07&dd=26&nav_category=11&nav_id=447971

9) http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Drustvo/200082/Monasi-Vraticemo-se-na-Kosovo-ako-se-ponisti-smena-Artemija

10) Και από πολλές άλλες Σέρβικες ιστοσελιδες

Η συνέντευξη είχε μεγάλη αποδοχή απ’ όλα τα μέσα μαζικής ενημερώσεως της Σερβίας.

Τῆς ἁγίας Παρασκευῆς
26 Ἰουλίου

Σεμνη ιεραποστολος με οπλο την Αγια Γραφη

ΕΟΡΤΗ. Ἑορτάζουμε σήμερα, ἀγαπητοί μου, τὴν ἑορτὴ τῆς μεγαλομάρτυρος ἁγί­ας Παρασκευῆς. Ἀλλὰ πῶς ἑορτάζουμε; Αὐτὸ εἶνε τὸ μεγάλο θέμα. Διότι λέει κάπου στὴ Γραφὴ ὁ Θεός· «Μισῶ τὶς ἑορτὲς καὶ πανηγύ­ρεις σας» (βλ. Ἀμ. 5,21· Ἠσ. 1,14). Γιατί; Διότι ὑπάρχουν δύο τρόποι ἑορτασμοῦ· ὁ εὔκολος καὶ ὁ δύσκολος. Ὁ εὔκολος εἶνε, νὰ ’ρθοῦμε ν’ ἀ­νά­ψουμε τὸ κερί μας καὶ νὰ προσ­κυνήσουμε τὴν εἰκόνα. Κανείς δὲν τὰ κατηγορεῖ αὐτά· δὲν εἴμεθα προτεστάνται καὶ χιλιασταί. Δὲν πρέπει ὅμως νὰ περιοριστοῦμε σ’ αὐτὸ τὸν εὔκολο ἑορτασμό. Ὁ ἄλλος, ὁ δύσκολος ἑορτασμός, ποιός εἶνε; Γιατί ἡ ἁγία μας Ἐκκλησία ἑορτάζει τοὺς ἁγίους; Τοὺς παρουσιάζει ἐνώπιόν μας ὡς πρότυπα, ὡς μοντέλα. Διότι οἱ ἅγιοι ἀπέδειξαν, ὅτι αὐτὰ ποὺ διδάσκει ὁ Χριστός, δὲν εἶνε θεωρία, δὲν εἶνε οὐτοπία, δὲν εἶνε ἀπραγματοποίητα. «Καὶ ποιός τὰ κάνει!…», ἀκοῦμε συνήθως. Οἱ ἅγιοι διαψεύδουν αὐτὸ τὸν ἰσχυρισμό· διότι ἀπέδειξαν μὲ τὴ ζωή τους, μὲ τὸ κήρυγμά τους καὶ μὲ τὸ αἷ­μα τους, ὅτι αὐτὰ μποροῦν νὰ ἐκτελεσθοῦν. Ἀπέδειξαν, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς ζῇ καὶ βασιλεύει εἰς αἰῶνας αἰώνων στὸ πρόσωπο τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τῶν μαρτύρων.

Καὶ ὄχι μόνο στὴν παλαιὰ ἐποχή. Καὶ σήμε­ρα ὑπάρχουν ἅγιοι, στὸν αἰῶνα αὐτόν, ὅπως λ.χ. ὁ ἅγιος Νεκτάριος ποὺ ἔζησε στὶς ἡμέρες μας καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι τῶν χωρῶν ὅπου ὑπάρχει ἀθεΐα. Δὲν ὑπάρχει ἐποχὴ χωρὶς νὰ ἔχῃ τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ μάρτυράς της.

Δὲν εἶνε ἕνας καὶ δύο· εἶνε ἀναρίθμητοι, ἕνας ἀστερισμός, ἕ­νας γαλαξίας. Ἕνα ἀστέρι ἀπὸ τὸν γαλαξία αὐτόν, ἀ­στέρι πρώτου μεγέθους, εἶνε καὶ ἡ ἁγία Παρασκευή.

Δὲν θὰ διηγηθῶ τὸν βίο της. Θὰ σᾶς δώσω μὲ λίγες γραμμὲς μία εἰκόνα της.

* * *

Ἡ ἁγία Παρασκευὴ γεννήθηκε τὸν 2ο αἰῶ­να στὴν πρωτεύουσα τοῦ κόσμου, στὴν κοσμοκράτειρα ῾Ρώμη, ἀπὸ γονεῖς εὐσεβεῖς. Γεννήθηκε ἡμέρα Παρασκευή, καὶ γι᾽ αὐτὸ τὴν ὠνόμασαν Παρασκευή. Διακρινόταν γιὰ τὸ κάλλος της. Σὰν κόρη πλουσίας οἰκογενείας μποροῦσε νὰ συνάψῃ γάμο μὲ τὸ λαμ­πρότερο πατρίκιο. Ἐν τούτοις σκέφθηκε κάτι ἀνώτερο. Μὴ παρεξηγηθοῦν αὐτὰ ποὺ λέμε. Δὲν περιφρονοῦμε τὸ γάμο. Κ’ ἐμεῖς δὲν γεννηθήκαμε ἀπὸ βράχο· ἀπὸ μάνα γεννηθήκαμε. Ἡ Ἐκκλησία δὲν περιφρονεῖ τὸ γάμο· τιμᾷ ὅμως παραπάνω τὴν παρθενία.

Ἡ ἁ­γία Παρασκευὴ ἐξέλεξε ὡς ὕψιστο σκο­πὸ τὴν παρθενία. Ἀφωσιώθηκε ἐξ ὁλοκλήρου, σῶμα καὶ ψυχή, στὸ Νυμφίο μὲ νῦ κεφαλαῖο· Νυμφίος. Ὁ δὲ Νυμφίος, «ὁ ὡραῖ­ος κάλλει παρὰ πάντας βροτούς» (ὄρθρ. Μ. Σαββ., ἐγκ.), ―δὲν εἶνε λόγια αὐτά, εἶνε μιὰ πρα­γματικότης― εἶνε ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χρι­στός, τὸν ὁποῖον ὑ­μνοῦν οἱ στρατιὲς τῶν ἁγίων ἀγγέλων καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων. Ὡς νύμφη Χριστοῦ λοιπὸν ἡ ἁ­γία Παρασκευὴ εἶνε ὑπόδειγμα γιὰ τὶς γυναῖ­κες ἐκεῖνες ποὺ ἐκλέγουν τὸν ἄγαμο βίο, τὴν παρθενικὴ ζωή.

Εἶνε ἀκόμη ὑπόδειγμα ἱεραποστολικῆς δρά­­σεως. Γεμάτη ἔνθεο ζῆλο, ἐργάσθηκε ὡς ἱερα­πόστολος. Πέταξε ἀπὸ χώρα σὲ χώρα, μὲ φλο­γερὴ καρδιὰ διέδωσε τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Ναζωραίου, καὶ σὰν μαγνήτης εἵλκυσε στὴν ἁγία μας πίστι πλήθη ἀνθρώπων. Ἡ ἐργασία της εἶνε πρότυπο γιὰ τὶς ἱεραποστολικὲς κινήσεις ποὺ ἐργάζονται γιὰ τὴν διάδοσι τοῦ εὐαγγελίου.

Εἶνε ἐπίσης γιὰ τὶς γυναῖκες ὑπόδειγμα σεμνότητος. Ντυνόταν σύμφωνα μὲ τὴν παραγγελία τοῦ ἀποστόλου Παύλου, ποὺ ὁρίζει οἱ γυ­ναῖκες νὰ στολίζωνται μὲ τὴ ντροπή (βλ. Α΄ Τιμ. 2,9). Ἡ σεμνότης εἶνε στολίδι τῆς γυναίκας. Μπορεῖ μιὰ γυναίκα νὰ μὴν εἶνε ὡραία στὴν ὄψι, νὰ εἶνε ἄσχημη, ἀλλὰ νὰ εἶνε ὡραία στὴν ψυχή. Ἔχουμε παραδείγματα ἀνδρῶν ποὺ πῆ­ραν ὡραῖες γυναῖκες ἀλλὰ μὲ κακία καὶ μοχθη­ρία στὴν ψυχή, καὶ κατέληξαν σὲ διαζύγιο. Ἐνῷ ἄλλοι, ποὺ πῆραν ἄσχημες γυναῖκες ἀλ­λὰ μὲ ὡραία ψυχή, ἔζησαν εὐτυχισμένοι. Τὸ κάλλος, ὅταν δὲν συνοδεύεται ἀπὸ ἀρετὴ καὶ σεμνότητα, γίνεται παγίδα καὶ ὄλεθρος. Δὲν τὸ λέω ἐγώ, τὸ λέει ὁ σοφὸς Σολομῶν, ποὺ ἐ­γνώριζε καλὰ τὴν γυναικεία φύσι. Αὐτὸς στὶς Παροιμίες του γράφει· «Ὥσπερ ἐνώτιον ἐν ῥινὶ ὑός, οὕ­τως γυναικὶ κακόφρονι κάλλος» σὰν σκουλαρίκι στὴ μύτη γουρούνας, ἔτσι μοιάζει ἡ ὀ­μορ­φιὰ σὲ γυναῖκα κακόφρονα (Παρ. 11,22)· δὲν τῆς ταιριάζει δηλαδή. Ἀλλὰ σήμερα ἡ μόδα κα­τώρθωσε νὰ διαστρέψῃ καὶ τὴν αἴσθησι τοῦ κάλλους· κατήντησε, ὡραῖο νὰ θεωρῆται τὸ ἄ­σχημο. Γιὰ νὰ τὸ καταλάβετε αὐτό, φαν­ταστῆ­τε ὅτι παραγγέλλετε σὲ κάποιον νὰ κατα­σκευ­άσῃ μιὰ εἰκόνα τῆς ἁγίας Παρασκευῆς, καὶ ἐνῷ περιμένετε νὰ τὴν κατασκευάσῃ ὅπως τὴ γνω­ρίζουμε, αὐτὸς τὴν ζωγραφίζει χωρὶς σκέπασμα – μαντήλα στὸ κεφάλι, μὲ κομμένα τὰ μαλ­λιά, μὲ τὰ μάτια βαμμένα, μὲ τὰ νύχια κόκκινα, μὲ τὰ στήθη προτεταμένα, μὲ τὰ χέρια ξεμπρά­τσωτα, μὲ τὰ πόδια γυμνά. Ἐσὺ θὰ τὴν πάρῃς ποτὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτή; Ποιός θὰ τολμήσῃ μιὰ τέτοια εἰκόνα, καρικατούρα τῆς ἁγίας φυσιογνωμίας της, νὰ τὴ βάλῃ στὸ εἰκο­νοστάσι; Αὐτὸ τί σημαίνει; ὅτι δὲν εἶνε ἔτσι τὸ ἀληθινὸ κάλλος. Γι’ αὐτὸ ἡ κάθε γυναίκα δὲν ἀξίζει νὰ ἔχῃ τέτοια πρότυπα. Χριστιανὲς γυναῖκες, ἂν θέλετε νὰ εἶστε ὀρθόδοξες καὶ νὰ διατηρήσετε τὴν τιμὴ ποὺ σᾶς ἔδωσε ὁ Θεός, νὰ ἔχετε ὡς πρότυπο τὴν ἁγία Παρασκευή.

Καὶ δόξα τῷ Θεῷ, παρ’ ὅλο τὸν ἐκφυλισμό, ὑπάρχουν ἀκόμα μερικὲς γυναῖκες ποὺ μοιάζουν στὴν ἐμφάνισι μὲ τὴν ἁγία Παρασκευή. Τὴν ἡμέρα τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀχιλλίου ἤμουν στὴν Πρέσπα, στὸ ἱστορικὸ νησάκι. Βγαίνοντας ἀ­πὸ τὴν ἐκκλησία εἶδα μιὰ γερόντισσα ντυμένη σὰν τὴν Παναγία. Θαύμασα. Δίπλα της ἦ­ταν ἕνα δεσποινάριο μὲ παντελόνι, μὲ τὰ μαλ­­λιὰ κομμένα, μὲ τὰ μάτια καὶ τὰ νύχια βαμ­μένα, μὲ τὰ πόδια γυμνά. Λέω στὴ γριά· ―Νὰ σὲ ντύσουμε ὅπως εἶν’ αὐτὸ τὸ κορίτσι; ―Ὄχι, λέει· ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τὴ γιαγιά μου εἶμαι ντυμένη ἔ­τσι. ―Νὰ σοῦ δώσουμε μιὰ λίρα, ἀλλάζεις; ―Ὄ­χι. ―Ἂν σοῦ δώσουμε ἑκατὸ λίρες; ―Μω­ρὲ ὅλο τὸν κόσμο νὰ μοῦ δώσῃς, ἐγὼ δὲν ἀλ­λάζω!… Πρὸ καιροῦ πάλι βρέθηκα σὲ μιὰ κορυφὴ τοῦ Βιτσίου ὕψους 1.500 περίπου μέτρων, στὸ χωριὸ Τριανταφυλλιά. Τοὺς μάζεψα ἐκεῖ καὶ τοὺς μίλησα μὲ ἁπλοϊκὴ γλῶσ­σα. Βλέπω μέσα στὴν ἐκκλησία, οἱ περισσότερες γυναῖκες ἦταν ντυμένες σὰν τὴν Παναγιὰ καὶ τὴν ἁγία Παρασκευή. Μὲ συγκίνησε τὸ φαινόμενο. Καὶ σκεφθῆτε· πρὸ ἐτῶν κάποιος νομάρχης πῆγε ἐκεῖ καὶ τοὺς εἶπε· «Ντροπή σας! Νὰ ἀλλάξετε, νὰ φορέσετε καινούργιες ἐνδυμασίες!». Αὐτὸς εἶνε ὁ κόσμος… Ὑπάρχουν λοιπὸν καὶ σήμερα γυναῖκες ποὺ μιμοῦν­ται τὴν ἁγία Παρασκευή.

Θέλω νὰ τελειώσω μὲ μιὰ τελευταία πινελλιὰ στὴν εἰκόνα τῆς ἁγίας Παρασκευῆς. Θὰ μοῦ πῆτε· Ἐγὼ δὲ γίνομαι καλόγερος, ἐγὼ δὲ θὰ μείνω ἄγαμος, ἐγὼ δὲ γίνομαι ἱεραπόστολος… Πολὺ καλά. Θὰ σοῦ ζητήσω λοιπὸν κάτι εὔκολο. Δὲ σοῦ λέω νὰ σηκώσῃς τὸ Βίτσι ἢ τὰ Ἱμαλάια ἢ τὶς Ἄλπεις, ὅ­πως οἱ ἅγιοι· ἐσὺ σή­κωσε ἕνα «πετραδάκι». Ἂν ὅμως δὲν τὸ ση­κώ­σῃς, θὰ ὀργιστῶ πολύ. Ποιό εἶνε τὸ πετρα­δά­κι· εἶνε, νὰ τηρήσῃς κάτι ποὺ σήμερα τόσο περιφρονεῖται. Ποιό εἶν’ αὐτό; Ὅτι στὸ τέλος τῆς ζωῆς της ἡ ἁγία Παρασκευή, γιὰ τὴν ἱεραποστολικὴ δρᾶ­σι της, προκάλεσε τὸ θυμὸ τῶν εἰ­δωλολατρῶν. Τὴ συνέλαβαν, τὴν ὡδήγησαν ἐ­νώπιον τοῦ κριτηρίου, καὶ ὁ τύραννος τὴ ρώτησε· ―Εἶ­σαι Χριστιανή; ―Εἶμαι Χριστι­α­νή, ἀ­πήν­τησε. ―Θὰ σὲ ῥίξουμε στὴ φωτιά· ἂν θέ’ς νὰ ζήσῃς, προσκύνησε τὰ εἴδωλα. Τότε ἐ­κείνη ἀπήντησε μ᾽ ἕνα ῥητό ―αὐτὸ εἶνε τὸ σπουδαῖο ποὺ θέλω νὰ προσέξετε. Τί ἀπήντη­σε· μ’ ἕνα ῥητὸ τοῦ προφήτου Ἰερεμίου· ―«Θεοί, οἳ τὸν οὐ­ρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἐποίησαν, ἀπολέσθω­σαν» (Ἰερ. 10,11)· θεοί, λέει, ποὺ δὲν δη­μιούργησαν τὸν οὐρανὸ καὶ τὴ γῆ, «ἀπολέ­σθωσαν», νὰ χαθοῦν, νὰ γίνουν στάχτη τὰ εἴ­δωλά σας!… Ἦταν δηλαδὴ ὡπλισμένη μὲ τὴν ἁγία Γραφή. Τέλος χέρια βαρβάρων τὴν ἔῤῥιξαν σὲ «πολυ­ώδυνα βάσανα» κ’ ἔτσι ἐτελειώθη.

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Αὐτό, ἀγαπητοί μου, συνιστῶ καὶ γιὰ ὅλους ἐμᾶς. Ὁ Χριστιανὸς χωρὶς ἁγία Γραφὴ εἶνε ἄοπλος. Σᾶς ἐρωτῶ μὲ ὅλη τὴν ἀγάπη· διαβά­ζετε ἁγία Γραφή, ποὺ εἶνε προνόμιο γιὰ μᾶς ὅτι γράφτη­κε στὴν ἑλληνικὴ γλῶσσα; Γιὰ τὴν τηλε­όρασι διαθέτουμε πολλὲς ὧρες· Γραφὴ ποιός διαβάζει; Πολὺ λίγοι. Ἄλλοι λαοὶ διαβάζουν, οἱ Ἕλληνες ὄχι. Δῶστε μου, δῶστε μου μιὰ κοι­νωνία, ἕνα ἔθνος, μιὰ πόλι, μιὰ οἰκογένεια, ὅπου μικροὶ – μεγάλοι νὰ διαβάζουν τὴν ἁγία Γραφή, κ᾽ ἐγὼ ὑπογράφω συμβόλαιο· αὐτὴ θὰ γίνῃ ἡ εὐτυχεστέρα χώρα τοῦ κόσμου. Σᾶς βάζω κανόνα, νὰ πάρετε στὰ χέρια τὸ Εὐαγγέλιο καὶ νὰ τὸ διαβάζετε ἡμέρα καὶ νύχτα.

Εἴθε ὁ Θεός, διὰ πρεσβειῶν τῆς ἁγίας Παρα­­σκευῆς, νὰ μᾶς δώσῃ τὴν ἀπόφασι νὰ μελετοῦ­με Γραφή· μπορεῖ νὰ περάσῃ ἡμέρα χωρὶς φαγη­τό, χωρὶς τηλεόρασι, χωρὶς ῥαδιόφωνο ἢ χω­ρὶς ἀέρα καὶ χωρὶς ἥλιο· χωρὶς Εὐαγγέλιο ὄχι!

† ἐπίσκοπος Αὐγουστῖνος

(Oμιλία Μητροπολίτου Φλωρίνης π. Αυγουστίνου Καντιώτου στον ιερό ναὸ της Ἁγίας Παρασκευῆς πόλεως Φλωρίνης 25-7-1988)

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ΣΤΑ ΡΟΥΜΑΝΙΚΑ

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POZIV SA PRETNJAMA I DUHOVNIM UBISTVOM

Οι μοναχοί του Κοσσυφοπεδίου και των Mετοχίων που εγκατέλειψαν τα μοναστήρια τους για να συμπαρασταθούν στον εξορισθέντα και σφαγιασθέντα άγιο ποιμενάρχη τους Αρτέμιο, που ο Χριστός διώρισε να ποιμάνει την Εκκλησία του Κοσσυφοπεδίου και των Μετοχίων, καλούνται να επιστρέψουν στα μοναστήρια τους.

Τους καλούν ποιοί; Οι ιεράρχες που πάταξαν τον ποιμένα και διεσκόρπισαν τα πρόβατα. Τους καλούν οι 5 συνοδικοί ιεράρχες, που για πολλά χρόνια κατορθώνουν να μένουν οι ίδιοι, αφού ο διορισμός τους εξαρτάται μόνον από τον Σέρβο πατριάρχη και από κανέναν άλλο.

Τους καλούν πως; Χωρίς ντροπή και αμετανόητοι για ότι έκαναν στον θεοπρόβλητο και λαοπρόβλητο ποιμενάρχη Αρτέμιο και στην αιματοβαμμένη επισκοπή του Κοσσυφοπεδίου. Τους καλούν με απειλές, με άγριες διαθέσεις και με βαριές λέξεις.

Τί θέλουν από τους μοναχούς; Να υποταχθούν σ’ αυτούς!!!

Πόσο εμπιστοσύνη μπορεί να έχει ένας ορθόδοξος χριστιανός σε ανορθόδοξους και αμετανόητους ιεράρχας; Πολύ περισσότερο, πως  μπορεί να  θέσει την ζωή του ένας ορθόδοξος μοναχός κάτω υπο την κηδεμονία τέτοιων ανθρώπων;

Τα πρόβατα λέει ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, ακολουθούν μόνο τον ποιμένα τους, γιατί γνωρίζουν την φωνή του· «αλλοτρίω δε ου μη ακολουθήσωσιν, αλλά φεύξονται απ’ αυτού, ότι ουκ οίδασι των αλλοτρίων την φωνή»(Ιωάν. ι΄. 5),.

Γνωρίζουν τα παραπάνω λόγια του Χριστού οι Σέρβοι ιεράρχες, γι’ αυτό υποχρέωσαν τον επίσκοπο Αρτέμιο να καλέσει  o ίδιος τους μοναχούς του!!!

Τι άραγε ζητούν αυτοί οι ποιμένες που συμπεριφέρονται ως λύκοι;
Θαυμάζει κανείς την αναισθησία των! Ζητούν βοήθεια από τον ποιμένα που αρπάξαν το κοπάδι και διεσκόρπισαν τα πρόβατα. Θέλουν να συγκεντρώσει τους μοναχούς του και να τους βάλει υπό την κηδεμονία τους!!!

Ποιά εμπιστοσύνη μπορεί να δώσουν οι μοναχοί σ’ αυτούς τους ιεράρχας, που συμπεριφέρονται σαν πάπες; Τι άλλο μπορεί να περιμένουν  απ’ αυτούς, παρά την περαιτέρω κατάπτωσή τους και την υποχώρησή τους στην παγκοσμιοποίηση και την υποταγή της Σέρβικης Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας στον Πάπα;
Θεωρούν, αυτοί οι «άγιοι» συνοδικοί ιεράρχες τους εαυτούς τους ως Εκκλησία, ενώ κατασπάραξαν ένα γνήσιο παιδί του Ιουστίνου Πόποβίτς και διεσκόρπισαν την θεοφιλέστατη Επισκοπή του!
Εμφανίζονται ως ιερά Σύνοδο και ως ορθόδοξοι ιεράρχες ενώ αλληθωρίζουν στον Πάπα και καταπατούν τους Ιερούς Κανόνας που θέσπισαν οι αγιοι Πατέρες της Εκκλησίας!
Ζητούν υποταγή από τους Σέρβους μοναχούς του Κοσόβου και των Μετοχίων ενώ αυτοί δεν υποτάσσονται στον Χριστό, αλλά στις κατοχικές δυνάμεις τις Σερβίας και τα θελήματα της Αμερικής και του ΝΑΤΟ εκτελούν!

ΤΙ ΦΟΒΟΥΝΤΑΙ ΟΙ «ΑΓΙΟΙ» ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΙΣ

ΚΑΙ ΚΑΝΟΥΝ ΠΡΟΣΚΛΗΣΗ ΣΤΟΥΣ ΜΟΝΑΧΟΥΣ;

Το παραμύθι για τις κλοπές τελείωσε· ήταν σαπουνόφουσκα και έσκασε στα μούτρα τους.
Ο λαός της Σερβίας τους πήρε είδηση. Ο Θεός που δεν υπολόγησαν, ανέτρεψε τα σχέδια τους.
Ο Άρειος Πάγος με την απόφαση του τους ξεσκέπασε.
Οι 100 μοναχοί που ακολούθησαν στην εξορία τον ποιμενάρχη τους, ελεύθεροι πλέον από την υπακοή σε κακούς επισκόπους, σκόρπισαν σ’ ολόκληρη την Σερβία, έγιναν φρουροί της ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑΣ και είναι τα λόκ της Σέρβικης Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας και αν χρειασθεί είναι έτοιμοι και την ζωή τους να θυσιάσουν για την πίστη τους την Αγία και της πατρίδος τους την ελευθερία.
Η υποδοχή του Πάπα στην Ορθόδοξη Σερβία, δεν θα είναι πλέον εύκολη. Οι μοναχοί κάνουν ενημέρωση στο λαό. Ο λαός της Σερβίας που σφαγιάστηκε δύο φορές με τις ευλογίες του Πάπα, δεν θα υποδεχθεί  τον δολοφόνο του και θα αντιδράσει με κάθε νόμιμο μέσο, για να εμποδίσει την επίσκεψη του Πάπα. Οι «ορθόδοξοι» επίσκοποι και ο Σέρβος πατριάρχης που προσκάλεσαν το 2013 τον Πάπα στην Ορθόδοξη Σερβία θα εκτεθούν στα μάτια του λαού και θα μείνουν μόνοι τους.

Έχασαν το παιχνίδι οι «άγιοι» συνοδικοί ιεράρχες και η πλειοψηφία των ιεραρχών που υπέγραψε την καταδίκη του δικαίου επισκόπου Αρτεμίου, άνευ δίκης και απολογίας. Οι μοναχοί που έφυγαν από το Κόσοβο είναι λογικά πρόβατα της μάντρας του Χριστού και θέλουν για να επιστρέψει στα μοναστήρια τους τον δικό τους ποιμένα.

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ

Θα πραγματοποιηθεί ομιλία (με 4 ομιλητάς) στην Σερβία, με θέμα· «Η απόφαση του Ανωτάτου Δικαστηρίου της Ελλάδος στην υπόθεση του πατέρα Συμεών (Vilovskog) και η κατάσταση της Σερβικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας. Θα ακολουθήσουν συνεντεύξεις με δημοσιογράφους, παρουσία του ακροατηρίου.

Περισσότερες πληροφορίες διαβάστε στα Σέρβικα στην ιστοσελίδα· www.mancr.org

www.mancr.org

Κυριακὴ Θ΄ Ματθαίου (Ματθ. 14,22-34)

H ζωη μας τρικυμισμενη θαλασσα

ΑΚΟΥΣΑΤΕ, ἀγαπητοί μου, τὸ ἱερὸ καὶ ἅγιο εὐαγγέλιο. Τὸ σημερινὸ εὐαγγέλιο ἀποδεικνύει, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς δὲν εἶνε ἁπλῶς ἄν­θρωπος ὅπως ἐμεῖς, ἀλλὰ εἶνε καὶ Θεός· εἶνε Θεάνθρωπος. Τὸ κηρύττει τὸ θαῦ­μα ποὺ ἀ­κούσαμε. Ἕνα θαῦμα μεγάλο, τρισ­μέγιστο, ποὺ ἔγινε ἐν συνεχείᾳ τοῦ ἄλλου ἐ­κείνου θαύ­ματος, γιὰ τὸ ὁποῖο μιλοῦσε τὸ εὐ­αγ­γέλιο τῆς προηγουμένης Κυριακῆς. Ἐκεῖ ἔλεγε, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς μὲ πέντε ψωμιὰ καὶ δύο ψάρια χόρτασε πέντε χιλιάδες ἀνθρώπους μέσα στὴν ἔρημο.
Μετὰ ἀ­πὸ αὐτὸ ὁ Κύριος ἀνέβηκε στὸ ὄ­ρος νὰ προσ­ευχηθῇ τὴ νύχτα μόνος. Οἱ μαθηταὶ κατ᾽ ἐντολήν του μπήκαν σ᾽ ἕ­να μι­κρὸ πλοῖο τῆς λίμνης Γεννησαρὲτ ἢ θαλάσ­σης τῆς Γαλιλαίας, γιὰ νὰ βγοῦν στὴν ἀ­πέ­ν­αν­τι ὄχθη. Ταξίδευαν μόνοι χωρὶς τὸν Κύ­ριο. Στὴν ἀρχὴ ἦταν γαλή­νη. Ἀλλ᾽ αἴφνης καὶ ἐνῷ κόν­τευε νὰ ξημερώ­σῃ, σηκώθηκε κῦμα δυνα­τό. Τὸ πλοιάριο βασα­νιζόταν καὶ κινδύνευε νὰ καταποντιστῇ. Τότε φάνηκε ἐκεῖ ὁ Χριστὸς νὰ περπατάῃ ἐπάνω στὰ νερά. Φοβερὸ θέαμα. Μόλις τὸν εἶδαν οἱ μαθηταί, ταράχτηκαν καὶ εἶπαν ὅτι εἶνε φάντα­σμα. Δὲν ἦταν ὅμως φάντασμα· ἦταν ὁ ἴδιος.
Ὁ Πέτρος πῆρε θάρρος καὶ λέει· ―Σύ, Κύριε, εἶσαι; Ἂν εἶσαι σύ, πές μου νὰ ᾽ρθῶ κον­τά σου βαδίζοντας κ᾽ ἐγὼ πάνω στὰ νερά. Ὁ Κύ­ριος τοῦ ἔκανε τὴ χάρι. ―Ἔλα, τοῦ εἶ­πε. Κι ὁ Πέτρος ἄρχισε νὰ περπατάῃ πάνω στὰ κύματα. Βλέποντας ὅμως τὸν ἄνεμο δυνατὸ δείλιασε κι ἄρ­χισε νὰ βουλιάζῃ. ―Κύ­ριε, σῶσε με, φωνά­ζει μὲ ἀγωνία. Ὁ Χριστὸς ἁπλώ­νει ἀ­μέσως τὸ χέρι καὶ τὸν πιάνει. ―«Ὀ­λιγό­πιστε», τοῦ λέει, «εἰς τί ἐδίστασας;» (Ματθ. 14,31). Καὶ μόλις μπῆ­καν στὸ πλοῖο, ἔγινε γαλήνη. Δόξασαν ὅλοι τὸ Θεὸ καὶ ἔλεγαν στὸ Χριστό· «Ἀληθῶς Θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ», ἀληθινὰ εἶσαι Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ (ἔ.ἀ. 14,33).

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Αὐτὸ εἶνε μὲ συντομία τὸ σημερινὸ εὐαγγέλιο. Τὸ θαῦμα αὐτὸ δείχνει, ὅτι ὁ Χριστὸς ἐξουσιάζει τὰ σύμπαντα· τὸν ἥλιο, τὸ φεγγάρι, τὰ ἄστρα, τὴ γῆ, τοὺς ἀνέμους, τὴ θάλασσα, τὶς λίμνες, τοὺς ποταμούς, τὰ δέντρα, τὰ ζῷα, τὰ πάντα. Εἶνε ὁ ἐξουσιαστὴς ὅλων.
Κ᾽ ἐμεῖς, ἀγαπητοί μου, μολονότι εἴμεθα πά­νω στὴν ξηρά, ἐν τούτοις ποντοποροῦμε, εἴ­μεθα μέσα σ᾽ ἕνα πλοῖο. Ποιό εἶνε τὸ πλοῖο; Ἡ ἀνθρώπινη ζωή. Ἀπ᾽ τὴν ἡμέρα ποὺ θὰ γεννηθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος μέχρις ὅτου τελειώσῃ τὴ ζωή του, εἶνε μέσα στὸ πλοῖο αὐτό, ποὺ κινδυνεύει ἀπὸ τὰ κύματα, τὰ ἄγρια κύματα.
Ποιά εἶνε τὰ κύματα αὐτά; Ἕνα κῦμα εἶνε ἡ ἀσθένεια· ἐνῷ εἶσαι ὑγι­ής, αἴφνης ἀρρωσταίνεις, πέφτεις στὸ κρεβάτι, κινδυνεύεις νὰ πεθάνῃς· κῦμα πελώριο αὐτό. Θέλεις ἄλ­λο; Νά, ἡ χηρεία· ἐνῷ εἶσαι παντρεμένος, χάνεις τὴ γυναῖκα σου καὶ μένεις μόνος. Τί πλῆ­γμα εἶνε καὶ γιὰ τὴ γυναῖκα νὰ χάσῃ τὸν ἄν­τρα της καὶ νὰ μείνῃ χήρα μὲ μικρὰ παιδιά! Ἀλλὰ καὶ γιὰ τὰ παιδιὰ μεγάλο κῦμα ἡ ὀρφάνια. Κῦμα ἀκόμη ἡ ἀνεργία· νὰ εἶνε κανεὶς χω­ρὶς ἀπασχόλησι, νὰ ζητάῃ ἐργασία καὶ νὰ μὴ μπορῇ νὰ βρῇ. Κῦμα εἶνε ἡ φτώχεια· νὰ μὴν ἔ­χῃ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τὰ ἀπαραίτητα νὰ καλύψῃ τὶς ἀνάγκες του. Κύματα ὅμως δὲν εἶνε καὶ ἡ ἀδικία ἢ ἡ συκοφαντία ἢ τὸ διαζύγιο;… Γεμάτη κύματα ἡ ζωὴ αὐτή. Καὶ τέλος τὸ ἀγριώτερο κῦμα· ὁ θάνατος, τὸ ναυάγιο τῆς ζωῆς, ποὺ ἔρχεται νὰ βυθίσῃ τὸ σῶμα μας στὸν τάφο. Ἀλλὰ μιλώντας τὴ γλῶσσα τοῦ Εὐ­αγγελίου πρέπει νὰ ποῦμε, ὅτι τὸ φοβερώ­τερο ἀπ᾽ ὅλα τὰ κύματα εἶνε – ποιό; ἡ ἁμαρτία! Ὅποιος ­μέ­νει ἀμετανόητος στὴν ἁμαρτία, εἴτε ὀργὴ καὶ θυ­μὸς λέγεται αὐτὴ εἴτε ἀσέλγεια καὶ πορνεία ἢ μοιχεία εἴτε κλοπὴ εἴτε φόνος εἴτε ἄλ­λο ἔγκλημα, αὐτὸς καταποντίζεται ὄχι στὸν τάφο ἀλλὰ στὸν ᾅδη ψυχικῶς καὶ σωματικῶς.
Τί πρέπει τώρα νὰ κάνουμε, ν᾽ ἀπελπιστοῦ­με; Ὄχι, ἀγαπητοί μου. Νὰ λάβουμε κ᾽ ἐμεῖς θάρρος καὶ νὰ ἔχουμε ἀκράδαντη πίστι στὸ Θεό. Ὁ Θεὸς ἔρχεται καὶ βοηθάει τὸν ἄνθρωπο, δὲν τὸν ἀφήνει. Καὶ ὁ πιστὸς ἄνθρωπος βλέπει παντοῦ τὸ χέρι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὸ βλέπει διαρκῶς στὴ ζωή του· κι ὅταν εἶνε μικρός, κι ὅταν μεγα­λώνει, κι ὅταν φτάνει στὰ γεράματά του, πάν­τοτε βλέπει τὸ χέρι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ ὄχι μόνο τὰ ἄτομα, ἀλλὰ καὶ σύνολα, οἰκογένειες καὶ ἔθνη καὶ κοινωνίες, βλέπουν τὴν προστασία του.
Ἡ μικρή μας πατρίδα πολλὲς φορὲς στὴν ἱ­στορία της εἶδε τὸ χέρι τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τὸ 1922 στὴ Μικρὰ Ἀσία λ.χ. ἔγινε μεγάλη συμφορά. Ἦρ­θαν οἱ Τοῦρκοι, ἔσφαξαν, σκότωσαν, ἔκαψαν, ἀνέτρεψαν τὰ πάντα, βάφτηκε μὲ αἷμα τὸ κῦ­μα τοῦ Αἰγαίου, ἡ θάλασσα κοκκίνισε ἀπὸ τὸ αἷμα τῶν θυμάτων. Ὅλοι ἦταν ἀπελπισμένοι. Ἕνας δὲν ἀπελπίστηκε· ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Σμύρ­νης, ὁ τελευταῖος ἱεράρχης τῆς πόλεως, ὁ ἐ­θνομάρτυς Χρυσόστομος. Λειτούργησε γιὰ τε­­λευταία φορὰ στὸ ναὸ τῆς Ἁγίας Φωτεινῆς καὶ εἶπε μὲ δάκρυα στὰ μάτια· «Ὁ Θεὸς δοκιμά­ζει τὴν πίστι μας. Θαρσεῖτε, Ἕλληνες, θὰ ξη­μερώσουν καλύτερες ἡμέρες…». Καὶ ἦρθαν πρά­γμα­τι καλύτερες ἡμέρες. Τὰ 2 περίπου ἑ­κατομμύρια τῶν προσφύγων, ποὺ ἔφυγαν τότε ἀπὸ τὴ Μικρὰ Ἀσία, ἦρθαν στὴν Ἑλλάδα, δούλεψαν φιλότιμα καὶ ἔκαναν τὴ γῆ νὰ τινά­ξῃ ῥόδα. Μὲ τὸ δικό τους ἱδρῶτα ἡ χώρα μας σὲ λίγο ἔγινε αὐ­τάρκης· τόσο αὐ­τάρκης, ὥστε ἄρ­χισε νὰ κά­νῃ καὶ ἐξ­αγωγὲς ἐκλεκτῶν προϊόν­των της σὲ ἄλλες χῶρες τοῦ ἐξωτερικοῦ. Καὶ μόνο ὑ­λι­κῶς; Καὶ ἐ­θνολογικῶς ἀ­κόμη πολὺ εὐ­εργετήθηκε ἡ χώρα μας. Βγῆκε καὶ ἐδῶ «ἐκ τοῦ πικροῦ γλυκύ», ἀπὸ τὴν ἐθνικὴ συμφο­ρὰ σημαντικὴ ἐ­θνι­κὴ ὠ­φέ­λεια. Βρέθηκαν δηλαδὴ ἔξω ἀπὸ τὰ ἐδάφη της καὶ Τοῦρκοι καὶ Βούλγαροι καὶ Σέρβοι καὶ ἄλλοι, καὶ ἡ Ἑλλὰς ἀπέκτησε θαυμαστὴ ὁμοιογέ­νεια, ἔγινε ἕνα ἀπὸ τὰ πλέον ὁμοιογενῆ κράτη. Νά τὸ χέρι τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Τὰ τίμια καὶ ἀκριβὰ τὸ ξέρουμε κινδυνεύουν.
⃝ Καὶ σήμερα ἡ πατρίδα μας δοκιμάζεται. Ὅ­πως στὰ χρόνια τῶν προγόνων μας, ἔτσι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμερῶν μας δοκιμάζεται μέσα στὴ φουρτουνιασμένη θάλασσα τῶν δι­πλωματι­κῶν ἀπειλῶν καὶ παγίδων. Μόνο ἡ πίστι, ἡ ἀ­κράδαντη πίστι, μπορεῖ νὰ κάνῃ τὸ θαῦμα. Ἀρκεῖ ἡ Ἑλλὰς νὰ ἐπαναλάβῃ στὸν Κύριο τὴ φωνὴ τοῦ Πέτρου «Κύριε, σῶσόν με» (ἔ.ἀ. 14,30).
⃝ Καὶ σήμερα ἡ οἰκογένεια ὡς θεσμὸς πλήττεται ἀπὸ τὰ κύματα μοντέρνων ἀντιλήψεων, συνηθειῶν καὶ νομοθετημάτων. Ἡ παιδικὴ ἐγ­κληματικότης βρίσκεται σὲ ἔξαρσι. Ὁ ἅγιος Κοσμᾶς ὁ Αἰτωλός, ποὺ ἑορτάζει τὸν Αὔγουστο, ἔλεγε· Ὅταν δῆτε νὰ ἀδειάσουν οἱ ἐκ­κλη­­σιές, θὰ γεμίσουν οἱ φυλακές. Καὶ γέμισαν ἤδη ἀπὸ ἐγκληματίες καὶ τρομοκράτες. Αὐτὰ παθαίνει ὅποιος φεύγει ἀπ᾽ τὸ Θεό. Οἱ σύζυγοι, ποὺ βλέπουν τὸ σκάφος τους νὰ κά­νῃ νερά, ἂς γονατίσουν καὶ ἂς φωνάξουν· «Κύ­ριε, σῶ­σε τὸ σπίτι μας, ἅπλωσε τὸ χέρι σου καὶ κράτησέ μας, νὰ μὴ καταποντισθοῦμε!».
⃝ Καὶ ἡ πίστι τοῦ καθενός μας δοκιμά­ζεται σήμερα. Ἔχει ν᾽ ἀντιπαλαίσῃ μὲ ἀνέμους πλά­νης, μὲ ῥεύματα ὀρ­θολογισμοῦ, μὲ καταιγίδες αἱ­­ρέσεων, μὲ κύματα εἰρωνείας, χλεύης, ὀλιγο­πι­στίας. «Κύριε, σῶσε μας», ἂς πῇ ὁ καθένας μας, καὶ «πρόσθεσέ μας πίστι» (ἔ.ἀ. 14,30· Λουκ. 17,5).

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Αὐτὰ τὰ λίγα εἶχα νὰ πῶ, ἀγαπητοί μου.
Ὅλοι στὴ ζωὴ αὐτὴ δοκιμάζουμε θλίψεις. Οἱ θλίψεις εἶ­νε τὰ κύματα, ποὺ χτυποῦν τὸ πλοῖο τῆς ζωῆς μας καθημερινῶς. Ταξιδεύου­με σὲ τρικυμισμένη θάλασσα. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀπελπισθοῦμε· στὸ τέλος μᾶς περιμένει τὸ λιμάνι.
Σ᾽ ἕνα χωριὸ τῆς περιφερείας μας συνέβη θάνατος. Πέθανε ὄχι κάποιος γέρος ἀλλὰ μία νέα κοπέλλα εἴκοσι ἐτῶν, στὸ ἄν­θος τῆς ἡλικίας της. Ἦρθε ὁ θάνατος καὶ πῆρε τὴν εὐλογη­μένη αὐ­τὴ κόρη, γιὰ τὴν ὁποία οἱ γονεῖς της ἔπλεκαν χρυσᾶ ὄνειρα· τὴν πῆρε, καὶ θλίβεται τώρα ὅλο τὸ χωριό. Θὰ πᾶμε νὰ ψάλουμε ἐκεῖ τὴν ἐξόδιο ἀκολουθία, τὴν κηδεία, καὶ νὰ παρηγορήσουμε τοὺς πενθοῦντας. Παρηγορία μας εἶνε ἡ πίστι στὴν κοινὴ ἀνάστασι.
Ὅσοι θέλουμε νὰ σωθοῦμε, ἐδῶ σ᾽ αὐτὴ τὴ γῆ θὰ περάσουμε θλίψεις, πολλὲς θλίψεις. Δὲν τὸ λέω ἐγώ, τὸ λέει ὁ θεόπνευστος λόγος· «Διὰ πολ­λῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ» (Πράξ. 14,22)· γιὰ ν᾽ ἀξιωθοῦμε δηλαδὴ τῆς οὐρανίου βασιλείας, πρέπει νὰ περάσουμε ἀπὸ θύελλα θλίψεων. Ἀλλ᾽ ἂς μὴ ἀ­πελπιζώμεθα. Ὅποιος ἀγαπᾷ τὸ Θεὸ καὶ μένει πιστὸς σ᾽ αὐτόν, στὸ τέλος καὶ ἀπὸ τὶς θλίψεις θὰ βγῇ ὠφελημένος.
Γι᾽ αὐτὸ ἂς ὑπομένουμε τὶς θλίψεις μὲ ἐλ­πί­δα στὸ Θεὸ καὶ θάρρος στὴ νίκη. Ἕνας πιστὸς ποιητὴς ἔγραψε·
«Κι ἂν δὲν μοῦ μείνῃ ἐντὸς τοῦ κόσμου
ποῦ ν᾽ ἀκουμπήσω, νὰ σταθῶ,
ἐκεῖ ψηλὰ εἶν᾽ ὁ Θεός μου·
πῶς ἠμπορῶ ν᾽ ἀπελπισθῶ;».
Κι ἂν ὑποτεθῇ ὅτι μὲ ἐγκατέλειψαν ὅλοι, καὶ συγγενεῖς καὶ φίλοι καὶ γνωστοί, καὶ βρίσκομαι σὲ δύσκολη θέσι καὶ δὲν ἔχω ποῦ νὰ στηριχθῶ καὶ ποῦ νὰ σταθῶ, ἐκεῖ ψηλὰ εἶνε ὁ Θεός μου, πῶς μπορῶ νὰ ἀπελπιστῶ;
Στὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστὸ λοιπόν, ποὺ ζῇ καὶ βασιλεύει εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, νὰ ἔ­χουμε τὴν ἐλ­πίδα μας, τὴν πίστι μας, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς δὲ θὰ μᾶς ἐγκαταλείψῃ ποτέ· ἀμήν.

† ἐπίσκοπος Αὐγουστῖνος

(ἱ. ναὸς Ἁγ. Γεωργίου Τριποτάμου – Φλωρίνης 16-8-1992)

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ΣTA ΡOYMANIKA

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PREDICA MITROPOLITULUI AUGUSTIN DE FLORINA
LA DUMINICA A  IX-A DUPĂ RUSALII
(MATEI 14, 22-34)

VIAŢA NOASTRĂ – O MARE FURTUNOASĂ

Iubiţii mei, aţi auzit sfânta şi sfinţita Evanghelie. Evanghelia de astăzi demonstrează că Hristos nu este doar om ca noi, ci este şi Dumnezeu. Este Dumnezeul-Om. Acest lucru îl predică minunea pe care aţi auzit-o. O minune mare, de trei ori mare, care a avut loc în continuarea celeilalte minuni, despre care a vorbit Evanghelia  din duminica trecută. Acolo se spunea că Hristos cu cinci pâini şi doi peşti a săturat cinci mii de oameni în pustie. După aceasta, Domnul S-a suit în munte, ca să se roage singur, în noapte. Ucenicii au urcat la porunca Lui într-o barcă mică din lacul Ghenizaret sau marea Galileii, ca să iasă pe malul celălalt. Călătoreau singuri, fără Domnul. La început era linişte. Dar, deodată, şi în timp ce mijea de ziuă, s-a ridicat un val puternic. Barca se zdruncina şi era în pericol să se scufunde. Atunci s-a arătat acolo Hristos păşind pe deasupra apelor. Înfricoşătoare privelişte. Ucenicii, doar ce L-au văzut, s-au tulburat şi au spus că este o nălucă. Însă nu era o nălucă. Era El însuşi.
Petru şi-a făcut curaj şi a spus:
– Tu eşti Doamne? Dacă eşti Tu, spune-mi să vin la Tine, păşind şi eu pe deasupra apelor. Domnul i-a făcut acest dar.
-Vino, i-a spus. Şi Petru a început să păşească pe deasupra valurilor. Văzând însă vântul puternic, s-a înfricoşat şi a început să se scufunde.
– Doamne, mântuieşte-mă!, strigă cu agonie.
Hristos îşi întinde imediat mâna şi îl prinde.
– “Puţin credinciosule” – îi zice – “de ce te-ai îndoit?” (Matei 14, 31).
Şi imediat ce au intrat în barcă s-a făcut linişte. L-au slăvit pe Dumnezeu şi I-au spus lui Hristos: “Cu adevărat, Tu eşti Fiul lui Dumnezeu!” (Matei 14, 33).

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Aceasta este pe scurt Evanghelia de astăzi. Minunea aceasta arată că Hristos stăpâneşte peste toate: soare, lună, stele, pământ, vânturi, mare, lacuri, râuri, copaci, animale, toate. Este Stăpânul a toate.
Şi noi, iubiţii mei, cu toate că ne aflăm pe uscat,  totuşi călătorim pe mare, suntem într-o barcă. Care este această barcă? Viaţa omenească. Din ziua în care se naşte omul până la sfârşitul vieţii, el este în această barcă, care e în pericol din parte valurilor, a valurilor sălbatice.
Care sunt aceste valuri? Un val este boala. În timp ce eşti sănătos, deodată te îmbolnăveşti, cazi la pat, eşti în pericol să mori; acesta este un val imens. Vrei altul? Iată, văduvia; în timp ce eşti căsătorit, îţi pierzi femeia şi rămâi singur. Ce lovitură este şi pentru femeie să-şi  piardă bărbatul şi să rămână văduvă cu copii mici! Dar şi pentru copii este un mare val să fii orfan. Un val este şi şomajul; să fie cineva fără loc de muncă, să caute de muncă şi să nu poată găsi. Un val este şi sărăcia: să nu aibă omul cele indispensabile să-şi acopere nevoile. Dar valuri nu sunt oare şi nedreptatea, calomnia sau divorţul?… Plină de valuri este viaţa aceasta. Şi în sfârşit cel mai sălbatic val: moartea, pierderea vieţii,  val care vine să afunde trupul nostru în mormânt. Dar vorbind limba Evangheliei, trebuie să spunem că cel mai groaznic din toate valurile este –  care? – Păcatul! Cel care persistă nepocăit, în păcat, fie că acesta se numeşte furie sau mânie, ori desfrânare, adultery sau prostituţie, ori furt sau crimă, ori alt păcat, acesta se scufundă nu în mormânt, ci în iad – sufleteşte şi trupeşte.
Ce trebuie să facem acum? Să deznădăjduim? Nu, iubiţii mei. Să prindem şi noi curaj, să avem o credinţă nezdruncinată în Dumnezeu. Bunul Dumnezeu vine şi îl ajută pe om, nu îl lasă. Şi omul credincios vede pretutindeni mâna lui Dumnezeu. O vede continuu în viaţa lui; şi atunci când este mic, şi când creşte şi când se face bătrân, întotdeauna el vede mâna lui Dumnezeu. Şi nu doar persoane, ci şi grupuri, familii şi popoare şi societăţi, văd ocrotirea Lui.
Mica noastră patrie a văzut de multe ori în istorie mâna lui Dumnezeu. În 1922, în Asia Mică, de pildă, a fost o mare nenorocire. Au venit turcii, au masacrat, au ucis, au ars, au devastate totul. S-a vopsit cu sânge valul Mării Egee. Marea s-a înroşit de sângele victimelor. Toţi erau disperaţi. Unul singur nu a disperat: episcopul Smirnei, ultimul ierarh al cetăţii, etno-martirul Hrisostomos. A liturghisit pentru ultima dată în biserica Sfintei Fotini şi a spus cu lacrimi în ochi: “Dumnezeu ne încearcă credinţa. Îndrăzniţi, eleni, vor răsări şi zile mai bune!…”. Şi, într-adevăr, au venit  zile mai bune. Cei aproximativ două milioane de refugiaţi, care au plecat atunci din Asia Mică, au venit în Elada, au lucrat cinstit şi au făcut pământul să înflorească ca nişte rodii. Prin sudoarea lor, ţara noastră a devenit în puţin timp atât de îndestulată, încât a început să facă şi export din produsele ei valoroase în alte ţări din afară. Şi doar din punct de vedere material? Chiar şi etnic de mult bine a beneficiat ţara noastră. A ieşit şi de aici “din amar dulce”, din nenorocirea naţională un important beneficiu naţional. S-a constatat că sunt în afara teritoriilor ei şi turcii şi bulgarii şi sârbii şi alţii, iar Elada a câştigat o admirabilă  uniformitate. A devenit una din cele mai omogene ţări. Iată mâna lui Dumnezeu!
Cele cinstite şi scumpe ştim că sunt în pericol.
Şi astăzi, patria noastră este încercată. Precum în vremurile strămoşilor noştri, aşa şi în zilele noastre, este încercată în marea furtunoasă a ameninţărilor şi a capcanelor diplomatice. Doar credinţa, nezdruncinata credinţă, poate să facă minunea. E sufficient ca Elada să repete Domnului strigătul lui Petru: “Doamne, mântuieşte-mă!” (Matei 14, 30).
Şi astăzi, familia, ca instituţie, este afectată de valurile concepţiilor, obiceiurilor şi legilor moderne. Criminalitatea pruncilor este în creştere. Sfântul Cosma Etolianul, care este sărbătorit în august, zicea: Când veţi vedea că se golesc bisericile, se vor umple închisorile. Şi s-au umplut deja de criminali şi de terorişti. Aceste lucruri păţeşte cel care fuge de Dumnezeu. Soţii, care îşi văd barcă luând apă, să îngenuncheze şi să strige: “Doamne, mântuieşte-ne casa! Întindeţi mâna şi păzeşte-ne, să nu ne scufundăm!”
Şi credinţa fiecăruia dintre noi este încercată astăzi. Are de înfruntat vânturile rătăcirii, curentele raţionalismului, furtunile ereziilor, valurile ironiei, batjocurii, puţinei credinţe. “Doamne, mântuieşte-ne!”, să spună fiecare din noi şi “Înmulţeşte-ne nouă credinţa!” (Matei 14, 30; Luca 17,5).

***

Iubiţii mei, aceste puţine lucruri am vrut să vi le spun.
Toţi în acestă viaţă suntem încercaţi. Încercăm necazuri. Necazurile sunt valurile, care lovesc barca vieţii noastre zi de zi. Călătorim pe o mare în furtună. Dar să nu deznădăjduim! La capăt ne aşteaptă limanul.
Într-un sat din regiunea noastră a avut loc un deces. A murit nu vreun bătrân, ci o copilă tânără de douăzeci de ani. În floarea vârstei. A venit moartea şi a luat-o pe această fată binecuvântată, pentru care părinţii ei îşi făceau vise de aur. A luat-o şi se tânguieşte acum întreg satul. Ne vom duce acum să cântăm acolo slujba de ieşire, înmormântarea, şi să-i mângâiem pe cei îndoliaţi, pe cei ce plâng. Mângâierea noastră este credinţa în învierea de obşte.
Câţi vrem să ne mântuim, aici pe acest pământ vom trece prin necazuri, multe necazuri. Nu o spun eu. O spune de Dumnezeu insuflatul cuvânt: “Prin multe necazuri trebuie să intrăm noi în Împărăţia lui Dumnezeu” (Fapte 14, 22); ca să ne învrednicim adică împărăţiei celei cereşti, se cuvine să trecem prin furtuna necazurilor. Dar să nu deznădăjduim! Cine Îl iubeşte pe Dumnezeu şi rămâne credincios Lui, la sfârşit, şi din necazuri va ieşi folosit.
De aceea, să răbdăm necazurile cu nădejdea în Dumnezeu şi cu curaj în victorie. Un poet credincios a scris:
“Şi chiar dacă nu-mi rămâne-n lume
Un loc unde să mă sprijin sau să stau,
Acolo sus e Dumnezeul meu;
Cum aş putea să deznădăjduiesc?”.

Şi să presupunem că m-au părăsit toţi, şi rude şi prieteni şi cunoscuţi, şi că mă aflu într-o situaţie dificilă şi nu am unde şi nu am pe ce să mă sprijin şi unde să stau, acolo sus este Dumnezeul meu, cum pot să deznădăjduiesc?
Aşadar, în Domnul nostru Iisus Hristos, Care trăieşte şi împărăţeşte în veci, să avem nădejdea noastră, credinţa noastră, şi Dumnezeu nu ne va părăsi niciodată. Amin.

†Episcopul Augustin
(Sfânta Biserică a Sfântului Gheorghe Tripotamou – Florina 16.08.1992)

(traducere: ML, sursa: http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/?p=14064)

6η  Ανοιχτη  Επιστολη  Ερημιτου  Ασκητου

Τό κίνημα τῶν Μοναχῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μας στήν Σερβία θυμίζει τό κίνημα τῶν «Κολλυβάδων».
Θά ἀναδειχθοῦν καί πάλι Μακάριοι, ὄχι τώρα ἀπό τήν Κόρινθο ἀλλά ἀπό τήν Σερβία.
Θά ἀναδειχθοῦν καί πάλι Νικόδημοι καί Ἀθανάσιοι πού θά κρατήσουν τήν Ἀλήθεια, γιά νά τήν φανερώσουν στόν πιστό λαό.
Ἡ διοίκηση στήν Ἐκκλησία χωρίς Χριστό φέρνει πάντα ἀποτελέσματα τραγικά!!!
Οἱ διῶκται κατόρθωσαν τελικά καί ξήλωσαν τόν Χριστό ἀπό τήν καρδιά τους καί τόν ἔφεραν στά χείλη.
Βεβήλωσαν τόν Λόγον καί τόν ἔκαμαν λόγια. Συνταίριασαν τά λόγια τους μέ τήν λογική τους καί τήν Θεολογία τήν ἔκαμαν Φιλοσοφία.Καί ἔπεσαν στήν αἴρεση.
Ἀποτυχία ζωῆς!!!
Ξεμάκρυναν τήν ζωή τους ἀπό τήν ΖΩΗ. Καί ἔχασαν τήν Ταπείνωση.
Ξέχασαν ὅτι θυσία δέν εἶναι καταστροφή, ἀλλά ἁγιασμός.
Οἱ Μοναχοί ἀγωνίζονται νά προσφέρουν τήν ζωή τους στόν Θεό ὡς θυσία.Καί οἱ διῶκται μισοῦν καί καταστρέφουν τήν προσφερόμενη θυσία στόν Θεό.
Στούς ἀδελφούς μας Μοναχούς τοῦ Κοσσόβου πού ζοῦν διασκορπισμένοι ἀπό τήν μανία τῶν διωκτῶν, «κακουχούμενοι καί διωκόμενοι» γιά τήν ὀρθή πίστη τους στόν Θεόν, ταπεινά εὐχόμεθα πάντα νά ἔχουν κέντρο τῆς ζωῆς τους τόν Θεόν καί νά διατηροῦν τήν ἀγάπη τους πρός τήν Ἀλήθεια. Καί ὁ Θεός θά ἀνταποδώσει τόν ἀγῶνα τους. Μέσα ἀπό τόν ἀγῶνα αὐτόν θά ἀναδειχθοῦν Νέοι Στουδίται, ὁμολογηταί τῆς Πίστεως καί τῆς Ὀρθοδοξίας. Ἐμεῖς ταπεινά ἐπικαλούμεθα τίς εὐχές τους.

Ἀμήν.

ΣΥΜΠΡΟΣΕΥΧΕΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΩΝ ΜΟΝΑΧΩΝ ΜΕ ΑΙΡΕΤΙΚΟΥΣ

Διοργάνωσε το οικουμενικό πατριαρχείο σε Βουλγαρικό έδαφος

• Από τις 13 έως τις 19 Ιουλίου πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Ιερά Μονή του Αγίου Ιωάννη του Ρίλα στη Βουλγαρία, το XXXIII – Συνεδρίαση της Διεθνούς Ένωσης μοναχών και μοναζουσών Interchristian (EIIR) με θέμα «Η ζωή εν Χριστώ – μια πρόκληση και ελπίδα. Διεξήχθη σε υπέροχη τοποθεσία, στην καρδιά του βουνού, υπό την προεδρία του Αθηναγόρα, επισκόπου Σινώπης, με τον βοηθό επίσκοπου του Μητροπολίτου Βελγίου (Οικουμενικού Πατριαρχείου).
  Συμμετείχαν 55 μοναχοί και μοναχές, Ορθόδοξοι, Καθολικοί και Προτεσταντες από 14 χώρες .

• Διαβάστηκε μήνυμα του Πατριάρχου Βαρθολομαίου.

• Η Ιερά Σύνοδος της Βουλγαρικής Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας δεν έδωσε την συναίνεσή της, γι’ αυτό και δεν παρέστη ο πατριάρχης Βουλγαρίας ή κάποιος αντιπρόσωπός του. Ολες οι εκδηλώσεις έγιναν σε ξενοδοχείο και όχι μέσα στο μοναστήρι.

MAICILE DE LA VORONEŢ SE ROAGĂ ÎN COMUN

CU FECIORII ŞI FECIOARELE ERETICILOR

ÎN DIALOGUL DRAGOSTEI FĂRĂ ADEVĂR

Dacă n-aş fi văzut, n-aş fi grăit, nici aş fi scris. Dar cu gândul de a preveni situaţia tragică în care puţinul aluat putred ar dospi toată frământătura monahismului feminin şi nu numai, scriu şi dau mărturie despre ceea ce ochii mei au văzut la Rila.
Iată ce scrie Romfea.gr  şi Amen.gr:

“A XXXIII – a Reuniune a monahilor şi monahiilor la Sfânta Mănăstire Rila

De pe 13 până pe 19 iulie a avut loc în Sfânta Mănăstire a Sfântului Ioan Rila în Bulgaria cea de-a XXXIII – a Reuniune a Asociaţiei Intercreştine Internaţionale a monahilor şi a monahiilor (E.I.I.R.) cu tema: „Viaţa în Hristos – provocare şi speranţă”. S-a desfăşurat într-o locaţie cu adevărat minunată, în inima munţilor, şi a fost organizată sub preşedinţia Preasfinţitului Athenagoras, episcop de Sinope, episcop vicar al Sfintei Mitropolii de Belgia (Patriarhia Ecumenică).
Au luat parte 55 de monahi şi monahii, ortodocşi, romano-catolici, protestanţi din 14 ţări şi culturi diferite.
Printre aceştia ÎPS Ştefan, Mitropolit al Tallin-ului şi a toată Estonia, Preacuviosul Arhimandrit Simeon, egumenul Sfintei Mănăstiri a Sfântului Siluan (Le Mans, Franţa), dar şi alţi vorbitori şi reprezentanţi ortodocşi din Grecia, Belgia, Franţa, Spania, Cehia, România şi Bulgaria.
Întâlnirile sunt organizate în Europa de 40 de ani la iniţiativa fericitului întru adormire mitropolitul Emilian de Silivria şi a monseniorului M. Gr. Julian Hernando Garcia (romano-catolic din Madrid).
La începutul lucrărilor a avut loc citirea mesajului Sanctităţii Sale, Patriarhul Ecumenic Bartolomeu”.
Iar denaturează adevărul ecumeniştii şi caută să-şi aroge mai multă importanţă decât li se oferă, pentru că faimoasa a XXXIII – a Reuniune a Asociaţiei Intercreştine Internaţionale a monahilor şi a monahiilor (E.I.I.R.) cu tema: „Viaţa în Hristos – provocare şi speranţă”, NU a avut loc în Sfânta Mănăstire Rila, ci la un hotel din Munţii Rilei, pentru că Sfântul Sinod al Bisericii Ortodoxe Bulgare nu şi-a dat acordul pentru aceasta şi nici din partea aceleiaşi Patriarhii nu a participat nimeni ca delegat oficial.
În altă ordine, canonicitatea alegerii şi numirii ÎPS Ştefan al Estoniei de către Patriarhia Ecumenică este discutabilă, atâta  vreme cât el nu este recunoscut de Patriarhia Moscovei  drept Întâistătător al Bisericii Estoniene şi, prin urmare, plasarea reuniunii monahale intercreştine şi internaţionale sub omoforul şi autoritatea unui episcop discutabil din punct de vedere canonic nu este cea mai potrivită pentru a poza bine (chiar dacă poartă camilafcă albă).
O, Doamne! 40 de ani de rătăcire în deşertul înstrăinării de Dumnezeul Iubirii şi al Adevărului, pentru că adevărata Dragoste se bucură de Adevăr, şi nu de nedreptatea minciunii şi a rătăcirii.  Să dea Domnul  ca acel vlădică Emilian de Silivria, ce a iniţiat o astfel de mişcare,  să se fi pocăit înainte de moarte, ca pe drept să  poată fi numit “fericit întru adormire”.  Asemenea pocăinţă îi dorim din suflet şi SS Patriarhului Bartolomeu pentru toate smintelile provocate în pleroma Bisericii.
Ceea ce nu pomeneşte comunicatul de mai sus este faptul că între conferinţe s-au ţinut şi rugăciuni în comun, rugăciuni condamnate fără echivoc de către Sfinţii Apostoli în Canoanele lor (10 şi 45). În ziua de 15 iulie 2010, la pomenirea Sfinţilor Mucenici Chiric şi Iulita şi a Sfântului Vladimir, Luminătorul Rusiei, a fost rândul monahilor ortodocşi  să slujească Sfânta Liturghie. Deşi conferinţele şi rugăciunile conduse de monahii celorlalte confesiuni s-au ţinut la un hotel, în afara mânăstirii ortodoxe a Sfântului Ioan de Rila, monahii “ortodocşi” s-au adresat conducerii Mănăstirii pentru oferirea unui spaţiu liturgic pentru slujire. Pentru că printre aceşti monahi se aflau şi doi arhierei greci, Egumenul Mănăstirii – Episcopul Evloghie, le-a pus la dispoziţie paraclisul “Naşterii Domnului” ce se află vis-à-vis de intrarea în biserica mare, unde se află şi moaştele Cuviosului Ioan de Rila. În biserica mare a slujit Sfânta Liturghie doar ieromonahul de rând, pentru că Sinodul Bisericii Bulgare nu a participat şi nu şi-a delegate nici un reprezentant. Impertinenţa şi obrăznicia ecumeniştilor însă nu are limite. Aceştia, deşi au promis egumenului că nu va fi rugăciune în comun cu monahii celorlalte confesiuni, ci că aceştia doar vor asista la Liturghia ortodoxă, s-a întâmplat contrariul. Imnul Trisaghion “Sfinte Dumnezeule…” s-a cântat în comun cu monahii eterodocşi, care se pare că erau instruiţi în sensul acesta, atâta timp cât sub ochii noştri au scos bileţelele cu notiţe de prin buzunare pentru a participa la cântare, ceea ce au şi făcut. Dar cine credeţi că a fost pionier al acestei rugăciuni în comun? Celebra Maică Mihaela de la Voroneţ, care, foarte exaltată, îi invita pe monahii catolici şi protestanţi să cânte împreună cu ea şi o altă maică tot de la Voroneţ, Elena, care se pare că a îmbătrânit degeaba în mănăstire. I-a invitat, iar aceştia şi-au scos rapid bileţelele de prin borsete şi buzunare şi au cântat dirijaţi de cuvioşia sa, maica Mihaela. După cum cred că s-a înţeles deja, strana întâi a fost condusă de aceste două maici de la Voroneţ, care au cântat alternativ cu o maică din Grecia, care împreună cu Episcopul grec Athenagoras, a alcătuit ca să spunem aşa, strana a doua în limba greacă. Apostolul s-a citit în limba franceză de către un “frate” catolic.
Înainte de rugăciunea “Tatăl nostru”, Ştefan de Estonia a ieşit între Uşile Împărăteşti şi a invitat pe toţi să rostească Rugăciunea Domnească, lucru realizat tot în limba franceză. La sfârşit de tot, acelaşi ierarh controversat a delegate un preot să împartă anaforă. Bineînţeles, că anaforă a luat toată lumea, indiferent de confesiune.
La ieşirea din paraclis, l-am oprit pe ÎPS Ştefan  şi i-am oferit câte un exemplar din cele două volume ale cărţii “Ne vorbeşte Părintele Augustin, Mitropolitul de 104 ani”. Deşi grec prin nume, origine şi limbă, ÎPS Ştefan s-a făcut iniţial că nu-l recunoaşte pe venerabilul Mitropolit luptător şi mărturisitor şi m-a întrebat: “Acest părinte a fost egumen aici la Rila?”. Îi spun: “Nu, este un mitropolit grec”. Îmi răspunde: “Acesta este Kandiotis?”. – “Da”. “-Nu a murit?” “- Nu.” – îi zic. “-Mai trăieşte?”- mă întreabă. “-Da”. Şi a plecat zâmbind şi doar ÎPS Sa ştie ce a însemnat zâmbetul acela.
Iată de ce niciodată nu trebuie să crezi în cuvintele ecumeniştilor! Pentru  că una zic şi alta fac.
Cred că Sfântul Daniil Sihastru se răsuceşte în mormântul de la Voroneţ, iar Cuviosul Ioan în racla dinaintea altarului  de la Rila.
Maicilor de la Voroneţ, treziţi-vă! Pentru ce aţi părăsit lumea? Ca să vă pierdeţi sufletul cu ecumenismul? Sunteţi moldovence? Mă îndoiesc. Aaaa… sau sunteţi nişte moldovence moderne?! Pe la Voroneţ sunt ghizi puternici. Trebuie să se fi auzit pe acolo de Dimitrie Cantemir, care,  în „Descrierea Moldovei” vorbeşte despre moldoveni cam aşa: »Moldovenilor nu le este nicio lege mai urâtã ca a Romei, căci ei zic că toate celelalte erezii sunt cunoscute prin sine însele şi prea uşor se pot înţelege în ce se despart de la adevărata Biserică creştină; dar papistaşii sunt ca lupul în piele de oaie, acum numesc frate pe cei din Biserica răsăriteană, acum le zic că sunt schismatici sau achefali, adică fără cap, fiindcă nu recunosc pe papa de cap văzut al Bisericii…” (Descrierea Moldovei, ed. A. Papiu-Ilarian, Bucuresti, 1875, pg. 152). Iar, mai jos, dupã o demonstratie mai lungã, Cantemir trage concluzia: »… se vede limpede cã Apusul si nu Rãsãritul s’a depãrtat mai târziu dela credinta crestineascã cea adevãratã.» Voi, cuvioaselor, pe unde vă aflaţi ideologic? Ce credeţi?
Aţi citit tratatul Sfântului Ioan Gură de aur „Despre feciorie”? (vreo 140 de pagini) Acolo se vorbeşte despre aşa-zisele virtuţi ale fecioarei  (monahiei) eretice şi o numeşte „nenorocită” (p.14). Voi cu cine vreţi să fiţi judecate?
Aţi auzit de comunicatul Sfântului Sinod al Bisericii Ortodoxe Române referitor la rugăciunea în comun cu cei de alte credinţe? Sună cam aşa: „…În legătură cu comportamentul sacramental şi liturgic al ierarhilor, preoţilor, diaconilor, monahilor, monahiilor şi credincioşilor mireni ai Bisericii Ortodoxe Române în relaţie cu alte culte, pe temeiul Sfintelor Canoane şi al învăţăturii de credinţă ortodoxă, Sfântul Sinod a hotărât că nu este îngăduit niciunui ierarh, preot, diacon, monah, monahie sau credincios mirean din Biserica Ortodoxă Română să se împărtăşească euharistic în altă Biserică creştină. De asemenea, nu este îngăduit niciunui cleric ortodox să concelebreze Sfintele Taine şi Ierurgii cu slujitori ai altor culte.
Cei ce nu se supun acestei hotărâri pierd comuniunea cu Biserica Ortodoxă şi, în consecinţă, vor suporta sancţiuni canonice corespunzătoare stării pe care o ocupă în Biserică: depunerea din treaptă sau caterisirea, în cazul clericilor, şi oprirea de la împărtăşanie a credincioşilor mireni (BIROUL DE PRESĂ AL PATRIARHIEI ROMÂNE)”.
O, Doamne, fereşte-ne de acea dragoste, „care îţi bagă furculiţa-n ochi, ca să nu vezi să bagi lingura-n gură”; iar pe monahii şi monahiile Tale fecioreşte-i şi în inimă şi în duh, ca nu cumva să le fie alergarea în zadar şi, mai ales, spre osândă.

M.L.

21/07/2010

Întâlnirea Patriarhului sârb cu nunţiul catolic la Belgrad

Pe 15 iulie a.c., în clădirea Patriarhiei Serbiei de la Belgrad, Patriarhul Serbiei Irineu s-a întâlnit cu nunţiul apostolic romano-catolic la Belgrad, Orlando Antonini. Amintim că patriarhul pregăteşte printre alte iniţiative filocatolice şi vizita papei Benedict în Serbia în 2013.

ŞTIRI DE LA BELGRAD

(ΝΕΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΒΕΛΙΓΡΑΔΙ)

26.04.2010

PRIMA ZI A ÎNTRUNIRII IERARHIEI SÂRBE

După     coliturghisirea arhierească  a episcopilor sârbi, în afara Palatului Patriarhal s-au adunat sârbi ortodocşi cu scopul de a înainta  Ierarhiei un memoriu cu mii de semnături şi a protesta paşnic pentru deviaţiile celor cinci mitropoliţi în dauna Episcopului Artemie şi a fiilor lui duhovniceşti.
Strângerea de semnături – doar pentru câteva zile după Paşti – a început la iniţiativa monahului sârb Antonie şi au semnat-o monahi, clerici şi credincioşi. Numărul semnăturilor a ajuns la 14.500.

Cu acestea poporul ortodox din Serbia cere:

1. Ierarhii sârbi să întrerupă orice legătură cu Papa şi ereticii pentru ca credinţa  ortodoxă în Serbia să nu sufere împuţinare şi falsificare;

2. Sunt alături în luptă de Preasfinţitul Episcop Artemie al Bisericii Sârbe, care este  prigonit împreună cu obştea sa, deoarece luptă împotriva ecumenismului şi se împotriveşte dinamic independenţei Kosovolui;

3. Kosovo şi Metohia, care aparţin Episcopiei lui Artemie şi sunt pământ pur sârbesc, nu cedează la presiunile celor mari, care au bombardat Serbia şi nu vor independenţa lor de patria mamă. Suflet al luptei este Mitropolitul Artemie şi de aceea este prigonit şi izgonit cu minciuni şi învinuiri nedovedite. Din nefericire, în această izgonire primul loc îl deţin arhiereii sârbi filocatolici şi filo-occidentali, care – după cum se vede – au uitat bombardările. Absurd este faptul că Marile Puteri şi America vor ca Serbia să intre în NATO şi să recunoască bombardările împotriva ei ca pe un rău necesar. Adică Serbia este chemată să spună şi mulţumesc criminalilor ei!!!

–    În prima zi a întrunirii, credincioşii au vrut să predea textul cu semnături Ierarhiei, dar la porunca noului Patriarh filocatolic Irineu, (pe care Papa l-a cinstit cu un inel de aur!!!), Poliţia sârbă nu a permis credincioşilor să predea semnăturile, la porunca Patriarhului!!! Şi i-a asigurat că niciunul din ierarhi nu va ieşi din Palatul Patriarhal pentru a le primi!

TEME SPRE DEZBATERE

– Se va discuta în Ierarhie canonizarea lui Iustin Popovici şi serioasele probleme care au fost create în Mitropolia de Kosovo după îndepărtarea Episcopului Artemie.

– Ziarele sârbeşti au scris că intenţionează să împartă Mitropolia Belgradului şi să-i propună lui Artemie să ia noua Episcopie, pentru a-l îndepărta din Kosovo, dar Episcopul Artemie conform informaţiilor nu va accepta acest lucru.
– Trei mănăstiri din Kosovo, deoarece îl pomenesc pe Episcopul lor canonic Artemie, au fost pedepsite cu canonul opririi de la Împărtăşanie de către Episcopul pensionar Atanasie Jevtici. Şi pedeapsa va fi valabilă până la sfârşitul întrunirii Ierarhiei.

(trad. I.F. cf. http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/)

Dialogul cu catolicii la Viena

Deja am străbătut jumătate de vară şi nicio hotărâre nu s-a luat de către Biserica Greciei referitor la tema participării la dialogul cu catolicii care va continua la Viena în septembrie. De partea catolicilor, după demisia lui Walter Casper, dezbaterea se va desfăşura avându-l în frunte pe Kurt Koch, care este cunoscut pentru zelul său în promovarea ecumenismului.
În Biserica Greciei tema reprezentării rămâne în suspensie, de vreme ce prezenţa Mitropolitului de Messinia la dialog, ca reprezentant al Bisericii Greciei, nu poate să-i afle de acord pe toţi episcopii. Cu toate acestea, Arhiepiscopul se fereşte probabil să aducă tema în Sinod, dar indirect şi clar promovează rămânerea Mitropolitului de Messinia în această poziţie, fapt cu care Fanarul este de acord.
Este nevoie urgentă de convocarea Ierarhiei (a Sinodului mare) pentru a hotărî participarea sau neparticiparea Bisericii Greciei la dialogul cu catolicii de la Viena şi nu să se ia din nou o hotărâre în ultima clipă, aşa cum s-a întâmplat anul trecut cu dialogul din Cipru. În timpul acestei convocări este necesară studierea atentă a scrisorii Mitropolitului de Kithire către Sinod referitoare la tezele eclesiologice ale Mitropolitului de Messinia, pentru că tema discutată despre primatul papal este legată direct de eclesiologie. Teologia şi eclesiologia ortodoxă nu poate să accepte orice tip de primat, nici existenţa mai multora din Biserica cea Una, nici eclesiologia ecumenistă despre „Biserica împărţită”.
Aşteptăm convocarea Ierarhiei în timp util pentru tema dialogului cu catolicii şi confirmarea (επαναβεβαίωση) sinodală a eclesiologiei ortodoxe.

(trad. I.F, http://thriskeftika.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-post_313.html)

The Rose of Purity

by bishop frorina Augustine Kantiotis

The Most Precious Treasure

My Beloved children,

I have many things to tell you, but here now I will only stress one thing: that you are no longer small children; you’re not little sucklings nor infants nor children of grade school. You are already at the most beautiful but also the most difficult age, the age of puberty. You are 13, 14, 15, and 16 years old. Not big but neither small. And I prove it. One night, with drenching rain, I went to Astrapo, a village that is built on the slopes of the VitsiMountain which is 900 meters high. The inhabitants of the village gathered together and I spoke to them. The women were dressed with the beautiful Macedonian dress, which is the most beautiful and most modest style. So I saw there girls your age being affectionate mothers and holding babies in their bosoms. You’ll tell me, Is it right for them to marry so young? That’s another issue; I don’t examine it here. It has its pros and cons. That which I want to emphasize here is that other girls your age are mothers. Consequently you too, even though you’re not parents, all have, more or less, an idea about sex in our epoch of pansexualism in which we live.

I’m not about to talk to you about sex here. I’ll say only one thing: My children, you are in danger of losing the most precious treasure that you have, your virginity, your purity. Be very careful. You are beautiful buds. Have you seen buds during spring in the gardens? The rose-bush especially has beautiful buds.

A Pig in the Rose-bushes

In one of my earlier travels I remember a gardener, who would tell me a beautiful example. This gardener took care of a beautiful garden. He even placed a fence around it. But one pig that had an appetite for the rose-bushes, wanted to eat them and make them into manure. What, then, did he do? Did he eat them? No, he didn’t eat them. Why? Listen. The pig broke through the fence and entered the flower garden. It fell with a surge upon the rose-bushes, but – O its misfortune! – the rose-bushes had a protector. And their protector was the thorns. The gluttonous swine nailed its face into the thorns; he felt pain, bled and left…

The example that the gardener told me is very suitable, my children, to your situation. You too are rose-bushes. Rational and free rose-bushes of God. But be careful! Your beauty provokes vulgar people, who like unclean pigs surge to tear you apart. And God armed you with a fearful thorn, and that is – as pedagogues and psychologists, who occupy themselves with your age, say – shame.  You have shame and you turn red. If you see a girl that doesn’t turn red, be afraid of her. She is shameless, impudent. Modest girls turn red, lower their eyes before their father, their teacher, their professor, their elder.

God, then, gave you aido (shame). That’s what shame is called in Greek. So see to it well. Whoever approaches you with sweet and beautiful words, small or big or even an old man, take a stick and “soften” his ribs. Your hand will become sanctified. Guard your virginity. Remain pure and untouched until your marriage. Don’t rush; that time will come. All of you will marry. None of you is about to become nuns or missionary persons; these instances are most rare. You will create families and you will be affectionate mothers, just like those up on Astrapo, concerning whom I was speaking previously.

I say to you another thing too. That many girls fell. I don’t condemn them; I weep and am pained for them. They were beautiful buds, and the pigs came and made them into manure. I don’t call them swine, but the Bible does. Many, then, after the skillful, clever ones rung them and threw them like lemons into the streets, came to the metropolis and they cry and threaten suicide. I feel their pain, of course, and I try to console them. But I don’t hide the fact that they too are at fault.

A Beautiful and Modest Custom

Only in the settlement of the gypsies here in Florina, as I also wrote in the “Spitha”, do they have the modest custom concerning this issue. Surely they have their faults too, but they have this good thing. The women marry young and have many children, most intelligent, most capable and red-rose colored from health. When they become engaged, the one doesn’t touch the other until they marry. And when they do marry, they have affection and interest the one for the other. While other young women have no principle, no respect concerning this issue. And the result? Tragic for the women. You women pay the consequences. The unclean swine, who pluck the rose-bushes, don’t care for anything. The girls remain old maids…

A wise sociologist said that, if girls remained pure and held at a distance men who want to amuse themselves with them, then no girl would remain unmarried. Even the ugliest girl would marry. For a man usually cannot live without a woman. But since, without marrying, he finds one and two and three and five and as many as he wants, and does whatever he wants with them, why should he marry? Foreigners who visited Greece, when they returned to their fatherland, said: In Greece everything is expensive: the meat, the fish, the drinks, all the merchandise; only one thing is very cheap, woman’s meat…Goodness, goodness, where have we ended up!

A Heroic Resistance

I entreat you, my children, cultivate among the other good things also the heroic resistance against every “pig”, whatever name that pig might have. Remain untouched, and God will bless you. Your prototype is not only the superb examples of the pure women of antiquity, but especially your prototype is the person of the super-holy Theotokos, who is always set before you as a spiritual mirror. Remain pure and proper in respect to your tongue, your feelings, and your actions. Be proper even in regard to your thoughts.

Why, how in this sinful century will you be able to live such a pure life? You can’t do it alone. Only one power exists, which, if you draw from it, will make you into heroines. It will make you reach marriage undefiled and clean; to become mothers, and to bring into the world genuine children, which will continue the glorious history of this small but martyric nation of ours; and, when you grow old, you shall have unspeakable joy, because in your youth you remained pure and untouched. And this power is the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the omnipotent, all-powerful grace of Christ, whom, you, O young women, praise and exalt unto all the ages.

With paternal wishes,

Augustine (Kantiotis)

Your spiritual father

(A recorded initial address to girls of junior high school at camp in the year 1988. Published in “Student Lightning” no. 121)

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Τοῦ προφήτου Ἠλιοὺ
20 Ἰουλίου

Ο ΠΡΟΦΗΤΗΣ ΗΛΙΑΣ

«Ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι» (Γ΄ Βασ. 19,10)

ΕΟΡΤΑΖΕΙ σήμερα, ἀγαπητοί μου, ἕνας ἥ­ρωας τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἕνας ἀ­πὸ τοὺς μεγαλυτέρους ἄνδρες τοῦ ἀρχαίου κόσμου, τῆς ἐποχῆς τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης, ὁ ἅγιος προφήτης Ἠλίας ὁ Θεσβίτης.

Ὅπως ἄστρο ἀπὸ ἄστρο διαφέρει στὴ λάμψι καὶ λουλούδι ἀπὸ λουλούδι διαφέρει στὴν ὄψι καὶ τὸ ἄρωμα, ἔτσι καὶ κάθε ἅγιος ἔχει κάτι ἰδιαίτερο ποὺ τὸν διακρίνει ἀπὸ ὅλους τοὺς ἄλλους. Γι᾽ αὐτὸ ἡ Ἐκκλησία δίπλα στὸ ὄνομα κάθε ἁγίου θέτει κ᾽ ἕνα ἐπίθετο· Παν­τε­λε­­ή­μων ὁ ἰαματικός, Δημήτριος ὁ μυροβλήτης, Σπυρίδων ὁ θαυματουργός, Κοσμᾶς καὶ Δαμι­ανὸς οἱ ἀνάργυροι. Καὶ τὸν σημερινὸ προ­φήτη τὸν ὀνομάζει ζηλωτήν· Ἠλίας ὁ ζηλωτής. Ὁ προφήτης Ἠλίας εἶχε ζῆλο.

Τί θὰ πῇ ζῆλος; Ἡ καρδιὰ νὰ μὴν εἶνε ψυχρή, ἀλλὰ νὰ ἔχῃ φωτιά, δυνατὴ ἐπιθυμία. Καὶ τί ἐπιθυμία εἶχε ὁ Ἠλίας; Ἤθελε ὅλοι νὰ γνωρίσουν τὸν ἀληθινὸ Θεό, παντοῦ νὰ λατρεύεται ὁ ἅγιος Θεός. Καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμία αὐτὴ δὲν τὴν ἄφηνε κρυμμένη μέσα του, δὲν τὴν ἄ­φηνε νὰ μένῃ θε­ωρητική, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐξεδήλωνε.

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«Ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι» (Γ΄ Βασ. 19,10). Ὁ προφήτης Ἠ­λίας φανέρωσε τὴν ἀ­γάπη καὶ τὸ ζῆλο του γιὰ τὸν ἀληθινὸ Θεὸ σὲ ὅλες τὶς περιπτώσεις, σὲ ὅλα τὰ μέτωπα.
⃝ Πρῶτον. Στὴν ἐποχή του ὁ Ἰουδαϊκὸς λαός, ὁ ἐκλεκτὸς λαὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐκτροχιάστηκε, ἔ­­φυγε ἀπὸ τὸ δρόμο τοῦ Κυρίου. Ἔφτασαν μέχρι τοῦ σημείου νὰ φτειάξουν ἄγαλμα – εἴ­δωλο, τὸν θεὸ Βάαλ, καὶ νὰ προσφέρουν σ᾽ αὐ­­τὸ ἀνθρωποθυσίες τὰ βρέφη τους! Πῶς ἔ­γινε αὐτό; Μιὰ παροιμία λέει «Τὸ ψάρι βρωμάει ἀπ᾽ τὸ κεφάλι»· καὶ τὴν εἰδωλολατρία τὴν ἔφεραν στὸ λαὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ βασιλεῖς, ὁ Ἀχα­ὰβ καὶ ἡ Ἰεζάβελ. Ποιός ὅμως τολμοῦσε νὰ ἐ­λέγξῃ τὸ βασιλιᾶ; Ὅλοι σιωποῦσαν. Ἕ­νας μόνο τόλμησε. Ποιός; Αὐτὸς ποὺ δὲν εἶ­χε τίποτε ἄλλο παρὰ μιὰ μηλωτή, μιὰ κάππα, ἀλλ᾽ ὅ­σο ἄξιζε ἡ κάππα αὐτὴ δὲν ἄξιζαν τὰ πλούτη ὅ­λων τῶν ἄλλων. Αὐτὸς ὁ ἀκτήμων ἀ­νέβηκε στὰ ἀνάκτορα καὶ ἤλεγξε τὸν Ἀχαάβ. Ἐ­σύ, τοῦ εἶπε, διαστρέφεις τὸ λαό! (βλ. Γ΄ Βασ. 18,18).
⃝ «Ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι». Ἀλ­λὰ καὶ ἐναντίον τῆς κοινωνικῆς ἀδικίας ἔδειξε τὴν εὐαισθησία του. Προστάτευε χῆρες, ὀρ­φανά, φτωχοὺς καὶ ἀδυνάτους. Ἕνας φτω­χὸς ἄνθρωπος, ὁ Ναβουθαί, εἶχε ἕνα ἀμπέλι. Ἀλ­λὰ τὸ ἀμπέλι αὐτὸ ἦταν κοντὰ σὲ βασιλικὸ κτῆμα. Καὶ ἐνῷ ἦταν τόσο μεγάλη ἡ βασιλικὴ περιουσία, ὁ Ἀχαὰβ ἤθελε νὰ πάρῃ καὶ τὸ ἀμ­πέλι τοῦ Ναβουθαί. Δὲν τὸ δίνω, λέει ὁ Ναβου­θαί, εἶνε πατρικὴ κληρονομιά μου. Τότε ἡ Ἰεζάβελ σκηνοθέτησε δίκη, ἔβαλε νὰ δικάσουν τὸ Ναβουθαί. Πράγματι, μὲ δύο ψευδομάρτυ­ρες, ποὺ τὸν κατηγόρησαν συκοφαντικῶς ὅτι ὕβρισε τὸ Θεὸ καὶ τὸ βασιλιᾶ, ὁ Ναβουθαὶ καταδικάστηκε καὶ ἐκτελέστηκε διὰ λιθοβολισμοῦ. Καὶ ὁ νόμος ἔλεγε, ὅτι ἡ περιουσία τοῦ καταδικασμένου σὲ θάνατο περιέρχεται στὸ βασιλιᾶ. Ὅλοι ἔβλεπαν τὴν ἀδικία, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπικρατοῦσε τρόμος καὶ φόβος. Ποιός νὰ ἐλέγξῃ τὴν ἀδικία καὶ τὸ ἔγκλημα; Ποιός ἄλλος; ἡ «κάππα» – ὁ Ἠλίας! Κατ᾽ ἐντολὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πηγαίνει καὶ βρίσκει τὸν Ἀχαὰβ καὶ τοῦ λέει· Κον­τὰ στὰ ἄλλα κακὰ κάνατε κι αὐτό, φονεύσατε τὸ Ναβουθαί· ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὰ λέει ὁ Κύριος· Ἐ­πειδὴ ἐφόνευσες καὶ κληρονόμησες, γι᾽ αὐ­τό, ὅπου ἔσταξε τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Ναβουθαί, ἐκεῖ θὰ γλείψουν τὰ σκυλιὰ τὸ δικό σου αἷμα (Γ΄ Βασ. 20). Ὕστερα ἀπ᾽ αὐτὰ ἡ Ἰεζάβελ θύμωσε, καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἠλίας ἔφυγε καὶ κρύφτηκε.
⃝ «Ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι». Ὁ ἅγιος αὐτὸς προφήτης ἐστράφη ἀκόμη ἐναν­τίον τοῦ ἱερατείου. Τί ἔκαναν οἱ «παπᾶδες» ἐ­κεῖνοι· ἀντὶ νὰ ὁδηγοῦν τὸ λαὸ στὴν ἀληθι­νὴ πίστι, αὐτοὶ ἄφησαν τὸν ἀληθινὸ Θεὸ καὶ λάτρευαν τὸ Βάαλ, ποὺ ἔφεραν οἱ βασιλεῖς. Ἦσαν 450 ἱερεῖς, εὐνοούμενοι τῶν ἀνακτόρων καὶ ἔτρωγαν στὴν τράπεζα τῆς Ἰεζάβελ. Κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἔρριξε τοὺς κεραυνούς του ὁ Ἠ­λί­­ας. Γιατί ἀφήσατε, τοὺς λέει, τὸν ἀληθινὸ Θεό; Κάλεσε λοιπὸν ὅλο τὸ λαὸ ἐπάνω στὸ ὄρος Κάρμηλος καὶ εἶπε στοὺς ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βάαλ· Ἐλᾶτε νὰ δοκιμάσουμε ποιός ἔχει τὸν ἀ­ληθινὸ Θεό. Πάρτε λιθάρια, φτειάξτε θυσιαστήριο, σφάξτε μοσχάρι, καὶ παρακαλέστε τὸ θεό σας νὰ ῥίξῃ φωτιὰ νὰ καῇ. Τὸ ἔκαναν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς μάτην φώναζαν ἐπικαλούμενοι τὸν ψεύτικο θεό. Ὁ Ἠλίας τοὺς εἰρωνεύθηκε· Γιά φωνάξτε πιὸ δυνατά, μήπως ὁ θεός σας κοι­μᾶ­ται καὶ δὲν ἀκούει… Ὅταν πλέον ἄρχισε νὰ βραδιάζῃ, τοὺς λέει· Παραμερίστε τώρα ἐσεῖς. Καλεῖ τὸ λαὸ νὰ πλησιάσῃ. Στήνει δικό του θυσι­αστήριο, στοιβάζει ξύλα, σφάζει ζῷο, τὸ βάζει ἐπάνω, καὶ εἶπε νὰ καταβρέξουν τρεῖς φορὲς κι αὐ­τὸ καὶ ὅλα τὰ γύρω μὲ ἄφθονο νερό, ὥσ­τε νὰ μὴ μείνῃ ὑποψία ὅτι μπορεῖ νὰ ὑ­πῆρχε πουθενὰ ἐκεῖ φωτιά. Μετὰ σηκώνει τὰ μάτια του στὸν οὐρανὸ καὶ προσεύχεται. Καὶ ―τί δύ­­ναμι ἔχει ἡ προσευχή!― μέσα σ᾽ ἕνα δευτερόλε­πτο ἄνοιξαν τὰ οὐράνια καὶ ἦρθε φωτιὰ ποὺ τὰ κατέκαυσε ὅλα. Τότε πίστεψαν ὅ­λοι, ἔπεσαν κάτω καὶ προσκύνησαν τὸν ἀληθι­νὸ Θεό. Ἀμέσως λοιπὸν διατάζει· Πιάστε τώρα ὅλους τοὺς ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βάαλ, μὴ διαφύγῃ κανένας. Ἐν συνεχείᾳ τοὺς κατέβασε στὸ ποτάμι, στὸ χείμαρρο Κισσῶν, κ᾽ ἐκεῖ τοὺς ἔσφα­ξε ὅλους, καὶ τοὺς 450 (Γ΄ Βασ. 18,17-40). Δὲν τὸ ἔ­κανε ἀπὸ κακία· ἐκτελοῦσε ἐντολὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
⃝ «Ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι». Ἐ­στράφη τέλος καὶ ἐναντίον τοῦ ὄ­χλου. Εἶχε εὐθύνη καὶ ὁ λαός· διότι κι αὐτὸς δὲν ἀκολού­θησε τὴν ἀλήθεια, ἀλλὰ τὸ ψεῦ­δος. Ἕως πότε, τοὺς λέει, θὰ ἀμφιταλαντεύεσθε; (Γ΄ Βασ. 18,21).
Κανένα δὲν κολάκευσε ὁ προφήτης Ἠλίας· ἦταν ζηλωτὴς τοῦ Κυρίου.

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Σήμερα, ἀγαπητοί μου, εἶνε ἡ ἑορτή του. Γιατί ἑορτάζουμε; γιὰ νὰ ποικίλλουμε τὴν ἀ­νία μας; γιὰ νὰ διασκεδάζουμε; Ἑορτὴ ἴσον μίμησις τοῦ ἁγίου. Πῶς μποροῦμε νὰ μιμηθοῦ­με ἐμεῖς τὸν προφήτη; Μποροῦμε νὰ κάνουμε ὅ,τι ἔκανε ὁ Ἠλίας; Ποιός λ.χ. μπορεῖ νὰ περάσῃ τὸν Ἰορδάνη μὲ τὴν κάππα του; Αὐ­τὸ εἶ­νε ἕνα θαῦμα. Τὰ θαύματα ποὺ ἔκανε δὲ μποροῦμε ἐμεῖς νὰ τὰ ἐπαναλάβουμε· μποροῦμε ὅμως νὰ μιμηθοῦμε τὶς ἀρετές του, μποροῦ­με νὰ μιμηθοῦμε τὸν ζῆλο του.
Σήμερα κινδυνεύουμε. Ἐγὼ φοβοῦμαι τὴν ἀδιαφορία. Εἴμεθα ἀδιάφοροι. Μόνο τὰ ὑλικὰ μᾶς ἐνδιαφέρουν, μόνο ψωμὶ καὶ φαῒ φροντίζουμε νὰ δίνουμε στὰ παιδιά μας. Ἀλλὰ τὸ παιδὶ δὲν θέλει μόνο νὰ τὸ τρέφῃς· θέλει καὶ διδασκαλία καὶ φρονηματισμὸ καὶ ἀγωγή. Καὶ γι᾽ αὐτὰ ἀδιαφοροῦμε δυστυχῶς. Ἐνῷ τὰ παιδιὰ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐργάζονται, οἱ ἄλλοι, οἱ λεγόμενοι συντηρητικοί, σοῦ λένε «Ἐγὼ θὰ δι­ορθώσω τὸ ρωμαίικο;». Ἔτσι ἡ φθορὰ προχω­ρεῖ. Οἱ χιλιασταὶ πρὸ 40 ἐτῶν ἦταν 3 καὶ τώρα ἔγιναν περισσότεροι ἀπὸ 50 χιλιάδες. Καὶ οἱ ἄθεοι ὑλισταὶ πρὸ τοῦ 1917 ἦταν 3, τώρα εἶνε χιλιάδες. Δὲν θὰ αὐξάνονταν αὐτοί, ἂν ἐ­μεῖς εἴχαμε μέσα μας λίγη ἀπὸ τὴ φωτιὰ ποὺ εἶχε ὁ Ἠλίας. Εἶσαι πατέρας, εἶσαι μάνα, εἶσαι δάσκαλος, εἶσαι ἀστυνομικός, εἶσαι πα­πᾶς; Μὴν ἀμελεῖς, μὴν εἶσαι ἀδιάφορος· δεῖξε ἐπιμέλεια, νὰ ἔχῃς μεράκι γιὰ τὴ δουλειά σου.
Εἴμαστε στὴν Ἑλλάδα; Ἐγὼ ἀμφιβάλλω. Κα­ταντήσαμε ἀσεβεῖς. Στὴ χώρα αὐτὴ παλαιότερα δὲν ἄκουγες νὰ βλαστημάῃ κανείς· τώρα δὲν περνάει δευτερόλεπτο ποὺ νὰ μὴν ἀ­κούγεται βλασφημία. Θὰ ἔρθῃ πάλι ὁ Ἠλίας, εἶνε βέβαιο. Φαντασθῆτε ὅταν ἔρθῃ ν᾽ ἀκού­σῃ νὰ βλαστημᾶνε… Αὐτός, ποὺ ἅρπαξε 450 ἱερεῖς τῆς αἰσχύνης καὶ τοὺς ἔσφαξε, θὰ ἅρπαζε καὶ καθένα ποὺ βλαστημάει, καὶ θὰ τὸν τιμωροῦ­σε. Ἂν ἐρχόταν αὐτός, ὁ «δεύτερος Πρόδρομος» (ἀπολυτ.), θὰ τοὺς κατέβαζε στὴ θάλασ­σα, θὰ τοὺς θανάτωνε καὶ θὰ κοκκίνιζαν τὰ νερά.
Δὲν ἐννοῶ ἀσφαλῶς νὰ κάνουμε ἔτσι ἐ­μεῖς· ἡ ἐξουσία τοῦ Ἠλία ἦταν μία ἐξαιρετικὴ ἐξουσία. Ἀλλ᾽ ἀναστενάζω καὶ κλαίω διότι ἐ­σὺ δείχνεις ἀδιαφορία. Θὰ πῇς· Τί νὰ κάνω; Ἂν εἶσαι γυναίκα κι ὁ ἄντρας σου βλαστήμη­σε, πές του· Φάε σύ, ἄντρα, ἐγὼ δὲν τρώω. Ἤ­ξερα στὸ Μεσολόγγι μιὰ γυναῖκα ποὺ μὲ τὸν τρόπο αὐτὸν ἔκανε τὸν ἄντρα της νὰ σταματήσῃ τὴ βλαστήμια. Μὴν ἐπιτρέπεις ἐμπρός σου νὰ βλαστημήσουν τὸ Θεό. Ἂν σοῦ σπάσουν ἕνα τζάμι, τρέχεις στὴν ἀστυνομία· γιὰ τὴ βλασφημία γιατί δὲν πᾷς; Δὲν θέλῃς ν᾽ ἀ­κούσῃς ἐμένα, ἄκουσε τὸν ἱ. Χρυσόστομο, ποὺ λέει· Ἀκοῦς κάποιον νὰ βλαστημάῃ; μίλησέ του, συμβούλεψέ τον μιά, δυό, τρεῖς. Δὲν ἀκούει; τότε, ἔχεις χέρι; χτύπησέ τον. Ὅποιος χτυπή­σῃ βλάστημο, θ᾽ ἁγιάσῃ τὸ χέρι του.
Νὰ διαφωτίζετε. Σᾶς ὁρκίζω σήμερα στὸ ὄ­νομα τοῦ προφήτου. Ἡ καλύτερη γιορτὴ καὶ τι­μὴ γιὰ τὸν ἅγιο εἶνε, νὰ ξερριζώσουμε τὸ ἀγ­κάθι αὐτὸ ποὺ εἶνε μέσα στὸ περιβόλι μας, νὰ φράξουμε τὰ στόματα τῶν βλαστήμων. Φρον­τί­στε ὅλοι νὰ σβήσῃ ἡ βλασφημία, κι ὅλα τὰ στόμα­τα νὰ γίνουν κιθάρα καὶ νὰ λένε ἕναν ὕμνο· «Αἰνεῖτε καὶ ὑπερυψοῦτε αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς αἰ­ῶνας».

† ἐπίσκοπος Αὐγουστῖνος

20-7-1960 Ομιλια Μητροπολίτου Φλωρίνης Αυγουστίνου Καντιώτου στον Ιερό Ναό του Προφήτου Ἠλιού Τζιτζιφιῶν – Ἀθῆναι

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STA ROYMANIKA

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PREDICA MITROPOLITULUI AUGUSTIN DE FLORINA
LA SĂRBĂTOAREA

SFÂNTULUI PROOROC ILIE TESVITEANUL

PROOROCUL ILIE RÂVNITORUL

-20 IULIE-

’’Cu râvnă am râvnit pentru Domnul Atotţiitorul’’(III Regi 19,10 )

Iubiţii mei, astăzi este sărbătorit un erou al credinţei şi al virtuţii, unul din cei mai mari bărbaţi ai lumii antice, ai epocii Vechiului Testament, Sfântul Proroc Ilie Tesviteanul.
Precum stea de stea se deosebeşte în strălucire şi floare de floare se deosebeşte în înfăţişare şi parfum, aşa şi fiecare sfânt are ceva deosebit, care-l distinge de toţi ceilalţi. De aceea, Biserica alături de numele fiecărui Sfânt pune câte un epitet: Pantelimon – Tămăduitorul, Dimitrie – Izvorâtorul de Mir, Spiridon – Făcătorul de Minuni, Cosma şi Damian – Cei-fără-de-arginţi; iar pe Proorocul de astăzi îl numeşte Râvnitor: Ilie Râvnitorul. Proorocul Ilie a avut râvnă.
Ce înseamnă râvnă? Inima să nu fie rece, ci să aibă un foc, o dorinţă puternică. Şi ce dorinţă a avut Ilie? A vrut ca toţi să-L cunoască pe adevăratul Dumnezeu, pretutindeni să fie închinat Dumnezeul cel Sfânt. Şi această dorinţă n-a ţinut-o ascunsă înlăuntrul său, n-a lăsat-o să rămână teorie, ci a manifestat-o, şi-a declarat-o.

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„Cu râvnă am râvnit pentru Domnul Atotţiitorul!” (III Regi 19,10 ).
Proorocul Ilie şi-a arătat dragostea şi râvna lui pentru adevăratul Dumnezeu în toate împrejurările, pe toate fronturile.
În primul rând, în epoca sa, poporul iudeu, poporul ales al lui Dumnezeu, s-a abătut, a părăsit calea Domnului. Au ajuns până în punctul în care şi-au făcut o statuie-idol, pe zeul Baal şi-i aduceau acestuia drept jertfe umane pe pruncii lor! Cum s-a întâmplat asta? Un proverb zice: “Peştele de la cap se strică”. Aşa şi cu idolatria. Au adus-o în poporul lui Dumnezeu regii Ahab şi Isabela.  Dar cine a îndrăznit să-l mustre pe rege? Toţi tăceau. Doar unul a îndrăznit. Cine? Cel care nu avea nimic altceva decât o malotea (blană), un cojoc; dar cât valora cojocul acesta nu valorează bogăţiile tuturor celorlalţi. Acest sărman s-a suit la palatele împărăteşti şi l-a mustrat pe Ahab: Tu – i-a spus, tu rătăceşti poporul! (vezi III Regi 18,18 ).
“Cu râvnă am râvnit pentru Domnul Atotţiitorul!”.
Dar şi împotriva nedreptăţii sociale şi-a arătat sensibilitatea. A ocrotit pe văduve, pe orfani, pe săraci, pe neputincioşi. Un om sărac, Nabot, avea o vie. Această vie era aproape de domeniul regal. Deşi  era atât de mare averea regală, Ahab a vrut să ia şi via lui Nabot. Nu o dau, zice Nabot, este moştenirea mea părintească! Atunci Izabela a înscenat un proces şi a dispus ca Nabot să fie judecat. Într-adevăr, cu doi martori mincinoşi, care-l acuzau calomniator că L-a  hulit pe Dumnezeu şi pe rege, Nabot a fost condamnat şi a fost  executat prin ucidere cu pietre. Şi legea spune că averea celui condamnat la moarte revine regelui. Toţi văzuseră nedreptatea, dar stăpânea groaza şi frica. Cine să mustre nedreptatea şi crima? Cine altul? “Cojocul” – Ilie! La porunca lui Dumnezeu merge de-l găseşte pe Ahab şi-i zice: La celelalte răutăţi aţi adăugat şi asta: l-aţi ucis pe Nabot; dar acestea zice Domnul: Deoarece ai ucis şi ai moştenit, de aceea,  unde a picurat sângele lui  Nabot, acolo vor linge câinii şi sângele tău (III Regi 20). După acestea, Izabela s-a mâniat, iar Proorocul Ilie a fugit şi s-a ascuns.
„Cu râvnă am râvnit pentru Domnul Atotţiitorul!”
Acest Sfânt Profet s-a întors chiar şi împotriva clerului. Ce făceau acei „popi”? În loc să conducă poporul spre adevărata credinţă, aceştia  l-au părăsit pe adevăratul Dumnezeu şi s-au închinat lui Baal, pe care l-au adus regii. Erau 450 de preoţi. Şi mâncau la masa Izabelei. Împotriva lor şi-a aruncat Ilie fulgerele. De ce l-aţi părăsit, le zice, pe adevăratul Dumnezeu? A chemat deci întreg poporul pe muntele Carmel şi a spus preoţilor lui Baal: Veniţi să dovedim cine are pe Dumnezeul cel adevărat. Luaţi pietre, zidiţi un jertfelnic, junghiaţi un  viţel, şi rugaţi-vă dumnezeului vostru să trimită foc care să mistuie. Au făcut asta, dar în zadar strigau, invocând pe falsul lor dumnezeu. Ilie îi ironiza: Strigaţi mai tare, poate că Dumnezeul vostru doarme şi nu aude… Când deja începuse să se însereze, Ilie zice: Daţi-vă la o parte. Cheamă poporul să se apropie. Îşi ridică propriul jertfelnic, strânge lemne, junghie un animal, îl pune deasupra şi dispune să se toarne de trei ori apă din belşug peste el şi peste toate cele din jur, aşa încât să nu se creadă că ar putea exista pe undeva vreo sursă de foc. Îşi ridică apoi ochii la cer şi se roagă. Şi – ce putere are rugăciunea! – într-o secundă cerurile s-au deschis şi s-a coborât un foc care a mistuit toate. Atunci  au crezut toţi, au căzut la pământ şi s-au închinat adevăratului Dumnezeu. Aşadar, porunceşte imediat: Acum, toţi ai  lui Baal, în temniţă! Să nu scape nimeni, niciunul! Apoi i-a coborât  acolo jos şi i-a junghiat pe toţi cei 450 (III Regi 18, 17-40). N-a făcut-o din răutate. Împlinea porunca lui Dumnezeu.
„Cu râvnă am râvnit pentru Domnul Atotţiitorul!”
S-a întors în cele din urmă şi împotriva mulţimii. Era răspunzător şi poporul. Pentru că acesta nu urmase adevărul, ci minciuna. Până când, le zice, veţi şchiopăta de amândouă picioarele? (III Regi 18, 21).
Profetul Ilie nu a linguşit pe nimeni. A fost un râvnitor al Domnului.

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Astăzi, iubiţii mei, este sărbătoarea lui. De ce sărbătorim?  Ca să ne diversificăm plictiseala? Ca să ne distrăm? Sărbătoarea înseamnă imitarea sau urmarea sfântului. Cum putem să-i imităm noi pe prooroci? Putem noi să facem tot ce a făcut Ilie? Cine de pildă poate să treacă Iordanul cu cojocul? Asta este o minune. Minunile pe care le-a făcut el noi nu putem să le repetăm.  Putem însă să-i imităm virtuţile, putem să-i imităm râvna.
Astăzi suntem în pericol. Eu mă tem de indiferenţă. Suntem indiferenţi. Numai cele materiale ne interesează. Doar de pâine şi de mâncare ne îngrijim să dăm copiilor noştri. Dar copilului nu-i trebuie doar hrană; îi trebuie şi învăţătură şi înţelepciune şi educaţie. Dar faţă de acestea, din nefericire, noi suntem indiferenţi. În timp ce fiii diavolului lucrează, ceilalţi din urmă, aşa numiţii conservatori îţi zic: „Păi, eu voi corecta dreptul?” În felul acesta stricăciunea merge mai departe. Hiliaştii (martorii lui Iehova) în urmă cu patruzeci de ani erau trei şi acum au devenit mai mult de 50.000. Şi ateii materialişti de dinainte de 1917 erau trei, acum sunt mii. Nu s-ar fi înmulţit aceştia, dacă noi am fi avut în noi puţin din focul pe care l-a avut Ilie. Eşti tată, eşti mamă, eşti învăţător, eşti poliţist, eşti preot? Nu fi nepăsător, nu fi indiferent! Arată grijă, să ai pasiune pentru slujba ta.
Suntem în Elada? Eu mă-ndoiesc. Am ajuns nişte necredincioşi. În această ţară mai demult n-ai fi  auzit pe cineva înjurând. Acum nu trece o secundă fără să se audă o înjurătură. Va veni  iarăşi Ilie. E sigur. Închipuiţi-vă că atunci când va veni va auzi înjurături. Acesta,  care a apucat 450 de preoţi ai ruşinii şi i-a junghiat, îi va apuca şi pe toţi cei care înjură şi-i va pedepsi. Dacă ar veni acesta, “al doilea Înaintemergător” (Tropar), i-ar duce la mare, i-ar da morţii şi-ar înroşi apele cu ei.
Desigur, nu înţeleg că trebuie să facem şi noi aşa; autoritatea lui Ilie a fost o autoritate excepţională. Eu suspin şi plâng pentru că tu arăţi indiferenţă. Vei spune: Ce să fac? Dacă eşti femeie, iar bărbatul tău înjură, spune-i: Mănâncă tu, bărbate, că eu nu mănânc. Am cunoscut în Mesolonghi o femeie care în felul acesta l-a făcut pe bărbatul ei să înceteze cu înjurăturile. Nu îngădui înaintea ta ca Dumnezeu să fie hulit. Dacă sparg un geam, alergi la Poliţie.  Pentru o înjurătură de ce nu mergi? Nu vrei să asculţi de mine?! Ascultă-l pe Sfântul Gură-de-Aur care zice: Când auzi pe cineva că înjură, vorbeşte-i, sfătuieşte-l o dată, de două ori, de trei ori. Dacă nu ascultă, atunci, ai mână? Loveşte-l. Cel ce loveşte pe cel ce înjură îşi sfinţeşte mâna.
Să vă luminaţi. Vă jur astăzi pe numele proorocului. Cel mai bun praznic şi cea mai bună cinste pentru un sfânt este să dezrădăcinăm acest spin care este în grădina noastră. Să închidem gurile hulitorilor. Îngrijiţi-vă toţi să dispară înjurătura şi toate gurile să devină o chitară interpretând un imn: “Lăudaţi-L şi-L preaînălţaţi întru toţi vecii”. Amin.

†  Episcopul Augustin

(20.07.1960, Omilie a Mitropolitului de Florina,
părintele Augustin Kandiotis, în Sfânta Biserică a Proorocului Ilie)

(trad. M.L., sursa: http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/?p=14046)