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Home , Feast of Orthodoxy, Nestorius

FROM THE FATHERS

“BEHOLD, for thirty years I have not besought God about any other sin, except to pray to Him, saying, ‘O Lord , protect me from my tongue;’ yet until this very time, I fall every day because of it, sinning by way of my tongue.” Abba Sisoës the Great of Egypt, + 429 A.D.

“WHEN THE DOOR of the steam baths is continually left open, the heat inside rapidly escapes through it; likewise the soul, in its desire to say many things, dissipates its remembrance of God through the door of speech, even though everything it says is good.” Diodochus of Photiki, + c. 486 A.D.

“HE who is anxious about his departure cuts down words; and he who has obtained spiritual mourning shuns talkativeness like fire.” Ven. John of the Ladder, + 649 A.D.

“FROM solitude and silence are born tender contrition and meekness; the activity of this latter in the human heart may be com- pared to that quiet water of Siloe, which flows without noise or sound, as the Prophet Esaias speaks of it: the waters of Siloe that go softly (Es. 8:6).”

Ven. Seraphim of Sarov, the Wonderworker, +1833 A.D.

1 “SILENCE is beneficial for the soul. When we talk it is difficult to refrain from idle talking and judging others. But there is also a bad silence, when someone is angry and for this reason is silent.” Ven. Nikon of Optina, + 1931 A.D. g g g g g g g g g and By Archimandrite Sergius

AS FAR BACK AS the earliest Apostolic times, Christ’s dis- ciples were known as those who “call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 1:2; cf. Acts 9:14, 21). From the very beginning, the holy Apostles were persecuted as those who “teach in the name of Jesus” (Acts 4:18; cf. 5:28). They rejoiced when they suffered from persecution and violations “for His Name’s sake” (Acts 5:41). In consequence of this, by the end of the first decade after the foun- dation of Christ’s , “the disciples were called Christians” (Acts 11:26). This appellation was given to them first at , and probably by the local Gentiles, which implies that Christianity was no longer recognized as a Judaic sect, but as a distinct reli- gious teaching.1 Later, St observes, in his Tenth Catechetical Homily (Chapter XVI): “Jesus Christ, the Son of God, honoured us to call ourselves Christians,”2 while St Athanasius the Great, in his First Homily against the Arians (Chapter II), states that “through Christ we are, and call ourselves, Christians.”3

It seems that this name quickly acquired public recognition, since even in the last half of the first century, the Roman historian Tacitus, in his work The Annals (Book XV, Chapter XLIV), when dis- cussing Rome’s destruction by fire under the Emperor Nero, tells us that the Emperor blamed for this those “called by the people Christians [christianos].” Further on, he explains: “...the origina-

2 tor of that name, Christ [Christus], was sentenced to death by Pon- tius Pilate, the procurator, under the reign of Tiberius.”4

Thus, all subsequent persecutions by the pagan authorities against the disciples of Christ were under the banner of the strug- gle against Christianity as such. Referring to this fact, St Peter the Apostle writes: “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, hap- py are ye; ... yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Ptr 4:14, 16). As we see from the extant testimonies of the Martyrs, Christ’s Mar- tyrs, when summoned to court, were accused specifically as Chris- tians, which they professed themselves to be. The instance of the Holy Martyr Lucian of Antioch is rather typical. He suffered in one of the last persecutions of the early fourth century. Before breath- ing his last, he cried three times: “I am a Christian.”5

However, as is well known, along with the external enemies of Christianity—Jews and pagans—various internal enemies—false teachers and heretics—appeared as early as the Apostolic times. They considered themselves Christians and surreptitiously re- placed the Truth of Christ with an heretical fallacy. St Paul refers to these people as “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5), and advises his disciple Timothy to turn away from such people. Likewise, St John the Theologian writes: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us: for if they had belonged to us, they would no doubt have remained with us” (1 Jn 2:19). He explicitly calls these people “antichrists” (2:18) and commands True Christians not to greet them or to receive them in their houses (2 Jn 10-11).

During subsequent centuries, we observe the same clear-cut line of demarcation between authentic Christianity and false Chris- tianity. For example, St Justin the Philosopher (†166), a Christian apologist of the second century, notes in his Dialogue with Try- pho the Jew that, “there are such men confessing themselves to be Christians, and confessing the crucified Jesus to be the Lord and Christ, yet not teaching His doctrine, but that of the spirits of er-

3 ror.” St Justin contrasts these false Christians with the “disciples of the true and pure doctrine of Jesus Christ” (Chapter XXXV).6

In the third century, the ecclesiastical writer, Clement of Al- exandria, states that, unlike beasts of burden, which labour out of fear, “those who call themselves orthodox should do good deeds in 7 full consciousness of what they do” (Stromata, I, 9). This is the first occasion in ancient Christian writings that we encounter the term “orthodox,” whereby we specifically denote our holy Faith now.

[Incidentally, let us point out that the Slavonic word for “Orthodoxy,” “Pravoslavie,” does not convey precisely the mean- ing of the Greek word “Orthodoxia.” The Greek word consists of the adjective “orthos” (“right” or “true”), the root “dok” and the ending “sia.” The noun with the same root, “dok,” derives from the verb “dokeo” (to “think,” “consider,” or “look upon”). It is for this reason that the primary meaning of doxa is “thought” or “opinion;” hence, the secondary meaning, “to hold a good or bad opinion of some- body,” “fame,” or “ill will.” (See M. Bailly, Dictionnaire Grec-Fran- çais, Paris, 1910, pp. 528, 531-532). Therefore, in view of the prima- ry and original meaning of the word “doxa,” “Orthodoxia” is properly translated as “right thinking” or “right opinion,” not “true glory,” as the Slavonic would suggest.] ***

After the fourth century, the term “Orthodoxy” is most of- ten used in the writings of the Holy Fathers of the Church to sig- nify the true doctrine of Christ, as opposed to heretical teachings. St , who is frequently called the “Father of Orthodoxy,” writes in his History of the Arians (chapter LXX- VIII): “The Arians, usurping the magnificent name of the Saviour, like pagans desecrated the whole of Egypt by forcibly introducing there the of Arius. For Egypt was the only place at that time which had preserved the competency of Orthodox doctrine.”8 In another of his writings, On Definitions, St Athanasius defines the true Christian as one of orthodox or “correct” belief: “The Christian is a true spiritual home of Christ, which is built on good deeds and right doctrines.”9

4 According to the historian Gelasius of Cyzicus (Church History, II, 33), the First Œcumenical Synod in Nicæa, which con- demned the heresy of Arius, circulated in 325 A.D. “a Synodal ...to the Holy Churches of God in the whole subcelestial 10 world—to the clergymen and laymen of the Orthodox Faith.” In reference to the same Synod in Nicæa, St Germanus, Patriarch of , observes, in his treatise, On the and the Synods (chapter XIV), that “...after the detailed dogmatic elucida- tion and investigations that took place there, the doctrine of the Orthodox was reconfirmed with even greater power.”11

In reference to the Second Œcumenical Synod (381), Blessed explicitly cites, in his Church History (V, 9), the title of the Synodal Epistle sent by the “Holy Synod of the Orthodox Bish- ops who had assembled in the great city of Constantinople....”12

The great defender of Orthodoxy against the Nestorian her- esy in the fifth century, St , in one of his to Nestorius, exhorts the latter to call the Holy Virgin the “Mother of God” and thus, by the “preservation of right thinking, to serve the common faith in peace and concord.”13 Likewise, in a letter of defence against his accusers, St Cyril writes: “I have set forth the doctrine of the true faith to those who were tempted by the in- terpretations of Nestorius.”14 Similarly, in the eighth century, the great Church hymnographer, St , in his dogmatic Theotokion (in the third tone) against the heresy of Nestorius, be- seeches the Most Holy Virgin to intercede before Jesus Christ our Lord and “...to save the souls of those who confess her as Mother of God in an Orthodox way.”

St Flavian, Patriarch of Constantinople, a great and a champion against the Eutychian heresy of the Monophysites, writes to St Leo, Pope of Rome: “...As we witnessed the way that the Orthodox faith was violated and the heresies of Apollinaris and Valentinus were revived by , it became necessary to de- clare this in order to preserve the people.”15

5 At the Fourth Œcumenical Synod in Chalcedon (451), as witnessed by the Acts of the Synod, when the epistle of St Leo the Pope against the teaching of the Monophysites was read, the hon- ourable exclaimed: “This is the Faith of the Fathers, this is the Faith of the Apostles.... This is the way the Orthodox believe. to those who do not believe in this way.... We, the Or- thodox, think thus....”16

The Fathers of the Sixth Œcumenical Synod, convened in Constantinople in 680 against the Monothelite heresy, stated: “For a long period of time, this Synod has investigated the issue of our pure Christian faith..., and the dissension regarding Orthodoxy that had somehow arisen was overcome by relying on the dogmas of truth.”17 In like manner, the Fathers of the last, the Seventh, Œcu- menical Synod, which was assembled in Nicæa in 787, against the heresy of the Iconoclasts, after confirming the decisions of the six previous Œcumenical Synods, stated, in the first act of the Synod, that according to ancient tradition, delivered through the Holy Apostles and their successors, the Holy Fathers, “...those who are converted from some heresy to the Orthodox confession and the Tradition of the Œcumenical Church should deny in writing their [former] heresy and confess in writing the Orthodox Faith.”18

A liturgical service for the recanting of their heresies by those “who come back to the Orthodox and true faith” was composed in the ninth century by St Methodius, the Patriarch of Constantinople. During his time, a perfect peace settled over the Church of Christ, after the reign of tumultuous heresies, over which Orthodoxy final- ly triumphed. An anonymous hagiographer, himself St Methodius’ contemporary, cites the restless labours, by which he struggled “to abolish heresy from his flock as a plague, and to implant a firm and Orthodox faith in every soul.”19 It is thus quite natural that the feast of the triumph of Orthodoxy over heresy, which was intro- duced into the Church in 842 through the initiative of St Metho- dius the Patriarch, was called the “Feast of Orthodoxy,” which has

6 been celebrated annually, even to the present day, on the First Sunday of : The Sunday of Orthodoxy.

Therefore, the Feast of Orthodoxy is like a stamp that seals and confirms the dogmatic activity of the Church of Christ as Or- thodox, in her struggle against heresy. It was, furthermore, during the epoch that led up to this feast that St John of Damascus wrote a famous treatise in which he systematically presents the doctrine of the Church, expressed in her struggle against heresy during the age of the Œcumenical Synods and as it was clarified by the Holy Fathers. He has rightly called this major treatise of his “A Precise Exposition of the Orthodox Faith.”20

In this way, the Church of Christ that struggled for the tri- umph of Orthodoxy against heresy came to be called the Orthodox Church. This accentuates the fact that it is the lawful inheritor and faithful protector—both in letter and in spirit—of the true teachings of Christ and the Apostles; i.e., of the Orthodox faith, elucidated by the Holy Fathers and confirmed by the Seven Œcumenical Syn- ods. Since the truth is only one, just as only one straight line con- nects two points—man and God—, all other religious communities, which have deviated from the Orthodox Church of Christ, must not be called “Orthodox,” but should be characterized as “heterodox” (“thinking differently”), by virtue of having distorted the of Christ and joined to it “another gospel” (see Gal. 1:6).

Such is the confession of the Roman Catholics, who fell away from Orthodoxy, initially, because of the arbitrary act of adding the expression “and from the Son” () to the eighth article of the Nicæan-Constantinopolitan Symbol of Faith (Creed) and, later, on account of a number of innovations of more or less importance, introduced throughout the centuries and even up to our own time.

By the same token, the Protestant confession, encompass- ing all of its innumerable denominations, also betrayed Orthodoxy, following still a different path. It denies, in principle, the authority

7 of Holy Tradition, of the Œcumenical Synods, and of the Holy Fa- thers, acknowledging, instead, the ascendency of the human mind and personal interpretation.21

Attempts to minimize the apostasies of the heretics by dis- missing them as deviations motivated by human ambition, or “mistakes on both sides,” are entirely irrelevant. In fact, there may well have been some practical and tactical mistakes on both sides, caused by human pride and a craving for power. However, such hu- man weaknesses and acts neither justify false teachings nor ob- fuscate the objective truth of Orthodoxy. Despite common human fallibilities of all kinds, the whole body of the unorthodox denomi- nations will prove false, while Orthodoxy will shine ever brighter, and will attract, by this, all True Christians. For Orthodoxy has from the very beginning preserved the Divine, soul-saving truths of Christianity and was called by the Divinely inspired Apostle of the Nations, “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). St Isidore the Pelusian (fifth century), a man of wise and keen mind, after having proved that the love of power is the cause of multifari- ous heresies, observed: “...but if it were removed from men, then there would be good hope that all, unanimously and in an orthodox 22 way, would gather around the Divine Gospel” (Book IV, letter 55).

From our foregoing historical review, it logically follows that Orthodoxy is not just one of the many forms of Christianity, along with the legitimate existence of other, non-Orthodox forms of Christianity; our Orthodox Faith is Christianity itself, in its most pure and one and only authentic form. When juxtaposed to Or- thodoxy, all of the rest of the so-called Christian denominations are essentially alien to true Christian—that is, Orthodox—spiritu- ality and the essence of the Faith.

Until this very day, the Orthodox Church has remained the only lawful inheritor, protector, and confessor of the true teachings of Christ, the Apostles, and the Holy Fathers, as they are confirmed by the Seven Œcumenical Synods and sealed by the celebration of the Feast of Orthodoxy. That is why the Patriarchs of the East

8 wrote in 1723, in their “Epistle on the Orthodox Faith,” the follow- ing words: “The dogmas and the doctrines of our Eastern Church, examined already in ancient times, were correctly and piously set forth and confirmed by the Holy and Œcumenical Synods;we are not permitted to add or remove anything from them. Thus, those who wish to be in concord with us on the Divine dogmas of the Orthodox Faith need simply follow and humbly obey, without fur- ther examination or inquiry, what is set forth and decreed by the ancient tradition of the Fathers and confirmed by the Holy and Œcumenical Synods, since the time of the Apostles and their suc- cessors, the Divine Fathers of our Church.”23

That great Saint of our Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the ven- erable Metropolitan Clement (Drumev) of Tirnovo—Confessor, champion, and Martyr for Orthodoxy—, during the time of Stam- bolov’s dictatorship, said, in a famous sermon delivered on the Sunday of Orthodoxy in 1893: “The true Faith of Christ is not, and cannot be, anything else but our pure, Holy Orthodox Faith... Our Orthodox Faith is the true word of God, the pure truth of God, the great power of God—power that is both invincible and benefi- cial to all true believers.”24 Author’s footnotes: 1. Michael, Commentary on the Epistles, Vol. I (Kiev, 1897), p. 279 [in Russian]. 2. Migne, Patrologia Graeca [PG], Vol. XXXIII, Col. 681. 3. Ibid., Vol. XXVI, Col. 16. 4. This reference from Tacitus’ The Annals can in no way be considered a subsequent Christian addition, since, as the citation itself confirms, he was a pagan writer who expressed unrestrained hostility towards Christians. He calls them “hateful because of their dishonour (per flagitia invisos)” and characterizes Christianity as “a pernicious superstition (exitiabilis superstitio).” Such expressions are typical of the spirit of a hardened pagan and pessimist like Tacitus. 5. Lives of the , October 15 (Old Style). 6. PG, Vol. VI, Col. 549. 7. Ibid., Vol. VIII, Col. 744. 8. Ibid., Vol. XXV, Col. 788. 9. Ibid., Vol. XXVIII, Col. 549 10. Ibid., Vol. LXXXV, Col. 1340. 11. Ibid., Vol. XCVIII, Col. 52. 12. Ibid., Vol. LXXXII, Col. 1212. 13. Ibid., Vol. LXXII, Col. 41. 14. Ibid.,Vol. LXXVII, Col. 59. 15. Migne, Patrologia Latina, Vol. LIV, Col. 744. 16. Mansi, Amplissima Collectio Conciliorum (Paris—Leipzig, 1901), Vol. VI, Col. 957. 17. Ibid., Vol. XI, Cols. 246, 280. 18. Ibid., Vol. XII, Actio prima. 19. PG, Vol. C, Cols. 1257, 1300. 20. “Akrivis ekthesis tis orthodoxon pisteos” 21. Archbishop [St] Seraphim (Sobolev), The Distortion of Orthodox Truth in Russian Theological Thought (Sofia, 1943), p. 213 [in Russian]. 22. PG, Vol. LXXVIII, Col. 1108. 23. Orthodox Christian Catechism (Sofia, 1930), pp. 210-211 [in Bulgarian]. 24. Spiritual Culture, Nos. 20-21 (1924), pp. 155, 163.

9 Editor’s Apology: *** Particularly in the paragraph indicated but also throughout the piece, words have also been rendered in the original Greek or Slavic languages. As we are unable to be sure that we can reproduce these correctly we have omitted them. In this paragraph we have rather clumsily transliterated them so that the meaning is clear. If any reader wishes to check them, they may find this essay on the Oropos & Fili website, < https:// www.hsir.org/Info_en/New.html >> It is listed under “Historical Issues,” in the column headed “Theology.” A Note on the Author in the original Oropos & Fili website posting:- The Very Reverend Sergius, former Assistant Professor at the Theological Academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, is the spiritual Father of the Russian Convent of the Holy Protection in Sofia, which is under the jurisdiction of Bishop [now Metropolitan] Photii of Triaditza, the sole Hierarch of the True (Old Calendar) Orthodox Church of Bulgaria and himself a former Assistant Professor at the University of Sofia. Father Ser- gius was dismissed from his academic post when he refused to accept the New “Revised,” or Papal, Calendar, on the occasion of its introduction into the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. He is rightly considered a confessor of the Faith by traditionalist Bulgarian believers. This essay was written in celebration of the Sunday of Or- thodoxy, 1998. Archimandrite Sergius reposed in the Lord on the feast of Sts Constantine & Helena, 21st May / 3rd June, 2008 - Editor. g g g g g g g g g Concerning the Religious Upbringing of Children Archpriest Sergei Schukin Upbringing and the Church THE CHURCH always has been and always will be the greatest helper to parents in the upbringing of their children. In the diaspora, the significance of this has been strengthened. Being set in the midst of people of different faiths and of other languages, the Orthodox Church is a spiritual lighthouse for adults and chil- dren. Without it being there, it is difficult to raise children in the faith of the fathers.

If we compare which confession cares more for children, then first place will prove to be Orthodoxy’s. Roman Catholicism,

10 as is well known, only permits children older than seven to re- ceive communion. The Protestants only permit it at adolescence (after confirmation). If we go into a Roman Catholic or Protestant church, do we see many with young children in their arms? This is understandable; what would induce one to bring a young child to the learned sermonising of the pastor or a Catholic mass obviously only appropriate for those who can follow by reading their mis- sals? We know that many Protestants during their services hand over their children to a kindergarten alongside the church. [This anal- ysis of Fr Sergei’s is probably now rather dated; he was after all writing about two generations ago. Today, it seems even the services for adults have become juvenile - transl.]

We see something completely different in an Orthodox church. Orthodox services simultaneously act upon the body and the soul, and are within a young child’s reach. The burning can- dles and lamps, the splendour of the , the fragrance of the incense, the chanting of the choir, the ringing of the bells - all this moves a child and cultivates his soul. Do not believe the Bap- tists, who tell you: “Why do you torment your child, taking him to church? He will only distract the adults from praying.” Do children really disturb us in church? If their mother constantly brings them to church, they will quickly get used to it and even love being at the services. We know how they decline food in the morning when we are preparing for Communion, how they want to keep the fast on a par with the adults.

In church and outside of the church the Orthodox have a richness of festivals, rites, household customs, which all touch the child’s soul. We can bring to mind our , our Passion Week, our Pascha, which no one else except the Orthodox cele- brates in such a way. Then there is our Theophany blessing of wa- ters; Sunday with the masses of flowers; the bringing out th of the Cross (14 September), and all the other days, when the ser- vices differ so much from the usual Sunday ones.

And how much Orthodox customs add beauty to our life at home, - our , lampadas, our first meals after a fast, our days of remembrance, the blessing of homes and other things, all of

11 which give rich nourishment to a child’s soul. With regard to these things, the parents should take great care for the sake of their chil- dren, without ever making excuses because of lack of time, being far from the church, or any other objection.

Parents should not give in to the civil authorities’ view of the Church, the latter being alien to the spirit of Orthodoxy. The Protestants will try to convince us that one may only speak to chil- dren of school age about religion, because before that they will not be able to understand. If we base it only on what a child can un- derstand, then we shall start being in accord with the directives of the Soviet authorities, who forbid the teaching of religion until one is eighteen! The atheistic communists understand well that if in their earliest years children are deprived of religious impressions and understanding, then later on, when the youths and young girls grow up (under different influences), it will be difficult for them to accept the teachings of the Gospel or comprehend the beauty of the church services.

We, priests, always rejoice when we see parents or grand- parents bring children to church. We realize that it is difficult to bring children of various ages from a distance to church, but we also recognise what a beneficial influence coming to church has on them. Those who look after children of school age know how easy it is to tell the children who attend services and frequently receive Holy Communion. The child who is rarely in church often can- not recall the most ordinary things; he does not grasp the impres- sions he could have received in church. For the children, however, who often attend church, it is a ploughed field in which the seed of the Word of God and of churchliness has been sown. There- fore - we will say it yet again - the religious upbringing of children does not move forward through the reason, but through the child’s heart. This does not mean that religion is contrary to reason, but that faith, that interior capability, does not depend upon reason. Therefore, if in earliest infancy we deprive a child of the holy feel- ings of love for God, for His saints, if we do not instruct him to pray at home and in church, then we are leaving his soul wide open to

12 other feelings and desires in adolescence. His young mind, when not sustained by faith, may set out on other paths which are inimi- cal to religion. Then neither books nor lessons in catechism, nor even good examples will find in his heart a sympathetic response.

…To be continued with “Religious Education in School” g g g g g g g g g Remembrances of Bishop Nicolas (Karpov) + 28th September / 11th October, 1932

Abbess Elisabeth of the Annunciation Convent, London, + 1999 A.D. Completion VLADYKA NICOLAS knew how to relate to the young, and constantly held lively conversations with them at the All Saints Podvorie, skilfully explaining things when they were perplexed. He gave sermons on spiritual themes, examples of faith, confes- sional issues in the lives of the saints and from the Patericon. Also he very clearly and persuasively demonstrated the spiritual danger of the temptation stirred up by Metropolitan Sergei (Stragorodsky) [later “Patriarch of Moscow”], recalling the testament handed down by the confessor Patriarch [St] Tikhon, and speaking of the danger of being found under anathema for violating that which was handed down [Luke 1:2]. Vladyka Nicolas spoke of this so ardently, that it has stayed with me and my birth sisters all our life. Even now I speak of this to everyone, sadly remarking that for the sake of a sentimental pa- triotism our compatriots are eager “to be together” - with whom? With a false Patriarch and his Synod of NKVD [later KGB] agents! And in sermons and in private conversations with us at home, Vladyka constantly spoke with fervour about remaining faithful to the tradition of the True Orthodox Church of Russia;

13 he persuaded us not to be allured by modernist church tenden- cies. He fostered in the young a love of the Holy Church, and they remained her conscientious members.

Vladyka Nicolas sent for two hieromonks, Kallistus and Zo- simas and the monk Vladimir, from the Milkova in Ser- bia. They began daily monastic services according to the typicon, which drew in and comforted the parishioners. By stages the epis- copal podvorie was adorned with new icons, and a church trustee, G Valnev, bought and donated a Winding Sheet [plaschanitsa], finely embroidered in the Moscow monastery of the Passion. It was hung on the right-hand wall of the podvorie.

And so, under the of Vladyka Nicolas, the par- ish was kept under the guidance of the Assembly of Hierarchs, and became a living centre within our Church in Exile.

And it would happen that when you entered the podvorie, you were met by a joyous impression, and were struck by the cleanliness and by the fragrant smell of Athonite incense.

As if it were right now, I see an imposing elderly man of no great height, General Nicolas Kholodovsky, who always wore his Russian general’s uniform, a pale blue greatcoat with a scarlet lining. To wear his military uniform was specially granted him for valour during the war of 1914. We, the young, were cheered up and proud to see him on the grey streets of London. He made an offer- ing to the All Saints Podvorie of a wonderworking , a small oval depiction of the Great Martyr Panteleimon. It always hung on the left side near the over the large icon of Saint Panteleimon which had been sent from Athos. When King George V was danger- ously ill and all feared for his life, this small icon was taken to the palace, with assurances of fervent prayers for his health. The King, glory be to God, recovered and the icon was returned with thanks by Queen Mary. At that time it was still customary for the milkman to bring bread, milk and eggs to the house. When Vladyka died, the milk- man and other neighbouring shop-keepers, read in the papers of

14 his unexpected death in Serbia, and when they met parishioners, they would sincerely and touchingly express their sympathy, say- ing of him that he was an unusually affable and good hierarch.

Bishop Nicolas occupied his cathedra for only three years in all. In August, 1932, he went from London to Yugoslavia to take part in the Assembly of Hierarchs, at the end of which he fell ill with appendicitis. Through some oversight in his care there was th th not time to operate, and during the night of 28 September / 11 October, he died. His last words were: “Put a candle into my hand. I am dying. I want to go to heaven.” Taking the candle in his hand, Vladyka Nicolas quietly fell asleep. th th The funeral was chanted on 29 September / 12 October in the Iveron Church in Belgrade by Vladyka Antony, Archbishops Ger- mogen and Theophan and thirteen Russian and Serbian priests, and three . The funeral was conducted in a deeply sensi- tive and spiritually uplifting way. During the service Vladyka Ant- ony was several times brought to tears. Archbishop Theophan de- livered the funeral sermon, and after the service, Vladyka Antony said: “In the name of the departed I thank the Russian and Serbian who have accompanied him to the world beyond the grave. And I thank you, the lay people, that you so fervently prayed. In the course of my life I have observed that to those people who love to pray for the faithful departed the Lord grants a quiet and un- disturbed end and uplifting funeral. The end awaits us all, some earlier, some later, but it is certain for all. People gather at the funerals of such not because of obligation, but from the yearning of their hearts, and it is this that imparts them spiritual beauty.”

Bishop Nicolas was buried by the wall of the Iveron Chapel, beneath an icon of the holy hierarch Nicolas of Myra of Lycia, de- picted on the outside wall.

An hour or so before death, with his enfeebled hand, he wrote his last letter1 to the London flock:-

“In the Name of the Father and of the Son ……

“My most beloved flock in London! I write to you for the

15 last time before my departure into eternity. Words cannot ex- press my love for you. You will depart with me into eternity in my heart. I remember you all. Especially my friends, Princess Mescherskaya, the Golitsyns, the Ampenoffs, and all my young flock. I bequeath to you the chapel at the Podvorie in prayerful remembrance. Gather there and make intercession for me there.

“It will be well for you if you fulfil my last request; choose the priest Anatole. Do not let the Podvorie be disposed of.2 Abide in love. I fall to the ground before Kyr Antony the Hierarch. He - and I am glad of it - will close my eyes and chant my funeral. To the Hierarch Seraphim and all the exiles, I prostrate to the ground. I have tried to be useful. To all Orthodox Christians, monks and priests: the blessing of God.

“I am getting weaker, but even so ‘can do all things’ through Jesus Who strengtheneth me.”

May the Kingdom of Heaven be his! Vladyka Nicolas left behind him a good memory, to him one can apply the words, that Orthodoxy is not explained but is shown forth in life. Glory to God! Footnotes: 1) The original last letter of Bishop Nicolas was handed down in the Ampenoff family and kept by Mother Elisabeth’s sister, Nonna, who gave it to Saint Edward Brotherhood, and it is now kept reverently in Saint Edward’s Church. 2) Forfeiting Bishop Nicolas’s blessing, in the mid-nineteen-nineties, the beautiful chapel of All Saints was closed down and the Podvorie was sold on the open market. 3) A further “forfeit” has occurred this past month during an otherwise historic event. The church in which Bishop Nicolas had been consecrated was dedicated to the Dormition of the All-holy , as Mother Elisabeth mentions in the first paragraph of these Remembrances. Although in the conditions of emigré life, the parish was several times re-located, this dedication was kept as the Russian Church Abroad congrega- tion in London who, following the teaching of Bishop Nicolas, considered themselves the true successors of the parish established there in the early eighteenth century which also bore this dedication. However, the Moscow parish in London also claimed this distinction and so, following the submission of the greater part of the Russian Church Abroad to Moscow in 2007, the new church built for their parish in Lon- don, although previously also known as the Church of the Dormition, was consecrated by unionist hierarchs and rededicated instead to the Nativity of the All-holy Theotokos on 8th / 21st September this year. g g g g g g g g g “THE PERSON who searches for quietness, but does not take care to remove the passions, is blind to the holy building of the virtues.” Ven. Esaias of Scetis, fifth century

16 THE COMING MONTH OCTOBER is a blessedly quiet month: no Great Feasts and no fasting periods, only the usual Wednesdays and Fridays (with Mondays for the monks). Among the saints we celebrate we have:-

th st The holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke (18 / 31 ) was born in Antioch. It appears that he was not of the Jewish race but he had a thorough knowledge of the law of and the customs of the Jewish people, and so perhaps he was a proselyte (convert to Judaism). St Paul mentions that Luke was a physician and we know from Tradition that he was a painter. The quality of his Greek is superior to that of the other New Testament writers, and it is clear, therefore, that he was an educated and cultured man. Hear- ing of the miracles and teachings of our Saviour, St Luke came into Palestine and sought Him out, and was numbered among the company of the seventy apostles, who were sent to preach during the time of the earthly ministry of the Saviour. At the time of the Passion, with the others he was in Jerusalem. His sorrow over the death of our Lord was transformed into joy, for, as recorded in the , he was deemed worthy to see and converse with the res- urrected Lord when he journeyed with Cleopas to Emmaus. After the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Luke returned to Antioch, his na- tive city, where there was already a Christian community. On the way he passed through Sebaste in Samaria. There the incorrupt relics of St John the Forerunner were uncovered, and Luke took the right arm as a blessing for the Christians of Antioch. He sub- sequently became the companion of the holy Apostle Paul on the latter’s second missionary journey. They travelled to Europe and the holy evangelist was left behind by the Apostle Paul to establish and organise the Church at Philippi in Macedonia. For several years, the holy Luke laboured to spread Christianity throughout those parts. When, at the end of his third missionary journey, the Apostle Paul again visited Philippi, Luke, instructed by him, went to Corinth to collect alms for the poor Christians of Palestine.

17 When he had completed this task, Luke departed with the Apostle Paul for Palestine, stopping to visit the churches along the way. Luke remained by his side when the Apostle Paul was imprisoned in Cæsaria of Palestine, and accompanied him on his journey as a prisoner to Rome. In Rome, Luke again stayed by the Apostle Paul’s side, but he also preached in the city and here too he wrote his Gospel and the Book of the Acts. After two years in chains, Paul was released and visited several of the churches he had founded before. Again the holy Luke was his companion. When the per- secution of Nero against the Christians broke out, Paul returned to Rome to give heart to the afflicted Christians and share with the faithful the crown of martyrdom. He was arrested and impris- oned again. Yet even then Luke did not forsake his teacher, and he alone, among all the Apostle’s fellow labourers, stayed with him. Luke was probably a witness to Paul’s martyrdom. Subsequently he spread the Gospel in Italy, Dalmatia, Gaul, and, especially, Macedonia, where he had already laboured. He also evangelized Achaia, which borders on Macedonia. As an old man the Apostle Luke undertook a journey to far-away Egypt and there laboured greatly and endured many afflictions for the Faith. He arrived in Egypt, having first passed through Libya, and in the he converted many. Returning to Greece, he established churches there, ordaining priests and deacons, and healing sicknesses of body and soul. Like his friend and mentor, the Apostle Paul, St Luke fought the good fight, finished his course and kept the Faith. At the age of eighty-four, he died a martyr’s death in Achaia, cru- cified on an olive tree rather than a cross. His precious body was buried in Thebes, the principal city of Boetia, where his holy relics, which were the source of a multitude of healings, were found in the second half of the fourth century. They were subsequently trans- lated to the Imperial City. Tradition tells us that St Luke was the first to paint icons of the all-holy Theotokos. On seeing the icons, she exclaimed: “May the grace of Him Who was born of me and my mercy be with these icons!” He also painted the first icons of the holy Chiefs of the Apostles, Peter and Paul.

18 NEWS from the Richmond Diocese of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece VISIT OF BISHOP AMBROSE & SAINT EDWARD’S DAY HIS GRACE, Bishop Ambrose of Methoni paid an Au- tumn visit to his flock in England, arranging to be here for the Feast of Saint Edward the Martyr. He arrived in the United Kingdom on th Friday, 7 September, but the very next day left with Fr Nicolae Capitanu for Brussels, Belgium, where he was joined by Bishop Joseph from Romania, for the inauguration there of a new mis- sion dedicated to the holy Archangel Michael. Returning to London on the Monday, he and Fr Nicolae joined us at Brookwood for the Liturgy for the feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist on Tuesday. The Bishop did not serve, but at the end of the service he gave a sermon stressing the importance of struggle in the Christian life, and explaining why uniquely among the celebra- tions of the holy martyrs the feast of St John’s Beheading is kept as a fast day. After the parish breakfast, His Grace and Fr Nicolae returned to the Convent’s priest’s house in North London.

For the feast itself the clergy and faithful gathered again for nd th the Vigil for Saint Edward on Saturday, 2 / 15 September. Ar- chimandrite Daniel from Germany began the service, and at the Entreaty and again at the Polyeleos Bishop Ambrose served with him, the Brotherhood clergy, Fr Borislav Popov and Fr Nicolae Capitanu. A service in Greek to Saint Edward had been composed in 2007 by Panagiotes Somalis, and subsequently translated into English by the fathers of the Saint Gregory Pal- amas Monastery, Etna, California. We have used the Eng- lish translation every year, but this year we were blessed to have Nikos Polychros from Kymina, Thessalonica here, the first

19 year that we had a Greek chanter at a Vigil for the Saint, and so we were able to have part of the Saint’s service chanted in Greek.

The Liturgy on the day of the feast was celebrated by all the clergy, led by Bishop Ambrose. Perhaps because it was a Sunday, the church for the occasion was packed to over-flowing and it was fortunate for those that could not fit inside that the weather was warm and sunny. At the end of the Liturgy, His Grace preached on the Sunday Gospel lection, the Parable of the Talents, and on the life and witness of Saint Edward.

At the end of both services, which were conducted in Eng- lish, Romanian, Greek and Slavonic, the faithful came forward to venerate the sacred relics of Saint Edward, and on the Sunday morning such were the numbers that, although the service had be- gun at ten o’clock, we were unable to return the reliquary to its secure place until twenty-to-two.

At the Parish Breakfast, Bishop Ambrose, as always, took the opportunity to meet and talk with as many parishioners as possible. He stayed with us overnight and attended Matins with us on Monday. Then after a more modest breakfast, he left for Heath- row to return to Greece.

FIVE BAPTISMS AT SAINT EDWARD’S MATEI, the infant son of Gheorghe and Elena Acris- th th maritei of Coventry was baptized on Saturday, 12 / 25 August. His godparents are Constantin and Nicoletta Lungu, and he is named after the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.

PETRU, son of Nicolae and Elena Mitrea of Eltham, th nd London, was baptized on Sunday, 20 August / 2 September and named after the holy Apostle Peter. His godparents are Pavel and Andreea Vraciu. CASIAN, the son of Cristian and Cristina Dascalescu th of North Finchley, London, was baptized on Friday, 25 August th / 7 September and named after the Venerable the Roman. His godparents are Ioan and Ana Varganici.

20 CRISTINA, the wife of Stelean Costea of East Ham, London and a former Roman Catholic, was baptised on Satur- th nd day, 9 / 22 September. Her godmother is Ecaterina Rogojina. She was named after our Saviour and will celebrate her feast day at Christmas.

MARIA, the daughter of Vasile and Elena Balan of Hendon, North London, was baptised on the same day, it be- ing the day after her name day, as she is named after the All-holy Theotokos. Her godparents are Teodor and Elena Iacob. All five Baptisms were celebrated by Fr Nicolae Capitanu.

ADULT BAPTISM AT DROYLSDEN

PRESBYTERA HELENA LAWANI writes: “On the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos before the Di- vine Liturgy, Fr Gabriel baptized Andrew Weetman who is the friend and carer to John Tyson, who has been Orthodox for many years. John introduced Andrew to Orthodoxy and they both start- ed to attend services at the Joy of All Who Sorrow Chapel as often as they could, and Andrew soon became a catechumen. The baptism took place in the garden on the patio and we were blessed with fine weather. After the Liturgy we all enjoyed a parish break- fast together. Please remember Andrew in your prayers.” Andrew is named after the holy First-Called Apostle Andrew. Presbytera has also told us that subsequently they have had two infant Bap- tisms in their mission, though as yet we have no further details.

NEW ICON

A HAND-PAINTED ICON of our Venerable Fathers Isaac the Syrian and Joseph the Hymnographer recently arrived from the Sisters of the Convent of Saint Philothei in Sweden, and is at the present time being photographed by Matt Moore of the MRM Studios in Aldershot. Our community

21 commissioned the icon in memory of the Monk Joseph, who was perhaps better known as Reader Isaac Lambertsen. He was one of our principal benefactors and helpers in the Brotherhood’s early development. For decades he was resident at the Synodal Residence of the old ROCA in New York City and was particularly well-known for the many services to the saints of the West which he composed. In recognition of this, shortly before his repose he was tonsured a monk and named after St Joseph the Hymnographer.

SWEDISH CONVENT APPEAL MOTHER MAGDALENE of the Convent of St Philothei in Sweden reports that: “We have received £4,200 from your people for our building project, which is more we ever could imagine! Thank you and everyone so much for helping us! We are still wait- ing for the carpenter to tell us how much everything will cost. We will let you know when something happens.”

VISITORS

13th / 26th August: The Monk Onufrie attended the Sun- day parish Liturgy at Saint Edward’s. He is from a small monastic skete in Northern Romania under the New Calendarist episcopate. After the , he joined us for the Parish Breakfast in the Old Mortuary. st nd 1 & 2 September n.s: Over this weekend Hieromonk Macarius of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Bom- bala, N.S.W, Australia (ROCA-MP) stayed with us. He and a Serbian parishioner, Anka, were making a pilgrimage to England. Anka arranged to stay in a hotel in Guildford, but attended the ser- vices here and joined us with Fr Macarius at the Parish Breakfast. th 5 September n.s: Margaret Hobbs of the Brookwood Cemetery Society brought a group from the Surrey Garden

22 th Trust to see the church, and on 18 September, she came again with a group from the Yateley Townswomen’s Guild. th th From 13 to 15 September n.s: The Rev’d Dr Nick Need- ham, a Baptist minister and lecturer at the Highland Theologi- cal College, Dingwall, Scotland, stayed with us. His visit this year overlapped with that of Bishop Ambrose and so the two were able to meet.

BROOKWOOD CEMETERY OPEN DAY THIS YEAR, Avril Kirby, the cemetery manager, orga- nized an open day to coincide with the national Heritage Open Days, and with her organizational skills made the event much more successful than in previous years. In the cemetery’s informa- tional brochure, our church and exhibition room were mentioned and consequently we had many more visitors than the usual two or three that came on previous Heritage Open Days! The event also coincided with our celebration of the autumnal feast of Saint Edward, which made it a rather busy day for us. g g g g g g g POINTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE “IS IT OK to do daily prayers sitting or kneeling if it engen- ders better concentration than standing? Somehow when stand- ing my thoughts seem to wander more.” - K.W.K. by email.

IT IS, of course, best to say your prayers standing, because our standing is part of our effort for God. However, if you are weak or tired, it is better to kneel and pray, or sit and pray, rather than not to pray at all. One has to be very careful not to be fooled by laziness. Two incidents give an insight into the Orthodox attitude to this: one is attributed to the Blessed Metropolitan Antony, the first

23 leader of ROCA, who is reputed to have said, “It is better to sit in church and think about God, than to stand in church and think about your feet!” Although in church one must also be a little care- ful that you do not give others a bad example. I have noticed if one person sits down (who may need to), eighteen will follow! Secondly, we once had a priest from Russia visit us and as he left he asked us to pray for him. I told him I did not know how to pray but we would read his name - his response was a cheerful, “Well, at least, your feet will be praying!” So pray with your feet if you can; if you cannot (and espe- cially if you are indeed very ill) pray kneeling, sitting or lying down! And indeed, as well as standing to pray for the appointed prayers, pray when you are sitting or lying down. Take every opportunity to pray rather than day-dream or just letting your thoughts wander. g g g g g g g g g

PRACTICAL TIP THIS seems to be particularly a Russian custom, but it is pious and commendable: when kissing icons of the Saints, kiss the feet or the hands. Don’t reach up and kiss the face. This shows humble reverence. After all, in reality, you would not greet a Saint Kevin (particularly if you have been blessed to be a woman!), a Desert Father, or one of the Hier- archs of the Church with a kiss on the cheek, would you? Also you do not need to kiss the boss on the book-mark of the Gospel Book, just because it is pretty! g g g g g g g g g

“THERE is a difference between those who have a theory and talk, but are not seasoned with the salt of heaven; who dis- course of a royal table, but have never eaten or enjoyed it - and a man who has had sight of the King himself, to whom the treasures have been opened, and he has entered in, and inherited them.” Ven. Barsanuphius & John, 6th century

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