Alive in Christ the Magazine of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, Orthodox Church in America Volume XXIII, No

Christ is Risen!

Your Diocese Alive in Christ The Magazine of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, Orthodox Church in America Volume XXIII, No. 1 Spring, 2006

S S t. p e T c i i k h a o l n’ s E d M i o t n i a o s n t e r y

100th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Monastery Church and Founding of the Well “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst” —John 4:14

P A S C H A 2 0 0 6

To the Venerable Pastors, God-loving Monastics and Devout Faithful of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania

The day of resurrection, be illumined, you people, Pascha, the Pascha of the Lord. From death to life and from earth to heaven, Christ our God has brought us, singing a song of victory. (Paschal Canon, Ode I)

Dearly Beloved in the Lord:

The radiant day of the resurrection of Christ has risen upon us, shining with the light of the Lord’s victory over hell, corruption and death itself. His victory is also our victory, for by the divine Pascha of the Lord, we who are mortal and earthly have been brought from death to life and from earth to heaven.

As we face a life that is so often ﬁ lled with darkness, sorrow and temptation, it is easy to become discouraged, to lose hope and to waver in our faith. Our Lenten journey has offered each of us the opportunity to courageously rekindle that hope and that faith by laboring in the good spiritual effort of repentance, prayer and fasting. Now, having walked with Christ on the path to the Cross, we have received a share in His glory: Yesterday, O Christ, I was buried with Thee, and today I rise again with Thee, in Thy rising. Yesterday I was cruciﬁ ed with Thee, now glorify me, O Savior, in Thy Kingdom (Paschal Canon, Ode III).

The light and joy of the present feast are a clear and certain reminder that the Lord is ever with us, even in our darkest moments of pain and struggle. The Risen Christ Himself makes manifest to us the reality that there is no darkness that can overcome Him or those who are His children, for He is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9).

As we celebrate the Feast of Feasts, let us all receive that light in our hearts and rejoice in the Lord with thanksgiving for His great victory, crying out:

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

+TIKHON, Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania

1 Editor’s Note: We dedicate this issue to the 100th Anniversary of the celebration of the consecration of the St. Tikhon’s Monastery Church and celebration of the ﬁ rst Divine Liturgy in that church. In this issue, we offer the continuing history of our beloved monastery as ediﬁ cation for us, the heirs of this precious jewel. The quotation below is from future holy martyr, Archpriest Alexander Hotovitsky, who was a person who loved St. Tikhon’s Monastery. We place before our readers these beautiful words which St. Alexander addressed to the newly opened St. Tikhon’s Monastery but also speak to all of us, the faithful, today, as well as future generations. We feel these words are timely and prophetic for the Orthodox Church in America:

“And let my word — the word of one who is not a monk — be a testimony to you of the hopes of all of us, that your ﬁ rst stone was not founded on the ground of division, but on the ground of the desire to enhance the paths of the great spiritual deeds of this mission; that to you and your well-being are directed the well-wishes also, of those members of the American Church who, though not themselves called to walk the thorny path of monastic self-renunciation and struggle, yet according to their ability are glad to make their own feasible contribution to the effort of organizing the holy cloister, which is destined for high service to God and our fellow neighbor and for the preaching of God’s truth and love through word and deed.” —St. Alexander Hotovitsky, 1906

2 Your Diocese Alive in Christ

Volume XXIII Number 1 Spring 2006 The Offi cial Magazine of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania Clergy Retreat - see page 56 Orthodox Church in America

To our readers: We apologize for the lateness of this issue. It is the result of the special materials and necessary research on the history of St. Tikhon’s Monastery.

In This Issue Paschal Message ...... 1 Dedication ...... 2 Table of Contents ...... 3 The Sunday of Orthodoxy ...... 4 All Saints Church Damaged by Fire ...... 6 Winter Teen Retreat - page 21 Sermon on the Cross ...... 7 Sermon for the Feast of the Annunciation ...... 10 The Apostolic Origins of African Christianity ...... 12 Bright Tuesday Celebration at St. Tikhon’s Monastery ...... 18 St. Cyril, Bishop of Turov: Sermon on Pascha ...... 19 Your Diocese Alive in Christ St. Tikhon’s Winter Teen Retreat 2006 ...... 21 Produced by the Publications Department of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, Origen: the Denier of Human Freedom Part III ...... 25 Orthodox Church in America (Diocesan Orthodox Hierarchs Lead March for Life ...... 34 Center, South Canaan, Pennsylvania 18459 (570-937-9040), under the direction of His The Founding of St. Tikhon’s Monastery - Part VI ...... 37 Grace, Bishop TIKHON. Editor ...... Fr. John Kowalczyk “Preserve the Fullness of Thy Church” ...... 56 Photography ...... Martin Paluch Twelfth Annual Pre-Lenten Winter Festival ...... 59 Staff ...... Fr. David Mahaff ey Circulation ...... Mary Sernak We Believe: Symbol of the Faith - Part VIII ...... 62 Editorial and Subscription Offi ce: Alive in St. Cyril’s Commentary on John’s Gospel - Part XXII ...... 64 Christ, Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania, Box 130, South Canaan, Pennsylvania 18459 Phone (res.): 570-876-1241. Departments Alive in Christ is distributed free of charge All in the Diocesan Family ...... 82 within the Diocese. Those living in other areas Daily Devotions ...... 75 may subscribe for $12 per year. Education Bulletin ...... 21 Deadline for the next issue of Your Diocese Alive in Christ is July 15, 2006. Please submit Offi cial ...... 5 all articles (typed) pictures, parish news, etc., on disc to Alive in Christ, Diocese of Eastern Pascha Listings ...... 76 Pennsylvania, Box 130, South Canaan, PA 18459, or e-mail to [email protected].

3 The Sunday of Orthodoxy

Homily Delivered on March 12, 2006, at Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre By His Grace, TIKHON, Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania

n the Name of the Father, and of the lives that we will be granted that great gift Son, and of the Holy Spirit. of salvation. Glory be to Jesus Christ! We are all familiar with this idea that I Today, in this bright cathedral, every aspect of our life should be dedi- with much splendor and joy, we cele- cated to God and to our salvation. In fact, brate the joyous feast of the Triumph of we have just completed the First Week of Orthodoxy. As we process with the Holy Great Lent, which is one of the most in- Icons, we remember specifi cally the res- tense weeks of our liturgical life, and it is toration, in the year 787, of the veneration during this week that we have all, to the of icons, the victory of the iconophiles, extent that we are able, made a beginning the icon-lovers, over the iconoclasts, the in the path towards our salvation. Even if icon-smashers. But on another level, this we do not live in a monastery, we know present feast is a celebration of the vic- that the First Week of Great Lent is here. tory of the truth of Orthodoxy throughout We know because we begin to fast a little the entire history of the Church. And the more, to pray a little more attentively and truth of Orthodoxy is that our salvation is to attend a few more services such as the the Resurrection that we see depicted in to be found in our Lord Jesus Christ, Who Great Canon of Saint Andrew and the the holy icons, not only in the icons of the by nature possesses Divine and Eternal Liturgy of the Presanctifi ed Gifts. In all feast of Pascha, but in all the icons which Life, and by grace, grants us to partake of these ways, we are striving to show the present to us the Kingdom of Heaven or that Divine and Eternal Life. Lord that we are truly making at least a images of those who have attained the In the Kontakion for today’s feast, small effort to fi nd salvation in Him. Kingdom of Heaven. we sing: “The uncircumscribed Word of And indeed, all of us have felt the The iconoclasts did not accept what the Father became circumscribed, taking spiritual change in the atmosphere that the Church has always accepted: that fl esh from thee, O Theotokos, and He has has taken place in our lives and in our icons are a means for man to participate restored the sullied image to its ancient communities and all of us have felt an in- by grace in the uncreated energies of God. glory, fi lling it with the divine beauty. tensifi cation to our usual daily struggles. They believed that the veneration of icons This our salvation we confess in deed and That change was refl ected liturgically was nothing more than idolatry, worship- word, and we depict it in the holy icons.” in the dark colors of last week, which ping the creature rather than the Creator. The holy icons are indispensable to represent the sobriety that is called for They still desired to have communion our salvation because through them we during the entire season of Great Lent. with God, but they believed that this was can participate by grace in the Divine But those dark colors do not exclude a only possible in the Eucharist, and they Life of the Holy Trinity, and through certain sense of joy: the joy that comes rejected icons as idolatry. They rejected the holy icons, we see that ancient glory from the effort we put forth to purify our icons, not because they disliked images, and divine beauty of man restored. And bodies and souls through fasting, through but because they had a mistaken theol- so, even though we remember a specifi c prayer and through the following of the ogy of Christ. They were afraid to depict historical event in the life of the Church, Commandments of Christ. Christ because they felt that it would be that specifi c historical event reveals to us In the same way, the bright colors of either a depiction of his human nature, the deepest mysteries of our salvation. As our gold vestments and the splendour of separated from His divine nature, or a de- the Kontakion states, it is our very salva- the icons which the children have car- piction of his divine nature, which would tion that is depicted in the holy icons. But ried in procession should not allow us be impossible. But the Holy Orthodox the Kontakion also adds that we confess to forget that many martyrs suffered and Church confesses that, although the hu- this salvation, not only through icons, but gave their lives for the sake of those holy man nature and the divine nature of Christ through our deeds and our words. It is by icons. Their suffering was offered with are distinct, they are also inseparable. It confessing Christ in every aspect of our hope in the Resurrection, and it is truly is not just His humanity that is portrayed, 4 turn to Great Lent, and continue, not with gloomy faces and empty stomachs, but with joy and expectation, in order to truly live what we have experienced in today’s celebration, and what we will experience in the amazing experience of Holy Week and Pascha. On the fi rst day of Lent, we sang: “Let us set out with joy upon the season of the Fast, and prepare ourselves for spiritual combat. Let us purify our soul and cleanse our fl esh; and as we fast from food, let us abstain also from every passion. Rejoicing in the virtues of the Spirit may we persevere with love, and so be counted worthy to see the solemn Passion of Christ our God, and with great spiritual gladness to behold His holy Pascha.”1 May this grace be granted to all of us, through the prayers of the Most Holy but his deifi ed humanity. for them. Mother of God and of all the saints who It is for this reason that the Church Therefore, let us rejoice in this pres- surround us by their presence in the holy reminds us that this present feast is a ent feast, knowing that these holy icons icons, and by the grace of our merciful theological statement of the Church. It which surround us are an expression of God, who is worshipped in Trinity, the is not an artistic statement, nor simply the great gift that the Lord has granted to Father without beginning, the Co-eter- a historical statement. It is a theological us: the gift of being able to attain eternal nal Son and the Consubstantial Spirit, statement about the possibility for man life and resurrection in Him. But let us not both now and ever and unto ages of ages. to truly “see” Christ, to participate in His forget that we are still required to make an Amen. 1. Forgiveness Sunday Vespers, Lord I have cried . . . Tone Divine life by grace. And this desire to be effort. And this is why we must now re- 2 Sticheron. united with Christ, to have communion with Him, is present in all of us, whether we are Orthodox or not, and it is up to us, as Orthodox Christians, to help them to Offi cial attain this, perhaps by introducing them Parish Council Confi rmations to the beauty and theology of our holy icons. This introduction is not simply a kind deed, but rather the very mission of Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church -- St. Clair, Pa. the Church, which consists, not in argu- Assumption of the Holy Virgin Church -- Philadelphia, Pa. ing about the truth of Orthodoxy, but in Holy Ascension Church -- Frackville, Pa. revealing how this truth brings healing. All men are in need of this healing and Holy Cross Church -- Williamsport, Pa. we all have an opportunity to present our Holy Trinity Church -- Stroudsburg, Pa. holy icons are expressions of the reality Ss. Peter & Paul’s Church -- Minersville, Pa. of this healing, not only in the lives of the St. Herman Church -- Shillington, Pa. saints, but in our lives as well. The teachings of the iconoclasts of the past were St. Herman Church -- Gradyville, Pa. anathematised, not because they came St. Mark’s Church -- Wrightstown, Pa. from “bad” people who had a different St. Mary’s Church -- Coaldale, Pa. opinion than the Church but because they did not help lead the faithful to salvation, St. Michael’s Church -- Mt. Carmel, Pa. did not allow the possibility for man to St. Michael’s Church -- Old Forge, Pa. truly participate in divine life. The Church St. Michael’s Church -- Jermyn, Pa. knows this truth, not because a certain St. Nicholas Church -- Olyphant, Pa. patriarch or emperor has decreed it, but because the experience of the saints, ex- St. Vladimir’s Church -- Lopez, Pa. pressed in their words and their deeds, reveals that they have truly attained to the beauty and glory that God had intended 5 All Saints Church Damaged by Fire

n Sunday, March 5, 2006, the eve of the fi rst day of Great Lent, a Ofi re severely damaged All Saints Church in Olyphant, Pa. Firefi ghters were called to the church at 3:43 p.m. as fl ames shot out from a back room. Fr. Paul Fetsko, acting rector of All Saints, was on his way to the church to prepare for a pastoral visit and happened to arrive at the church at the same time as the fi remen. The fi re began in a vestry room off the sanctuary, but the cause is undetermined. The intense heat blew out a stained glass window and steel door in that room. Children playing nearby heard the noise and reported the fi re. Flames gutted the room, completely destroying the altar server robes and other items stored there. Flames also damaged a portion of the iconostasis completely, ruining four icons, including that of St. Nicholas. All Saints Church, Olyphant, Pa. The sanctuary was largely spared from the fl ames, but was heavily damaged by smoke and heat. The fi remen were forced to cut a hole in the roof of the apse to ven- tilate the hot air. This destroyed the icon of the Mother of God of the Sign. Thankfully, the antimension, reserved sacrament, presanctifi ed Lamb, gospel book, and chalice set were not damaged by the fl ames and were recovered by Fr. Paul. The altar table suffered very little damage. Parishioners and fi refi ghters later retrieved banners, vestments, and other liturgical items. The extreme heat damaged the main His Grace Bishop Tikhon leads a service of prayer with church committee members chandelier and destroyed three large icons on the ceiling of the nave — the Pokrov, each day to begin cleaning the basement On Thursday evening of that week, His the Crucifi xion, and the Ancient of Days. hall, which was not damaged, to prepare Grace celebrated a molieben service in The remaining icons on the interior walls it for services. The immediate goal was the church basement which was attended of the church were left covered in soot. to establish a worship space to resume by about 125 faithful and guests. The church’s plashchanitsa and priest’s services and to keep the community to- Since the fi re, services have been held vestments were also spared fl ame damage gether. in the church basement. but did suffer smoke damage. In the aftermath of the fi re, His Grace Thankfully nobody was seriously Cleanup work began almost immedi- Bishop Tikhon joined with some of hurt, although two fi remen suffered mi- ately to remove the pews, carpet, and de- the faithful on Monday to serve a short nor injuries. The discovery of the fi re by bris from the fi re. Parishioners gathered prayer service in the fi re-ravaged church. the children and the rapid response of the 6 borough fi remen saved the church from complete destruction, which according to the fi re marshal would have been burned to the ground in another fi fteen minutes. All Saints Church was founded in 1902 and has been at the same location since its founding. The parish greatly appreci- ates the great outpouring of love it has received from the community, diocese, and throughout the Orthodox Church in America. Bishop Tikhon observes the limited damage to the holy table

Mission Vespers at Holy Annunciation Church Berwick, Pennsylvania, March 26, 2006 Sermon on the Cross Given by Father Paul Fetsko, Pastor of All Saints Church in Olyphant, Pa.

n the name of the Father, and of the this morning Jesus calls us to action: Heavenly Kingdom. Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Glory be “Whoever desires to come after Me, let Unfortunately, for others who don’t Ito Jesus Christ! him deny himself, and take up his cross, understand the Cross, it leads downward Today marks the halfway point of and follow Me.” to damnation. St. Paul says that the Cross Great Lent, and the Church places before This is the challenge He gives to all is a stumbling block for some people. us the Holy Cross to give us encourage- Christians. We must live the Cross daily. The other component is the horizon- ment to complete the remainder of our But how do we do that? tal bar upon which Christ’s arms were Lenten journey. To illustrate this, may we refl ect upon a nailed. Christ’s outstretched arms are like When we speak of the Cross, the most brief meditation on the Cross. Something the loving embrace of a father welcoming important thing we need to understand we can think about this week and the rest his children. and acknowledge is that it is the means of Lent that perhaps will allow us to more Think of a father who has gone away that our Lord Jesus Christ used to save us fully understand what the Cross means in on business for a week and he comes from our sins and grant us eternal life. our daily life. home and immediately his children run By the Cross, salvation has come to Behold our Lord on the Cross. The to him and he opens his arms to receive the world! This is the message of the Cross itself is made up of two main com- them. Gospel. This is what the Church preaches ponents. There is a vertical bar and there It is similar with our Lord. He is invit- — Christ crucifi ed. is a long horizontal bar. ing all of mankind to come to Him and Christ’s work on the Cross has, there- The vertical bar is in some way like enter His Kingdom. fore, already been accomplished. We are an arrow. It points us up. It shows the di- So the Cross is not complete without saved! However, in the Gospel reading rection we are to follow to enter into the Continued on the next page 7 Sermon on the Cross Continued from page 7 these two components — the vertical bar and the horizontal bar. Now what can we take from this image of the Cross to help us in our Lenten journey? In the Gospel of Matthew, our Lord gives to us three spiritual disciplines that He expects all of us to follow. And I would like to place each of these in the context of the image of the Cross. Christ tells us plainly that we must pray, fast, and give alms in order to reach the Kingdom of Heaven. To live in the victory of the Cross, to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, and to ascend the Cross, all three disciplines — prayer, fasting, and almsgiving — must be done. Just as the Cross is not complete without the vertical and horizontal bars, neither is our spiritual life complete without the combination of these three components. During Lent we hear a lot about prayer and fasting. Prayer and fasting help us to ascend the Cross vertically. With regard to prayer, we are taught that we must pray both privately in our homes and corpo- rately with other believers (at church). The power of fasting is manifested in the Gospel event when the disciples could Since then we have been the recipients of much not heal a demon-possessed boy. When love, and we are very thankful for that. However, they asked Jesus why they couldn’t cast the demon out, Jesus said because that going through this event has made me more kind only comes out by prayer and fasting aware of the greater need in the community at (Mark 9.19-29). large, because we have been given a glimpse of This teaches us that certain passions that affl ict us — habits, addictions, lusts what true tragedy is of various kinds, can only be overcome by the this combination of prayer and fasting, which help us ascend upward. The third spiritual discipline our Lord gives us, which I want to give special at- A hole was punctured into the roof of the altar at the time of the fi re to allow smoke to escape tention to, is almsgiving. Almsgiving rep- resents the horizontal bar of the Cross. That same week a fi re completely de- to do our best to alleviate that suffering. Just as Christ outstretches His arms to us, stroyed an apartment building taking the Feeding the hungry, helping the home- we as Christians, who bear the name of lives of fi ve people. less, supporting the abused and affl icted Christ, are to outstretch our arms to the Since then we have been the recipi- all of these can and must be done. poor and needy. ents of much love, and we are very thank- We must guard against becoming too Almsgiving fulfi lls the commandment ful for that. However, going through this self-absorbed in our “spiritual world.” to love our neighbor as ourselves. event has made me more aware of the Yes, we love liturgy, beautiful singing, As most of you know, the parish I greater need in the community at large, icons, and vestments but we cannot ne- serve, All Saints in Olyphant, suffered a because we have been given a glimpse of glect almsgiving and charity to the poor very damaging fi re three weeks ago. what true tragedy is. and downtrodden. This is where our faith We were very fortunate not to lose the There is very real suffering in our is put to work. entire church and that nobody was hurt. area, and we as Orthodox Christians need Now, we know at least intellectually 8 English as charity. So the word charity and love are synonymous. Charity means love put into action! Christ loved us and He died for us on the Cross — Love plus Action! In order to show love, you must do something. You can tell your wife or children you love them a million times, but if you never hug or kiss them what do the words mean? Remember, Christ tells us: “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Denying ourselves means curbing the selfi shness that dominates us. It means putting ourselves second to others and lovingly reaching out in a personal way. In preparing this sermon, I was struck by the words of St. Gregory Palamas in his homily on the Cross. We commemo- Black soot covers the altar and damages the majority of the icons above the altar rated St. Gregory last Sunday and he is known for his teachings on deep prayer and experiencing God in a very real way We must guard against becoming too while we are on this earth. self-absorbed in our “spiritual world.” Yes, But what struck me in his homily on the Cross was not what he said about we love liturgy, beautiful singing, icons, prayer, because he said very little about and vestments but we cannot neglect prayer, rather it was what he said about almsgiving and charity to the poor and charity. St. Gregory tells us that in order to downtrodden. This is where our faith is ascend the Cross we must put our wealth put to work to good use and let the poor share in it as much as possible (Homily 11,22). St. Nicholai of Zicha, one-time rector of St. Tikhon’s Seminary, says that as part of our spiritual discipline we are to do innumerable acts of charity. But as with everything it must be done in a spirit of love. St. John of Kronstadt warns us that giving alms grudgingly, without love, is of no benefi t to us and is in fact a dead work. By performing acts of charity, we can truly impact the area in which we live and be seen as true followers of Jesus Christ. I encourage you to keep the image of the Table of oblation area completely destroyed Cross in your minds and use it as a reminder of the three spiritual disciplines that we need to do this, but for whatev- That which we have saved can be given to and how they work together to form a er reason we still have a hard time get- a food shelter in the area. Or, do without complete image of the Cross. ting motivated to do anything about it. your coffee and newspaper and give that To our all compassionate and merciful Remember, we need to have both the hor- money to a person who may not eat any- Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ be all izontal and the vertical bars to complete thing that day. glory, honor, and worship together with the cross. Interestingly, the King James version His Father and All Holy Spirit. Now and Everything if done properly out of of the Bible very often translates the Greek forever. Amen. love will work together. A benefi t of fast- word agape — Christ-like love (we have Christ is in our midst! ing is that we spend less money on food. the agape meal on Pascha night) — into 9 Sermon for the Feast of eloved of God, on this weekend we have a unique occurrence in Bthe liturgical cycle of our Church. the Annunciation Yesterday we celebrated the feast of the Annunciation and today is our Lenten commemoration of the Cross. So then, our commemoration of these two great events in the history of our salvation are overlapping — today being the leave-taking of the Annunciation. Therefore as we consider the gospel for this day and the call of Christ, a call to deny ourselves take our cross and follow Him, let us look also to the Theotokos. Let us take advantage of these two feasts coming one after another, and consider the Cross as an event in the life of the Theotokos. We can look to her as an example, we can look to her for inspiration in the crosses we may meet in life, and we can also look to her for comfort. And so let us ponder: What did the Theotokos experience at the Cross of her Son and God? In beginning to answer, we should consider the knowledge that was revealed to the Theotokos concerning her Son. When she stood at the Cross of our Lord, in addition to the fact that she knew He was her Son according to the fl esh, whom did she believe Him to be? Her knowledge of Christ begins with the time she spent in the temple as a young girl. Because it was there that she listened to the writings of Moses and the revelations of the other prophets, and learned of Adam and Eve: how they were brought out of nonexistence into being, settled in Paradise and given a commandment there, and the fall. St. Gregory Palamas says it was then that the Theotokos had pity on the fallen human race, she understood the need of Delivered this past Great Lent when the Sunday a savior to heal the effects of the fall on mankind, and she dedicated her whole dedicated to the Cross fell on the Leave-taking of the life to fervent prayer for the coming of Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos the Christ.1 Then, at the Annunciation which we celebrated yesterday, the Archangel Gabriel came to her, being sent from God, and said that without the touch of a man, by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit, she would bear a son who would 1. Mary the Mother of God: Sermons by St. Gregory Palamas, edited by Christopher Veniamin. South Canaan, Pa.: Mount Thabor Publishing, 2005, pg. 41. 10 be called the Son of God, and whose Theotokos, suffered as a mother. For ex- So when the Theotokos stood at the kingdom there would have no end (Luke ample we read: foot of the Cross she suffered terribly, 1:34-35). Next Elizabeth calls her, “the “Standing by the Cross, O Jesus, She more than any of us could comprehend. mother of my Lord” (Luke 1:43). And the Who gave birth to Thee wept, lamenting, She suffered as a mother seeing her Son priest Zacharias makes known that her and cried out: ‘I cannot bear this, to see, crucifi ed. She suffered as all the followers son who is to be born, is the one whom nailed on the wood, Thee to Whom I gave of Christ, seeing her Lord crucifi ed. She the prophets had foretold, and he goes on birth and escaped pain, for it was without suffered as a Hebrew seeing her people to speak of salvation through remission of a man. How I am now gripped with pain, reject and kill Him Whom she knew to sins (Luke 1:69-70). Then all the events and wounded in heart; now is fulfi lled be their Messiah. Therefore at the Cross surrounding the Nativity took place: the the saying which Symeon uttered, ‘A of our Lord she also endured a very pain- shepherds, the angels, the wise men, and sword shall pierce thy heart, O undefi led ful cross, as St. Silouan the Athonite tells the dreams of Joseph. Also the righteous One.”’”2 Again: us: “When the Mother of God stood at the Symeon’s words, when he called her son “Oh my Son,” the Virgin cried out foot of the Cross, her grief was as bound- “a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the with tears, “Now has a sword of sorrow less as the ocean; she remained alive only glory of Israel” (Luke 2:32). And as the harrowed my heart, in that the assembly because the Lord’s might sustained her, gospels say, “Mary kept all these things, of lawbreakers hast, with nails, nailed for it was His desire that she should be- and pondered them in her heart” (Luke Thee to the Cross.”3 hold his resurrection and live on after his 2:19). And there are many places where the ascension to be the comfort and joy of the In addition to all this we know that the Theotokos refers to Christ as the fairest apostles and the new Christian peoples.”8 Theotokos along with the apostles and the of all men and cries out, questioning, This is truly what she is for us also, rest of the followers of Christ witnessed where has this comeliness gone? She also and even more she is a mother to us as the miracles of His Divine power and calls Him “My sweetest Child,” or “most our Lord Jesus Christ showed when spoke heard His preaching. He healed men’s exceedingly beloved Child,” and she ex- to John the Theologian while he stood at sicknesses and cast out devils. He had claims: “Why dost Thou hasten to make the Cross next to the Theotokos, saying to power over the natural world, stilling me childless?” So she suffered terribly him, “Behold thy mother” (John 19:27). the sea and winds, changing water into as a mother and as she is the highest of And so she is truly a mother to all be- wine and multiplying the loaves and fi sh. all creation, her love was more than any lievers. Again as St. Silouan says, “Verily He raised the dead, and even Lazarus af- creature. Therefore she suffered more she is our advocate before God . . . she ter four days. He did these things not by than any other mother could. dwells in heaven and ever beholds the praying to God, as the prophets before Yet at the Cross she not only lamented glory of God, yet she does not forget us, Him, but by the word of His Own power. as a mother, but as a faithful handmaiden poor wretches that we are, and spreads her Yet Christ also foretold His Passion, the of the Lord she also glorifi ed her Son and compassion over the whole earth, over all Cross, death and Resurrection on the third God, who was suffering for our salvation peoples.”9 day. and would rise again from the dead. As So now in the crosses we have to bear So now we come to the Cross. What the hymnographer writes, at the Cross she in this life she can be for us an example, did the Theotokos experience as she stood cried out: she can be an inspiration, and she can be before the Cross? This was her Son, to “Woe is me, my Child! How divine a comfort to us if we simply turn to her in Whom she gave birth, Whom she held in and unutterable is Thy dispensation by prayer. For we can apply to her the same her arms as a babe, and Whom she cared which Thou dost enliven Thy creation; I words that the Apostle Paul spoke of our for and raised. Yet she also knew him to hymn Thy deep compassion . . .4 Lord: “For in that he hath suffered, being be born without seed, and from the time of “The world rejoices receiving deliver- tempted, he is able to help them that are his birth to be designated by many as the ance through Thee; my inner self burns tempted” (Heb. 2:18). awaited Messiah, the Christ. Although a beholding Thy crucifi xion, which Thou Through her prayers, may Christ her few church fathers in pondering this have dost bear for the sake of Thy tenderheart- Son and our God have mercy on us in this expressed some thoughts, unfortunately ed mercy, O God, most good, and sinless world, and grant us an entrance into his an exact answer has not been revealed to Lord . . .5 heavenly kingdom, that together with His us. We have no recorded testimony from “Thou hast torn asunder the handwrit- most pure Mother and the saints, we may the Mother of God herself. But for us, if ing of Adam, being pierced with a spear, glorify Him, with His Father Who is with- for our edifi cation we want to contem- O Master...”6 out beginning and His all-holy, good and plate this, the most sure answer can be “But I pray do not leave me in the life-creating Spirit, throughout the end- found in the hymnology of the Church. world alone; make haste to resurrect and less ages, world without end. Amen. 7 We see the most sound response in the also raise up our forefather.” —Igumen Gregory hymns of the Octoechos called hymns of 2. Octoechos, Tone 5, Friday Matins Aposticha (translation from Slavonic). the Theotokos at the cross, which have 3. Ibid. Tone 4, Wednesday Matins Canon, Ode 6. 8. Saint Silouan the Athonite, by Archimandrite Sophrony been in use throughout the whole of the 4. Ibid. Tone 8, Friday Matins, 2nd Sessional Hymn. (Sacharov), translated by Rosemary Edmonds. Church for about a thousand years What 5. Ibid. Tone 8 Wednesday Matins, 1st Sessional Hymn. Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist, 1991, 6. Ibid. Tone 4, Friday Matins Canon, Ode 4. pg. 390. then, do they tell us? First, Mary, the 7. Ibid. Tone 4 Thursday Vespers, Lord I call. 9. Ibid. pg. 393. 11 The Apostolic Origins of African Christianity A Presentation Marking 100 Years Since the Founding of the First Orthodox Church in Mississippi

Given February 25-26, 2006 by Elias E. Mukasa

Editor’s note: Elias is a seminarian in the M.Div. program at St. Tikhon’s Sseminary. Elias is known for his missionary zeal and activity and has lectured in many places of the world

eographically, it is diffi cult to Elias Mukasa lecturing at St. George’s Church in Vicksburg, Miss. present all about this vast conti- Gnent and exhaust everything in of culture, and building a culture of tol- a living and mysterious thread binding such a little time as we have here, but I erance which politics failed. For religion, the whole historical fullness of Church will try to be as belief as possible so as I especially Orthodoxy with its observance life into one catholic whole. Here again can give a real picture. Indeed many of us of Tradition, has been able to reconcile we see two sides. The objective side is in America know much about Africa but groups as they commune/partake from the uninterrupted sacramental succession, it is equally true that to many very little one chalice (“Let them be one as we are the continuity of the hierarchy. The Holy if not nothing is known. Africa is just a one . . .”) which unites them as they see in Spirit does not descend upon earth again continent like other continents — Europe, each other an icon of God. and again, but abides in the “visible” and North America, Asia, South America, Tonight I’m honored to present to historical Church. And it is in the Church Australia, and so on. It is the second larg- you the brief history of Orthodox Church that He breathes and sends forth His rays. est continent; in fact three other continents in Africa with the hope that it will shed Therein lies the fullness and catholicity of fi t in it as you see. It has over forty-fi ve some light on the apostolic origins of Pentecost. countries and approximately 900 million African Christianity. Africa has been in Orthodoxy penetrated into Africa people. deep contact with Christianity since the through two principal channels. It was There is much that can be said about holy family’s fl ight for the safety of our fi rst brought by the Evangelist St. Mark to this continent, good and bad; however, Lord from murderous Herod. The Church Alexandria in the fi rst century 42-62 A.D. there is nothing concerning it as a whole is the unity of charismatic life. The source Responding to the great Commission that can be fully presented in a presenta- of this unity is hidden in the sacrament of (“Go therefore and make disciples of tion of this kind. And as a matter of fact, the Lord’s Supper, and in the sacrament of all nations, baptizing them in the name the African countries and people have Pentecost, that unique descent of the Spirit of the Father, and of the Son, and of the very little in common because of the mul- of Truth into the world. Therefore the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all tiplicity of races. And the continent faces Church is an apostolic Church. It was cre- things that I have commanded you; and a challenge of ensuring, accommodating, ated and sealed by the Spirit in the Twelve lo I am with you always even the end of tolerating this vast ethnicity and diversity Apostles, and the Apostolic Succession is the age” — Matt. 28:19-20), Africa was 12 Donatists, who divided and enfeebled it, and so paved the way for its destruction, by Islam. Most of these sects have long since disappeared; but the Monophysites who, following Eutyches, acknowledge only one nature in Christ (the divine nature having absorbed the human), have continued to exist, and form at the present time three distinct churches, namely: the Armenian Church, the Jacobite Church of Syria and Mesopotamia, and the Coptic Church of Egypt. We have already noted the rapid ex- pansion of Christianity throughout northern Africa; the splendor which it derived from its many faithful, its confessors, and martyrs; the divisions that crept in; how it spread, on the one hand, from Alexandria in Egypt to Libya and Ethiopia, but on the other hand, how at the metropolis of Carthage they were more occupied with religious quarrels than with its organization or defense, and were unable to with- stand the successive advances of Islam that made its way, with the result that by the end of the seventh century Africa became a closed continent. The Church, however, never wholly forsook it, nor ever ceased to hope that it would one day be again open to her. Orthodoxy may have vanished from Africa, but it now is back and alive: when- ever the seeds are planted, Orthodoxy comes out victorious over its enemies. Up to our time, there still exist a number of dioceses in those so called Islamic Elias with some members of his audience in Mississippi countries, though they exist with a lot of restrictions, especially no opening or con- blessed with St. Mark coming, not as by Ss. Anthony, Pachomios, Makarios, struction of new churches is allowed. a conqueror but bearing the Gospel of Catherine, and Mary of Egypt to mention Up to the present date, 116 patriarchs good news. He established the Church, but a few of the saints of Africa. There have headed the see of St. Mark, and thus bringing Christ’s Gospel to Africans, is also the old Church of the Ethiopians His Beatitude Theodoros is the current and he was the fi rst bishop. Orthodoxy on the other hand established through pope of Alexandria and all Africa, after soon shone with great splendor and was the Ethiopian Eunuch who proceeded the tragic death of His Beatitude Peter represented by such men as St. Ananias, to Ethiopia after the encounter with St. in a helicopter crash off Mt. Athos on 62-84 A.D.; St. Clement of Alexandria; Philip, and later St. Matthew went there 9.11.2004. Alexandria is one of the oldest Saints Athanasius, Cyril, Cyprian, and too. How can we forget the famous centers of Christianity and of Orthodoxy Augustine, and the Christian thinkers Alexandrian catechetical school which in the world, and the second in rank af- Tertullian, Origen, and so on. produced Fathers of the Church such as ter the new Rome. It has 18 metropolises, Orthodoxy passed thence into Lower Basil and others. 4 dioceses, 1 seminary, and a number of Egypt, then into the Thebaid, Upper monasteries. Egypt, and Nubia/Sudan, and, by way of Schism the Red Sea as far as Ethiopia, adopting Mission as its own the Graeco-Jewish civilization, Unfortunately, African Christianity got which it found prevailing in Egypt and exposed to the attacks of schism and her- As we shall see, there is a steady the Cyrenaica. Africa gave monasticism esy: of Gnostics, Monophysites, Arians, growth spiritually and in numbers of to the world, which was established there Pelagians, Manichaeans, Novatians, and Continued on the next page 13 The Apostolic Origins of knocks it will be opened . . . Your heav- in Uganda from October 1931 to July African Christianity enly Father give[s] the Holy Spirit to 1932, teaching and baptizing, and he or- Continued from page 13 those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:9-13). dained the two before returning to South This scripture was a guiding principle to Africa. This was the establishment of Orthodox brethren. For example in sub- the two Ugandans Christopher Spartas African Orthodox Church in Uganda, Saharan Africa: Kenya has 250,000 breth- and Obadiah Basajja Kitalo, former but this Church had no ties with the ca- ren with 210 priests and 300 churches. Anglicans whose reading led them to nonical Orthodoxy. Among those Bishop Congo/Zaire has approximately half a seek to join the Orthodox Church. They Alexander baptized was a daughter of a million brethren. For instance Fr. Cosmas established a place where people needed Greek living in Kampala, who said that was there for 11 years; he baptized 15,000, to “come and see” Orthodoxy by attend- the service used was unfamiliar. He en- and built 55 churches in only one part ing services (fulfi lling the word of Christ couraged the priests to make contact of the country, Kulowezi. Ghana has 12 to Andrew, in John 1:39), and they named with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. They Churches, Cameroon 10. In Madagascar the Temple Holy Transfi guration, focus- learned of a priest in Arusha, Tanganyika, the late Bishop Nectarios was there for ing on the fullness of the transcendent who played a big role in enabling the only 10 years and founded 20 churches. Glory of God, manifested in Christ and African Orthodox Church in Uganda to South Africa has 20 churches and 1 mon- found only in Orthodoxy which they become canonically Orthodox. astery; Nigeria 16 churches and 4 primary had discovered. As a result of his stud- In 1932 Fr. Nicodemos Sarikas vis- schools; Benin has 3 churches; are there ies it is said that Spartas, like another ited Uganda from Tanganyika. The are now new missions in Zimbabwe, Archimedes ran out into the streets shout- Ugandans severed relations with Bishop Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Botswana, ing, “I have found, I have found! I am no Alexander when they came to realize that Malawi, Benin and so on. longer Anglican but an Orthodox!” he was not really Orthodox and immedi- They pioneered in planting of the ately they entered into communication Uganda seeds of the one Holy Catholic and with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. Fr. Apostolic Church, for the spiritually Sarikas took two young men with him to To know us is to understand our his- thirsty Africans. They were searching for Tanganyika to teach them the Orthodox tory. Uganda is found in the eastern part truth that is Orthodoxia, with the protec- faith, and in 1939 sent them to Pope of Africa, lying on the equator, with a tion and guidance of the Holy Spirit; they Christophoros in Alexandria for further population of twenty six million people, went and did as God enabled them to do studies. In 1945 they went back. One of whom 67% are Christians. Historically and spread the true Church which Christ was ordained, and he continues to teach it was built on the foundation of king- Himself established and handed it over Orthodoxy; at the same time Fr. Irineos doms. to His disciples: a Church with unbroken Magimbi serves as the vicar general of In 1877 Christianity came, through chain and which never strayed from the Orthodox Church. Unfortunately the oth- the Buganda kingdom, which played a Apostolic faith from generation to gen- er one died shortly. big role in establishment of the Church eration. In 1942 Metropolitan Nikolaos of in Uganda. With its well-established tra- It is often said that Orthodox mission Axum visited Uganda and wrote a re- ditional and administrative structure, this is centripetal rather than centrifugal, with port for the Synod of the Patriarchate made it easier for civilization and educa- people being attracted to Orthodoxy from of Alexandria, about the situation of the tion to plant their roots. This prepared outside, rather than Orthodox Churches African Orthodox Church in Uganda. a fertile ground for the mother of all sending missionaries out. The growth of Then Spartas and Obadiah wrote a let- Churches, the Orthodox Church, to come Orthodoxy in Uganda seems to bear this ter to Pope Meletios Metaxakis seeking to the people of Uganda when they were out. It was a result of people in this country acceptance to join the Patriarchate of already civilized. It was Anglican mis- seeking Orthodoxy, rather than Orthodox Alexandria, which traces its roots back sions that educated Spartas, enabling him missionaries from elsewhere seeking to Christ and his disciples. He replied to read and thus to discover Orthodoxy. them. So the Orthodox Church in Uganda positively and guided them well in their In the 1920s the fi rst Orthodox is regarded as an Ugandan Church. And search but unfortunately died shortly. community was founded and located people take it as their Church, unlike oth- Back to square one as everything stopped in Ddegeya a few miles away from the er denominations; Orthodoxy was never and it took fourteen years for Alexandria Army barracks at Bombo, 21 miles from associated with racism, colonialism or to receive and recognize the African Kampala the capital city, where the two religious imperialism. It was brought in Orthodox Church in East Africa. fi rst world war veterans received the vi- by indigenous Ugandans. They wrote again, and it was in 1946 sion. They named the place Annonya In 1929 they intensifi ed the search and through His Beatitude Christophoros literally meaning “the one who seeks.” joined a group which called themselves II that the Orthodox Church in Uganda Why? Because the gospel is clear on this: the African Orthodox Church, which was was received and accepted in the Holy “Ask and you will receive, seek and you based in South Africa. In 1930s Bishop Patriarchate of Alexandria. So the will fi nd, knock and it will be opened to Alexander traveled to Uganda at the in- Orthodox Church in Uganda falls under you. For every one who asks receives vitation of Reuben Ssebanja Mukasa (lat- the jurisdiction of the Pope and Patriarch and he who seeks fi nds, and to him who er known as Fr. Spartas) and he stayed of Alexandria and all Africa. By then it 14 Faithful of the parish at Bukuya had sixty-seven centers and ten thousand “true Church,” having learnt of it from gospel, Father Spartas traveled frequent- baptized Christians. So they needed a history. In a country where ancestor’s lin- ly to Kenya to guide and train them in well-organized and authorized religious eage and genealogy were a part of one’s the faith. Later in 1953 when the Kenyan leader to take care of these fl ocks. In identity, as it was in Bible times, such a Orthodox Church was banned and its 1958 Metropolitan Nicholaos was ap- church was in fact an exciting discovery. leaders jailed, Fr. Spartas went and ad- pointed as the fi rst metropolitan with his The king (Cwa by name) built a college ministered sacraments to them. In fact headquarters in Kampala. for the Church and it was named “Cwa he played a big role in registering the Meanwhile the already existing II” after him. It started enrolling students Orthodox Church in Kenya by the gov- churches, Roman Catholic and Anglican from all over East Africa, that is, Kenya, ernment. were busy fi ghting each other though Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda, with the Another example is the Diocese of they were all claiming to be Christians purpose of teaching these young people Bukoba. As a result of contact with the and followers of Christ. This confused the Orthodox faith. It was another way of Church in Uganda it was established. many people, including the king of spreading and teaching the faith to other One Paul Budala wrote to the Orthodox Buganda who invited the missionaries parts of Africa too. Even till today, the priest Fr. Nankyama in Uganda (later from Britain. So the Orthodox Church college has been still functioning, with Metropolitan of Kampala) who visited arrived at a time when a lot of people 700 students. A primary school and a and baptized twenty people, thus the be- were yearning for Christ’s true Church. hospital for the Church were later con- ginning of the Church there. Because of fear of the true Church, these structed on this same land. It is here that The fi rst Bishop of Bukoba was missionaries claimed that the Orthodoxy the headquarters of the Orthodox Church Jonah (now metropolitan of Uganda), being preached by Father Spartas was in Uganda is found. This act of the king and Bishop Jeronymos (Ugandan) con- simply his own invention, for the purpose encouraged the native pioneers, and they tinue the missionary work; it is the fast- of creating a new heresy, and they said did not stop in Uganda but went as far as est growing Church in Africa. As of now that no white man has such a religion. neighboring Kenya and Tanzania plant- there are 152 communities, thirty-four For the king was following what was ing the seeds of Orthodoxy. As we know, priests and a catechetical school. As of going on and Fr. Spartas met him and from its very beginning the Orthodox now they have Jim from Florida OCMC briefed him about the Orthodox Church, Church is a missionary Church. helping. he received and welcomed Orthodoxy The ability to travel within East Africa with an open heart, and responded by Communication, Community contributed to rapid spread of Orthodox donating Namungoona (Lubya) Hill and Communion at this time. The Luah in Kenya received overlooking his palace to build there the Orthodoxy from Uganda, and in this area Lord’s house of worship. He called it the Using communication to spread the Continued on the next page 15 The Apostolic Origins of weapons, and the king fl ed into exile. In but be brave, I have overcome the world.” African Christianity 1967 a new constitution was put in place, All this happened just after the Anglican Continued from page 15 which abolished kingdoms in Uganda. Archbishop Jonan Luwum had been mur- Politically the years that followed were dered by the state. the Orthodox Church is the predomi- characterized with military coups, power The bishop escaped death on many nant Christian group. Orthodox from struggles and undemocratic governments. occasions. In 1979 the soldiers asked him Uganda went to Congo (Zaire), as for This affected the church growth. to surrender his Benz car, which he did, example Archimandrite Chrysostomos The Orthodox Church lost many but also directed him to kneel down, to Papasarantopolos, who left Uganda and churches as they were destroyed in the which he objected sternly. “I only kneel moved to Zaire to begin a new mission crossfi re. Some of its followers were bru- before my God, not to any man on earth.” there in 1970. In 1975 he was joined by a tally murdered, others were displaced. When he refused, the soldiers turned young man Yannis Aslanidis who later be- Schools and clinics which had been al- red and wanted to shoot him, but were came a monk on Mount Athos and came ready set up were demolished, and a lot restrained by his colleague. The bishop back as Fr. Cosmas Grigoriatis. (Read his of land confi scated. went to church and prayed for those army amazing biography: Apostle to Zaire : the Due to poor health Bishop Spartas remen, and surprisingly after two days they life and legacy of blessed father Cosmas tired, and Bishop Nankyamas continued brought back the car with their apolo- of Gregoriou, by Demetrios Aslanidis & with the programs of his predecessor and gies. Damascene Grigoriatis.) brought the Church through those diffi - Finally in 1986, life began to come cult times of Idi Amin. back and the Church again was able Leadership Darkest times came in the 1970s, to face the spiritual needs of its fl ock. when dictator Idi Amin, as president of Today out of the 23,000,000 people, the In 1959 the East African diocese Uganda, abolished all Christian religions Orthodox Church has 200,000 believ- was created. Headed by Metropolitan except two churches which he called the ers, with 84 communities, headed by Nicholaos Valeropoulos, it was named original ones. These were the Roman Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga, with 42 Irinoupolis and had its headquarters in Catholic and Anglican; and he added to priests and only 2 deacons, 1 minor semi- Kampala, Uganda. the list Orthodox Church. This surprised nary (15 seminarians), 1 women’s monas- For several years there was no met- many people, and they started asking tery (with 12 nuns), 37 schools, one hos- ropolitan, until 1982 Bishop Anastasios themselves why? Amin answered them pital and 8 clinics, and a self-contained Yannoulatos was appointed acting met- saying, “Although you take these peo- St. Nicholas Missionary center which can ropolitan. His Beatitude Anastasios (now ple to be few but this is the true Christ’s accommodate the approximately 40 mis- metropolitan of Tirana and all Albania) Church; I saw churches while studying sionaries who visit Uganda. As of now is one of the foremost Orthodox mis- (as a soldier) in Israel, and visited the we are blessed to have 4 long-term mis- siologists of the twentieth century, and Holy places, and they were all under the sionaries. since the 1950s he had been encourag- Orthodox Church,” he concluded. The Orthodox Church is spreading ing a revival of interest in mission in the The government gave the bishop like wildfi re through proclaiming the Orthodox Church. a vehicle to help him in his pastoral Gospel. People hear about it from friends, 1972/3 was a great time for missions, work, to reach people in rural areas. family or colleagues at work, or immi- as three Africans were elected by the Preaching and teaching programs from gration, and their interest is aroused. The Alexandrian synod to become bishops. the Orthodox Church were accepted for media has an impact as well: for example, Father Spartas (as Bishop Christopher), thirty minutes on the national radio every every Sunday morning, the national radio Theodoros Nankyama and Authur Sunday, and the Church was represented station opens with prayer and preach- Gathuna were consecrated bishops. And in Government functions. But this recog- ing from the Orthodox Church which is later Theodoros Nankyama became the nition didn’t last long, as war broke out heard countrywide. fi rst black metropolitan in Africa until and what had been put in place by the Some become Orthodox through stud- 1997, when he fall asleep in the Lord. Church was destroyed. ies; for instance, one senior superinten- Memory eternal! Every other day, things continued to dent of police, Mr. Sendegeya, who was Metropolitan Jonah Lwanga was en- worsen. As he was going for a pastoral studying in Greece: when he came back throned on June 1997 as Archbishop of visit in one of the village parishes, he he and all his family became Orthodox, Kampala and all Uganda. was stopped at a roadblock; his car was a story reminiscent of what happened searched by soldiers looking for guns, in the Holy Scriptures, where St. Paul’s War and Terror which they didn’t fi nd. They asked him jailer became a believer (Acts 16:27-31). if he had a gun in his big riasson, and he Others read about Orthodoxy in books In 1962 Uganda got its independence answered yes; pulling out a Bible from and then travel to fi nd more; for example, from the British, which did not last long. his cassock he said, “This is my gun.” students from universities. Youth social As the newborn Uganda turned against See how brave the man of God was not to activities like games, Bible studies and its mother kingdom Buganda in 1966, hide his weapon. Our Lord Jesus Christ seminars have also brought many to the armies attacked the king’s palace with said, “In the world you have tribulation, Church. 16 The Church offers medical services tism of 120 people. A number of parishes, Indeed, the Church continues to grow through charity to the sick — for exam- schools and clinics have been built. He in Uganda and Africa as a whole, and has ple, the mission program of treating and works tirelessly for his fl ock. Eis polla eti a special appeal to Ugandans because it giving medicines free of charge, which is Despota! is the true apostolic Church and it is re- done by doctors from Greece, the U.S.A., ceived as Ugandan initiative with no ties and Cyprus. This has missionary impact, Conclusion to the old colonial masters. for it refl ects the Church’s love for her Today the Orthodox Church has man- neighbors (the Lord’s suffering ones). In the 1960s Fr. Athanasios Athides aged well to balance, join, and combine The liturgy has been translated into came to Africa to teach but he didn’t stay what is Orthodox with what is African. Luganda, a native dialect; but there re- long; he went back to Athens, and there he Many Africans who in the past have mains a lot that needs translation, for met people who were coming to Africa. been content to live within the western example many services are not yet trans- He asked them what they were going to expressions of Christianity — Anglicans lated. do, and they responded “We are going or Roman Catholics, for example — are On his enthronement as primate of to convert Africans to Christianity.” He today searching for an African Christian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Jonah laughed and said, “It is you who are go- identity — and they end up to Orthodox. said, “My fi rst task is to create a visible ing to become Christians there, because With Orthodox Christianity, through presence of Orthodox Church in Uganda.” the Africans are already Christians. In a Christ’s death sin has been conquered; He has made mission and evangelization few years all of Africa will be Orthodox.” through his resurrection death has been his fi rst priority, and as you visit differ- He decided to go to India where there conquered. Darkness has been extin- ent parishes this steady growth is visible. were Hindus and Moslems and worship- guished, and there is no more mourning For example in 2004 I witnessed the bap- pers of various gods. or darkness.

Metropolitan Jonah of Kampala and all Uganda with children

Women’s Retreat Golf Chicken at St. Tikhon’s Tournament Barbecue Seminary August 12 August 19 August 19

17 Bright Tuesday Celebration at St. Tikhon’s Monastery

18 From a Sermon on the First Sunday after Pascha by St. Cyril, Bishop of Turov

Little is known of the life of the remarkable twelfth century preach- er and author of this sermon, who was regarded as a Russian Chrysostom. He was born at Turov, Government of Minsk, about the year 1130, where his parents were wealthy people. When he reached maturity, he refused his inheritance, and was tonsured a monk. He distinguished himself by his austere asceticism and great piety. After a certain time he lived on a pillar. Many came to him seeking spiritual counsel. At the request of the Prince of Turov he was made bishop. Loving solitude, St. Cyril left his see and devoted himself to spiritual writing. Eight or nine of his sermons and some prayers have come- down to us in manuscript. His eloquence stands alone in the whole ancient period of Russian literature. Though other preachers followed Byzantine models in their sermons, yet none carried the fl ow- ery Greek symbolism so far, or wrote in so fl uent a language. Cyril wrote, “If I were to speak of my own opinions, you would do well not to come to church, but I proclaim to you the Word of God. I read to you the accounts of Christ. I present to you the words of God, fi ner than gold or other stones, sweeter than mead or honeycomb, and you would be deprived of them by not coming to church . . . but I praise and bless those of you who do come.”

he Church needs a great teacher Old Testament and enslavement of the and a wise orator to properly cel- Sabbath; an enrichment of the Church of Tebrate the holiday, but we are poor Christ, and enthronement of the Sunday. in words and dim in mind, not having the Last week there was a change of all fi re of the Holy Spirit — the enjoyment things, for the earth was opened up by of words useful to the soul; yet for the heaven, having been purifi ed from its sa- love of my brethren who are with me, we tanic impurities, and the angels with their shall say something about the renewal of wives humbly served at the resurrection. the Lord’s resurrection. In the past week All creation was renewed, for no longer of Easter there was joy in heaven, and ter- are the air, the sun, the fi re, the springs, ror in the nethermost regions, a renewal the trees, thought to be gods; no longer of life and liberation of the world, a de- does hell receive its due of infants sacri- struction of hell and victory over death, a fi ced by their fathers, nor death its hon- St. Cyril of Turov resurrection of the dead, and annihilation ors, for idolatry has come to an end, and of the enticing power of the devil; a sal- the satanic power has been vanquished vation of the human race by the resurrec- by the mystery of the cross. The Old tion of Christ; an impoverishment of the Continued on the next page 19 First Sunday after Pascha Continued from page 19 Testament has become impoverished by the rejection of the blood of calves and sacrifi ces of goats, for Christ has given Himself to the Lord as a sacrifi ce for all. And with this, Sunday ceased to be a holiday, but the Sunday was sanctifi ed on account of the resurrection, and Sunday is now supreme, for Christ arose from the dead on that day . . . Today the heavens have been cleared from the dark clouds that enshrouded them as with a heavy veil, and they proclaim the glory of God with a clear atmosphere . . . Today the sun rises and beams on high, and rejoicing warms the earth, for there has arisen for us from the grave the real sun, Christ, and He saves all who believe in Him. Today the moon descends from its high place, and gives honor to the greater lights. The Old Testament, as had been prophesied, has stopped with its Sabbath, and with its prophets gives honor to the Testament of Christ with its Sunday. Today the winter of sin has stopped in repentance, and the ice of unbelief is melted by wisdom. Today spring appears spruce, and enlivens all earthly existence; the stormy winds blow gently and generate fruits, and the earth, giving nurture to the seed, brings forth green grass. For spring is the beautiful faith in Christ, which, through baptism, produces all the wolves and sheep into one herd. ers are full, and the pagan fi sh let out their a regeneration of man, and the stormy Today the trees send forth buds and broods, and the fi shermen, having exam- winds are the evil, sinful thoughts that, the fragrant fl owers bloom, and behold, ined the depth of the divine incarnation, being changed to virtue through repen- the gardens already emit a sweet odor, drag in full nets into the Church . . . Today tance, generate soul-saving fruits; but the and the workers laboring in hope acclaim the industrious bees of the monastic order earth of our being, having received the Christ the giver of fruits. We were be- show their wisdom and set all to wonder, Word of God like a seed, and, passing fore like the trees of the forest that bear for living in the wilderness and providing through an ecstatic labor through the fear no fruit, but today the faith of Christ has for themselves, they astonish both angels of Him, brings forth a spirit of salvation. been grafted on our unbelief, and those and men, just as the bee fl ies upon the Today the newborn lambs and calves who already held to the roots of Jesse fl owers and forms combs of honey in or- frisk and leap about joyfully and return- have burgeoned with the fl owers of virtue der to furnish sweetness to man and what ing to their mothers gambol about, so and expect through Christ a regeneration is needed in the church. that the shepherds, playing on their reeds, in heaven, and the saints who labor for Today there is a feast of regeneration praise Christ in joy. The lambs, I say, are the Church expect a reward from Christ. for the people who are made new by the the gentle people from among the pagans, Today the ploughman of the Word leads resurrection of Christ, and all new things and the calves — the idolaters of the un- the oxen of the Word to the spiritual yoke, are brought to God: from heathens, faith; believing countries who, having accepted sinks the plough of baptism into the fur- from good Christians, offerings; from the the Law through Christ’s incarnation and rows of thought and deepening them to clergy, holy sacrifi ces; from the civil au- the teachings of the apostles and miracles, furrows of repentance plants in them the thorities, God-pleasing charity; from the and having returned to the holy Church, spiritual seed and rejoices in the hope of noble, care for the Church; from the righ- suck the milk of its teachings; and the future returns. Today everything old has teous, humility; from the sinners, true re- teachers of Christ’s fl ock, praying for all, taken an end, and all is new for the sake of pentance; from the unhallowed, a turning praise Christ, the Lord, who had collected the resurrection. Today the apostolic riv- to God; from the hating, spiritual love. 20 St. Tikhon’s Winter Teen Explores Topic “Relationships Part II” Retreat 2006

orty-eight teens gathered for the an- At 4 o’clock on Friday, the teens be- soda, and chips awaited them. After this nual Winter Teen Retreat sponsored gan to register in the Metropolitan Leonty feast, they gathered for an “ice-breaker.” Fby the Department of Christian Dormitory for Part 2 of the “Relationships” Although the highly decorated gym and Education of the Diocese of Philadelphia retreat series. After unpacking and set- DJ Nick standing in the corner by the and Eastern Pennsylvania, at St. Tikhon’s tling into their accommodations, the teens sound system should have been a hint, Monastery and Seminary on February headed to evening prayers in the seminary the teens were clueless as to what would 3-5, 2006. Through the efforts of Maria chapel and then into the fi rst workshop happen next — the Chicken Dance! The Proch, Nicholas Macura, Kimberly Metz, of the retreat, conducted by Fr. Timothy surprise “mixer” was a hit, while the teens members of DCE, and the time and tal- Hojnicki. enjoyed dancing to everything from the ents of numerous volunteers, the retreat After Fr. Timothy’s workshop, the Limbo to the Troika. was a huge success. teens then headed to the gym where pizza, Continued on the next page 21 The next morning, the teens awoke and proceeded to morning prayers and breakfast. After breakfast, Ginna Gilroy from the Women’s Resource Center presented the fi rst workshop. She spoke to the teens about positive relationships and relationships that could destroy both the physical and emotional well-being of individuals and families. Prior to the retreat, the teens were had been called to action. They responded with a very high level of enthusiasm. They collected baby clothes, household goods, cleaning supplies, personal care goods, children’s school supplies, and monetary donations for the agencies. Ginna said that it was the best The teens then broke for lunch and Women’s Resource Center and Your turnout from any group that she had spo- some well-deserved recreation time. Loving Choices. More than one trip was ken to and sincerely thanked the teens and After some good old-fashioned basket- required to transport the donations to the their parishes for their generosity. ball, football, and freeze tag, the second 22 and suggestions for the 2007 Retreat were discussed. The annual Ice Cream Sundae Party hosted by Mat. Myra Kovalak immediately followed. On Sunday morning, the teens had the privilege of attending a beautiful hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Grace, Bishop Tikhon. This was an especially moving experience for several of the teens that had never visited the mon- workshop of the day started. The guest ed by Sharon Hubiak, served a delicious astery before. speaker, LuAnn Martucci from Your Mexican Lasagna dinner. It was attended With attendance literally double that Loving Choices, spoke to the teens on by His Grace, Bishop Tikhon. After din- of last year’s Relationships Part I, which a variety of topics from her life experi- ner, His Grace met with the teens for a had received a very enthusiastic response ences. The teens enjoyed her interactive very intensive interactive question and from the teens, the DCE Winter Teen workshop incorporating activities, group answer session that allowed the bishop to Retreat of 2006 was both a victory for the discussions, and videos. receive the insight of the teens, while they future of Orthodoxy and a success in the After a bit of free time, the teens at- gained from his wisdom. spiritual lives of all who attended. tended vespers at St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Nick Macura and Kim Metz con- —Nicholas Macura Monastery Church. After vespers, the ducted the “closure” workshop for the DCE Member retreat’s magnifi cent kitchen crew, head- retreat. The teens refl ected on their day Continued on the next page 23 Annual Altar Server Retreat

24 Origen: the Denier of Human Freedom or a number of years I had been Part III seeing or hearing things about the St. Maximus and Origen FChristian faith attributed to Origen of Alexandria. According to my upbring- ing and training it was not in accord with the Bible, the Fathers, or the Orthodox Faith as a whole. For example, many, many years ago I remember hearing the venerable Archbishop Michael of the Greek Archdiocese say, “We are the Church of the Seven Ecumenical Councils!” Whether he was speaking in his native tongue or in his heavily accented English, I don’t remember. Now I was told that we should be, in effect, the Church of the Six Ecumenical Councils. The Holy Fathers of the Fifth Council, guided by the Holy Spirit, had condemned Origen, so the so- lution in this process of his rehabilitation was to reject the council. And so it went. The strange thing in this torrent of material about the Alexandrian pundit, some of it Orthodox, some of it not, is that there was no voice of protest. So many wise men among us, so many theologians, and not one, to my knowledge, offered a word of criticism, a word of caution. There were great international congresses to praise Origen, but not a word of criticism, that I was aware of. So it was that with fear and trembling, and praying for the help of God, that I un- dertook to bring to light the standing in the Church of both Origen and his teachings. Not that I felt adequate. But as I began to work immediately I found that all down through the ages there have been beacon lights that have pointed the way; St. Maximus and so in our generation too. In the fi rst article of this series entitled time of the Emperor Decius. We quoted Christ? Why the crucifi xion, the death, the “Origen: The Denier of Human Freedom” the eminent historian and theologian Fr. burial, and the resurrection of the Lord? we sketched out the life of the Egyptian John Meyendorff to show that many of What will be the reward of those who will philosopher and Bible commentator who his ideas were not actually Christian but have fought the good fi ght and witnessed has profoundly infl uenced Christian his- taken from Platonism, with a few of his for Christ, if the demons and the impious tory. He was born about the year 185 own added. St. Justinian the Emperor receive through apocatastasis the same A.D. in Alexandria, Egypt and lived un- wrote to the Patriarch of Constantinople dignity as the saints?”2 til about 254 when he died at Tyre1 after in the middle of the sixth century, regard- Led by the Emperor both he and going through a persecution during the ing the teachings of Origen: 2Meyendorff , Christ in Eastern Christian Thought, pp. 48-9. The quotation is taken from a letter to Patriarch Menas. 1A celebrated city of Phoenicia, (present day Lebanon) “If punishment and reward have an 100 miles or so north of Caesarea. end, why the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Continued on the next page 25 Origen cially from Platonism. We know that the God is in all.”6 Continued from page 25 Fathers of the Church, especially such It is also said in defense of Origen that these ideas were condemned by the Fifth men as Dionysius the Areopagite, did the in his time, the Church hadn’t yet ruled Ecumenical Council in 553. same; but they did not get into trouble by on some of the things that he taught. Well, In the second article of the series teaching such anti-biblical doctrines as why then did his own bishop Demetrius of we reprinted St. Jerome’s well known the preexistence of souls or apocatasta- Alexandria get so concerned, and why did ‘Letter to Avitus’ which is a review of sis. Therefore Dionysius’ works are much Origen have to leave Alexandria to fi nd a Origen’s most theological work, On First used. One thing that we should never safer refuge at Caesarea in Palestine? No, Principles. St. Jerome fi nds such niceties forget about Origen, is that although he he was condemned in his own lifetime for like the sun and moon and stars were once taught that everybody, even the devil, teaching heresy, by some, while praised spirits that enjoyed living in the pres- would be saved some day (apocatasta- by others. ence of God but fell and were encased in sis), he never got away from the idea of Jesus Christ taught a Gospel of love, their present sluggish bodies.3 Of course cycles, which meant that in the next world but also of sternness. He said watch out Jerome comes across some good reading a person could fall again, and would have or you will get in trouble. Life is serious but he cautions his friend Avitus at the to start all over again — over and over business. So is death. Men are appointed end of the letter: again, world succeeding world.5 once to die, but after that the judgment, “If anyone, therefore, wishes to read There would be a time, however, af- the Apostle tells us in Hebrews (9.27). The the work let him walk with his feet shod ter all these worlds or ages, after all these seventh article of the Creed reads, “And towards the land of promise; let him astronomical cycles, that something else He is coming again in glory to judge the guard against the jaws of the serpent and might happen. And Origen is very cau- living and the dead, whose kingdom shall the crooked jaws of the scorpion; let him tious about this, even though it is dear to have no end.” And if there is a judgment, read this treatise fi rst and before he enters the heart of all his followers, because this there must be some kind of sentence. The upon the path let him know the dangers is when God, he says, will be “all in all”: Bible, the Holy Martyrs, the Holy Fathers which he will have to avoid.” “Now if there is something greater than and the Divine Liturgy all speak of this God’s revelation came to mankind for ages, so that among created beings certain continually. salvation from sin through the Hebrew ages may be understood, but among other Origen said, “No, it’s not true. Christ prophets, which we fi nd in the Old beings which exceed and surpass visible was speaking allegorically.”7 No wonder Testament, and ultimately through the creatures, ages still greater (which per- he won many followers and has continued incarnation of the second member of the haps will be the case at the restitution of to gain them to this day. Origen, although Holy Trinity, Jesus Christ; the incarnation all things, when the whole universe will he personally suffered much, preached an is continued in a living form by the out- come to a perfect termination), perhaps easy religion, a deceptive one. Religion pouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in that period in which the consummation made easy. Everybody wins. His Church and in the written Word, the of all things will take place is to be un- In the same place, in Chapter ten, New Testament. In other words, salvation derstood as something more than an age. book two of his First Principles, devot- comes to us via the Judeo-Christian tradi- But here the authority of holy Scripture ed to Resurrection and Punishment, the tion. moves me, which says, ‘For an age and Egyptian sage challenges another state- Origen, while claiming to work basi- more.’ Now this word ‘more’ undoubt- ment by the founder of the Christian re- cally within the Judeo-Christian realm,4 edly means something greater than an ligion. Jesus Christ often used the word took ideas from here and there, espe- age; and ‘where I am, these also may be ‘everlasting’ to describe both the reward with Me; and as I and Thou art one, these of the just and the punishment of the 3First Principles 7.3. 4”All who believe and are convinced that grace and also may be one in Us,’ may not seem to damned (for the former see John 3.16, for truth came by Jesus Christ and that Christ is the truth... convey something more than an age and example, and for the latter, see Mt. 18.8.) derive the knowledge which calls men to lead a good and blessed life from no other source but the very ages, perhaps even more than ages of ages The Fathers say that if the punishment words and teaching of Christ . . . [and] even before that — that period, obviously, when all things is not everlasting neither is the reward. Christ the Word of God was in Moses and the prophets” (On First Principles, Koetschau’s text, Butterworth trans., are now no longer in an age, but when Origen, on the contrary, said, “There is a Gloucester, Mass., 1973, preface p. 1). Meyendorff points 5On First Principles, Koetschau’s text, ch. 3. Here we have resurrection of the dead, and there is pun- out, however, that Origen’s idea of Christ was not as one a good idea of Origen’s thinking about the creation of ishment, but not everlasting.”8 of the Trinity and only-begotten Son of God. He was one this world and of others. The footnotes also show us how of the created spirits, the one steadfast nous (intellect), a the translator Rufi nus has omitted or softened some But to get on with the present, third member of the original henad, who didn’t fall, but was of Origen’s more unconventional speculations. As for article, “St. Maximus and Origen.” St. later sent to earth with the mission to redeem the spirits someone being able to fall again in another life we read 9 that had. “Final salvation will consist of the restoration “But if what has been subjected to Christ shall in the end Maximus (21 Jan.) was one of the greatest 6 of all minds to their preexistent unity and equality. The be subjected also to God . . . then all will lay aside their On First Principles 2.3, ANF 4.273. The familiar “. . . that God angels, demons, and men will then be, in relationship to bodies; and then the entire universe of bodily things will may be all in all,” comes from the King James trans. of 1 Cor. 15.28. the God-Word, in the same unity as that of Christ, who, be dissolved into nonexistence; but, if necessity should 7See Book 2.10, On First Principles. even in his abasement, was never deprived of it” (Christ demand it a second time, it would come into existence 8On First Principles 2.10.8, Koetschau, p. 146. in Eastern Christian Thought, Crestwood, 1975, pp. 55-6). again in the event of the fall of rational creatures” (p. 86, n. 9For the biographical data presented here I am indebted These conclusions are based on anathemas 7 and 8 of 6). On the sacrifi cial death of our Lord, “. . . ‘Origen allows to The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox th the 5 Council and the unexpurgated Gnostic Chapters himself to assert that Christ has often suff ered and will Church, by Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra, of Evagrius, trans. from the Syriac. Evagrius was the prime often suff er, on the ground that what was benefi cial once translated from the French by Christopher Hookway interpreter of Origen in the early centuries and also will be benefi cial always’ “ (Koetschau, n. 4, p. 88, quoting (Ormylia, Greece: Holy Convent of the Annunciation of condemned at the same Council. Jerome). Our Lady, 2001), Vol. 3, pp. 237-244. 26 saints in the entire history of the Church, the Lord, people looked to St. Maximus. which means a diffi culty or problem. so his ideas carry considerable weight. He He had been forbidden to defend the Many of the questions discussed in the was born in Constantinople in 580.10 He faith of the Council of Chalcedon, whose Ambigua refer to obscure passages in was an exceptional student and became teaching and infl uence had given way to the writings of Gregory the Theologian, Emperor Heraclius’ secretary. However, Monophysitism and Monothelitism. Both bishop of Nazianzus. Followers of Origen he soon left the imperial court for the mo- he and Pope Martin of Rome were ar- were sometimes quoting St. Gregory to nastic life. After 12 years of hesychia or rested and taken to the eastern capital for support their views. Maximus wanted stillness he began to write. trial. They were tried and sent into exile. to show that all of Gregory’s statements “Freeing his mind thereby from the Maximus continued to write. In six years were Orthodox. The Quaestiones are tyranny of the passions, he nourished he was brought back for a new trial: Maximus’ answers to queries from his his intellect through prayer, raising it “After defaming and cursing them, friend Thalassius, an hegumen, the su- peaceably to the heights of contempla- the ecclesiastical court handed over Saint perior of a monastery in Libya; they date tion. In the silence of his cell, gazing Maximus and his companions to the City from a little later, about 630-33.15 into the abyss of his heart, he considered Prefect. He had them scourged and or- St. Gregory had said: “What does within himself the great Mystery of our dered their tongues and right hands to be Wisdom have in mind for me? And what Salvation — whereby the Word of God, cut off: being the members with which is this great mystery? Is it God’s inten- moved by His infi nite love for mankind, they had witnessed their confession. tion that we who are a portion of God and has condescended to unite Himself to our Covered in blood, they were paraded have slipped down from above should nature, which is separated from God and about the City prior to deportation to the out of self-importance be so haughty divided against itself by self-centered Caucasus, where they were imprisoned in and puffed up as to despise our Creator love (philautia); He has thus restored the separate fortresses at Lazica. It was there . . .”16 The Origenists took St. Gregory’s unity of our nature, brought in the reign of on 13 August 662 that Saint Maximus, phrase “that we who are a portion of God brotherly love and concord among men, at the age of eight-two, was defi nitively and have slipped down from above . . .” and opened to us the way of union with united to the Word of God, Whom he had and ran with it. It proved many things for God, for God is Love (1 John 4:16).”11 so loved and Whose life-giving Passion them. It showed that our souls had once But constant attacks on the capital city he had imitated by confession of faith existed near God, or that we were even by the Avars and the Persians — repulsed and martyrdom. It is said that every night a pantheistic part of God, and that we only by the miraculous assistance of the three lamps symbolizing the Holy Trinity had lost our place there, to inhabit dreary Mother of God — brought the empire lit of themselves above his tomb. The bodies of one kind or another on earth or to near-ruin and forced him to take up right hand of Saint Maximus is vener- somewhere else. Yes, even the creation an itinerant life — sojourning in Crete, ated today at the Monastery of St. Paul on of the world and bodies and the sun and Carthage, Cyprus, and Rome. At Carthage Mount Athos.”13 moon and stars, was the occasion of pro- he met the renowned Sophronius (11 Mar.) We have a great number of writings viding a place for those poor souls who and became his disciple. He continued his by St. Maximus but what interests us had slipped down. By a long process of writings against the Monophysites. He here is what he said about Origen. It’s education these souls could, maybe, re- kept on too with his deep theological trea- true that Origenism and its founder had gain, that bliss. tises on the doctrine of deifi cation. been condemned by the Fifth Ecumenical So in the Origenistic heresy the basic “He sees man as placed by God in the Council the century before and that many idea was rest (stasis) in God continued by world to be the priest of a cosmic liturgy saints had written against him. But he still movement (kinisis) away from God (be- and as called upon to gather together the had followers, and some very fanatical cause of satiety, koros) that led to “becom- inner principles (logoi) of all things in ones, for example in some monasteries ing” (genesis), the coming into being of order to offer them to the Divine Word in Palestine. Paul M. Blowers and Robert things, in other words the creation of the — the Logos — their Principle, in a free Louis Wilken say that “Maximus’ cosmic world. Maximus, in Ambiguum 7, demon- exchange of love; so that in fulfi lling the theology constitutes a fundamental cor- strates how things are just the reverse. plan for which he has been created — his rection of the ‘system’ of Origenism that “Instead of ‘rest,’ ‘movement’ and ‘be- union with God — he also leads the entire remained an object of devotion within coming’ (coming to be), he proposes ‘be- universe to perfection in Christ, the God- certain Eastern monastic communities coming’ followed by ‘movement’ that has man (Theanthropos).”12 long after its formal condemnation at the as its goal ‘rest.’ Movement in Maximus’ It was a time when the emperors of Council of Constantinople in 553.”14 view is understood positively as move- Constantinople were supposed to be de- Maximus’ works that we will be con- ment toward the Good, that is, toward fenders of the faith. When the emperors’ sidering here are his earlier Ambigua God. His term for the end, ‘rest,’ is drawn faith became muddled, and sometimes (nos. 6-71, dating ca. 628-30) and his from biblical verses such as Deuteronomy heretical, and St. Sophronius fell asleep in Quaestiones Ad Thalassium. The Latin 12:9 and Hebrews 4:10. Rest is the goal, ambiguum translates the Greek aporia, the end toward which we move, the ful- 10A more recently discovered Life reports that he was born 15 in Tiberius in Palestine and educated at the old Lavra of 13Ibid., p. 244. Ibid., p. 22. 16 Souka, south of Jerusalem. 14In their introduction to On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Ibid. p. 45. Oration 14.7 (On Love for the Poor) (PG 11The Synaxarion (Ormylia, 2001), vol. 3, p. 238. Christ, Selected Writings from Maximus the Confessor, St. 35.865C.) 12Ibid., pp. 239-40. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, NY, 2003, p. 19. Continued on the next page 27 Origen Continued from page 27 fi llment of our yearnings.17 When the end is reached one no longer wants anything of one’s own and delights in being wholly embraced by God. ‘Nothing besides God will be known, nor will there be anything opposed to God that could entice one to desire it.’”18 A more detailed analysis of Ambiguum 719 is in order. St. Gregory had said, “We who are a portion of God and have slipped down from above . . .” (1068D). Maximus said that a lot of people tried to understand this and in their interpretation were taking too much from Greek philosophy (1069A). They said that there was once a single entity or henad (enas) of rational beings; that we were all part of God and had our abode and understructure in him; moreover, that movement came from God and these rational beings were scattered all over and God made the world to outfi t them with bodies as punishment for their previous sins. This is what Gregory meant by this statement, they said. But their arguments are very unreason- able, according to St. Maximus (1069B). For if God is unmoved, because He fi lls all things, and all that was “brought from non-being to being is moved (because it tends toward some end)” because it’s going someplace, “then nothing that moves is yet at rest.” It desires something, and it hasn’t yet possessed it. “For movement driven by desire has not yet come to rest in that which is ultimately desirable. Unless that which is The Last Judgement ultimately desirable is possessed, nothing else is of such a nature as to bring to rest Him we live and move and have our be- of God,” because he exists by the logos what is being driven by desire. Therefore ing (Acts 17.28), because anyone who of his being that is in God and because if something moves it has not come to doesn’t violate his logos that existed for- he is good by the logos “of his well-being rest, for it has not yet attained the ultimate ever in God “is in God through diligence (1084C) which is in God . . .” And because desire. Those who are tending toward that . . .” and he lives in God by means of the he is God by means of the logos of his ev- which is ultimately desirable have not yet logos of his well-being that was in God erlasting being which is in God, he covets reached the end, since they have not yet forever, “when he lives virtuously . . .” the logoi and acts by them. By them he come to rest.”20 On the other hand, because he is already puts himself entirely in God, “wholly im- Further on, in 1084AB, St. Maximus one with himself, he is free of the pas- printing and forming God alone in him- writes that in the person who practices sions. But in the coming age, when given self, so that by grace he himself ‘is God virtues the apostolic word is fulfi lled: In the gift of divinization, he will tenderly and is called God . . .’ The saint says that love and cling to the logoi that we pre- here we see the wonderful condescension 17One is reminded of St. Augustine’s saying, “The soul viously talked about, that preexisted in of God — how he became man for our resteth not until it rest in thee.” 18On the Cosmic Mystery of Jesus Christ, pp. 24-5. God, or rather, “he will love God himself, sake, and by exchanging his condition for 19Ibid., 45-74. This is the English that I follow. The Greek in whom the logoi of beautiful things are ours unveiled the power that takes man up is from PG 91:1068D-1101C. The numbers and letters in securely grounded . . .”21 to God by his love for God and brings God parenthesis refer to the columns and the sections of the Greek Patrology cited. This is how he gets to be a “portion down to us because of his love for us. “By 20On the Cosmic Mystery, p. 46. 21Ibid., p. 60. this blessed inversion, man is made God 28 by divinization and God is made man by (1101A) In my view, however, this is not II hominization” (1084D).22 what happens. The constitution of the Here is where St. Maximus explains whole as a species has nothing to do with Some fi fty years ago the distinguished the other half of the expression: having undergone something nor with the Professor of Patrology at the Pontifi cal “Since each person is a ‘portion of power of the parts coming together with Institute of Saint Anselmo in Rome, God’ by the logos of virtue in him, as the each other. Rather there is a simultaneous Polycarp Sherwood, O.S.B. wrote a argument has shown, whoever abandons coming to be of the whole species with its very penetrating book called The Earlier his own beginning and is irrationally parts. It is impossible for one species to Ambigua of Saint Maximus the Confessor swept along toward non-being is rightly change into another species without cor- and His Refutation of Origenism.29 said to have ‘slipped down from above,’ ruption.”25 Actually, by the time he had fi nished his because he does not move toward his own But St. Maximus anticipates some ob- more than 230 pages, he had appealed to beginning and cause according to which jections. Some will ask, he goes on, how several other of St. Maximus’ works to and for which and through which he came the soul can carry on after death, when make his case. Father Sherwood was an to be . . .”23 even the body is dissolved. By the same American Benedictine. Now we get to another disagreement token, they say, it could have existed be- The book has two parts. Part I shows — the henad. There just could not have fore the body. But he replies that their ar- the manuscript tradition, the recipients, been souls existing around God before gument is not persuasive. the adversaries (contemporary Origenists, they fell, with bodies created later, be- “For what one means by origin is not most of the time), then an analysis of the cause the two go together: the same as what one means by essence. single diffi culies. In Part II we fi nd the “If the body and the soul are parts of The former refers to whence something basic refutation of Origenism. Chapter man, as we have seen, it must be granted is, where it is and in relation to what it is, I examines Maximus and Origenism; that as parts each necessarily bears a rela- but the latter refers to what something is Chapter II, The Triad: Substance, Power, tion to something other than itself. It is and how it is. If so, the soul, after it has Operation (ousia, dynamis, energeia); only as they are related to each other that come to be, always exists because of its Chapter III, Ecstasis; Chapter IV, Logos. they have the whole predicated of them. being; but because it has come to be, it A. The Distinction: Logos-Tropos. tro- Something that is always spoken of in re- is not independent of other things and its pos-uparxeos, mode of existence. B. lation to something else must have come condition is determined by whence it is Logos and the Unity of Creation; Chapter into existence with the other. For the parts and where it is and in relation to what it V, Koros; Chapter VI, Apocatastasis. by coming together constitute the whole, is”26 (1101B). Because the soul, Maximus As we can see from this condensed and what each is in essence can be distin- continues, after the body dies, is no longer table of contents, we have already dis- guished only in thought. Therefore since called just soul, but the soul of a person, cussed all but two of Origen’s two main they are parts of man it is impossible for yes the soul of one person. ideas that are dealt with in this work. One either the soul or the body to exist before St. Maximus closes his case for the is koros and the other apocatastasis. We the other or indeed to exist after the other creation of soul and body at the same time have said nothing about ecstasis, because in time. (1100D) If that were not the case with the following statement: it wasn’t a concern for Origen, we have the necessary relation each has to the oth- “Therefore the human being is com- no need to discuss it here. er would be destroyed.”24 posed of soul and body, for soul and body The average school pupil wouldn’t “Further, if the soul is a species in it- are indissolubly understood to be part of know the Greek word koros.30 But he self before it is joined to the body, and the the whole human species. (1101C) Soul would know what it means to get bored. body is a species before it is joined to the and body came into being at the same mo- This is what Origen said happened to the soul, and each, soul to body and body to ment27 and their essential difference from spirits hovering around God who were soul, by being joined to the other brings each other in no way whatsoever impairs part of the original henad, or unity and about an entity that is different from what the logoi that inhere naturally and essen- decided to leave home. They got bored. each is in itself, then there are two pos- tially in them. For that reason it is incon- As punishment God created the world sibilities. Either they undergo a change or ceivable to speak of the soul and body and bodies and whatnot to imprison them what they became is what they are by na- except in relation to each other. It is only for punishment. Earlier in this article we ture. If it is because of undergoing some- as they come together to form a particu- pointed out how Christ was one of the thing, what they undergo makes them into lar person that they exist. If either existed good spirits who didn’t leave home, but something they were not. Which is to say before the other, it would have to be un- later was sent to earth to bring back those they were corrupted. But if what they be- derstood as the soul or the body of the one who had (see note 4.) Sherwood tells us come is what they are by nature, this will to which the other belongs. The relation 29Orbis Catholicus, Herder, Rome, 1955. 28 always happen because it is their nature. between them is immutable.” 30Our trusty monastery Liddell and Scott Lexicon, tells The soul would never cease being rein- me that the word means being or becoming satisfi ed, having one’s fi ll, satiety. Lat. satietus. Also in a bad sense, carnated, nor the body being reanimated. 25Ibid., p. 72-3. satiety, surfeit. Surfeit comes from surfaire to overdo, fr. 26Ibid., p. 73. sur + faire to do. 1. an overabundant supply, excess; 2 an intemperate or immoderate indulgence in something (as 22Ibid. 27Here we have a great saint furnishing an argument food or drink) 3. disgust caused by excess. 23Ibid., p. 61. against abortion, as if any more arguments were needed. 24Ibid., p. 72. 28Ibid., 73-4. Continued on the next page 29 Origen comes from. “But for those who enjoy everlasting punishment: but the righteous Continued from page 29 fellowship with God who is infi nite and into life eternal” (see Matthew 25.31-46.) that satiety or surfeit (that is, koros) was beautiful, desire becomes more intense We pray for the amelioration of the situ- one of the crucial points in the Origenist and has no limit.” ation of the departed, but in any case af- doctrine. It was used as a term to point out “If this is so, as has already been dem- ter the last judgment everything will be the reason for the dispersal and to give an onstrated, there was no single entity (enas) fi nal. We could quote here other Gospels explanation for the scattering of the henad of rational beings, that became satiated and the epistles, and certainly the book of and is found in the Justinian letters: to with its abode in God, then was divided, Revelation, also a great number of hymns Patriarch Menas (543) and to the Council (1089C) and by its scattering brought of the Church, to show the teaching of a (553); it also appears in the fi rst and sec- about the origin of the world. Let us then two-fold eternity. ond anathemas. The fi rst anathema of 543 not make the Good fi nite and valueless, Origen said that it’s not true. He reads as follows: “If anyone says that the capable of producing satiety and bringing had his own ideas. Rather than a fi nal- souls of men preexist, insofar as being about a revolt among those whose desire ity at the Great Judgment he substituted fi rst minds and holy powers, but having a it could not satisfy. It appears, however, the idea of apocatastasis. Apocatastasis surfeit of the divine vision and turned to that some vainly assert this, and what is means to bring something back to a cer- the worse and therefore being cooled with more, falsely claim that our blessed fa- tain catastasis, or condition. It is often regard to the love of God; and hence be- ther Gregory taught these things. For they translated restoration. Here we would ing named souls and sent down into bod- hold not only that he thought that souls assume that Origen means the condition ies for punishment’s sake — let him be fell from the former life into bodies to be before the Fall. He talks about it in his anathema.”31 punished for evils they had previously First Principles in Book III, Chapter V, Before we get to the refutation, we committed, but they also attempt with Sections 7 and 8. “If, then, that subjection quote Sherwood once more: He says that sweet sounding words to mislead others be held to be good and salutary by which it will be good now to do his own abridg- into thinking this is so by appealing to the Son is said to be subject to the Father, ment of the Origenist myth, based on the their personal integrity.”33 it is an extremely rational and logical in- material already quoted. The original We will now continue with the sub- ference to deduce that the subjection also unity is of the rational creatures, whose ject of apocatastasis or restoration. This of enemies, which is said to be made to extreme changeableness is based on their was one of Origen’s teachings that still the Son of God, should be understood as being creatures, and is possible because infl uences Christian theology. According being also salutary and useful, as if, when of their free will, “consisting essentially to Jesus Christ, the author and fi nisher of the Son is said to be subject to the Father, in the choice between good and evil. Thus our faith (Hebrews 12.2), this world is the the perfect restoration of the whole of cre- the very nature of the free will, though it place where we live our lives and make ation is signifi ed, so also, when enemies may develop in an ever-expanding desire our decisions, either for good or for evil. are said to be subjected to the Son of of the good, actually comes to a surfeit In the Nicene Creed, which we recite sev- God, the salvation of the conquered and of the good and thus becomes responsible eral times a day in Orthodox services, we the restoration of the lost is in that under- for the original breakup of the henad.”32 say, in article seven, “And He shall come stood to consist” (section 7). Section 8 Let’s see how St. Maximus counter- again, to judge the living and the dead, is a long paragraph telling how even the acts this reasoning. whose kingdom shall have no end.” This worst enemies of God will be converted The saint writes that although he has is borne out by all the Holy Scriptures — nevertheless, according to Origen, all only skimmed the surface in the discus- and the liturgical tradition of the Church. will be converted.34 We must never for- sion and that his abilities are limited, he For example, during the period of the get, however, that Origen always held to has tried to demonstrate by argument, Triodion, which leads up to the Great Fast, the Platonic idea of cycles, so that even from Holy Writ and the Fathers, that noth- we have the Sunday of the Last Judgment. someone saved in the next world could ing created or that moves has ever come When the King comes at the end of the fall again and be sent back to earth, to be- to rest, nor won the reward which God has world, “. . . He will say unto them on gin the weary trip all over again. in store. It is impossible that those who his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my In Book I, Chapter VI, of the First have stability in their abode in God will Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for Principles Origen speaks about the end or leave it. “How can those who have actu- you from the foundation of the world: For consummation. He equates subjection to ally found rest in God,” he asks, “become I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I salvation. satiated and be drawn away recklessly by was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a “The end of the world, then, and the desire?” stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye fi nal consummation, will take place when Satiety is reached in one of two way, clothed me: I was in prison, and ye came every one shall be subjected to punish- he argues. Either some trivial thing was unto me.” Our Lord has the same dialog ment for his sins . . . We think, indeed, that desired or the one satiated has become with those on his left hand, the wicked. the goodness of God, through His Christ, nauseated by “what is base and repug- They are not able to produce any signs of may recall all His creatures to one end, nant.” Actually this is where loathing good works or repentance. The result is even His enemies being conquered and two-fold: “And these shall go away into subdued . . . The Apostle Paul . . . speaks 31Sherwood, The Earlier Ambigua, p. 181. 32Ibid. p. 184. 33On the Cosmic Mystery, Ambiguum 7, pp. 64-5. 34ANF 4.343-4. 30 more openly, thus: ‘For Christ must reign until He has put all enemies under His feet’ (1 Corinthians 15. 25) . . . What, then, is this ‘putting under’ by which all things must be made subject to Christ? I am of opinion that it is this very subjection which the apostles also were subject, and all the saints who have been followers of Christ. For the name ‘subjection,’ by which we are subject to Christ, indicates that the salvation which proceeds from Him belongs to His subjects, agreeably to the declaration of David, ‘Shall not my soul be subject unto God? From Him cometh my salvation.’ (Psalm 62.1.) So everyone who is subjected to Christ, even His enemies, are saved”35 (ANF 4.260). The Fathers in general, however, continued to follow the teachings of the Bible about eschatology. For example, just glancing through the homilies of St. John Chrysostom (c.347-407) we fi nd the Biblical view of heaven and hell mentioned frequently: In homily 11 he is speaking on Matthew 3.7: “But when he [John the Baptist] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them. ‘O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to fl ee from the wrath to come?’” And St. John Chrysostom takes up the narrative: “Where now are they by whom hell-fi re is disbelieved? Since surely here are two points laid down, one, that St. Gregory of Nyssa He will baptize with the Holy Ghost, the other, that He will burn up36 the disobedi- ent.” He then preaches a long homily on heaven and hell.37 St. John of Damascus (c. 675-749) the celebrated hymn writer, in his well known Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, waits to the very last chapter to argue for the resurrection of the dead. “We shall there- united with our bodies . . . and we shall Gregory of Nyssa (330-395), how- fore rise again, our souls being once more stand beside the awful judgment-seat of ever, developed this idea of Origen, that Christ: and the devil and his demons and everyone will be saved, but not according 35Father Dumitru Staniloae, in his long introduction to his translation of the Ambigua from Greek to Romanian the man that is his, that is the Antichrist to Holy Scripture or other Fathers. We get (Bucharest, 1983, pp. 9-10) is puzzled by a modern and the impious and the sinful, will be some of his main ideas in the little book phenomenon: “And another position seems to us even given over to everlasting fi re: not mate- On the Soul and the Resurrection,39 in more dangerous -- that which we encounter today even among theologians around us -- they adopt the errors rial fi re like our fi re, but such fi re as God Chapter 7, “Why Is Purifi cation Painful?” condemned by the Fifth and Sixth Ecumenical Councils, would know. But those who have done The soul is naturally related to God and basing their authority on Origen, and precisely in this fi nd a foundation for their adoption. Between Origen, good will shine forth as the sun with the is attracted to the Divine. If nothing is considered the direct sustainer or cause of all the angels into life eternal, with our Lord holding it down “its progress towards the Origenistic opinions condemned by the two councils, and the decisions of these councils, they chose this Origen. Jesus Christ, ever seeing Him and being one who attracts it becomes pleasant and Thus we hear some of them declaring that hell doesn’t in His sight and deriving unceasing joy easy.” But if it is weighed down by the exist, because Origen didn’t admit it!” See also note 45 of from Him, praising Him with the Father 39Catharine P. Roth, trans., Crestwood, New York, 1993. This this article. little book presents a dialog between St. Gregory of Nyssa 36St. John Chrysostom is not advocating here the and the Holy Spirit throughout the limit- and his sister St. Macrina when their brother St. Basil the destruction of sinners. The translation so reads. He speaks 38 less ages of ages. Amen.” Great had just died. elsewhere of hell as something permanent. 37NPNF 10, Homily XI on Matthew 3.7. 38NPNF 9.101. Continued on the next page 31 Origen earlier or later in the blessedness which put together.”40 Then a long passage from Continued from page 31 we hope for. The duration of the healing Epistle 1 is quoted where he warns him- passions, it will be the opposite. When process will undoubtedly be in proportion self of the consequences of neglecting there is an earthquake people are killed to the measure of evil which has entered salvation. Does the concrete solidarity of and buried in the wreckage. When they each person. This process of healing the the human race mean that since in Adam are found amidst the debris and gotten soul would consist of cleansing it from all die, even so in Christ all will be made ready for their funerals their bodies are evil. This cannot be accomplished with- alive? (1 Corinthians 15.22.) Some in- all mangled and torn. So it will be in the out pain, as we have discussed previous- terpreters would say this. But Maximus’ next life with the soul, when God takes ly” (pp. 115-16). writings abound in passages that show his own from the debris of the passions. Let’s see now what St. Maximus had the moral element, that the kingdom is “For it is not out of hatred or vengeance to say about Origen’s topic — apocatas- ‘granted to the worthy’ and the like.41 for an evil life (in my opinion) that God tasis, or the restoration of all at the end Von Balthasar believes, according brings painful conditions upon sinners, of time. to Sherwood, that texts of the esoteric when He seeks after and draws to Himself First we will present an outline of sort are frequent in Maximus. Now Von whatever has come to birth for His sake; Father Polycarp Sherwood’s chapter by Balthasar is someone whom Sherwood for a better purpose He draws the soul to the same name starting on page 205 of frequently disagrees with and contradicts. Himself, who is the fountain of all bless- his book The Earlier Ambigua and the In this case he again says that it isn’t “quite edness. The painful condition necessarily Refutation of Origenism. so.” Sherwood thinks that Maximus hon- happens as an incidental consequence to His introduction consists of a para- ors a doctrine in silence “. . . because he the one who is drawn. When goldsmiths graph which states that Maximus makes is not equal to the heights of Gregory [the purify gold by fi re from the matter which no explicit refutation of apocatastasis as Theologian]’s teaching,”42 or he will dis- is mixed with it, they do not only melt he does of the other Origenist errors such cuss it face to face with Thalassius when the adulterant in the fi re, but inevitably as the henad and the preexistence of souls; he is with him, rather than put some of the the pure metal is melted along with the but (he) Sherwood thinks that there is a most exalted doctrines in writing. base admixture. When the latter is con- “ . . . defi nite well-grounded rejection.” Father Polycarp now lists a number sumed the former remains. In the same Then, the good professor that he is, of texts from Maximus that name the way when evil is consumed by the purify- tells us about the previous studies that apocatastasis. He shows us that the term ing fi re, the soul which is united to evil have been published in recent times apocatastasis is not an “exclusively tech- must necessarily also be in the fi re until on Maximus and restoration. In 1902 nical term of theology.” Maximus uses it the base adulterant material is removed, Michaud concluded that Maximus taught to show the annual return of the sun to the consumed by the fi re . . . So the Divine the restoration of all; in 1930 Viller stated same position and in a number of other judgment, I said, as it seems, does not pri- that Maximus did not accept the doctrine ways. marily bring punishment on sinners . . . as found in Evagrius; in 1928 Grumel In his explanation of the Our Father, it operates only by separating good from wrote that Maximus “. . . held a miti- Maximus gives seven items as the rea- evil and pulling the soul towards the fel- gated doctrine of the apocatastasis.” In son for the prayer: theology, adoption by lowship of blessedness” (pp. 83-4). 1941 Von Balthasar aligned himself with grace, equality with angels, the taking part “But when God brings our nature Michaud. Perhaps for Maximus, Von in eternal life, restoration of nature impas- back to the fi rst state of man by the resur- Balthasar said, the threat of hell is only a sionately in accord with itself, the loosing rection . . . He has one goal: When the scare tactic. In other words, scholars see of the law of sin, abolition of the tyranny whole fullness of our nature has been what they want to see. of the devil who controlled us by deceit. perfected in each man, some straightway Next, Father Sherwood tells of texts The fi fth — the restoration of nature, and even in this life purifi ed from evil, others in Maximus relating to the judgment. A the abolition of the devil’s power are what healed hereafter through fi re for the ap- tension exists among Catholic theolo- interest us here, Sherwood says. “The res- propriate length of time, and others igno- gians, he believes, regarding the perfec- toration of nature to itself is the perfect rant of the experience equally of good and tion and universality of salvation by Jesus and immovable accord of nature and the of evil in the life here, God intends to set Christ and its seeming failure in the real- deliberate [or choosing] will (gnomi).” before everyone the participation of the ity of unending punishment. In Maximus’ He goes on to says that the destruction good things in Him, which the Scripture Four Centuries on Love eternal pun- of the devil’s oppression is the result of says eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor ishment is obvious in 1.56, 57; 2.34. In the Passion, “. . . the delibetately accepted thought attained. This is nothing else, ac- Epistle 4.416A Maximus writes, “those physical death by which the devil is forced cording to my judgment, but to be in God who have their station allotted on the left to vomit forth those he has swallowed.” Himself; for the good which is beyond hand receive eternal fi re, the outer dark- We fi nd no trace here of the apocatastasis hearing, sight, and heart would be that ness, the sleepless worm, the gnashing of in its “objectionable sense.”43 very thing which surpasses everything. teeth, undryable tears, and endless shame He treats the apocatastasis explic- But the difference between a life of virtue over which every man condemned to un- 40Sherwood, pp. 207-8. 41Ibid., 209. and life of wickedness will appear here- ending torment for ages is more affl icted 42Ibid., 210. after chiefl y in allowing us to participate than over all other forms of punishment 43Ibid, 214. 32 itly in the 13th of his QD (Quaestiones et may see very clearly the disassociation of continues, “this is to be understood not Dubia). The question was asked: “Since the apocatastasis, consisting in an epigno- only of the body, but also of the intel- Gregory of Nyssa very frequently in his sis, a ‘taking possession of the organizing lectual faculties. It carries with it then a writings, to us who do not understand the essences,’ . . . which is the supreme ideal certain knowledge of God, but disjoined depth of his high theory, seems to suggest of Platonism, and the Christian beatitude, from communion with him. Gregory, the restoration, tell us please what you un- which is communion (methexis) with a however, went further, teaching that even derstand of it.”44 personal God.’” 48 sinners will eventually communicate in “The Church knows of three restora- The inquisitive Roman professor has the divine goods. The putting off of the tions. The fi rst is that of single persons another question. He wonders if there are memory of sins remains obscure.”50 by reason of virtue in which each is re- not only passages in Maximus stating or Sherwood tells us that this is a some- stored, fulfi lling the principles of virtue in supposing (as he has already presented), what barren description of the state of himself. The second is that of the whole but positively arguing and asserting the fi - sinners. The other writings of Maximus nature in the resurrection — restoration to nality of judgment at death for the state of complete it; he continues: incorruption and immortality. The third, individuals in the next life. He fi nds two: “There are the unending pangs of con- which Gregory of Nyssa has especially the Ambigua 42 and 65. Maximus writes science (ep 24-612C); the darkness, grief abused in his works,45 is this: the resto- in Ambiguum 42: and torment, but above all, the fellowship ration again of the soul’s powers, fallen “Of all things, that do or substantially with the demons, with the hateful and under sin, to that (state) in which they exist . . . the logoi, fi rmly fi xed, preex- haters, and still more the separation from were created. For it is needful that, as the ist in God, in accordance with which all God and his saints. Between God and the whole of nature in the resurrection of the things are and have become and abide, damned there is no hate; for God is essen- fl esh receives immortality at the hoped- ever drawing near through natural motion tially love; still the freely chosen separa- for time, so also the perverted powers of to their purposed logoi. They (the things) tion remains” (ep 1-389AB). the soul with the passage of ages put off are rather constrained to being and re- Such a depiction of the fi nal condi- the memory of wickedness implanted in ceive, according to the kind and degree tion of the lost is what Maximus arrived it, and, traversing all the ages nor fi nd- of their elective movement and motion, at in his own thoughts as he wrote to his ing any stopping place, come to God who either well-being because of virtue and intimate George, Sherwood thinks; he has no limit. Thus by clear knowledge direct progress in regard to the logos by did not consider there to give a theologi- (epignosis) not by participation (methex- which they are or ill-being because of cal outline. The reader must be satisfi ed is) in the divine (goods) the soul receives the vice and motion out of harmony with with it. Our Christlike father professor (its) powers and is restored to its primi- the logos by which they are. Or to put it of patrology, who has been such a good tive (state) and the creator is shown not concisely, according to the having or the and true mentor for me for the writings of to be the cause of sin” (Quaestiones et lack, in their natural participative faculty, one of the greatest saints in the Church, Dubia 13-796).46 of him who exists by nature completely St. Maximus, closes his book with these Sherwood asks what we should un- and unparticipated and who proffers him- words. derstand from the Maximian distinction. self entire simply and graciously by rea- “Still my analysis, if it be not too far He answers that it allows sinners in the son of his limitless goodness to all, the from the mark, gives greater depth to next life “clear knowledge” (epignosis) of worthy and the unworthy, producing the these words by which Maximus confi rms good things, but not a sharing of them. He permanence of everlasting being as each his teaching of perfect charity toward all quotes Danielou:47 “ ‘In these texts one man of himself has been and is (then) dis- men alike: ‘Therefore too our Lord and 44We shouldn’t be surprised to fi nd patristic error, posed. For these the respective participa- God Jesus Christ, manifesting his charity sometimes. Otherwise, we end up with a kind of patroinfallibility and even patrolatrea, which forced the tion or imparticipation of the very being, for us, suffered for the whole of mankind Roman Church to the decision of papal infallibility at well-being and ever-being is the increase and granted equally to all the hope of res- Vatican I (1869-70). At the same time, we remember the rule of St. Vincent of Lerins (died before 450): “Now in the and augment of punishment (timoria) for urrection, though each individual makes Catholic Church itself we take the greatest care to hold those not able to participate and of enjoy- himself fi t either for glory or for punish- that which has been believed everywhere, always, and by ment for those able to participate.”49 ment (Char. 1.71).’ “51 all.” Bettenson, Documents of the Christian Church. 45The well-known Orthodox Bishop Kallistos Ware, in his The father professor now brings up To be continued. 50 collected works, The Inner Kingdom (New York: 2000, Vol. another frequently asked question: “Of Sherwood, p. 222. “The bishop of Nyssa envisages, in the 1, pp. 193 ff .) included a chapter “Dare we hope for the course of long ages, the restoration not only of the whole salvation of all?” He maintains that since Gregory of Nyssa what abuse was Gregory of Nyssa guilty human race but also of the inventor of iniquity, the devil.” proposed a restoration of all at the end of the ages, and in his apocatastatic doctrine?” In answer- Catech. magna §§ 26: PG 45.69 B7-C8. Sherwood 215. This was never condemned, apocatastasis is quite all right. was a subject that frequently got Origen into trouble, and It’s true that he and other fathers made mistakes, but ing, Sherwood notes that the teaching Gregory of Nyssa followed in his footsteps. 51 Gregory of Nyssa was reprimanded more than once for which Maximus does offer, he offers as Ibid. this particular teaching. We fi nd a most interesting note church doctrine; he notes further that in Sherwood (p. 210) regarding him: “At the council of Florence Bessarion and Mark of Ephesus together framed St. Theodore Studite heartily accepted it St. Tikhon’s a reply to the Latins. In this the phrase honor in silence is some two centuries later. “Then as there used to mean pass over in silence an undoubted error of Summer Camp an honored father, in this case the Nyssene doctrine of is the universal resurrection,” Sherwood the apocatastasis (Patrologia Orientalis 15.72 14).” 46Sherwood p. 215. 48Sherwood, p. 216. July 9-15, 2006 47Recherches de science religieuse 30 (1940) 347. 49Amb. 42-1329A1-B7, Ibid., p. 220. 33 Orthodox Hierarchs Lead March for Life

rthodox Christian marchers from across the United States descend- Oed on the nation’s capital on Monday, January 23, 2006, to bear witness to the sanctity of life at the annual March for Life. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, and His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania, led the marchers to the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court, where they offered prayers for the countless victims of legalized abortion. On the eve of the march, our Metropolitan Herman and some 200 faithful gathered at the O.C.A.’s Saint Nicholas Cathedral on Massachusetts Avenue to celebrate vespers. Archpriest John Kowalczyk, a noted pro-life activ- ist, gave the homily, explaining the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.” Metropolitan Herman, at the end of the service, offered the marchers of thousands of assembled marchers. In a The evening before, Metro-politan words of encouragement, and distributed stirring address, His Beatitude challenged Herman had addressed nearly 800 pro- prints of the “Joy of All Who Sorrow” the marchers to proclaim that all life is a life notables from across the U.S. at the icon, which had been specially printed to sacred gift from God, and lamented the annual Rose Dinner. mark the 2006 observance by the O.C.A. deaths of the millions of unborn children This year marks the nineteenth con- of Right to Life Sunday. who have fallen victim to abortion on secutive year that Metropolitan Herman Just before the march, Father John in- demand since the practice was legalized has addressed the marchers and led them troduced Metropolitan Herman to the tens over three decades ago. in witnessing to the sanctity of life.

34 35

Continued on the next page 36 The Founding of St. Tikhon’s Monastery In South Canaan, Pennsylvania, 1905-1906

“’Holy Father Tikhon, pray to God for us!’ . . . O Queen of Heaven . . . come abide with us! Shelter us with your precious veil from all evil! You have not come alone, but in company with him who was glorifi ed with many miracles — the holy God-pleaser Panteleimon — Unmercenary and Wonderworker. Let this your holy fellow-traveler amongst icons be a protector and healer of all the sicknesses of these little ones!” —Igumen Arseny, 1906 Part VI Memorial Day, May 30, 1906: Formal Opening and Consecration

On May 30, 1906, with three hierarchs, at least 1200 pilgrims, and hundreds of singers present, the new monastery celebrated its formal opening. The new church was consecrated, and two holy icons from Mount Athos were brought in a cross-procession and put in place. The blessing of water was celebrated at the new monastery well, and the four corners of the temple were blessed. Saints Tikhon, Raphael, and Alexis addressed the faithful. It was the second annual pilgrimage, and the ﬁ rst on Memorial Day. St. Tikhon said, “. . . through God’s helping mercy . . . a void is now ﬁ lled,” and St. Raphael stressed that through “the blessing of God . . . a vision is realized.”

37 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

Continued from page 37 ranging in age from 10 to 1 1/2 years. In room, where they either take their food n preparation for this solemn occasion, this number are 5 boys and 7 girls. with the orphans or else after the children the preceding year, since the founding, 6. Employees: 1) Orphanage director, have eaten. Iwas a time of hard work and prayer, Hierom. Arseny. 2) Manager of the house- 8. The life of those cared for by the but of remarkable and rapid progress. hold, Nicholas Yablonovsky, receives $20 Orphan Home is passed in this manner: In December, 1905, the cornerstone was a month with room and board. 3) Sister of at 7 in the morning, the children get up, laid (see the last issue of Alive in Christ). mercy for the children, Anastasia Vichak wash, and go to church for common In February, 1906, Fr. Hieromonk Arseny receives $5 a month with full upkeep and prayer. After prayers they have breakfast, reported on the activities and life of both clothing, and her two children are cared all at a common table, then the older ones the monastery and the orphanage during depart for the American school, while the the preceding six months: younger ones remain under the care of the sister of mercy. At 12 o’clock they dine; Summary Report on the Status of after the meal, if the weather is good, they St. Tikhon’s Habitation and have recreation outside in the fresh air. At Orphan Home from 4 o’clock they have an afternoon rest; at 15 July, 1905 to 15 Jan., 1906.1 6:30 p.m., supper; and at 8 o’clock, after common evening prayers, they go to 1. The St. Tikhon cloister and the sleep. Orphan’s home adjoining it have been For each of the children being cared open since July 15, 1905, near South for, there is a separate bed with all nec- Canaan, Pa., on the Wagner farm pur- essary bedding items. In the evening chased from an American for $2580 and hours, as much as possible, the older deeded in the name of the Most Blessed children are taught their lessons; this Archbishop Tikhon. aspect of the household belongs to the 2. The Charter for the Orphan Home administrator, who is familiar with tutor- is available and the corporation consists ing. What has been said about life in the of 5 persons, namely Hieromonk Arseny, Cloister, must also be said about the life Priest Fr. Elias Klopotovsky, and three Igumen Arseny, 1906 in the Orphanage. After a short span of American citizens, Theodore Vakhna, for at the Orphanage gratis. 4) The cook, time, and with a shortage of experienced, Jacob Adamiak, and Clement Buranich. Elena Salagub receives $5 a month with knowledgeable persons, the present ar- 3. In view of the fact that since the full upkeep and clothing, and her one boy rangement cannot be compared with per- opening of the St. Tikhon’s Habitation is cared for gratis at the Orphanage.2 fection. The children have shelter, cloth- and Orphan Home up to the present day, 7. Life at St. Tikhon’s cloister is spent ing, shoes, and nourishment, but the edu- the life of the [orphans] who are cared for in prayer and work. In truth, it has been cational side is as yet just waiting for the and of the brothers is passed jointly, all quite hard to organize a strict monastic schoolmistresses, who will lift everything moneys received have been recorded in order in services and life, due to the small to the proper level. one book without distinction, and simi- number of brethren, and the short period 9. Since the time the Orphan Home larly all expenses have been reckoned of time; but daily, at 5 a.m. by the bell, the has existed, there has been one death, jointly. Accordingly, whereas it is difﬁ - brothers assemble in the house church, and a few have been sick. Every time, the cult to calculate the cost of each child be- where nocturns and matins are served, doctor has been summoned from South ing cared for, this will be easy to do after and in the evening, vespers and compline. Canaan, or the children were transported the construction of the new building and Since the day of Hieromonk Tikhon’s to him, for which the means are readily the separation of the monastery from the arrival, the liturgy has been served on available. orphan home. Thursday with the akathist to St. Tikhon. [Paragraph 10 listed at length all do- 4. Personnel of St. Tikhon’s Cloister On Sunday and feast-days the liturgy is nations received from individuals, par- to 15 January 1906: Rector Hieromonk celebrated without fail. ishes, and brotherhoods, among them St. Arseny, Deputy-Superior Hieromonk During the hours not taken up with Tikhon ($1310), Count Witte ($1000), and Tikhon, Postulant Andrew Repella, services, the brotherhood is occupied in Father Arseny ($900). The total income Postulant Konst[antin] Chuda, Postulant the labors of housekeeping and in cell was $6633.22. Paragraph 11 gave a list John Mandalin. prayers. At mealtime they gather in one of expenditures, which totaled $6338.39, 5. Roster of those cared for in the 2. To Paragraph 6, Fr. Arseny appended this note: and concluded by citing a balance (in- Orphan Home. All those under care in the “Employed during this period were: the nun Maria, come over expenditures) of $294.83.] who was paid $10 a month with full upkeep, and Orphan Home are 12 souls — children Olga Antonovich who was paid $15 a month with full 12. Livestock inventory: 6 milk cows, upkeep; but both of them have left our employ, the 2 working horses, 3 pigs, and 55 chick- 1. Russian Orthodox American Messenger (ROAM), vol. 10 fi rst having departed to Russia and the second having ens. no. 3, 1-14 Feb. 1906, 41-44. Texts have been trans- taken ill, and at the present time the Orphan Home lated by Alexander Maximov, the late V. Rev. Vladimir administration is occupied with seeking a suitable su- Explanatory notes to the section on Borichevsky, and Igumen Juvenaly. perintendress for the home.” expenditures are not attached, but at St. 38 Tikhon’s Monastery a day-book of re- ceipts and expenses is kept, from which anyone who is interested may get all necessary information. Rector of St. Tikhon’s Monastery and administrator of the Orphan Home. Hieromonk Arseny.

Construction of the main monastery went forward steadily in the early months of 1906, while the brotherhood and orphans observed their fi rst Great Lent and Pascha at the new habitation. In May, the church newspaper printed Fr. Arseny’s account of a visit to the cloister during the fi rst Bright Week at St. Tikhon’s. In it he reports on construction progress and on the digging of the monastery well. (This was just one of many visits to the monastery by its rector, who was also rector at St. John’s Church in Mayfi eld. In what follows he mentions having visited the The well was dug on Bright Friday, the day of the Life-giving Spring; later it was lined with stones to form a cross. monastery just two weeks earlier.) It was inspected May 29, 1906 in advance of the consecration

From the Diary of a Missionary3 ter abode. And there, from the house, in fi eld, I.I. Zaichenko; from Olyphant, the sunlight, fl utters another kind of bird V. Kolesnikov, and the teacher from . . . April 4 [17. Bright Tuesday] The — the orphans; and joyfully they fl y to Mayfi eld, A.I. Zaichenkova. In the pres- third day of the feast is proving to be the meeting. The littlest ones knew that ence of all these guests and with their especially joyful. I served liturgy to- I did not come empty-handed, but bring- participation, the Mystery of Chrismation gether with the monks who came from ing gifts from the good people; and they was performed in the house-church of the St. Tikhon’s Monastery — father deputy- were not mistaken. Here were presents orphanage over one of the orphan-chil- superior Tikhon and father steward Ipatii from the Most Kind Archpastor, from the dren, Neonilla, who had been baptized at [Hypatius]. Could one possibly not re- goodhearted Father I. Klopotovsky, and a birth by a roman catholic priest and till joice in that? . . . little from myself. I rewarded all; I pre- now had been without Chrismation. Upon April 5 [18. Bright Wednesday] So sented decorated eggs, but did not forget completion of the Mystery, I turned to the fi rst day I had to comfort the griev- the brethren of the holy monastery, and those assembled, and with a brief word ing; on the third day I myself am com- summoned [them] into God’s temple; I pointed out that today’s event spoke very forted; and the fourth, I decided to devote prayed, I gave the paschal kiss, and spoke vividly to the usefulness of our orphan- to the comfort of the orphans, gathered in a word of greeting. I said that just as it age, because this little girl could have re- the nest of the Orphan Home under the was joyful the fi rst time Christ’s disci- mained in catholicism, but now she had care of the holy cloister. — In wonderful ples heard “Christ is risen” in the midst been brought into the Orthodox Church spring weather, under benefi cent, enliven- of an evil-minded judaic world, in the thanks to the Orphanage. Therefore, I told ing rays of sunlight, I arrived at the holy same way it is just as joyful for us to pro- the dear fathers and brothers to “Be your- habitation at 9 o’clock in the morning.4 claim the hymn of Christ’s Resurrection selves benefactors and protectors of this My God, how much has changed! I had amidst this unknown wilderness. — The house, and encourage those under your been absent from the blessed corner for disciples’ spirits leapt at the news of the care to do the same.” This short speech only about two weeks — and how dif- Resurrection, and they came boldly to succeeded well enough, as the fathers and ferent everything is. The new monastery the good news concerning the joy; so too, the tenderhearted matushki contributed building has already been adorned on top our spirits leap up to advance on the path on the spot, entrusting $19.50 into my with a three-barred cross, crowning its of Christ and in the performance of the hands. Save them, Lord, and have mercy beautiful cupola, which has been paint- contests that, for us, are the choice of the on them, and send more people like them! ed a light blue color. Round about, the monastic life! The visiting guests did not fail to examine grass is green; in the forest the birds are The next day, April 6 [19], new the state of the monastery as well; each of chirping, having arrived from their win- guests arrived at the holy cloister: Fr. them directed his attention towards this, L. Vladishevsky with his matush-ka, as a special matter, and each one took a 3. ROAM, op. cit., 1-14 May 1906, vol. 10 no. 9, p. 176-179. 4. This required Fr. Arseny to leave Mayfi eld by 6 a.m., trav- Fr. A. Boguslavsky, likewise; Fr. V. stroll around. One very carefully exam- elling by carriage. Rubinski; psalomshchiks: from May- Continued on the next page 39 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

Continued from page 39 ined the horse and cow, others hurried to the creek-bank and set about catching trout (on this occasion without success), a third simply opened his mouth and greed- ily inhaled the fresh air, trying to acquire the vocal strength for singing psalms and performing at the ten stichera. The guests stayed at our place, went for a walk, enjoyed the air, and went back home, taking with them the impressions of the day. And I decided to spend another day with the brethren and getting imbued with the spirit of the cloister some more, so that I would have enough for the struggle with the routine, noisy world until my next visit. At vespers, the night before the day of the Life-giving Spring, a pious thought came to my mind, which was supported by the fathers and brethren of the habitation. I suggested that we dig a well in the monastery garden at night and consecrate it the very next morning, and bless all of the monastery premises. And that is what we did. We took fl ashlights, shovels, and The newspaper carried a notice about the special train. But in the end there had to be two trains went to select a place. And once we had Commemorative leafl et on the occasion of the opening of St. Tikhon’s Monastery5 found one, we started to work; the water appeared shortly and we stopped the TO ALMIGHTY GOD! In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. work until the next morning, so that we could come back with a cross-procession This holy temple with refectory, at St. Tikhon’s habitation of North America and read a prayer on the occasion of the was founded on December 8, 1905. The full order of consecration was performed digging of the well with great festivity. on May 17 [30], 1906. In the presence of the most gracious and generous Most Having enjoyed the prayers, conversa- Reverend Tikhon, Archbishop of the Aleutians and North America. In the pres- tions, and majestic nature, I returned to my ence of the Right Reverend Innocent, Bishop of Alaska. In the presence of the duties, to the populous, noisy Mayfi eld. Right Reverend Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn. And so the saving fast fl ew by before This temple was built through the charitable sacrifi ces of the faithful of I knew it. Bright Week passed by quickly, the American Orthodox mission, thorough the generous gift of the Most and after it, just as quickly, all the days of Reverend Archbishop Tikhon and equal participation of all the missionary the beautiful spring would fl y by as well, fathers. taking away with them the hours of our The fi rst and generous contributors from the faithful were Kliment Buranich, life, and bringing us closer and closer to $300; Kyrill Kelichawa, $200; Kyrill Stavitsky, $100; and Andrei Sysak, $100. the gloomy autumn, and there, the ice- cold winter would arrive and spring will The fi rst inhabitants of the holy cloister: come again. Nature will come back to life Hieromonk Arseny, Rector. again and again the little birds will twit- Hieromonk Tikhon, Deputy-Superior. ter their joyful songs in the forests, and Hieromonk Ipatii, Steward. our lives will move further on towards the Brother Andrei Repel[l]a -- Postulant end. And in the place of the songs of joy- Brother Constantine Chupa -- “ ful and carefree youth, we will hear louder Brother Mikhail Gavula -- “ and louder: “O People! Why do we busy Brother Andrei Pristash -- “ ourselves with petty things?” Brother Nikita Konechin -- “ —Hieromonk Arseny Members of the Construction Committee:

The weeks passed, and soon it was time Priest Fr. Ilia Klopotovsky for the formal opening, consecration, Priest Fr. Aleksei Boguslavsky and fi rst Memorial Day Pilgrimage. The 5. ROAM, op. cit., 1-15 June, 1906. vol. 10 no. 11, p. 207-208. 40 event was to be on the Wednesday before met at the gates by Fr. Arseny. A proces- gathered to you, blessing Christ forever- Pentecost. At that time Memorial Day sion led by Bp. Innocent goes to the old, more” (from the canon of Pascha)! (also called Decoration Day) was always temporary church in the orphanage. Bp. And so, it is truly fi tting and right May 30, regardless of the day of the week. Innocent takes up and carries on his head for every participant in this great and Since it was a holiday, the faithful would the discos holding the holy relics which glorious festival of the consecration of be off from work and able to come to the had been used in the temporary altar. He our holy monastery to cry out with joy. dedication. A synopsis of the events (to carries them around the new church and Three hierarchs, a gathering of clergy, aid in following the narratives provided, places them before the doors. Fr. Tikhon, and thousands of pilgrims were gathered fi rstly by Fr. Arseny, and then in turn by the Deputy-Superior, takes the old holy from the west and the north, from the St. Alexander) is as follows: table from the orphanage; it is carried sea and from the east, in order to feast Monday, May 28. In rainy, cold in procession immediately behind Bp. with joy this glad event in the life of the weather, Saints Tikhon, Raphael, and Innocent, to be used by St. Raphael in American Orthodox Church. A crowd of Alexander and Bp. Innocent from Alaska celebrating the outdoor liturgy. St. Tikhon curious Americans were living witnesses arrive at Georgetown (now Gravity), takes up on his head the discos with holy to this fi rst festival in America, and this Pa., about two miles south of the mon- relics and carries them into the church took place, not in a noisy populated city, astery, via the Erie RR from New York. and they are placed in the new holy table but in a wilderness, amidst a dense for- They are met at the station by a horse there. The Mayfi eld choir sings the ser- est, where only recently the three-barred and carriage. vice in the church. After the consecra- cross shone. The thick forest of church Tuesday, May 29. A sunny day dawns. tion, St. Raphael goes outside, and with banners, hymns in various parts of the The visitors are given a tour of the St. Alexis, he serves the Divine Liturgy grounds, the celebration of services, the grounds. Preparations continue through- behind the new church, where the bell selling of crosses, icons and pamphlets, out the day at the monastery. Fr Arseny tower and icon repository now stand. The reminded one of the ancient monasteries and Bp. Innocent depart for Mayfi eld, ar- singing is provided by the Wilkes-Barre in the bosom of holy Russia. And all this riving there at 3 p.m. Soon the two, along choir. St. Alexis preaches following the took place here, in a foreign land, where with ten persons from the brotherhoods gospel reading, and St. Raphael speaks yet we are so little known. O Mother, holy and several dozen others, including part at the end. Meanwhile, inside the newly- Orthodox Church! Come and see! Behold of the choir and a number of children, consecrated church, the Divine Liturgy your children who have come to glorify take the two Athonite icons and leave is served by Archbishop (Saint) Tikhon the Lord Whom you glorifi ed! for the train station. As the Delaware and Bp. Innocent. Fr. Rector Hieromonk What a wonderful, magnifi cent, fes- & Hudson train moves up the valley to Arseny is elevated to Igumen (Superior) tive scene! Who will give me the pen of the northeast, the passengers, led by Bp. of St. Tikhon’s Monastery. St. Tikhon a ready scribe so that worthily and cor- Innocent, sing the akathist before the speaks at the end of the liturgy. A meal is rectly I may put down on paper all that icons. At Carbondale, St Alexis boards, served in the dining hall for the hierarchs, has taken place. No, I’m afraid to take up as do some reporters. The train crosses clergy and brethren, with a reading, ac- my usual pen and put down on paper that the Moosic Mountain range, and the pil- cording to the monastic rule. The pilgrims which cannot be portrayed in writing. Let grims disembark at the place nearest the dine out of doors on the food provided for others take up this labor on themselves, monastery, about two miles northwest of them. They depart quickly to catch the for it is better for me to concentrate on a it as the crow fl ies. From there they go on train, as the church services had ended small part of this festival, so that I may foot in a cross-procession, carrying fl ags, quite late. After an interval, the icons are put down a faint outline of that which I banners, crosses, and the icons. After an carried to the monastery well, where the was a witness to. 80-minute walk, they reach the monastery blessing of waters is celebrated. Some of I shall concentrate on the festival gates, perhaps at about 7:30 or 8 p.m. the clergy depart that evening, others the of the translation of the holy Athonite They are met by the hierarchs, monastery next morning. icons of the Mother of God and the Holy brethren and guests. A litany is served Two accounts of the festivities were Greatmartyr and Healer Panteleimon from before the new icons. Then all enter the printed in the church newspaper. St. Mayfi eld to the holy monastery on May church. After an hour, the all-night vigil Alexander’s report covered the full dura- 29. After a restless, rainy and cold night is served, ending at midnight. Most of the tion of the three-days at St. Tikhon’s. Fr. which the three Hierarchs spent together pilgrims sleep in the open air. Arseny described only the trip to Mayfi eld with all of the fathers who had gathered Wednesday, May 30 (Memorial Day). made by him and Bishop Innocent to bring together in the unfi nished Monastery Another sunny day. St. Tikhon is vested the icons. First, Fr. Arseny’s account. [building], on the morning of the 29th of and the fi rst two novices of the monastery May the sky had cleared up and a wonder- are tonsured to riasaphor. The clergy then Ever-Memorable Days ful, sunny morning showed all the mag- wash the holy table as the fi rst part of (From the impressions of a nifi cence of springtime surrounding the monk-missionary)6 the consecration of the temple. Pilgrims holy cloister. The souls of all of us were arrive in large numbers, coming on two “Lift up your eyes round about, O uplifted and with joy we began preparing trains and then on foot, by the same Zion, and behold . . . your children have the arrangements for the festival. route as the cross-procession. They are 6. Ibid., pages 211-214. Continued on the next page 41 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

The church was fi lled with people. came into the center of the church where Continued from page 41 While His Grace Vladika was being vest- Vladika with the holy icons blessed the It was decided and His Grace Bishop ed in the altar, I turned to the people with a people from four sides, while the choir Innocent consented to go with me to word that everyone should show all piety was singing, “Most Holy Theotokos, save Mayfi eld and from there, at four in the to the holy things being carried and not to us!” and “Holy Greatmartyr and Healer afternoon, to make up a cross-proces- pay any attention to any misunderstand- Panteleimon, pray to God for us!” While sion with the holy Athonite icons which ings from Americans who would happen were deposited in the Mayfi eld Church. to be on the sidelines. “The time has come During the trip7 and the hurried prepara- when we, fearlessly and openly, should tions at the [parish] home, the time fl ew show the American people what we cher- by quickly and drew us close to three ish and what our right faith is adorned o’clock in the afternoon. At the Mayfi eld with. Don’t be afraid of either accusations Church all the church bells were ringing or ridicule, but with love surround the holy for the gathering. His Grace Vladika came things. Rejoice that this became your lot; from the parish home to the church and rejoice that our present procession will be simultaneously with him those who had headed by the great Alaskan laborer, His come at that hour — the priests Fr. Elias Grace Bishop Innocent, who has come to Klopotovsky, Fr. Jacob Grigorieff and Fr. us by the special grace of God.” Alexander Boguslavsky. After this, the holy banners and The opening of the new station closely coincided with 7. The journey to Fr. Arseny’s own church in Mayfi eld may crosses were lifted up and the priests, the pilgrimage have been a three-hour carriage ride, or perhaps they with great devotion, took up the holy made use of the new Canaan fl ag stop, and took the train by which they would later return that day, icons and, headed by His Grace Vladika,

Newspapers reported that the new Canaan stop was where the pilgrims left the trains to walk in procession to the monastery. Then just a place in the forest, the stop was improved in 1908 by the addition of a waiting room. This 1916 drawing places Canaan station between Fox and Canaan Roads. It was the perfect place for a stop, and indeed the only possible place in the vicinity, since only this location off ered level ground, a straightaway (necessary for any fl agstop), and ideal road access. (Portion of 1916 railroad track drawing, called a valuation map. A set of these maps for the Delaware & Hudson’s Honesdale Branch was discovered in a local attic and donated to the Waymart, Pa. Historical Society in 2002. Color and some text have been added and the compass, centerline symbols, and title have been repositioned.) 42 the bells rang with the triple-peal, the sound of the orchestra were mingled into the train station. At the head of the pro- procession went out to the Church square one sound. There was something unusual cession was the American fl ag, followed where all the brotherhoods stood and about this sound, unknown to American by the church banners and crosses, these the orchestra played. The singing of the Rus’, which lifted the spirit up. followed by the holy icons being carried multitudes of pilgrims, the bells and the The procession moved forward to by the priests, followed by the archpastor, walking along in full vestments. Suddenly you could hear very loudly the hymn beloved by the Galician people, “Holy Virgin Mother, with your hands you are saving sinners from torment,” and this hymn was heard as if it were being carried up to the heavens. At the station a mass of curious Americans were gathered, but not one said a single offending word, but, on the contrary, with great attention and veneration, behaved themselves with respect toward the procession and all the people. We did not have long to wait at the station; quickly four special coaches were put at our disposal and we carried in the holy icons, walking in headed by Canaan waiting room, built 1908, the same year that Metropolitan Platon built a summer house on the His Grace Vladika. In view of the proces- monastery grounds (colorized actual photo) sion made up of so many people from the many parishes, which was about to take place on the morning of the next day by a special train, we took with us ten persons from the brotherhoods and several dozens who wanted to come, as well as part of the choir, and, leaving behind the others until the next day, we proceeded along the way. The holy icons were put on a couch in the middle of the coach in an orderly manner, and we adorned them with garlands made out of fresh fl owers. Immediately, at the blessing of Vladika, we began to sing, “O Victorious Leader . . .” Vladika began to read the Akathist, “Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride” and the wonderful singing of the small children was heard throughout the whole coach. All those who were there present also began to sing. And undoubtedly, the Unwedded Bride was made glad at this moment. She, the Queen of Heaven, was made glad and transmitted her own quiet joy and fi lled them with compunctious feelings. Warm tears fl owed, enfl aming the souls of each and detaching them from the mortal vanities of life. Tears of joy fl owed because our Orthodox faith was fi rmly entrenched in the New World and was spreading around the light of true and correct teachings. At this moment my thoughts were Continued on the next page 43 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

Continued from page 43 tomed to diffi cult trips in Alaska, walked your holy fellow-traveler amongst icons along with undiminished vigor and began be a protector and healer of all the sick- transported far away to the holy moun- to give instructions as to the order of the nesses of these little ones!” tain of Athos which is the inheritance of procession at the holy cloister. Behold, After this the holy icons were placed the Queen of Heaven, into the humble our monastery manor, one more little hill in the prepared place and those pilgrims cells of our benefi cent elders who, under to make and we will fi nd ourselves at the who had come were given a rest until the the wise direction of the blessed elder D. holy gates! time of the All-night Vigil. constructed for our habitation the sacred We reached the top of the hill. And —Igumen Arseny gifts. I quietly lifted up a prayer before what happened next? Our singing was the icon of the Queen of Heaven for their met by the singing of the brethren of the St. Alexander now gives his recollection health and salvation. It pleased His Grace holy habitation, headed by His Eminence of events, returning to the previous day, Vladika to give in turn to all the priests Archbishop Tikhon and His Grace May 28, in order to begin his account to read a portion of the akathist and each Raphael, who had come out to greet us from that date. fulfi lled this with great humility. and who were standing by the holy gates. In Carbondale, the Mitered Archpriest We met each other. I shall never forget At St. Tikhon’s Cloister Alexis Tovt joined us. Here a few American that sacred scene! The two Archpastors reporters came into the coach respectfully greeted each other in a brotherly way and Is it not sad that Fr. Igumen Arseny cut and sought to learn the details of the un- began a short litany before the holy icons. short his description of the greatest festiv- usual celebration and who its participants O holy cloister! Did you ever imagine ity — the blessing at St. Tikhon’s cloister8 were. Shortly the fast American train took that in such a short time of existence you in Pennsylvania? Just as you become at- us quickly up a steep grade and through a would witness such joy? Did you ever tuned to the fi nest sentiments [put forth] thick woods, with every minute bringing think that, headed by three hierarchs with by his inspired pen, just as a sweet mood us closer to our place of destination. At a gathering of priests, such holy things of elation takes hold in the soul, just as last the desired destination! Right in the would be brought into your walls? Open you start contemplating the unprecedent- forest, in the place closest to the monas- your holy gates, and with joy meet the edly wonderful majestic scene of the glo- tery, a special stop was made. In an order- Queen of Heaven who is coming! Open ry of Orthodoxy — all of a sudden . . . ly manner we got off the train and began the doors of your humble temple and re- there is a period! to walk in strict order. Vladika, desiring ceive these holy icons as precious gifts! Fr. Igumen should not have done this, to share in this labor, began to walk, also You have no riches. Your temple breathes he should not have handed over his pen in full vestments. with simplicity and need, but what need to someone else’s hand, he should have New and wonderful scenes of nature have you of adornment in you when she seized the whole of the festive scene with were seen before us. Again the singing who is the most beautiful is coming to one stroke, one feeling, one uninterrupted of the church hymns were heard over the you? Why do you need riches when the ascent of emotions, and molded it into a forests and lands of the American farm- Vessel and Repository of all plenty is heartfelt, full, uninterrupted account all ers. Now and then people came out of ready to reside in your temple? of the impressions presented by the great their houses and, with unconcealed curi- At the end of the litany, the three day! osity, met and saw off the procession. The Archpastors, with the whole gathering, Being familiar with the lively liter- road was good and there was no dust fol- preceded by the banners and the holy ary gift of Fr. Arseny, I am confi dent that lowing the abundant rain which had fallen icons, went into the temple. At the mo- his personal impressions would certainly the day before. The trouble, however, was ment of entering the church, my soul again take hold of the reader, would make the this, that the distance fathomed by the desired to greet the Heavenly Queen, and reader participate in the past celebration, feet was greater than that fathomed by the I cried out, “O Queen of Heaven, you even if only mentally and from a distance, eyes. We thought that we’d be walking no who have chosen the holy mountain of would bring the reader to our Orthodox more than 40 minutes, but it turned out Athos as the place of your abode and have American brotherhood, to the company of to be an hour and 20 minutes. Children shined there through the wonderworking people who are sincerely inspired by the who were raised up in America and not icons, dispense also to us poor monks forthcoming exalted future of our mission accustomed to make such a journey by your own great and rich mercy! Come . . . foot became tired, and the people began abide with us! Shelter us with your pre- It is not a matter of personalities, and to ask the question, “How soon is the holy cious veil from all evil! let no one’s strict sense and judgment re- monastery?” “You have not come alone, but in proach me for this lyricism. But it would As an answer to that question, soon company with him who was glorifi ed be quite natural that the person who was all saw in the middle of the deep forest a with many miracles — the holy God- the immediate participant and architect of blue cupola with a three-barred Cross. All pleaser Panteleimon — Unmercenary and the plan to organize the holy habitation, cheered up, regained their strength and Wonderworker. Here with us at the holy the person who, even in the most trying together sang, “Most Holy Theotokos, monastery are little orphans, who are 8. The word here translated “cloister” is obitel’, literally save us!” and “Holy Father Tikhon, pray weak and prone to sicknesses which are “habitation.” It is often translated as “monastery.” In this installment it is rendered variously, using by turns to God for us!” Vladika, who was accus- peculiar to those of a tender age. Let this all three of these English words. 44 moments of this most diffi cult under- trip to the monastery, I suffered an unfor- you! The Lord who commanded, Let the taking found comfort for himself, and a tunate cold which cast a shadow on the protection of the heavenly Mother cover source of his energy in this holy labor, joy of the experience; when hundreds of you always and let the hierarch Tikhon, would be the best witness of the joy that miles separate me from the sacred shelter by the example of his life and teaching, crowned this endeavor, the best narrator of the holy cloister; when the smoke and inspire you to great deeds — of faith, hu- of the hopes connected to it, the best in- soot of the overcrowded, noisy New York mility, piety, fasting! terpreter of the fortunes awaiting it, the pushes out the fresh stream of heavenly air And let the memory of the days of best echo of all the most complex and that reigns at the cloister; when the whis- your birthday, O holy cloister, be pure and multifaceted feelings, thoughts and im- tles of the urban factory chimneys, car- unstained forever; and let the arrival of all pressions, with which these moments of riage-bells, the fi recrackers of hooligans, the hierarchs of the Orthodox American opening and blessing the holy cloister the goat-like voices of phonographs, the Church, all together with the multitude of were rife. wild shrieking of street organs, kill the clergy, faithful brethren from the near and And we need this subjectivism — soul, last echoes of the wonderful songs of far corners of this country, be on the day heart, tears, feelings, sighs — since all of the free-spirited little birds fl uttering in of your baptism the joyous sign of your this wakes us up from the ordinary prose, the groves of the cloister; when the hard, favorable destiny. from everyday routine, it attunes us to the irate, anxious faces of Americans have And let my word — the word of one sublime order of thoughts, it emboldens begun to fl ash before one’s eyes, conceal- who is not a monk — be a testimony to us and engenders the hopes for a better ing the friendly and sweet images of the you of the hopes of all of us, that your fi rst future, for the success of the undertaking faithful and the monastery brethren, and stone was not founded on the ground of . . . It is not done for the sake of shallow a careless “Hallo” has drowned out the division, but on the ground of the desire praise and to compliment each other, but friendly “Lord save me” or, what is so Continued on the next page because of a heartfelt call, because of the familiar to our ear in the native Russian desire to proclaim to the whole world the environment: “Glory to Jesus Christ — feelings that crowd the soul; for the lips Glory forever”! speak from the fullness of heart! . . . Greetings to you, our cloister, the And now, at the reader’s expense, the holy, the fi rst one in America! Greetings great honor of telling about the festivity to you, her fi rst inhabitants — brethren of the monastery’s consecration falls on and fathers! Greetings to you, sweet little me. But what can I say to you? I am lift- orphans, who found maternal care under ing my pen already weeks after the festive the monastic mantle of the fathers of the days, when time has impaired the fresh- habitation, and who have adorned it, from ness of the impression, when day-to-day the fi rst moment of its existence, with the routine and a mass of everyday duties laurels of highest excellence — service have deprived me of the opportunity to for the benefi t of one’s neighbor! And may concentrate on reminiscing the moments God, who cared for children and com- In the grove we lived through; when as a result of the manded us to let them come to him, help

Archpriest Alexander A. and Matushka Maria Vladimirovna Hotovitsky Igumen Arseny at the Arsenius Skete 45 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

Continued from page 45 to enhance the paths of the great spiritual deeds of this mission; that to you and your well-being are directed the well-wishes also, of those members of the American Church who, though not themselves called to walk the thorny path of monastic self- renunciation and struggle, yet according to their ability are glad to make their own feasible contribution to the effort of organizing the holy cloister, which is destined for high service to God and our fellow neighbor and for the preaching of God’s truth and love through word and deed. . . . Of course it was raining! It was not even a rain; it was a downpour that brought to the ground entire streams of water, running swiftly in all directions At the apiary from the slopes of the permanent way down which our train rushed. This cheer- less, unbearable music, the impudent lash- ing of the windows of houses and carriages, this shallow drum-roll that viciously tortured its prisoners, driven against their will within the walls, and even worse — having no place to hide . . . But since the trip was to the monastery — it meant that it had to rain. “It is time to get used to it,” observed Vladiko Archbishop. Yet all of our being, rebelled against it . . . Otherwise, I could indeed begin the narration of this trip to the monastery with the same grumbling mutter on the occurrence of rainy weather, with which I began my previous letters about the trips to the monastery for the erection of the cross and the laying of the cornerstone of the habitation. Undoubtedly, the sky pursued some uniform consistency, except with At the pond the more depressing difference, that really this time even the most experienced per- some rest . . . away these thoughts. Almost all of the son would not be able to tell when there Although we still had a whole day carriage was occupied by the clergy with will be an end to this downpour! ahead of us, gloomy thoughts nonethe- three hierarchs at the head — the Most We felt resentment and grief and even less confused us incessantly. Even if the Reverend Tikhon, the Right Reverends embarrassment. Indeed! Fr. Arseny wrote sun shows up for a moment, then what Innocent and Raphael. The unusual and how the people are rising in Pennsylvania, a job it would be for it and the wind to exceptional character of the celebration getting ready for the pilgrimage to the dry all these lakes and mud and make the drew everybody to it, and the American monastery, how an entire special train is road for the faithful adequate or at least holiday “Decoration Day” allowed the being prepared to come from the neigh- bearable. Not much to be happy about clergy to leave their parishes and enable boring towns and parishes and thousands if the festivities will not be attended, if the people to have a day off. of the faithful will walk from the last stop the weather would deprive thousands of Under the rain we transferred to a dif- with children and elderly to the cloister people who prepared to take part in the ferent train, under the rain we disembarked . . . All of it was based on the hope for a celebration the opportunity to come at the at the Georgetown stop. There awaited us good weather. And here it would be suit- appointed day! carriages which had been sent from the able to swim and not walk! And where Even the relative comfort that our trip monastery. And the Deputy-Superior of would you shelter this mass of people allowed — it was warm, dry, and cozy in the habitation, Fr. Tikhon, arrived there as even for a moment, where would they get the Pullman carriage — could not drive well, but because of the darkness, sodden 46 mud, and rain, he did not need to climb day with a heartfelt wish to see a morn- choir-loft and runs along the second fl oor out of his one-person carriage; and having ing more agreeable than the horrible, cold of the building. Along the hallway in the received the episcopal blessing, he started night with the raging wind and deluge. upper part there are cells which are bet- to descend at once from the hill where the At dawn, with the fi rst stroke of the ter furnished, and a sitting room with a station was situated, to bring to the clois- bell at every cell, at the brother’s excla- dormer leading to the church, and in the ter the news of the Archpastors’ imminent mation, “Through the prayers of our holy lower part with the cells, there is a din- arrival. The other carriages followed him. Master, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God ing area — a quite spacious room and a There was only a brief delay with the lug- have mercy on us!” one after the other, kitchen. Both fl oors have bathrooms with gage, but it was quickly taken care of. the guests started coming out of their all the fi xtures. There is a basement under From here, the distance to monastery cells shivering from the morning breeze. the building, running the whole length of is a stone’s throw. To ride there in good The wind got stronger, but there was no the structure, which in time could be put weather is pure pleasure. This time it was rain anymore. A sharp northern wind was to some practical uses. pure trouble. At risk of overturning ev- blowing, and “once the north wind starts Away from the main building there ery inch of the way, under the incessant blowing it will break up the clouds fast.” is a cross that was erected almost a year downpour, in pitch darkness, we had to We readily believed the knowledgeable ago at the time of the blessing of the pur- ride these few miles in the lightest cloth- statement of Vladiko, even more so when chased land and orphanage by the Rt. ing, since nobody had foreseen this hor- indeed the outline of cloud on the hori- Rev. Raphael. Here there is a space for rible cold and foul weather. Many of us zon started to take a less threatening form. the future (if the Lord blesses) cathedral. were chilled to the bone, and one of the There was as yet no sun or warmth, but There is a straight alley leading from the brothers paid with a bad cold and had to it looked as if nature was eager to take a church doors to the holy gates, which stay in bed. break from the shock it had suffered the have been constructed temporarily, hast- And when fi nally the lights in the day before. ily for now. There are no other structures windows of the new monastery build- We served the midnight offi ce, and yet. The service and maintenance building began to fl icker ahead we welcomed matins afterwards, in the dining area. Fr. ings are concentrated next to the orphan- them with a special feeling of joy. I do not Hieromonk Tikhon served. The hierarchs age. There is a lot of construction waiting know about the others but at that moment, took part in reading and signing. The ser- for the habitation. forgive me, I was far from the special el- vice was long. We headed towards the orphanage af- evated mood, and rejoiced most of all in Then the inspection of the monastery ter leaving the building, where there was the opportunity to warm up a bit. Warmth, estate took place. The main monastery already in progress an earnest chopping warmth, warmth, I desired desperately; building is in front of us in the photo- of axes, whining of saws, and shouting of my whole being was just howling from graph. The placement of windows and workers who were being hurried by Fr. being cold. doors will easily explain to the viewer its Arseny so that everything would be ready Unfortunately the new building could interior layout. Given the relatively small for the hour of the consecration. On the not warm us up. The main outside and dimensions of the building, its interior way we examined the apiary — there al- side doors had not been installed yet, and space was used with all the practicality ready are some combs, which is a good the wind wandered freely in all directions, and effi ciency which were demanded by start! Further on — the greenhouse-box, endowing those present with runny noses, the builders’ modest means, and which where some vegetables lay in the chilly cough and so on. The completion of these were suggested by their experience in air. On all of it the heavenly favorable necessary projects was expected the next similar circumstances. The church half blessing was called. And the Rt. Rev. day, and we had to deal with it that night. of the building faces the east, with the Raphael tasted the vegetables and ap- The hierarchs’ carriage arrived before, rounded part of the structure. Decorated proved. so having dismounted from the carriage, with tall stained windows, the church We entered the orphanage. To the left on entering the church, I heard only the premises produce the impression of calm- is the former small church which has been end of Fr. Arseny’s welcoming speech. In ness with their simple, worthy character. dismantled and cleared out; almost all of response to this greeting, Vladiko gave An adequate space is allotted for the altar. the icons were taken away from here to his blessing and offered the cross for ven- The iconostasis is not set up yet; the ico- the temple. The altar was left, with the an- eration. The church was lighted and it was nostasis icons are temporarily hung on the timension on it. The children came to the easy to see its interior and the faithful. All walls. The temple is already adorned with Archpastors to receive a blessing, and the of the monastery brethren were present; a beautiful church chandelier which was attendant A. A. Khlebtsevitch, who has the orphans stood right there with the at- just presented to the holy habitation by recently arrived from Russia, addressed tendant, as well as some guests who had the Rt. Rev. Innocent. The cleros is on the Vladiko with a very solemn welcome. We arrived in advance to help in organizing back wall of the church; under it there is examined this building as well, then went the festivities. All of them we knew al- a door to a spacious hallway, which runs to the small houses, constructed with ready. The hour was late. We had a mod- along the rest of the building and pro- planks, where the novice brethren had est meal, whatever God sent us, and went vides space for a few dozen more people spent the winter; looked into the service to bed. Whoever could fall asleep, did. in case the faithful become overcrowded. sheds, admired the cattle and poultry and I think everybody said good-bye to this A similar hallway starts at the doors of the Continued on the next page 47 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

When we got back, we began to dis- in full vestments and the priests in partial Continued from page 47 cuss the plans for the festivities. The wind vestments — and we stood in the church went to see the trees, cereals, and fi sh. We was doing its job with an incredible speed. waiting for the signal. descended into the valley through the or- The Pskovian signs9 proved themselves to But we waited a long time. It looked chard planted with fruit trees. Here a well be true: the northern wind was aided by like Fr. Arseny’s calculations were inac- had been dug, framed with the stones in the sun, which at last warmed us up as curate, and that it took twice as much time the shape of a cross with a pole bearing well after a long chill, and started to dry to reach the monastery on foot as had been an icon of the Mother of God at its head. the land. The weather was noticeably im- expected. That meant that our travelers We prayed. Further down, having stepped proving and the soul was regaining calm- had to suffer a bit, especially His Grace over a wire fence, we found ourselves by ness and faith that the Lord would not Innocent, who was vested in full vest- the water. This is a stream that crosses the abandon us tomorrow as well. Therefore ments, and who had to go that long dis- monastery land, and with the care of the it was decided to follow the original plan. tance, on ground that was not even fi rm fathers of the habitation, a dam has been His Grace Innocent expressed his desire yet, with miter and staff, and the clergy in constructed here with a lock, allowing the to lead the procession with the holy icons riasas, who carried the holy wooden icons water to collect into the size of a pond in and also, on the morrow, to transfer the which were of large size and very heavy, a short period of time. The fathers of the relics from the old church [in the ophan- as well as those who were carrying the habitation assert with joy that there is age], and as to His Grace Raphael, he temple banners and fl ags. even trout there, just as, among the birds would serve liturgy under the open sky. Then at last the light wind brought in the monastery grove there are quite How splendid this part of the plan turned to the monastery the sounds of church a few pheasants, and among the wild out to be, we have seen from the wonder- singing, though it was still unclear and animals there is a multitude of rabbits. ful narration of Fr. Arseny himself. indistinct. We walked towards them. We Personally I did not see any, but cannot As soon as His Grace Innocent, ac- stopped at the holy gates and stood still, doubt it, since due to my nearsighted- companied by Fr. Arseny, had departed anxiously waiting, with trembling and ness I might have just not noticed them. to Mayfi eld, we earnestly started decorat- compunction. And the sound would reach If they are there, then thanks be to God! ing the habitation with anything that was us and then fade away, somewhere afar Let every breath praise God and enjoy the available — greenery, small trees, fl ags. off. At last the voices grew more distinct! good-heartedness of the inhabitants of the N. F. Grivsky started to build out under Then the children ran over; they were cloister! the open sky a small kiosk to sell, as is members of the Mayfi eld choir which was From afar we notice somebody diving customary in monasteries, the usual small accompanying the holy icons. They were into the water from the dam. It turned out holy items, which had been brought from tired, but joyfully they were rushing to that Fr. Tikhon, the swimming enthusiast, the diocesan warehouse — crosses, prayer announce that the whole procession was had gone for a swim, not fearing the pierc- books, small icons, etc. The kiosk turned coming. ing wind and the cold morning. One could out to be roomy and comfortable, and My soul experienced a special feeling only admire his hardy health and bravery. soon, its completion was signifi ed by the that is indescribable. I felt a thrill running We city dwellers, perhaps after such a bath fl ags that proudly fl ew above its canopy. through my whole being, and a lump came would only fi nd one way — to the other Our young guests, Dankevitch and to my throat. The throat grows tighter; an- world. We examined the novices’ work; Levitsky, who had just arrived from other moment and you would break into they were fi xing some damage done to the Russia, were making analogia for the holy tears. I would not be surprised if some- dam by yesterday’s downpour. The storm icons, and stands for the candle boxes, and one broke out crying at that moment. I has made the water very muddy, although so on. Others were arranging the sacristy, wouldn’t have even heard the sobs, since normally it is as clear as glass, they say. washing the fl oor in the church, and pol- my whole being was anxiously directed Everywhere on the way, N. F. Grivsky ishing the holy table for tomorrow’s cer- there, into the distance, from whence one took amateur pictures; whether they are emony. Birch trees were planted along the could hear more and more clearly the good, let the reader judge. After all it is alleys, and the holy icons were decorated words, “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!” memory. We visited the pine grove, which with greenery, as were the holy gates and The crosses fl ashed, you could see the I always daringly (and having no right to the entrance into the church. The work tops of the temple banners, and in another do so) called the Alexander hermitage; proceeded quickly, and the day was soon moment the procession was in front of us. then we went up the hill and began to gone and evening drew near. There were no longer those waiting for walk home by a different path. This other The workers laid aside their tools, the procession and those coming — ev- path took us to the brush thicket, in the took everything away, and swept every- erything merged into one single soul! midst of which, by the way, our amateur thing, hiding everything in the basement. “Beneath your mercy we take refuge” is photographer took a snapshot of Vladiko Everything was adorned to receive the heard from the holy gates . . . Then the Tikhon and Rt. Rev. Raphael; and then, holy things. According to our reckoning, hierarchs kissed each other in brotherly having passed the trench dug up for the it was time to go out to the “meeting” by fashion, and it was as though the feelings water pipes, we visited the Arsenius her- the holy gates. We vested — the hierarchs that overfl owed our hearts, begging so mitage, which, with its founder, we im- 9. A reference to the prediction made earlier by Archbishop hard to come out, had found complete ex- mortalized with a photo. Tikhon, a native of the Pskov region. pression in this welcome which was full of 48 high simplicity. Never had America expe- happiness at that moment, gave me to feel Fr Arseny’s voice was breaking with rienced a moment like this! In the Russian God Himself, to experience the brotherly his sobs as he placed the holy icons on the native land I had seen thousands of pro- feelings that make us — who are weak, analogia, welcoming them in the name of cessions — crowded, solemn, headed by unworthy, imperfect, restless, entangled the habitation. His words were not spoken multitudes of hierarchs, with thousands in passions — one with Christ! Enlighten for the people, nor directed to them, but of banners shining about, and thousands us more and more often with this graceful were addresssed to the holy things them- of vestments. All of it had a true church warmth, penetrate more often the secret selves. As long as people have souls this spirit, was holy, caused heavenly delight corners of our soul, and protect us, wash kind of word must break through, like a and joy, yet all of it was not the same, not our eyes with these tears more often. prayerful sigh, like the cry of a person the same. And here it is, the holy treasure, seeking heaven . . . this conversation This moment was unique. The feel- among us! With it has come to us the was with the heavenly dwellers; and un- ing was inexpressible. I did not seek and echoes of the testaments of far-off holy til this day, my throat grows constricted, did not expect anything more from all the Mt. Athos, the traditions of the ascetics of the body trembles; and if it is a weakness, festivity. At this moment my whole being the ancient monasteries, and has in a mo- an infi rmity, then I thank you, Lord, that was fi lled to overfl owing. And all of the ment united our souls and thoughts with you have not deprived me of this kind of rest of the scenes of the celebration to this the hearts of the exalted struggles, faith weakness as the sweetest comfort, which point, all the very deeply inspiring, touch- and Orthodox piety. And the corner of the saves and purifi es me! ing moments of the blessing of the temple far-off America was overshadowed by the An hour later the all-night vigil started — all of this gathers in my memory only blessing of the Heavenly Queen, who had amidst the temple. His Eminence Vladika as moments supplemental to that meeting come across the lands and seas from her Tikhon celebrated together with the cler- at the holy gates, that brotherly kiss of the earthly portion, to encourage the monks gy according to strict ustav. The all-night vigil ended at midnight. O Lord, grant us a good day! * * * We woke up, and that which we had so greatly desired and prayed for was now at hand. The sun was fi lling the windows with joyous rays, there was not a cloud in the sky, and the leaves fl uttered in the breeze, promising a cool place in the heat of the day. All over the monastery grounds you could see the fi gures of people moving in groups and singly, in their feast-day best. Everywhere could be heard vigor- ous, loud and happy voices. The greater part of the pilgrims who had accompanied the holy icons spent the night out in the open air and at the fi rst rays of the sun they got up. By the church kiosk, wagons of bread, victuals and fruit were being un- loaded onto the counters — all was prepared in case there was a large number of “Meeting the Athonite holy objects” is the caption given this photo in the 1906 church newspaper. But the direc- pilgrims. N. F. Grivsky, who was already tion of shadows, the fact that relics appear to be carried on the head of one of the participants, and other similari- behind the counter answering the ques- ties suggest that this procession may be the same as that pictured on page 50 (center), namely the one on the tions of those who were buying, with the morning of May 30, to the temple for the consecration, rather than the arrival of the holy Athonite treasures the dexterity of a hotel manager, made an ef- evening before. The view is from the former monastery balcony, looking almost due north, down the alley that fort to make sales for the monastery. today is tree-lined, towards what were then the monastery gates where the icons were greeted. The area at right The cross was adorned with branches is today the “old” cemetery and placed around it were large icons. hierarchs, who glorifi ed the holy treasure who have started out on a path of salva- Here was the altar of the open-air church, that came from afar and was taking the tion and virtue which is unknown in the with sky over it instead of cupolas, with holy habitation under its protection! new land. May you, O honorable Athonite endless space instead of walls. In one Was it you, holy Athonite icons, that fathers, who with this sign of your love word — a blessing! The weather was fair. so melted my heart? Was it you that fi lled have provisioned our local church for this In the orphanage the children were be- the depth of my soul with deep emotion? new deed, bless us and receive our earthly ing dressed up. Beginning from the early Did you light the holy fl ame which opened bow of gratitude for the holy things that morning and throughout the whole day my heart, warmed me with the highest have come to us. Continued on the next page 49 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

Continued from page 49 the pilgrims would come to take a look at the orphans to see how they lived. Some gave presents and one even offered to take an orphan to bring him up. O good people, encourage others to donate to the orphans! The matushki, who stayed in the orphanage for the duration of the feast, were hurrying to the temple. Some of them were to receive communion that day. On the hill besides the beehives, one could make out amongst the clerics the imposing fi gure of the mitred archpriest Alexis G. Tovt. One could immediately recognize him both by his voice and by the honor shown to him by our faithful. For who doesn’t know him? Also there from New York, were the benefactors: N. N. Lodizhensky, the Russian Consul- General, a faithful pilgrim to American holy places, and his fellow traveler, N. I. Troshkin. And there was the Montenegrin priest, Fr. Nestor, who had arrived from Igumen Arseny greets pilgrims at the holy gates. The gates, which are thickly adorned with greenery, and the faraway McKeesport, to show his respect nearby telephone pole can be seen in several photographs and to enjoy the feast. In the church the sacristan began to boil mastic and some- Archbishop in the consecration of the where could be heard “panikhida” sing- altar and the celebration of the Divine ing, because someone had asked for a Liturgy in the church. Another, headed parastas . . . by His Grace Raphael and the Mitred The hour of service is not close yet. Archpriest A. G. Tovt, was to serve the We would be starting a little later so that liturgy under the open sky after the order the faithful arriving by the special train of the consecration. Others were sent out would make it for the beginning of the lit- to greet the cross-procession coming with urgy — they have to walk over two hours the pilgrims from the surrounding areas, from the station. Even Fr. Arseny listens, while still others were assigned to hear with a sigh, to the concerns of Fr. Mitrat the confessions of the faithful desiring it that the faithful may regret the inaccurate and to gather collections for the cloister. At the temple with the Holy Relics (compare with estimate of the distance. But Fr. Mitrat They vested Vladika Archbishop and photo on page 49) himself came by foot to the cloister yes- the fi rst two novices, brothers of the mon- terday. astery Andrew and Constantine, were led I went down to the well. Nobody was to him for tonsuring to riasaphor and ka- to be seen here now, but someone’s pi- milavka. The celebration of this fi rst ini- ous hands had put a small wooden plank tiation into monasticism, within the walls on the water, and on top of that had been of the new habitation on the fi rst day of its placed a lit candle. The wind did not reach founding, was touching and orderly. This it, and I left it to burn down. Although the was concluded by instructions from fr. su- water in the pond had become clearer [af- perior Arseny to the new monks. ter the storm of a few days ago], it was Then, having put on top of their vest- impossible to make out the trout in it. ments white chitons, the [clergy] pro- At last the time for the service has ceeded to the washing of the holy table. come. With a bell it was announced that Although these are simple actions, yet it was time to vest. The large bell was not they are fi lled with deep meaning and Fr. Benedict Turkevich leads procession to the monas- yet available to the monastery, although spirituality, with beautiful prayers. They tery temple, coming up what is today the tree-lined it had been ordered. The clergy divided always grant to those participating and alley north of the monastery church. View is from the into groups: one was to serve with the those witnessing them, a special feel- former monastery balcony (partially colorized photo) 50 ing of responsibility and compunction. the King of glory!” The hierarchs, togeth- shout of greeting, that it might inspire the And right at the end of this . . . it was an- er with the holy things and the people, spirit and strength of our poor fellow-be- nounced that the pilgrims were arriving. stepped under the ceiling of the temple. lievers — Russians, Slavs, hidden below Fr. Arseny met them at the holy gates, After a few minutes the relics were fas- the ground in deep dangerous mines, cov- and they began to fl ow through the holy tened into the throne; one more prayer ered with factory smoke and soot . . . that gates like a long, living river, preceded and then the dismissal with the exclama- it might reach the ears of all good people by many church banners and brotherhood tion at the four corners, “Let us all say, who are endowed by God with a kind standards, by the Mayfi eld parish orches- ‘Lord, have mercy!’” and the blessing heart, and make them rise up and come to tra (which became silent before it entered with the cross. “Many years” resounded help the fi rst habitation and orphan home into the monastery), and by priests in within the walls of the newly-consecrat- in this faraway land! vestments. ed temple, and these “many years” were After this, His Grace Raphael stepped It was a stunning, magnifi cent, thrill- sung according to Russian melodies and outside. There the “church” was more ing sight, with the sun shining brilliantly, then changed to very touching Galician spacious and could accommodate all, being refl ected in the crosses and rizzas, “Many years in health, in salvation, many for a great space was surrounded by the as well as the church banners, which were years . . . !” temple banners as if by a wall within fl uttering in the light wind. And I started my festal welcome to which the divine service was celebrated. The numbers of pilgrims who had the faithful with these words. A great Here the Wilkes-Barre choir sang, since arrived exceeded all expectation. One honor fell upon me on this rare excep- the Mayfi eld choir remained to sing in the special train had not been enough, and tional occasion. But, as it often happens, temple. I purposely abstained from any we had to charter another one hurriedly, I thought that the moment required not an kind of judgment of the qualities and ad- since there were still people in the nearby polished, prepared speech but a simple vantages of these choirs. Let the experts parishes who were willing to come to the heartfelt address to the faithful broth- do it and worry about it. But for their zeal monastery. Nineteen coaches were fi lled ers. I was aware that within the limits of and that they were not afraid of travelling to capacity. the allotted time, I could not treat all the on foot, for the little ones and the adult And at last the temple banners are at subjects permitted by the occasion of this singers, let there be a great thank you! the church doors! The Archpastors and the festivity. I knew that, given the torrent of for them.10 After the gospel, the mitred rest of the clergy have come here to greet vivid impressions, one could only speak archpriest A. Tovt took the podium, as it them. Without entering into the church, of what came from the soul, and the lis- were, with fi ery words which reverber- those who carried the banners and the teners would forgive me for that. And in ated around the hill. I sincerely regret that other pilgrims, formed another proces- truth, I could not talk at length either, of I was not able to hear him and did not re- sion which was going to the old church the importance of the monastic struggle, ceive his address in written form. What I in the orphanage, headed by His Grace acquaint the listeners with the types of the learned about his speech from those who Innocent. On the way they sang prescribed monasteries, or convince them of the sav- heard him was exactly what I had expect- troparia and the people were sprinkled on ing way of monastic obedience. I did not ed. both sides with holy water. The holy relics recall whether it would be proper to give In the church the service was lon- had been placed in advance on the holy earthly praise to the people who brought ger. Here two hierarchs liturgized table and, before them, a candle. Vladika to this holy pursuit their efforts, sacrifi ces, — His Eminence Tikhon and His Grace [Innocent] came in at that minute when the renunciation . . . And let them forgive me Innocent. At the little entrance, Fr. candle was about to go out and its fl ame if I did not speak of all of this! . . . No, No. Rector, Hieromonk Arseny was elevated was burning just enough until the moment Before me there still stood the unforget- to the dignity of Igumen [Superior] of St. the discos with the relics was taken up on table scene of yesterday’s welcome of the Tikhon’s cloister. A worthy position for the head of the Archpastor. Fr. Deputy- holy objects; before me there was still the a worthy person! The whole monastery Superior [Hieromonk Tikhon] took up the unending river of pilgrims, with infants received an approval in this Archpastoral holy table and it was carried in procession in arms, that here, in this foreign land, reward, and the many hardships, cares, behind Vladika, in order that His Grace in America, came to offer veneration . . and sacrifi ces, both physical and fi nan- Raphael might liturgize on top of it. The . Before me, the habitation that through cial, which were endured by the valiant procession went around [the temple] and God’s blessing grew up in less than a founder, Fr. Arseny, who from now on be- the hands of His Grace [Innocent] became year’s time . . . And all three hierarchs of came Igumen — were praised. His fellow- numb, but not for one minute did he put the American Orthodox Church are at the brethren and co-servants expressed their down the discos. At the end, at the holy head of the church gathering . . . And if own approval, by crafting on this occa- gates [of the temple], Vladika Archbishop there was ever a moment when I wanted sion a staff for Fr. Arseny, which Vladika received the holy relics on his head and to cry out, “Rejoice, American Rus’!” it presented Fr. Igumen with, according to placed them at the prepared small table was precisely then! I wanted the walls of prescribed rules, after the service. by the closed doors of the temple. “Who the small temple to expand to the endless 10. In place of the usual single word for thank you, is this King of glory?” was heard three distance throughout which our Orthodox “Spasibo,” St. Alexander here writes the two words “Spasi Bog” (literally, “Save, God!”) from which “Spasibo” times from inside the church and, with a brethren are scattered, that my voice was derived, victorious shout, “The Lord of hosts, he is might reach the farthest frontiers with a Continued on the next page 51 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

Continued from page 51 The service was ended with the edi- fying words spoken by His Eminence ... [text on pages following]. By this time the pilgrims who had already attended the liturgy outside began to come into the church. That service as well was completed by the hierarchical sermon of His Grace Raphael. Vladika then anointed the pilgrims with holy oil as was the local custom. A meal was offered in the dining hall for the hierarchs, clergy and brethren, accompanied by the reading of lives of saints, according to the monastic rule. When, after the meal, we went out onto the balcony, we saw that the majority of the pilgrims were already going on their way back in order to catch the train. It was time indeed, for the church ser- St. Alexis Toth delivers a sermon during the outdoor liturgy. It took place behind the monastery church, in the vices had ended quite late. The monastery presence of a cross erected the previous year for the blessing of the land and fi rst Divine Liturgy on the site. Here grounds were covered with the evidence the bell tower and icon repository stand today of recent presence of the pilgrims, and here and there were to be seen paper bags, [the pilgrims] were in a hurry to catch the primate of our American Church, since boxes, and pieces of tape and string. But trains so as not to be late on the following — by his generous contribution, his kind there were no trace of food. Everything day for work. heart, his sensitivity to the requirements that had been provided had been imme- After some rest, the holy icons were of missionary life, and fortunate choice of diately bought up. Even the bananas had carried out and, headed by His Grace staff in the person of Fr. Arseny and the been completely devoured, so that by two Innocent, we betook ourselves to the most useful laborers of the habitation Fr. o’clock the food stand was cleaned out. well, so as to fulfi ll that which we had in Deputy-Superior Tikhon and Fr. Steward Photographs were taken of those who had mind previously. Here we celebrated the Ipatii — he has called to life such an im- remained behind, together with the bands blessing of waters and then drank some portant and holy undertaking, the found- . . . together with Vladika, in a general of the water. Then, with the holy icons, ing of a monastery? Or should it to express group, but they didn’t come out very well. we made the rounds of the orphanage, as joy that the Lord, through the unspoken The [clergy] didn’t see the pilgrims off in well as the cells of the brethren, and hav- ways of His providence, has arranged for vestments as they had greeted them, for ing blessed them with the sign of the cross the holy cloister to receive two more hi- at the four corners, we returned into the erarchs, Bishop Innocent of the Alaskan temple where we began vespers. church, who though he came to our states That same night some of the clergy left for a different purpose, nevertheless took for their own places. In the morning, after upon himself a part of the overall celebra- nocturne, matins and liturgy, the rest be- tion of the mission, and Bishop Rafael, gan to leave. Bishop Innocent, with a few the angel of the Syrian-Arabic Church of the fathers, went to Simpson, where which is related to us in spirit? Or should they had been graciously invited by Fr. it be to salute American Rus’ on the occa- Alexander Boguslavsky and his matush- sion of the greatest spiritual festivity for ka, and then through Wilkes-Barre and its sons, intended to advance their salva- Catasauqua, where they visited Mitred tion and enlightenment? Or, to call on fu- Archpriest A. Tovt and Fr. Alexander ture times to respond just as cordially, sin- Nemolovsky, with Mr. Sonyashnik; ac- cerely, animatedly, and generously to the companied by N. F. Grivsky, he returned endeavor of the habitation and its needs? to New York on the third day. As for us, Or should it be to express the desire that headed by His Eminence the Archbishop, our American Church will draw unceas- together with Vladika Raphael, we ar- ing comfort, joy, support and the highest rived that same evening in our cathedral examples of Christian life, from the ser- church. vices of the habitation? How shall I end this modest narra- Archpriest Alexis G. Toth tive? Should it be with a deep bow to the Amen. Amen. Amen. 52 schools are being organized and a seminary, theological school, and orphanage are being opened. All the same, the life of our Church here was not yet full: we did not have an institution which, since ancient times, has been the companion of the Orthodox Church and constitutes her adornment. I am speaking of monasteries, in which the holy Russian land is so rich. And now, glory and thanksgiving to God! This void is now fi lled, and we celebrate today the opening of St. Tikhon’s Monastery and the consecration of the monastery’s fi rst temple. However, is it not a vain dream and a waste of effort and funds to organize a monastery, with its contemplative and eastern way of life, in a land whose inhabitants are known throughout the world for their practical needs, external effi ciency and a lifestyle of worldly comforts? Is this fertile soil for the sowing of monasticism? Will its seed not fall into the thorns among those for whom the cares of this world and the seductions of wealth drown out the word, and it bears no fruit? (Matt. 13:7). Yet, surely these people cannot be wholly without bursts of idealism, long- ings for heaven, concerns for “the one thing needful” (Luke 10:42), and a nostal- gia for the inner man, overcome by worldly vanity? Let us not hasten to condemn. For what person knows a man’s thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? (I Cor. 2:11). Do not judge by ap- pearances (John 7:24). Even here there are living souls that thirst for the Lord and long for true, unworldly life. We know that here, among the non- Orthodox, entire monastic communities On the balcony at the departure of the pilgrims exist. If people enter them from amongst But would not it be better and stronger ADDRESS those usually considered to be “practical,” than anything else, to close with the words Of His Eminence Tikhon, then we have reason to hope that our mon- that stand at the top of the memorial letter Archbishop of the Aleutians astery will not remain without inhabitants printed by the habitation on this unforget- and North America from among the Russian people who have table day, “To the almighty God!” Glory Given at the Consecration of St. long been noted for their love and attach- to the Almighty God! To Almighty God Tikhon’s Monastery and Church in ment to monasteries, their longing for the be Glory for Everything! Pennsylvania, May 17/30, 190611 heavenly, and their detachment from the Archpriest A. Hotovitsky worldly things of this life. Through God’s helping mercy, the Let us hope that our monastery, pres- The signifi cance of the opening of Orthodox Church continues to grow ently small by the number of its broth- America’s fi rst Orthodox monastery, as and is strengthened in this land. In vari- erhood, will become like the mustard well as the orphanage, was well stated ous places, Orthodox churches are be- seed, “which is the smallest of all seeds, by St. Tikhon and St. Raphael in the ad- ing erected, parishes, brotherhoods, and but when it has grown it is the greatest of all shrubs and becomes a tree, so that dresses they delivered at the indoor and 11. ROAM, op. cit., 1-14 June 1906, vol. 10 no. 11 p. 208- outdoor Divine Liturgies, respectively: 210. Continued on the next page 53 St. Tikhon’s Monastery

tery. Not far from it stands an orphanage. good deeds, especially charity. We see, Continued from page 53 Is this appropriate next to a monastery? therefore, that the orphanage is far from the birds of the air come and nest in its Is it appropriate for monks who have superfl uous to our monastery. In it the branches” (Matt. 13:32). The hopes and renounced the world to be preoccupied monks can minister to these little ones desires of my heart go further: I would with cares other than the salvation of their and, through their own labor and the mon- like our monastery to become, according souls? Does not even ministering to their astery’s income, build their salvation. to the words of the Savior, “like a leav- neighbors in the world distract monks I shall end this discourse with the en which a woman took and hid in three from their direct goal? These questions words I spoke to the brotherhood at my measures of meal, till it was all leavened” have preoccupied the minds of both mo- fi rst visit to the monastery. Someone once (Matt. 13:33). nastics and non- monastics in our father- came to Christ and asked Him: “Good The future is hidden from man’s lim- land during recent years. Some see minis- Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eter- ited vision, and we do not know at present tering to their neighbors in the world as a nal life?” “Keep the commandments,” what will be brought into the life of this mere “sideline” for a monk, as something answered Christ. “The fi rst and greatest land by the constantly increasing wave that is not essential to him, as something commandment is — ‘You shall love your of Slavic immigration and the gradually that can even be dangerous in certain cas- Lord with all your heart’ and the second growing Orthodox Church. We would es. Others, on the contrary, see the very is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as like to believe that they will not remain prayers of the monk and his preoccupa- yourself’ “ (Matt. 19:16-17; 22:37-39). If here without a trace, that they will not tions with the salvation of his soul as vir- you, brethren, will live by this rule, you vanish in a foreign sea, and that they will tually worthless without any ministering shall inherit the earth, the mercy of God, deposit into the spiritual treasury of the to his neighbor. They consider monks to and eternal salvation. Amen. American people the qualities that are pe- be selfi sh and idle people. Who is right? I think that the Synaxarion for Matins of Address Delivered by Great Tuesday provides an answer to this His Grace Raphael, question. In it is presented a commentary Bishop of Brooklyn, on the gospel parable of the Ten Virgins at the Time of the Festival12 (Matt. 25:1-12). Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His Beloved Brothers! disciples about virginity more than once. Our truly-wise Mother, the Holy There is much glory in virginity. Truly, it Orthodox Church, continually begins and is a great thing. But in order that one who ends all of her prayers with the blessing fulfi lls this deed [virginity] might not even of the Name of the Lord God: “Blessed think of neglecting the others virtues, par- is our God . . .” and “. . . Blessed be the ticularly charity, through which the light Name of the Lord, henceforth and forev- of virginity shines, Christ sets forth the ermore.” Parable of the Ten Virgins. Five of them And this she does wisely, because were wise, for to their virginity they joined without the blessing of God, not one good the abundant oil of charity. The other fi ve act is able to be completed. The manifest merely preserved their virginity without proof of this truth is shown by our present the oil of charity. They were called fool- festive organization of this holy cloister. Archbishop Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in ish, since they accomplished the greater Nearly a year ago, according to the America in 1906, future Patriarch of All Russia and Holy (virginity) while disregarding the lesser merciful commission of our Archpastor, Confessor (charity). Thus, in the night of this swift- His Eminence Tikhon, was the raising up, culiar to the Slavic nature and the Russian ly-passing life, all the virgins fell asleep: by me who am unworthy, of this cross, in Orthodox people: a hunger for the spiri- that is to say, they died and came before what was then a wild, wilderness place. tual, a passion for the heavenly, a long- Christ the Bridegroom. The wise entered Yes, then nothing was here; then the ing for universal brotherhood, concern for through the doors of the bridal-chamber, construction of a holy monastery was others, humility, feelings of repentance, but to the foolish those doors were shut. only being proposed, but there were nei- and patience. The most beautiful nursery They had no oil and were forced to go and ther builders nor means for the construc- for the raising of such feelings, for the buy some. But, just as the stores are not tion! preservation and increase of this spiritual open at night, so were the virgins unable What do we now see? We see, not leaven, is precisely an Orthodox monas- to supply themselves with good deeds af- only a magnifi cent temple of God, but tery. Therefore, look down from Heaven, ter death, especially charity. They went also beautiful cells for the brethren, in O God, upon the monastery now founded, away ashamed, for nothing is sadder or precisely that place where, nearly a year and behold and visit this vine which you more full of shame than virginity defeated ago, was wilderness! have planted with your right hand, and by possessions. So then, the vision is realized; the establish it! Thus monks cannot save themselves monastery is erected — a church in which One more word about our monas- by virginity alone. To it they must add 12. Ibid., p. 210-211. 54 sacred prayers for the builders and bene- labors were crowned with complete suc- factors are offered and the bloodless cess — the holy cloister has been con- Sacrifi ce is offered on behalf of all and structed! for all. And so, honor and praise to this pi- But how was all this accomplished? ous priestmonk who, through his stead- Well then, the time of the construction of fast hope in the blessing of God, attained this monastery is looked on not in years, the realization of that which he had con- nor even in months, but, as one says, ceived, the glorious undertaking to orga- in only a few days. How was all of this nize the holy habitation, which had been done? How was all of this manifested? approved and blessed by our most kind God, brethren, blessed — and every- and zealous Archpastor, His Eminence thing appeared. Builders appeared, fund- Archbishop Tikhon, and which was sup- ing appeared, and they appeared, so to ported by Vladiko’s benefi cent hand. speak, from we know not where! What can I say now to you the breth- And so, is it not clear that this is the ren of this holy monastery? I say to you: blessing of God? Well then, where music ceaselessly bless God — in word and is heard, there, it means, are musicians; deed — and be assured, that the blessing where a song is heard, there, consequent- of God will be with you, and if the bless- ly, are singers. Where is heard the blessing of God will be with you, then by all ing of the name of God, there certainly, means it will be so ordered and your own will be the blessing of God, and where is deeds will be the deeds of your salvation. the blessing of God, there all is manifest- And so all of us will be hearers of pi- ed as if from nothing. ous things, blessing God, saying constant- Remember, brethren, remember the ly, “Blessed is our God” and “Blessed be time, the time not so distant, only about the name of the Lord,” so that the blessing a year ago, when the act of founding this of God, which was with us, will always cloister seemed as though it were almost be with all of you, now and ever and unto impossible — impossible, that is, in the ages of ages. Amen. near term. Nevertheless it came about, St. Raphael of Brooklyn celebrated the Divine Liturgy * * * and it came about in quite a short time. in the open air What other words than these of St. And how was this so? It was God Who Raphael could bring to a more fi tting blessed this, and when God blesses, noth- this holy habitation. I distinctly remember conclusion this chapter in the history of ing is able to hinder it. his usual answer to the question of each of the St. Tikhon’s Monastery founding? It is It is impossible, however, to pass by in us, “How is the construction of the habita- only necessary to add that his words and silence those exemplary labors, struggles, tion to be effected when it is in want for those of the other luminaries whose pres- works and endeavors, which were applied suffi cient things for her construction and ence brightened those “ever-memorable in an untiring way, always hoping in the subsistence?” And always he answered, days” (as Igumen Arseny called them), blessing of God, of the respected Mayfi eld “It is nothing. God blesses and it will be remain as enlightening today as when rector, Fr. Igumen Arseny, for the realiza- constructed!” And, in reality, by the bless- they were fi rst uttered. tion of this glorious act — the founding of ing of God, his word became action, his To be continued.

Holy Wednesday Unction Service at St. Michael’s Church in Jermyn 55 “Preserve the Fullness of Thy Church”

Editor’s note: the following is a revised and expanded version of a talk given by Bishop Tikhon at the Clergy Retreat for the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania which was held on February 23, 2006 at St. Tikhon’s Seminary.

would like to begin by offering the following prayer with which all of Ius, as clergy of the Orthodox Church and celebrants of the Divine Liturgy, are familiar: “O Lord, Who blessest those who bless Thee, and sanctifi est those who trust in Thee: Save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance. Preserve the fullness of Thy Church. Sanctify those who love the beauty of Thy House; glorify them in return by Thy divine power, and forsake us not who put our hope in Thee. Give peace to Thy world, to Thy churches, to Thy Priests, to all those in civil authority, and to all Thy people. For every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from Thee, the Father of Lights, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, thanksgiving allow us to take the blessing, to take the of all that has been handed down to us and worship: to the Father, and to the sanctifi cation, to take the peace, to take from the Holy Apostles and from the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever all the gifts that are given to us from the Holy Fathers. As we strive to follow them and unto ages of ages. Amen.” Father of Lights, and to share those gifts in their missionary labors, we need to be All of us recognize these words as with the world. This is our missionary strengthened and encouraged by their those of the prayer before the ambo, a imperative as the Church, this is our call example, by their teaching and by their prayer which is offered up at every Divine to live out the sanctifi cation of Christ in lives. Each of the Apostles labored in a Liturgy. With this prayer, we come to the our own lives, in our own parishes and in unique way, traveled to unique lands, and completion of the great mystery which the world. strove to preach the glad tidings to unique has taken place in the Holy Eucharist, a I am sure that all of us fi nd our greatest people. Nevertheless, they were united completion, not in the sense of conclusion consolation and our greatest inspiration in with one another in that they each shared but in the sense of fullness. the Divine Liturgy. The grace we receive in the fullness of Tradition, the fullness of The prayer before the ambo is a in serving the divine services is a light the Church. Likewise, every parish within reminder to the priest, to the faithful for all of us and a source of strength the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania is and to the whole world, that while the as we strive to deal with the trials and unique: each has unique blessings, each great gift of communion with our Lord temptations that confront us as clergy and faces unique challenges and each will is freely given, it brings with it a certain confront the faithful that are entrusted follow a unique path. But every one of responsibility, or rather a calling and a to our care. Although every word of the those parishes is united in that it contains mission. Christ offers us the fullness of Divine Liturgy is inspiring, I have chosen the fullness of the Church, that fullness the Church and we are called to preserve to take only one phrase from the prayer that we ask the Lord to preserve, and that fullness. We do this above all by before the ambo as the theme of our retreat that fullness that we are called upon to offering glory, thanksgiving and worship today, the words: Preserve the fullness of preserve as well. to the Father and to the Son and to the Thy Church. Holy Spirit for every good gift and every These words remind us that the PRESERVING THE FULLNESS perfect gift we have received. At the fullness that we receive at the Divine OF THE CHURCH TODAY conclusion of every Divine Liturgy, we Liturgy is nothing less than the fullness of “depart in peace,” asking the Lord to the Tradition of our Church, the fullness The words preserve the fullness of 56 Thy Church also speak in a very real Church. the Gospel, so must we also be obedient way to our situation today, a situation in A proper attitude. As we make to the laws of society when those laws which the fullness of the Church seems to our way through the current diffi culties do not contradict the Gospel. In the past be fractured by the division and distrust within the Church, we must remember weeks, many concepts and principles that have arisen surrounding the fi nancial that these temptations are opportunities from the legal and business world have accountability of the Central Church for us to put into practice our calling to been proposed which everyone in the Administration of the Orthodox Church preserve the fullness of the Church. This Church has been called to rally around. in America. In response to the current task can only be done with a calm and Although it is good for us to make every situation, the Church has begun the peaceful heart and in a spirit of love and effort to align ourselves, as persons and process of addressing the issues that have humility. So often in these situations, we as the Church, with these principles, we been raised. The Holy Synod of Bishops allow our passions to rule over us and must always place our alignment in the light of repentance and salvation, and never make the principles of the world into idols to which we blindly bow. We must never forget that even our most exalted earthly principles are meaningless if they are separated from the life of the Church. Metropolitan Platon, of blessed memory, wrote the following in 1930: “‘Majority rule’ is a principle of society, but the principle of conciliarity is what seems ‘good to the Holy Spirit and to us’ (Acts 15:28). In the fi rst instance, ‘truth’ is the will of a majority of sinful people; in the second instance, it is the truth of God and of those who believe in Him. The fi rst ‘truth’ might also be untrue, but the second can never be untrue. Society’s greatest achievement is we begin to feel justifi ed in our anger the glorifi cation of Man, but conciliarity towards others. The Holy Fathers of the strives for freedom, love and holiness, Church remind us that the passions are and desires that God be glorifi ed in not overcome by eliminating the external Man. In conciliarity, Man seeks divine causes of the passions, but by purifying assistance, while society seeks human our own hearts. We can never blame help. Conciliarity has eternal goals, but someone for the passion in our own heart, society’s goals are temporal. Just as time whether it be anger, jealousy, lust or any can enter eternity, so also can society enter other passion. Our passions are our own conciliarity and seek conciliar goals.” and our work as Christians is to purify If we are to be accountable, if we our hearts with repentance and humility. are to make our fi nances transparent, if In all of this, we need a deep faith which we are to employ Best Practices, let us is most clearly revealed by our obedience do these things, not because the world to Christ, to His commandments and to demands it of us, but because the Gospel has met in extraordinary session to review His Holy Church. Obedience does not demands it of us. If we follow Christ and the current problems, His Beatitude, simply mean submission to an external His Commandments in all things, we will Metropolitan Herman, together with the authority; obedience is an ascetical act on always be lead to do the right thing in Metropolitan Council, has implemented our part, a sacrifi ce that we offer to God every situation. changes in administrative practices at the for the healing of our own soul. And so Conciliarity and repentance. We Chancery and an internal investigation there may be times when obedience does must also remember that if we truly desire is being conducted. Most recently, His not seem to make logical sense but is to preserve the fullness of the Church in Beatitude Metropolitan Herman issued a in fact the most direct path to correct a the face of a crisis, we must begin with pastoral letter to be read in all parishes of situation. When we have faith in Christ, prayer and repentance. Let us strive to the Orthodox Church in America in which He comes to our aid, for we know that the implement the proper principles with he outlines the measures that have been Lord blesses those who bless [Him], and the proper Christian attitude, striving to taken so far and calls all of us to once sanctifi es those who trust in [Him]. fi nd the conciliarity that Metropolitan again focus ourselves on the spiritual path The ways of the world. Just as we Platon speaks of. Let us seek the virtues to our salvation and on the work of the are required to live our lives according to Continued on the next page 57 Clergy Retreat Aug. 2007) will be devoted to unity: concentrate on particular ways that we Continued from page 57 what do we mean by unity in the Church? can offer the living waters of the Church of love, patience and forgiveness, not How is that unity lived out? What is the to those who are thirsting for something becoming entangled in the principles of relationship between the various organs that the world cannot satisfy. How can the world, however good and true they of the Church: Bishop, Priests, Deacons, we help in planting new missions in the may be. Let us remember that the Church Matushki, the faithful, choir directors, Diocese? How can we revitalize our is a community of persons that must parish council members, the youth, the existing parishes? How do we introduce live in unity and harmony. No one alone elderly, etc. As the Bishop of our Diocese, the depth and beauty of our Orthodox can claim to preserve the fullness of the I have been making pastoral visits to our Faith to those who are searching for it? If Church in himself. It is the responsibility parishes and have been encouraged by we truly are united in our faith in Christ, if of all Orthodox Christians to work the unity that is already to be found there. we live out that unity in our life of prayer together towards true conciliarity through We should be grateful to God for what and liturgy, then we will truly be laboring repentant prayer. we have received. Nevertheless, there is as missionaries for the Kingdom. always room for growth in this area and PRESERVING THE FULLNESS OF room for us to learn more about the nature CONCLUSION THE CHURCH IN THE FUTURE of the Church and how each of us has a role to play in the life of the Church. As we look forward to the future, we must Even as a particular storm rages Liturgy. The second year (Sept. always be respectful of our Holy Tradition. around us today, we know that work of 2007-Aug. 2008) will focus on Liturgy: The work of my predecessors, His the Church must continue. The Diocese What are concrete ways that we, all the Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, as well of Eastern Pennsylvania, along with the members of the Church, can help our own as His Eminence, Archbishop Kyprian of entire Orthodox Church, faces many church to grow and be a light to those in blessed memory should continue to be an challenges: a world that is dying because our community, bringing some of them, inspiration to us all. I would like to give it has forsaken the living waters of God willing, into the fold of the Church? thanks to Almighty God, for the prayers Christ and His Holy Church; parishes How can we increase the fullness of our and support of the clergy and faithful of that are unhealthy because the young are own liturgical life so that we may fi nd the our Diocese during my fi rst months as forsaking the faith of their fathers for spiritual nourishment that comes from the your Diocesan Hierarch. I am encouraged the temporal and temporary delights of divine services? What I would like to see by your zeal and by your confi dence in earthly pleasures; faithful that are beset by is a commitment on the part of our clergy me and in our Diocese. We certainly have economic hardship, physical and mental and faithful to develop the liturgical life many challenges, some that are universal illness, and so forth. Today, I would like in their own parishes, in their homes and to all times and to all men, others that to propose some ways in which we might in their personal prayer life. There is a are particular to our situation in Eastern work together as the clergy and faithful wealth of beautiful services and hymns Pennsylvania. However, if we truly make of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania in the Church and we should take full that effort to live together as brothers in to face these challenges that confront us. advantage of those blessings so that we Christ, I believe that by the grace of God, Although there are many aspects that we may all grow closer to the Lord. with the intercession and protection of could consider, I would like to focus on Mission. The third year (Sept. 2008- the Most Holy Theotokos and through the three central themes: Unity, Liturgy and Aug. 2009) will focus on Mission and prayers of all the Saints, we will continue Mission, and propose that we address will be the time for us to come together to see our Holy Faith spread and grow these themes as a Diocese over the next as a Diocese and refl ect upon the previous among our own faithful and among those three years, devoting one year to each two years and renew our commitment who are seeking the Truth, and in this theme. to missionary activity. Although our way we will all be laboring to preserve Unity. The fi rst year (Sept. 2006- whole life is one of mission, we should the fullness of the Church.

58 Century Association Sponsors Twelfth Annual Pre-Lenten Winter Festival To Benefi t St. Tikhon’s Seminary

ellowship, food, and fun marked the chances for valuable prizes. ning the perfect theme basket. Reader twelfth annual Winter Festival held Dinner was followed by dancing to Jeffrey Lovell took home the Easter rab- Fon Sunday, February 19, 2006 at St. the music of John Stevens & Doubleshot. bit basket, and Bishop Tikhon will be Mary’s Center in Scranton. Guests from Those who remembered the traditional enjoying popcorn from the “Family Fun Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Russian dances performed them for the Night” prize. New York gathered for this pre-lenten enjoyment of all, while students from This event is all for the students! dinner dance sponsored by St. Tikhon’s St. Tikhon’s Seminary mingled with the Proceeds from the Winter Festival, as well Century Association in support of St. crowd of generous supporters of the theo- as 100% of membership contributions, Tikhon’s Theological Seminary. Close to logical school. Alexandra Fedorchak of help fund the seminary’s annual budget. 200 faithful were joined by seminarians Mayfi eld, a longtime benefactor of St. During the evening, Sarah Jubinski, pres- and their wives at this year’s festival that Tikhon’s, renewed her commitment to the ident of St. Tikhon’s Century Association, proved to be one of the most successful seminary by presenting a student scholar- presented Metropolitan Herman with a Century Association events in recent his- ship. $20,000 check as partial fulfi llment of the tory. Once again, Fr. Joseph Martin added association’s 2006 goal. Metropolitan Herman, primate of the an element of excitement to the evening The Century Association is a vital and Orthodox Church in America, greeted by challenging guests to match ticket important fi nancial arm for the work at guests at this annual event, while Bishop sales and increase their chances of win- St. Tikhon’s. Joining the Association is Tikhon of Philadelphia enjoyed fel- a way to confi rm your love of God and lowship with the faithful who gath- 2006 His Holy Orthodox Church by helping ered in support of our beloved semi- BENEFIT DRAWING WINNERS to provide the best possible training nary. Fr. Michael Dahulich, dean of 1st Prize: 14K Gold & Gemstone Flower Pin from W. Palchik for priests and other church leaders of St. Tikhon’s Seminary, delighted the — Dennis & Lynn Chrush, Bethlehem, Pa. the new millennium. Join us next year many children in attendance with his 2nd Prize: $300 Gift Certifi cate from Holoviak’s Church Supply for the 2007 Winter Festival, and con- kind words of praise and encourage- —Katherine Sokol, Herkimer, NY sider investing in the future St. Tikhon’s ment. During the cocktail hour, guests 3rd Prize: $200 Gift Certifi cate from St. Tikhon’s Bookstore Theological Seminary by becoming a had an opportunity to renew friend- —Elda Sebastianelli, Olyphant, Pa. member of the Century Association to- ships, check out the display of mag- 4th Prize: Exquisite Palekh Lacquered Box day! nifi cent theme baskets, and purchase —Joseph Fetsko, Camp Hill, Pa. —Mary Sernak 59 60 Century Association’s Winter Festival Continued

61 We Believe The Symbol of the Faith — The Creed

Part VIII Article VII

“And he shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, of whose kingdom there shall be no end”

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” —Acts 1:11

he second coming of our Lord will of all creation. All the angels will be with resurrection of life; and those who have be in Glory. In this article of the Him as He sits on the throne of His glory. done evil, to the resurrection of judg- TSymbol of the Faith we confess Before Him all men will gather. In time ment” (John 5:28-29). that He will indeed come again in glory, for the Last Judgment, God will resurrect God’s fi nal judgment is perfect and to judge all men, the living and the dead. all the dead. “Do not marvel at this; for just. At this time each person will have He will appear in glory, not in humiliation the hour is coming when all who are in revealed to him his whole life. He will as in His fi rst coming. The Son of God the tombs will hear His voice and come know fully and understand completely will come as King of Kings and the Lord forth., those who have done good, to the all that he ever did, thought, or felt. God 62 will reveal to each person his true value. the very essence of life for God’s crea- death and of the last judgment. He must Human justice with its elaborate system tures. be fi rm and unwavering in his faith. No of punishments and rewards is subject What is the time of our Lord’s sec- trial or persecution should cause him to to all the limitations and faults of man. ond coming and the last Judgment? Jesus’ waver. He must always remember that if Thus, there is a great gulf between divine apostles themselves wondered about he does not love others and does not come justice which is perfect and absolute and this day and asked Jesus, who answered to the aid of his fellow men, he shall by human justice which is imperfect and fal- them: “But of that day and hour no one his deeds deny God. In the fi nal judgment lible. In the perfect light of divine justice knows, not even the angels of heaven, such men will discover, for their eternal the unchangeable result of each person’s but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36). sorrow, that they will not be recognized life as he lived it will be known to him. Jesus mentioned certain signs of the ap- by the Son of God. “So every man who Each person’s life must be spent in nur- proach of that day, “And this gospel of the acknowledges me before men, I also will turing and developing those values which kingdom will be preached throughout the acknowledge before my Father, who is in will not wither in the perfect light of di- whole world, as a testimony to all nations; heaven; but whoever denies me before vine justice. and then the end will come” (Matthew men, I also will deny before my Father In Chapter 25 of St. Matthew’s 24:14). Other signs will be visible in the who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). Gospel we read Jesus’ description of the moral standards of this world. Faith will With the Last Judgment, the eternal, Last Judgment: “And he will separate decrease and so will love among human glorious reign of Jesus Christ with all the them (all men) one from another, as a beings. Evil will increase and so will ha- saints will begin, and of this “kingdom shepherd separates the sheep from the tred. Sorrows will multiply. Nation shall there shall be no end.” This seventh arti- goats (sheep are the righteous and goats rise against nation. There will be fam- cle completes the fi rst part of the Symbol are the sinners), and he will place the ines, epidemics, and earthquakes in vari- of the Faith which was proclaimed during sheep at his right hand, but the goats at ous places. “For then there will be great the First Ecumenical Council in 325 A.D. the left. Then the King will say to those tribulations, such as has not been from at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of the beginning of the world until now, no, Questions for Article VII my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared and never will be” (Matthew 24:21). And for you from the foundation of the world; there will be signs in the sun, in the stars, 1. How will the Lord come when He for I was hungry and you gave me food, I in the seas and the heavens and men will comes again? was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was die from fear. (Read Matthew 24:3-51; 2. What will the Lord do when He comes a stranger and you welcomed me, I was Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:5-36.) again? naked, and you clothed me, I was sick and The last warning of the glorious sec- 3. What is the Final Judgment? you visited me, I was in prison and you ond appearance of our Lord will be the 4. How will each person appear at the came to me.’” (But the righteous did not coming of the Antichrist. He will be a Final Judgment? know they had done all this.) “Then the man given to sin, the opponent of God 5. In your own words tell the story of the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when and God’s law, putting himself above God Final Judgment as it is told in the 25th did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or and calling himself god. He will fi ght the chapter of St. Matthew. thirsty and give thee drink? And when fi nal and losing battle of Evil against God. 6. When will the Final Judgment occur? did we see thee a stranger and welcome In the end God and God’s truth will be 7. How will we know that the time of the thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when victorious, and all evil will be destroyed. Final Judgment is approaching? did we see thee sick or in prison and visit Jesus gave us the warning signs, 8. How should we prepare ourselves for thee? And the King will answer them, but emphasized that nevertheless no one the Final Judgment? ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one knows when that day will come. Indeed, 9. What will happen after the Final of the least of these my brethren, you did several times in history people thought Judgment? it to me.’” (God sees all and accepts any that it would be at the end of the fi rst thou- 10. In your own words describe and in- aid done for any man as if it were done for sand years of Christianity. Coincidentally terpret the Final Judgment as you un- Him. “Then he will say to those at his left there was an eclipse of the sun on that derstand it. hand, “Depart from me, you cursed, into date. People were struck with terror; they the eternal fi re prepared for the devil and hid in churches to wait there the arrival —Archpriest Vladimir Borichevsky his angels; for I was hungry and you gave of our Lord. At another time, a western me no food, I was thirsty and you gave scientist, on the basis of his calculations Archpriest Vladimir, 1919-1990, was me no drink, I was a stranger and you did made from the Apocalypse, proclaimed the fi rst Orthodox U.S. Army chaplain. not welcome me, naked and you did not the day to be in 1836. All these miscal- Among his many achievements was that he clothe me, sick and in prison and you did culations are only further proof of Jesus’ served as dean of St. Tikhon’s Seminary, not visit me.’” Those who did not love words, “of that day and hour no one and composed the liturgical service in God or their fellow men are condemned knows” (Matthew 24:36). God chose to honor of St. Herman of Alaska, the fi rst because without love one cannot be with withhold from man the knowledge of the American Orthodox saint. God, for “God is love.” Damnation is to time of His glorious arrival. Therefore, be eternally denied God’s love which is man must live every day in expectation of 63 Commentary of St. Cyril of Alexandria on the Gospel of St. John

Part XXII John 6:32b-40

St. Cyril continues his commentary on John 6:32-33, the beginning of which appeared in the last installment. The text of John 6:32b-33 is: ly forces it in the direction of its own will; But my Father gives you the true but Christ turns us around again as with bread from heaven. “For the bread a bridle, to the desire for better things, of God is he who comes down from and recovers those who are diseased, to heaven and gives life to the world.” a God-loving habit of mind. For see, and take note: to those who are sinking down into carnal pleasures, he promises to give . . . But since he who is instructed in food from heaven, that is, the consolation virtue through the law is not unexercised through the Spirit, the manna of the intel- in virtue, when we fi nd that we are pres- lect. Through this are we strengthened in ently amid these circumstances, then, fall- all patient endurance, and we enjoy that ing into the temptations which try us, we which does not fall through infi rmity into are sometimes devoured by the memory things that are unsuitable. Therefore even of carnal lusts, and then, when the lust of old, the intellectual manna (that is, strongly infl ames us, we often cry out on Christ) was strengthening us in the direc- account of listlessness, being in a kind of tion of piety. hunger for our old accustomed pleasures, But since we have digressed once, although the divine law has called us to because of need, I think it well not to liberty; and neglecting our labors with leave the subject uninvestigated, since respect to abstinence, we look upon the it is very conducive to our profi t. Some bondage of the world as no longer evil. one then may reasonably ask, Why does And in truth, the will of the fl esh is suffi - God, who is so loving to man and loving cient to draw the mind to all despondency of virtue, who when it is needed antici- that is opposed to what is good. pates their request, come late with regard And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, to his promise; and does not in any way I rain bread upon you out of heaven.”1 In St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria punish those men who were so perverse, these words you may very clearly see that although he punished them afterwards, which is sung in the Psalms, He gave them given to the whole rational creation from when they were sick with the same lust- the bread of heaven; man ate the bread God the Father. But entering into the order ing, and pictured to themselves bread to of angels.2 But I suppose it is evident to of our subject we say this: Observe how satiety, and fl eshpots, and admitted long- all, that the bread and food of the rational, the divine grace from above draws to it- ing for the rankest onions. For we will heavenly Powers, is nothing other than the self the nature of man, even though it is at fi nd in Numbers both that certain persons Only-Begotten of God the Father. He then times sick because of its habitual things, were punished, and that the place in which is the true manna, the bread from heaven, and saves it in many different ways. For they were then encamped was called the 1Exod. 16:4. the lust of the fl esh, like a stone falling on Graves of Lust; for there they buried the 2Psa. 77(78):25. the mind, thrusts it down, and despotical- people that lusted.3 With respect then to 64 the fi rst question, we say that it certainly forbids keeping it till the morrow, disclos- Moses promises to the people of Israel that was proper for him to wait for the desire, ing to the people of old, as through dark quails will be given them by God in the and in this way to fi nally reveal himself sayings, that when the time of salvation evening, and by this he declares that they in due season as giver. For a gift is most fi nally shines forth in which the Only- will know surely that the Lord brought welcome to those in good circumstances, Begotten appeared in the world with them up out of Egypt. And in the morning when certain pleasures appear before it fl esh, the legal types would be wholly you shall see plainly, he says, the glory and precede it, stimulating thirst for what abolished, and the continued gathering of of the Lord, when he shall give you bread has not yet come; but the human soul will food therefrom would be in vain, when to satiety. And consider, I pray you, the have no part in a more grateful feeling, if it the truth itself lies before us for our plea- difference between each of these. For the does not at fi rst stretch forward and labor sure and enjoyment. quail signifi es the law (for the bird always for the pleasures of well-being. But per- And it shall come to pass on the sixth fl ies low and about the earth); in that way haps you will say that there had not been day that they shall prepare whatsoever you will see, too, those who are instructed any kind of entreaty from them, but rather they have brought in, and it shall be double through the law towards a more earthly grumbling, change of mind, and outcry; of what they shall have gathered.8 Again piety through types, I mean such as relate for this would indeed be speaking more observe, that you may understand, that he to sacrifi ce and purifi cations and Jewish truly. To this we say: entreaty through does not allow them to gather the sensible washing. For these are lifted up a little prayer is suitable for those who are of a manna on the seventh day, but commands from the earth and seem to rise above it, perfect habit, and it may be that the mut- that which is already provided and gath- but are nevertheless in it and about it; for tering of those who, because of depression ered to be prepared for their food before- that which is perfectly good and lofty for or whatever cause, are weaker, will have a hand. For the seventh day signifi es the apprehension is not in the law. Moreover share of this; and the Savior of all, being time of the advent of our Savior, in which it is given in the evening; the description loving to man, is not altogether angry at it. we rest in holiness, ceasing from works of by evening again signifying the obscurity For as in those who are still babies, crying sin, and receiving for food, both the ful- of the letter, or the dark condition of the will sometimes achieve the asking of their fi llment of our faith, and the knowledge world, when it had not yet the true light, needs, and by it the mother is often called already arranged in us through the law, that is, Christ, who when he was incarnate to fi nd out what will please the child; so, no longer gathering it as from need, since said, I have come, a light into the world.11 to those who were still infants and had not more excellent food is now before us, and But he says the children of Israel shall yet advanced to understanding, the cry we have the bread from heaven. The man- know that the Lord has brought them out of weariness, so to speak, has the force na is collected in double measure before of Egypt. For in the Mosaic writings is of petition before God. And he does not the holy seventh day; and I think you will seen knowledge alone of the general sal- punish in the beginning, even though he understand from this that, the law being vation that is through Christ, while grace sees them worsted by earthly lusts, but af- concluded as regards its temporal close, was not yet present in very person. He ter a time, for this reason, it seems to me. and the holy seventh day, that is, Christ’s hinted at this very thing when he added, Those who had just newly come out of coming, already beginning, the discovery In the morning you shall see the glory of Egypt, not having yet received the manna, of heavenly good things will after some the Lord, when he gives you bread to sa- nor having the bread from heaven which manner be in double measure, and the tiety. For when night, that is the mist, of strengthens man’s heart,4 fall, as might be grace twofold, bringing, in addition to the the law, has been dispersed in an orderly expected, into carnal lusts, and therefore advantages from the law, the gospel in- manner, and the intellectual sun has risen are pardoned. But those who had already struction also. The Lord himself too may upon us all, we behold as in a mirror the delighted in the Lord,5 as it is written, on be conceived to teach this, when he says glory of the Lord12 now present, receiving preferring fl eshly delights to the spiritual as in the form of a parable, Therefore ev- to satiety the bread from heaven, I mean good things, undergo a most just penalty, ery scribe instructed concerning the king- Christ himself. and over and above their suffering they dom of heaven is like a wealthy man who And it was evening, and quails came have assigned to them a notable memo- brings out of his treasure things new and up and covered the camp; in the morning rial of their fate. For Graves of lust is the old:9 he old the things of the law, the new it came to pass as the dew ceased round name of place of their punishment. those through Christ. about the camp, that, behold, on the face And the people shall go out, and they And Moses and Aaron said to all the of the wilderness a small thing like cori- shall gather their daily portion for the congregation of the children of Israel, At ander seed, white.13 Look at the arrange- day.6 We consider the sensible manna to evening you shall know that the Lord has ment of the things to be considered. He be a type of the intellectual7 manna. And brought you out of Egypt; in the morning says of the quails that they covered the the intellectual manna signifi es Christ, you shall see the glory of the Lord, when camp; again, of the manna, that in the but the sensible manna alludes to the the Lord gives you in the evening fl esh to morning when the dew ceased, it lay on grosser teaching of the law. With reason, eat, and in the morning bread to satiety.10 the face of the wilderness round about 7sensible vs. intellectual: that which is apprehend- the gathering is daily, and the lawgiver 10 ed through the senses vs. that which is apprehended Cf. Exod. 16:6-8. 11 3Num. 11:34. through the intellect (nous, mind.) John 12:46. 12 4Psa. 103(104):15. 8Exod. 16:5. 2 Cor. 3:18. 13 5Psa. 36(37):4. 9Matt. 13:52. St. Cyril, here and elsewhere, reads Exod. 16:13-14. 6Exod. 16:4. “wealthy man” in place of “householder” in this text. Continued on the next page 65 St. Cyril on John’s Gospel irritated with them.19 In these words the the hand of Aaron, was laid up before the Continued from page 65 morning signifi es the bright and most glo- Lord, to be kept. For the holy and truly pi- the camp. For the instruction through rious time of the coming of our Savior, ous soul which labors in bringing to birth the law, I mean that in types and fi gures, when the shadow of the law and the mist in itself perfectly the word of Christ, and which we have compared to the appear- of the devil among the nations were in a receives the whole heavenly treasure, will ance of quails, covers the synagogue of certain way undone; the Only-Begotten be a precious vessel as of gold, and will the Jews: for, as Paul says, the veil lies rose upon us like light, and spiritual be offered by the high priest of all to the on their heart14 and a hardening in part15 dawn appeared. So the blessed Moses God and Father, and will be brought into But when it was morning, that is, when commanded that they not leave any of the presence of him who holds all things Christ had now risen, and shone bril- the fi gurative manna until the morning; together and preserves them to be kept, liantly around all the world, and when for when the aforementioned time has not permitting that which is of its own the dew had ceased, that is, the gross and risen upon us, the shadows of the law nature perishable to perish. The righteous mist-like introduction of legal ordinances are superfl uous and utterly out of place man therefore is described as having in a (for Christ is the end of the law16 and the by reason of the truth now present. For golden vessel the intellectual manna, that Prophets); then assuredly the true and Paul showed that the righteousness of the is, Christ, ascending to incorruption, as in heavenly manna will come down to us, law is a thing truly useless now, when the visitation of God; and remaining to be I mean the gospel teaching, not upon the Christ has gleamed forth; he said of him, kept, that is for life that is long-enduring congregation of the Israelites, but round for whom I have suffered the loss of all and endless. about the camp, that is, to all the nations, things, namely, glorying in the law, and Therefore Christ with reason convicts and on the face of the wilderness, that is count them as rubbish, that I may gain the Jews of no slight madness in that the Church of the gentiles, of which it Christ and be found in him, not having my they supposed that it was by the all-wise is said that more are the children of the own righteousness, which is from the law, Moses that the manna was given them of desolate than of her who has a husband17 but that which is through the faith of Jesus old, and in stopping their discourse about For the grace of the intellectual manna Christ.20 Do you see then, how as a wise it at this point and not considering any of is dispersed over the whole world and is man he took care not to leave [any] of it the things signifi ed in advance by it — by also compared to the coriander seed, and till the morning? Those who kept some of his saying, Most assuredly, I say to you, is called small. For truly, the power of the it till the morning are a type of the Jewish Moses did not give you24 the manna. For divine word is subtle, and it cools the heat multitude which would not believe, whose they ought rather to have considered this of the passions, lulls the fi re of carnal mo- eager desire to keep the law in the letter, and perceived that Moses had merely tions within us, and enters into the depths would be productive of corruption and of introduced the service of mediation, but of the heart. For they say that the effect worms. For do you hear how the lawgiver that the gift was no invention of human of this herb, I mean the coriander, is most is greatly exasperated against them? And hand but the work of grace from above, cooling. Moses said to Aaron, “Take a golden pot, outlining the spiritual in the grosser and And when the children of Israel saw and put into it one full omer of manna; signifying to us the bread from heaven it, they said to one another, What is this? and you shall lay it up before God, to be which gives life to the whole world, and For they did not know what it was;18 be- kept.”21 Truly, we may well marvel at this, does not feed as by invitation the one race ing unused to what had come to pass in a and say Oh, the depth of the riches both of of Israel. miraculous manner and not being able to the wisdom and knowledge of God!22 For say from experience what it was, they say truly, incomprehensible is the wisdom Then they said to him, “Lord, give us this one to another What is this? But this very hidden in the God-inspired Scriptures, bread always.” And Jesus said to them, thing which is spoken as a question, they and deep their depth, as it is written, Who (John 6:34-35) make the name of the thing, and call it in can fi nd it out?23 You see then how our By this is clearly divulged (though the Syrian tongue, Manna, which again is, last comment fi tted these things: for since it much desires to be hid) the aim of the What is this? and from this you will ap- Christ himself was shown to be our True Jews, who also said that they were ea- prehend, in a spiritual manner, how Christ manna, declared to those of old in type, ger to follow him not because they saw would be unknown among the Jews. For by image — he in this place necessarily the miracles but because they ate of the testing showed that that which prevailed teaches of whom, and of what virtue and loaves and were fi lled,25 that one may see in the type, also had force in the truth. glory, will he who treasures up in himself that it is not right for the truth to lie. And Moses said to them, Let no man the intellectual manna, be full, and brings So, with reason were they condemned leave [a part] of it till the morning. But Jesus into the inmost recesses of his heart, for their dullness, and I suppose one they did not pay heed to Moses, but some through right faith in him and perfect should truly say to them, O people foolish left [some] of it till the morning; and it love. For you hear how the omer full of and without heart; they have eyes, and see bred worms and stank; and Moses was manna was put in a golden pot, and, by not; ears have they, and hear not.26 For while our Savior Christ is, as one may see, 142 Cor. 3:15. 19Exod. 16:19-20. 15Rom. 11:25. 20Phil. 3:8-9. by many words drawing them away from 16Rom. 10:4. 21Exod. 16:33. 24John 6:32. 17Isa. 54:1. 22Rom. 11:33. 25John 6:26. 18Exod. 16:15. 23Eccles. 7:24. 26Jer. 5:21. 66 carnal imaginations, and by his all-wise the knowledge of the mystery before them shown as in type, but now am present ful- teachings winging them towards spiritual uncovered and in full view, by doing so fi lling my due promise. I am the bread contemplation, they do not ascend above rendering their unbelief without defense. of life, not bodily bread, which cuts off what is useful to the fl esh, and hearing of That it was his habit (as we have said) to the suffering from hunger only, and frees the bread which gives life to the world,27 use an obscure and reserved method of the fl esh from the destruction caused by they still picture to themselves that of the speaking, he himself will teach us, say- it, but entirely forming anew the whole earth, having their belly their God,28 as ing in the Book of Psalms, I will open living being with a view to eternal life, it is written, and being overcome by the my mouth in parables.32 And the blessed and rendering the human being who was evils of the belly, that they may justly prophet Isaiah too, no less, will confi rm formed to be for ever, superior to death. hear, whose glory is their shame. And you our explanation of this, and show it to By these words he points to the life and will fi nd such language very similar to that be in no way mistaken, proclaiming, For grace through his holy fl esh, through of the woman of Samaria. For when our behold, a righteous king shall reign, and which this property of the Only-Begotten, Savior Christ was expending upon her a princes shall govern with judgment. And that is, life, is introduced into us. long discourse, and telling her of the spir- a man shall hide his words,33 for he says But we must know (for I think that itual waters, and saying clearly, Whoever that he reigns a righteous king over us, he with zealous love of learning we should drinks of this water will thirst again, but who says, But I have been made king by pursue what brings us profi t) that for forty whoever drinks of the water that I shall him on Sion his holy mountain, declaring whole years the symbolic manna was sup- give him will never thirst. But the water the commandment of the Lord;34 and he plied to the people of Israel by God, while that I shall give him will become in him a calls princes living together in judgment, Moses was still with them, but when he fountain of water springing up into ever- that is, in uprightness in every thing, the had attained the common termination of lasting life,29 she seized on it through the holy disciples who came to the Savior life, and Jesus was now appointed the dullness that was in her, and ignoring the Christ who often veiled his words, say- commander and general of the Jewish spiritual fountain and thinking nothing at ing, Explain this parable to us.35 And he ranks, he brought them over Jordan,39 as all about it, but sinking down to the gift once, on hearing the question, Why do it is written, and having circumcised them of sensible wells, she says, Sir, give me you speak to the multitudes in parables?36 with knives of stone and brought them this water, that I may not thirst, nor come is found to have declared the reason very into the land of promise, he at length ar- here to draw.30 So, akin to her language plainly, because seeing they do not see, ranged that they should be fed with bread, is that of the Jews. For as she was weak and hearing they do not hear, nor do they the all-wise God having now ceased his by nature, in the same way, I think, have understand.37 For they were in no way gift of manna. Therefore (for the type will these too nothing male or strong in their worthy, it seems — God, the just judge, now be changed towards the truer) when understanding, but are effeminated to- having decreed this sentence on them. Moses was veiled, that is, when the types wards the unmanly lusts of the belly, and The Savior then, having designed of the worship that were according to the show that the scripture, For the fool shall many turns of speech in his discourse, law were brought to an end and Christ ap- speak foolish words, and his heart shall when he saw that his hearers understood peared to us, the true Jesus (for he saved meditate vanities,31 is true of them. nothing, now says more openly, I am the his people from their sins40), then we bread of life,38 and all but makes an attack crossed the Jordan, then we received the I am the bread of life. (John 6:35) upon their immeasurable lack of reason, spiritual circumcision through the teach- It is the custom of our Savior Christ saying, O you who, as regards your in- ing of the twelve stones,41 that is, of the when explaining the more divine and comparable uninstructedness alone have holy disciples, of whom it is written in the already foretold mysteries, to make his preeminence over all, when God declares prophets that the holy stones are rolled discourse on them enigmatic and not too that he will give you bread from heaven, upon his land.42 For the holy stones going transparent. For he does not send forth and has made you so great a promise in about and running over the whole earth, his word, which is so august, to lie un- feeding you with manna, do you limit the are assuredly those through whom also we veiled before the unholy and profane divine liberality, and are you not ashamed were also circumcised with the circumci- indiscriminately at their pleasure, to be of stopping the grace from above at this, sion made without hands,43 in spirit, that trodden down by them; yet by veiling it in not knowing that it is only a small thing is, through the Spirit. When, therefore, we some way with layers of riddles, he does both for you to receive such things of were called to the kingdom of the heav- not render it invisible to the prudent, but God, and for God himself to give them ens by Christ (I consider that it points to when he sees among his hearers any who you? Do not then believe (he says) that this and nothing else, that some entered are foolish and understand no shred of the that bread is the bread from heaven. For into the land of promise), then the sym- things spoken, he opens clearly what he I am the bread of life, who of old was bolic manna no longer belongs to us, for wills to make known, and removing as it foreannounced to you as in promise, and 39Josh. 3:1. Jesus is the English form of the Hebrew were all mist from his discourse, he sets 32Psa. 77(78):2. name Joshua. 40 33Isa. 32:1,2 Lxx. Cf. Matt. 1:21, in which the angel explains the mean- 27John 6:33. 34Psa. 2:6,7 Lxx. ing of the name Jesus. 41 28Phil. 3:19. 35Matt. 15:15. Josh. 4:8. 42 29John 4:13-14. 36Cf. Matt. 13:10. Zech. 9:16. Lxx. 43 30John 4:15. 37Matt. 13:13. Col. 2:11. 31Isa. 32:6 Lxx. 38John 6:48. Continued on the next page 67 St. Cyril on John’s Gospel more excellent than he with whom he was now been baptized and have tasted the di- Continued from page 67 compared? Some such method, then, of vine grace know, that if they go into the we are no longer nourished by the letter leading and instruction he uses now too. churches sluggishly, or hardly at all, and of Moses, but the bread from heaven, that For since the Jews were behaving haugh- absent themselves for a long time from is, Christ, nourishing us towards eternal tily towards him, and made bold to think the eucharistic gift that is through Christ, life, both through the supply of the Holy big, always putting forward their law- and feign a pernicious reverence in that Spirit, and the participation of his own giver Moses and often asserting that they they will not partake of him sacramental- fl esh, which puts into us the partaking of ought to follow his ordinances rather than ly, they exclude themselves from eternal God, and effaces the deadness that comes Christ’s, thinking that the supply of man- life in that they decline to be given life; from the ancient curse. na and the gushing forth of water from and this their refusal, although seeming the rock were a most logical proof of his perhaps to be the fruit of reverence, is He who comes to me shall never hunger, superiority over all, and over our Savior turned into a snare and an offence. and he who believes in me shall never Jesus Christ himself — he necessarily re- For instead, they should urgently thirst. (John 6:35) turned to his customary plan, and because gather up their implanted power and pur- In this again there is again some- of the unbridled daring of his hearers and pose, that in this way they may be reso- thing concealed which we must say. For their being excessively prone to wrath, he lute in clearing away sin, and attempt to it is the custom of the Savior Christ not does not say outright that he is superior live a life of beauty, and so hasten with all to contend with the praises of the saints, to Moses; but he comes to this very thing boldness to the participation of spiritual but on the contrary to crown them with that is marvelled at, and by comparison of and eternal life.49 But since Satan is di- glorious honors.44 But when certain of it with the greater, proves that it is small. verse in trickery, he never permits them to the more ignorant folk offer them45 a su- For he who comes to me (he says) shall think that they ought to be soberminded, perior glory, not perceiving how much never hunger, and he who believes in me but after having defi led them with evils, greater his excellence is than theirs, then shall never thirst.48 Yes, he is saying, I too he persuades them to shrink from the very he, to their great profi t, brings them to a will agree with you that the manna was grace by which it would be likely that they more proper conception, while they con- given through Moses, but those who ate — recovering from the pleasure that leads sider who the Only-Begotten is, and that of it went hungry. I will grant that water to vice, as from wine and drunkenness — he will assuredly come out ahead by in- was given forth to you out of the womb of would see and consider what is for their comparable excellencies. But he does not the rocks, but those who drank thirsted, good. So, breaking off his bond and shak- make his discourse to this effect too clear, and the gift just mentioned brought about ing off the yoke thrown over us from his but somewhat obscure and free from any for them some little temporary enjoy- tyranny, let us serve the Lord with fear,50 boast; and yet by consideration of or comment; but he who comes to me shall never as it is written, and through temperance parison of the works, it forcibly takes hold hunger, and he who believes in me shall show ourselves superior to the pleasures of the vote of superiority. For instance, he never thirst. of the fl esh, and let us approach that di- was discoursing one time with the woman What then does Christ promise? vine and heavenly grace, and ascend up of Samaria, to whom he promised to give Nothing corruptible, but rather that bless- to the holy participation of Christ; for in living water; and the woman, understanding, in the participation of his holy fl esh this way, in this way we will overcome ing nothing of the things spoken, said, Are and blood, which restores the human the devil’s guile, and, having become par- you greater than our father Jacob, who being wholly to incorruption, so that he takers of the divine nature,51 will ascend gave us the well?46 But when the Savior should have no additional need of the up to life and incorruption. wished to persuade her that he was both things that ward off the death of the fl esh, greater than he, and in no small measure I mean food and drink. It seems that he But I said to you that you have seen me more worthy of belief, he proceeds to the here calls water the sanctifi cation through and do not believe. (John 6:36) difference between the water, and says, the Spirit, or the divine and Holy Spirit By many words he struggles with Whoever drinks of this water will thirst himself, often so named by the divine them, and in every way urges them to sal- again, but whoever drinks of the water Scriptures. The holy body of Christ then vation by faith. But as God, he was not that I shall give him will never thirst. But gives life to those in whom it is, and unaware that they would run off to unbe- the water that I shall give him will beholds them together unto incorruption, lief, as their sister or intimate foster sis- come in him a fountain of water springing being commingled with our bodies. For ter, and would regard as nothing him who up into everlasting life.47 And what does it is conceived of as the body of none calls them to life. So, in order that they he give [us] to understand from this, if other than of him who is by nature life, might know that Jesus was not ignorant not surely this: that the giver of more ex- having in itself the entire strength of the of what manner of men they would be cellent gifts must himself necessarily be Word that is united [to it]; and indeed it found, or rather to speak more fi ttingly, 44When saintly people praise Jesus, he does not reject becomes, or rather, is fi lled with his effec- that they might learn that they were un- their praise, as by some display of false modesty (since, tuating energy, through which all things 49The fi rst “life” in this sentence is bios, and the second being the incarnate Word of God, he deserves every is zoe; both mean “life,” but the second refers to earthly or praise) but rather, he rewards such persons). are made alive and are retained in being. physical life, while the second which also means life, but 45them: that is, the saints. But since all this is so, let those who have more particularly “spiritual and eternal life.” 46John 4:12. 50Psa. 2:11. 47John 4:13-14. 48John 6:35. 512 Pet. 1:4. 68 der the divine wrath, he charges them that they might learn that they had fallen that he gives him shall be brought to him again, But I said to you that you have under the divine displeasure. Therefore as by the God and Father, he is pointing to seen me and do not believe. I foreknew a skillful physician he both shows them the people of the Gentiles, who now are (he says) and clearly foretold, that you their weakness, and reveals the cause of very soon to believe on him. It is the word would surely remain hard, and keeping it, not in order that they on learning it may of one skillfully threatening both that a fi rm grasp on your cherished disobedi- continue quietly in it, but that they may they will fall away from grace, and that ence, you would be left without share in by every means appease the Lord of all, in their stead will come in all those who, my gifts. And when did Christ say any who is grieved at them, that is, for just from among the Gentiles, are brought by thing of this kind? Remember him say- causes. For he would never be grieved the goodness of the God and Father, to ing to the blessed prophet Isaiah, Go, and unjustly, nor would he who knows how the Son, as to him who is by nature the tell this people, you will indeed hear, but to give righteous judgment have given Savior and lifegiving, that they, partaking you will not understand; and you will in- any such judgment upon them, if reason of the blessing from him, may be made deed see, but you will not perceive. For were not calling for this, from every angle partakers of the divine nature, and be thus the heart of this people has become fat.52 springing towards the due accusation. By brought back to incorruption and life, Is not the word shown to be true by these and be remolded to the ancient form of things also, which are before us? For they our nature. As one would, then, bring a saw, they saw that the Lord was by na- sick person to a physician that he might ture God, when he fed an innumerable drive away the sickness that has befallen multitude which came to him, with fi ve him, so we say that the God and Father barley loaves and two small fi shes, which brings to the Son those who are worthy he broke up. But they have seen and do of salvation from him. Bitter and destruc- not believe on account of the blindness tive, then, is hard-heartedness to those which, like a mist, has come upon their who have it. For this reason the word of understandings from the divine wrath. prophecy chides the Jews, crying aloud, For they were, I think, without doubt wor- Be circumcised to your God, and circum- thy to undergo this because, being caught cise your hardness of heart, you men of in innumerable stumblings, and held fast Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem.56 in the indissoluble bands of their trans- Yet not for them, but rather for us has the gressions,53 they did not receive, when he God and Father kept the circumcision that came, him who had power to untie them. is in the heart,57 namely that which is ac- For this reason was the heart of this peo- complished through the Holy Spirit, with ple made fat. regard to him who is a Jew inwardly. But that the multitude of the Jews It is then right to fl ee from their dis- saw, from the greatness of the sign, that obedience, and with all zeal to renounce Jesus was by nature God, you will under- hard-heartedness and to strive rather for stand full well by this too. For marvelling a more gentle disposition, if we would at what was done, as the evangelist says avert the wrath that was upon them, to above, they sought to take him by force their destruction. to make him king.54 Therefore no excuse Holy Apostle and Evangelist John for their folly is left to the Jews. For as- . . . and the one who comes to me I will by tonished (and with much reason) at the this the Savior affi rmed that everything no means cast out. (John 6:37) divine signs, and coming in accordance would come to him which the God and He says that conversion through faith with the works to the power of him who Father gave him; not as though he were will not be profi tless to those who come does the work, they almost shudder at unable to bring believers to himself, for to him. For he had to show that it was a their readiness to believe, and they spring he would have accomplished this very most desirable thing to be brought by the back from good habits, readily making easily if he had so willed, according to God and Father, and productive of ten a summersault, as it were, into the very the working by which he is able even to thousand goods. So he says that things depths of perdition. subdue all things to himself,55 as Paul most excellent will be theirs, who through says; but since it seemed somehow neces- the grace from above are called to me and All that the Father gives me will come to sary and more fi tting to say that those who come. For I will not cast out him who me. (John 6:37) were in ignorance were illumined by the comes, that is I will not discard him as It did not behoove the Lord simply to divine nature, he again as man attributes an unprofi table vessel, as is said through say, You have seen me and do not believe, the activity to the Father, with regard to one of the Prophets, Jechonias is dishon- but it was necessary that he should bring things more suited to God. For so was his oured as a good-for-nothing vessel; for he in besides the reason for their blindness, custom to do, as we have often said. But 52Isa. 6:8-10. 56Jer. 4:4. 53cf. Prov. 5:22. it is probable that when he says that all 57Rom. 2:29. 54John 6:15. 55Phil 3:21. Continued on the next page 69 St. Cyril on John’s Gospel although he be said by some people unwilled by our Savior Christ, yet willed Continued from page 69 to be subject. for our sakes and the good pleasure of is thrown out and cast forth into a land the God and Father, you will soon under- which he knew not. Land, land, hear the For I have come down from heaven, not stand. For when he was about to ascend to word of the Lord. Record this man as an to do my own will, but the will of him it, he made his addresses to God, saying, outcast person.58 So, he says, he shall not who sent me. This is the will of the Father that is, in the form of prayer, Father, if it be proscribed nor cast out as one despised, who sent me, that of all he has given me I is possible, let this cup pass from me; nev- nor will he be left without a share of my should lose nothing, but should raise it up ertheless, not as I will, but as you [will].62 solicitude, but he will be gathered up into at the last day. (John 6:38-39) For I think is most clear to all that since my garner, and will dwell in the heavenly To someone who considers it superfi - he is God the Word, immortal and incor- mansions, and will see himself possessed cially, this passage will seem hard and not ruptible, and by nature life itself, he could of every hope beyond understanding of far removed from offense regarding the not shudder at death; yet made in fl esh, he man. For eye has not seen, nor ear heard, faith, so that they even expect us hence- allows the fl esh to undergo things proper nor have entered into the heart of man forth to fall into intractable diffi culties, to it, and being now at death’s doors, per- the things which God has prepared for which come from our opponents. But mits it to shudder at death, that he may those who love him.59 It is probable that there is nothing at all diffi cult here, for all be shown to be in truth human; therefore the words, I will by no means cast out the things are plain to those who understand, he says, if it is possible, let this cup pass one who comes to me signify moreover, as it is written, and right to those who fi nd from me. that the believer, and he who comes to the knowledge,61 that is, to those who piously If it may be, he says, O Father, that I, divine grace, will not be delivered over to study to interpret and understand the mys- without suffering death, may gain life for the judgment. For you will fi nd that the teries contained in the divine Scriptures. those who have fallen into it, if death may word out has some such meaning, as in In these words, then, Christ gives us a die without my dying, in the fl esh that is, that parable in the blessed Matthew. For kind of proof and distinct assurance that let this cup (he says) pass from me; but he says, the kingdom of heaven is like a one who comes to him shall not be cast since it will not take place (he says) oth- net that was cast into the sea and gathered out. For he says, for this reason I have erwise, not as I will, but as you [will]. some of every kind, which, having been come down from heaven, that is, I became You see how powerless human nature is brought up and dragged to shore, they human according to the good pleasure of found, even in Christ himself, as far as it gathered the good into vessels, but threw the God and Father, and did not refuse to is concerned: but through the Word united the bad away.60 For by his saying that the be employed in works that were all but with it, it is brought back to the courage good were gathered into vessels we will involuntary, until I should accomplish that befi ts God, and is educated to a bet- understand that the good are gathered into for those who believe on me, eternal life ter, more noble purpose, so as not to com- the divine and heavenly courts, and by the and the resurrection from the dead, hav- mit itself to what seems good to its own unprofi table being cast away, we will see ing destroyed the power of death. Now, will, but rather to follow the divine aim, that the ungodly shall fall away from all what was this that was both unwilled and and to readily run to whatever the law good, and go away into judgment. When [yet] willed by Christ? Dishonor from the of its Creator calls us. That we say these therefore Christ says, the one who comes Jews, revilings, and hubris and insults, things truly, you may also learn from that to me I will by no means cast out, let us scourgings, spittings, and, even more, which is added here. For The spirit indeed understand that the people who come to false witnesses, and last of all, the death is willing, he says, but the fl esh is weak.63 him through faith shall never fall into of the body. For our sakes Christ willingly For Christ was not unaware that it is very torment. He seems to me in these words underwent these things, but if he could far beneath the dignity that is appropriate most wisely to veil a threat against those have accomplished his desire for us with- to God, to seem to be overcome by death, most abandoned men, that if any will not out suffering them, he would not have and to feel the dread of it; therefore he turn to obedience with all speed, they will willed to suffer. But since the Jews were added to what he had said the strongest be deprived of all good and be excluded surely and inevitably going to dare to do defense, saying that the fl esh was weak even against their will from his friend- the things done against him, he accepts by reason of what befi ts it and belongs to ship. For by the same saying in which the suffering, he makes what he did not it by nature; but that the spirit was will- he promises not to cast out the one who will, his will, for the sake of the advan- ing, knowing that it suffered nothing that comes, he signifi es that he will surely cast tage of his Passion, the God and Father could harm. Do you see how death was out the one who does not come. agreeing with him and co-approving that unwilled by Christ on account of the fl esh he should readily undergo all things for and the disgrace of suffering, yet willed, BOOK FOUR the salvation of all. until he should bring to its destined ac- In this, especially, do we see the complishment the Father’s good pleasure Chapter 1. That the Son is inferior to boundless goodness of the divine nature, for the whole world, that is, the salvation the God and Father in nothing, in that it does not refuse to make that and life of all? For does he not truly and because he is from him by nature, which is spurned, its choice for our sakes. really signify something of this kind when 58Jer. 22:28-30 Lxx. But that the suffering on the Cross was he says that this is the will of the Father, 591 Cor. 2:9. 62Matt. 26:39 60Cf. Matt. 13:47-48. 61Prov. 8:9. 63Matt. 26:39. 70 that of those who were brought to him he no long argument with us on this; let the able power. For these things, being and should lose nothing, but should raise it up spirit that would wrangle where it least of existing, are receptive of the manner of at the last day? For as we taught before, all should, be still, for since no one is in- subjection. Therefore if you say that the the God and Father, in his love for man, dignant at this [idea], it is superfl uous to being of the Son consists in his being sub- brings to Christ as to life and Savior and press it. ject to the Father, he will be a subjection Son, him who lacks life and salvation. But since you, being accustomed rather and not a Son. Tell me, then, how But I perceive that I am saying what to think and to hold the most perverse will you be taken seriously? For how can does not please the enemy of the truth. For things, term the Son’s agreement with the this subjection be conceived to exist of it- he will by no means agree to the things will of the Father, a subjection owing to self, without having its being in any of the which we have just said, but will cry out constraint, we will discuss with you what things that are? For such things64 usually loudly and will come with his shrill cry, O is right regarding this matter. For if this accompany65 the necessarily pre-existing you, to where do you lead astray our line statement were put forth by you in sim- subjects in which they customarily occur, of thought, and devise intricate inroads plicity, we too would with reason hold our and not otherwise; and they are viewed of ideas and draw the passage away from peace, and not too strictly test the agree- as being related to essences, or befalling the truth? Probably you blush (he says) to ment of language. But since we see that it them, rather than having any existence confess the Son’s involuntary subjection. is put forward in deep malice, we will of in themselves. And as lust for instance, For is it not, by this, also evident to us necessity oppose you, trusting in the pow- which calls and impels us to any thing, that he will never command and bear rule er of the Holy Spirit, and not in our own has no existence in itself, but is conceived in the management of affairs, but rather is words. For not absolutely, nor simply as rather in him who is the recipient of it, subject rather to the Father’s will? For he his rule of conduct, neither for every ac- so subjection, pointing at some sway of is conscious of coming so short of equal- tion, did the Son affi rm that he did not the will to the duty of subjection to any, ity with him, that he is in some manner completely and entirely hold to his own will not be conceived of in its own nature, constrained to make what he does not will, but he says that he kept his Father’s but will rather be as passion or will or de- will, his will, and not to do altogether as will in one defi nite act, on account of your sire, in some one of the things that are. seems good to him, but rather what pleas- wresting of words (as I suppose), as God Besides, the name and fact of subjection es the Father. And next, dragging the ex- making provision for our security. And he spoken absolutely will not be conceived pression into the incarnation, he says, Do endured what he did not will, and for our of as properly predicated of any one, nor not tell me it is as man that he is subject. sakes made it his will; I mean his passion will one know whether it is good or bad, For look, as you can see, he, while still on the Cross, since thus it was well-pleas- unless it be added to whom the subjec- God and bare Word and not involved with ing to his Father, as we have said before. tion is; for a man is subject to God, but fl esh, came down from heaven, and before And one may immediately see the proof also to the devil. And as the name wise he was clothed with the form of a servant laid down, and the principle set clearly is a mediate term (for some are wise to at all, he was subject to the Father, that is, before us, on which (as he himself says) do evil,66 and again the wise shall inherit as his superior and ruler. he sets aside his own will and fulfi lls the glory,67 having clearly their wisdom in Riding on dread and extremely agile Father’s. For he says, This is the will of good things), so too subjection is a kind words, good sir, you overrun us, yet they the Father, that of all he has given me I of mediate term, and not a truth defi nite- are words that do not advance straight should lose nothing, but should raise it ly expressed, for it is quite uncertain to ahead, but are frightened away from the up at the last day. And it has been clear- whom the subjection is.68 King’s beaten path; and having left the ly stated before, that the passion on the Hence also, the Son’s nature is left in highway (as the Greek proverb has it), Cross was truly unwilled and willed alike 64such things: as, for example, being subject. you are pressing forward on precipices by the Only-Begotten. But we will say it 65emphasis added. 66Jer. 4:22. and rocks. For without purpose you main- again after this with more accurate proofs, 67Prov. 3:35. tain against us that the Son obeys the simplifying the truth for our readers. 68St. Cyril argues thus: If you say that the Son did the things his human nature would not have willed, out of Father, and always speak as though any But I will proceed fi rst to the exami- obedience to the Father on account of being in subjec- of those holding the right views thought nation of the subjection alleged by you tion to the Father, then do you say that he is, in his very being, intrinsically subject to the father, or rather is his that one should hold the opposite, and — it being previously laid down and being logically prior, and the subjection subsequent? were not, rather, determined to agree unhesitatingly confessed by you that the For if his essence consisted in being subject, then he is a subjection, and not a Son; yet subjection is not an es- with you in this. For we do not conceive wills of the holy Trinity always coin- sence but a quality that belongs to an essence. Also, as he of the holy and consubstantial Trinity as cide into one will and purpose. Let those goes on to argue, subjection must be defi ned; there is no such thing as being subject in an abstract sense; one who ever divided against Itself, or cleaved into subtle disputers tell us then, whether the is in subjection must be in subjection to something or diverse opinions, or that the Father per- Son’s being consists in the name and fact someone. (The implication again being that subjection, necessarily involving another party, cannot be of one’s haps, or the Son or the Holy Spirit, are of subjection, and this is his nature in the very being, but related to it.) For these reasons, the Son severed with regard to what seems good same way as, for instance, humanity be- cannot have been in subjection to the Father by his very to each individually; but they agree in longs to a man; or whether he, existing essence or being, since subjection could only have been something incidental to it, something contingent or con- all things, since it is clear that from one before in his own proper mode, is subject ditional, and not obligatory, permanent, ineluctable -- not Deity, one and the same will always exists to the Father, as one might conceive of an something essential. in the whole holy Trinity. So let there be angel for instance, or any other reason- Continued on the next page 71 St. Cyril on John’s Gospel ity that is being examined, how are you be utterly unable to comprehend such as Continued from page 71 not caught in no little folly, in attributing pertains to the essences themselves, but uncertainty if it be conceived of as (ac- to the God and Father superiority over correspond to the essences, that is to say, cording to you) a subjection. For, subjec- his own offspring in regard to it? For, as to what pertains to things that are around tion to what, one could not say without we said about subjection, we do not ac- them, as we have presented above.73 How falsehood, if no [objects of the subjec- cept that the terms “greater” or “less” or then can the Father be greater than the tion] were brought forward. But that the the like are, strictly, essences; but they Son, God by nature than [he who is] God subjection cannot exist of itself, in its own are something external, and qualities of by nature? For the Son’s having been be- mode of being, we will see, bringing for- essences. For that which already pre-ex- gotten of him will surely force you, even ward some grosser and more obvious rea- isted and is, can be a recipient, perhaps, against your own will, to allow him to be soning in regard to things already made; of “greater” or “less” by comparison of one essence74 with him. and a demonstration do accept besides. with another thing; but if there is noth- So, assuredly, it having been premised For if we grant that a person’s being, for ing before it or pre-existent with respect and unhesitatingly admitted that the Son example, consists in his being subject, we to which such things could happen, how is by nature God, let us, if you please, will consider that his not existing consists can they exist by themselves, although consider whether by paying him75 equal in his not being subject. How then was it conceived of and defi ned under the class honor with him from whom he is, we will, said by the Psalmist to someone, as indeed of things that are incidental? So in telling even more, confer honor on the begetter, being and existing, but not yet subjected, us of greater or less, you do not touch the or will we do the opposite, by insulting Submit yourself to the Lord, and suppli- essence of the Only-Begotten, neither that the begotten with less and inferior honor, cate him?69 Do you see then how utterly of the Father, but only with external ex- as is really and more truly the case.76 For foolish it is to suppose that subjection has cellences or shortcomings do you embel- it is Father’s glory to have begotten one any existence in itself? lish (as you suppose) the Father and revile such as he himself is by nature. But the One must then necessarily confess the Son, although you hear him openly exact contrary will ensue (for it is well not that the Son was and existed previously crying aloud, he who does not honor the to speak of what follows), if the Son does in his own nature, and in this way say that Son does not honor the Father, and that it not retain the natural condition befi tting he was subject to the Father. Therefore is fi tting that all should honor the Son just him, but has inferiority either in glory or tell me, what is there to make it neces- as they honor the Father.71 For, that things in anything else that should belong to him sary that he who is from the essence of his which can in no way be severed into alien in order that he be be entirely manifested Begetter, the exact impress of his nature, dissimilarity, but have one and the same the all-perfect and true God. Therefore, should fall from his equality with him on essence, must be endowed with equal glo- if he, being thus by nature, honors the account of his being obedient?70 For we ry, Christ most excellently teaches, in that Father, do not mock at that, O man, nor be who think and speak rightly, know that he he does not accept to receive testimony found guilty of ignorantly fi nding fault, is consubstantial with the Father, and we to himself from men, as he himself said, where there is least occasion for it. For give him equal honor in all respects, and but came forward as himself, a witness I think it would be appropriate to admire consider that he in no way comes short of to himself credible and more worthy than him for this too, that he honors and loves the divine rank. But as for you, consider in all existing things. And being by nature his Father; for every species of virtue has, what manner you are pushing away from truth, he will surely speak what is true, as as its source and root, the essence that is equal honor with the Father, because of one may prove from the very character of above all; in it, good things fi rst appear, alleged subjection, him who enjoys equal things. For you will probably allow that and fl ow down to us, who are made af- excellences [with him] by reason of iden- the “greater” or “less” do not belong to ter its image. For this reason the lawgiver tity of essence. the very essence of something, but to the commanded us also to duly honor father But it is just this (he says) that will things that are in relation to [or, around] and mother indeed, and to this he atttached support our side of the argument: namely, the essences of the thing. For instance, a the most noble rewards (for he knew, I that the Son is obedient to the Father, and human being will not be greater or less suppose, that it was a very great thing, than another human being, with respect to does not actively consider his own will, 72such things: i.e. accidents or incidentals, as greater or but rather yields to that of the Father, as his being conceived of, and called, human; less, for example. for neither is a human less than [another] 73One cannot be “more human” or “less human,” or above him and greater than he. “more divine” or “less divine.” An entity is either human or But this very thing, sir, which, accord- human, as human; neither is he greater not; divine, or not. Therefore, the Son cannot be said to be ing to what you say, you think will aid than [another] human, as human; for the less than the Father, as they are both divine. But properties or qualities that are in relation to, or that appertain to, an your argument, you will fi nd to be noth- reckoning of nature is seen to be equal to- essence -- humanity, for example -- might exist in greater ing but the fruit of your own unlearned- wards all. And the same way of reasoning or lesser degree. will hold regarding angels too, or anything 74of one essence: or, consubstantial, co-essential; Grk. ness. For if we were disputing which was omoousion. superior in rank and had the greater glory, else that is made and enrolled among cre- 75him: the Son. ation. Therefore such things72 are found to 76But if we honor the Son equally with the Father, we your ever-repeated argument would even do not really give additional honor to the Father, since then scarcely seem to have any timeliness. the two are equally divine, the two are one God. But if we But since it is the mode of consubstantial- 70Having proved that Christ exists (logically) prior to dishonor the Son by giving him a lesser honor than the his purported subjection, Cyril now notes that obedience Father, we also dishonor the Father, since the Son is from 69Psa. 36(37):7 Lxx. does not make one subject. the Father. 72 and so far removed from all reproach as he should suffer — he made what he did punished? And how would that miserable to be even the procurer of long-enduring not will, his will, the divine nature having man through whom Christ was betrayed, life). Therefore, since we, by being sub- permitted this from love towards us. have been better off, if he had not been ject to and obeying our parents, are not For the artifi cer of all things, Wisdom, born?83 For if the Passion be conceived rendered other in nature than they, but be- the Son that is, made that which was a con- of as willed by the Savior, and not un- ing as they are — humans, from humans trivance of devilish perversity, I mean his willed in any other sense, what penalty — and having and keeping the defi nition death in the fl esh — this he made a way would he reasonably pay, who was ap- of manhood perfect, we practice obedi- of salvation to us and a door of life, and pointed minister of the Master’s will and ence as an excellent virtue; think in this the devil’s hopes were overturned, and he of things which would inevitably come way with respect to the Father and the learned at last by experience that it is hard to pass? Will it not be evident to all, that Son. For being what he is, God from God, the things which seem good to the divine perfect from perfect, exact impress of and ineffable nature, must surely come to the essence of the begetter — he reasons pass through some [persons or events]?84 nothing other than he whose both counsel From these [arguments] and many others, and Word he is, also reasons;77 and he will one may see that since the Son of Man will entirely the same as the Father, being has come down from heaven to undergo compelled by the same laws (so to speak) death for all men, he was both willing and of consubstantiality, to co-will all good unwilling, in order that he might raise up things together with the Father.78 all at the last day, since it so pleased the Do not in any way be scandalized Father himself for the good of all; but he then, O man, when you hear him say, I does not will that because of these things, have come down from heaven, not to do he should be thought of as being of a dif- my own will, but the will of him who sent ferent nature at all, or in any respect infe- me.79 rior to him who begot him.85 For what we said at the beginning, this I suppose then that our opponent will we will say again. Christ said this of a def- now be blushing, and not denying our inite and plain matter. For he says these words on this point; but if he again op- words, teaching that he willed to die for poses, and has determined that it is ap- all because the divine nature had so coun- proptiate to wrangle yet more, I say this: selled, but he did not will it because of If the Son has come down from heaven not St. John the sufferings on the Cross, and as far as to fulfi ll his own will, as he himself says, pertained to the fl esh, which shuns death. for him to fi ght against God. The divine but the will of the Father; and our words And we have already expended many Singer80 too seems to agree with what I in the examination of this that we have words: but it is fi tting that we should per- have said of these things, and to hint at just concluded, happen not to please you cieve that the suffering on the Cross was something of this sort, when he says, as — must not one say that their wills are unwilled by the Savior Christ, in that he of Christ and the devil, in his net shall he in opposition, and that their counsel is di- was human, and that we observe this from humble him.81 For the devil laid death as a vided contrarily? But this again is plainly the very nature of things. net for Christ, but in his own net itself, has obvious. For if there were no hindrance, We say then that it was a work of he been humbled. For in Christ’s death, the will in both would without a doubt be Judaic folly that Christ should be cruci- death was undone, and the tyrant who completely one: but if he sets beside the fi ed at all, and this would immediately thought not to fall, was rendered power- Father’s will as different from it, his own happen from those who, because of what less.82 And it would not be hard to add will, and fulfi lls it, how is it not foolish they had already done both to the holy much more to these things; but what is to say that they are one, and not different prophets and the saints who were of that before us, that will we say. If the death of with respect to each other? time, were not unpracticed in recklessness Christ were not really and truly the work Let us see then in what things is the with regard to such [deeds]. But since it of Judaic wills and the fruit of their unholy will of the Father; for in this way we was not possible in any other way to raise daring, but the divine judgment were, as will discern the other also, wheresoever again to life that which had fallen into some think, the only thing that led to this it tends. The Father’s will then, as the death, except if the Only Begotten Word — how was it not needed that that which 83Matt. 26:24. of God became human, and it was wholly was determined upon, should necessarily 84St. Cyril is not maintaining that everything that God necessary that, this having come to pass, regards as good, comes to pass, for in that case there and assuredly be accomplished through would be no evil in the world. Rather, his argument is 77 The Son, being the exact impress of his begetter (the humans, and not otherwise? How then, that every good thing which God resolves to bring about, Father), reasons or thinks nothing else than what the tell me, would those who complied with does indeed come to pass. Father -- whose counsel (voule) and word (logos) he, the 85Christ is not to be viewed as being of a diff erent Son, is -- reasons or thinks. God’s irrevocable decrees, still be justly nature from the Father or in any way inferior to him, either 78 Although the Son and Word, obeys the Father as a because his human nature does not will to suff er and die, 80The Psalmist. virtue since he is the Son’s source and root, at the same or (as was shown earlier) because he honors his Father by 81Psa. 9:29(10:9). Lxx. time since the two are one, and share one will, he cannot obeying him. will otherwise than the Father. 82The devil, who thought he was invincible, was 79John 6:38. defeated. Continued on the next page 73 “For this is the will of him who sent me, St. Cyril on John’s Gospel that everyone who sees the Son and be- and severally what belongs by fi tness of Continued from page 73 lieves in him may have everlasting life; nature to each, but rather understand that and I will raise him up at the last day.” Savior himself has said, is that of all he the Father is co-worker with the Son, and (John 6:40) has given him he should lose nothing, likewise the Son with the Father, and that Having now defi ned the good will of but should raise it up at the last day. And our salvation and recovery from death to the Father, he makes it clear, and sets it none will deny that it is good and loving; life is the work (so to speak) of the whole forth more broadly for the consideration of but transferring our considerations to the holy Trinity. And know that the Father is the hearers through repeating it yet again. opposing will of the Son, we shall fi nd able as regards all might and need, and For he clearly explains what the method of it neither loving nor good at all, but sa- likewise the Son, and the Holy Spirit; advancement is, and what some gain from voring of what is wholly contrary to the but through the whole holy Trinity, the being brought in. The Father, then, gives Father, and willing neither to save us nor good things come to us, and the God and to the Son who has power to give them 89 yet to raise us up from death.86 How then Father is found all things in all, perfectly life, things lacking life; he gives in this is he a Good Shepherd, how did he give through the Son in the Spirit. way: implanting in each one, as through he us a sign of the lovingkindness that We must nevertheless observe this knowledge, the true apprehension regard- is in him, in giving his life for us? For also, that the value of belief in the Son ing the Son, and power to understand 90 if he has come down from heaven to ac- is found to be great. For it has life as its purely that he is God, from the true God, complish this of voluntary purpose, how reward. But if he who is God by nature is the Father, that being thus minded, and does he fulfi ll not his own will in not de- known in the Son, who will any longer adorned with contemplations belonging stroying that which is brought to him,87 endure those who lead him outside the es- to this, he may be brought to the reward but in raising it up at the last day? But if sence of the Father, and have a mouth that of faith, that is, a lasting and endless life this was not his will, but he obeys rather is not barred to blasphemy against him? in bliss. Therefore the Father brings to the the will of the Father, both in raising up For in that he says he can raise again to Son by knowledge and divine, spiritual vi- and saving, namely, those who were lost life that which has fallen into death, in sion,88 those to whom he puts the question and were conquered by death, how will these same words, without any distinction of divine grace. The Son receives and en- we not be true in asserting that the Son intervening, he ascends to identity of na- livens them, and, engrafting his own good is neither good nor in any way loving to ture with the Father. For bringing to life is into those who are of their own nature apt man? Let the one who wars against Christ a work proper to life, and since the Father to become corrupt, and shedding on them cease then, his doubt being convicted of is by nature life, he too who by nature is the Spirit’s life-giving power as a spark blasphemy from every angle; and let him from him, that is, the Only-Begotten, will of fi re, he completely re-molds them en- not bark at us about these things with his surely be spiritually apprehended to be tirely toward immortality. But when you bitter words. life. hear that the Father brings them, and that To be continued. the Son gives the power of living anew 86St. Cyril rhetorically follows out the logic, or rather illogic, of holding the view that because Christ says he to those who have recourse to him, do 89or: wholly, completely, in their entirety or complete- came “not to fulfi ll his own will, but the Father’s will,” not go off into absurd fancies, as though ness. Gk. holoklerws. that by this he meant that his will and the Father’s are each were supposed to do individually 90Gk. zoe.: life, especially spiritual or eternal life, as op- diff erent. posed to physical or worldly life and the life of sin, which 87Cf. John 6:39. 88Or: contemplation. Gk. theoria. is more usually vios.

Annual Diocesan Scholarship Presentation

74 75 Berwick, Pa. Mary Radio Holy Annunciation Church Christ is Risen! Laura Riley Father James & Matushka Lisa Valerie Ristvey Tamara, Jordan & Zachary Beckley Mr. & Mrs. George Ristvey Mary & Alex Berbick David and Janice Cudlic Gordon & Valerie Roberts Carol, Nicholas & Josef Bodwalk David and Laura Cudlic Matthew, Alexander, & Nicholas Roberts John David and Dorothy Buckeye Andrew and Karen Cuttic Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Roman Mary K. Burns Natalie Danczenko Alex & Gregory Roman Mr. & Mrs. Roy Ervin & family Larry & Irene Davis Nancy A. Sabol Paul Hicks Michael & Mary Dorosh John Saharuk Mr. & Mrs. Carl Hinkle Michael J. & Toni Dorosh Patric & Cate Shea Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hinkle Damian A. Drasher In Memory of Alexandra Schichalew Jean Husak Ted & Betty Fedora Helen Schweisgut Joan & Michael Kost Patty Felix Mr. & Mrs. James Seifert & Family Kathy & Lee Kuchka John & Olga Frimenko Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Senick & Family Mr. & Mrs. Richard Kuchka Mr.& Mrs. James Gallop Joseph Senick III Gloria Kundrat Mr. & Mrs. Walter Grigoruk Mr. & Mrs. Michael Slivka, Eric & Peter Diane, Tom, Alyssa & Lil’ John Macri Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Guanowsky John Smakula Mary Maholick Taras Guanowsky Laura Smakula Effi e Mavrelos Yuri Guanowsky Michael & Dorothy Stafi niak Helen Mihaly Mr. & Mrs. Alan Guiducci and Family Joseph & Emma Stafi niak Stephen Mihaly Elizabeth Hahalis Michele Stafi niak Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Mihaley, Kristen & AJ Mary Ann Hanas Stephen & Jen Stafi niak and Andi John Parker Helen Haney Boris & Vera Stoiancheff Mr. & Mrs. John Parker Elizabeth Hasenecz Julia Strohl Nick Patlovich Jr. Nadine & Elias Hasenecz Olga Sviatko Mr. & Mrs. Roy Peckham Matthew Hatrak Ola Tatusko Mr. & Mrs. Robert Perau Doctors Julius & Anna Herz Wash & Helen Telepchak Helen & Frank Petak Mr. & Mrs. Donald Holobeny & Daniel Jason & Keri Tomsic Michael Charles Petak Mary Hudak Mr. & Mrs. James Weida Mr. & Mrs. Tom Popko, Gabriella & Gianna Mr. & Mrs. Michael Isbansky Dr. Thomas J. Weida & Family Nikki Ann Roll Dr. & Mrs. Gary Jenkins Rosemary Ziegenfuss Barbara Silvette Peter Jubinski Mr. & Mrs. Todd Sponenberg, Nathan & Andrew Sarah Jubinski Catasaqua, Pa. Anna Stenko Dr. Peter Daniel Jubinski Holy Trinity Church Mr. & Mrs. Frank Stenko Rosemary Jubinsky Fr. Timothy Hasenecz Marion Stenko Mrs. Helen Karel V. Rev. Eugene & Matushka Fran Vansuch Mr. & Mrs. Mel Stojakovich & family Mrs. Mary Kasander Fr. Deacon Jason & Katia Vansuch Mary Takacs Jeff rey J. Kasander, D.M.D. Reader Michael & Vincentine Brusko Mr. & Mrs. Tedd Tripp, Amilia, Teddy & Elliot Eric Kasander Edward & Pauline Bachert Mr. & Mrs. Nick Uram Jim and Nadia Kelly JoAnn Yurconic James & Victoria Weremedic Mr. & Mrs. Peter Keretz Randy & Stephanie McCormack, Angela, Christopher Melissa Keysock Vince Fugazzotto, Blaise Bethlehem, Pa. Michael and Jennifer Keysock Nicki Fugazzotto, Blaise St. Nicholas Church Bill & Sandi Keysock & Family Kiprian & Sherri Fedetz, Alex, Andrew St. Nicholas Church Choir Nicholas Keysock Steve & Barbara Symanovich Nicholas Lezinsky, Director Albert & Esther Kiechel Patrick Kelleher St. Nicholas Altar Society Gary Kiechel John Karpeuk Sarah Jubinski, President Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kohudic Anna Katchur St. Nicholas “O” Club Selar & JoAnn Konsevitch Trevor & Dana Heckman, Alexis, Joshua Mary Dorosh, President Olga Kozachonok Jack & Sandy Miller V. Rev. Dimitri and Matushka Mary Ann Oselinsky Rebecca Kriebel Christopher & Nina Bagshaw, Halle, Andrew V. Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Edwards Joanne Kuhns Richard & Jean Garrison V. Rev. and Mrs. James Mason Dr. Michael Kuchka Helen Haas Reader Andrew Fartuch and Family Mr. & Mrs. Austin Kurisco Mary & Joseph Horoschak Reader Paul and Lili Gaynor Kyra, Matthew, Peter Lezinsky Rebecca Romanchik Reader Bartholomew and Michele Lovell Lichak Family Dr. Serges & Fay Salivonchik Reader Nicholas and Judith Lezinsky Lichtenwalner Family Mary Yuhas Reader William and Barbara Podlusky & Family Mr. & Mrs. Jeff rey Lobaldo Sean & Christine Bullinger Gary and Marie Angstadt and Sons A Friend Joe & Haydee Miller, Elizabeth, Emily Rose Bachik Anna Mankowski Gary & Connie Solan, Casi, Nicholas Martha Billy Mr. & Mrs. Randall Marsh & Family Mary Baker Mr. & Mrs. Gerard Bobal and Family Eugenia Meilinger Sue Cressman The Boys Mr. & Mrs. Peter Metz & Family Charles & Helen Gaston Mrs. Patricia Brandstetter Mr. & Mrs. John Mikita Michael Gaston, Lucas, Michael Barry and Ann Marie Bretz Mrs. Helen Mohr Ed & Holly Bachert, Zachary, Isaac, Nathaniel, Madeline Dr. & Mrs. Gregory Brusko Mr. & Mrs. John Monarek & Family Bob & Cheryl Steck, Cassia G. Damian Brusko Jim and Rachel Morissette Susan Greitzer Cameron Nicholas Brusko Mrs. Theresa Nalepa Jim & Helen O’Brien, Kelly, Melissa Helen Butch Bill, Susan & Elizabeth Nielsen Sonya Gerhard Theresa Kasmer Butler Robert & Ellen Novatnack & Family Don & Gail Ortner, Alex Natalie Butler Mr & Mrs. Ray Pasquel Anna Lalo Nicholas Butler Margaret Petrovich Helen Suda Joseph & Jean Butrymowicz Eleanor M. Phillips Mildred Bowski Nicole Campbell Mr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Pinkowicz & Family Helen Fritzinger Paul Chernay Cyril, Valeria, Andrej, Anna Quattrone David Danielle Bachert, Cindi, Micah Greg and Cindy Chernay Mrs. Pauline Radchuk Dr. Philip & Trudy Ellmore Lorraine Chromiak Mary Radick Basil & Kate Vansuch Dennis Chrush Dr. and Mrs. Gregory Radio Isabelle, Leo Vansuch Lynn Chrush Scott & Amy Radio George Papaharalambos Alyssa Chrush Ethan Scott and Kayleigh

76 Coaldale, Pa. Joseph Wozniak Peter & Florence Mazur St. Mary’s Church Indeed He is Risen! Jo Anne Olejnick Rev Andrew & Mat. Suzanna Diehl Gloria Bench Dundaff , Pa. Frackville, Pa. Michael Bench St. John the Baptist Church Holy Ascension Orthodox Church Helen Berezniak V. Rev. Dionysius & Matushka Marion Swencki Fr. Barnabas, Mat. Daria & Myra Fravel Harry Bialis Mary Allen Mat. Helen & Christina Kuchta Anna Bogash Tammy Anderline & Family Anna Martin Ted Bogash Philip & Nadine Belejchak Paul Martin Analisha & Vanessa Christman John Jacob Bidgood Mel Martin Melanie & David Christman Eugenia Congdon Anna Dikun Ray & Mary Jo Danchak Greg & Kim Congdon & Casey Olga Chrush John & Mary Evetushick Mary Ann Congdon Mr. & Mrs. Michael Cuttic Julia Forte Catherine Coneck Larissa Holowaty Barbara Gallagher Eugenia Congdon Peter & Marie Weremedic Olga Hebda Greg, Kim & Casey Congdon Peter Weremedic Jr. Marie & Chris Kalavritinos Mary Ann Congdon Michael & Rosanne & Michael Weremedic Helen & Wash King Louise & Henry Gosh John, Elizabeth & Madeline Wittig John & Dorothy King Anne Janusz Carole Sagan Russell King Rosemary Jubinski Sergius & Sandy Chrush Geri King Tiff any Kilmer Vera M Timko Ann Kononchuk Larissa & Sam Laing Elizabeth Yust Michael Lorchak In mem. Mary & Thomas Mikolaichik Olga Chuma Ted & Pauline Lorchak Kathryn Owens Alex & Anna Peleschak Mary Lutash George & Dee Sheypuk & Family David, Stephen & Sandra Peleschak Ben & Olga Macalush Joseph Shipsky Anna Sowachak Pauline Maholick Mary Steponaitis Mary Reed Paul & Kay Maliniak Elizabeth Wargo Helen Polanchyck Liz O’Shura Stephen Wargo Mr. & Mrs. Donald Bricker Jack & Millie O’Shura Yvonne & John Wargo Mr.&Mrs. Shawn Kane, Joshua, Rebecca Helen K. Ostrosky Janice Witko Gregory, Rita & Greg Tatusko Julia Patochek Anna Wolfe Olga Williams Petrina Poko Ronald Wolfe Anna Andrusichen Melanie & Joe Preschutti Martha Woytowich Peter Rachko Lindsey Remington & Natalie James Patricia Zimowski Jean & Frank Holowaty Mr & Mrs Otis Remington Donald Zablotsky Vera & Pat Kleman Andrew, Julia & Nicholas Rudenko Sophia Pellock and Family Douglas & Mary Ellen Rudenko Edwardsville, Pa. Greg, Rita, Greg Tatusko Larissa Seneres St. John the Baptist Church Paul & Helen Sheers Fr. Martin Browne, Matushka Heidi & Family Gradyville, Pa. Althea Shellock Anna Pengrin St. Herman of Alaska Church John & Eleanor Sidoriak Mary Pengrin-Sal V. Rev. John & Matushka Eugenia Perich Olga Sidoriak Lydia Lynch and Children V. Rev. Nicholas & Matushka Vera Yushchak Ann Slanta Henry And Dr. Angela Sal Taisia & Alexandra Perich Simon & Martha Stafi niak Julia Sitar Sonya Perich Anthony Vavra Jule Maceiko Susan & Chrysa Pasqualone Jesse & Melissa Weidaw Anna Billek Xenia Bancer Harry Wyshosky Wanda Wanko Francis Plasha Richard G. York Eugene and Shirley Gingo Millie Sokol Ron & Marie Yurchak Aric & Michele Gingo Reader Gregory & Sharon Hubiak Mary K. Zemanik Talia, Gabrielle & Jesse Kosierowski Katya & Alexander Hubiak Ivan, Vladimir & Maxim Gingo George & Anastasia Plisko Coatesville, Pa. Elizabeth Dutko John W. Weaver St. Nicholas Church Anna Dutko Serge & Svetlana Taptykoff Fr. Joseph, Mat. Kathy & Family Helen Moncovich John, Dina, Amanda & Zander Prokop Altar Boys Kathryn Prokopchak Mary Anne & Andy Toroney Church Choir Ben & Lucille Dragan Stephen M. Sissons Church Council Helen Deletconich Alex & Peg Hendrick Reader John Zatyczyc Helen Spinicci Judith Tabak Newell Reader John Kosturos Samuel & Mary Stanchak Anna C. Woodring George Babich Rebecca Kosierowski Wayne & Olga Anderson, Veronika Martynova Mary Collier & Family George Grabousky Bill & Jeanne Sokurenko Val & Sandy Dzwonczyk Florence Kotch & Family Mr. & Mrs. George Taylor & Sons Bob & Susan Frantz Peter & Marie Souchick Dan Chobany Jim Giannaris Christine Adamski The Lynch Family Nanette Hare & Family Christine Ferenchick The Hammerer Family Vera Hatcher Tyler & Megan Ferenchick Frank & Judy Di Maggio Lula Kopteros Karen Adamski Paul Stafi niak Nick & Popi Kousisis Brandyn & Madison Robbins The Kelley Family Nina Petro & Son John Tanya & Michael Cook Daria, Tony, Natlya & Michael Tatasciore Nicholas & Ann Ruczhak Michael K. Cook Joan F. Godun Charles Sarosi & Family Lorraine Brader & Family Doris K. Koveal Michael Sarosi Eva Turaj Claire & Maryellen Brown Georgette Sarosi Evelyn Swetts Ralph & Sheron Bitsko Peter & Voula Skiadas John Swetts Sonia Krowsow Ted & Martha Skiadas William Deletconich Chobany Family Peter & Effi e Svokos Pat Kulikowich Oleg & Jean Dudkin Ann Wilson Kathy Harmanos Victor Krupitsch & Family Athens Wilson Kyra Harmanos Sandra M. Gawchik Liz Wozniak

77 Harrisburg, Pa. Lykens, Pa. Christ the Savior Church Christ is Risen! Holy Ascension Church Father Dan & Matushka Theodora Ressetar Margaret Carl Father Michael & Matushka Olga Kovach John H. & Nancy Coles Father Neal & Matushka Sherry Carrigan Denise Cobb & Kyle John M. Coles Deacon Joseph & Matushka Tatiana Kreta Bob & Eileen Dance Christopher Coles Dorothy Barbu Eva Demchak Mary & Tommie Friday Dan & Donna Bretz Marie Derkasch Warren & Irene Giordano Willard & Sue Brown Stephen & Chris Derkasch Ann Mahoney John & Miriam Dedyo Dr. & Mrs. William Derkasch Dr. Alexander & Katherine Pianovich Suzanne Demchak William, Courtney & Alexa Derkasch Dr. Paul & Jane Pianovich Zecharias Dermas Delores Dreater Alex & Stephen Pianovich John Mean Dotsey Kaye Fedirko William & Susan Pinkerton Pat Drebot Alexandra Fedorchak George & Heleh Sass The Drozd Family Donald & Rosalie Fives Nadis Sass Dave & Diane Dugan Annabelle Franchak Ann Sovich Andy & Dorothy Fedetz Pauline & Nick Frenchko Nicholas Sovich, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Kidane Ghebremichael Vasili Gardecki John Sultzbaugh Family Paul & Mary Ann Hadginske & Family Joseph Getzie John & Judy Sweikert Ronald & Elizabeth Hancher Nicholas Getzie George Tiazkun Mr. & Mrs. George Hatalowich Peter Getzie Helen Timko Hebda Family Chris & Rebecca Goetter Patti & Joseph Welsh Carl & Debbie Hisiro & Family Tom & Helen Grancey Kathleen Welsh William & Ruth Kantor Dorothy & Andy Hanchak Mr. & Mrs. George Kaznowsky Julia Hanchak McAdoo, Pa. George & Helen Kruse Mary Kay & John Hockin Holy Trinity Basil & Anna Kuchta Wenona & John Hockin Fr. Walter & Matushka Nancy Smith Kathy Kuchwara Jon, Debby & Jonathan Jaye Flora Smith Helen Kurylo Olga Jaye Tracy Gabarsky, Christina & Jason Katherine Macut Rose Kelechawa Helen Cortez Gloria Maliniak Mike & Gloria Klapatch & Sons Pearl Elko Alice & Mike Mallick Henry Korpusik Anna Fanelli Lydia Mantle Jeremi & Nicole Korpusik Zenovia Galagotis Angie McGreevy & Family Mary & Henry Korpusik Mary Ann Graino Vasily Nevesely Thelma Koval & Family Joseph Jevitt Dr. & Mrs. Joseph Norato Joseph & Theresa Krenitsky Michael & Michele Klesh Evelyn J. Onufer Irene Kupinski Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kovacsics, Anna & Richard Mr. & Mrs. John Osuch Jr Maria & Nicholas Landi Anna Mae Kuklis The Pankiw Family Joan Lasichak Anna Kurtz The Pawlush Family John Lasichak Douglas & Jen Kurtz Paul & Betty Pellegrini Ruth Lasichak Gregory, Cathy, Carrie, Alyssa & Greg Kurtz Nick Pestrock Daria Lehman Michael, Jan & Michael Kurtz Carl Polansky Stephen Malec Anna Lazur Greg & Candi Ressetar Dr. Cindy & Michael Mancini Jack, Mariah, Sarah, Anna & Eva Olivieri Sophia & Dimitri Ressetar David & Domanica Mancini Daniel Oneschuck Nicholas Ressetar Sam & JoAnn Mattise Tague Osadche Alex Ressetar Mark & Nicole Melesky Helen Osuch Joseph Russian Scott & Paula Melesky Cindy Polli John & Nadzia Schilling Tom Meredith Lonnie Polli The Spaseff Family Sam & Mary Ann Mosley Kim, Alexander & Stephen Pyle Basil & Irene Sumple Ann & Ed Narcoonis James Ridgik Mr. & Mrs. Harry Sysak John & Barbara Nayduch Sophie & Clark Shamar Helen Tatusko Justine Orlando Paul & Annette Smerknich Peter & Patricia Taleff John & Patsy Pash Mary Stronko Jonathan & Jessica Taleff Stephanie & Rob Pliska & Family Irene Yaworsky June Taleff Willard Puzza Mr. & Mrs. Michael Zabitchuck Mrs. Jane A. Volscko Susan Schlasta & Family Ron & Judy Webb Adam & Mary Ann Serafi ni Mechanicsburg, Pa. Joanne Wevodau Delores Sernak Holy Apostles Mission Richard & Sandy Wood & Family John Sernak Fr. Timothy Mat. Anastasia & Nicholas Hojnicki Helen Yannone Mary Sernak Eugene Minarich Mr. & Mrs. Michael Zuro & Family Ron, Lorraine & Ann Sernak Metro Petrosky Delores Serniak Joseph, Linda, Joseph Jr. & Jacob Kurtz Jermyn, Pa. Steven & Kathy Serniak Joseph & Pauline Fetsko St. Michael’s Church Gloria Shaw Timothy M. McMahon Father John & Matushka Kowalczyk, Sophia & Nicky Anastasia Sloat Mrs. Monica Burgett Father Gabriel & Matushka Petorak Jerry & Marilyn Soroka & Family Andrew Burgett Father Vasili & Matushka Gilbert (Salem, MA) Bob & Julie Speicher John & Angela Costas Father Daniel & Matushka Geeza John Susko Steve, Mary & Sophia Sak Andrea, Andrew & Rachel Baldan Irene Swirdovich John & Molly Pylypciw Debby Bernosky & Family Col. (R) Peter & Martha Telencio Paul, Alexandra, Herman & Xenia Makosky Daryl & Jerry Bescovoyne Damian & Stephen Telencio Mark, Barbara, Matthew & John Linnehan Wendy & Serge Bochnovich & Family Millie Telep Joe, Melissa, Brennan & Brooke Washburn Eileen & Ed Brzuchalski Mary Wyziak Karen Simons Dennis & Sonia Buberniak Joanne Yurchak Michael & Margot Katchur Dave & Ann Butler Julia Zaccone David J., David Jr. & Josh Butler Peter D. Zaccone Minersville, Pa. Patricia, Tom & Tommy Cadwalader Mary Zielinski SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Sandy & Kevin Carney & Family Betty Zrowka Fr. Michael and Matushka Hatrak Sandy & Jeff Cavanaugh & Sons Dorothy Zrowka James and Anna Antonio Sharon & Randy Cleary & Family John and Gloria Barnetsky 78 JoAnn Brinich Indeed He is Risen! Dr. Gregory Meholic Ralph & Kathy Brinich & Adam Frantz Claudia Mikulak Susie Frew Maria Oles Pat Stetz Grammes Old Forge, Pa. George & Elizabeth Perechinsky Elsie Herman St. Michaels Orthodox Church Michael & Sonia Prestys & Family Rick, Lynda, Lauren and Ricky Hutton V. Rev. S David Mahaff ey, Jr. Barbara Puhalla Olga Kirkauskas V. Rev. Theodore Orzolek Ashley Puthorosky Harry Oakill V. Rev. Elias Krenitsky John & Margaret Puthorosky Luke and Theresa Oakill Altar Boys Marguerite Puthorosky Anna Olexa Church Choir Pete & Joni Rezanka & Family Lisa and Michael Pascuzzo Matushka Karen Mahaff ey Joseph & Ann Schlasta & Family Christian and Sofi a Pascuzzo Mary Adamiak James & Donna Specht Mike, Barb and Cassandra Rogers Jacob Barsigian Kyra, Chelsea, & Ian Specht Susanne Stablum David, Kate, Alexa & Adam Barsigian Linda Stuchlak Joan Stetz Sandra & John Barsigian Michael Stuchlak Sr. David and Georgine Studlack Helena & Paul Bezuhly Sandra Wasilus Nicole, Lindsey & Tyler Cochrane Olyphant, Pa. Anna and Sandra Wyslutsky Helen Chesniak St. Nicholas Church Sandra & Bill Condon Fr Vladimir Fetcho Mt. Carmel, Pa. Matushka Marianne Fetcho St. Michael’s Church Cushner Family Richard & Julie Cesari V. Rev. Michael & Matushka Evans David, Lana & David Paul Cushner James & Jonathan Cesari Bud Chesney Elko Family John & Josephine Chichilla Sr. Anna & James Gillespie Maria Augustine Emily & Jake Henry & Joan Derbin Michael & Anna Chesney Elizabeth Figg Prokopchak Jerry and Carol Dreater Stanley & Virginia Chesney Neal & Ann Freeman Paul and Sylvia Dreater Friend Of The Parish Peter Gyza Capt. Paul & Lori Anne Dreater Jr. V. Rev. Claude Vinyard Peter, Jr. & Jan Gyza Kayla & Liam Evanina Sandra Sebasovich Jennifer & Michelle Gyza Dorothy Fetchina Anna Gondal Mrs. Nicholas Halchak Joseph Fetchina Leon Markovich Aleck Jadick Marie Grabania Bernie & Tanya Malkoski David Jadick Michael Grabania George Panikarchick Michael & Margaret Jadick Tatiana and David & Tyler Hughes Alma & Joe Katchick Nancy Jurnack George Kopestonsky Chris Buchkarik Al & Mary Krenitsky Olga Kuzmick Olga Berkoski Harry & Mary Krevko Shawn and Nicole McDonald Marie Cuff Greg Krevko Kyra & John Nightingale Paul Wislock Tina Ludwig Vera & Tom Price Margaret Olaf Rose Macheska Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Rebar Catherine Shaff chick Nadia Macheska Dr. & Mrs. Larry R. Sherman Ermie & Maryann Hill Nikolas Mahaff ey Eugene Strosky Ann Tanny S Michael Mahaff ey & Nicole Koch James & Helen Thomashefsky Eveann Shamus Seth Mahaff ey John & Ann Turko Thomas Alekseyko Kyra Mahaff ey Mary Youshock Julia Bushick Martha & Ned Matechak Olga Leon Marie Morek St. Stephen’s Cathedral Daniel Leon Mary Zeluskey Scott & Anne Peatross Philadelphia, Pa. Catherine Hardnock Michael & Sara Peatross Fr. Victor, Matushka Anastasia, Dorothy Beckus Lovie & Ann Peregrim Elizabeth & Katherine Gorodenchuk Peter Yastishak William Pregmon Matushka Mary Fedoronko Brock Bridy Stephen Pregrim J. Wellington Adams Mrs. Jean Mathias & Chris Al & Mary Pritchyk Atanas Atanasov Theresa Pochekailo Irene & John Pritchyk Mary D. Birkenbach Florence Bubernak George & Marilyn Serniak Anna Cebular Stanley & Vera Zbicki Sebastian & Adrian Serniak Paul Cholakis Joe & Sandy Tosca Stephen & Amanda Serniak Charles & Halina Colter Mrs. Helen Timpko Stephen & Ingrid Serniak Nicholas Cronin Marilyn Frye Ann Tyrpak Ray, Michele, Matthew & Natalie Decker Stephanie Peek Stephen & Jennifer Yokimishyn Willis & Lubie Dietrich Deanna Ciocco Anna Zupko Paul, Diane, Laura & John Fedoronko Dr. Jack, Irene, Alexander, Halina, Nanticoke, Pa. Olyphant, Pa. Kyra, Sophia & Natasha Forest St. John the Baptist Church All Saints Church Bill & Nina Gavula Fr. John, Mat. Catherine Russin, Rev. Paul & Matushka Michelle Fetsko Matthew Gavula Stephan, Aleksy, Sarabeth, Mason & Madison Very Rev. Michael Lepa Michael Gavula Christina Cherkis Very Rev. & Mrs. Eugene Pianovich Olga Gazak Christine Cieslak Reader David Brzuchalski & Family Anna Michael Fedyck-Hargrave James & Mary Ann Oram Helen Bryer Agnes Herbut John Pihanich, Lori, David & Deborah Stephana Butchko Nicholas & Nina Horsky Joseph P. Paprota Elizabeth Generotti Arnold, Katherine, Anna & Alexa Jensky Dr. Joseph R. Paprota Mary Jane & Tanya Gilbert Catherine & Leonard Jones Mary Paprota Justine Horhutz Christopher, Michael & Nicholas Jones Jillian Paprota Harry & Elizabeth Hunyak Lorraine & Harold Kane Marge Sokoli Robert & Cynthia Jones & Family Elaine Kasmer & Joseph Clark Olga Sulewski Ken & Stacey Kashuba & Family Nadia Kolesnik The Truszkowski Family Anna Klemko Mr. & Mrs. John Kolesnik & Family Mary Zupko Eleanor Krushinski Mr. & Mrs. Michael Kolesnik & Family Pearle & Mike Zupko Michael & Amelia Kuzmiak Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Kolesnik & Family Joseph & Anastasia Mazur John Kozlowski Fran Meholic Greg, Lydia, Kira, Nicholas & Gregory Kuzmanchuk

79 Mikeal, Alyssa & Sarah Lampreich Reader George Nakonetschny Nichole Lampreich Christ is Risen! Dr. & Mrs. Tony Ngo Peter & Martha Linski Mr. & Mrs. Karl Osterburg Sonia, Larissa & Michael, Jr. Mariani George & Danielle Pahomov Marge Maurer Christina Nadeau Larissa Pahomov Anna Miller Theresa K. Ott Ms. Camille Palese Christine Nass Helen Pershinsky Mrs. Alexandra Prawlocki & Family Janice Nass Joseph O’Brick & Kerri Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pihanich Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Reba & Family Olga Oprouseck Mary Rapchinski Bob & Cheryl Rowe John Osuch Christine Rapchinski Mrs. Ruth M. Ruth Paul & Amy Savage Catherine Paulasack Anna Rapchinski Mr. & Mrs. David Scheese & Taylor Helen Plunkett Effi e Romanik Mr. & Mrs. Walter Sebastian Heinz & Tamara Poessl Ken Sekellick John & Lydia Seman Stephan & Marge Pron Mr. & Mrs. James Worthington & family Ms. Alexandra Semion Larissa M. Pron Mr. & Mrs. Charles Wurster Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Sichak & Family Stephan N. Pron, III Stephen Yetter Mrs. Tina Snyder Kathie & Sergio Rabaca Mr. Jonathan Sotak The Ren Family St. Clair, Pa. Ms. Gloria Spitko & Kyra Stephanie & Valerie Ristvey Assumption of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church Mr. & Mrs. Michael Talley & Jonathan John, Denise, Sonia & Michael Rowe Fr. Michael and Matushka Hatrak The Terenchin Family Anna D. Simpson Leah Chrush Kyle, Daria & Zoe Elizabeth Teter Joseph C. Simpson Olga DeMarkis Mrs. Sharon Vlasak Larry, Connie, Jon & Chris Skvir Tusha Dernbach Mr. & Mrs. Steve Vlasak & Sons Anna Smith Marguerite Dimoff Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Wanenchak & Family Bill, Eva, Helena & Anna Smith Wassil and Georgene Draovitch Mr. & Mrs. Chip Weaver & Family Joseph & Catherine Stearne Tatiana Heff ner Ryan & Traci Weinstein & Family Walter & Carolyn Stephan-Stephanowich John Hoptak Mrs. Deborah Wissler & Michael Lucas Tatiana Stephanowich & Kristin LaMacchia Jim and Ruthann Kerick Mr. & Mrs. Edward Yurick & Daughters Mary Suchniak Steve and Justyna Pelak Hank & Anne Zerbe Robert Gregory Tallick Marge Rosenberger The Taptykoff Family Ted and Jeanette Sagan Simpson, Pa. Maura & Andrew Wagner Sam and Joan Wisnosky St. Basil the Great Church Eva & Bill Wasser Fr. George & Matushka Sophia Hill Daria & Andrew Yencha Shillington, Pa. Alexandra, Catherine & Russ HIll Megan, Andrew, Stephen, Matthew, St. Herman of Alaska Church James & Mary Ann Braun Timothy, Brielle & Michael Yencha V. Rev. & Mrs. John Onofrey Maria K. & Jeff erson H. Braun Irene Zaroff The Parish Council Olga & John Buberniak John & Anna Zwick The Sunday School Teachers & Students Thomas & Jennifer Casper & Family John Daniel Zwick The Our Lady of Kazan Sisterhood Nadine Demianovich The Parish Choir Olga Gallick Pottstown, Pa. Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Anderson & Family Peter & Paula Getziw Holy Trinity Church Mr. & Mrs. John Benza Christopher Getzie V.Rev. Michael & Matushka Anna Marie Slovesko Mr. & Mrs. Keith Bergan & Family Helen Hrichuk Rev. Gregory & Matushka Jane O’Leary Vera (Ressetar) Bortniak Ronald & Loraine Kavalkovitch Protodeacon Peter & Matushka Marnie Skoog & family Wasil & Anne Boyko Ron Kavalkovitch & Damian Drobish In Memory of Plinio & Matilde Atena Mr. & Mrs. Bret Challenger & Family Ron & Luba Kilmer Eleanor Barnosky Ms. Louise Coleman Stephen & Ester Kowaslky Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Bendyk & family Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Dougherty & Family Julia Mazza Mr. & Mrs. Jon Black Mr. & Mrs. Michael Drenchko John & Mary Okorn Reader John and Alexandra Black & family John & Marie Drosdak Marie Proch Mr. & Mrs. John Boretsky Stephanie, Mark & Joshua Drosdak Maria Proch Mr. & Mrs. Paul Boris & family Pat & Bill Dudash Walter & Mary Anne Proch Mr. & Mrs. Michael Brilla & family William M. Dudash Sem. John & Kimberly Proch Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Budich Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Duriez & Daughters Christina M Proch Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Carter Mr. Stephen Durniak Elizabeth A. Proch Mr. John Chepetz Sr. Mrs. Gloria Duty & Adam Dr. David & Daria Roat Mr. & Mrs. James Crawford & family Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Ermolovich Alexandra Roat Mr. & Mrs. Kraig Diener & family Emily Anne Ermolovich Benjamin Roat Mr. Joseph Dutzer Mr. & Mrs. David Grim & Family Jo Ann Somple Mr. Carl Ecker Bill & Rosalie Hardman In Memory of Dorothy Ecker Terry & Debbie Hojnowsk South Canaan, Pa Mr. & Mrs. David Eurillo Mr. Walter Hojnowski St. Tikhon’s Monastery Church Mr. & Mrs. George Gerasimowicz Daniel Hretz Metropolitan Herman In Memory of Anne & Walter Green Xenia Hretz Bishop Tikhon Mr. & Mrs. Walter Green Mr. & Mrs. Edward Hyland Very Rev. Michael G. Dahulich Mrs. & Mrs. Harrison & family Mrs. Helen Karel V. Rev. Daniel K. & Mat. Dolores Donlick Rebecca Hutnyan The Kawood Family V. Rev. Alexander, Mat. Elena & Alex Golubov Vanentina Jarosiewicz Dr. & Mrs. Vadim Kurjanowicz V. Rev. & Mrs. T. Stephen Kopestonsky Mr. & Mrs. Krassi Kachorov & family Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Kusior V. Rev. Michael Lepa Georgia Karabotos Reader & Mrs. Fred Leer & Family Protodeacon Keith S. Russin Mrs. Darlene Kershner Daniel, Marina & Sophia Long Reader Thomas Donlick In Memory of Thekla Kuchta Mr. & Mrs. John Lorchak Reader Gregory Hatrack Mr. & Mrs. Marchesini & family Michael & Vera Losk Reader Gregory Sulich Michelle Marsteller Mrs. Irene Lupco Matushka Elizabeth Geeza Victoria McDonnell John, Dana & Raymond MacKoul Matushka Dorothy Sulich Mary Monarek Michael & Janice Mallick Marge Barna Mark Moore Mr. & Mrs. Steve Matsick Alice Boga Betty A. Figura Jennifer Mourar Paul & Marie McCarty Drs. David & Mary Ford, & Emmelia Mr. & Mrs. Montgomeri & family John & Gertrude Melniczek Mrs. Mary Huniak & Family Mr. & Mrs. Eric Mosser Dr. & Mrs. John Melniczek & Family Mr. And Mrs. J. Kuchmanich Martha Mossner Mr. & Mrs. Paul Melniczek Metro Lazorack

80 All in the Diocesan Family

Berwick Holy Annunciation Parish The youth of parish helped make this past Christmas brighter for our residents in nursing homes, by making cards for the residents and presenting them with a poinsettia. They also sang songs of the season to the delight of all. The children also baked cookies and presented their annual play on St. Nicholas’ Day. HALO , the ladies’ club, held a winter fi esta on January 22. They used some of the proceeds to donate an icon for the new The Berwick children sing for the residents offi ce in memory of Mary Stenko. Zachary Beckly received his fi rst holy confession on February 4, 2006.

St. Nicholas’ Day play cast members Bethlehem St. Nicholas Church

Archpastoral visitation of Bishop Tikhon to Bethlehem

The icon-bearers on Sunday of Orthodoxy 82 All in the Diocesan Family

Catasauqua Holy Trinity Church Fr. Timothy blessed new Divine Liturgy books for the pews and a new sick call kit donated to the parish. On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the youth of Holy Trinity made a procession with the holy icons. Baptism: Emily, daughter of Joe & Haydee Miller, Feb. 26.

Fr. Timothy with newly-illumined Emily and her parents

The active youth of St. John’s parish in Edwardsville after their yolka Edwardsville Frackville St. John the Baptist Church Holy Ascension Church The Sunday school students spon- Fr. Timothy blesses sacred items while children look on The St. Tikhon’s Seminary Choir sored three projects for Christmas. A visited the parish recently. Fr. Sergius di- Coaldale raffl e featured a donation from each rected the choir, which sang the responses St. Mary’s Church student’s family, providing the Sunday to the Divine Liturgy. The parish then Marriage: Marie Ostrosky & Christopher school’s Christmas donation to the church. hosted the choir for a dinner following the Kalavritinos, Oct. 22, 2005 Winners for the raffl e were drawn and re- Divine Liturgy. freshments were served after the annual Baptism: Alexa Ann Fletcher. yolka that was held on December 18. This past Christmas the church school students also remembered the men and women serving in the armed forces of our country in Iraq, by sending boxes of needed items. The Sunday school students fi lled 23 shoeboxes and mailed them to service men and women in Iraq. Each year the students of St. John’s fi nd a community project to improve life for the needy in their community. The project chosen this year was the collec- Alexa Ann’s baptism tion of gloves, hats and scarves, which Fr. Andrew reads the holy gospel during were then donated to a community home- the Kalavritinos’s wedding less shelter. 83 All in the Diocesan Family

Harrisburg Christ the Saviour Church This past Nativity brought a special visitor to the Christ the Savior Church: Fr. Igumen Afanasy (Nos), a graduate of St. Tikhon’s Seminary in South Canaan and a member of the monastic community of St. Onufrey’s Monastery in Jableczna, Poland. Serving with Fr. Afanasy were Fathers Daniel Ressetar, Michael Kovach and Neal Carrigan. On the second day of the Nativity choir members visited nursing homes and private residences singing the traditional Christmas Carols.

Jermyn St. Michael’s Church St. Michael’s Center, under the direc- Fr. Sergius directs the seminary choir at Frackville tion of Protodeacon Gabriel Petorak, held a very successful lenten ethnic food sale every Friday during the great Fast, and an equally successful Pascha project, with over 1,700 Easter breads sold. The church school had a successful year, with a communion breakfast held on Lazarus Saturday at Alexander’s Restaurant. Easter candy baskets were presented to our church school children following the meal. St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Dubra- nich, Western Ukraine, our sister parish, will be visited this July by Protodeacon Gabriel Petorak. During the visit a new carpet will be installed, thanks to the generosity of our faithful in Jermyn. Church school children with Easter candy baskets Mechanicsburg Holy Apostles’ Mission On Saturday, Dec. 24, 52 parishioners and friends of Holy Apostles Mission gathered at “Mission Central” (our temporary place of worship) for our 2nd annual parish holy supper. Following the traditional prayers, meal, and caroling, 60 of the faithful gathered for the celebration of the full Christmas vigil. The weekend of February 18-19, His Grace Bishop TIKHON made an archpastoral visit to the mission and served the hierarchical Divine Liturgy. A potluck was had after the service, and His Grace ﬁ elded questions from the faithful on various topics. Nicholas Edward Hojnicki was bap- Fr. Timothy greets Bishop Tikhon 84 All in the Diocesan Family tized and chrismated on Sunday, Feb. 12 before the liturgy. Concelebrating with Fr. Timothy were Fr. Nicholas Molodyko- Harris, Nicholas’s grandfather, and Fr. Michael Dahulich, dean of St. Tikhon’s Seminary. Deacon David and Matushka Tamara Cowan of St. Tikhon’s Seminary are the godparents. Despite the 8 inches of snow, the mission was ﬁ lled with 85 faithful people for this celebration.

Fr. Timothy & Matushka Anastasia with Nicholas Bishop Tikhon blesses the faithful of Mechanicsburg Mission

Baptism of Nicholas Hojnicki Newly illumined Dylin and Ella with their families Minersville Ss. Peter and Paul’s Church Nanticoke St. John the Baptist Church Marriage: Melanie Hoats and Joel Smith, Sept. 17, 2005. Baptism: Dylin Alan Atherton and Ella Marie Panzik, Sept. 25, 2005.

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Fr. Michael Hatrak greets Bishop Tikhon after the lenten mission service Fr. John with newlyweds 85 All in the Diocesan Family

Old Forge Philadelphia St. Michael’s Church St. Stephen’s Cathedral Parishioners celebrated a special His Grace Bishop Tikhon made event in the life of one of our parish sons an archpastoral visit to St. Stephen’s who became a priest. Archpriest Theodore Cathedral in Philadelphia on the feast of Orzolek celebrated the 40th anniver- the Holy Protomartyr Stephen. Among sary of his ordination to the priesthood those celebrating with His Grace were on Dec. 19. The parish held a reception the rector of the cathedral, Fr. Victor in his honor on Feb. 5 after the liturgy. Gorodenchuk, Igumen Afanasy of St. Fr. David Mahaffey presented Fr. Ted Onuphrey’s Monastery, Orthodox Church with a Synodal gramota on behalf of His of Poland, and Fr. Michael Dahulich, dean Buff et at St. Stephen’s social hall Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman and the of St. Tikhon’s Seminary. Fr. Afanasy re- entire Synod of the Orthodox Church in ceived a gift from the faithful of the ca- America. Fr. Ted was joined by his family thedral to help build up his monastery. and friends during the coffee hour. The church school of St. Michael’s enjoyed a special outing this winter when they were taken to enjoy the Duquesne University Tamburitzans at the Mellow Theater in Scranton.

Bishop Tikhon presents monetary gift Altar servers with His Grace, Bishop Tikhon and clergy

Parish offi cers present Fr. Theodore with a gift Joseph O’Brick and Olga Oprouseck received diocesan gramotas

Shillington St. Herman of Alaska Church In December, the women of the sisterhood held an annual St. Nicholas Dinner, and the youth of the parish presented their nativity program. In January, on the eve of Theophany, about 25 parishioners Fr. Ted with his family at the reception gathered to participate in a parish holy supper lenten meal. Baptism: Riley James, son of Kim & Keith Bergan. Fr. John prays for Robert Rowe and his sponsor, Fred Chrismation: Robert Rowe. Leer 86 All in the Diocesan Family

South Canaan St. Tikhon’s Monastery In recent years the church school at the monastery has grown quite consider- ably due to the increased number of mar- ried students now attending the seminary. On an average Sunday there are over forty children of school age in attendance. It Monastery church school awaiting a lesson was decided to give them an opportunity to visit a local parish. They chose to visit Participants in nativity program at St. Herman’s St. Michael’s parish in Old Forge on St. Mary of Egypt Sunday. Under the direction of Matushka Tamara Cowan (wife of seminarian Fr. Deacon David Cowan) and Mrs. Michelle Soucek (wife of Seminarian John Soucek), arrangements were made for them to spend a day in Old Forge. They arrived for Divine Liturgy shortly The group from St. Tikhon’s with Fr. David after 9:00 a.m., had a church school lesson from Fr. David Mahaffey, and then went to Augustine’s Club 17 Restaurant, owned by St. Michael’s parish president, St. Nicholas distributes “coins” in Shillington Maria Augustine-Emily, where they made their own pizzas. The group of students and teachers from St. Tikhon’s returned to their homes in the afternoon.

Riley James Bergan & family

Wilkes-Barre Holy Trinity Church Work continued this year on the cupolas of Holy Trinity Church. A new coat- ing of gold leaf and painting was added to enhance the look of the church. Baptism: David Clark

Christine Soucek starts the pizza-making line under Restoration of cupolas at Holy Trinity Church Maria Emily’s guidance Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Newly baptized David Clark with family members 87 88 Michael and Arlene Pasonick make a presentation to His Beatitude, Met- ropolitan Herman, in the amount of $67,350, from the St. Alexis Foun- dation. Throughout many years, Michael and Arlene Pasonick have presented thousands of dollars from the Foundation. May our Lord grant them many years for their stewardship and for their extreme generosity to Saint Tikhon’s Seminary and to the Orthodox Church in America.