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Home , Apology of Aristides

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 4• MARCH/APRIL 2016, SPECIAL EDITION

The Good Word

PUBLISHED WITH THE BLESSING OF BISHOP AUXENTIOS OF ETNA AND PORTLAND

EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION St. Theophan the Recluse writes, ‘We must be ready at every hour--one does not know when the Lord ST. NEPHON’S CORNER: will come, either for the Last Judgment or to take you from here. For you they are the same. Death decides ON “HOW SOULS TRAVEL TO HEAVEN” everything. After death comes the results of your life; [CONCERNING THE TOLL HOUSES] whatever you’ve acquired, you’ll have to be satisfied with it for all eternity...We all know that death will come at any moment, that it is impossible to escape it, but meanwhile almost no one at all thinks about it--and it will come suddenly and seize us.“² Great Lent is given to us by the to remind us of our mortality, our impending deaths, and our future destiny, and to encourage us to seek our Lord Jesus Christ with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength--to seek the Kingdom of Heaven. Consequently, the Church’s teachings on the aerial toll houses through which dead souls must pass, being very instructive, can spur us on to compunction of heart, repentance, and traveling that narrow path that leads to life. It is in that spirit that these early teaching on the aerial toll houses are presented. St. Nephon’s vision on “How Souls Travel to Heaven” is possibly the earliest and definitely a most interesting and insightful description of the aerial toll- houses. It provides views of the different fates of a number of persons immediately after their repose. From reading St. Nephon’s life, it would appear that he received this revelation prior to being ordained bishop c. AD 324-6. St. Antony the Great (c. AD 254-AD 356) Saint Nephon (celebrated Dec 23) was a clairvoyant, also gave an early description of aerial demons. In St. ascetic, and wonderworking 4th century hierarch, who lived Athanasius the Great’s famous and popular Life of most of his life in Constantinople. He was ordained Bishop of Constantia, an eastern province of Cyprus, during the reign of Antony,³ written to commemorate the life and repose of Constantine the Great (AD 324-337), when Alexander was this great desert ascetic and father of monasticism, St. Archbishop of Constantinople (AD 314-337), and St. Antony’s relates his dramatic vision of “the enemy” Alexander was Archbishop of Alexandria (AD 313-326), so attempting to impede the ascent of reposed souls to sometime between AD 324 326. St. Nephon reposed sometime Heaven. St. Nephon’s more detailed revelation was after St. Athanasius had ascended the patriarchal throne of recorded at least 30 years before St. Antony’s. Alexandria (AD 326). St. Nephon’s visions, life, sermons, and prayers were recorded by his disciple, hieromonk Peter.¹ However, exactly when St. Nephon and St. Antony : acrylic on wood, Fr. Yaakov Ferens 2015. received their revelations are unknown. Regardless, it

2. St. Theophan the Recluse, Thoughts for Each Day of the Year According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of , St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, CA, 2012, pp. 270-1. 1. Stories, Sermons, and Prayers of St. Nephon: An Ascetic Bishop, 3. St. Athanasius the Great, The Life of Antony, Ancient Christian Light and Life Publishers, Minneapolis, MN, 1989, pp. 79-86. Writers series, Newman Press, New York, NY, 1978, §66, pp. 75-76. 1 appears that the great Alexandria scholar Origen (c. AD Otherwise, when we do not have the means to pay the 185 - c. AD 255) was first to allude to the concept of tax, we ourselves might be dragged off on account of “toll-houses” under the guise of “tax collectors” the debt. This is what normally happens to those decades before either St. Nephon or St. Antony. In his subject to worldly taxes, when someone is imprisoned Homily 23 from the Commentary on Luke, believed to for his debt and made a slave of the state. How many be written prior to AD 244, Origen likens the aerial more of us are destined to be held by tax collectors of demons to tax collectors and provides a strong that sort! Jacob, the holy man, did not greatly dread Scriptural basis for the same.4 Because of Origen’s them or fear that something that belonged to the tax great stature as a commentator on the Holy Scriptures collector’s revenues should be found in him. and the contemporary popularity of his writings, it “7. Jacob spoke boldly to that tax collector Laban, would seem likely that St. Nephon, who was well- See if any of your goods are in my possession [Gen educated in metropolitan Constantinople, would have 31:32 LXX]. Scripture gives testimony on this point and been more likely familiar with the renowned says, And Laban did not recognize anything of his in Alexandrian scholar’s works than St. Antony. Jacob’s possession [Gen 31:34 LXX]. So our Savior, Let’s first examine what Origen gleaned from his and the Holy Spirit who spoke in the prophets, teach reading of the Scriptures. not only men, but also angels and invisible powers.”6

ORIGEN ON AERIAL DEMONS AS TAX COLLECTORS ST. NEPHON’S VISION OF HOW SOULS TRAVEL TO “5. But the tax collectors also came to be baptized HEAVEN by him [Luke 3:12]. According to the simple interpretation, he teaches the tax collectors to seek Once when he was praying and had his gaze turned nothing more than the law commands. Those who to Heaven, a divine light shone in front of him. At the exact more transgress not John’s commandment but that same time a white-clad angel, dressed as a , of the Holy Spirit, who spoke through John. I do not appeared. He was holding a gold censer and censed know whether, according to ajnagwghv,5 the passage first in the direction of Heaven and then Nephon. signifies something else, something loftier. I do not Suddenly the gates of Heaven opened and the angels of know whether we should bring out such mystical things God ascended and descended like bees, transporting the before this kind of an audience, especially among those souls of people who had died. The evil spirits of the air who do not examine the marrow of the Scriptures but were struggling to grab them and throw them down, but are fascinated by the superficial sense alone. It is risky; the angels resisted violently, whipping them and saving but I have to touch on it cursorily and briefly. When we the souls. depart from the world, and this life of ours has been Astonished the saint saw a soul being taken up to transformed, some beings will be seated at the heaven. But as soon as they approached the toll booth boundary of the world, as if they were exercising the of immorality, its leader started to shake and become office of tax collectors, very carefully searching to find wild. “With what right,” he was shouting, “do you take something in us that is theirs. that soul which belongs to us?” “6. It seems to me that the prince of this world is And the angels answered him: “Prove to us what like a tax collector. Hence, the Scripture says of him, authority you have over this man.” The prince of this world is coming, and he has no claim “Up until his death,” the demon said, “he was on me [John 14:30]. We should also understand in a wallowing voluntarily in all kinds of indecencies. And reverent way what we read in the Apostle, namely, not only this, but he also judged others. What crimes Repay to all what is owed; tribute to whom tribute is more horrible than these do you want?” due, taxes to whom taxes are due, honor to whom honor “Yes,” the angels admitted, “he was a slave to these is due. You should own nothing to anyone, except to passions , but he cut them before he died.” lone one another [Rom 13:7-8]. For this reason we “No! It’s not the way you’re telling me,” the should ponder what great dangers we are exposed to. demon squealed. “He died unrepented. To his last breath he violated the law without ever confessing his 4. Origen, Introduction in The Fathers of the Church Volume 94: sins. He was and still is mine.” Homilies on Luke, Catholic University of America Press, Washington Then one of the angels said: “We are not about to D.C., 1996, pp. xvii-xviii, xxiv. This Homily is available on Google Books. 5. retains the Greek word [in his translation], which 6. Origen, Homily 23 in The Fathers of the Church Volume 94: means “lifting up and, in Christian usage, the spiritual or ”elevated” Homilies on Luke, Catholic University of America Press, Washington sense of Scripture. D.C., 1996, ¶ 5-7, pp. 99-100. 2 believe you, who are entirely wallowing in falsehood. immediately repent, reproaching and degrading himself. Let’s call his angel. He will tell us the whole truth.” Often he would sigh bitterly and sometimes he would They called him, because he was still guarding the tear. Once in a while he would even give a little charity body until its internment. As soon as he came, they to the poor. Having this in mind, the angels of light asked him: “Tell us , brother, did this soul repent for its claimed that God would have mercy on that soul. sins or did it die with them? Tell us the whole truth.” Angered then the demons said: “From his youth he did Then the angel answered: “I am neither human nor things that were not right for a Christian: He polluted an impudent spirit to tell lies, but before God I assure himself with different sins and, indeed, sodomitic ones. you: from the time he became ill, even before he took a Where shall we place his curses and anger? And the turn for the worse, he thought of death. Then he began worst, he even committed murder. If therefore he must to cry and confess his sins to God. Continually he be saved, then take the whole world and all the sinners would raise his hands toward the Most High asking for of the earth and save them gratis; because we are mercy. If God will, He will forgive him. If not, glory laboring and getting upset in vain!” to His righteous judgment!” “Keep in mind, wretches, that he cut all his As soon as the angels heard this, they laughed at youthful sins and God forgave him. And if sometimes the devil. Thus the humble soul was liberated from the he did something, he cleansed it with repentance. What snares of its enemies. do you want then, wild beasts? --that his soul be condemned? Impossible, since God forgives the sins people confess tearfully and humbly and do not repeat. Anything that becomes visible is light. The righteous Judge punishes only those sins they take with them. Thus the angels defeated the spirits of wickedness and entered into the gate of Heaven. Therefore, that creature of God was also liberated from the claws of the demons, and He Who saves freely, granted him salvation. Again the blessed one saw them lifting still another soul that was very devout and God-fearing. She spent all her life in purity, modesty, and a great deal of charity. She showed love toward all. The dragons of the air threatened her, gnashing their teeth. And that poor thing, terrified by their wildness, shriveled up in the bosom of the angels of God, while the angels descending to take up other souls kissed her with love. When that holy soul ascended into heaven, a large number of good spirits gathered around her, embracing and kissing her tenderly, and saying joyfully: “Glory to God Who delivered this soul from the dreadful dragon!” It was a delight to see them. The heavenly powers always do this: they rejoice and celebrate for each Christian who is saved. When they reached the throne Icon: Ladder of Divine Ascent, 12th Century, St. of Grace, they brought her to the feet of the Lord Jesus, Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai, and he permitted her to worship His Father and to be In a little while the saint saw another soul being filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit. carried up. It belonged to a blasphemous and hard man. Later He turned her over to Michael, the lord of the The demons were accusing him a lot reminding him covenant, to guide her to eternal rest, as indeed it one-by-one of the improper words and grave curses he happened. used to say to the people when he was alive. Down further, however, the servant of God saw the The angels said in rebuttal that he had a few rights demons dragging a soul to the infernal regions. It was to salvation. Many times, for example, even thou he the soul of some servant who had hung himself. was thinking of doing something bad, he would Behind him followed his guardian angel weeping

3 bitterly for his loss. In the midst of his tears he was decadence.” saying: “Ah, the foxy demons who make people do “It is not the wood, but the terrible lightning which such evil! There, this servant’s master, obeying the pours forth from it. The bad part is that the lightning demons, would become angry, hit him terribly, and let which burns us doesn’t come only from the wood, but him starve to death. And this poor soul became the same thing happens when the sign desperate, took the rope and hung himself, offering his themselves with this symbol.” life wholly a sacrifice to Satan. Ah, alas! The Then to trap him the others said to him: “And Almighty gave him to me to guard after his baptism, when did you experience all this?” and the filthy dragon snatched him from me suddenly “In Constantinople there is a relentless enemy of and devoured him! How will I appear to my Lord in ours named Nephon. I and others of us threw ourselves this grieving and bitter state? But also, how will I face at him from his youth. We used to send him my Maker sorrowful for the loss of this soul?” provocative temptations all day. We inflamed him so While he was painfully saying this, another angel terribly that in the end he fell into sin. And while we appeared from heaven. “Our Father, the Lord of hosts,” registered his defeat with a lot of pride, he repented at he told him, “commands you to go to Rome, where this the same instant and started reproaching himself and very moment the son of a soldier is being baptized. weeping: “Oh! For this body that the worms will eat, I Take charge of him and guard him through the Holy yielded to my evil desire. Woe to me, it is this that will Spirit given to him at baptism. And I shall punish the throw me into the fire.’ And saying this he became like master of this servant and teach him not to become a maniac. We laughed at his expense. But he who was angry nor hit his servants nor let them starve to death.” very foxy and knew our tricks shouted to us: ‘Now I’ll The angel said this on behalf of God and ascended show you, corrupt demons!’ He got up and once, and into heaven, while the former set out for Rome with his hand he traced the sign of the Nazarene on us. according to the divine command. Oh! It was as if fire passed through our hearts That instant Nephon saw them bringing up a soul immediately. Terrorized we dispersed instantly. Only with a lot of commotion. Multitudes of demons were one of us dared to stand far off, to see what he was making noise and were attempting to snatch the going to do. We saw him enter the church quickly. He unfortunate soul. It was the soul of a clergyman who prostrated himself to God three times and said: Lord, I had spent his life in immorality. He even committed am a sinful man, young in age, still struggling with my murders! He would lie in wait in the street at night and passions and the fire of the flesh. Therefore, do not kill the passers by. They he would take their clothes count this fall of mine as sin. You are Lord and have and sell them to feed his jesters! authority to forgive my offenses with only Your word.’ Therefore, as that wretched soul was ascending, it “As soon as he said these words, an angel crowned didn’t make it through the fourth station: the dragon him for his repentance and contrition. In spite of all stretched out his hands with impudence, snatched it this,” the demon continued, “furious with his flesh, he from the angels and cast it down to earth. The demons began to strike his face with all the strength he had. took it then, lowered it into the abyss and turned it over Later, he lifted his hands again to heaven and beseeched to the prince of darkness, so that it might remain God, saying: ‘You, the fearful God, Who gave birth to captive there along with similar sinful souls, until the the fearful Son, and rule everywhere with Your fearful day of the common resurrection. Spirit, hear me, the filthy one. And torture those As the dark demons were returning again, they abominations who roar with laughter at my expense. were puffed up and put on airs saying amongst For against Thee only have I sinned, I, the filthy and themselves: “Look, we even beat the of the corrupt one.’ Nazarene and trample them under foot.” “At once the angel who had crowned him threw a One of them sadly whispered: “Why are we rope and tied us all together. Then taking us out one by bragging that we destroyed one unfortunate soul? I can one, he gave us each a thousand blows. With our cries show you a large number of priests who shine with and woes we raised the roof. As he was hitting us, he virtue; we can’t even touch them.” was saying: ‘So that you may never be the reason again “If they didn’t have the mark of Jesus,” the others for the servants of God to hit their bodies!’ And after answered, “and His help all around them, then you’d that compassionless angel tortured us a lot, we barely see our power.” got away. From that time, then, whenever I see that “And why should we fear the wood on which the Nephon I vanish, because I fear the beatings!…” Nazarene was nailed? This is an example of complete When the demon finished his tale, the others started

4 making fun of him and calling him wretched, The treacherous prince of darkness, like a roaring lion, unfortunate, and a coward. will snatch my miserable soul, if You, my Christ, do not In the meantime, in his vision Nephon was deliver it and save it by Your Holy Spirit...Blessed is he following everything the evil spirits were saying about who obeys You, Who became poor and destitute for our him, and laughed at them. salvation; because at the time of his death You will After a little while he saw an angel descending redeem him from the corrupt spirits of wickedness who, toward Constantinople, the seven-hilled city. He was like evil censors, shameless accusers, compassionless holding a terrible flaming sword. Someone, tormented overseers, stand and seek to devour his poor soul. O pitifully, was dying at that hour. He was a fearful and Almighty Master, Who shakes everything, compassionless usurer. In addition, he used to gossip and they tremble, deliver the race of Christians from scandalously about Nephon: he called him a heretic, a those tyrants. Have mercy on all those who have hypocrite, etc. Why is he this and that? Why does he placed their hopes in You, O Holy One, and forgive do this or that?” The miserable one didn’t look at them, who grievously transgress Your law and himself but concerned himself with others. ceaselessly embitter Your compassion.” Well, the angel of fire came and stood by his bed He was still tearful from the thought of that poor looking toward heaven, as if waiting for something. usurer whose soul was taken by the avenging angel Indeed a voice was heard: “Quickly punish the with the flaming sword. He was thinking how bitter his antichrist severely and cut the prodigal soul from the death was without any pity from God--even though he bonds of the body. When he lived, this good-for- occasionally gave something to the poor from the nothing never did My will. And not only that, but he interest he collected!...Because, as Nephon said, at the also judged My servant Nephon. Hit him fiercely! time his miserable soul was being tormented, he cried May he never again choke the poor by lending them out: “Remember, O Lord, the alms I gave to the poor.” gold.” But a voice was heard saying: “Yes, wretch! You As soon as the punishing angel heard the voice, he drank the blood of the poor and watered other poor men heartily struck the miserable usurer with all the strength with it!...Shall I be merciful to you for that, or because he had, and he gave up the spirit at once gnashing his you slandered the one I love? Night and day he prays teeth and groaning from the depths of his soul. The for the sinners. He wouldn’t stop beseeching even for angel took his soul which was terribly tormented and you. Then, why did you speak evil of him? Learn now turned toward the abyss… that you hot have judged anyone!…” Nephon related all this to his acquaintances and advised them: “Be careful, my children, not to judge anyone, especially if he is a man of God. I beg you, guard yourselves from this sin. Look after yourselves and be conscious of your own faults. With this consciousness we will be able to repent. Some of the servants of God show and some hide their virtue. Certain people criticize those who have the courage to be seen. However, these will be punished harshly on Judgment Day. For God has placed before all men those who scorn human glory, so that they may confess their faith with courage, and thus benefit many. Let your light so shine before men, He commanded them, Then St. Nephon came to himself. Dumbfounded so that they may see your good works and give glory to and sad for all he had seen, he thought and said: “Ah, your Father Who is in Heaven. And conversely, to how much misery we, humble and sinful, hide! And those who lean toward conceit He says: Those who do then Judgment and the terrible fire come wherever we the works of righteousness openly to be pleasing to go for all eternity. We must aim for salvation at all people and not to Me, truly, truly, I say to you, they costs, forcing ourselves to do good. Only in this way have received their reward. For he who willfully is we will please God and not violate His vain will not receive mercy. Keeping this in mind, commandments.” And immediately he prayed: then, my children, let us not judge anyone, and let us “O Lord, my God, I’ve placed my hope in You; not pay attention to the slanderers, whether they deliver me from those who pursue me and save me. criticize righteous person or anyone else. Judge not,

5 the Lord commands. You who sit on the throne, do not his sensory organs. This is why the devil was routed scorn your servant, for he may hide within him the and disappeared. Spirit of God and, without realizing it, you find yourself From then he saw the power this oil of the the enemy of God.” and all the saints had, and oftentimes he The saint said this to them and begged them once would give it to his acquaintances to anoint themselves more to look to themselves and not judge anyone. But at bedtime. also they should not lend money with interest, for how ✠ ✠ ✠ does it profit a man to say he is a Christian, when he has stored up gold and lends it out with interest? First of all, he does not have his hope in God. Second, he is an idolater. Third, he suffers of avarice and drowns night and day in cares. He doesn’t even get enough sleep! Finally, death comes, too. Oh, what foolishness!.. . ✠ ✠ ✠

PRACTICAL SPIRITUAL WARFARE

ST. NEPHON ON

THE OIL OF THE VIGIL LAMP7 The saint also had the following amazing habit: when he was to sleep a little, he would first spread stones on the ground and throw a small mattress there. Then he would chant funeral hymns, as if he were planning to bury himself, and recite by heart four Epistle lessons, four Gospels, and a few other things. St. Theophan the Recluse (1815-1894) Finally, making the sign of the cross three times on his St. Theophan the Recluse, ascetic, monk, prolific bed, he would lie down using a stone for a pillow. and beloved spiritual writer and translator, Bishop of The demons often attacked him in his sleep. They Tamov. Schooled in theology in Orel and Kiev, his would bother him and would not let him sleep. Then he frequent visiting the Kiev Caves Lavra drew him into would take his stick and with spiritual strength hit them the monastic life. After his schooling he became an wildly, mocking their weakness. So much so that the educator in the KIev-Sofia Theological School, the demons had lost it with him. Novgorod Seminary, then professor in the Petersburg One night, therefore, when the servant of God was Theological Academy. Dissatisfied with the academic sleeping a little, the devil came holding a spade and life, he joined the Russian Mission in Jerusalem, served wanted to hit him. But suddenly, very terrified, he in the Olonets Seminary, and was then transferred first jumped noisily outside again and disappeared like to Constantinople and then back to the Petersburg smoke. As he was leaving he was gnashing his teeth Theological Academy. In 1859 he was ordained Bishop and saying: “O Mary, you burn me everywhere, of Tambov, and 4 years later transferred to Vladimir. In protecting this hardhead. 1866 he retired to the life of seclusion for the next 28 Hearing these words, Nephon realized that the years. In his many books and letters he spoke from his Theotokos defended and guarded him. And this personal experience as one who had passed through the because every night before sleeping, he would take oil various stages of spiritual life--a path on which he from her oil lamp and anoint his forehead, ears, and all wanted to lead others. Two of his popular books for the beginning stages are The Spiritual Life and How to Attune Oneself to It, and The Path to Salvation. He 7. Stories, Sermons, and Prayers of St. Nephon: An Ascetic Bishop, Light & Life Publishing Company, Minneapolis, MN, 1989 pp. 27-8. also translated the 5 volumes of the and The 6 Sermons of St. Symeon the New Theologian from Greek into Russian. The excerpt below dealing with our spiritual warfare is from his Thoughts for Each Day of the Year According to the Daily Church THE EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS Readings from the Word of God.

BACKGROUND

WEDNESDAY, EPH. 5:225-33; LUKE 4:1-158 The text of The Epistle to Diognetus was preserved in a single manuscript dating from the 13th or 14th The devil approaches the God-man with temptations. century, the Codex Argentoratensis Graecus, ix, which Who among men is free of them? He who goes was destroyed in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 according to the will of the evil one does not experience when Strasbourg was shelled. Copies and printed attacks, but is simply turned more and more toward editions of the manuscript were made prior to its evil. As soon as one begins to come to himself and destruction. The author is unknown, but presumably a intends to begin a new life according to God’s will, the very skilled and perceptive writer, through to have most entire satanic realm immediately enters into action. likely composed this apologetic letter between AD 150 They hasten to scatter the good thoughts and intentions and 225. of the penitent in any way they can. If they do not manage to turn him aside, they attempt to hinder his THE DISTINCTIVENESS OF CHRISTIANS10 good repentance and confession. If they do not manage 5:1 For Christians are not distinguished from the to do that they contrive to sow tares amidst the fruits of rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. 2 repentance and disrupt his labors of cleansing the heart. For nowhere do they live in cities of their own, nor do If they do not succeed in suggesting evil, they attempt they speak some unusual dialect, nor do they practice to distort the truth. If they are repulsed inwardly they an eccentric way of life. 3. This teaching of theirs has attack outwardly, and so on, until the end of one’s life. not been discovered by the thought and reflection of They do not even let one die in peace, and even after ingenious people, nor do they promote any human death they pursue the soul, until it escapes the aerial doctrine, as some do. 4 But while they life in both 9 expanse where they hover and have their haunts. You Greek and barbarian cities, as each one’s lot was cast, ask, “What should we do? It’s dismal and terrifying!” and follow the local customs in dress and food and For a believer there is nothing frightening here, because other aspects of life, at the same time they demonstrate demons only bustle around a God-fearing man, but do the remarkable and admittedly unusual character of not have any power at all. A sober man of prayer their own citizenship. 5 They live in their own shoots arrows against them, and they stay far away countries but only as nonresidents; they participate in from him, not daring to approach, and fearing the defeat everything as citizens, and endure everything as that they have already experienced. If they succeed in foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, something, it is due to our blundering. We slacken our and every fatherland is foreign. 6 They marry like attention or allow ourselves to be distracted by their everyone else, and have children, but they do not phantoms, and they are right there and disturb us more expose their offspring. 7 They share their food but not boldly. If you do not come to you senses in time, they their wives. 8 They are in the flesh, but do not life will whirl you about; but if a soul does come to its according to the flesh. 9 They live on earth, but their senses, they again recoil and spy from afar to see citizenship is in heaven. 10 They obey the established whether it is possible to approach again somehow. So laws; indeed in their private lives they transcend the be sober, watch, and pray--and the enemies will do laws. 11 They love everyone, and by everyone they are nothing to you. persecuted. 12 They are unknown, yet they are ✠ ✠ ✠ condemned; they are put to death, yet they are brought to life. 13 They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. 14 They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor; they are slandered, yet they

8. St. Theophan the Recluse, Thoughts for Each Day of the Year According to the Daily Church Readings from the Word of God, St. 10. Michael W. Holmes translator and editor, “Epistle to Diognetus,” Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, CA, 2012, pp. 209-210 in The Apostolic Fathers, Greek Texts and English Translations, 9. An allusion to the aerial toll-houses 3rd edition, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, MI, 2007, pp. 701-3. 7 are vindicated. 15 They are cursed, yet they bless; they Aristides the Philosopher, a 2nd century Greek Christian, known for are insulted, yet they offer respect. 16 When thy do being the author of the Apology. According to the Syriac text it was delivered to the Roman Emperor in AD 140. He is good, they are punished as evildoers; when they are celebrated on September 13. Contemporary Icon by Maria Nastioka- punished, they rejoice as though brought to life. 17 By Apostolakis from the Church of St. Aristides on the Holy Island of the Jews they are assaulted as foreigners, and by the Tinos. Source: Mystagogy via Google. Greeks they are persecuted, yet those who hate them are ...XV. But the Christians, O King, while they went unable to give a reason for their hostility. about and made search, have found the truth; and as we 6.1 In a word, what the soul is to the body, learned from their writings, they have come nearer to Christians are to the world. truth and genuine knowledge than the rest of the nations. For they know and trust in God, the Creator of ✠ ✠ ✠ heaven and of earth, in whom and from whom are all things, to whom there is no other god as companion, from whom they received commandments which they engraved upon their minds and observe in hope and expectation of the world which is to come. Wherefore they do not commit adultery nor fornication, nor bear THE APOLOGY OF ARISTIDES THE PHILOSOPHER:¹¹ false witness, nor embezzle what is held in pledge, nor covet what is not theirs. They honour father and mother, and show kindness to those near to them; and whenever A DESCRIPTION OF IN THE EARLY they are judges, they judge uprightly. They do not SECOND CENTURY TAKEN FROM THE SYRIAC VERSION worship idols (made) in the image of man; and [Note: After describing the religion of Barbarians, whatsoever they would not that others should do unto Egyptians, and Greeks, Aristides then turns to the them, they do not to others; and of the food which is Christians:] consecrated to idols they do not eat, for they are pure. And their oppressors they appease (lit: comfort) and make them their friends; they do good to their enemies; and their women, O King, are pure as virgins, and their daughters are modest; and their men keep themselves from every unlawful union and from all uncleanness, in the hope of a recompense to come in the other world. Further, if one or other of them have bondmen and bondwomen or children, through love towards them they persuade them to become Christians, and when they have done so, they call them brethren without distinction.

They do not worship strange , and they go their way in all modesty and cheerfulness. Falsehood is not found among them; and they love one another, and from widows they do not turn away their esteem; and they deliver the orphan from him who treats him harshly. And he, who has, gives to him who has not, without boasting. And when they see a stranger, they take him in to their homes and rejoice over him as a very brother; for they do not call them brethren after the flesh, but brethren after the spirit and in God. And whenever one of their poor passes from the world, each one of them according to his ability gives heed to him and carefully sees to his burial. And if they hear that 11. The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher of Athens, Translated one of their number is imprisoned or afflicted on from the Syriac Version by D.M. Kay, B.Sc., B.D. Assistant to the Professor of Semitic Languages, University of Edinburgh, Source: account of the name of their Messiah, all of them http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/aristides-kay.html 8 anxiously minister to his necessity, and if it is possible to redeem him they set him free. And if there is among Take, then, their writings, and read therein, and lo! you them any that is poor and needy, and if they have no will find that I have not put forth these things on my spare food, they fast two or three days in order to own authority, nor spoken thus as their advocate; but supply to the needy their lack of food. since I read in their writings I was fully assured of these things as also of things which are to come. And for this They observe the precepts of their Messiah with much reason I was constrained to declare the truth to such as care, living justly and soberly as the Lord their God care for it and seek the world to come. And to me there commanded them. Every morning and every hour they is no doubt but that the earth abides through the give thanks and praise to God for His loving-kindnesses supplication of the Christians. But the rest of the toward them; and for their food and their drink they nations err and cause error in wallowing before the offer thanksgiving to Him. And if any righteous man elements of the world, since beyond these their mental among them passes from the world, they rejoice and vision will not pass. And they search about as if in offer thanks to God; and they escort his body as if he darkness because they will not recognize the truth; and were setting out from one place to another near. And like drunken men they reel and jostle one another and when a child has been born to one of them, they give fall. thanks to God; and if moreover it happen to die in childhood, they give thanks to God the more, as for one XVII. Thus far, O King, I have spoken; for concerning who has passed through the world without sins. And that which remains, as is said above, there are found in further if they see that any one of them dies in his their other writings things which are hard to utter and ungodliness or in his sins, for him they grieve bitterly, difficult for one to narrate,--which are not only spoken and sorrow as for one who goes to meet his doom. in words but also wrought out in deeds. Now the Greeks, O King, as they follow base practises in XVI. Such, O King, is the commandment of the law of intercourse with males, and a mother and a sister and a the Christians, and such is their manner of life. As men daughter, impute their monstrous impurity in turn to the who know God, they ask from Him petitions which are Christians. But the Christians are just and good, and the fitting for Him to grant and for them to receive. And truth is set before their eyes, and their spirit is long- thus they employ their whole lifetime. And since they suffering; and, therefore, though they know the error of know the loving-kindnesses of God toward them, these (the Greeks), and are persecuted by them, they behold! for their sake the glorious things which are in bear and endure it; and for the most part they have the world flow forth to view. And verily, they are those compassion on them, as men who are destitute of who found the truth when they went about and made knowledge. And on their side, they offer prayer that search for it; and from what we considered, we learned these may repent of their error; and when it happens that they alone come near to a knowledge of the truth. that one of them has repented, he is ashamed before the And they do not proclaim in the ears of the multitude Christians of the works which were done by him; and the kind deeds they do, but are careful that no one he makes confession to God, saying, I did these things should notice them; and they conceal their giving just in ignorance. And he purifies his heart, and his sins are as he who finds a treasure and conceals it. And they forgiven him, because he committed them in ignorance strive to be righteous as those who expect to behold in the former time, when he used to blaspheme and their Messiah, and to receive from Him with great glory speak evil of the true knowledge of the Christians. And the promises made concerning them. And as for their assuredly the race of the Christians is more blessed than words and their precepts, O King, and their glorying in all the men who are upon the face of the earth. their worship, and the hope of earning according to the work of each one of them their recompense which they Henceforth let the tongues of those who utter vanity look for in another world, you may learn about these and harass the Christians be silent; and hereafter let from their writings. It is enough for us to have shortly them speak the truth. For it is of serious consequence to informed your Majesty concerning the conduct and the them that they should worship the true God rather than truth of the Christians. For great indeed, and wonderful worship a senseless sound. And verily whatever is is their doctrine to him who will search into it and spoken in the mouth of the Christians is of God; and reflect upon it. And verily, this is a new people, and their doctrine is the gateway of light. Wherefore let all there is something divine (lit: “a divine admixture”) in who are without the knowledge of God draw near the midst of them. thereto; and they will receive incorruptible words,

9 which are from all time and from eternity. So shall they appear before the awful judgment which through Jesus the Messiah is destined to come upon the whole human race.

The Apology of Aristides the Philosopher is finished.

Source: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/ aristides-kay.html

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