FROM THE FATHERS “THE SOLEMN SEASON has come when I would remind your charity to give more attentive consideration to your soul and to chastise your body. For these forty days are very sacred throughout the whole world, and at the approach of Easter the entire universe, which God reconciles to Himself in Christ, celebrates them with laudable devotion. If any enmities, which either ought not to have arisen or ought to have died quickly, have succeeded in persisting among the brethren because of negligence,obstinacy,or a reserve which is not modest but proud, at least now let them be brought to an end. The sun ought not to have set upon them; at least, after many risings and settings of the sun let them be extinguished by their own disappearance and let them not be renewed by another rising. The negligent person forgets to end his hostility; the stubborn one is unwilling to grant pardon when it is asked; the proudly reserved person disdains to seek pardon. Hostilities feed upon these three vices, but they kill the soul in which they are not put to death. On the other hand, memory guards against negligence, mercy against obstinacy, and submissive prudence against haughty reserve. Let him who realises that he is unmindful of harmony shake off his sluggishness by energetically rousing himself. Let him who desires to be harsh in making demands upon his debtors con- sider that he is God’s debtor. Let him who is ashamed to seek forgiveness of his brother overcome this reprehensible shame by honourable fear, so that, with these harmful enmities ended and really dead, you may live. All this, love which is not preten- tious accomplishes. In so far as love is present, my brethren, let

1 itb e e xe rcise d inl ivingw e l l ; in so f arasitisl acking , l e t itb e o b t aine d b y f e rventp ray e r. “ Sot hatou rp ray e rsmaybehe lp e dbysu it ablesu p p orts d u ringt h e s ed ay sw h e nw eo u g h tt omaket h e mmoref e rventl y , le tu salsobe st owalmsmoref e rvently .Letu ssu p p le me ntou r o rdinaryc o ntribu t ionsw it h t h atw h ich iss aved b y f ast ingand abs t ainingf rom o u r u s u alf o o d . Alt h o u g he acho neo u g h tt og ive moreabu ndantalms,h ew h o ,b e c au s eo fs o mep h y s icalne e do r re g u l ard ie t , isnotabl et oabs t ains oast og ivet ot h ep o o rt h at o f w hich he d e p rives h imse l f ,oug ht in p ie tyt o c o ntribu t e t o the p o o r f o rt h every re aso nt h ath ed o e snotre s t ricth imse l fin ot he r w ay s.Since it is le ss p ossible f o r h im t o he lp h is p ray e rs by morti- ficat ion o fh is b o d y ,l e t h im e nclose in the h e art of the p o o r man a moreg e ne rou s almsw h ich c ant h e rep rayf o r h im.Thisisa mos t b e ne ficialand e s t imabl e ad vice f rom holy S c rip t u re :S hut u palm s i n t he hear t o f t he p o o r , and i t s hall get help for t hee ( S ir.29:15) . “ F u rth e rmore ,we ad viset h o s e w ho are abs t ainingf rom me at nott oavoidasu ncl e ant h ed ish e sinw h ichme ath asb e e n c o o ked .F o rt h eAp o s t l e ,s p e akingo nt h isp o int,s ay s : F o r t he cleanall t hingsar e clean ( Tit u s 1:15) . Acc o rdingt o s o u nd d o c t rine ,w h atisd o neinp ract ice so ft h iss o rtisd o ne ,notf o r t h es akeo favoid ingu ncl e anne s s ,b u tt ore s t rainc o ncu p isc e nce . Whe re f o re ,t h o s ew h ore f rainf romfle s hme atino rde rt os e e k o t h e rkindso ff o o dmored ifficu l tt oo b t ainandmorec o s t ly makea g re atmist ake. F o r t h isisnot u nde rtakingabs t ine nce , b u ts imp l yvaryingo ne ’sl u xu ry.HowamIg o ingt ot e l ls u c h p e op let og ivet ot hep oort hatofw hicht he yd e p rivet he mse lves w h e no rdinaryf o o disp u tasid eb yt h e ms oast oincre ase e xp e nse sbyobt ainingsome t hinge lse ?The re f ore ,ont he sed ay s f astmoref re que ntl y ,s p e ndmone yo ny o u rse l vesmores p aring - l y , andg ivemoreg e ne rou s l yt ot h ene e d y .The s ed ay sals o d e mandc o ntine nce inmarrie d p e rso ns, ast h e Ap o s t l e s ay s : for at i m e,t hatyoum aygi v eyou r s elv est op r ayer ;andr etu r n t o getheragai n l est S atant em p t you becaus e you l acks elf- contr o l ( 1 C o r. 7 :5) .Itisnotardu o u sandd ifficu l tf o rf ait h f ul marrie dp e rso nst od of o raf e wd ay sw h ath o l yw id o w sh ave u nde rt akenf romac e rtainp e riodt ot h ee ndo ft h e irl ivesand

2 what holy virgins do throughout their entire lives. And so, in all these cases,let devotion be enkindled,let self-elation be checked. Let no one rejoice in the blessing of generosity to such a degree that he lose the blessing of humility. In truth, all other gifts of God are of no avail unless the bond of love be present.” Saint Augustine of Hippo, + 430 A.D. ❇❇❇❇❇❇❇ The Spiritual Ladder is Not Just For Monks Holy New Hieromartyr Seraphim(Chichagov ) 1856-1937

ON THIS fourth Sunday of , after the veneration of the Honourable and Life-Giving Cross the Holy Orthodox has established the commemoration of our venerable and God-bearing father , the author who des- cribed the spiritual Ladder. But why is Saint John the one who comes to mind, and not some other saint? It is so that during the course of the fast and our ascetic labours of prayer we would have before our eyes the example of a man who attained spiritual perfection, a great instructor, and so that we would not forget about the need for every Christian to study his God- inspired book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent,in which he por- trayed all the Christian virtues in the stages that they should be instilled in a man in order to bring him to union with God and to force us to correct our lives. With the same goal, in order to break down in us the destructive feeling of self-pity, the Holy Church remembers on

3 the fifth Sunday Saint Mary of , who regardless of her many years of sinful life achieved spiritual perfection through zealous self-correction. In remembering these ascetics of piety, all our doubts about our own failings and weaknesses should involuntarily give way to the clear conviction that with sincere faith in God’s word, and through our own desire, we can be made pure of body, heart, and mind, and even righteous and holy. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth(Mk. 9:23) said our Lord Christ to the mis- fortunate father who asked Him to heal his demonically possessed son, about whom we read today in the Holy Gospel. Very little is known about the life of Saint John. As a chosen one of God, he loved the Lord from his earliest years; but none of his disciples mention anything about who his parents were or where he was born and raised. In their words, Saint John was a man outstanding in his gifts, abilities, and education. At sixteen years old he left the world for the on Mount Sinai, in order to live under the direction of experienced and God- inspired elders. In his Life it says that even then he was as if a thousand years old according to his mind, and on Sinai he attained such perfection that he had a soul that was as if without reasoning and will, completely free and shining with heavenly simplicity. At the death of his instructor, yearning for yet greater ascetic labours, Saint John resolved to place a vow of silence on himself, for which he chose a suitable place not far from the Church of the Lord, where he spent forty years. Fasting and prayer brought him to a high degree of purity and made him a vessel of God’s special gifts: clairvoyance, boldness in prayer, and the working of miracles. When the Sinai Monastery had to choose a new abbot, all the brothers unanimously besought Saint John to return to his community. During his abbacy he wrote his book,The Spiritual Ladder, in which he portrayed the entire path to Christian perfection and how we must gradually perfect ourselves for our salvation. Perhaps, beloved ones, some of you might suppose that Saint John composed his Ladder exclusively for monks, and not for laypeople, inasmuch as there is nothing in common between

4 your own lives - that is, of fathers and mothers of families and secular young people - and the lives of monks, recluses, desert dwellers and hesychasts. For that reason the Ladder is rarely read in the world and no one uses it to guide their secular lives. Unfortunately many Christians think that way! However, beloved ones, did the Church establish this commemoration today of Saint John Climacus only for monks and not for all Orthodox Christians? Could the Church’s rules be unfounded or erroneous? Although there is not much in common between the lives of secular people and that of monks, nevertheless all Christians must ascend upon the same spiritual ladder to the Father’s house and under the same conditions. We all differ one from another by our outward appearance, vocations, status, and clothing, but God’s judgment demands that all who are ascend- ing to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the habitations of the righteous and the saints, be like each other in our inner qualities, virtues, purity of soul, and righteousness. It follows that all Christians have one and the same goal: to achieve salvation, and to spiritually perfect themselves in order to achieve it. From the monks is required: renunciation of the world, obedience, or life not according to his own will, and silence, or the striving to be alone with God in his heart. But isn’t the same required of the layman? Let’s look at why a monk leaves for the monastery or the desert. It is in order to avoid temptations, to be able to watch himself more easily, to war with his passions, to abide in prayer, and to learn to live a simple, austere life. But aren’t laypeople also obliged to order their lives in such a way that they might avoid temptations, dangerous society, immoral spectacles, and empty talk; so that they can go to church, fulfil their prayer rule, and war with their passions? A lay Christian should also for the sake of his salvation renounce the destruc- tive, corrupt world that is perishing in its pride, selfishness, greed,and obliviousnessto God’s commandments. And whoever abandons the sinful life and struggles with his own passions does the same as the monk who has separated himself from the world and joined a monastery.

5 Why do monastic ascetics strive to acquire perfect obedi- ence, and for that reason submit their will to the abbot, the elders, and instructors? Because otherwise it is impossible to learn to fulfil God’s commandments. But aren’t obedience and the fulfilment of God’s commandments just as obligatory for laypeople? In order to learn this, laypeople should submit their will to their own spiritual fathers. Finally,should laypeople behesychastic? Of course not,many would reply. But I am not talking about external and silence - for monks also do work in their , fulfil various duties, and serve and help the laity; and that means that they are not silent. There exists another silence, which just as necessary for a monk as it is for the layman - it is the inner silence; that is, the striving to be alone with God in one’s heart. For this a person is immersed in himself, sorts out his own thoughts and actions,and abides in ceaseless prayer and remem- brance of God. According to the words of the Apostle, we all must ceaselessly behold Christ the Saviour with the eyes of our hearts; that is, always - at home, on the street, in bed, during work and at play - and learn from Him humility, love, patience, and submission. Whoever lives this way is like a hesychast and desert dweller, although he remains in the world (as Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote). Thus, my beloved, each of us not only can, but must become emulators of St. John Climacus and study his divinely inspired book,The Ladder of Divine Ascent.This is necessary for our salvation, and that is why the Holy Church reminds us of it today. We only have to desire to work on this, because all is possible to those who believe! Amen! ❇❇❇❇❇❇❇ “ANGELS are a light for monks, and the monastic life is a light for all men.” Ven. John Climacus, + 649 A.D.

6 ALMOSTthe whole of the month of March,with the exception of the last three days, falls within Great Lent this year. The teaching in the two pieces above gives us good guidance on various aspects of our lenten struggle: mutual forgiveness, fasting, alms- giving, sexual continence, self-correction, renunciation of worldliness and Christ- centredness. But many attempt these to some extent and still seem to achieve nothing. One cause of this is not having laid a good foundation. In any and every undertaking in life,onehastobegroundedinitspurposeandpractices. YetwhenitcomestotheFaith, we find in contemporary life,many seemingly very faithful people have really little idea of what they believe, or why, and so even when they follow church disciplines they are somehowrudderless. Theydothingsbutwithlittleunderstanding,andthusalsotolittle benefit. This lack highlights how essential spiritual reading is, and the extract below highlightstheimmensevalueof spiritualreading. Sodonotneglectitatanytime,least of allintheperiodof GreatLent. THE VISION OF THE ELDER SOPHRONIUS

THE following awesome vision clearly reveals the great benefit and salvation which comes from the studying of edifying books, and hence the enmity which the demons have towards them, in that these books destroy their snares and devices. The vision was revealed some hundred years ago to a pious abbot of the Monastery of Neamts, which had been founded by the saintly Paisius Velichkovsky. Some years after the repose of the righteous Paisius, the austerity of the monastery’s life began to grow lax, on one hand because of the great wealth it had acquired, and on the other because of the great freedom that was allowed to people of the world who came to visit the monastery. Some came with their whole families to stay in the monastery for two or three months during the summer, spending their time in various worldly entertainments. The monks became negligent in their rule and began rather to care for their vineyards and gardens in the monastery’s holdings. One of the disciples of the saintly Paisius, Sophronius by name, being the abbot at the time, led an austere and spiritual life. One night thinking that it had already dawned, Sophronius went out by the monastery’s gate and looked towards the outer gate, at the place where the holy spring lies today. There he saw a man, black in appearance and fearful in form. He wore the garb of a military officer

7 and cried loudly, as officers do when they are giving commands to their troops. His eyes were blood red and shone like flames of fire. His mouth was like that of an ape and his teeth protruded from his mouth. At his waist, he had entwined around him a large serpent, whose head hung down with its tongue hanging out like a sword. On his shoulders there rested ‘galoons’ shaped like heads of asps and on his head, he wore a hat, from which venomous snakes extended their bodies and wrapped themselves like hair around his neck. When the abbot Sophronius saw this, he became petrified from fear. After a while, he came to himself somewhat and asked the officer of darkness what he sought on the monastery’s premises at such an hour. “Can it be that you do not know that I am the chief commander here in your monastery?” the black one answered. “We have no army here, and our country is enjoying a period of profound peace,” replied the abbot. “Then, be it known to you,” answered the black one, “that I am sent from the unseen hosts of darkness and we are here to wage war against the monastic order. When you make your promises at your tonsure, you declare an unseen war on us and you inflict many wounds on us with your spiritual weaponry. Many times we retreat in shame, since the flame of your prayers burns us. Now, however, we no longer fear you, especially ever since Paisius died. He terrified us and we suffered much at his hands. Ever since he came here from the Holy Mountain with sixty other monks, I was sent with sixty thousand of our own troops to stop him. As long as he was in charge, we had no rest. In spite of all the temptations, devices and snares that we tried against him and his monks, we availed nothing. At the same time, the tongue of man cannot tell what terrible afflictions, hardships and trials we suffered during that man’s sojourn here. He was an experienced soldier and his strategies always caught us off our guard. “However, after he died things let up a bit and we were able to remove ten thousand of our troops from this front, and so fifty thousand of us were left. When the monks began becoming negligent in their rule and began having more concern for their fields and houses and vineyards, we relieved another ten thousand of our troops of their duties here and the remaining forty thousand stood by to continue the offensive. Then, a few years later, some of the monks

8 decided to change Paisius’ rule, and the monks became divided and some left. In the meantime, laymen were allowed to rent rooms in the monastery, and when they brought their women in also, we had a victory celebration and reduced our troops by another ten thousand. Later, when the schools for young boys were opened, the battle came well nigh to an end, and we were able to reduce our troops by another ten thousand, leaving only twenty thousand of us here to take care of the monks.” When the abbot Sophronius heard these things, he groaned within himself and asked the black one: “What further need have you to remain in the monastery, seeing how, as you yourself confess, the monks have given up their fight? What further work is there left for you here?” Then, being constrained by the might of God, the ugly one revealed his secret. “It is true that there is no longer anyone to fight against us as of old, since your love has grown cold and you have become engrossed with worldly and earthly affairs. But there is still one thing left in this monastery that disturbs us and causes us anxiety. It is those filthy rags; I mean the books - perdition take them! - that you have in your library. We live in fear and trembling lest any of the younger monks ever take them into his hands and begin reading them. Once they begin reading those accursed rags, they’ll learn of your ancient piety and your ancient enmity against us, and the little upstarts will begin raging against us. They learn that the Christians of old, both lay and monastic, used to pray unceasingly, fast, examine and confess their thoughts, keep vigil and live as though they were strangers and foreigners in this world. Then simple-minded as they are, they will actually begin putting that foolishness into practice. Furthermore, they even take all of the Scriptures seriously. They rave and rail against us like wild beasts; let me tell you, one of those hot- headed fools is enough to chase us all out of here. They become as unrelenting and uncompromising with us as your executed Leader (the Saviour). We have come to have such peace and concord with you. But those so-called spiritual books of yours are a constant source of enmity and discord. Why can’t we have peace? Why don’t you read mybooks? Aretheynotspiritualalso? ForItooamaspirit,amInot? And I too inspire men to write books. But all that is needed is for one of those wretched rags which you call parchments to fall into the hands of some simple fool and a whole conflagration begins anew and we are forced to flee and take up arms against you once more.”

9 The poor abbot, unable any longer to keep silence, asked him, “What is your greatest weapon against the monastics in these our times?” And he answered, “Our whole concern at present is to keep monks and nuns away from spiritual occupations, especially prayer and the reading of those grubby books. Why don’t you spend more time taking care of your gardens and vineyards, of your fishing and schools for the young, of your hospitality for all those good people who come here during the summer for the fresh air and pure water? The monastics who busy themselves in such pursuits are caught in our nets like flies in a spider’s web. Until all those books have been either destroyed or corroded with time, we will have no peace. They are like darts in our side.” No sooner had he finished than thesemantron was struck for the service of . Straightway, the officer of the demonic hosts vanished like smoke … When the monks had gathered, he [the abbot] told them with tears everything he had seen and heard during that terrible apparition. He commanded that all these things be recorded. An excerpt fromBlessed Paisius Velichkovsky, Published by Saint Herman of Alaska Brotherhood,Platina,in 1976 And recently sent us by M.L.,Missouri,U.S.A. ❇❇❇❇❇❇❇

“VIRTUE stands in the middle: and thus courage stands in the middle between cowardice and foolhardiness; humility in the middle between arrogance and obsequiousness. Modesty is a mean between bashfulness and boldness - and so on with the other virtues. If then a man is found to possess these virtues, such a man is esteemed by God, and even if he is always seen to eat, drink and sleep like other men, he would still be esteemed for the virtues he has. But unless a man is watchful and keeps a guard on himself he easily deviates from the road either to the left or to the right, that is by excess or by neglect, so that he brings upon himself that sickness which is wickedness. This then is the royal road by which all the saints travelled.” Ven. , + 620 A.D.

10 Howtoliveinaccord with the Gospel A of a Booklet published by the Synodal Press in in 1905, somewhat adapted to meet the needs of our times.

Responsibilities in our Relationship to God.

BEFORE anything else, let us consider our responsibil- ities before God, based on the word of God, and especially upon the Gospels, binding these together with the works of the holy fathers and teachers of the Church, and also with the pre- eminent church preachers. Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life (Lk. 10:25)? Thus did a Jewish lawyer question Jesus Christ. His question is extremely important. So that we may truly know what we must needs do to receive eternal life or everlasting blessedness, without any doubt we must apply our attention seriously to what our Heavenly Teacher, Jesus Christ Himself, deems ne- cessary for the achievement of eternal blessing and what He requires of us. Faith Jesus Christ requires faith in Him, as He said to Nico- demus: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever- lasting life (John 3:14-16).

11 Faith is indispensable for man’s salvation. We believe that no one can be saved without faith. And by faith we mean our right understanding about God and divine things. Being a promoter of love, or, what is the same thing, a fulfiller of God’s commandments, through it Christ guides us aright, and without it it is impossible to please God. What then is faith? Faith, says Saint Demetrius of Rostov, is that which your bodily eyes do not see, and your hands do not feel,but which your heart and mind can unquestionably confirm that it should be exactly as it is and not otherwise. For instance, we do not see God, because No one hath seen God at any time, as says the holy Evangelist John the Theologian (John 1:18), but we unquestionably believe that God is - and this is faith. We do not see our Saviour in Heaven with His glorified flesh, seated upon the Throne of Divinity, in unapproachable glory, and co-reigning with His Father and the Holy Spirit, but we unquestionably believe this, and this is faith. With our eyes we do not see our God, everywhere present and always attending upon us, but we believe this - and this is faith. We do not see the Holy Spirit descending in Holy Baptism and in the other Mysteries of the Church, but we believe that the Holy Spirit descends and perfects all the Mysteries of the Church, - and this is faith. In the All-immaculate Mysteries of Christ, under the appearance of bread and wine we do not see the real human Body and Blood of Christ, but we believe that this is indeed the true Body and true Blood of Christ, simply veiled under the appearance and taste of bread and wine, - and this is faith. No one among us sees his holy Guardian Angel, but, nonetheless, we believe that each one of us has a Guardian Angel given him at Baptism, - and this is faith. We do not see the heavenly crowns of glory, which have been prepared for those who love God; we do not see the torments of hell, prepared for those sinners who do not repent. However, we believe that each will receive a recompense according to his deeds; for the good a good one, and for the evil an evil one,-and this is faith. In a word, faith is the evidence of things not seen (Heb.11:1).

12 How can one obtain faith? “So that the faith of the Gospel might be conceived in the heart,” says Saint Theophan, “it is initially necessary for one to recognise one’s own weakness and to have a living sense of the wrath of God, of the curse, of the judgment and the condemnation that awaits sinners. Then, those fears acting already in the heart as a cleansing and a pre- paration, faith will come into being from the Holy Spirit.” Like rain giving of itself to the thirsting earth, and like refreshing goodness enlivening that which is fatigued by the intense heat (see Acts 3:19-20), so the tormented soul will drink in the good news of the Gospel, and the broken heart will thankfully receive the comforting inception of faith.

… to be continued with “Hope.” ❇❇❇❇❇❇❇ THE COMING MONTH GREAT LENT this year fills the whole of March, with the exception of the last three days: Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Great Monday - all of which are, of course, kept as fast days as well. As we have mentioned in previous years, there is an excellent overview of the lenten observations in “The Lenten Triodion” published by Faber & Faber, a book which every observant Orthodox family should have in their homes. How- ever, that said, there is, of course, an even more excellent way to become acquainted with the lenten observances and that is by attending the services and by practising the disciplines which the Church lays before us for our spiritual growth and improve- ment. We return, as ever we must in the Christian life, to the need to respond to our Saviour’s invitation, first given to two disciples of St John the Baptist, Come and see (John 1:39). We hope too that the first three sections in this month’s issue will give our readers some insight into how the fast is to be approached and undertaken, not simply as a rule that must be

13 observed, but as a prescription for our spiritual health and wellbeing. Two Great Feasts fall within the month this year, the Annunciation (25th March/7th April),and,as mentioned above, Palm Sunday, a moveable feast which this year falls on 30th March/12th April. Although it was not yet manifest to the world, the Annunciation was the occasion of theIncarnation of the Word of God, as thetroparion of the feast proclaims:Today is the fountainhead of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery which was from eternity:The Son of God becometh the Virgin’s Son. It is this truth that is the foundation stone of our Orthodox Christian Faith. Palm Sunday looks forward to another great and fundamental truth of our Faith and our hope, the Resurrection. Thetroparion sings out: In confirming the common Resur- rection, O Christ God, Thou didst raise up Lazarus from the dead before Thy Passion. Wherefore we also, like the children, bearing the symbols of victory[ the palm branches], cry to Thee, the Vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.It is, of course, in the hope of the resurrection from the dead that we live our lives here on earth as Christians. This fundamental fact we often forget, and see our Faith only in terms of getting through the various changes and chances in this life. Sadly the concerns of this life, even the hope of prolonging this life, often blot out our hope and desire for the life of the Age to Come both for ourselves and for our loved ones. The very next day,Holy and Great Monday, we embark on the final part of the fast, the week in which we celebrate the Passion of our Saviour, culminating in His victory over death. Among the Saints we celebrate in March, we have:- Saint Gregory the Great, the Pope of Rome (12th / 25th March), a saint particularly important to our community here at Brookwood, and for two reasons. First of all he is remembered

14 as an Apostle to the English and secondly because our Brotherhood here was initially founded from an unfortunately short-lived mission parish dedicated to him in London. In the East, and therefore among most of the Orthodox, he is generally known as Saint Gregory the Dialogist, because not all of his works were translated and widely disseminated in Greek, but one that was and became immensely popular,was his Dialogues. Saint Gregory was born of a patrician Roman family around the year 540, the son of Gordianus, a Senator and the Prefect of the City of Rome. His family was one of the wealthiest in Italy, owning vast agricultural estates in Sicily. They were also a deeply believing Christian family, and his mother, Silvia, and two of his paternal aunts, Tarsilla and Emiliana, are numbered among the saints of the Church. With this family background, it was said of Saint Gregory that in his rearing he was "a saint among saints." Like most of the young men of the ruling aristocracy, Saint Gregory was schooled in grammar, rhetoric, the sciences,literature,and law. Upon completion of his studies, he entered public life, advancing quickly through the ranks and becoming,like his father,Prefect of Rome,the highest civil office in the city. However, he served as Prefect for only about a year, at which time he decided, after much deep prayer, to renounce the life of this world and to become a monk. His estates in Sicily he turned into monasteries, founding six of them there. His mansion in Rome was likewise transformed into a monastery. Saint Gregory of Tours wrote of him that "he who had been wont to go about the city clad in the trabea [a toga with purple trimming] and aglow with silk and jewels, was now clad in a worthless garment and served the altar of the Lord." In his monastery in Rome, dedicated to the holy First-Called Apostle Andrew, the Saint prayed and studied Holy Scripture. In 579 A.D., Pope Pelagius II sent him to as his emissary to the Imperial court, a post at which he remained for six years. Not altogether at home there, the Saint remained steadfast in his monastic discipline, spending as much time as possible praying and writing spiritual works. In 585 A.D., the Saint returned to Rome and was made Abbot of his Monastery of Saint Andrew. Under his exacting rule, the monastery pro-

15 duced many monks of great spiritual renown. Meanwhile, Saint Gregory's fame as an accomplished spiritual teacher spread widely and when in A.D. 589, Pope Pelagius II died, there was little doubt who should succeed him. The and people of Rome insisted upon Saint Gregory,and thus he was elected. The Saint, however, fled from this honour and hid himself in the mountains and ravines; but God showed the people where to find him by making a fiery column, reaching from earth to heaven, appear at the place where Gregory was hiding. As Pope of Rome, the Saint worked assiduously and untiringly, and this despite his serious ill health, suffering from fevers, from gout, from digestive problems, and from other conditions all brought on by his stringent asceticism, especially in his younger years. Firstly, he sought the spiritual enlightenment of his flock, evidence for which is provided in his lofty sermons. Secondly, he was responsible for the material needs of the poor of the city and its environs. At that time, Italy was devastated by barbarian invasions, which brought huge numbers of impoverished refugees into the city, adding to the problem of provisioning the needy. Undaunted by the magnitude of the task, Saint Gregory organised shipments of grain from the Church's estates in Sicily, and with these he was able to feed the multitudes of the destitute. He frequently brought the poor in and fed them from his own table. As it were anticipating the claims made by later Popes of Rome to universal jurisdiction, Saint Gregory flatly denied that any hierarch of the Church is a "universal Bishop." In a letter to the Emperor Maurice, the Pope wrote bluntly, "Now I confidently say that whosoever calls himself, or desires to be called, Universal Priest is in his elation the precursor of Antichrist, because he proudly puts himself above all others." This rebuke was called forth because the Emperor had endowed the Patriarch of Constantinople with the title Œcumenical Patriarch, a title which was given because he was the Patriarch of the city which was then the centre of theœcumene, the civilised world. Saint Gregory is known for great collections of sermons. Still extant are forty sermons on the Holy Gospels, twenty-two on the Book of Ezekiel, and two on the Song of Songs, as also is the Moralia in Job (a commentary on the Book

16 of Job), the Pastoral Rule, and approximately 850 letters. To Saint Gregory is also attributed a reform of the Roman Liturgy, and the plain chant known today as Gregorian chant. He is traditionally commemorated as the composer of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, which we use in Lent. In fact it was first documented by him, and though at one time it was supposed that he had composed the Liturgy himself, now it is generally thought that he simply recorded what was being practised at Constantinople and promoted its use. The Venerable Bede records the pivotal rôle Saint Gregory played in the conversion of our forebears in this country. He writes: “Nor must we pass by in silence the story of the blessed Gregory, handed down to us by the tradition of our ancestors, which explains his earnest care for the salvation of our nation. It is said that one day, when some merchants had lately arrived at Rome, many things were exposed for sale in the market place, and much people resorted thither to buy: Gregory himself went with the rest, and saw among other wares some boys put up for sale, of fair complexion, with pleasing countenances, and very beautiful hair. When he beheld them, he asked, it is said, from what region or country they were brought? and was told, from the island of Britain, and that the inhabitants were like that in appearance. He again inquired whether those islanders were Christians, or still involved in the errors of paganism, and was informed that they were pagans. Then fetching a deep sigh from the bottom of his heart, “Alas! what pity,” said he, “that the author of darkness should own men of such fair countenances; and that with such grace of outward form, their minds should be void of inward grace.” He therefore again asked, what was the name of that nation? and was answered, that they were called Angles. “Right,” said he, “for they have an angelic face, and it is meet that such should be co-heirs with the Angels in heaven. What is the name of the province from which they are brought?” It was replied, that the natives of that province were called Deira. “Truly are theyDe ira,” said he, “saved from wrath, and called to the mercy of Christ. How is the king of that province called?” They told him his name was Aelli and he, playing upon the name, said, “Alleluia, the praise

17 of God the Creator must be sung in those parts.” Then he went to the bishop of the Roman Apostolic see (for he was not himself then made pope), and entreated him to send some ministers of the Word into Britain to the nation of the English, that it might be converted to Christ by them; declaring himself ready to carry out that work with the help of God, if the Apostolic Pope should think fit to have it done. But not being then able to perform this task, because, though the Pope was willing to grant his request, yet the citizens of Rome could not be brought to consent that he should depart so far from the city, as soon as he was himself made Pope, he carried out the long-desired work, sending, indeed, other preachers, but himself by his exhortations and prayers helping the preaching to bear fruit. This account, which we have received from a past generation, we have thought fit to insert in our Ecclesiastical History.”It is for this reason that the Saint is revered by us as the Apostle of the English. He reposed in the Lord on 12thMarch, A.D. 604, and his festival is celebrated on that date to this day. His sacred lie in the basilica of St Peter’s in Rome. The holyVirgin Martyr Basil of Mangazeya (23rd March /5th April) was born in A.D.1587 in the Russian city of Yaroslavl. His father, Theodore, was a poor merchant and his family often had very little food. Even when he was a small child, Basil used to go to the church as often as possible because he loved God's house and found consolation there. When he was twelve years old, because of the poverty of the family, he became an appren- tice to a merchant in the Siberian town of Mangazeya, perhaps the only option open to him. In those days was a very dangerous place, full of wild animals, war-like native tribes, and lawless men. The journey to Mangazeya was long, difficult and full of danger. When Saint Basil arrived there safely, he hurried to the church to give thanks to God for protection on the road. Then he went to the merchant's office where he was given the job of clerk and proved to be a very good and careful worker. Unfortunately, in that frontier area there were almost no women. Because of this, some men resorted to homosexual practices and even pederasty. His boss tried to entice the youth

18 into pederastic sexual activities. He tried flattery, he offered Basil money and finally, he tried threats and punishments. Saint Basil only continued to fast and pray and ask God to help him remain pure. His boss was enraged that he would not submit to his evil lust, and he hated Basil's prayerful, religious life. He especially hated Basil for his meek and humble person- ality. But no matter how much he persecuted and mistreated the innocent lad, Saint Basil continued to perform all his duties and responsibilities faithfully and honestly. Finally, the persecution reached a climax. During Paschal Matins, thieves robbed the mercantile property in which Basil worked. The boss, discovering this, went to the governor and reported the theft. By this time he so hated Basil that he formally accused the innocent child of being the culprit. Andso,onthedayofPascha, this innocent, God-fearing boy was betrayed by a false witness, just as Christ had been betrayed by false witnesses. The governor did not even investigate the charges. He sent officers to arrest Saint Basil and drag him right out of the church. The governor and Basil’s boss began to torture the boy in order to force a confession out of him. In spite of all the fierce tortures, the blessed one would only reply meekly: "I am innocent." The meek, humble, Christ-like endurance and peaceful reply of the young saint enraged the evil merchant even more. Finally, he flew into a demonic rage and struck the innocent virgin on the head with a heavy chain of keys. Saint Basil fell to the floor, sighed heavily and gave up his pure soul into the hands of the Lord, on the day of Christ's Radiant Pascha, A.D. 1600. To hide this foul crime, the Governor, Pushkin, and the passion-crazed merchant, placed the body of the holy martyr in a rough coffin and lowered it into a nearby marsh, weighed down with stones. God allowed the sacred relics to be hidden for decades. In A.D. 1652,when the governor was one Ignaty Stepanovich Korsakov, God willed to reveal the glory of His virgin martyr. In that year, many wondrous events began to occur in the area around Man- gazeya. Pious people had dreams in which a youth appeared to them and many ill people were healed by this holy boy. A strange light was seen over the marsh and unseen voices were heard chanting nearby. Then, the coffin of the saint rose to the

19 top of the mud. An archer, Stephen Shiryaev, noticed the coffin, but did nothing about it. So Saint Basil appeared to him in a dream and told him to open the coffin. The coffin was then brought out of the swamp and opened. Inside they found the sacred relics of the saint, whole and incorrupt. A chapel was built over the relics and many people received healing through the prayers of the young virgin martyr, as they do to this day. ❇❇❇❇❇❇❇

POINTS FROM CORRESPONDENCE “HERE is a biblical question that came up in a discussion with some [Roman] Catholics. When Satan was tempting Jesus and offering Him the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:6) and saying that they were his (Satan's) to give, one of the Catholics said that this means that all the things in the world were serving Satan. But another person and I said that Satan was lying and that the world wasn't his to give anyway. So am I right?” -J. N., New York. REGARDING the devil's claim that he had power over all the kingdoms, Saint Jerome suggests that this was simply his arrogance speaking and not true. Saint Theophylact, similarly, says he showed Him the kingdoms in imagination, and thus the whole thing was a deceit. Origen suggests that the kingdoms he showed our Saviour were not the national/ethnic/political ones, but the kingdoms of sin over which he did hold sway, and so presumably, he was offering to give all that over if Christ would submit to him. In this way, of course, he would still have rule over them and Christ too. He is cunning! But I can find no other reference. However you would have been better advised to ask someone more learned than me, or better still someone with real spiritual understanding.

❇❇❇❇❇❇❇ ‘TAKE CARE that no one should beguile you into believing that it is possible to be saved while you are still enslaved to pleasure and vainglory.” Ven. , + 662 A.D.

20 NEWS from the Richmond Diocese of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of

GIFTS TO THE CHURCH We had such a heavy schedule after Christmas and then a spate of in-house illnesses, that in our last issue we clean forgot to mention that whenBishop Ambrose made his pastoral visit at Christmas, he brought us a sacred of the Venerable John the New Almsgiver of Amphiali, along with an of the saint and his service, a great blessing for our church.

THIRD CLERICAL VISIT FROM AMERICA AFTER the visits of Metropolitan Moses of Toronto and ofFr Andrew Frick, we had a third guest from the Americas, Fr John Somers. Fr John and his eldest son, Gregory, after many adventures, eventually arrived at Brookwood on Tuesday, 28th January, just as our previous issue was going to press. Fr John is the headmaster of theSaint Orthodox Educational Initiative programme, under the auspices of our Eparchial Synod of North America. He had been in Ukraine on pilgrimage and it was suggested that he visit England on his return journey to America because some of our parishioners had shown an interest in the programme. On the day of his arrival here,Fr Thomasand Fr Niphon took him and Gregory to visit St Albans Abbey, and from there they went tothehomeofNicholas and Nektaria Papanicolaou inthe town, where they blessed the house and were given dinner. Nektaria had been one of the correspondents in touch with him about the programme. On Thursday, the feast of St Antony the Great, he and ourFr Sabbas concelebrated the at St Edward’s,and then the Somers set off for East Anglia where they stayed with Matias and Liggy Fagerlund for two days, and visited holy places in that area. On the Saturday afternoon, they returned to Brookwood, where Fr John gave a talk to members of our parish and answered questions about the educational programme. On the Sunday he concelebrated with

21 our clergy at the Parish Liturgy and gave the sermon. He left us on Monday morning to return to the States, threatening to return again in May!

FORTHCOMING ARCHPASTORAL VISITS HIS GRACE, Bishop Ambrose of Methoni is hoping to pay a pastoral visit to England for the Great Feast of the Annunciation. Unfortunately His Grace will just miss the spring feast of St Edward, because of a Synod meeting in Greece. He will arrive on Wednesday 1st April n.s., and will spend the greater part of his visit at Brookwood; however, naturally, he will celebrate the services for the Great Feast of the Annunciation at the Convent, leaving the next day. This means that he will be with us at Saint Edward’s for the Thursday of the Great and for the Laudation of the Mother of God on the Saturday. It was on this feast in 1982, that the first Liturgy was celebrated here byHis Grace Bishop Constantine of Richmond. Quite what will happen on the Sunday is as yet unknown as Bishop Sofronie of Suceava will be in England to preside at the celebration of the Annunciation Parish’s first dedication festival at the church in Naphill, High Wycombe.

BURIAL AT BROOKWOOD ON Thursday 6th February,Osian Wladislaw Sera- phim Baworowski was laid to rest in Saint Edward’s Cemetery. The funeral had been chanted at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Kentish Town, London, and led byFr Kristian Akselberg. Fr Kristian accompanied the mourners to Brookwood for the interment, whichArchpriest Maxim Nikolsky of the Russian Ortho- dox Cathedral in Ennismore Gardens also attended. After laying the deceased to rest, the large company of mourners retired to theBrookwood Memorial Hall in the village for a mercymeal in memoryof the deceased,which our excellent local caterers, Bakers Dozen, provided. May Wladislaw find rest with the Saints and , and may his loved ones find comfort in their bereavement.

22 VISITORS ON Thursday 20th February, a group of just over a dozen people form theU3A Cathedral Group in Farnborough, Hants,visited our church. The visit was initiated by an old friend of our community,Barbara Allday,and they first visited Pirbright Parish Church, then stopped for a pub lunch, before coming on to us. In Fr Niphon’s absence (he was in hospital undergoing an operation),Fr Sabbas gave a short talk in the church, after which the participants asked numerous insightful questions about our Faith, our worship and our brotherhood. They then had an opportunity simply to look around and ask individual questions. They were in church for well over an hour, then came over to the Old Mortuary where they were offered tea and cakes. That evening the secretary of their group,Helena Wood, kindly sent us a message of appreciation and thanks. On 6th / 19th February, Orthodox pilgrims from Los Alamos, New Mexico, Edward and Katherine Holby, arrived un- expectedly for Vespers at Saint Edward’s. Unfortunately they came on a day when Fr Sabbas was visiting his elderly mother in Cheddar and two members of the Brotherhood were ill, and so there was only a reader’s service, but they were able to pray at the shrine of Edward’s name saint and Fr Niphon later gave them refreshments in the Exhibition Room. A note to help American Pilgrims: With so many pilgrims from America recently, it may help others in future to have in mind that in England the days in winter are very short, and if you are trying to visit as many holy places as possible, the best time to come would be in summertime.

FATHER NIPHON’S OPERATION ON 20thFebruary, Father Niphon had an operation at Frimley Park Hospital for the removal of a growth on one of his kidneys. He was discharged the next day and is presently recuperating at the Brotherhood. Our thanks to all those who prayed for him at this time, and who offered help while he was indisposed. God bless you all.

23 PRACTICAL TIP PRAY the services! Follow the services! This may sound unnecessary advice, as the services are by their very nature occasions for prayer. But, in fact, each one of us, in our various ministries within those services, can forget this basic requirement. The lay people can be lulled into thinking that merely attending is all that is required, and forget to pay attention to the prayers and actions of the services, to participate in them and to take them to heart. Those chanting or reading can become more concerned with their “professionalism” than with the content of the prayers and hymns that they are reading and singing, or may forget that they are both entering into a dialogue with the clergy and doing so as a service to the others in church, who do not have the texts in front of them. The servers can busy themselves with their various duties and with getting it right, or, as often seems to happen, concern themselves with correcting others and thus miss the whole thread of the service. The clergy become concerned with appearing to be in command (which of course they are not) or “performing” well, when in fact their ministry requires that they pray attentively. All of us are fallible and can be distracted from the main purpose of the service we have taken the time to participate in. Let us remember this and take care. ❇❇❇❇❇❇❇

“THE ANNUNCIATION of the Virgin Mary is an appeal to mankind from the Highest to purity and towards faithfulness to God. We should always remember that the Virgin Mary was a person just like us, and she calls upon us now from Heaven to have purity of heart, thought and words. These are our invin- cible armour in a world filled with people who live without Christ. Children and young people are especially susceptible to the half- truths,outright lies,and the vulgarities of those who try to poison our thoughts with the debris of their squalid minds. When we think of the Annunciation, we remember that there are two paths in this world before each one of us. One is the path of the Blessed Mother, which is the path of faith, humility, pureness and love of God and mankind. The alternative path is the path to evil, impurity, untruth and deception. The choice is up to each one of us.” Bishop Mitrophan of Boston, + 2002 A.D.

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