PROPHECIES OF ABBA AMBO

PROPHECIES OF ABBA AMBO

Speaking to one of his disciples

     An Egyptian ascetic on the Neutron mountain, Abba Ambo, was a contemporary of St. Anthony the Great and was himself great in monastic asceticism.  Born about AD 303, he was one of the first to join Amoun in Nitria. He was illiterate until he was taught the Scriptures as a monk and ordained a Priest in 340. He had two characteristics by which he was especially known; by long training, he sealed his lips, so that no unnecessary word passed through them, and he never ate any bread other than that which he gained by his own labor, plaiting rushes. He was living like an angel of God and, in old age, his face shone as did the face of Moses in ancient times, so that the monks could not look upon it. He did not give a quick answer even to a simple question, without prayer and pondering in his heart.

     This wonderful Saint had clear discernment into the destiny of the living and the dead.  He entered reward in the Lord in the year 374.

      He said to his disciple: I will tell you this, my child, that the days will come when the Christians will add to and will take away, and will alter the books of the Holy Evangelists, and of the Holy Apostles, and of the Divine Prophets, and of the Holy Fathers.  They’ll tone down the Holy Scriptures and will compose troparia, hymns, and writings technologically.  Their minds will be spilled among them, and they will become alienated from its Heavenly Prototype.  For this reason the Holy Father previously encouraged the monks of the desert to write down the lives of the Fathers not onto parchment, but onto paper, because the coming generation will change them to suit their own personal tastes. So you see. The evil that comes will be terrible.

       Then the disciple said: So then, Geronda, the traditions are going to be changed and the practices of Christians?  Maybe there won’t exist enough   priests in the Church when these unfortunate times come?

And the father continued: In those times the love for God in most souls will grow cold and a great sadness will fall onto the world.  One nation shall face-off against another.  People will move away from their own places. Rulers will be confused. The clergy will be thrown into anarchy, and the monks will be inclined to negligence. The Church leaders will consider useless anything concerned with salvation, as much for their own souls as for the souls of their flocks, and they will despise any such concern.  All will show eagerness and energy for every matter regarding their dining table and their appetites.   They will be lazy in their prayers and casual in their criticisms. 

     As for the lives and teachings of the Holy Fathers, they’ll not have any interest to imitate them, nor even to hear them.   But rather they will complain and say that “if we had lived in those times, we’d have behaved like that.” And the bishops shall give way to the powerful in this world, giving answers on different matters only after taking gifts from everywhere and consulting the rational logic of the academics.  The poor man’s rights will not be defended, they’ll afflict widows, and harass orphans. Debauchery will permeate these people.  Most will not believe in God, they’ll hate each other and devour one another like beasts.  The one will steal from the other, they’ll be drunk and will walk about as blind.

The disciple again asked: What can we do, in such a state?

     And Elder AMBO answered: My child, in these time whoever will save his soul and prompt others to be saved will be called great in the Kingdom of heaven.

CHRISTMAS 2015

CHRISTMAS 2015

Christ is born!  Glorify Him!

Christ is on earth! Be exalted!

     Each year we joyfully celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God and Son of the Virgin Mary. The celebration is not simply a commemoration of His birth but is even much more beautiful than this.   His birth of the Virgin Mary without seed is of great importance for through His birth He   was in the process of accomplishing our salvation. No other birth could accomplish what His birth did. For by his Virgin birth, He, being God himself was now in the flesh starting a real battle against our enemy the Devil and the dominion of death. He accomplished this of course and on every Pascha we sing this beautiful hymn: “Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life!” Christ having conquered our enemies did not abandon us and return to heaven, because He is God and is everywhere present at all times, and his battle with evil directly concerns each and every one of us. Yes, He ascended into heaven but not by leaving earth, for He also said: I am with you to the close of the age, until the end of time. 

     Jesus not leaving earth, guides His faithful co-workers and helps them to bring into His holy Church all who desire to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth and how to share in eternal life. And we remember that He is the God man, both God and man and is therefore without limitations ore any form of restriction. We must understand that there are no restrictions in the work of God except those put forth by misled free persons.  Also the fact that God will not force a free person to accept and follow Him against their will. But that constitutes a limitation of the free person and it was God who willingly gives freedom to whom He so wills.

PAPACY BLASPHEMES: MUST NOT RECOGNIZE THEM!

PAPACY BLASPHEMES: MUST NOT RECOGNIZE THEM! 

     Christ utters these divine words:   The Holy Spirit “who proceeds from the Father.” The Papacy challenges Christ and changes His divine teaching by contradicting His words and  adding to their creed that the Spirit proceeds from the Father 

“a n d  t h e  S o n”. In doing this they formed the blasphemous dogma of the Papacy that the Holy Spirit has a double origin one from the Father and one from the Son. That this conception is a modern innovation rising from the foul and evil spirit will be demonstrated.  

     The Father is perfect Mind the Cause and Source of everything that exists. He is beginning without cause. As the Source He begets the perfect Son and Logos and emits the Holy Spirit. So the Son and Holy Spirit derive their being only from the Father (the Orthodox dogma). The existence of the Logos and Holy Spirit, coming from the Father, make it absolutely impossible for the Spirit to be derived in addition from the Son as it does from the Father. For one perfect Spirit comes from one perfect source, the Father, who is one Mind and therefore the only source of the Logos.

For illustration let us assume that one father has two sons, thus both sons owe their existence to the father. It is impossible for one son to owe his existence to the other. It is impossible for a brother at the same time to be the father of his brother and for one son to have two fathers.  This natural impossibility has been made a dogma of faith by the Papacy by the arrogant decision of their infallible head, the pope.

     Father Son and Holy Spirit exist eternally, not in time, for there is no time in the Trinity. The begetting of the Son and emitting of the Holy Spirit are two simultaneous activities and are not successive. By begetting, the Father makes the Son to be and by emitting He makes the Holy Spirit to be. He makes both at the simultaneously and not one after another. The dogma of the Papacy degrades the Father with their addition of the filioque (“a n d  t h e  S o n”) a false and blasphemous dogma. The Latins agree that the Father is self sufficient in bringing forth the Son and Logos, but not in emitting the Holy Spirit. So they introduce a defect in the Father who requires the Son in order to bring forth the Holy Spirit. For they claim, the Spirit who proceeds from the Father must proceed from the Son as well. This is degrading and blasphemous being an assault on the heavenly Father by the Papacy!

THE CHURCH- ITS FORMATION AND PURPOSE

 THE CHURCH- ITS FORMATION AND PURPOSE 

     Our Father and Creator inform us that the Son would now be lead and guide us concerning our responsibilities in the Church. When it was the proper time, when His Son and Logos was baptized in the Jordan River, the Father spoke from heaven to all mankind saying: “This is my beloved Son in who I have well decided, listen to Him.”  Meaning before you is Jesus Christ who will be the Savior and Ruler over the entire race of man. These words of the Father established the fundamental law of the Church founded by the Son.  This means that the Son is the one whom all mankind is required to follow if they desire to gain everlasting life. Following Christ  means to change our own lives to conform with His life. This is a life of struggling to be good and do good without seeking praise and glory.

     When Christ established His Church, He said to Simon: “You are petros (Peter) and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hades shall not prevail against it,” In this Church Christ shall rule as its Head and first spokesman, for the Father established this saying: “This is my beloved Son in whom I have well decided, listen to Him.”   With these words, the Father established that he would be silent and that His Son would henceforth be the divine spokesman.

     The Son sent his Disciples as Apostles to preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing them, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  They established churches with ruling Bishops and Priests and Deacons to assist them. Christ did not glorify Himself as a great high priest, on the contrary, He was called by the Father to do the glorious work of our redemption and salvation, and in obeying the will of the Father, He denied himself and His own will.

   The Church increased and expanded rapidly in Jerusalem and surrounding territories. This took place despite the fact that they suffered great persecution from the Jews who hated followers of the“crucified one.” Persecutions did not slow the Church’s growth, in fact it contributed to it!

     The genuine members of the Church differed greatly from those who were not true Christians. The attributes of the true Christians are faith, holiness and righteousness. Faith involves being sure and confessing before men that Christ is the Son of the living God.  Holiness consists in the entertaining of pious feelings and thoughts and in a pure disposition of the soul. Righteousness consists in behaving in accordance with the will and law of the heavenly Father. No man can have these three virtues who does not contain Holy Spirit. So a genuine Christian is one who contains Holy Spirit. If we take part in the Church and fail to confess Christ, which is our sacred duty, what can we expect.  For Christ says: “Whoever therefore shall confess me before men, I too will confess him before my Father who is in heaven.” It is evident that we cannot please God without faith, and that we must confess Him to be the Son of the living God before men.

   From the beginning there existed the original Church and many false churches whose purpose was to deceive and destroy men. This remains true to this day for the one Church exists and around us throughout the world are  countless false churches. We are strongly warned with these words from Scripture: “See than no man misleads you; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many; and many false Christs and false prophets shall arise, and shall give signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, were it possible even the elect.”  Today the Papacy stands around the whole world declaring its heresies, posing as the true Church with the claim that the Pope holds the keys needed to get into heaven. With each Protestant sect, the  blind lead the blind as they show others easy ways to be saved without prayer, fasting and almsgiving, without the holy mysteries or sacraments. 

     Those who desire to be saved and acquire everlasting life need to be certain of the way they are traveling. For false churches can save no one but rather they lead to perdition. Only the Orthodox Church can demonstrate that it remains the same Church that Christ founded. It is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, the Ark of salvation. No other Church can make this claim their own.  Only Orthodoxy can establish and show proof of their being the true Church.

  

     Finally, everything we do in this world concerns living and our lives. But if we do not acquire eternal life in this world neither will we acquire it in the world to come, and death is the door to the other world. We will be without excuse as the Lord seeks those who desire what is good and true.

OUR ORTHODOX FAITH

OUR ORTHODOX FAITH

       Orthodoxy is not our possession but it is the true faith existing in heaven and on earth headed by the Godman Jesus Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, brought to us by  the Apostles, defended and defined by the Fathers and ecumenical Synods, numerous Saints and Confessors, and preserved by all the faithful. We cannot be faithful and treat the Church like a candy store, choosing what we like and rejecting what we dislike. This may take place in other religions but in Orthodoxy we do not have choices for everything it contains is holy and true. The objective of our Faith is to become sanctified and to share in the glory of heaven with all the Saints and Martyrs. In the faith we are always being sanctified and rendered into sons and daughters of God. Peace rules our lives and the continuous struggle for holiness is our daily practice of piety.

   The Church’s originate when Christ responded to Peter’s who declaration: “You are the Christ Son of the living God: Christ replied:  “Upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”  The Orthodox Church remains this church and has preserved all the teaching from the very beginning, and established the dogmas held by the Orthodox Church, which are diligently preserved and guarded by the Holy Spirit.

   During the 2,000 year history of the Church, there have been times of great faith and zeal for truth, and times when the faithful were mostly asleep, or in a state of indifference.  This is the type of era we live in today, but there are small areas where Orthodoxy flourishes. Many leaders of the Church are disinterested and even attacking her truths from within. But the Lord will always protect and preserve the Church which He established.

     There is no superfluity for everything which the Church teaches is of great importance and the Church is the only means of salvation and eternal life available. If we belong to the Church and remain completely disinterested, we can expect no rewards but certain punishment. The Lord did not offer but commanded that we come to Him in faith, for he is the God-man and the purpose of our creation. Jesus Christ teaches us that we must become like Him, saying: “Learn from me for I am meek and humble in my heart.” This is our greatest responsibility while we are on this earth.  If we live mostly for worldly pleasures and just “go to Church” and fail to change ourselves into Christ’s image, we are far from salvation and eternal life.  

     Baptism is Orthodoxy’s unique form of entering the Church founded by Christ and is extremely important, for He established this mystery. Only Orthodox Baptism is performed by three immersions and emmersions in which we die in Christ and arise in His glorious resurrection. We are born from above, that is spiritually and it is a true death of the old man of sin and life in the new man our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who are brought into the Church without Baptism are being cheated out of the greatest incoming treasure possible – death into Christ’s death and arising into His Resurrection. They are unbaptized are  still in need of baptism because there is no baptism outside of the Church. The Holy Spirit sanctifies Orthodox waters but not the waters of heresy.

   What is a heretic but one who has no connection with the Church or its head and guide. All outside the Church are disconnected from divine grace which sanctifies the Mysteries through which she sanctifies her faithful. Behind every heresy is the Devil who tries to corrupt the Church with his false teaching and thus render her impotent. Those who promote heresy have abandoned truth and grace and accepted falsehood and emptiness which cannot sanctify anything remaining powerless to all goodness.

     The Church will always remain pure and undefiled because she is divine and human like her Head and this is what distinguishes her from all the groups that call themselves churches. The Lord did not found multiple churches for He said: “Upon this rock I will build my church.” All Scripture refers to the Church singularly as the Lord did. So the idea of many different churches is foreign and thus they remain defiled by the evil one and his helpers. The Church also supplies the necessary food and drink so that the faithful are fed with divine nourishment making them able to do the work of the Church which is to go forth and bring in new members continually, who will baptized and anointed. 

     When we mention that we are going to church this does not refer to the building which is incorrectly referred to as the church but is more correctly called (na-os) or “the temple.” The “church” refers to the gathering of people in the temple. The word used for church in the original Greek is “ecclesia.”

FINE ORTHODOX BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS

FINE  ORTHODOX BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS

BY

Fr. Daniel Sysoev     Moscow, Russia

Orthodox 

Ppriest-Author-Martyr

Instructions For The Immortal

95 pages $7.00

How Can 

I Learn God’s Will?

 89 pages $5.00

Talks on the Passions  

125 pages $7.00

A Sobering Book

(Being an Explanation of parts of the Book of Ecclesiastes)

A Protestant’s Walk Through an Orthodox Church

94 pages  $5.00

How Often Shall One Commune

120 pages $7.00

Marriage to a Believer 

30 pages $3.00

Why Go To Church Every Sunday  

40 pages $4.00

Catechetical Talks 

350 pages $14.OO

(An excellent detailed catechetical source!)

ORTHODOX SIGNING THEIR CROSS

ORTHODOX SIGNING THEIR CROSS 

Introduced to Orthodoxy in the 4th century

by St. Meletios, Patriarch of Antioch 

     For almost 1700 years, Orthodox Christians throughout the world have signed their Cross, as we do now, using thumb and two fingers joined, with two fingers pressed against the palm;  signing to the forehead, to the navel, to the right shoulder and the left. There is nothing in Holy Scripture or the sacred Canons that speaks of this practice of signing, which in the early Church had been made with a single finger, as mentioned by St. John Chrysostom, and this fact bears excellent witness to  the importance of preserving oral tradition.

     It is good to keep in mind that the way we sign ourselves with the Cross was introduced by a great Saint, our holy father, Saint Meletios, Archbishop of Antioch. The way this spread like lightning throughout the Church witnesses its divine inspiration. The Saint was well known for his sincerity and good attitude towards all men, always bearing a radiant countenance and friendly smile, attracting many people to him. He lived and preached the truth about Christ and our Faith, and his character was so outstanding that even the heretical Arians held him in high esteem. The Saint lived during a period when the Arians, who denied Christ’s divinity, were in a majority in Antioch. 

     Erroneously thinking  Meletios to be like-minded with them and their heresy, the Arians cast their votes making him Patriarch of Antioch.  In their battles against truth, the Arians continuously aroused continuous turmoil.  Because of His pure Orthodoxy, the Saint was removed three times from the throne, and driven into exile. His meek and humble nature radiated the grace of Christ from his countenance at all times. 

     There were constant struggles between the Orthodox and heretics which at times became bitter. While St. Meletios was preaching concerning the essential Unity and the Divine Trinity, his own deacon, who was a heretic, ran up and stopped the Bishop’s mouth with his hand. Thus prevented from speaking, St. Meletios raised his arm high, opened his three fingers to their full extent. Then closing his hand he raised his fist, showing the unity and the trinity. The deacon then, took his hand from the Saint’s mouth in order to hold back the Bishop’s hand which enabled St. Meletios to speak again. 

     As the Arians, in a profane manner,  were attempting to obscure the truth with their heretical arguments, God revealed the mystery of the signing of the Cross through this noble man for at the Second Ecumenical Synod, St. Meletios was elaborating the doctrine of the Holy Trinity to the Arians. First he raised his three fingers, separated, but then he brought them together, and at that moment, lightning and fire flashed from his hand before those present. The heretics were put to shame and enlightenment was bestowed upon the Orthodox who witnessed this. Following this, the sign of the Cross with three fingers brought together and the remaining two pointing down, remains the identification of Orthodox Christians worldwide. 

     St. Meletios baptized the young John Chrysostoma and later in 370 AD ordained him as Reader. His acquaintance with St. Meletios had a great affect on St. John’s character, who says about St. Meletios: “It was a truly the greatest delight to see his holy face. Not only when he taught or spoke; when people only looked at him he brought virtue to their souls.” St. Meletios also ordained St. Basil the Great as Deacon. 

     St. Meletios, used the term co-essential (homo-ousios) boldly in his confession of Orthodoxy, for God is known to be three hypostases, one nature and one essence. Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided. 

     We greatly honor this sweetest of men, holy and pure, humble and meek who was chosen to be the source of the Orthodox signing themselves with the sign of the Cross. It would be good to remember St. Meletios when we sign ourselves with the Cross.

TO THE HOLYTHEOTOKOS

TO THE HOLY THEOTOKOS

  By St. Nektarios of Pentapolis

Rejoice, Honor of the first-created people
Rejoice, Desire of the forefathers and joy eternal.
Rejoice, Glory of Abraham and of God’s promise,
Rejoice, Sacred daughter, the blessing of all the nations.
Rejoice Ladder of Jacob and radiant dwelling, 
Rejoice, Staff of Aaron and the gate which remains shut.
Rejoice, Graceful daughter, vessel containing the Manna
Rejoice, Throne of the Lord spotless and sanctified.
Rejoice Undefiled Virgin who has been consecrated unto God,
Rejoice, Unhewn mountain burning bush and holy altar,
Rejoice Maiden Full of Grace, my Panaghia.

Through You our race was delivered from the curse
Through You it became worthy of enjoying Paradise.
Through You all of human nature was restored,
Through You, creation which has suffered corruption
was renewed.
Through you, Adam and his offspring were glorified,
Through You, we have received grace, glory, and strength.
Through You, Theotokos, man was reconciled with God,
Through You, Virgin Mother, we are freed from tyranny.
Through You, we became worthy of receiving God’s  
         blessing, 
Through You, the severe and incurable wound was healed.
Through You, we received adoption and salvation,
Through You, we acquired the heavenly kingdom.
Wherefore, I confidently run to you, O Virgin, and from
the depth of my soul, I implore your compassion.

Look upon my humility my Maiden
Send Your aid and strengthen me quickly.
Console me Daughter of the King, my Maiden the Panaghia.
Who are the immediate Consolation of all who sorrow.
The Hope of the hopeless, the solace of the suffering, the
ready Protectress unto those seeking refuge in you.
Remove the sadness and bitterness from my barren soul,
O Virgin and heal me.

ORTHODOX BAPTISM IS CORRECT PROTESTANT DECLARES

ORTHODOX BAPTISM IS CORRECT

PROTESTANT  DECLARES

RESEARCHER OF 1860

SUPPORTS ORTHODOX IMMERSIONS

     Over one-hundred and fifty years ago, in 1860,  a well known Protestant scholar, named T. J. Conant D.D.,  after complete and extensive research, published the results of his work in a book entitled: “The Meaning and Use of Baptism, published by the  American Bible Union, 350 Broome St, Bible Revision Association, Louisville Kentucky, 1860. (entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860.  By the American Bible Union. In the clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York).”  

     He researched all possible sources, hoping to solve a major denominational dispute which arose among Protestant sects.  This concerned the meaning of the scriptural Greek word baptizeis (baptize). While some considered immersion to be of no consequence, others deemed it to be of utmost necessity,  the author strongly supports the latter meaning, that the word baptism only means immersion. Confounding the dispute was the biblical passage incorrectly translated:  “baptize with water”, instead of the more accurate“baptize in water.”   Also affecting the discussions was the fact that the Papacy had discontinued immersion and adopted affusion, followed by simply sprinkling. This influenced many Protestant groups to consider immersion as unimportant and even trivial. 

    But the greater dispute concerned the correct meaning of the word “baptize”as used in Scripture, recognized by all as being a Greek derived word.  The author spent years of laborious and extensive research into Church history, the Greek language as used by the ancients, secular sources, poets, Church Fathers, the Old Testament, and Greek writers of old, seeking support for his firm personal conviction that baptism always means immersion. After concluding this extensive research, he became convinced that the Fathers, both eastern and western, and every other source, in every case, used the word to express immersion. He obtained the evidence he sought proving that immersion is the only correct translation of the original Greek word. In further support of baptism’s meaning,  the author quotes this statement of reformer Martin Luther: “Indeed. If you consider what baptism signifies, you will see that the same thing (immersion) is what it signifies.”

   Upon finding the correct meaning of baptism after his extensive  research, the author summed up his findings in these words: “The act of baptism set forth in lively symbolism is the ground or basic thought of Christianity. The change in character of the believer (when baptized) was totally comparable to death . . . the suffering and death of Christ was the cause of the change (in the believer).”

THE LIGHT OF GOD’S COUNTENANCE

THE LIGHT OF GOD’S COUNTENANCE

“They shall walk O Lord, in the light of your countenance.

Rejoice all day long; and in your righteousness shall they be exalted.”            (Psalm 89: 15-18)

     The pious ones of the Old Testament, sang these words with great joy and exultation probably without knowledge of their wonderful meaning. That the Light of the countenance of God which Holy Scripture expresses was delightful to those of old is understandable because that Light is the Son and Logos of God which bears a relation as does our countenance  in relation to our souls. Our souls are invisible and communication is accomplished by our countenance, which includes our eyes, mouth, cheeks, also our hands, voice and various expressions. For through our body we are able to express what we will from our souls. The countenance of God is living and expresses what He expresses so the countenance of man is also living and expresses what our souls will to express.

    No man has seen the Father, but the Son and Logos, who as the light of His countenance expresses all that the Father expresses, hence Christ says: “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”  When the Son communicates with us, He expresses what the Father expresses. The Lord says: “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).  All the words and teaching of the Lord which come from the Father, need to be imprinted in our minds and hearts that we may  engage and combat our enemies who seek to destroy our souls. For there always exists a war of good against evil, and of truth against falsehood. The present world is a battleground and only those who are victorious will prevail. But if we fail to even to engage in the battle it becomes impossible to become victorious.

     The divine light of God’s countenance shines on and illumines us and brings extreme joy into our spirits and happiness into our souls,  and there is nothing else that exists that can gladden our souls like the light of Father’s countenance, who is Jesus Christ. When the Virgin Mary was informed that she would bear the Light of the countenance of the Father, she being filled with the Light of His countenance cried out: “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”  

     The soul undergoes complete satisfaction and is always filled with great joy when the light of God the Father’s countenance shines therein. That light being our Lord and Savior Christ will never diminish or leave us if we love Him and strive to keep His commandments and do His will. But if we find that His light does not at the present time shine in our souls, then we need to take action and confess our sins and start again, first byabandoning sins and transgressions, striving to do only good and avoiding all evil.  Then the light of His countenance will immediately shine brightly illuminating our souls filling them with comfort and joy. Through her holy birthgiving, the Light of the Father’s countenance will shine throughout the world, and He would form many other lights among men.

     We Orthodox Christians are extremely blessed because the light of His countenance shines brilliantly throughout our holy Church, enlightening and guiding those who in faith and love follow our Holy Faith.  The divine Light declares himself saying: “I am the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

     Whoever fails to follow Christ the light,  walks in darkness, and if he does not become enlightened by that divine light while in this world, that light will in the future life will expose his darkened soul and leave him condemned because he chose to remain in this world’s darkness, rather than in the light of God’s countenance.

     Another source of interior light which man possesses is the conscience which is the voice of our Creator. Think about this. The conscience of every man never fails to speak to him urging him to repent, cease acts of wickedness, and fruitless behavior.  The conscience also urges many good and enlightening things for us to accomplish. When we fail to heed our consciences, its voice seems to grow weaker. When we only disregard our consciences we sin and may fall into many errors which dull the voice of conscience. For example there is a law against theft, and our conscience disapproves with our plan to steal. This is not our own voice or what we have learned, for conscience belongs to every man, being the voice of God within our spirit. If we heed this voice, we will not steal and our conscience will show approval in our souls. 

When the Logos became incarnate, He enlightened the race of man, being the Light of the Father’s countenance.  Although the Old Covenant speaks of the “Light of your countenance”, it did not shine brightly in the world until that light became incarnate of the Virgin and became the Godman. As Orthodox Christians we are very blessed to have this divine Light from heaven shining in our souls and in our churches, enlightening our path toward everlasting life.

     Christ, the Light of His Father’s countenance, shines brightly in the souls of those who with sincere faith worship Him as both God and man–the Godman!  “They shall walk in the light of your countenance; Rejoice all day long; and in your righteousness shall they be exalted.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

THE DESTINY OF EVERY HUMAN BEING

 The first created man and woman were given a single commandment not to eat from a certain tree. This is more than just a negative commandment, for it came from the mouth of God.  Man’s sole duty at this time was to keep that commandment and not eat but avoid  the forbidden fruit. They failed for they were deceived and did eat from the tree, and this brought death and suffering upon them, which would apply to their descendants the entire human race. Their disobedience to God and obedience to the Evil One gave him an advantage which he did not have previously. Now he was better able to perform his additional dirty work against God and man as he stoked them to go against God.   

  It is important to show the error prevalent among many writers who claim that Adam was created in the image and likeness of God which was not possible. For a man in the image and likeness of God  would be exactly like God and could not be deceived as was Adam. Adam was a figurative and shadowy man in the image only: “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” The contemplated man  in the image and likeness of God is Jesus Christ the Godman, who is perfect God and perfect man.  In the fulness time He, the Logos of God, was born of the Virgin Mary and became the Godman. He is the man which all Orthodox Christians must recognize and in obedience and place their total faith in, emulating Him  as their own Savior, High Priest and the ultimate goal of this present life. 

  After the tragic action of Adam and Eve, and their death sentence, for they had neither repented or expressed sorrow, Adam and Eve had two children named Cain and Abel. They learned from their parents who had been taught by God the proper way to offer worship to Him in the form of sacrifices. God being all-good and loving the man he had created, had given them a means to again draw near to Him and to honor and love Him by their sincere and willing offerings.

  Adam did not know good or evil, thus being imperfect in knowledge he could not see the plot of the evil one against God, nor could he repel the deception of the Evil One. In the beginning the man who would be in both the image and likeness of God was contemplated but not yet created. St. Paul confirms: “The first man Adam became a living soul; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However  is not the first that is spiritual but that which is natural and then that which was spiritual”

  Starting with the first pair, over the years and centuries the race of man was over much of the earth. Abraham due to his faith, received a covenant from the Lord, and his descendants became the Hebrew race. Moses received from God on Mt. Sinai, a covenant between God and the Hebrews. This covenant was filled with prophecies concerning the coming of the messias or Christ. It was the incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ that blessed us with the New Covenant and the purpose of this is the salvation and sanctification of all human beings, with a promise of everlasting life to those who remained faithful and obedient. But to those who do not faithfully live as Christ requires and fail to keep all his commandments, there is no promise but the threat of eternal condemnation.

  The Gospels distinguishes two types of men: the man of heaven and the man of earth. The man of heaven is made in the image of God and according to His likeness, and is equal to God in wisdom, power and glory namely our Lord Jesus Christ. The man of earth, which are al men without Christ, is a figure and shadow of the heavenly man, made for sure, in the image of God, but being able only by his free choice to acquire the attributes of the divine nature and to  become also the likeness of God. This is what Orthodoxy is all about. The wonderful good news of the Gospels filled with holiness. divine wisdom, and promises of eternal joy in a life that will never end. The joy and happiness of this life is the potential destiny of every human being that so desires, but the disinterested and those who reject Christ’s commandments will die in their sins and be condemned.

   The leaders of the Church ought to be teaching these things to all Orthodox Christians and the Church should today be growing in leaps and bounds, which is not the case and it seems to be shrinking in many cases. The Gospel needs to be preached more frequently and loudly as the best good news ever heard or ever will be heard.

  The only real joy in this present life is the joyful struggle to begin here our eternal life, which will continue in the next world and which we will enter through the door of death which death was transformed by our Lord. Although it has been recorded herein previously, repetition is most necessary as the knowledge of salvation and sanctification is just the beginning, so putting everything into action is critically important to each of us, for our destiny is to inherit everlasting live in the heavenly kingdom. It takes time and effort, but the struggle is heavenly and joyful.

JAMES (IAKOVOS) THE PERSIAN

     Concerning the name of the great Martyr Iakovos the Persian, in English translations it is erroneously translated as “James” the Persian, but we will preserve the erroneous James because most English-speaking people are familiar with him as James the Persian even though his correct name is Iakovos. Which more correctly translates into Jacob. This is also true of the biblical book of James; for in the original Greek his name is also Iakovos. 

     James was born of Christian father and mother and married a Christian wife. The ruler of Persia, Isdegeris was cruel and vicious in his persection of Christians, seeking to compel them to worship his blasphemous idols. However the king of Persia had great admiration and affection for James and elevated him as a noble. Through much flattery King Isdegerdis successfully induced James to sacrifice to his idols. King Isidegeris and his son Bahram had great love for James and did not want to be separated from him. They treated him as a brother for he was well mannered and came from a prominent family. However they planned to lure him into their  impiety by getting him to worship their gods, not too easy a task as James had been a Christian from his childhood. At first James did resist their attempts, until he succumbed to their many flatteries and benefits, which caused him to fall into sin and adore the king’s false gods in his sad delusion.

       His mother and his wife heard that James had fallen into this error and denied Christ, so they wrote him as very strong letter of rebuke urging him to repentance by abandoning the worship of idols, and return to the true worship of Jesus Christ. The letter, touched the depths of James’ heart, which  caused him to repent bitterly with an outpouring of  tears regretting his great sin of denying Christ and idol worship. The merciful Lord recognized His sincere repentance and readily accepted it.   Energized by this James, filled with faith and courage, went before the king where he courageously confessed Christ as the only true God whom he worshiped with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

    The King was enraged, but  remembering their previous friendship he flooded James with many flatteries and gifts, also he threatened him with promises of extreme punishment and torment. But the King was ineffective for James now was thirsty only for martyrdom, causing the King to sentence him to terrible torture and death.

MAN – THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS

MAN – THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS

     God’s original plan for which everything else exists is the creation of man “in Our own image and likeness.” The first man Adam was not the man “in the image and likeness of God,” for Scripture says that Adam  the first man, was created in the image of God, but not the likeness. The perfect and holy man in the perfect image and likeness of God is Jesus Christ, by whom and for whom everything was created. He is the first of many in the image and likeness, who would become like Him, sinless and perfect. Many writers misread Scripture and say that Adam was created in the image and likeness of God. Adam was created in the image of God but not in His likeness, the likeness he would have to acquire, but he fell into sin and inherited death.  Christ however, being God was in need of nothing except the Virgin Mary, through whom He became the first man "in the image and likeness of God." Christ became what every person in the world needs to attain in order to live in eternal joy as God desires.

     An erroneous teaching has entered some parts of Orthodoxy perhaps by way of western churches and ideology, which is that man is created only dual, body and spirit. This is a misreading of the Gospel which clearly declares this truth:  “God formed man out of the clay of the earth and breathed into his person a breath of life, and the man became a living soul.”  The correct interpretation of this is that God formed man (not the body or soul of man, but man, both body and soul). At the time of his creation the  man was not yet alive, for life is derived from the spirit or breath of life breathed into him from God who endowed him with intelligence and life, for “the man became a living soul.”

     The one God in whom we believe is a Trinity, and when He created man in His own image and likeness He would certainly make him  a trinity like himself! Otherwise he would not be in His image. For these reasons, man, the image of God, is certainly triune, body, soul and spirit. Also even though sin entered the world, by breaking the commandment, man remained the image of God in whose image he was created though it was marred.  Satan, by instigating the violation was able to inflict upon man a portion of his hideous image. Through his wicked inspiration eventually sin would increase followers in the world, causing the Devil to exult thinking that he was destroying God’s most beloved creation.

     Man has always enjoyed the freedom of accepting or rejecting either God or the evil one’s words which he heeded. The first  result of agreeing with the  Devil’s malignant words was bitterness, hatred and murder, the fratricide of Abel by his only brother Cain. Abel delighted in serving God and did not live for the flesh alone as did Cain, who fell into his malicious trap.

THREE HUMAN BIRTHS AND LIVES

TO THE GLORY OF THE HOLY TRINITY

     God is one, a Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and He leaves His trinitarian mark on creation in various ways. One mark is a complete family consists of three. Another mark is the three births and lives of mankind, as follows.

     The Church weds a new bride to her husband and in due time she has a new  child in her womb. This child will be born in about nine months and this will be the first birth of a new person,  a stage which every one of us has already passed through for it is a birth into this present material life.

     After the nine months the child having gone through its first birth comes from its mothers womb. Before birth the child was without form and in need of its mother’s womb to survive. Gradually formation takes place and after nine month period the child emerges in the birth process, no longer dependent on its mother’s womb. The new born breathes from the atmosphere and eats and drinks foods externally, to maintain its life, for it is no longer dependent upon the mother’s womb for sustenance.

     In holy Orthodoxy the time comes for holy baptism and the child is brought to the Church where  in this baptism he will undergo a symbolic death in Christ and a second birth in the holy waters. This birth takes place in the baptismal waters being a symbolic death into Christ’s death, by being buried under the water three times. Coming up out of the water three times symbolizes Christ’s Holy third day resurrection, which for a new child and for all baptized Orthodox Christians a second birth and life.  Following entrance into this spiritual life, the newly baptized is sealed with Holy Spirit who will become His inspiration and divine guide, who leads and protects him but does not violate his freedom. This second life is spiritual and nourishment will include wisdom, love and under-standing becoming his spiritual food and drink. 

     In the first life the body and soul grows and eventually reaches adulthood. There it will live by eating and drinking wholesome foods and drink. In this first life the child will mature and able to live a pure Christian life here on earth. This second life is a period wherein it will be determined what will happen in the third birth and life which takes place after a time, usually up to a hundred or more years. Death will take place but remember that in holy Baptism, the former baby died in Christ. Herein is the difference between pious and faithful Orthodox Christians and others in the world.

For Christ established death, a second birth, and life in His death and resurrection. He says much about His and our death as follows.

Christ says: “Amen, amen, I say unto you. If a man keep my saying he shall never see death”      (John 8:51).

                                                                                                      

“Being in the form of a man, He humbled himself and became even unto death, even the death on the Cross.  For this reason God has also highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philip. 2:8).

     Our Lord Jesus came down and was born of the Virgin, so as to prepare the faithful for the third and final birth into third and eternal life through the door of death. He completely transformed the nature of death for believers He removed the sting from death, so that death, instead of a threat, leads into the reality of the third birth and life. Death has always appeared to men as a threat to be feared and most men seek to avoid death at any cost for as long as possible, but Christ conquered and transformed it.

YOU LIVE- YOU DIE- THAT’S IT!

YOU LIVE- YOU DIE- THAT’S IT!

     This is the believe of countless millions of people including many who call themselves Christian.  All they care to know is you live and then you die, and that’s it. These people will be judged as all men will be judged and ignorance is no excuse, for conscience is God’s voice to all mankind. There are some who believe that everyone goes to heaven when they die and that’s it.  But this can’t be, for everyone will be rewarded according to their faith and deeds, whether they did good or evil, for good and evil have opposite rewards. Others say, I am a good person;  I never did anything bad to anybody therefore I am a good Christian, and have nothing to be concerned about, but this is completely false, for no one can be his own judge and all of us are sinners and no one can claim to be sinless except our Lord Jesus Christ who alone is without sin. In this present article we will speak only to Orthodox Christians who are in His Church and should, by their strong  faith and sincere love of Christ  be a living example before all mankind.

     The first and most important thing is an exclusive and major difference in the true Church and all other churches is the presence under the form of leavened bread and wine in the Holy Eucharist which is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and God. This was made possible through His terrible suffering and passion and crucifixion followed by His death on the Cross. After His death on the Cross, He arose in the third day according to the Scripture. And He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. He taught us through the Scriptures, and said: “Search the Scriptures.”  The Scriptures contain divinely inspired words o Christ and the apostles, guiding us on the true path. We will certainly be judged by the Godman Jesus, according to our faith and works we accomplished, whether good or evil. This judgment will deliver us to eternal life or eternal death, to joy and gladness or sorrow and distress. 

     What is faith, which according to Scripture without faith no one can be saved? Faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit begins with acknowledging that He exists, and as this faith develops it arouses hope in the soul, coming from the realization of Him as the Creator of all and will reward each of us when He judges all.  Through faith we learn much about Him, that He is all powerful, that he is holy and all-wise; that he is good, perfect, in need of nothing being the  absolute God and Creator of all.  Initially, faith arouses within us the fervent hope to know Him better as we begin to  communicate with Him directly.  

MORALITY NECESSARY AMONG PEOPLE

MORALITY NECESSARY AMONG PEOPLE

     American politicians and courts have been leading this great country down the slippery and dangerous slopes of increased immorality. Morality is absolutely necessary for the peaceful coexistence of society. Immorality is against the law of God and conscience, and is detrimental to the lives of men, for morality is the root of decent behavior among people. Morality benefits every member of society, and in fact the entire human race. It produces a better and more pleasant climate for marriage and the raising of children who will grow up as moral citizens. Faith in the true God increases the moral behavior of men, for He legislates good moral behavior by means of the  divine law. Moral behavior includes truth and not lying, generosity not stealing, not bearing false witness, honorable marriage and not committing fornication nor adultery, no forbidden sodomy, no killing infants by abortions, no mercy killing, no rape, no kidnapping, sobriety not drunkenness, generosity and not robbery, no burglary, etc. In a positive sense it includes respecting others, giving help where needed, looking for the welfare of others, practicing honesty, justice, mercy and kindness. 

     Once a person neglects a part of the moral law, such violations will gradually increase and spread like a cancer until he will soon be violating a major part of moral law and instead of a blessing he will become a plague upon society. For example stealing is against moral and political criminal laws, but stealing can lead to robbery and even murder. Gross violation of the even the smaller moral law will render a person crude, cruel and disrespectful with much harm to society.

      Moral laws aim to govern and protect the whole of body of society. There are man-made laws which include moral laws. Automotive laws are a good example, for they deal with many relationships with many people. Automobiles run nicely and last longer when automotive laws are obeyed, for accidents are decreased and injuries are diminished. We follow these laws by regulations such as  proceeding on green, stopping on red and at stop signs, allowing cars the right of way, observe speed limits, by being cautious, not driving aggressively but defensibly. When your red light turns green, you can go, but you morally might give way top a cat that jumps his red light. 

     When everyone observes and acts morally with these laws, smooth driving without accidents are the results. But when violations come from even from one driver, disaster can  loom for many. The moral aspect is important in driving, for moral behavior makes drivers more careful and considerate . The moral aspect to driving, is  for respectful and kind hearted drivers to give up right of way and signal other drivers to proceed, thus contributing to safety. It is easy to see that men have established moral laws in order to govern and protect all society and it has shown to be very  effective.

      Immoral authorities have eliminated several important moral laws which govern human behavior. Abortion!  Who would believe that killing infant babies is a good thing?  How did it happen that helpless and innocent infants became subject to the death penalty? This terrible immortality is now  legal and is an typical example of the harmful destruction of moral laws. A woman knows in her heart and soul that killing the baby who came from her womb is a violent and  criminal act before God and man and herself and she never forgets it.. But now that it is “legal” the authorities say, let the woman herself “decide.” Babies are being murdered and we consider ourselves, not barbarians, but a  civilized people!  Doctors who through medical science seeks to save lives are now destroying thousands of lives.

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by the Lord with fire and sulpher from heaven due to their terrible sins. Homosexuality which is forbidden in both the old and new testaments of Scripture is a great sin which bears the name of one of the cities, “sodomy,” or unlawful intercourse. Contrary to common opinion the The New Testament speaks strongly against this gross immorality: “For this cause God gave them up to vile affections; for even their women did change their natural use into that which is against nature; and likewise also the men,  leaving the natural use of a woman, burned in their desire one towards another . . .  " (Romans 1:26,27) 

     Legislating by elimination any immoral act in order to make it “legal” changes nothing for it remains an immoral act. Though some men always choose to perform various immoral acts, this  does not change the truth that what is immoral will always remains immoral. Freedom of deciding to commit an immoral act is a dangerous position because, freedom always includes the preservation of moral law and all other laws. Freedom is good when it abides in a moral upright society, otherwise it is not truly freedom, but becomes slavery. 

     The  legalization of an immmoral act does not render it into something legal but can never make it become moral. Morality is necessary in order to remain civilized humans and for the preservation of a moral and ethical society.

ORTHODOXY IS THE ONLY WAY

ORTHODOXY IS THE ONLY WAY

     There exists different branches in what is called Chrstianity, Ecumenism, Roman Catholicism (the Papacy), the Anglicans or Episcopalians, all the many Protestants, with Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons and  and all are by nature, inimically disposed against the truths of our Orthodox Faith. 

There exists the holy Orthodox Christian Church and the vasrious sects which are called Christian but remain outside of the Church.

     None of these sects have the truths regarding our beliefs and faithful heritage, but teach and practice their own viewpoints. Ecumenism  is promoted by many Orthodox leaders as being useful and beneficial to the Orthodox Church but they are completely wrong for ecumenism opposes the Orthodox Church, and is evil because it corrupts and wars against the truths of Orthodoxy. The fundamental purpose of ecumenism is their claim that the church, meaning all outside Orthodoxy and Orthodoxy itself, is divided and needs to be reunited into a single belief and onr body. However the true Church  can never be included with them nor be divided for it remains one, but they are speaking of their various heresies which divides them. Orthodox leaders have no right to change what the Church has already decided. They have no authority to drag pernicious Ecumenism into the faultless and pure Church that Christ founded, for it spirit its totally foreign to the Holy Spirit which unites and protects Orthodoxy. So erroneously proclaiming the disunity of the Church, Ecumenism is seeking to reunite the various heresies as if they were the church, the evil being, that they all include the Orthodox Church in their calculations.

     One example, is the heretical so-called “Oriental Orthodox” being a new dishonest name,  for they are not Orthodox, having been outside the Church for over 1500 years because of their monophysite, heresy, which is their recognition of a single nature in Jesus Christ instead of His two natures, divine and human, this being the truth established by the Church.  These heretics reject four out of seven Ecumenical Synods, more than half, which has separated them even further from the Church. They were specifically condemned for rejecting the Fourth Ecumenical Synod at Chalcedon, and became known as pre-Chalcedonians, due to their rejection of  the truth established by Synod of Chalcedon.  This Synod had ruled that Jesus Christ as the result of two births, eternally from the Father the divine and from the Virgi the human,  Jesus Christ had two natures. Born of God He had a divine nature, and born in time of the Virgin He had a human nature. He raised the dead by His divine nature and was crucified and put to death in His human nature, but the Godman resurrected on the third day!

ORTHODOX OBSERVER AND THE PAPACY

ORTHODOX OBSERVER

 AND THE PAPACY

ORTHODOXY IS TRUTH

     On the front page of the Orthodox Observer (October 2015 Vol. 80, No. 1309) which is  the official publication of the Greek Archdiocese, is depicted a happy meeting in which are shown the embracing of Archbishop Demetrios and the Bishop of Rome Pope Francis! What was this happy occasion?  Perhaps the Pope had decided to become Orthodox? Or has the Pope sheathed his two-edged sword and become a toothless tiger?  Neither of these!  The Pope doesn’t change but continually seeks domination. The Pope is doing what he always does, waging incessant warfare against Orthodoxy, through its leaders,  posing as the chief infallible bishop of Christ’s holy Church, which he is not.  The Pope continuously seeks to devour the true Church and place it under his dominion. Here he has accomplished a great deal getting an archbishop to show  approval of him and to embrace him with sweet affectionate smiles!

     Orthodox leaders who embrace the Pope and recognize him as a true bishop of Christ are necessarily either deluded or unfaithful to Orthodoxy, for by their actions, in recognizing the Pope as a legitimate bishop they are necessarily denying that we are the one and only true catholic and apostolic Church. We the faithful are correct when we confess Orthodoxy to be true and this makes it impossible to recognize another church and its leaders to also be true. The papacy has never been the Church but is the papacy led not by a genuine bishop but by an “infallible” pope, with absolute authority and absolute  power.

     Jesus Christ, the Founder and Head of His  Holy Orthodox Church is God who became an incarnate man being both divine and human.  As Christ the Head is one so His Body the Church He founded is also one. The Roman Catholic church or Papacy is not the church which Christ founded but is extremely foreign to Christ and His Church. The Orthodox Church, the Body of Christ, like its Head is also divine and human. The Papacy makes no claim to divinity but addresses itself as a mere human institution with a human head for an ordinary sinful man replaces Christ as its head. The Pope, not Christ, is the head of the Papacy. The Pope, usurping the Holy Spirit, teaches his followers and reminds them of all that he believes they must know. Christ teaches that the Holy Spirit is sent by Him for this exact purpose. The papacy has nothing in common with Orthodoxy for it preaches different doctrines and man-written gospels, also they do not baptize by triune immersion. The Pope does not seek union with the Orthodox but domination sin order to take complete control of Christ’s holy Church. He could be successful except for this one reason. Christ is the Head of our Church and we strongly believe that He will not allow an enemy to take control of His Church. However those within the Church who embrace and recognize and proclaim that the pope is legitimate and true to Christ will have to answer for unfaithful behavior.  For almost two-thousand years, Orthodoxy has preserved true doctrine as taught by Christ and permanently preserved in sacred written and oral tradition. For almost a thousand years, Rome has chosen to leave the Church and continues to claim itself and their Popes to be the one and only true church of Christ.

     Orthodox leaders have apparently disregarded history, including the papal invasion of Constantinople by the murderous crusaders. The destruction and rape of the city and its inhabitants can never be reversed or forgotten, for they never stop their attacks. The city was so badly affected and softened that it fell to the Moslems in 1453. The papists set up of a western type government, always seeking to unite the Orthodox under the Pope, and this continued until their defeat by the Orthodox. Some will say that this took place long ago which is true. So what?  History shows it to be continuing and frequent events. 

     Let’s look at modern times! During WWII the Serbians were slaughtered by  papal forces blessed by papal Archbishop Stepinac, whom the papacy has made a cardinal and he is soon  to be made a saint! During WWII the papists made sport when they murdered the Serbian Orthodox Christians.  Dancing around the Orthodox prisoners, bellowing and laughing, they slowly cut them to death in pieces with their swords. (This is recorded in history)

     In the thousand years before Rome became the papacy they were part of the true Orthodox Church but they arrogantly sought but failed to take under their dominion the entire Church. They abandoned the  Orthodoxy faith and designed  a  new religion wherein the Pope replaces both Jesus Christ as the only Head and the Holy Spirit as Guide.

     The papacy is not a friend of Orthodoxy, for one who seeks to devour and destroy you cannot be  your friend but is surely an enemy. History shows this to always have been true but these are dark days. The Pope only smiles and the Orthodox leaders appear to be thrilled, deliberately publishing without shame happy pictures wherein they embrace the enemy of Orthodoxy.  Worse, having the pope as their friend, they continually neglect to teach the faithful the truth that Orthodoxy alone remains the one and only true Church, the only Body of Christ, and is the one and only way that leads to salvation and eternal life.  As Bishops these leaders who joyfully and publicly embrace the Pope, by their example teach the faithful that he is a benign and harmless friend and fellow Christian who serves Christ and has no interest in devouring the Orthodox. They forget that the popes have already robbed countless Orthodox churches, placing them under his dominion. The Pope created an organization known as the Unia and formerly Orthodox Christians, abandoned the Church and are now under the popes and known as Uniates, also as Greek Catholics. (Note: Google “uniates” if unfamiliar)

   The Orthodox Observer dutifully ought to publish and do the following subjects. Teach the faithful what Orthodoxy is about, that there is only one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, that outside of the Church there is no hope of salvation according to Jesus Christ.  That the Pope’s claim to be the head of heaven and earth is false and that union with the Pope is not the path to heaven. That Holy Communion does not exist in the papacy but only in Orthodoxy. That the Protestants who reject the truth of the Body and Blood of Christ forfeit their salvation, for they contradict Christ himself, who clearly says: “Take eat, this is my Body.”  The Observer ought to re-introduce Christ as the divine human Head of our divine human Church being the only Godman. They ought to teach about the myth of purgatory. They ought to teach that the Holy Spirit is our divine Guide whom Christ sent to remind us of everything. They ought to teach the faithful that there are no divine mysteries outside of the Church.  That Christ did not establish an infallible Pope, as the only real bishop in the true Orthodox Church. Real bishops are only found in Orthodoxy and outside of Orthodoxy there are no genuine bishops,  priests or deacons, no Eucharist and no forgiveness. If the Orthodox Observer teaches these truths, the apparently friendly relations and friendship with the Pope and their papal friends would soon cool off and the smiles will disappear.

     After writing this previous article, I glanced quickly through the Orthodox Observer to be check out certain facts. Then I read the following in amazement: 

“The Archbishop attended as a special guest of honor at the evening Roman Catholic Mass presided over by Pope Francis on September 26 at Madison Square Garden.”

     How can an Archbishop of Orthodoxy attend a forbidden papal mass as a  special honor? How can this be honorable when it recognizes the papacy as a church? How will the faithful Orthodox be edified when they confess Orthodoxy as the only true Church after these types of demonstrations?  It is forbidden by the Lord through Scripture to celebrate with them for this honors the papacy and recognizes it as being holy and equal to Orthodoxy which is an impossibility. 

ADDITIONAL ON HOLY KING MILUTIN

ADDITIONAL ON HOLY KING MILUTIN

SAVED THE ORTHODOX FROM THE PAPACY

From the Prologue of Ochrid, Vol 4 p 130,131

The   Holy King Milutin

      “The son of Uros I and Queen Helena and brother of Dragutin, he fought fiercely to defend his faith and his people.  He fought against (Emperor) Michael Palaeologus because the latter had accepted union with Rome and was putting pressure on the whole Balkan people and the monks of Athos to accept the Pope. He fought against Shishman, King of Bulgaria, and Nogai, King of the Tartars, to defend his country from them. All his wars were successful, for he prayed constantly to God and put himself in His hands. He built more than forty churches, both in his own land (Treskavac, Gracanica, St. George in Nagorie, the Holy Mother of God in Skoplje, Banjska and so forth) and in Salonica, Sophia, Constantinople, Jerusalem and on the Holy Mountain.  He entered into rest in the Lord on October 29th, 1320, and his body was soon seen to be uncorrupt and wonderworking. It is still preserved in that state today in the Church of the Holy King in Sophia.

Author’s note: Milutin was married twice, not four times as detractors would have it; first to Elizabeth, a Hungarian princess, and then to Simonida, a princess of Byzantium.

FOR CONSIDERATION

     That great son of the Orthodox Church, King Milutin, saved the Balkans from Uniatism.  At the moment when the Byzantine Emperor’s conscience was weakened, this knightly and godly Slav stood decisively, and with God’s help saved Orthodoxy, not only in his own land but throughout the Balkans.  He who examines the live of this holy King closely will understand why God gave him success after success throughout his life in all that he did.  When Milutin came to his throne, he immediately vowed to God that he would build as many churches as the years he reigned. He reigned for forty-two years, and built forty-two churches.  Besides some of his churches, as in Salonica and Constantinople, he built hospitals for the poor, where they received everything without payment. 

     Apart from that, he took   pleasure in giving to the poor out of his own enormous wealth.  This powerful and wealthy king often dressed himself in simple clothing and, at night, with two or three of his servants, walked among the people, enquring for the needy and generously helping the poor.  In the midst of his great wealth, he lived a very simple family life, though he never showed this side of himself to outsiders.  He had become accustomed to a simple way of life when still in the house of Uros his father. It is told how the Emperor Michael Palaeologus sent his daughter Anna with a delegation to the court of King Uros, offering her to Milutin in order to win the Serbian king to union with Rome.  But King Uros, seeing the senseless Byzantine luxury of the princess and her entourage, exclaimed: “‘hat is all this, and what is it for We are not accustomed to this sort of life! He indicated a Serbian princess with a distaff in her hand: See, he said, this is the sort of thing we expect in our daughter-in-law.’”     (Prologue of Ochrid)