Quotable quotes

 'It is by God's will that I stand before you today. Three months ago I was a prisoner of the communist regime in Romania, persecuted and watched together with my family by agents of the secret police, though I did nothing other than preach Jesus Christ in the church where I served. Two years ago I was in the Romanian prisons and the same agents endeavored to destroy me. There were many of them; I was alone and defenseless. There was no law to prevent them from committing such a crime; there were no moral principles to stop them. I had faith, they had force; then again, they had nothing because they did not have God. I had the love and spiritual help of my fellow man, praying for me throughout the world; they had nothing but their hate. And because this conflict was a spiritual one, they were defeated, in spite of all the material power on their side.'
-Father George Calciu-


 You can read the rest of his talk HERE.

  "Father George Calciu (1925-2006) was one of the great confessors of Christianity in the twentieth century. Having survived the diabolic prison experiments of Communist Romania, Fr. George went on to become an apostle of spiritual seekers in Romania and, eventually, throughout the world. He was able to speak authoritatively of God's love and forgiveness because of his own experience of God's mercy. As a priest in America, Fr. George maintained a strict ascetic life of fasting and prayer, while at the same time pastoring his flock as a joyful and loving father."


Taken from 'The Orthodox Word' No.274 (back cover)


   
      I've also come across this video about one of the main 're-education' communist prison camps in Romania. Its a very sobering video about the effects of communism on the mind, body, and soul.

Byzantine Chant

    Before I began pursuing Orthodox Christianity I had never before heard of Byzantine chant. I remember my girlfriend asking me if I ever heard it before and explaining that it most resembled to her what worship in heaven would be like.
   I have to say that after becoming acquainted with it in the liturgies at church and at monasteries (mainly St. Anthony's in Arizona), I agree with that statement. There is a depth to the chant of the Orthodox Church that reaches somewhere deeper than any other music I have ever heard.

This one particularly touches me:

Service: Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom (in english)
Composer: Maistor Ioannes Koukouzeles
Performers: Cappella Romana
Album: The Divine Liturgy In English In Byzantine Chant

Childlike Faith

 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

And lean not on your own understanding;"

Proverbs 3:5 

 "Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Luke 18:17

Saint Nektarios of Aegina

    The Gospel in action.

This is the easiest ways for me to explain saints and the honor shown them in the Orthodox Church. They exemplify the christian struggle and way of life and are glorified by God as true role models of the faith.

  The following story really epitomizes faith in the Lord's provision for me and I thought i would share it. It also contrasts nicely the earthly mindset (in the person of Costas) with the heavenly one (Nektarios).

    " Nektarios found himself pulled in different directions. He wanted to send a manuscript of Antiochos the Monk's Soul Saving Book to Mr. Paraskevas, his printer. He had not found the time before and wanted to finally do it this year. However, with his concern about his poor girl students who were now living in Aegina on the one hand and the poor and destitute who sought his help on the other, he hesitated to take on any other debts.

     The girls who were now in Aegina had found two rooms with low ceilings across from the Church of Zoodochos Pighi to shield them from the wind and rain. They shared them with a few old natives of the island. They were, Aphrodite Mourtzinos, Eutychia Peppas, and Philio Logiotidis.  They all slept together on rag carpets on the floor, and they sustained themselves on legumes and dandelion greens. Although shielded from the elements, there was no escape from the cold and dampness. Nektarios was aware of the girl's living conditions and always saved some money for them. However, he did not know how he could possibly turn away some of the poor people that came to him when there was not enough money. He worried, but had faith. 

     He was always sought out by those who were desperate, because his reputation was such that they knew they could depend on him. One day for instance, someone came to his office. His overcoat was old and worn, his pants donned patch after patch, and he was pale, skinny and unshaven.

     

"Your Eminence, I hope you forgive me, but I had to tell the doorman that I was a relative of yours in order to get in."

     

"You didn't have to lie. I will gladly see anyone who asks. What is the matter?"

     

"I owe someone twenty-five drachmas. I signed a note and if I don't pay it back by tomorrow morning at ten, I will be thrown in jail. I promise you that I don't even have a penny not even for food."

     

Nektarios looked at the man, shook his head and summoned Costas Sakkopoulos.

    

"Costas, give this brother twenty-five drachmas please."

     

Costas mouth dropped.

     

"Is there something you wish to tell me Costas?"

     

"I don't have any money, Your Eminence."

     

"Please look again. There is great need."

     

Costas approached Nektarios and whispered in his ear.  

"All we have are twenty-five drachmas and it is only the beginning of the month, if you know what I mean."

     

"Give them Costas, and God will provide."

    

Costas' eyes glared and he turned to the visitor with wrath.

"And from where did you spring up at this hour?" he said.

     

"Calm down Costas," Nektarios said calmly. "Do not worry so much. Every help we offer our neighbors will be rewarded. Often, we are rewarded greatly in return, for now a Christian brother is in need and we must help him."

     

     Costas left to get the money and came back grumbling to himself. He gave the visitor the money. That very afternoon, Costas found himself in shock over the reality of the bountiful return Nektarios told him about. Nektarios received an invitation from Archbishop Theokletos to perform the wedding ceremony of a distinguished, wealthy couple at the cathedral. The Rizarios (Seminary) students were also going to chant at the ceremony, for they were a most melodious group. They were offered one hundred and twenty drachmas for their services, one hundred were meant for the bishop (Nektarios) and twenty for the students, who naturally turned them over to Nektarios.

     

"Nektarios words are profound," Costas kept whispering to himself all night. 

"They are indeed inspired by great faith. "

  May we all strive for simple childlike faith like this. 

Taken from "Saint Nektarios: The Saint of our Century" by Sotos Chondropoulos  p.180-181

Why I Became Orthodox (Frank Schaeffer Interview)

   As I progress on my journey towards the Orthodox Church I find I very comforting listening and reading different conversion stories to the faith. As I go through many of them I can relate to so many of the questions, issues, and struggles these people have as they make the (spiritual) transition to the Orthodox tradition. Frank Schaeffer (son of the noted evangelical figure Francis Schaeffer) in this interview touches on many of the same things I've questioned and struggled with in my own christian journey. I thought it might be worth sharing with anyone possibly making a move towards the historical church or just people wanting to understand why so many are making the move from Protestantism to Orthodoxy.

    It's also worth noting that the interviewer, Robert Meyering, also converted to Orthodoxy somewhere down the road after this interview. His story can be found HERE.


  Note: I have no idea why it's in black and white as it is fairly recent.                                                                                                

New Martyr Philoumenos (Hasapis) of Jacob's Well

 He was Igumen of the Monastery of Jacob's Well, near the city of Samaria, now Nablus in the West Bank. One week before his martyrdom in 1979, a group of Zionists came to the monastery at Jacob's Well and claimed it as a Jewish holy place, demanding that all crosses and icons be removed. Father Philoumenos pointed out that the floor on which they stood was built by Emperor Constantine before 331 A.D. and had served as an Orthodox Christian holy place for sixteen centuries before the state of Israel was created. In the eight centuries before that, the well had been not in the hands of the Hebrew people, but of the Samaritans. The group left with threats. On November 16, 1979 , they broke into the monastery, and after tying up Father Philoumenos, tortured him to try to force him to recant his Christianity: his eyes were gouged out, and the fingers and thumb of his right hand, with which he made the sign of the Cross, were cut into pieces. He died as he was struck on the face with a hatchet in the form of a cross, deeply severing his face from hairline to chin, and across his cheeks to his ears. The attackers then defiled the church in abominable ways, leaving Zionist symbols and graffiti. 

Icon of New Martyr Philoumenos

      No arrests were ever made by the authorities. In 1984, the body of Archimandrite Philoumenos was found to be incorrupt, as it remains until now, and there have been many reported answers to prayer at his relics. He was glorified by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem on August 17, 2008 and his feast is November 16. According to his great-niece Maria, his twin brother, Igumen Elpidios, saw him in a vision in Greece at the moment of his death, saying, "My brother, they are killing me."

 -From editor's note, p.30 of Road to Emmaus Vol. XI, No.4 -