Archive for category: Clerical Articles

The devil fights everybody, because he wants to take them all to hell. But he torments the most the virtuous ones, those who fervently pursue „the good fight of faith”[1], those who have a rich spiritual fruitage. Just as the children throw stones in the nut trees with fruits, in the same way the devil throw stones at those who have spiritual fruitage. And just as the thief goes to steal where are found earthly treasures, in the same way the devil goes to steal from places where are found spiritual fruits.

Saint Hrisostom says that „ the thief does not come where is rush and grass, but where are the gold, the silver and the pearls. He does not go to rob straw huts or wodden barracks. Cause there are no valuable things. He goes instead to the rich homes, with plenty of money, silver, gold or other precious things.

He goes to tables and… where he would fill his sack. Likewise the devil „does not enter where is the lewd, the foul, the rapacious, the covetous”. (EPE 33, 406).

He does not go to fight those lacking virtue, the foul, the rapacious, the covetous, for they are possessed by that addiction and he cheats them easily. He has to strain more when he goes to fight with the struggling monks, who walk faithfully on the path of sanctification or the Christians who struggle full of zeal and awareness.

In another homily, the saint with golden words remarks that the pirates do not attack the ships that carry sand, cause sand is a cheap and heavy material, that no one bothers to carry on his back. The pirates attack the ships that carry uncountable fortunes or very valuable goods.

In the same way the devil attacks the Christians who have virtue and holiness[2]. From  the Holy Scripture we find that the devil sent his hound dogs and tried to kill the fire prophet Elijah.

He imprisoned and cut the head of the preacher of repentance, the honored Forerunner!

He threw his poisoned arrows at the wise and handsome Joseph, who was a spiritual diamond, a foreshadower of Christ!

He tormented the long-suffering Job, who was a righteous, God-fearing man and who receded from everything was evil and deceitful.

He is such a relentless, unwavering tempter that he went in the desert to entice even our Lord!

How does he attack our lives?

The men hater does the same with us. If he sees that we walk steadfastly on the path of God’s commendments, he tries to divert us. If he sees that we confess Christ, he tries to silence us. If he sees that we do good, he brings us obstacles for stopping us. If he sees that we pray ardently, he brings us yawns and drowsiness for ceasing our prayers. He watches how we worship God.

If he sees that our thoughts fly far away or are filled with the noise of the wordly worries, the devil is very content.

But if we attend the Divine services, he starts fighting us. He brings back memories from our childhood, works we left unfinished, urgent calls we had to make and so many others of this kind. And if he does not succeed to divert our attention, he calls other demons to help him. He watches how we study the Holy Gospel.

If he sees that our mind does not understand in their depth the divine words, the devil does not worry much. But if we are a good ground and listen to the word of God with a good grace and study it ardently day and night and hide it deeply in our heart as a treasure and make a life advice from it, the devil makes the impossible become possible in order to stop us reading the divine word and do something else.

From what’s been written we understand how sly is the enemy, how deceitful are his crafts and how hard he tries to cheat us by this means, how furiously he accomplishes his devilish work and how skillfully he uses any opportunity for diverting us. But we should not fear him,

Because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4, 4). We should learn to discover his decoys and take precautions in due time, in order that Satan might not outwit us, for we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2, 11), Apostle Paul writes. But more than anything else we should humble ourselves, cause the devil does not bear humility. As soon as we humble ourselves, he goes away.

Therefore, we should not leave our ramparts, no matter how hard we would be tormented by the devil.

The soul that’s not idle stirs the devils against himself.

But when temptations multiply, the rewards multiply as well, saint John Climacus says.

[1]see 1 Timotheios 6, 12.
[2]Homily at Job.

An interview given by father Arsenios Vliankoftis to the reporter Theodor Duca.

Not long time ago we went to the Holy Monastery of Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian from the locality of Vatopedi – Halkidikis and we had the opportunity to talk with  father Arsenios – an expert in subjects about heresies – relating to astrology. We had a cogent discussion of high concern for all of us.

Father Arsenios, in the past years astrology entered people’s lives for good. What’s the opinion of your holiness?

Considerable effort is being made for pushing it into our lives and for sure this is not coincidentally. It is a real problem and the media has a great responsibility. The public is overwhelmed by advertising messages on astrology, in the true sense of the word.

You said that considerable efforts are made so that  astrology enters our lives and that it’s not coincidentally. What do you mean?

Astrology is not neutral if talking in religious terms, but fully integrated to the wide space of occult. It believes in the so-called karma and in reincarnation. It is important that on the relevant ads we read: „psychic, astrologer, parapsychologist, tarot cards”. Therefore, all these go together, „in a single pack”, according to a modern cliché. In the same time, we must not forget that the antichristic movement of the „New Era of the Acquarius” is based on astrology. So this dark circle pushes astrology forward, pursuing to make people believe in it. First, we have to stress it out  that the belief in astrology is incompatible with the Orthodox Faith. Meaning that a real Christian cannot believe in the same time in astrology. And the Holy Scripture tells us this. Those who persist in being interested in astrology, magic and fortune telling are subject to heavy canons of repentance, in accordance with the Holy canons of our Church. They separate themselves from the Church.

Father Arsenios, we’d like you to tell us what does astrology believes more specifically?

Astrology believes that when someone is born, the position of the stars puts an indelible mark on his personality. The position of the stars decides his future. But it does not tell us how it happens. What kind of influence is this the stars exert upon us.  You saw it, we say „believe”. And it is indeed a belief in the occult and the ancient idolatry, which denies God and deifies nature. They don’t believe that there is a God  who takes care of man, nor that the man is free, but believe that everything is coordinated by a blind and impersonal fate.

Something similar to the Muslim kismet[1]-…

Exactly. Of course it’s a superstition. Besides this, astrology since the years of Renaissance in the West (XVIth century) separated itself from the science of astronomy. Astrology remained  stuck to the geocentric system, that is not accepted by any scientist, while astronomy adopted the heliocentric system. There is no scientist to accept astrology, on the contrary, there are some decisions of certain international  congresses that condemn astrology as a superstition and a quackery.

Despite these, many times the astrologers show diplomas.

It’s mere quackery. There is no recognized university in the world  to teach astrology or grant diplomas of astrologer. But it happens the following thing: Astrologers found associations with stilted names in Greece and other places, calling them institutes, academies, colleges. They become presidents, general secretaries etc. And then they give each other titles and diplomas.

How is it that sometimes the foresights of the astrologers „come true”?

Your question is opportune and I shall answer it. It’s not true that the predictions of the astrologers come true. Apart from the cases of fraud, we have the situations when the „prophecies come true”. Meaning that the astrologer tells you that you would get sick and you start behaving like a sick man. You adjust your status and the „prophecy” comes true naturally. But even in the case when it doesn’t come true, the astrologer tells you that the prediction didn’t come true because you had a negative attitude. Meaning that either white or black,  rightness is on their side.

You mean something like Pythia’s oracle[2]?

Exactly. The astrological language (that of the horoscope) is full of safety valves, so that the astrologer may be right in all cases. If you pay attention, you’ll notice that the words „is possible”, „maybe”, „you tend to” are commonly used in horoscopes. They also mention certain truths that might be accepted by anyone. The astrologer in the horoscope pursues to flatter someone and uses a very friendly tone with him. We have to say as well that astrology is based on a rational and scientifical error. Here we have what in Logic we call: „vicious circle”[3]. Meaning that the astrologer seeing some stars in the sky, with no real connection between themselves (one may be relatively close to us and the other one much farther), interconnects them and according to his imagination, he gives them shapes and names. For instance, he tells you that now we are in the sign of the Leo and the man who is born in a period when the sun passes through it is a lion and will have the attributes of the lion. Meaning that the astrologer assigns them qualities and then says that these represent the characteristics of those who belong to this astrological sign. You see, there is an obvious logical error and „a vicious circle”?

   However, anyone can give other names to the same groups of stars. For example today, when we don’t use the bow and arrow anymore, we cannot call the constellation of the Saggitarius in this way. We will give it another name.

In essence is about a kind of primitive magic thinking. In astrology there is something else that helps the astrologers to convince their victims. It’s the so called technique of multiple factors. So he analyzes you and notices certain traits of character he assigns for instance to the sign of the Aries and he tells you: „I think you’re an Aries”. If you say you’re not, he asks you: „Where is your moon positioned?” (meaning the position of the moon in the moment when you were born). If from what you tell him it turns out that it was positioned in the Aries, he tells you: „You see, I’ve found that out?”. But if you tell him: „I don’t know”, he would tell you: „I think you’re in the Aries”. If he doesn’t succeed he goes on by saying: „Actually very few know the precise time and place of their birth, so that they could give the astrologers all the information they require for making what they call a «scientific horoscope»”. Of course  it’s „scientific” just in their opinion.

In the end, can someone predict the future, to make all this discussion have a sense?

The belief of our Church is clear: Future is known only by God who is omniscient and this does not cancel human freedom.

Neither Satan, nor the demons or the astrologers know the truth.

Being initiated into the occult, the astrologers may be announced by the demons with whom they collaborate – there are times and words used for calling a certain demon –for facts from the past or the present. The „masters” of astrology are in reality magicians and satanists. In its common form, astrology acts a a light „spiritual narcotic”, that introduces the enthralled man in the wide occult space, for passing afterwards  through  maybe tougher „spiritual narcosis” like magic.

What do you mean by „spiritual narcotic”?

It’s a common expression and is used because the supporters – just like in the case of the common narcotics – are gradually led to total addiction. The true follower of astrology cannot make a step further in his life without consulting his astrologer beforehand.

Therefore, the consequences of the preoccupation for astrology are hard and dangerous.

That’s why who wants to start studying it out of mere curiosity, has to think well before.

We can’t play with the fire.

There’s involved the producer of the deceit as well, isn’t it so?

Of course it is. Let me give you a clear proof. There are TV shows with astrologers where while the show is on (assuming that’s a live show )it’s used a trailer announcing: „You’re watching the show (so-and-so) with recorded exemplary phone calls”. They do the same at the shows with fortune tellers. In this way the shrewd get money from the high costs of the phone calls.

What do you think? What’s the cause that pushes the people towards astrology?

I wanted to say exactly the same. When the man feels the need and desire to give a meaning to his life and find answers for the so-called existential questions (where do I come from, where am I going, what’s the meaning of life) and he doesn’t choose the right path, he doesn’t find the right answers, but gets tangled in the dangerous ways of the occult. Then  for sure this man would get interested in astrology too. Many people want easy solutions, for others freedom is a burden and others prefer to let the stars decide for themselves.

Father Arsenios, what would you recommend for dealing with this phenomenon or problem?

Only when someone is consciously and deeply present in the space of the Church, he is protected of all the occult and dangers.

But the state must assume its responsibility as well.

It’s harmful to allow advertising the occult even on the national TV channels.

Another question. What means what’s called by some people the moving of the astrological signs?

This as well as the so called third astrological sign have put the astrologers in difficulty lately, because they ruin their rookery.

This means that the people who according to the astrologers belong to a certain astrological sign, actually belong to the next one. It is commonly called mill.

This is bad news for astrology, but despite that, it irresistibly continues its journey.

And this thing is caused by the fact that it is part of an entire context of interpreting the world that addresses to the confused people who live far from God.

Many say: „I won’t fall victim to the magicians and astrologers. As for those who fell victims and were ruined, that’s their own business”. What do you say about this?

It’s not like this. This is a very serious matter. Besides the fact that indifference towards our neighbour and his problems is not a Christian behavior, I would tell those who say such things: let’s say that the teacher of your children is a follower of astrology.

Then he won’t take as much into account the conclusions of pedagogy in educating your children but would study their horoscope.

Of course, your children might be attracted in the space of astrology and occult by such a confused teacher. Something similar happens when you fall into the hands of a doctor who is a follower of astrology. He won’t study that carefully the blood tests and radiographs, but your horoscope.

And it happens the same with the politician who believes in astrology.

One like this would take stands in serious matters related to home and foreign policies only after studying the horoscope and consulting his astrologers.

So, you see that astrology raises serious problems with consequences not only for the fools who fall as its victims, but for all of us.

What recommendation would you make in the end of this interesting discussion?

When someone would ask us the question: „What’s your sign in the horoscope?”, let’s give him this answer: „I am not an animal, I am a human being” (In the ancient Greek zodio means a small animal) And let’s also take into account the following thing: If the time the astrologers waste on reading their newspaper: „What do the stars say about you”, with the consequence that they become enslaved from free, they would have spent it for reading a page from the Holy Scripture or any other book useful for our soul or they would have dedicated it to prayer, their life would have changed and they would have become actually free.

„PARAKATATHIKI” Magazine, May-June 2003.

[1] Faith, destiny.

[2] Pythia was a priestess of  Apollo who made forecasts in the Oracle from Delphi.

[3] In Logic, the circular reason, also known as circulus in probando, petitio principii or vicious circle, is a logical error in which the sentence to be demonstrated has already been stated implicitly or explicitly in one of the premises. As a notion of Logic, the circular reason was defined for the first time by Aristotle, in his book intitled Analytica Priora in Latin, around the year 350 b.c.

Eye witness of the case described below,  archimandrite Nicolae Drobianzkin is one of the countless martyrs from the revolutionary times of Russia. In his wordly life he had a brilliant career, being IInd rank captain in the military marine and alongside with this he got deeply involved in occultism, editing the occult magazine Rebus. After being saved by saint Seraphim of Sarov from a certain death in the sea, he planned a pilgrimage to Sarov. Coming back from his pilgrimage, he gave up on his career and on occultism and became a monk. He was ordained priest and served as a missionary in China, India and Tibet, ministering at different churches and being adviser  for some monasteries. After 1914 he lived at the Lavra of the Caves from Kiev. He ceaselessly spoke to the young people who went to him in those times about the influence of the occultism upon the facts happening on the political scene of Russia. In the autumn of 1924, at a month after he had received the visit of a gentleman called Tonholz, the writer of the book „Black magic”, he was killed in his cell by some „unknown men” with the obvious consent of the Bolsheviks. The murder weapon was a knife with a special handle, having the shape of an occult symbol.

The happenstance related here by father Nicolae, reveals the true nature of the spiritual phenomena found in various Eastern religions. It took place shortly before 1900, it was recorded around the year 1922 by the doctor A. P. Timofenghievici and published by him in a Russian magazine from the diaspora („Orthodox Life”, 1956, nr.l).

One wonderful tropical morning, our ship cut its way through the Indian Ocean approaching the island of Ceylon. The lively faces of the travellers, in their majority Englishmen, who were going with their families to their jobs or business from the Indian colony, were turned towards the horizon, looking about the fascinating island that was for almost all of them linked with so many stories and interesting, mysterious descriptions of the travellers.

Before they saw the island, the ship began to be more and more intensely veiled in a smooth and ravishing fragrance brought by each waft. Finally a long, narrow shape of dark blue color showed up lying on the horizon. Its dimensions grew bigger as the ship was approaching it swiftly. You could already distinguish on the shore the wide-spread buildings, hidden in the green of the majestic date palms and the colorful crowd of natives who were waiting for the arrival of the ship. During the journey, the passengers befriended very easily. They stayed on the deck where they talked and laughed heartily, admiring the amazing view of the magical island which unfolded before their eyes. The ship made some slow maneuvers, preparing to anchor at the quay of Colombo harbor.

There it had to station for stocking with coal, that’s why the passengers had enough time for descending on the shore. The day was so hot that many passengers decided to stay on the ship till the afternoon. A nice chill replaced the burning heat of that day. A group of eight people that I joined myself, chose  colonel Elliot as their guide. He had lived before in Colombo and knew well the island and its surroundings. Then he made us a tempting proposal:

• Ladies and gentlemen, would you like to go a few miles away of the city and visit a magician fakir? I think we are going to see something interesting.

We all accepted enthusiastically his proposal.

The evening had already fallen when we left behind us the noisy roads of the city and stepped on an enchanting path that was crossing the jungle. On our right and left side were glittering millions of dragonflies. To its end, the path widened unexpectedly and we found ourselves in the middle of a small clearing surrounded by the jungle. At one of its edges, under a big tree, it was something like a hut and near it was burning a small fire. An old, thin man, with a turban on his head was sitting down, cross-legged and with his gaze focused on the fire. Despite the noise caused by our arrival, the old man continued to stay absolutely motionless, without paying any attention to us. From somewhere out of the dark showed up a young man, who approached the colonel and asked him something in a whisper. After a short time he brought some small chairs and our group sat in a semicircle close to the fire. A thin, scented smoke raised to the sky. The old man continued to sit in the same position, showing that he didn’t pay attention to anything. The full rising moon somehow drove away the darkness and at its pale light all things took bizarre shapes. They all became silent and waited to see what was going to happen.

• Look! Look there at the tree!, whispered uneasily miss Mary.

We all turned our heads towards the tree. And indeed, all the  huge foliage surface of the tree under which was sitting the fakir it was like waving quietly in the pale moonlight, while the tree started to fade away slowly and lost its shape. So to speak more precisely, I could say that an invisible hand threw over it a thin veil, which in time became thicker and thicker. In a short time, in front of our amazed eyes it appeared the waving surface of the sea. With a slight roar, the waves were coming one after another, forming a white foam. Bright clouds were floating on a sky that  turned blue. Stunned, we could not take off our eyes from that amazing sight.

Then a white ship showed up at the horizon. A heavy smoke was coming out of its two big flues. It swiftly drew cloer to us, cleaving the water. In great amazement, we recognized our ship, that had brought us to Colombo. A murmur of astonishment crossed the audience, when we read on the stern of the ship, written with golden highlighted  letters, the name of our ship: LUIZA. But what caused our biggest amazement was the fact that up, on the deck we saw ourselves. Let’s not forget that in those times the cinema had not been invented yet and it was impossible for someone even to conceive something similar to it.  Each one of us saw himself on the deck of the ship, among the people who were talking and laughing. What was absolutely amazing it was that I saw not just myself, but the entire deck of the ship, in its slightest details, like in a panoramic plan – thing which, of course, is impossible in reality. At a certain moment I saw myself among the passangers, I saw the sailors who were working in the other end of the ship, the captain in his cabin, I saw even Nelly, the monkey we all loved, who was eating bananas up, on the main mast. In the same time, all my companions, each one in his own way, were getting terribly excited because of the things they saw and they externalized their feelings by quiet exclamations and anxious whispers.

I had completely forgotten that I was a hieromonk and for sure I had no reason to attend such a show. Seduction was so powerful that both mind and heart had got silenced. Then my heart started beating so fast, like a warning signal. All of a sudden I felt like losing my control and a fear overtook my entire being. My lips started to move and utter: „My Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me the sinner!”. I immediately felt a relief. It was like some mysterious chains were falling down from me. The prayer became more and more intense and together with it, peace came back into my soul. I continued to look at the tree and suddenly, as if driven away by a wind, the image blurred and disappeared. I was not seeing anything else except the big, moonlit tree and the quiet fakir sitting near the fire. My companions continued to externalize their feelings, looking at the sight that for them had not disappeared.

Then it happened something with the fakir too, cause he lost his balance and fell on his side. The young man ran to him scared. The spiritual gathering interrupted all of a sudden.

Deeply influenced by their experience, the viewers got up, sharing passionately their impressions, without understanding why everything  interrupted so abruptly and unexpectedly. The young man attributed this to the exhaustion of the fakir who was sitting at that moment like before, with his head bent and without paying any attention to the people around  him.

Our group, after generously rewarding him, by means of the young man, for having the chance to witness such an amazing sight, got quickly ready for going back. At departure, involuntarily, I turned back to look again, in order to infix better in my memory all that scene. Suddenly I startled, having a bad feeling. My gaze met that of the fakir, who looked at me with such a hate. That lasted just a moment, then he resumed his usual posture. But that look opened the eyes of my soul for ever and I realized immediately whose power was that which caused such a  „miracle”.

LORD JESUS CHRIST HAVE MERCY ON ME!

 

source: „ATHONITE WITNESS”, Quarterly magazine of the Holy Monastery Xiropotamu, no. 5

†Jeremiah, metropolitan of Gortina and Megalopoli

1. Christian brothers, in my brief preach from today I shall speak to you about the gift we receive at the end of the Divine Liturgy. It is called antidoron („instead of gifts”), as in Greek and we take it instead of the Eucharistic bread. We call the Holy Communion the Consecrated Gifts . In the Holy Communion Christ gives us His body and blood as a gift, without deserving them. Therefore, the antidoron was spared for those who for certain reasons cannot take the Eucharist and  instead of it, instead of the consecrated gifts, they receive the blessing of the antidoron.
2. And indeed great is the blessing of the antidoron, my brothers. It is a blessing because it is „permeated” by the holy prayers from the Proscomidy. During this holy service, from the prosphora made by the blessed hands of the pious women, the priest removes its core where is written: „Jesus Christ, NI, KA”, and puts it on the Holy Disk. Do you know what it symbolizes the remainder? It symbolizes the Holy Virgin’s womb. This is what saint Germanos, the patriarch of Constantinople says. Cause just like from her womb came out Christ, in the same way from the „womb” of the prosphora comes out, by the hands of the priest at The Holy Proscomidy, the core part with „JESUS CHRIST, NI, KA”. During the Divine Liturgy this part by the blessing of the priest – what a great miracle! – will become Christ, will be transformed into the body of our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. The remaining part from the prosphora that symbolizes the Holy Virgin, just as I said, it is cut for antidora. Isn’t it a great blessing to receive this piece from the prosphora and eat it? In ancient times people called the antidoron „Holy Virgin’s Ascension”. They called it in this way cause the priest indeed raises the bread to his forehead when Proskomedia begins, saying a special troparion: „You redeemed us from the curse of the Law…”. And we call it like this because as I said the antidoron symbolizes the Holy Virgin’s womb.

As you may realize, Christian brothers, for being able to eat the antidoron, you must not eat anything before. For the reason that the antidoron „passed”  through the Proscomidy, that’s not like the Lity, where we eat the bread even if we have eaten before. And Proscomidy is the divine service related to the Divine Liturgy and named by some people „Liturgy in embryo”.

4. Dear Christian brothers, in the same time with the antidoron you receive one more special blessing. Listen! How much you wish to enter the Holy Altar and worship the Holy Table! But this is not allowed to you, laymen, being especially forbidden to women. Although it is not allowed to you as laymen to enter the Holy Altar for kissing the Holy Table, by receiving the antidoron you kiss the priest’s hand that touched it. You may say that even on the road you may kiss the priest’s hand and receive the same blessing. No! Take heed! When you receive the antidoron, you get a special blessing from the priest. Because this is done right after the Divine Liturgy, when the priest’s hand touched the Holy Gifts and there is still some holy blood dripping from Christ’s blood, it is a hand from which is dripping the holy blood. So by kissing the priest’s hand when you receive the antidoron it is like you would kiss the Holy Table itself, if not even more. In order to receive this final blessing that I said you get when taking the antidoron, it is well understood that you must take it right from the celebrant priest’s hand and not from its vessel with your own hand.
5. In the end I recommend you not to eat all the antidora you receive on Sunday from the priest (or even to ask for some more), but keep a little for eating it every day at home. Every morning take a small crumb (on an empty stomach) with little holy water, blessed at the beginning of each month. But first take the antidoron then the holy water, because the antidoron is from the Divine Liturgy. I repeat that according to the liturgical ordinances, the real antidoron is that which is cut from the consecrated prosphora, blessed by the priest; that from which is taken out the piece with „JESUS CHRIST, NI, KA” and is put on the Holy Disk and not the one which is cut from other prosphoras.

 

With a lot of blessings,

† Jeremiah, Metropolitan of Gortina and Megalopolis