We are Orthodox Christian Greeks. Because we are Orthodox Christians, we love our country, our people and all the peoples of the earth; this of course includes our African brothers and sisters.
Παρασκευή 15 Νοεμβρίου 2024
"Από την μακρινή Τανζανία και εκ βάθους καρδίας Καλή Σαρακοστή..."
Τετάρτη 7 Αυγούστου 2024
Άγνωστοι Αφρικανοί άγιοι και μια πρόταση για τις Εκκλησίες του Πατριαρχείου Αλεξανδρείας
Με αφορμή την εορτή των αγίων «Μυρίων Θηβαίων ασκητών» (7 Αυγούστου)
Ένας από τους αρκετούς καρπούς, που έδωσε ο Χριστός στη σπορά του π. Μωυσή, είναι ο πρώην Μεθοδιστής Τζον Γκρίσαμ, που αρθρογραφεί στην εν λόγω ιστοσελίδα, και όχι μόνο, απευθυνόμενους στις «Μαύρες Εκκλησίες» και τους «Μαύρους εθνικιστές» των ΗΠΑ και επισημαίνοντας με σύνεση, κατά τη γνώμη μου, τα στοιχεία της ορθόδοξης πνευματικής παράδοσης που τους αφορούν.
Ανάμεσά τους υπάρχουν και ομάδες μαρτύρων, όπως οι άγιοι Τεσσαράκοντα Αφρικανοί Μάρτυρες Τερέντιος, Αφρικανός, Θεόδωρος, Μάξιμος, Πομπήιος και οι συν αυτοίς (10 Απριλίου), οι άγιοι Σκιλλίτες Μάρτυρες (από το χωριό Σκίλλουμ της Νουμιδίας), Πρωτομάρτυρες της Αφρικής (17 Ιουλίου), οι άγιοι 300 μάρτυρες της «Massa Candida», που τους έκαψαν ζωντανούς ρίχνοντάς τους σε ασβέστη (18 Αυγούστου), οι αγίες παρθενομάρτυρες Μαξίμα, Δομιτίλλα και Σεκούνδα του Τουτουρμπό της Τυνησίας (30 Ιουλίου) και πολλοί άλλοι.
Για να επανέλθουμε, εορτές, όπως των αγίων Μυρίων Θηβαίων ασκητών στις 7 Αυγούστου, είναι κατάλληλες για καθεδρικούς ναούς επί της αφρικανικής γης. Μα και κάθε άγιος τιμά τους τιμώντες του και το παράδειγμά του εμπνέει τους ευαίσθητους ανθρώπους, ιδίως τους συμπατριώτες και ομοφύλους του.
Ιστότοπος για τους Αφρικανούς αγίους
Ουγκάντα – Κένυα: Η συμβολή της Ορθόδοξης Εκκλησίας στον αγώνα για την ανεξαρτησία της Αφρικής
Πρωτοπόροι Έλληνες Ιεραπόστολοι στην Αφρική
π. Κοσμάς Γρηγοριάτης, ο Φίλος & Φωτιστής της Αφρικανικής Γης
Ιερείς της Μαύρης Αφρικής και 10 Ιεραποστολικά Βίντεο
Ο Χριστός στην Αφρική
Επιστολή ορθόδοξου χριστιανού προς τους αδελφούς μας Ινδιάνους
Η τιμή του Σίμωνος Κυρηναίου ως αγίου από τους Ορθοδόξους Αφρικανούς της Αμερικής
Αδελφότητα Ορθοδόξου Εξωτερικής Ιεραποστολής
Διορθόδοξο Ιεραποστολικό Κέντρο «Πορευθέντες»
Ιεραποστολικός Σύνδεσμος «άγ. Κοσμάς ο Αιτωλός»
Orthodox Christian Mission Center (ΗΠΑ)
Ορθόδοξη Ιεραποστολή
Στον ορθόδοξο αμπελώνα της Αφρικής
Orthodox Mission in Tropical Africa (& the Decolonization of Africa)
African Initiated Churches in Search of Orthodoxy...
How “White” is the Orthodox Church?
Ancient Christian faith (Orthodox Church) in Africa
Eight principal areas of convergence between African spirituality and Ancient Christianity
Τρίτη 6 Αυγούστου 2024
Σάββατο 13 Ιουλίου 2024
Πλούσιες χώρες, φτωχοί λαοί! - Η χριστιανική απάντηση...
Ενώ ο δυτικός κόσμος συνεχίζει να προοδεύει, ο τρίτος κόσμος αντιμετωπίζει φτώχεια, επιδημίες, πολέμους, μόλυνση του περιβάλλοντος, παιδική θνησιμότητα. Πόσο φτωχές είναι όμως στην πραγματικότητα οι χώρες του τρίτου κόσμου και πόσο πλούσιες οι "ανεπτυγμένες"; Δείτε το παρακάτω βίντεο, τα συμπεράσματα δικά σας (από Orthodox Congo).
O Χριστιανισμός προσφέρει την λύση στο κοινωνικό πρόβλημα...
Η Ορθοδοξία έχει λύσεις που μπορούν να σώσουν την ανθρωπότητα
(π. Νεκτάριος Κιούλος, Ορθόδοξο Κογκό)
Το γεγονός αυτό απέδειξε την παταγώδη αποτυχία των κοινωνικών συστημάτων, πού θεοποίησαν τον «μαμωνά» και στήριξαν τις ελπίδες τους στην βιομηχανική πρόοδο και την αλματώδη τεχνική ανάπτυξη.
Παράλληλα λησμόνησαν τον άνθρωπο και ιδίως τον Δημιουργό και κτίστη του κόσμου.
Σύμφωνα με τις επίσημες στατιστικές τα 2/3 του πληθυσμού της γης υποσιτίζονται και ζουν σε πρωτόγονες συνθήκες. Σήμερα πού τα αγαθά αρκούν για την διατροφή όλων των ανθρώπων, αλλά δυστυχώς απουσιάζει η δίκαιη μεταχείριση και κυριαρχεί ή σπατάλη.
Μερικοί ίσως να ισχυρισθούν ότι τα θέματα αυτά ξεφεύγουν από τον θρησκευτικό προβληματισμό. Όμως αγνοούν ότι η χριστιανική διδασκαλία αντιμετωπίζει τον άνθρωπο σαν ψυχοσωματική οντότητα και αυτό διαφαίνεται από τον Ευαγγελικό νόμο αλλά και την πράξη της Εκκλησίας.
Ιδιαίτερα η πρωτοχριστιανική Εκκλησία των Ιεροσολύμων όχι μόνο διακήρυξε αλλά και έκανε πράξη την χριστιανική κοινοκτημοσύνη με το κοινό ταμείο και τις «αγάπες».
Οι μεγάλοι πατέρες της Εκκλησίας στην διδασκαλία τους αναφέρονται και στα κοινωνικά ζητήματα καταδικάζοντας την αδικία και τον παράνομο πλούτο. Συγχρόνως σαν γνήσιοι ποιμένες του λαού συστηματοποιούν την φιλανθρωπία, ιδρύοντας φιλανθρωπικά ιδρύματα και περιθάλπουν τους φτωχούς, τους ασθενείς και τους κοινωνικά αδυνάτους.
«Τα περιττά των πλουσίων είναι τα αγαθά των φτωχών»
Ένα ακόμη άγνωστο κεφάλαιο για τους πολλούς είναι η σύγχρονη ανθρωπιστική προσφορά της Εκκλησίας στις χώρες της εξωτερικής ιεραποστολής στην Αφρική, την Άπω Ανατολή και την Λατινική Αμερική όπου θριαμβεύουν η απανθρωπιά, η κοινωνική αδικία, η εκμετάλλευση, η πείνα και η φτώχεια.
Μερικοί αναζητούν τις ευθύνες στο Θεό γι' αυτή την κατάσταση αντί να τις αναζητήσουν στην απάτη, την ασπλαχνία και την αδικία που δυστυχώς κυριαρχούν στους δήθεν πολιτισμένους. Σήμερα τα κοινωνικά προβλήματα αντί να λυθούν, περιπλέκονται, γίνονται οξύτερα, γιατί εκείνοι που έχουν επάρκεια όπως ζητεί ο Χριστός προτιμούν να τα σπαταλούν. Πόσο δίκιο είχε ο Αυγουστίνος όταν έλεγε: «Τα περιττά των πλουσίων είναι τα αγαθά των φτωχών»!
Δυστυχώς σήμερα έχομε λησμονήσει και τον ευλογημένο από τον Θεό θεσμό της εργασίας οδηγώντας χιλιάδες συνανθρώπους μας στην ανεργία και την οικονομική εξαθλίωση. Για να σταματήσει η οικονομική κρίση και να λυθεί το κοινωνικό πρόβλημα θα πρέπει να αναζητηθούν και τα πνευματικά αίτια, γιατί η πνευματική κρίση που περνά σήμερα η ανθρωπότητα είναι ακόμη μεγαλύτερη από την οικονομική. Μπορεί να υπάρξουν λύσεις όχι μόνο κοινωνικές και οικονομικές, αλλά και πνευματικές.
Οι λαοί σήμερα χρειάζονται πνευματική αφύπνιση για να γνωρίσουν τις χριστιανικές αρχές για τον πλούτο, την δικαιοσύνη, την αλληλεγγύη και την αγάπη.
Η Ορθοδοξία έχει λύσεις που μπορούν να σώσουν την ανθρωπότητα, όταν κυρίως εμείς οι χριστιανοί καλλιεργήσουμε στην ζωή μας την ορθοδοξία και την ορθοπραξία.
Σάββατο 6 Ιουλίου 2024
Metropolitan Jeronymos of Uganda on Water and Environment for Climate-Resilient Development
His Eminence Metropolitan Jeronymos Muzeeyi of Kampala delivered his remarks on Water and Environment for Climate Resilient Development during the commemoration Week held in March 2023 amidst dignitaries from different divides of the country.
Reflecting on World Environment Day which was celebrated yesterday 5th June, we share his presentation which focuses on the teachings of the Ekklesia on ecological theology and humanity.
Presentation on water and environment for Climate-Resilient Development
I sincerely believe that an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to water and environmental issues can help our country Uganda, not only to be “the pearl of Africa”, but also to be truly the “Garden of Eden” of the holy scriptures. My remarks here below are a reflection of theological thoughts on the matter. Man is at the center since he was created in the image and likeness of the creator, God. And he was entrusted with the vocation “to cultivate it and to keep it” (Gen: 2:15).
- God’s creation was very good.
When faced with the ecological crisis of our times, obviously, there are many questions that raised. One temptation can be, among the questions raised to put the blame on God, the creator. But the scriptures’ narrations have no room for such a blame. For they say: on completion of His six-day creation “God saw everything He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31).
Very important was God’s care for water in the garden of Eden: “A stream flowed in Eden, it divided into four rivers” (Gen. 2:10). In this creation, man who was created in God’s image, had a vocation. “to … cultivate it and keep it” (Gen. 2:15).
There must be a reason why. The very reason could be summarized by saying: This world was given to man as a gift, – “a gift from God the Creator, a healing gift, a gift of wonder and beauty. Therefore, man’s proper response upon receiving such a gift, is to accept and embrace it with gratitude and thanksgiving”. In otherwards using it well for the glory of God.
- Man’s sin is the root cause of ecological crisis.
Man sinned. In his sin, everything changed. One could ask, what is sin? Sin is man’s rebellion against God the creator. His refusal to live by God’s will. It is the perversion of God’s purpose and order put in nature: (A good example in this case is homosexuality!). It is man’s deliberate refusal to have communion of love with God, fellow man and creation. As a result, man actually failed in his vocation. Instead, man was “passed under the domination of sin and of the evil”. Certainly, as a result of man’s sin, the human mind became so darkened, and the human will was impaired”. He could live by “exploitative control of resources”.
All times, he could be a being of “selfness and greed”. In this case, there was a need for an ontological transformation. This is what we call man’s repentance. You and I must repent to save human nature, to save the creation. In our fallen nature, St. Paul, could reveal the truth: “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pays” (Rom 8:22).
- Christ’s mission of re-creation.
Le me make it very clear from the outset that, true Christians are and must be environments. This is because, the incarnation of the Word of God was to liberate man from his rebellion and in the process, the whole creation. Man in Christ is a new creature, something we referred to above as ontological transformation. To accept Christ, he must repent. A new creature is a son of God. He lives by the will of God St. Paul had noted it that “Creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom 8:19). Since “It will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into glorious liberty of the children of God. (Rom. 8:21). “The loving re-creation of the world by the divine word at the incarnation of God’s Son is very crucial in our understanding of our mission as followers of Jesus Christ. Indeed, Christians have to be models and have to play a decisive role in solving the environment crisis.
- Man’s communion of love is the Key.
Earlier, we made it clear that man’s communion of love with God, his fellow man and creation was weakened as result of man’s rebellion. In Christ, man is reconciled to God. He is as well asked to live in communion of love, with fellow man and creation. Man’s vocation to receive creation as a gift from God is restored. His preparedness to us it well for the glory of God is manifested. Christ’s Church, which is an extension of the redeeming of mission, ever accept and embrace God’s gift with gratitude and thanksgiving in all its service.
As a matter of fact, our generation has to understand that we are called upon as Christians to live fully in the communion of love for the salvation of creation. Important to note, this planet is “our home … it is also the home of everyone, as it is the home of every animal creature, as well as every form of life created by God”. Our generation should consider the same for the generation to come. The air we breathe, the water we drink and is the source of life, if it is defiled, the element and essence of our existence are threatened. This is true for us and for the generations to come.
- Efforts to protect god’s creation.
God’s people are called up to protect God’s creation. Who are God’s People? These are redeemed by Christ. Living by the will of God. These are sons of God by God. These are the people prepared to fight the evils of individualism and consumerism propelling the spirit of egoism. At the center of egoism is self-interest. Very often, man puffed up by egoism in our world of technological advancement leaves no room for God. It only brings about the spirit of secularism. Here man moves away from God’s creation. He creates his own world without God. In the Garden of Eden, we saw the rivers flowing.
In man’s megacities, we see filth liquids flowing. Man must change. Man must change. The prophetic voice of the church is about the change. And this change means addressing poverty, inequality, discrimination, marginalization, domination, exploitation, etc. in all their forms. We must become “children of God by grace” to become Children of God to be fully committed to the will of God. This means to do away with egoistic tendencies. To be children of God also means to be faithful to God’s purpose and intent for creation. Environment degradation and destruction are torment to suicide.
Τρίτη 18 Ιουνίου 2024
SUNDAY OF THE HOLY FATHERS OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL: AFTERFEAST OF ASCENSION
Troparion of the Afterfeast (Tone 4)
You ascended in glory, O Christ our God, after You filled the Disciples with joy, by promising to send them the Holy Spirit, and You blessed them and established their faith, that You are the Son of God, the Redeemer of the world.
Resurrectional Troparion (Tone 6)
When the angelic powers appeared at Your grave, the soldiers guarding it feared and became as dead. And standing by the sepulcher was Mary who was seeking Your immaculate body. You devastated Hades, not afflicted by it. You went to meet the virgin, and granted eternal life. You resurrected from the dead. O Lord, glory to You.
Troparion of the Holy Fathers (Tone 8)
Supremely blessed are You, O Christ our God. You established the holy Fathers upon the earth as beacons, and through them You have guided us all to the true Faith, O greatly merciful One, glory be to You.
📖Matins Gospel John 21:1-14
📖Epistle Reading - Acts 20:16-18, 28-36
📖Gospel Reading - John 17:1-13
See also please
Two voices from Africa about the Sunday of the Holy God-bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council (seventh Sunday of Pascha) Zambia & Zimbabwe
*****
Uganda Orthodox Church - Holy Diocese of Jinja and Eastern Uganda
In the Orthodox Vineyard of Africa
Jeudi de l'Ascension
prédication du Protopresbytre André BUKASA
Saint Archevêché de Kananga et du Grand-Kasaï/ Ιερά Μητρόπολη Κανάνγκας
Παρασκευή 10 Μαΐου 2024
ΕΚΚΛΗΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΡΟΥΑΝΤΑ
Κυριακή 5 Μαΐου 2024
Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen! In African & other languages
XΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! ΑΛΗΘΩΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ!
English - Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen!
Old English (Anglo-Saxon) - Crist aras! Crist sodhlice aras! (Lit: Christ arose! Christ surely arose!)
Middle English - Crist is arisen! Arisen he sothe!
Iyaric Patwa - Krestos a uprisin! Seen, him a uprisin fe tru!
Frisian - Kristus is opstien! Wis is er opstien!
High German
German - Christus ist auferstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig auferstanden!
Yiddish - Der Meschiache undzer iz geshtanen! Avade er iz ufgeshtanen!
Low German
Dutch - Christus is opgestaan! Hij is waarlijk opgestaan!
Afrikaans - Kristus het opgestaan! Hom het waarlik opgestaan!
North Germanic languages
Danish - Kristus er opstanden! Sandelig Han er Opstanden!
Icelandic - Kristur er upprisinn! Hann er vissulega upprisinn!
Norwegian - Kristus er oppstanden! Han er sannelig oppstanden!
Swedish - Kristus är uppstånden! Ja, Han är verkligen uppstånden!
Italic languages
Latin - Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere!
Romance languages
Italian - Cristo è risorto! È veramente risorto!
Catalan - Crist ha ressuscitat! Veritablement ha ressuscitat!
French - Le Christ est ressuscité! Vraiment Il est ressuscité!
Portuguese - Cristo ressuscitou! Verdadeiramente ressuscitou!
Romanian - Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat!
Spanish - Cristo ha resucitado! Verdaderamente, ha resucitado!
Slavic languages
Church Slavonic - (Christos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese!)
East
Russian - Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе! (Christos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese!)
Belarusian - Хрыстос уваскрос! Сапраўды ўваскрос! (Khrystos Uvaskros! Saprawdy Wvaskros!)
Ukrainian - Христос Воскрес! Воістину Воскрес! (Christos Voskres! Voistinu Voskres!)
South
Bulgarian - Христос Возкресе! Воистина Возкресе! (Christos Vozkrese! Voistina Vozkrese!)
Serbian - Христос Воскресе! Ваистину Воскресе! (Christos Voskrese! Vaistinu Voskrese!)
West
Czech - Kristus Vstal A Mrtvych! Opravdi Vstoupil!
Slovak - Kristus vstal zmŕtvych! Skutočne vstal!
Polish - Chrystus Zmartwychwstał! Prawdziwie Zmartwychwstał!
Baltic languages
Lithuanian - Kristus prisikėlė! Tikrai prisikėlė!
Celtic languages
Goidelic languages
Old Irish - Asréracht Críst! Asréracht Hé-som co dearb!
Irish - Tá Críost éirithe! Go deimhin, tá sé éirithe!
Manx - Taw Creest Ereen! Taw Shay Ereen Guhdyne!
Scots Gaelic - Tha Crìosd air èiridh! Gu dearbh, tha e air èiridh!
Brythonic languages
Breton - Dassoret eo Krist! E wirionez dassoret eo!
Welsh - Atgyfododd Crist! Yn wir atgyfododd!
Indo-Iranian languages
Indic languages
Sanskrit - (Kristo’pastitaha! Satvam Upastitaha!)
Southern Zone
Marathi - (Yeshu Khrist uthla ahe! Kharokhar uthla ahe!)
Albanian (Tosk) - Krishti u ngjall! Vërtet u ngjall!
Armenian
- Քրիստոս յարեաւ ի մեռելոց՜ Օրհնեալ է յայտնութիւնն Քրիստոսի՜ (Christos
harjav i merelotz! Orhniale harutjun Christosi! — Christ is risen!
Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!)
Greek - Χριστος Aνεστη! Aληθως Aνεστη! (Christos Anesti! Aleithos Anesti!)
Altaic languages
Turkish - Hristós diril-Dí! Hakíkatén diril-Dí!
Austronesian languages
Malayo-Polynesian
Western
Chamorro - La’la’i i Kristo! Magahet na luma’la’ i Kristo!
Filipino (Tagalog) - Si Cristo ay nabuhay! Siya nga ay nabuhay!
Indonesian - KrÍstus tÉlah Bangkit! Benár día têlah Bángkit!
Central-Eastern
Carolinian - Lios a melau sefal! Meipung, a mahan sefal!
Hawaiian - Ua ala hou ´o kristo! Ua ala ´i ´o no ´oia!
Basque - Cristo Berbistua! Benatan Berbistua!
Dravidian languages
Malayalam - (Christu uyirthezhunnettu! Theerchayayum uyirthezhunnettu!)
Eskimo-Aleut languages
Aleut - Kristus aq ungwektaq! Pichinuq ungwektaq!
Yupik - Xris-tusaq Ung-uixtuq! Iluumun Ung-uixtuq!
Japanese - ハリストス復活!実に復活! (Harisutosu fukkatsu! Jitsu ni fukkatsu!)
Korean - (Kristo Gesso! Buhar ha sho Nay!)
Na-Dené languages
Athabaskan languages
Navajo - Christ daaztsáádéé’ náádiidzáá! T’áá aaníí, daaztsáádéé’ náádiidzáá!
Tlingit - Xristos Kuxwoo-digoot! Xegaa-kux Kuxwoo-digoot!
Niger-Congo languages
Luganda Kristo Ajukkide! Kweli Ajukkide!
Swahili - Kristo Amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka!
Quechuan Languages
Quechua - Cristo causarimpunña! Ciertopuni causarimpunña!
Afro-Asiatic languages
Semitic languages
Central Semitic languages
Aramaic languages
Syriac - (Meshiha qam! Bashrira qam!)
South Central Semitic languages
Arabic languages
Arabic (Fus’hah, i.e., “standard” ) - (Al-Masih-Qam! Hakkan Qam!)
Maltese - Kristu qam! Huwa qam tassew!
Canaanite languages
Hebrew (modern) - (Ha Masheeha houh kam! A ken kam!)
South Semitic languages
Ethiopian languages
North Ethiopian languages
Tigrigna - (Christos tensiou! Bahake tensiou!)
South Ethiopian languages
Amharic - (Kristos Tenestwal! Bergit Tenestwal!)
Sino-Tibetan languages
Mandarin - 基督復活了 他確實復活了 (Jidu fuhuo-le! Ta queshi fuhuo-le!)
South Caucasian languages
Georgian - ქრისტე აღსდგა! ჭეშმარიტად აღსდგა!(Kriste aghsdga! Cheshmaritad aghsdga!)
Uralic languages
Estonian - Kristus on ülestõusnud! Tõesti on ülestõusnud!
Finnish - Kristus nousi kuolleista! Totisesti nousi!
Hungarian - Krisztus feltámadt! Valóban feltámadt!
A Nigerian language (of many spoken there) - Jésu Krísti Ébilíwõ! Ézia õ´ Bilíwõ!
Constructed languages
Esperanto - Kristo leviĝis! Vere Li leviĝis!
Quenya - (Ortanne Laivino! Anwa ortanne Laivino!)
http://anestixristos.blogspot.gr/2009/04/blog-post_19.html
Σάββατο 20 Απριλίου 2024
When the God became a human
Δευτέρα 8 Απριλίου 2024
Passionately Drunk
Fr. Stephen Freeman
The Philokalia, that wonderful collection of writings by the fathers on prayer of the heart, has as its full title, The Philokalia of the Neptic Saints gathered from our Holy Theophoric Fathers, through which, by means of the philosophy of ascetic practice and contemplation, the intellect is purified, illumined, and made perfect. Little wonder it is known popularly as the Philokalia. That word, Philokalia, means “the love of beautiful things.” It is not a reference to expensive, decorative items, but to the things which are made beautiful by their union with God. All things are beautiful inasmuch as they are united to God, Who is Beauty itself.
Another important word in the title is the adjective, “Neptic” (νηπτικός). It has a variety of translations: sober, watchful, vigilant. It refers to those who, having their earthly senses purified, have become truly aware of God and dwell in Him. This title is especially used to describe the fathers of the Hesychast tradition in Orthodoxy, the tradition of ceaseless prayer and inner stillness associated with the monastic life.
To describe these fathers as “sober,” is very insightful. For our experience with the passions, the disordered desires of our body and soul, is often an experience of drunkenness.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him (1 Thess. 5:7-10).
The man who is drunk is famously unaware of his surroundings. He stumbles physically, mentally and spiritually, barely aware of his own imbalance. The passions have the same ability to blind us. In anger we are aware primarily of our own anger. What we see, we see through the haze of the energy that pulses through our mind and body.
All of the passions have this property. They consume us and become the primary lens through which we see the world and with which we react. Thus we are described as in “delusion.” Those who see the world through their passions do not see the truth of things. They see their own passions.
There is a social aspect to the passions – they are not restricted to an individual’s experience. Whole societies, or significant segments within it, can be drunk with the same passions. Thus a whole society can be drunk with the passion of fear or hatred. Such a passion is reinforced by being repeatedly affirmed by those around us. Many aspects of culture are simply a communion of the passions.
We live in an age where the passions are carefully studied and used as the objects of marketing. Those things that are sold to us (even those that supposedly appeal to our intellect) are marketed to our passions. Apple computer famously researches the “feel” of its packaging, presenting a sensual experience that is associated with quality, precision and value. It is a successful strategy across the whole of our culture.
However, those who are “drunk” with the passions also yield themselves as victims to their intoxication. Political parties pour massive amounts of money into their campaigns simply to create and nurture the passions by which people vote. We are not governed by reason or informed decisions. Most of what you or I think about political subjects is a description of the passions to which we are enslaved. The political cynicism of many is, to a degree, a recognition of our disgust with the politics of passion.
By the same token, most of the opinions we nurture are equally the product of our passions. We think, we believe, we decide, we act largely in accord with the passions to which we are enthralled. Theological debates are generally arguments between one person’s passions and another’s. It is a conversation between drunks.
And so the Church values the holy, sober fathers. These are the men and women who have walked the narrow way of salvation, “putting to death the deeds of the body.” Inner stillness is the state of freedom from disordered passions. The neptic fathers do not cease to desire (they are not Buddhists). But their desires have been purified and healed – restored to proper order. Sobriety means desiring the right thing in the right way at the right time. Traditionally, this purification and healing come as a result of a life of repentance, fasting and prayer. It slays demons and heals the wounds of the soul. All things are brought into obedience to Christ.
It is the life that Scripture enjoins:
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he my devour. Rsist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world (1 Peter 5:8-9).
There is a story in the Desert Fathers that illustrates such vigilance. A community of monks once heard a rumor that one of their number was harboring a woman in his cell. They went to the elder and complained. While they became yet more agitated, the elder slipped away to the cell of the erring monk. Finding the woman there, he hid her in a large earthen vessel. He placed the lid on the vessel and sat on it. Soon the angry monks arrived at the cell and began to search for the woman. Out of respect for the elder they overlooked the vessel on which he was sitting. Finding nothing, they apologized to the erring monk and left. The elder, rose from his seat and said to the monk, “Pay attention to yourself.”
It is a call to sobriety. The angry monks were drunk with their own self-righteousness. Their sin was at least as great as the erring monk. The elder alone was sober. His sobriety hid the sin of a man from those who would have harmed him, and revealed the sin to the one who needed to be healed. The word of healing was kind and without judgment. “Pay attention to yourself.” It is the simple word of St. Peter, “Be sober.”
For all of us, in every moment of the day with regard to all things and all people, it is good to pay proper attention to ourselves.
This prayer of St. Isaac of Syria, great among the neptic fathers, is one of my favorites:
I knock at the door of Thy compassion, Lord: send aid to my scattered impulses which are drunk with the multitude of the passions and the power of darkness.
Thou canst see my sores hidden within me: stir up contrition – though not corresponding to the weight of my sins, for if I receive full awareness of the extent of my sins, Lord, my soul would be consumed by the bitter pain from them.
Assist my feeble stirrings on the path to true repentance, and may I find relief from the vehemence of sins through the contrition that comes of Thy gift, for without the power of Thy grace I am quite unable to enter within myself, become aware of my stains, and so, at the sight of them, be able to be still from great distraction.
Σάββατο 30 Μαρτίου 2024
Μητροπολίτης Καμεροὺν Γρηγόριος: Θεὸς καὶ ἄνθρωποι στὸν Παγκόσμιο Νότο
Η Σοφία Χατζή στη νέα εκπομπή του Αντιφώνου "Δια-σταυρούμενοι" συζητά με τον Σεβ. Μητροπολίτη Καμερούν κ. Γρηγόριο.
Στον ταλαιπωρημένο Νότο στο Καμερούν, οι πρώτοι χριστιανοί ζουν στην εποχή των πράξεων των Αποστόλων. Στην οδοιπορία τους βοηθούν άνθρωποι που κινδυνεύουν από ελονοσία, παράδοξες νοοτροπίες και δύσκολες συνθήκες διαβίωσης.
Επισκεφθείτε, παρακαλώ, και: Orthodox Cameroon, Cameroon
Digital Books about the Orthodox Church, Faith, Worship and Life
Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiries (photo from here)
-
2. Tradition and Traditions by Archmandrite Barnabas Lambropoulos. A booklet that reveals the lameness of the heretic Protestant dogma that asserts that the Holy Bible alone is the source of the Christian faith, and that the Holy Tradition of the Church must be rejected. This booklet was written in response to a misleading and fictitious Pentecostal book.
-
3. Dogmatics Rev. John Zizioulas Metropolitan of Pergamus. A special publication containing lessons that pertain to the Dogmatics of the Orthodox Church, in a concise and useful form, for Theology students.
-
4. Ecumenism - Book by the Holy Monastery of the Paraclete. The idea of unification moves every sensitive Christian soul and resounds its innermost desires. This is precisely the idea that Ecumenism has also appropriated. But this unifying vision –a par excellence spiritual vision- is mainly reliant on human efforts and not the energy of the Holy Spirit.
-
5. In Search of the Truth Book by Nicholas Mavromagoulos. A composite biography that narrates ACTUAL EVENTS AND THE ACTUAL PERSONS INVOLVED, exactly as they occurred. A book that you must read, before you decide to join the Watchtower organization!
-
6. Why I Converted to the orthodox faith Book by G. PAP. The story of a former Jesuit priest.
-
7. Romanity, or Barbarity? Book by Anastasios Philippides. The historical problems of the Roman Empire, Hellenism and the West.
-
8. PATRISTIC THEOLOGY Fr. John Romanides. Transcript of taperecorded lectures of Father John Romanides at the Thessaloniki University’s School of Theology.
-
9. ‘’I CONFESS ONE BAPTISM…’’ By Protopresbyter George D. Metallinos. Interpretation and Application Of Canon VII of the Second Ecumenical Council. By the Kollyvades and Constantine Oikonomos (A contribution to the historic-canonical evaluation of the problem of the validity of Western baptism).
-
10. Eucharist, Bishop, Church: The Unity of the Church in the Divine Eucharist and the Bishop during the First Three Centuries - By Professor Metropolitan of Pergamus and Chairman of the Athens Academy I. Zizioulas. Historical evidence on the Administration and the evolution of the Church during the three first centuries.
-
11. UNIA: The Face and the Disguise By Protopresbyter George D. Metallinos
-
12. Elder Porphyrios - Testimonies and Experiences - By Klitos Ioannides
-
13. The Jesus Prayer - by fr. Lev Gillet
-
14. "Unity", "Division", "Reunion" in the light of Orthodox Ecclesiology - by fr. Alexander Schmemann
-
15. The Spiritual Father: Spiritual paternity in the light of Orthodox Tradition
-
16. Five types of Religious lives - One of the essays included in Essential Writings: Mother Maria Skobtsova
-
17. The Power of the Name - By Bishop Kallistos Ware of Diokleia
-
18. The Papacy: Its Historic Origin and Primitive Relations with the Eastern Churches - by Abbé Guettée
-
19. Baptism by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament - by N.Mavromagoulos
-
20. The Fall of Orthodox England - by V.Ross
-
21. The Way (An Introduction to the Orthodox Faith) - by Protopresbyter George Metallinos
-
22. The Impact of Orthodox Psychotherapeutic Interventions on Depressive Symptomatology - by Dr. Z.Vujisic
-
23. The Clash between Orthodox Patristic Theology and Franco-Latin Tradition
-
24. Sola Scriptura - by Fr. John Whiteford
-
25. My Exodus from Roman Catholicism - by His Grace Bishop of Nazianzus Paul de Ballester
-
26. The Contribution of Saint Gregory Palamas to Hesychasm - by Dr. Dimitrios Tselengides
-
29. Basic Dogmatic Teaching - An Orthodox Handbook - by Fr. Anthony Alevizopoulos
-
33. Understanding the Orthodox Liturgy - by the Very Reverend Michel Najim and T.L.Frazier
-
35. BISHOPS: HISTORY AND ORIGINS IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH - by Fr. Thomas Hopko
-
36. In Defence Of The Holy Icons (book)
-
37. THE JESUS PRAYER AND ITS APPLICATION (book) - by Archimandrite Arsenios Katerelos
-
38. APOSTOLIC MESSAGES (book) - by Fr. George D. Metallinos - English translation 2021
-
39. THE CHRONICLE OF THE FALL (book) - by Fr. George Prouzos - 2021 Edition
-
40. THEODICY AND THE PRESENCE OF EVIL IN OUR WORLD - by Abbot Arsenios Katerelos
Book Presentations
-
Empirical Dogmatics by Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos
-
The intercessions of the Saints by Hypodeacon Claude Lopez-Ginisty
-
Storky's Adventures (educative children's book) by Maria Dimitriadou
Holy Bible
· Old Testament (Compressed .zip format)
· New Testament (Compressed .zip format)