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Ecumenism, Orthodoxy and Heresy
Elder Philotheos Zervakos
Ecumenism Orthodoxy and Heresy
Rise up Chrysostomes, Gregories, Germanuses, Tarasiuses,
Nikifori,
Fotii and the rest, the old and recent Holy Patriarchs of
Constantinople, who sacrificed yourselves for your flocks, to see who
is on your throne. You, like the good shepherds have sacrificed your
souls for your own sheep, while the present ones sacrifice their sheep
for themselves and they open the door and invite the wolves to come in
and destroy the flock.
When
has a Patriarch fallen in such a slide, that he voluntarily struggles
to deliver his flock to the wolves to be torn apart? The cause is
pride, the root and cause of all sins, all the evil, all heresies,
calamities and sorrows and even greater than the calamities and
unhappiness, the deprivation of God's grace.
The
wolf shepherds, false teachers, false prophets and false christs, were
expelled from Christ's flock and as unrepentant , they were placed
under everlasting anathemas by the Holy Fathers, the imitators of the
Chief Shepherd Christ and His followers, the good, true and divine shepherds, the preservers of the decent and holy seven
Ecumenical Synods.
The
Orthodox Church is not used to innovations like the Westerners and the
Protestants, who after their separation and without ceasing have taken
up to perform innovations or reforms, to such a disrespectful and
insane degree to innovate all the mysteries and holy tradition and
deleting many....
There
are two reasons that make the present day Arch-hierarchs to innovate
and reform the Church, first pride, which makes most of the hierarchs,
save some, to believe they are wiser that the Holy Fathers, and
secondly gluttony and love of self. By most of them becoming, lovers of
the flesh, they were abandoned by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
If the Patriarch, does not accept but rejects the suggestions of the Government
of
the Holy Synod, Arch-hierarchs, priests and lay followers, and insists
on the union (of the Churches), then he should be renounced. For in
case they do not oppose but retreat and say that they will follow the
Patriarch, then there would be a far reaching destruction. Then I would
have nothing else to say but woe to the Orthodox Church of Greece. Woe
and to the Greek nation. For it shall be immeasurably worse than the
subjugation to the Muslim and the false prophet Mohammed.
If
the Pope wishes the union, let him recognize and confess all his
deceits, heresies and innovations made by various Popes from the
beginning and over a period of time, having separated themselves from
the Orthodox Church, he will be received only if he repents, cries
bitterly and humbles himself.
If
they do not reject pride, both Patriarch and Pope, and do not humble
themselves, imitating our Lord, not only would they not succeed but
instead they will increase the separation and they will create many
scandals, disturbances, confusions and great damage to and loss of
their flocks. If they would imitate the Lord and humble themselves the
union will succeed, they will benefit themselves and their flocks and
the name of the Father in Heaven will be glorified through them like
through the Apostles, for the "Lord opposes the proud and raises the
humble".
Papism is the forerunner of the anti-christ.
Orthodoxy
was firmed up by the Holy Apostles and the enacting Fathers through the
seven Ecumenical Synods, while illumined by the Holy Spirit.
Papism
is the forerunner of the antichrist, for the Pope having been captured
by arrogance and conceit, and wishing to have the highest authority of
the Church and State, he tore the Church of Christ.
The
Pope worshipers have fallen in many false beliefs and heresies
modifying the mysteries of the Orthodox Church. Instead of the baptism
they are sprinkling, instead of the mystery of communion they have
Jewish unleavened bread. They got rid of the fasts and even the holy
oil, nor can they perform blessings by sprinkling with holy water
because they are excommunicated and thus their blessing does not hold.
I
would not refrain to mention something I witnessed myself when I went
to the Holy Mountain for pilgrimage. When the Emperor Constantine
Michael and Patriarch Vekkos who were Pope worshipers went to the Holy
Mountain during the period 1170-1200,they were pressing the monks to
receive the Papism and to co-celebrate with the papists. Those that had accepted and
co-celebrated, their bodies remained incorrupt but give off a foul
odour. Those that refused to co-celebrate and were killed by the
papists, their relics give off a pleasant odour. I wish through the
grace of the Holy Spirit to enlighten your mind, to give you strength
and reject the dream of deceit and languish and return to the bosom of
the Church.
"If the present Hierarchs do not accept the decisions, the Canons and
the traditions given by the divine Apostles and Holy Fathers of the
Church but ignore them, who would then respect their own? "
The
Church and State and their leaders of the present evil days, sleep the
heaviest sleep of negligence and laziness, and if they do not wake up,
as well as the clergy and the people to repentance in the service of
God's commandments, of the virtues and good works, they will have to
answer during the great judgment and will be punished.
Hold fast to your faith.
Hold
onto your faith firmly and remain immovable on the traditions of the
Divine Fathers, for we have arrived at the age that even the strong in
faith are lost. Toil by studying and learning, for everything good is
achieved with hard work and suffering. We shall not feel the labourl of
virtue when we consider the clouds of martyrs and saints and in the future we shall be glorified.
How
happy and blessed we shall be, if through a little toil we shall be
judged worthy to camp in the lovely camps of Paradise and inherit the
goods of the Heavenly Kingdom of God. Amen.
The
apostle Paul, the mouth of Christ, commands: "Do not communicate in the
works of sterile darkness that you may not become controlled. In cases where our Orthodox Faith is ignored or
slandered, it is permissible to check it and have just anger, most
justifiable, but silence is not permissible. But the checking must be
done with discernment and prudence not with disturbance and anger, but
with divine anger. God does not give up His Church and to those who
fight her He will humble them and they will be smashed like a ceramic
roof, but those who hold their Orthodox faith and confession till
death, shall be blessed.
I
bless you from the heart to never be timid in your struggles, even if
you see the enemies of the Church becoming stronger....The one that
struggles for the Orthodox faith and for our holy Church has the
Almighty God for an ally, while the one that struggles for deceit has
the ever cunning devil for ally, the weak master of darkness, of lies
and all heresies, fallacies and wickedness. There is nothing more
honourable, modest and holier when one struggles for the faith. And if
while struggling he is killed by the enemies, without bending, he is
the brightest victor and he will receive the trophy of the call above
and the heavenly crown. So fight for the faith and struggle until
death, to become worthy heir of the Kingdom of Heaven.
In
the present time, when the Church is attacked in many ways and means by
many and diverse fighters, your effort in confronting and combating
will succeed, with God's help and will save some from to- day's flood
of sin.
I
congratulate you for your zeal for the dissemination of the Christian
truths and for the benefit of the Christians. We should know that
according to the toil and willingness each one works, rewards will be
given by the wage giver Christ. While there is time, let us work
spiritually and sow with labour so that we may reap in peace.
Elder Philotheos Zervakos
Ecumenism, Orthodoxy and Heresy
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Tuesday, 09 Feb, 2010 Νικηφόρου μάρτυρος, Μαρκέλλου ιερομάρτυρος, Παγκρατίου και Φιλαγρίου των επισκόπων. |
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