Sayings of The Holy Fathers:

"If you wish to correct anyone from his faults, do not think of correcting him solely by your own means: you would only do harm by your own passions, for instance, by pride and by the irritability arising from it; 'but cast thy burden upon the Lord,' (Ps. 55:22) and pray to God 'Who trieth the hearts and reins,' (Ps. 7:9) with all your heart, that He Himself may enlighten the mind and heart of that man."

St. Gregory Palamas

[On Prayer and Purity of Heart no. 3, The Philokalia Vol. 4 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pgs 344-345]

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'A faithful friend is beyond price' (Eccles. 6:15), since he regards his friend's misfortunes as his own and suffers with him, sharing his trials until death."

St. Maximos the Confessor
[Fourth Century on Love, Philokalia, Vol. 2]

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"Mortality, therefore, derived from the nature of irrational creatures, was by special dispensation made the clothing of the nature created for immortality. It enveloped its outward but no its inward part; it affected the sentient part of man, but did not touch the divine image itself. The sentient part is dissolved, but it is not destroyed. For destruction means passing into non-being, whereas dissolution means diffusion once more into those elements of the world from which the thing was constituted. When this happens, the thing has not perished even though it may elude apprehension by our senses."

St. Gregory of Nyssa.

On Matthew 7:1-8. "Judge Not"

HOMILIES OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, EXCERPT FROM HOMILY XXIII.

MATTHEW
CHAPTER 7:1-8

Ver. 1. "Judge not, that ye be not judged."

WHAT then? Ought we not to blame them that sin? Because Paul also saith this selfsame thing: or rather, there too it is Christ, speaking by Paul, and saying, "Why dost thou judge thy brother? And thou, why dost thou set at nought thy brother?" and, "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?" And again, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord Come."

How then doth He say elsewhere, "Reprove, rebuke, exhort," and, "Them that sin rebuke before all?" And Christ too to Peter, "Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone," and "if he neglect to hear, add to thyself another also; and if not even so doth he yield, declare it to the church likewise?" And how hath He set over us so many to reprove; and not only to reprove, but also to punish? For him that hearkens to none of these, He hath commanded to be "as a heathen man and a publican." And how gave He them the keys also? since if they are not to judge, they will be without authority in any matter, and in vain have they received the power to bind and to loose.

And besides, if this were to obtain, all would be lost alike, whether in churches, or in states, or in houses. For except the master judge the servant, and the mistress the maid, and the father the son, and friends one another, there will be an increase of all wickedness. And why say I, friends? Unless we judge our enemies, we shall never be able to put an end to our enmity, but all things will be turned upside down.

What then can the saying be? Let us carefully attend, lest the medicines of salvation, and the laws of peace, be accounted by any man laws of overthrow and confusion. First of all, then, even by what follows, He hath pointed out to them that have understanding the excellency of this law, saying, "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? "

But if to many of the less attentive, it seem yet rather obscure, I will endeavor to explain it from the beginning. In this place, then, as it seems at least to me, He doth not simply command us not to judge any of men's sins, neither doth He simply forbid the doing of such a thing, but to them that are full of innumerable ills, and are trampling upon other men for trifles. And I think that certain Jews too are here hinted at, for that while they were bitter accusing their neighbors for small faults, and such as came to nothing, they were themselves insensibly committing deadly sins. Herewith towards the end also He was upbraiding them, when He said, "Ye bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, but ye will not move them with your finger," and, "ye pay tithe of mint and anise, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."

Well then, I think that these are comprehended in His invective; that He is checking them beforehand as to those things, wherein they were hereafter to accuse His disciples. For although His disciples had been guilty of no such sin, yet in them were supposed to be offenses; as, for instance, not keeping the sabbath, eating with unwashen hands, sitting at meat with publicans; of which He saith also in another place, "Ye which strain at the gnat, and swallow the camel." But yet it is also a general law that He is laying down on these matters.

And the Corinthians too Paul did not absolutely command not to judge, but not to judge their own superiors, and upon grounds that are not acknowledged; not absolutely to refrain from correcting them that sin. Neither indeed was He then rebuking all without distinction, but disciples doing so to their teachers were the object of His reproof; and they who, being guilty of innumerable sins, bring an evil report upon the guiltless.

This then is the sort of thing which Christ also in this place intimated; not intimated merely, but guarded it too with a great terror, and the punishment from which no prayers can deliver.

Ver.2. "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

That is, "it is not the other," saith Christ, "that thou condemnest, but thyself, and thou art making the judgment-seat dreadful to thyself, and the account strict." As then in the forgiveness of our sins the beginnings are from us, so also in this judgment, it is by ourselves that the measures of our condemnation are laid down. You see, we ought not to upbraid nor trample upon them, but to admonish; not to revile, but to advise; not to assail with pride, but to correct with tenderness. For not him, but thyself, dost thou give over to extreme vengeance, by not sparing him, when it may be needful to give sentence on his offenses.

Seest thou, how these two commandments are both easy, and fraught with great blessings to the obedient, even as of evils on the other hand, to the regardless? For both he that forgives his neighbor, hath freed himself first of the two from the grounds of complaint, and that without any labor; and he that with tenderness and indulgence inquires into other men's offenses, great is the allowance of pardon, which he hath by his judgment laid up beforehand for himself.

"What then!" say you: "if one commit fornication, may I not say that fornication is a bad thing, nor at all correct him that is playing the wanton?" Nay, correct him, but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a penalty, but as a physician providing medicines. For neither did Christ say, "stay not him that is sinning," but "judge not"; that is, be not bitter in pronouncing sentence.

And besides, it is not of great things as I have already observed, nor of things prohibited, that this is said, but of those which are not even counted offenses. Wherefore He said also,

Ver. 3 - 4. "Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?"

Yea, for many now do this; if they see but a monk wearing an unnecessary garment, they produce against him the law of our Lord, while they themselves are extorting without end, and defrauding men every day. If they see him but partaking rather largely of food, they become bitter accusers, while they themselves are daily drinking to excess and surfeiting: not knowing, that besides their own sins, they do hereby gather up for themselves a greater flame, and deprive themselves of every plea. For on this point, that thine own doings must be strictly inquired into, thou thyself hast first made the law, by thus sentencing those of thy neighbor. Account it not then to be a grievous thing, if thou art also thyself to undergo the same kind of trial.

Ver. 5. "Thou hypocrite, "

Here His will is to signify the great wrath, which He hath against them that do such things. For so, wheresoever He would indicate that the sin is great, and the punishment and wrath in store for it grievous, He begins with a reproach. As then unto him that was exacting the hundred pence, He said in His deep displeasure, "Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt;"even so here also, "Thou hypocrite." For not of protecting care comes such a judgment, but of ill will to man; and while a man puts forward a mask of benevolence, he is doing a work of the utmost wickedness, causing reproaches without ground, and accusations, to cleave unto his neighbors, and usurping a teacher's rank, when he is not worthy to be so much as a disciple. On account of this He called him "hypocrite." For thou, who in other men's doings art so bitter, as to see even the little things; how hast thou become so remiss in thine own, as that even the great things are hurried over by thee?

Ver. 5. (continued) "First cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Seest thou, that He forbids not judging, but commands to cast out first the beam from thine eye, and then to set right the doings of the rest of the world? For indeed each one knows his own things better than those of others; and sees the greater rather than the less; and loves himself more than his neighbor. Wherefore, if thou doest it out of guardian care, I bid thee care for thyself first, in whose case the sin is both more certain and greater. But if thou neglect thyself, it is quite evident that neither dost thou judge thy brother in care for him, but in hatred, and wishing to expose him. For what if he ought to be judged? It should be by one who commits no such sin, not by thee.

Thus, because He had introduced great and high doctrines of self denial, lest any man should say, it is easy so to practise it in words; He willing to signify His entire confidence, and that He was not chargeable with any of the things that had been mentioned, but had duly fulfilled all, spake this parable. And that, because He too was afterwards to judge, saying, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites." Yet was not he chargeable with what hath been mentioned; for neither did He pull out a mote, nor had He a beam on His eyes, but being clean from all these, He so corrected the faults of all. "For it is not at all meet," saith He, "to judge others, when one is chargeable with the same things." And why marvel at His establishing this law, when even the very thief knew it upon the cross, saying to the other thief, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing we are in the same condemnation;" expressing the same sentiments with Christ?

But thou, so far from casting out thine own beam, dost not even see it, but another's mote thou not only seest, but also judgest, and essayest to cast it out; as if any one seized with a grievous dropsy, or indeed with any other incurable disease, were to neglect this, and find fault with another who was neglecting a slight swelling. And if it be an evil not to see one's own sins, it is a twofold and threefold evil to be even sitting in judgment on others, while men themselves, as if past feeling, are bearing about beams in their own eyes: since no beam is so heavy as sin.
His injunction therefore in these words is as follows, that he who is chargeable with countless evil deeds, should not be a bitter censor of other men's offenses, and especially when these are trifling. He is not overthrowing reproof nor correction, but forbidding men to neglect their own faults, and exult over those of other men.

For indeed this was a cause of men's going unto great vice, bringing in a twofold wickedness. For he, whose practice it had been to slight his own faults, great as they were, and to search bitterly into those of others, being slight and of no account, was spoiling himself two ways: first, by thinking lightly of his own faults; next, by incurring enmities and feuds with all men, and training himself every day to extreme fierceness, and want of feeling for others.

Having then put away all these things, by this His excellent legislation, He added yet another charge, saying,

Ver.6. "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine."


"Yet surely further on," it will be said, "He commanded, "What ye have heard in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops." But this is in no wise contrary to the former. For neither in that place did He simply command to tell all men, but to whom it should be spoken, to them He bade speak with freedom. And by "dogs" here He figuratively described them that are living in incurable ungodliness, and affording no hope of change for the better; and by "swine," them that abide continually in an unchaste life, all of whom He hath pronounced unworthy of hearing such things. Paul also, it may be observed, declared this when He said, "But a natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishness unto him." And in many other places too He saith that corruption of life is the cause of men's not receiving the more perfect doctrines. Wherefore He commands not to open the doors to them; for indeed they become more insolent after learning. For as to the well-disposed and intelligent, things appear venerable when revealed, so to the insensible, when they are unknown rather. "Since then from their nature, they are not able to learn them, "let the thing be hidden," saith He, "that at least for ignorance they may reverence them. For neither doth the swine know at all what a pearl is. Therefore since he knows not, neither let him see it, lest he trample under foot what he knows not."

For nothing results, beyond greater mischief to them that are so disposed when they hear; for both the holy things are profaned by them, not knowing what they are; and they are the more lifted up and armed against us. For this is meant by,

Ver. 6. (continued) "lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."

Nay, "surely," saith one, "they ought to be so strong as to remain equally impregnable after men's learning them, and not to yield to other people occasions against us." But it is not the things that yield it, but that these men are swine; even as when the pearl is trampled under foot, it is not so trampled, because it is really contemptible, but because it fell among swine.
And full well did He say, "turn again and rend you:" for they feign gentleness, so as to be taught: then after they have learnt, quite changing from one sort to another, they jeer, mock and deride us, as deceived persons. Therefore Paul also said to Timothy, "Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words;" and again in another place, "From such turn away," and, "A man that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject.''

It is not, you see, that those truths furnish them with armor, but they become fools in this way of their own accord, being filled with more willfulness. On this account it is no small gain for them to abide in ignorance, for so they are not such entire scorners. But if they learn, the mischief is twofold. For neither will they themselves be at all profited thereby, but rather the more damaged, and to thee they will cause endless difficulties.

Let them hearken, who shamelessly associate with all, and make the awful things contemptible. For the mysteries we too therefore celebrate with closed doors, and keep out the uninitiated, not for any weakness of which we have convicted our rites, but because the many are as yet imperfectly prepared for them. For this very reason He Himself also discoursed much unto the Jews in parables, "because they seeing saw not." For this, Paul likewise commanded "to know how we ought to answer every man."

Ver. 7 - 8 . "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

For inasmuch as He had enjoined things great and marvellous, and had commanded men to be superior to all their passions, and had led them up to Heaven itself, and had enjoined them to strive after the resemblance, not of angels and archangels, butas far as was possible) of the very Lord of all; and had bidden His disciples not only themselves duly to perform all this, but also to correct others, and to distinguish between the evil and them that are not such, the dogs and them that are not dogs although there be much that is hidden in men) that they might not say, "these things are grievous and intolerable,"for indeed in the sequel Peter did utter some such things, saying, "Who can be saved?" and again, "If the case of the man be so, it is not good to marry" in order therefore that they might not now likewise say so; as in the first place even by what had gone before He had proved it all to be easy, setting down many reasons one upon another, of power to persuade men: so after all He adds also the pinnacle of all facility, devising as no ordinary relief to our toils, the assistance derived from persevering prayers. Thus, we are not ourselves, saith He, to strive alone, but also to invoke the help from above: and it will surely come and be present with us, and will aid us in our struggles, and make all easy. Therefore He both commanded us to ask, and pledged Himself to the giving.

However, not simply to ask did He command us, but with much assiduity and earnestness. For this is the meaning of "seek." For so he that seeks, putting all things out of his mind, is taken up with that alone which is sought, and forms no idea of any of the persons present. And this which I am saying they know, as many as have lost either gold, or servants, and are seeking diligently after them.

By "seeking," then, He declared this; by "knocking," that we approach with earnestness and a glowing mind.

Despond not therefore, O man, nor show less of zeal about virtue, than they do of desire for wealth. For things of that kind thou hast often sought and not found, but nevertheless, though thou know this, that thou art not sure to find them, thou puttest in motion every mode of search; but here, although having a promise that thou wilt surely receive, thou dost not show even the smallest part of that earnestness. And if thou dost not receive straightway, do not even thus despair. For to this end He said, "knock," to signify that even if He should not straightway open the door, we are to continue there.

Daily Reading:

Saturday June 19th/July 2nd
Second Week After Pentecost

Apostles Fast

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In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit:

Illumine my heart, O Master who lovest mankind, with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open Thou the eyes of my mind to the understanding of Thy Gospel teachings. Implant also in me a love for Thy blessed commandments. Grant me the grace to overcome all my carnal desires, so that I may enter more completely into a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing such things as are well pleasing to Thee. For Thou art the illumination of our souls and bodies, O Christ our God, and unto Thee do we ascribe glory, together with Thine all-holy, good and life-creating Spirit; now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, open Thou the eyes of my heart, that I may hear Thy word and understand and do Thy will, for I am a sojourner upon the earth. Hide not Thy commandments from me, but open mine eyes, that I may perceive the wonders of Thy law. Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of Thy wisdom. On Thee do I set my hope, O my God, that Thou shalt enlighten my mind and understanding with the light of Thy knowledge, not only to cherish those things which are written, but to do them; that in reading the lives and sayings of the Saints I may not sin, but that such may serve for my restoration, enlightenment and sanctification, for the salvation of my soul, and the inheritance of life everlasting. For Thou art the enlightenment of those who lie in darkness, and from Thee cometh every good deed and every gift. Amen.

By the intercessions of Thine All-immaculate Mother and of all Thy Saints, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen

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Saturday

LITURGY

Romans 3:19-26

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Matthew 7:1-8

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. "

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HOLY APOSTLE JUDE, THE LORD'S BROTHER
ST PAISIUS THE GREAT OF EGYPT
ST JOHN THE WONDERWORKER OF SHANGHAI AND SAN FRANCISCO

Troparion of the Apostle Jude Tone 1
We know thee as Christ's kinsman and martyr/ and praise thee with holy chant./ O Apostle Jude, thou didst trample on error/ and preserve the Faith./ As today we celebrate thy memory,/ through thy prayers may our sins be forgiven.

Troparion of St Paisius Tone 4
The sublime monk and incarnate angel,/ the bodiless man and citizen of heaven/ grants grace to all who honour him/ as today he celebrates with us./ Let us fervently ascribe glory to him.

Troparion to St John Tone 6
Glorious apostle to an age of coldness and unbelief,/ invested with the grace-filled power of the saints of old,/ divinely illumined seer of heavenly mysteries,/ feeder of orphans, hope of the hopeless,/ thou didst enkindle on earth the fire of love for Christ/ upon the dark eve of the day of judgement./ Pray now that this sacred flame/ may also rise from our hearts.

Kontakion of the Apostle Jude Tone 1
Thou hast sprung as a divine branch from a noble root, O Apostle and Brother of God,/ wise herald of Christ and the Lord's eye-witness,/ thou hast nourished the world with thy words/ and as the Lord's initiate thou dost teach the Orthodox Faith.

Kontakion of the Apostle Barnabas Tone 3
Thou wast the Lord's servant and the first of the Seventy,/ and thy preaching shone with Paul's./ Thou didst proclaim Christ the Savior to all,/ O Barnabas./ Wherefore we celebrate thy memory with hymns.

Kontakion of St Paisius Tone 8
Let us the faithful sing praises to divinely-wise Paisius/ the desert's adornment, equal-to-the-Angels, Christ's friend and the glory of monks./ Let us cry to him: Rejoice, O Father Paisius.

Kontakion of St John Tone 8
Chosen wonderworker and superb servant of Christ/ who pourest out in the latter times/ inexhaustible streams of inspiration and multitude of miracles,/ we praise thee with love and call out to thee:/ Rejoice, holy Hierarch John, wonderworker of the latter times.

Sayings of The Holy Fathers:

Never confuse the person, formed in the image of God, with the evil that is in him; because evil is but a chance misfortune, an illness, a devilish reverie. But the very essence of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him despite every disfigurement.

St. John of Kronstadt

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"Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation. You can see for yourself how terrible it is."

St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

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"For it suits the old man to seek the present world, to love transitory things through desire, to raise the mind in pride, not to have patience, to ponder through pain of spite on the injury of a neighbor, not to give one's goods to the poor and to seek those of others to multiply one's own, to esteem no one solely on God's account, to render enmity to enmity, to rejoice in a neighbor's affliction. All these are attributes of the old man and plainly derive from the root of corruption. But he who surmounts these things, and at the precepts of the Lord changes his mind to kindness, of him it is rightly said: 'The old things are passed away. Behold, all things are made new.'"

St. Gregory the Great

Sayings of The Holy Fathers:

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?' Paul's words are thoroughly persuasive and awe-inspiring. What he is saying is this: `What is in the cup is what flowed from Christ's side; that is what we share in.' He has called it a cup of blessing, because when we have it in our hands we praise Christ in wonder and astonishment at His unspeakable gift, by blessing Him for pouring out this very cup to free us from error; and not only for pouring it out but also for allowing us all to share in it. So Christ is saying to us: `If you want blood, do not make the altar of idols red with the blood of irrational beasts; let is be My altar with My Blood.' What could be more awesome, what more profoundly loving that that?"

St. John Chrysostom.

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"All Scripture, then, is given by inspiration of God and is also assuredly profitable. Wherefore to search the Scriptures is a work most fair and most profitable for souls. For just as the tree planted by the channels of waters, so also the soul watered by the divine Scripture is enriched and gives fruit in its season, viz. orthodox belief, and is adorned with evergreen leafage, I mean, actions pleasing to God. For through the Holy Scriptures we are trained to action that is pleasing to God."

St. John of Damascus.

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'Try to turn your whole life into service to God; if you are reading anything at home, begin this work by a short fervent prayer that God may teach you and make you wise in faith and piety and in the careful accomplishment of your duties; never read idly, in order to pass the time; by thus doing you lower the word, which should serve entirely for our salvation, and not for idle words, nor as a means for pleasure and spending time agreeably. If you talk to your neighbor, speak reasonably, prudently, instructively, edifyingly; avoid idle speaking as the poison of a serpent, remembering that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment (Matt. 12:36) - that is, they shall hear the just sentence of the Judge. If you are teaching children, your own or those of others, turn this work into God's service, teaching them zealously, considering beforehand the best means of making the instruction clear, comprehensible, complete (as far as possible), and fruitful, Conquer by the name of the Lord and by the sign of the cross the snares of the enemy, who endeavors to disturb, darken, oppress, and weaken you. Even when you eat, drink, or do anything else lawful, do all to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31)'.

St. John of Kronstadt.

Letter of the late Abp. Seraphim of Chicago to Abp. Auxentios (1972)

Diocese of Chicago and Detroit, Inc.
Head Office: Vladimirovo – Lost Lake
Rock City, Ill 61070
Subsidiary: 2135 North Sawyer St.
Chicago, Ill 60647 ph: 312-384-1973

The 26th October 1972 N.C.
Memory of St. Demetrius the Myrrhgusher.

The Archbishop Auxentius,
Dear Brother and Concelebrant in Christ,

Christ is in our midst.

Because recently, discussions are again arising concerning the ordination of the late Akakios Papas and as there is mention of my name, I would like to make the following points.

Bishop Akakios was ordained bishop by my unworthiness and the Rumanian bishop Theophilus. I did not ordain bishop Akakios alone. The ordination took place in Detroit, Michigan and in the Cathedral Church of bishop Theophilus.

There are eyewitnesses who are still alive, who were present during the ordination, that is, the then Archimandrites – now Bishops – Akakios and Peter.

Therefore the ordination certificate which bears my signature is accurate as far as
it mentions that my unworthiness and another bishop performed the ordination.

The second bishop is not mentioned and did not sign the ordination certificate because both bishop Theophilus and bishop Akakios – for personal reasons – did not publicly make known the incident.

As far as my participation is concerned: I explained to the then candidate Archimandrite Akakios that owing to the prohibition of his being ordained by my Synod, (that) bishop Theophilus would assist so that there be a second bishop present for the ordination. I explained to all who were interested, that bishop Theophilus followed the New Calendar, even though there existed a few communities adhering to the Old Calendar under his jurisdiction. The cathedral church in Detroit celebrates with the New Calendar. I did not hide this fact from bishop Akakios. His reply was that there was an extremely urgent need for a bishop for Greece and that he had to return as bishop, thus – consenting to bishop Theophilus’ participation in the ordination – he would overlook the fact that he celebrated with the New Calendar.

If bishop Theophilus now denies his participation in the ordination, he himself bears the responsibility. I cannot place his signature in the Ordination Certificate. Bishop Akakios accepted the ordination knowing well back then that bishop Theophilus was not going to sign any certificate whatsoever. The responsibility therefore – for the present confusion – rests with the late bishop Akakios and those with him.

Now, with the written denial of bishop Theophilus that he did not take
part in the ordination, the situation becomes complicated and a canonical issue
concerning the ordination is created. I’m truly sorry for this, but who would have foreseen or imagined the present development of the whole matter? Dear brother, is it possible that God in His Righteousness has allowed this temptation because your jurisdiction has repeatedly and excessively used the incident of the ordination of a bishop by a single bishop as argumentation against the jurisdiction of Archbishop Matthew? If humility and compassion had been shown towards those that were ordained by a single bishop and if the decision of our Synod concerning them had received acceptance, then probably this temptation would not have come upon yourselves.

Our Metropolitan Philaret – from the outset and even prior to last years appearance before our Synod of the bishops from the jurisdiction of Matthew – wrote repeatedly towards your Reverance, saying that we are convinced that, the so-much desired union between the two jurisdictions would be achieved if you could confront the above mentioned bishops with brotherly humility and if you addressed them as bishops.

The motivations of our Synod, dear brother, for the ties with our Greek brethren, were always sincere and (aimed) towards the strenghthening of Orthodoxy during this turbulent age. That is why we are always hopeful that a way would be found so that the two jurisdictions of the Genuine Orthodox Christians in Greece could unite. Towards this blessed aim we do not spare toils or time, always encouraging and advising the two jurisdictions to unite.

In your correspondence with our Holy Synod, we observe that you repeatedly throw the responsibility of no union on the other jurisdictions. However, allow me to make a few observations.

Re-examining the documents from the Synod files concerning the matters in Greece, we have the encyclical of your Reverence that was issued in Athens on the twenty seventh of August 1971 O.C. Protocol No. 532, which amongst other things mentions the following: “we declare with responsibility and categorically towards everyone, that this issue (i.e. the union with the Matthewites)is considered by many as closed for many and different reasons.”

Note that this Encyclical was written while the bishops Kallistos and Epiphanios of the Matthewite jurisdiction were still to be found in the United States of America, giving a report on their situation before the Synod. The same sorrowful expression: “that a union with the Matthewites is considered a closed case,” is to be found printed in your official journal, even after the return of the above mentioned bishops to Greece, and even after the publication of our Synod’s decision concerning them.

Our Fr. Basil Sakkas from Geneva had commented on the issue and justly questions: “… from whom and when was the issue closed?” Doesn’t this indicate a manifest unwillingness and prejudice on your part not even to merely accept the notion of the possibility to come to discussions with the Matthewites? And again, is it not a sign of unwillingness to unite with the other jurisdiction on your behalf – your ordination of the bishop of Thessaloniki, where there already presides a bishop of the Matthewite jurisdiction for more than twenty years, in fact now, during a period of hopes for union. Does not this deed complicate the situation even more and does it not reveal the unwillingness to unite on your part?

But even more, it saddens us that you discard the verdict and resolution of our Synod concerning the Matthewite Bishops, by writing in your official mouthpiece: that they can rightfully be compared with those of the Meletian Schism of Alexandria. When our decisions are to your liking, then you take great joy and accept them; when they are disagreeable, then you discard them. But such behavior does not suit serious and maturely minded men, how much less for Bishops.

You call those of the Matthewite jurisdiction: schismatics. But examining the event which lead to the separation, we note that initially the Metropolitan of Florina Chrysostom and those with him, declared the innovating church of the New Calendarists as schismatic; as follows the canons concerning schismatics were placed in effect. After a while he changed views and declared that the danger of the Calendar consititutes an irregularity of sorts and not the cause of schism. Following this, bishop Matthew and those with him departed.

In time, bishop Matthew ordained alone bishops for bishoprics of Greece, always considering the offical church as schismatic. A few months after the repose of bishop Matthew, Bishop Chrysostom issued another official declaration where he considers the innovating church of the New Calendarists of Greece as schismatic and as a consequence her mysteries being invalid.

Thus, he who studies the aforementioned facts with objectivity concludes that: at least the Matthewite jurisdiction is ultimately justified as she never changed the view that she had initially formulated. On the contrary, the jurisdiction of the bishop Chrysostom is the one that changed her initial stance and after a thirty-year period returned to that position which the Matthewite jurisdiction had preserved from the outset. How then can the Matthewites be declared schismatics? But again, irrespective of what has been said and what has occurred during the past, are not both of you (now) in agreement with regards to the official Church of Greece? With the lapse of twenty years and more since the time when bishop Matthew ordained bishops for the Greek bishoprics, have you not recently stopped ordaining titular bishops and rather ordained bishops for the Greek bishoprics? Which points divide you today?

Your jurisdiction has not shown seriousness nor stability in her expositions and resolutions. Even more so – as if the divisions, accusations and confusions that were provoked by your ordinations in Greece last year weren’t enough, we observe that you have also transferred the same situation to this hemisphere through the ordination of bishop Akakios the younger in Montreal. Concerning this anticanonical deed, both the Archbishop of Montreal Vitaly and our Synod have written to you, but unfortunately in vain. You realize, dear brother, that a single anticanonical deed against one of our bishops is considered as such against all of our bishops, because it is a sin against the Church and it cannot be considered a simple local issue. The present situation of events saddens all of us.

Initially when I took part in the ordination of the late bishop Akakios, I did it in good faith, sincerely thinking that I was helping my Greek brethen. The same can be said about the motivations of our blessed Archbishop Leonty. The confusion, the divisions, the actions, accusations that have since arisen, I had never even suspected back then. Now I have come to appreciate and comprehend the fact that your bishop Chrysostom reposed without leaving successors. The outcome of events indicates that he was a deep conversant of individuals and events, thus not desiring to be responsible for the present sorrowful predicament. I made a mistake ordaining the bishop Akakios the elder as regards to the fact that I did not know well the individuals nor the real situation of events in the Greek Church.

“I do not write these things to shame you,” dear brother, according to the word of the Apostle Paul towards the Corinthians,” “but I admonish you” and offer the opportunity to reconsider certain opinions and that you correct those which need correction. With candor I write to you in such fashion for I happen to be more responsible than anyone else for your line of ordinations and thus admonish you not only as a brother, but also as a father. I take joy in the fact that even though many years have passed and I have advanced in age, I’m still alive and able to write to you the above.

Your brother in Christ,
Seraphim, Archbishop of Chicago and Detroit.

Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to join Moscow Patriarchate

http://en.rian.ru/society/20050621/40555919-print.html

21/06/2005 12:59

MOSCOW, June 21 (RIA Novosti, Olga Lipich) - The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) is set to join the Moscow Patriarchate as a self-governed branch, similar to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The union was envisaged by a draft act on canonical communication, which was published Tuesday on the official Web sites of the foreign ties department of the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR, along with other documents adopted by the cross commissions for the bilateral dialogue.

"These documents cover the key issues that ROCOR considered to be major obstacles on the way to a full dialogue," said Protopope Nikolai Balashov, the secretary for Orthodox ties of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Under the draft act, ROCOR will retain independence in terms of organization, but will still become part of the Moscow Partriarchate. By way of example, he cited the Ukrainian, Latvian, Moldovan and Estonian Orthodox Churches, all branches of the Moscow Patriarchate.

According to the draft act, "ROCOR is independent in terms of pastoral, enlightening, administrative, economic, property and secular issues."

The document also states that ROCOR bishops are members of the Local and Bishop Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, and can participate in the Holy Synod sessions. ROCOR will also receive its holy oil from the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The cross commissions for dialogue between the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR were established in December 2003. Metropolitan Laurus, the ROCOR Protohierarch, visited Russia in May 2004. Then the sides decided to begin the work of the commissions, and determined the range of issues to be discussed.

Since then, four joint sessions have been held.

"We are hopeful that the commissions will finish their work before the all-Foreign Council next May," Balashov said.