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Communism vs Orthodoxy (St Philaret of New York)


.Communion of goods in Christianity and communism.

.Violation of justice in communism.

.The ideology of Christianity and communism.

Let us now consider the question of the relationship between Christianity and communism. That communism, which now appeared before the eyes of the whole world as a fact, as an attempt to really implement socialist ideas in life, is in Soviet Russia.

Everyone knows that communism appeared directly in history as a sworn and bitter enemy of Christianity. For its part, Christianity recognizes it as completely foreign and hostile to itself, in its very spirit, in the entire content of its ideology.
The history of the Church in apostolic times tells us that in those times believers had everything in common, as the book of the Acts of the Apostles says. And even now this Christian type of community exists in cenobitic monasticism, which is considered the best form of Christian ascetic life. Therefore, communication of property from a Christian point of view is very acceptable, and moreover: this is a bright, ideally high type of Christian relationship, examples of which have been and exist in the life of the Orthodox Church.
And how much difference is there between such a Christian community of property and Marxism-communism! One is as distant from the other as the sky is from the earth. After all, the Christian community is not the goal towards which Christianity is intended. No, it exists: consequence and product of the spirit of love that the Church breathed in the early times. Furthermore, this Christian communism was completely voluntary. In it no one said: “Return what is yours, it belongs to us,” but, on the contrary, the Christians themselves sacrificed themselves in such a way that “none of them considered anything of their possessions as their own.” As for socialist communism, in it the communication of property is an end in itself, which must be achieved at all costs and whatever happens. And the creators of communism achieve this goal - simply by force, without stopping at any measures, not even the destruction of all those who do not agree... And the basis of this communism is not freedom, as in communism Christian, but violence, not sacrifice. love, but envy and hate...
The main struggle of communism is the struggle against Christianity. He goes so far as to reject even elementary justice, universally recognized. In its class ideology, communism essentially tramples on all justice. The object of his concerns is not the common good of all citizens of the state, but only the interests of his party. All groups of the population, workers, peasants and intellectuals, are left behind, outside of any care of the communist government. They may be starving, they may not have a cent of income - the ruling "spheres" have nothing to do with this. What is this if not a violation of justice and a mockery of millions of people?..
Communism, speaking of the new system of a “free” state, constantly emphasizes the fact that this system is the “dictatorship of the proletariat”. But it has been clear for some time that in Soviet Russia there is no longer any trace of this promised dictatorship of the proletariat, but instead there is a dictatorship over the proletariat. Furthermore, there are no customary manifestations of political freedom: no freedom of the press, no freedom of assembly, no inviolability of the home. Only those who have lived in Russia know the severity and strength of the oppression that reigns there. And above all there is unprecedented political terror: executions and murders, exile and imprisonment in incredibly difficult conditions. This is what communism gave to the Russian people, instead of the promised freedom...
In its political propaganda, communism claims to seek the realization of freedom, equality (i.e. justice) and brotherhood. We have already talked about the first and second; As for "brotherhood", there is no doubt that this word has been stolen from Christians who call themselves "brothers". And the apostle Peter said directly: “Honor all, love brotherhood…”. ( 1 Peter 2:17 ). But in practical life, the communists, as you know, immediately replaced the word “brother” with the word “comrade”. And this is very significant, because comrades can be both accomplices in crimes and members of some kind of bandit gang. And, of course, there is no need to talk about "brotherhood" where class struggle, envy and hatred are preached...
All these differences between Christianity and communism do not exhaust, however, the very essence of the contradiction between them. The fundamental, main and all-encompassing difference between communism and Christianity is even deeper: in the ideology of both It is not for nothing that the communists fight so fiercely and stubbornly against the Orthodox faith.
Communism denies all religion. In fact, he himself is a religion - the most fanatical that has ever existed in the world - the most intolerant and dark. Christianity is a religion that leads to Heaven, communism is a religion that leads to hell. Christianity preaches love for all; communism preaches class hatred and the destruction of those who disagree. Christianity is a sublime religion based on faith in the victory of the Truth and Love of God. Communism is a religion that pursues the goal of creating an earthly "paradise" (a paradise of animal satiety and spiritual ferocity). And it is not for nothing that a cross is placed on the grave of a Christian, and a red stake on the grave of a communist. How indicative, bright and symbolic this is for both sides! On the one hand, faith in the victory of life over death and of good over evil. On the other hand, there is darkness, darkness and hopeless emptiness, with no joy, consolation or hope ahead. And while after death the sacred relics of the ascetics of the Christian faith bloom incorruptible and are fragrant, the decaying corpse of the embalmed "Ilyich" (Lenin) is the best symbol of communism...

All Christians should pray without ceasing (St Gregory Palamas)


Let no one think, my Christian brethren, that only clergy and monks have the duty to pray unceasingly and always, and not the laity. No, no; all of us Christians have the duty to always remain in prayer. For consider what His Holiness Philotheus, Patriarch of Constantinople, writes in his Life of St. Gregory of Thessaloniki. This saint had a beloved friend, Job by name, a simple man, but full of virtue, with whom, while conversing one day, the bishop said of prayer that every Christian in general must strive in prayer always, and pray without ceasing, as the Apostle Paul commands all Christians in general: "Pray without ceasing" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 ), and as the prophet David says of himself, despite being a king and having care for his entire kingdom: "I have set the Lord before me continually" ( Psalm 16:8 ), that is, I always mentally see the Lord before me in my prayer. And Gregory the Theologian teaches all Christians and tells them that they should remember the name of God in prayer more often than they breathe air.

Orthodox view of the monophysites/miaphysites/non-chalcedonians (oriental orthodox)


Be careful not to confuse the Orthodox Church with the pseudo-Orthodox Miaphysite Church, which is the epitome of the Monophysitism heresy, which claims that Christ has a mixed Divine-human nature, making Him neither fully God nor fully man. Instead, we follow the doctrine of the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD), which condemned this heresy by proclaiming that Christ has two natures in one Person. Christ is 100% God and 100% man, and not in between, with a mixed nature as they claim. The Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syriac churches belong to this pseudo-church.


1. Against monophysites by monk Leontius of Jerusalem
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Leontij_Ierusalimskij/protiv-monofizitov/

2. Fr Theodore Zisis, Is the Armenian Church Orthodox?
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Feodor_Zisis/javljaetsja-li-armjanskaja-tserkov-pravoslavnoj/

Youtube playlist on this topic:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3QQ7jHr1GrTO3WLauMBQ6kbTEphu2rHg

To translate the sites into your preferred language, use google translator.

Orthodox Christianity on Life after death



A collection of sources


1. Soul After Death (St Seraphim Rose)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Serafim_Rouz/dusha-posle-smerti/

2. Life after death (Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Ierofej_Vlahos/zhizn-posle-smerti/

3. Life after death according to the Orthodox tradition (Professor Jean-Claude Larchet)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Zhan_Klod_Larshe/zhizn-posle-smerti-soglasno-pravoslavnoj-traditsii/

4. The Mystery of Death (Nicholas Vassiliades)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/bogoslovie/tainstvo-smerti/

5. Eternal Mysteries Beyond the Grave (Archimandrite Panteleimon)
https://azbyka.ru/fiction/tajny-zagrobnogo-mira/

To translate the books into your preferred language use google translator.

The Path to Salvation in the Modern World (St Seraphim Rose)



Introduction


In our modern life, in the reality surrounding us, there is nothing that could inspire Christ's faithful, as there was in ancient times: the conversion of entire nations to the true faith, the flourishing of monasticism, zeal for holy Orthodoxy. On the contrary, we see around us things that can cause us to lose heart and give up. One might ask, why are there no great saints today, like the ancient saints? Historically, this is quite understandable. There was the apostolic era, a time when entire nations did not yet know the true faith, and apostles were sent to convert them. In our time, virtually the entire world has heard of Christ, and very few completely pagan tribes remain on earth that have not been reached by the Word of God. We occasionally hear of the preaching of Orthodoxy to the wild tribes of East and Central Africa. But in most parts of the world, people are spiritually and morally exhausted and worn out. They've heard of Christianity before, but now they're bored and tired of it. It's hard to be inspired by all this. However, here and there, a few converts appear who see something fresh in Christianity, something different from the common perception. And yet, there's very little, very little, that inspires in this world when viewed through the eyes of Orthodoxy.

Letters of St Seraphim Rose



I highly recommend reading them, they are deep, spiritual and offer an orthodox view on various issues and how to survive as Orthodox Christians today.


The site is available in English, Russian, Greek, Spanish and Romanian.

https://letters.blessedseraphim.com/letter/001

On Christian Love (St Ephraim of Arizona)


Conversation 33. Love is a heavenly gospel hymn


My dear brothers,

God is love. "He who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him," loudly preaches the apostle of love, John the Theologian.

Love is the most beautiful flower in the garden of virtues that make up reason, the brightest of the rainbow's colors in the heaven of the Gospel. The most precious pearl in the crown of faith. The key that unlocks all doors of human behavior. The medicine that cures every illness of the soul and body.

On the Divine Liturgy


A collection of sources


1. Explanation of the Divine Liturgy (Bishop Vissarion Nechayev)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Vissarion_Nechaev/ob-jasnenie-bozhestvennoj-liturgii/

2. Homilies about the Divine Liturgy (St Seraphim Zvezdinsky)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Serafim_Zvezdinskij/propovedi-o-bozhestvennoj-liturgii/

3. Explanation of the Divine Liturgy (St Nicholas Cabasilas)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Nikolaj_Kavasila/Izjasnenie_bogestvennoj_liturgii/

4. Reflections on the Divine Liturgy (Nikolai Gogol)
https://azbyka.ru/razmyshleniya-o-bozhestvennoj-liturgii

5. Mystagogy (St Maximus the Confessor)
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Maksim_Ispovednik/mistagogiya/

6. The Wisdom of Our Salvation (On the Sacred Rites and Sacraments of the Church) - St Symeon of Thessaloniki
https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Simeon_Solunskij/premudrost_nashego_spaseniia/

To translate the books into your preferred language use google translator.

Will wars ever end? (Hieromartyr Onufry Gagalyuk)


“And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more ( Is. 2:4 ).”


Will these words of the holy prophet be fulfilled on earth? No, there will always be wars here. Why? Because there will always be envy and hostility among people. But could it be as Saint Isaiah says? It could be if people became true Christians: praying to God not in words but in deeds and loving one another... But this prophecy will be fully realized only in the afterlife: there, in the Kingdom of God, there will be no hostility among people, but only love, when God will be all in all ( 1 Cor. 15:28 ), and Satan, with his kingdom of evil spirits and evil people who have surrendered to him, will be powerless.

Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Onufrij_Gagaluk/v-zashitu-hristianskoj-very/

Life of St Nikephoros the Leper (+1964)

 


Fr. Nikephoros (in the world, Nicholas) was born in a village of Chania, in Serikari. His parents were simple and pious villagers, who while he was still a small child, died and left him an orphan. Thus, at the age of thirteen he left his home, traveled to Chania and began to work in a barbershop. There he started to show the first signs of Hansen's disease (i.e. leprosy). At that time, lepers were exiled to the island of Spinaloga, because leprosy was a transmissible disease and was treated with fear and horror. Nicholas, when he was sixteen years old and when the signs of his disease began to be more visible, to flee from enclosure on Spinaloga fled with a boat for Egypt. There he remained working in Alexandria, again in a barbershop, however the signs of his disease became even more evident, especially on his hands and face. Due to the suggestions of a cleric he fled to Chios where there was a home for lepers, in which was a priest, Fr. Anthimos Vagianos, later St. Anthimos of Chios.