orthodox faith

ORTHODOX

FAITHWinter 2013

ISSN 1920-1672

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!

ORTHODOX FAITH Summer 2012

We invite you to take part in Orthodox pilgrimage to Jordan:

“In the footsteps of the ancient

saints” Mar. 4 - 14 , 2013

For ten days, our pilgrimage group will be visiting numerous holy places and the most famous archaeological parks of Jordan.For details please consult our

website: WWW.ORTHODOXTOURS.COM

The cost of travel for a group of 15 pilgrims - 1,600.00 U.S. dollars. Pricing shown does not include airfare. To register for a group or for

more information, please contactarchpriest Ilya Gotlinsky:

[email protected] or (607) 797-1058

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UPCOMING PATRIARCHAL ELECTION IN BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

N E W S

SYMPOSIUM ON THE EDICT OF MILAN

THE CANONICAL TRADITION OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

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EARLY HISTORY OF THE BULGARIAN

ORTHODOX CHURCH

THE JESUS PRAYER18

SUFFERING AND THE CRUCIFIED CHRIST20

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HISTORY OF THE GOSPEL TEXTS16

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ISSN 1920-1672

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With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH, Diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia.

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With the blessing of His Grace HILARION,Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarchof The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

With the blessing of His Eminence GABRIEL,Archbishop of Montreal and Canada, Head of CanadianDiocese of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

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of Archdiocese of Canada, of Orthodox Church in America.

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Fall 2012

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ORTHODOX FAITH Summer 2012Fall 2012

PRESS RELEASE TO THE MASS MEDIA IN RELATION TO THE UPCOMING PATRIARCHAL

ELECTION IN BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHOn 6th November 2012 the historic Bulgarian

patriarchal throne was widowed with the peaceful and blessed decease of the ever-memorable first hierarch of our native Holy Church – Patriarch Maxim.

In pursuance of the Holy Canons, in compliance with Art. 42, Para. 2; Art. 43, Para. 1 and Art. 46, Para. 1 of the Statute Charter of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate and under the decision of the Holy Synod from their session on 27th November 2012, Protocol № 31 – plenary session, on 24th February 2013 the Primate of our centuries-old holy Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia, will be elected in accordance with the canons and the Statute Charter at a Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council.

Between 11:45 and 12:00 the spokesman of the Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council or an authorized by him representative of the Bulgarian Patriarchate is going to announce to the accredited journalists the fact that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has got a new Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia, elected in accordance with the canons and the Statute Charter, is going to announce his name and is going to give notice of the results from the secret voting at the Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council.

At 12:00 the newly elected Bulgarian Patriarch, accompanied by the diocesan metropolitans and the bishops of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate with representatives of the clergy, are going to head to the Patriarchal Cathedral “St. Alexander Nevsky” in a litiya procession.

From 12:10 to 13:20 the Statement Act on the Patriarchal Election is going to be read and liturgical sequence of the ceremonial Patriarchal enthronement is going to be performed, with taking down the ordinary bishop’s insignia, laying the patriarchal insignia and a white epanokamelaukion on the newly elected Bulgarian first hierarch and his ascension to the crown-glorious throne of the Bulgarian patriarchs.

13:55 – 14:05 – Common photograph of the newly elected Bulgarian Patriarch, the Primates and the representatives of the other Orthodox Churches, the official representatives of the Bulgarian state, the representatives of the Diplomatic Corps, the members of the Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council and the guests of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church – Bulgarian Patriarchate.

We invite all national and international media wishing to broadcast the remarkable historic events to submit their applications for accreditation in the Office of the Holy Synod by 20th February 2013, so that they can be properly present at the designated area in front of the Synod Palace for the announcement of the spokesman of the Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council and in the Patriarchal Cathedral “St. Alexander Nevsky”. The access of the media representatives to the Synod Palace is forbidden on 24th February 2013, as well as their contact with the members of the Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council before the Patriarchal enthronement.

From http://www.bg-patriarshia.bg

DELEGATES FOR PATRIARCHAL ELECTIONS On Jan 13, 2013, with the help of God, the

representatives of 23 parishes of our Diocese gathered in New York City at the Holy Metropolis. After three voting sessions, we elected our Diocesan representatives for the Patriarchal Election Church Convention on Feb 24, 2013 in Sofia, Bulgaria.The elected representatives are: Archpriest Peter Totev, Archpriest Grouiu Tsonkov, Archpriest Patrick Tishel, Dr. Atanas Pumpalov, Dr. Mihail Nikolov. Axios!

Our concelebration of the Divine Liturgy and our work that day witnessed to our oneness in the Lord, which is the most important goal of our life that we can strive for.

With love in Christ, +Bp. Daniil5

ORTHODOX FAITH Summer 2012Winter 2013

Memory Eternal to The Very Rev. Fr. Panayot PamukovThe Very Rev. Panayot Pamukov retired rector of Saint Clement Ohridski Macedono-Bulgarian Ortho-dox in Dearborn, Michigan was called to eternal rest and blessed sleep in the Lord on Friday, January 18, 2013 at the age of 87. Father Pamukov was a priest in Bulgaria for 24 years before he came to serve the Saint Clement Ohridski Orthodox Parish on Septem-ber 14, 1968. He continued to serve as rector of Saint Clement Ohridski until November 1, 1999. Once re-tired he continued to serve as retired priest until 2008. He is survived by a daughter, Dr. Kristina Pamukov (Raiko Takov) Takov, and son, Nickolai Pamukov. Loving grandfather of Nicole and Emily Pamukov and Veronica Takov. Popadia Syvlia Pamukov preceded him in death in 2007. Vech-na-ya Pomyat! Memory Eternal! May Father Pamukove rest in peace!

Ordination of Rev. Milovan Djerasimovich

On Jan 12, 2013 took place the ordination of the Rev. Milovan Djerasimovich at the Divine Liturgy into the diaconate. The next day Fr. Milovan was ordained into the Holy Priesthood for the glory of God and has returned to Toronto, Ontario to begin his new priestly ministry. Axios! Worthy! Dostoin! May God strength-en and help him in his service!

With love in Christ,+Bp. Daniil

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With the blessing of His Eminence, the Very Most Reverend Metropolitan Joseph, a Symposium on the Edict of Milan was held at Saint George’s Macedono - Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church in Toronto, Canada.

The speakers were : His Grace Bishop Daniil of Dragovitsa who

gave an introduction on the Edict of Milan.

Archpriest - Stavrofor Milan Radulović who spoke on the topic «The Edict of Milan and the Seven Ecumenical Councils with Special Impact of the Edict of Milan on the Fourth Ecumenical Council.»

Archpriest Georgi Despodov on «The Edict of Milan and the Holy Scripture.»

This event gathered together parishioners from all the churches in the Toronto area under the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese. The participants had an opportunity to ask questions of all the speakers.

After the Symposium, Vespers was served at the church and was followed by a dinner in the church hall with a musical performance by accordion artist Mirjana Živković, who played and sang religious and Macedonian-Bulgarian folk songs.

The Edict of Milan was a declaration issued in

313 by the Emperor Constantine which made all religions legal within the Roman Empire, though it was especially intended to legalize Christianity.

Paganism, the official religion of the Empire and particularly of the army, was disestablished as such, and property which had previously been confiscated from Christians was returned.

The Edict followed Constantine the Great’s 312 conversion of his entire army preceding the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, after which he gained control of the Western portion of the Empire. Before this battle, according to Eusebius, Constantine had a vision of either the sign of the cross or of a Chi Rho emblem (both symbolizing Christ), under which was written «in hoc signo vinces» (i.e., in this sign thou shalt conquer).

Unfortunately, the Edict did not end all persecution of Christians happily ever after; Licinius, the Eastern Emperor, soon marched against Constantine to gain control of the whole Empire for himself. In so doing, he made void the Edict in an attempt to gain the support of pagans, particularly those who composed much of the military. Constantine, however, eventually defeated and executed him. After Constantine, emperors such as Julian the Apostate also rose against Christianity. However, on the whole Constantine had turned the tide against Christian persecution.

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1. THE THEOLOGICAL BASIS FOR THE CHURCH’S LAW

Canon LawAlthough generally referred to as canon law,

such a name given to the Church’s law suggests a parallel to secular law. It would be more correct to call it the tradition of the holy canons, since they are the object of its concern. This law of the Church, her canonical tradition, is an outgrowth of the holy canons; and it appears on the surface to have much in common with secular law, involving persons invested with authority (bishops), as well as the means of creating, formulating, interpreting, executing, validating, amending and revoking laws (through synods or conciliar actions).

Church and Secular LawThe apparent similarity of the Church’s law to

secular law led some to contest the integrity of the former. Yet without it, it is clear, there would be many varied problems besetting the Church. In the last analysis, the Church’s law exists to safeguard particular interests from the arbitrary intervention of superior interests. It should not be understood as subjecting a person to subservience, but as guaranteeing his freedom. Contrary to what some have believed, the Church’s law differs essentially from secular law. Its difference lies mainly in the premise that the original source of canon law is found in the will of God to establish His Church on earth. Consequently, the source of its authority stems from the will of God. Furthermore, the

Church’s law differs from secular law in purpose (humanity’s salvation), time (extending beyond this life into the next life), scope (including one’s conscience), and place (the universal Church).

The Main Goal of Canon LawWhen our Lord entrusted the work of salvation

to the Church, which is a society of mortal men and women, He obliged her to provide herself with the necessary means of survival. This was to assist her in organizing herself, in overseeing the orthodoxy of her members, and in guarding against factions. In short, He obliged her to provide herself with a set of rules to live by. In so doing, the Church as a community of faith came to be associated with a juridical organization. This does not mean, however, that the community of faith was thereby reduced to a legal institution. The distinction is an important one.

Historical BackgroundOur Lord Himself instituted some elements of

such an order. He preached the gospel of salvation to His contemporaries but did not leave to their arbitrary will the task of spreading His message for the benefit of future generations. He assigned that task to a group of men chosen with divine care and wisdom, the apostles, who were clearly aware of the sacred mission with which they were entrusted by the Master. Following His ascension, He endowed them with the authority to make the decisions necessary to assure the continuation of the work He had already begun. Decisions such as the election of Matthias to take the place of Judas among the apostles and setting the conditions for entry into the Church were made at the outset.

Winter 2013

THE CANONICAL TRADITION OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHWRITTEN BY Dr. Lewis J. Patsavos, Ph.D.

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In fact, they constitute the beginnings of the Church’s law, in the development of which Saint Paul played a predominant role.

With the spread of the Christian community throughout the entire area of the Mediterranean, the initial organization of the Church soon had to be extended. During this stage of growth, a hierarchy was developed and new conditions of life modeled after the teachings of Christ came into existence. It thus became necessary to define the status of the believer within the Christian community and society at large.

This organization was only rudimentary, but it clearly was there. It is quite evident that the Church in her primitive period had no precisely defined juridical organization, much less a technique or science of law. However, all the elements of a true juridical organization were there. Those persons invested with authority made rules and demanded strict adherence to them. Synods came out unsparingly against those who threatened the unity of the Church and the purity of her doctrine. They did not hesitate, furthermore, to impose severe sanctions upon those who opposed her discipline. It was the First Ecumenical Synod of Nicaea (325) which referred to canons as the disciplinary measures of the Church. The distinction, therefore, between kanones, the disciplinary measures and rules adopted by the Church, and nomoi, the legislative actions taken by the state, came about quite early.

Canon Law in the Christian SocietyThe law which emerged from the earliest

times developed in response to the needs of the ecclesiastical community. During both good and bad periods of the Church’s history, her law has adapted itself constantly to the circumstances of he time, up to the present day. The collections of laws which the Church has promulgated in no way detract from her exalted status and sacred character. They reflect a certain imperfection; however, this imperfection lies not in the institution of the Church but in those individuals of whom it is composed. As an institution of divine origin composed of human beings, the Church is at the same time both a human and a divine institution. It might be said that it is at the crossroads of the finite and the infinite, the created and the uncreated, the human and the divine.

Our Lord entrusted the work of salvation to His Church - that is, to human beings. Because of this, He gave the Church roots in history and subjected

her to temporal contingencies. It is in the Church and through the Church that human beings must in principle attain their salvation. When we speak of the Church, we speak of a society. As such, she is governed by rules which determine her organization and her relations to her members and to those outside her fold.

Finally, it must not be forgotten that the Church is not to be identified with her rules. The Church indeed has rules, but she has much else besides. She has within her treasures of another order and another value besides her canons. She has her theology, her spirituality, her mysticism, her liturgy, her morality. And it is most important not to confuse the Gospel and the Pedalion (collection of canons), theology and legislation, morality and jurisprudence. Each is on a different level and to identify them completely would be to fall into a kind of heresy. The canons are at the service of the Church; their function is to guide her members on the way to salvation and to make following that way easier.

The Church’s legislation is only one aspect of her life, and above all does not represent her essence. The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ; however, her presence in history necessarily has brought forth a juridical system and juridical institutions. Law indeed has its purpose in the Church and is justifiable. But it must also be recognized that this law is of a special character. The uniqueness of canon law, which sets it apart from secular law, is due to the special character of the Church it serves. Because it shares to some extent in the exalted mission of the Church, it differs from all other systems of law.

2. THE COMPOSITION OF THE CHURCH’S LAW

The Essence of Canon Law

Given the above justification for the existence of the Church’s law, it now remains to define what in fact it is and of what it is composed. The Church’s law, commonly referred to as canon law, is the system of law emanating from the holy canons, which derive from the Church on her own authority. The Church, as has already been stated, is at the same time both a human and a divine institution. As an institution with a human element, the Church has need of laws to govern her organization, her relations to her members, to those outside her fold, to the state, and to other

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religious and secular bodies. Nevertheless, the Church’s law is first and foremost spiritual, since its main purpose is the spiritual growth of the faithful. Furthermore, its main object of concern is the inner disposition and intention behind one’s actions.

Collections of Canon Law

The holy canons, which are the basis of the Church’s canonical tradition, stem from three main sources: Ecumenical Synods (representing the universal Church), Local Synods (subsequently ratified by the Ecumenical Synods as representing the tradition of the universal Church), and the Fathers of the Church. All of these canons, which number about one thousand, are contained in several collections. The one most widely used today in the Greek-speaking Orthodox Churches is the Pedalion (the «Rudder»), which takes its name from the metaphor of the Church depicted as a ship. As the ship which is guided safely to its destination by means of a rudder, in like manner are the members of the Church guided on their voyage through life by means of the holy canons.

Unlike the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, the canon law of the Orthodox Church has not been codified. Neither is it prescriptive in character, anticipating a situation before it actually takes place; instead, it is corrective in nature, responding to a situation once it has occurred. Because of the absence of a universal codification binding upon all autocephalous or self-governing Orthodox Churches, great importance is attached to the local legislation of each of these Churches. Canon 39 of the Quinisext Synod or the Synod of Trullo, held in 691, recognized the right of a local Church to have its own special laws or regulations: «For our God-bearing fathers also declared that the customs of each church should be preserved...» Such laws or regulations, however, must always reflect the spirit of the Church’s universal law as found in the holy canons.

The Canonical TraditionThe overriding consideration in the acceptance

of a local Church’s custom as law is the spiritual well-being of the members of Christ’s Mystical Body. What is of importance is how people in any age or place may best serve and worship God. It is obvious that what is well intentioned for the Church as a whole may not be so well suited to

some particular local conditions. Similarly, what is good for one age or place may under different conditions constitute a hindrance. Thus it is that the Church’s canonical tradition has such regard for local custom. Having evolved within the context of local conditions, it best expresses the mind of the local Church on how the cause of God may be served in her special conditions. Custom is the continuously expressed will of God’s people. The significance of this statement becomes apparent when one realizes that the last Ecumenical Synod with universally binding legislation occurred twelve centuries ago (787 A.D.). Consequently, the emergence and growth of local custom especially since that time is what in large measure has sustained the Orthodox Church throughout the ages.

The growth and development of a local custom that acquires the force of law is what gives to the Church’s canonical tradition its great flexibility. Local laws or regulations are the means by which the Church’s universal canonical tradition adapts itself to changing circumstances. Although this is true, it must not be supposed that any local custom automatically establishes itself as part of the Church’s canonical tradition. For that, certain conditions must be met. In the first place, it must be the conviction of the ecclesiastical community concerning a certain act repeated in the same way for a long time. Therefore, two main conditions are necessary for the acceptance of the custom as law: it must have enjoyed a long and steady practice, and the consensus of opinion must be that it has the force of law. In order for custom to be accepted as a source of the Church’s canonical tradition, it must be in full harmony with the holy tradition and scripture, as well as doctrine.

One example of local legislation is the current charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. According to Article I of the Charter, the Archdiocese is:

«a province within the territorial jurisdiction of the most Holy Apostolic and Ecumenical Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople ... governed by the holy canons, the present charter, and the regulations promulgated by it; and, as to canonical and ecclesiastical matters not provided therein, by the decisions thereon of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.»

As a province of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the first-ranking see among the autocephalous Orthodox Churches, the American Archdiocese is an ecclesiastical body deriving its authority

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from a central source. The various components comprising its canonical structure are elements included in the legal system of every local Orthodox Church.

Codification of Canon LawBecause of the apparent dissimilarity among

the legal systems of the various autocephalous Churches, there are those who consider a uniform codification of the Church’s law a near impossibility, and that a separate codification for each of them will be necessary. Then there are those who reject codification outright as conflicting with the spiritual essence of Orthodoxy. They believe that the deep unity which exists among all the Orthodox Churches in faith and sacramental life can continue to be maintained according to the local traditions of each autocephalous Church.

Nevertheless, both views mentioned above have been challenged by former Metropolitan [now Patriarch] Bartholomaios of Philadelphia in his article entitled «A Common Code for the Orthodox Churches» (Kanon I [Vienna, 1973], 45-53); he reminds those who stress the dissimilarity among the legal systems of the autocephalous Churches that within Orthodoxy there is basically a single law, whose most important sources are common to all the Orthodox Churches. Furthermore:

«... the Orthodox Church is neither the sum of a number of independent Churches, nor a federation of Churches with an external, inter-church law, but one Church, the Body of Christ, within which the local Churches are expressions of the one, undivided, living, holy, catholic Church in various places.» (Archondonis, «A Common Code,» p. 48).

On the other hand, those who reject codification on the grounds that it conflicts with the essence of Orthodoxy are reminded that the Church is not only a charismatic body; she is an institution with both a divine and a human element; and, as such, she is in need of a code of laws to enhance the evolution of ecclesiastical life and to assure the further development of Orthodox canon law.

3. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHURCH’S LAW

Applicability of Canon LawAny discussion of the characteristics of

the Church’s law must necessarily address the

question of the applicability of the holy canons to today’s realities. Viewpoints expressed on this vital issue range from one extreme to the other, and are mutually exclusive. On the one hand, there are those who revere the letter of the canons. But as has already been remarked, «no one seems to absolutize all of them» John Meyendorff, «Contemporary Problems of Orthodox Canon Law,» The Greek Orthodox Theological Review 17 (1972): 41.) Then there are those who deny the relevancy of the entire body of canons in its present state. Obviously, both views leave little room for a conciliatory approach but rather tend to polarize.

In order to effect a rapprochement between the widely divergent views just mentioned, the question must first be asked: How were the holy canons meant to be understood? Nicholas Afanasiev, in his article entitled «The Canons of the Church: Changeable or Unchangeable?» offers a formula which might be acceptable to all factions, (St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly 11(1967) 54-68.):

«Canons are a kind of canonical interpretation of the dogmas for a particular moment of the Church’s historical existence... They express the truth about the order of Church life, but rather than expressing this truth in absolute forms, they conform to historical existence» (Ibid., p. 60).

Such a formula recognizes the absolute validity of all the canons as practical aids which gave expression to doctrinal truths at some point in history. Some of these aids, however, it sees as having outlived the purpose for which they were originally intended, i.e., they are conditioned by time. Consequently, they cannot give expression to doctrine without causing distortion, simply because they were intended for another era. This, of course, cannot be said of all the canons, since there are many which express doctrine as clearly today as when they were first adopted by the Church. Therefore, while some canons continue to reflect doctrine in practice, others do not and must be seen in historical context in order to be understood. The following example will illustrate this point.

It is a doctrine of the Church that the ecclesiastical hierarchy is an institution ordained by God. There are canons which express this doctrine, but in conformity with the era in which they were adopted. Canon 5 of the Holy Apostles forbids a bishop, presbyter, or deacon to put away his wife under the pretext of religion. A

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later decision of the Sixth Ecumenical Synod introduced celibacy for the episcopate and directed that all previously ordained bishops should leave their wives. This synod was correct when it said that it was publishing the new decree «not with any intention of setting aside or overthrowing any legislation laid down by the Apostles, but having due regard for the salvation and safety of people and for their advancement.» (Ibid., p. 63) The apostolic canon expressed a doctrine concerning the ecclesiastical hierarchy, but in conformity with its era. When the historical conditions of life changed, so too did the manner in which this doctrine was expressed.

Pastoral Significance of Canon LawThe canons ought also to be understood as

pastoral guidelines. As such, they should serve as models upon which subsequent ecclesiastical legislation is based whenever possible. The canons of the Fathers, in particular, reflect the pastoral nature of their contents. The Fathers who wrote them did not think that they were writing legislative texts. In most cases, they were either responding to the questions put to them by individuals seeking their counsel, or else expressing their views on matters of grave concern to the Church. Because of their pastoral sensitivity and the high esteem in which they were held, these Fathers greatly influenced both their contemporaries and succeeding generations. As a result, the directives contained in the canons of the Fathers prior to the Sixth Ecumenical Synod were recognized by the second canon of that synod as equal in authority to the synodal canons themselves. In fact, several of the canons of St. Basil, repeated among the canons of the same Sixth Ecumenical Synod were recognized by the second canon of that synod as equal in authority to the synodal canons themselves.

The Fathers whose canons appear in our canonical collections exerted no less an influence upon the development and formation of the canons of other synods. Consequently, the pastoral nature evident in the canons of the Fathers is also easily discernible in the canons of the synods. It is because of this characteristic that the canons have been referred to as «fruits of the Spirit,» whose purpose is to assist mankind in its quest for salvation. Certainly such a lofty purpose can only be appreciated when the canons are understood as pastoral guidelines and not as legislative texts. Viewed simply as legislative texts, the canons

differ little from laws to be upheld rigidly and absolutely. Recognized, however, as the pastoral guidelines which in fact they are, the canons serve the purpose for which they were intended with compassion and flexibility. It is this latter understanding of the canons which makes comprehensible the exercise of «economy» as practiced in the Orthodox Church today.

The Concept of «Economy.»Unlike secular law, or Mosaic law, the purpose

of the Church’s law is the spiritual perfection of her members. Mere application of the letter of the law is replaced by a sense for the spirit of the law, and adherence to its principles. This purpose is the determining factor when authority is granted to apply the law when circumstances warrant according to each individual case. The spirit of love, understood as commitment to the spiritual perfection of the individual, must always prevail in the application of the law. The abolition of the letter of the law by the spirit of the law has led to the institution of «economy,» exercised in nonessential matters. Through «economy,» which is always an exception to the general rule, the legal consequences following the violation of a law are lifted.

«Economy» is granted by the competent ecclesiastical authority and has not so much the character of urgency as it does the character of compassion for human frailty. The character of compassion is justified by the Church’s ardent desire to prevent any adverse effects from the strict observance of the law in exceptional circumstances. The premise upon which an exception is granted is the general welfare of all concerned. This premise exists in all systems of law but it finds its fullest expression in the Church’s law. As the law of grace, it is characterized primarily by the spiritual attributes of compassion, pastoral sensitivity, and forgiveness.

«Economy» is not something to be applied at random or arbitrarily. It is governed by defined guidelines which must be strictly adhered to by the competent ecclesiastical authority granting it. First and foremost, exception from a law which has been endowed with universal recognition and validity is not possible. It is only from a law that has not been endowed with such authority that a person can be released, if this is deemed spiritually beneficial.

The right to exercise «economy» is the sole prerogative of the legislator (council or holy synod

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of bishops). This right can in turn be delegated to individual bishops by the corporate authority of the synod. This delegation must, however, be within the limits prescribed by the canons and according to the express authorization of one’s superior legislative authority. (See, for example, canon 2 of Ancyra:

«It is likewise decreed that deacons who have sacrificed [to pagan idols] and afterwards resumed the conflict shall enjoy their other honors, but shall abstain from every sacred ministry, neither bringing forth the bread and the cup, nor making proclamations. Nevertheless, if any of the bishops shall observe in them distress of mind and meek humiliation, it shall be lawful to the bishops to grant more indulgence, or to take away [what has been granted].»)

As evidenced by the phrase: «it shall be lawful to the bishops to grant more indulgence, or to take away [what has been granted],» «economy» may be both a more lenient or a more strict observance of the rule. Consequently, «economy» is any deviation from the norm. The exercise of «economy» ceases if its cause no longer exists or if the basis for its application rested upon false or pretended grounds. Once «economy» has been applied, the normative practice is restored as before. Furthermore, temporary departure from the normative practice through «economy» does not set precedent.

The institution of «economy» has been actively invoked throughout the history of the Orthodox Church. This is perhaps due in part to liberal trends of thought in the cultural milieu within which the Orthodox Church flourished. Although authority in the exercise of «economy,» especially in matters of great importance, rests with the synod of bishops of each local church, this authority, as indicated, can be delegated to individual bishops as well. The Ecumenical Synod, as supreme administrative, legislative and judicial body in the Church, administers ultimate authority in the exercise of «economy.» It alone can alter or overrule the decision of any subordinate ecclesiastical authority. In the realm of conscience, however, it is the spiritual father who has been entrusted with the authority to exercise «economy» according to his good judgment. The determining factor in its application, however, must always be the spiritual welfare of the penitent.

Canonical DisciplineSince the realm of conscience has been

mentioned, a final word remains regarding the character of canonical discipline. Following a penitent’s admission of guilt in the sacrament of Penance, the spiritual father determines whether acts of penance (epitimia) should be prescribed. These acts of penance may include fasting, prostration, prayer, acts of charity, or minor excommunication (temporary exclusion from holy communion) among others. Acts of penance must not be confused with punishment in the sense of retribution for evil committed. They must not have any element of vindictive punishment about them. On the contrary, the purpose of the Church’s canonical discipline is both pastoral and pedagogical. It seeks both to correct and reform the repentant sinner and to protect the community from the resulting sin. Consequently, by depriving the sinner of holy communion for a time, it seeks to impress upon the individual the gravity of his sin. At the same time, if the sin is publicly known, it seeks to demonstrate that certain acts are, beyond any doubt, inadmissible for everyone.

The Church, which is the Mystical Body of Christ, disposes of her own means to achieve the salvation of all her members. Although the Church is simultaneously a human and a divine institution, her earthly aspect is predominantly spiritual. So long as the Church retains this aspect of her existence, the holy canons together with the canonical tradition emanating from them will be an essential part of her earthly life. In conclusion, it is the Church’s canons and canonical tradition which assure the external means of security within which the life of the spirit is nurtured and preserved.

SUGGESTED FOR FURTHER READING

N. Athanasiev. «The Canons of the Church: Changeable or Unchangeable?» St. Vladimir’s Theological Quarterly, 11(1967), pp. 54-68.

B. Archondonis. «A Common Code for the Orthodox Churches,» Kanon I (1973), pp. 45-53.

D. Cummings, trans. The Rudder. Chicago: Orthodox Christian Educational Society, 1957.

Lewis J. Patsavos. The Canon Law of the Orthodox Catholic Church (Mimeographed Notes). Brookline, Mass.: Holy Cross Bookstore, 1975.

Henry R. Percival, Ed. The Seven Ecumenical Councils. «Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers,» Second Series, Vol. 14. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1956.

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Conversion to Christianity of the Bulgarian people and foundation of the Bulgarian Church

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has its origin in the flourishing Christian communities and churches, set up in the Balkan Peninsula as early as the first centuries of the Christian era. The incursions of the Slavs and Proto-Bulgarian in the Balkan lands (6th-7th century) damaged considerably the ecclesiastical organization and created difficulties for the mission of christianization, but were not of a decisive significance for its further development. Byzantine writers testify to many contacts of the Eastern Empire with the new settlers-Slavs and Proto-Bulgarians, as well as to the relations of the conquerors with the christianized native populations. The Christian religion infiltrated the population of Bulgarian Slavs (the ancestors of the Bulgarian people) as early as the 6th and 7th century. The continuous process of Christian influence gradually enfolded the Proto-Bulgarians, too (7th-9th century). The internal development and the international relations of the Slav-Bulgarian State (founded in 681) favored the successful penetration of Christianity, which infiltrated even the Khan’s court (9th century). The local population, the Bulgarian Slavs who had already adopted Christianity, the steady contacts with Byzantium, the exchange of prisoners of war, the use of the Greek language and other factors paved the way for the mission of christianization in the First Bulgarian State. Pope Nicholas I was informed that as early as the beginning of the 60s of the 9th century «a great majority of the Bulgarians were converted to Christianity». After the adoption of the Christian faith by Prince Boris I (865), Christianity became the official religion in the Bulgarian State. Joseph Genesius wrote that «elect high clerics were sent from Constantinople to Bulgaria to consolidate the Christian faith there». The word of the Gospel yielded plenty of fruits.

Prince Boris was in favour of an enlightened and zealous clergy and an improved and autocephalous church, even with the status of a Patriarchate, witch would be in a position to meet the needs of the time: to help the unification of the people and to promote the cultural advancement of the State, to strengthen the new social order and the sovereignty and prestige of Bulgaria. Bearing all this in mind and using skillfully the historic situation, the favorable conditions and prospects, he started negotiations with Rome, which lasted for three years, then again renewed his old connections with the Byzantine Empire. From October 5, 869 to February 28, 870 an ecclesiastical council

was held in Constantinople to discuss Patriarch Photius’ question. Here came the Bulgarian envoys, who were welcomed very heartily and with due respect. At a special session (on March 4), with the participation of Rome’s envoys and of representatives of the four Eastern Patriarchates, the council discussed the question of church jurisdiction in Bulgarian. After prolonged debates, which disclosed the deepening contradiction between Rome and Constantinople, it was decided that the Bulgarian nation was connected in church matters to the Christians East. That representative forum created on March 4, 870 a separate diocese and laid the foundations of the Bulgarian Church, which was thus bound forever with the Eastern Orthodox community. Chronologically it was the eighth one in succession (after the four Eastern Patriarchates: those of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, and the three ancient archbishopric of Cyprus, of Sinai and of Georgia) in the then organic community of the Orthodox sister-churches. At the beginning the Bulgarian Church was an autonomous archbishopric under the jurisdiction of the Constantinople Patriarchate, from which it obtained its first primate, its clergy and theological books. It enjoyed, however, a full internal autonomy. The conditions were soon ripe for its flourishing and for its receiving an autocephalous status.The Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the middle ages

(First and Second Kingdom of Bulgaria)In 886 the most distinguished followers and disciples

of the Holy Slav Educators Cyril and Methodius came to Bulgaria. Preslav and Ohrid became literary centers where schools were opened. As a result of their activities there ensued the so-called «Golden Age» of Old Bulgarian literature and learning. As early as the end of the 9th century the Bulgarian language became the official language of the Church and the State. The building of churches and monasteries promoted the development of Bulgarian art. From a thorny pagan corn-field, overgrown with weeds, Bulgarian turned into a true spiritual nursery and a mighty beacon of Slav culture. The Bulgarian Church already had its own hierarchy, it grew in strength and spiritual maturity, and successfully consolidated the Orthodox faith, piety and education and guided the people towards a creative upsurge.

In the 10th century the First Bulgarian State reached the summit of its development. Christianity gave a impetus to the progressive for that time process of feudalization and consolidate the central state power.

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The Church made its contribution toward the external political stability of the State, towards the creation of a national, religious and spiritual unity, towards the cultural flourishment of the people and the homeland. After the victories at the battlefields at Acheloe (a river near Anchialus) and Katassyrti (near Constantinople), the Bulgarian ruler Prince Simeon proclaimed himself a king. The status of the Church had to correspond to that of the increased international prestige of the Bulgarian State. At the time the theory created in Byzantium predominated that a close relation should exist between Kingdom and Patriarchate: « Imperium sine Patriarcha non staret «. By virtue of that concept, about 919, the Bulgarian Church was proclaimed autocephalous at an ecclesiastical and national council and was elevated to the rank of a Patriarchate. In 927, as a result of a treaty, the relation between Bulgaria and Byzantium improved. As can be seen from the historical source «Archbishops of Bulgaria»(the so-called Catalogue of Ducange), the autocephalous status of the Bulgarian Church was then recognized and its patriarchal dignity acknowledged.

During the second half of the 10th century, following some military and political development, the Bulgarian Patriarchal see was successively moved from the capital Preslav to Dorostol, and then to Triaditsa (Sofia), Voden, Muglen, Prespa, and at the end to Ohrid, the capital of the Western Bulgaria State under King Samouil (976-1014).

After the fall of Bulgaria under Byzantium domination (1018), Emperor Basil II acknowledged the autocephalous status of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and by virtue of special charters (royal decrees) set up its boundaries, dioceses, property and other privileges, but deprived it of its Patriarchal title. The second charter of the Emperor and the catalogue of Ducange clearly show that the Archbishopric of Ohrid was the successor and continuator of the ancient Bulgarian Patriarchate. In spite of the fact that it had been under different political rules (those of Byzantium, of the Latin Empire, of Bulgarians, Serbs, Turks), its autocephalous status was respected for almost eight centuries - until its unlawful destruction in 1767. Despite of the fact that it passed along a road of serious trials and that for a long time it was guided by a foreign clergy, the Archbishopric of Ohrid successfully carried out its church mission, kept up the Slav liturgy, made its contribution towards the development of Slav literature and strengthened the political consciousness of its flock, and then later on it served as a banner to the fighter for independent Bulgarian Church.

As a results of the successful uprising led by the brothers Peter end Assen (1185-1186), the foundation of the Second Bulgarian State were laid with Turnovo

as its capital. Due to the bonds of continuity between the religious centers of Preslav and Ohrid and mainly to the principle of linking up the sovereignty of the State with the autocephality of the Church, both the clergy and the believing people in Bulgaria striven for the restoration of the Bulgarian Patriarchate. At the beginning an independent archbishopric was established in Turnovo (1186). Soon steps were taken for its recognition, according to the existing canonical order, and for raising it to the rank of a Patriarchate. As a result of the connections of the Bulgarian King Kaloyan (1203-1204) with the Pope, which he had established mainly with a political purpose, the first Archbishop of Turnovo, Vassily, was proclaimed Primate by Pope Innocent III. His title was «Primate and Archbishop of all Bulgaria and Wallachia».

The Church of Bulgaria consolidated its position both in external and internal affairs. Soon conditions were created for the general recognition of its autocephalous status and for elevating it to a Patriarchate. In 1235 a big Church Council was convened in the town of Lampsakos presided over by Patriarch Germanos II of Constantinople. Many Greek and Bulgarian church dignitaries, abbots of monasteries and monks from Mount Athos took part in it. With the consent of all Eastern Patriarchs the council confirmed the Patriarchal dignity of the Bulgarian Church. Headed by distinguished primates, it was well organized, had a large diocese, was active and has in general left behind a bright trance in history. Under the wing of the Bulgarian Patriarchate the Turnovo literary and educational school was organized whose representatives were such outstanding men of learning and enlightenment as St. Theodosy of Turnovo, St. Patriarch Euthymy and a host of other eminent scholars. Thus it became a zealous champion of the cause of the Ohrid and Preslav schools. Considerable upsurge was noted in the field of literature, architecture, painting, etc. Religious and theological literature flourished. The greatest writer and scholar, exemplary clergyman and ardent patriot was Patriarch Euthymy of Turnovo (died ca. 1404).

After the fall of Turnovo under Ottoman domination (1393) and Patriarch Euthymy was sent into exile, the autocephalous church organization was destroyed once again. The Bulgarian diocese was subordinated to the Constantinople Patriarchate. The other Bulgarian religious center - Ohrid - managed to survive a few centuries longer (until 1767), as a stronghold of faith and piety.

www.Pravoslavieto.com

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All the Sacred books of the New Testament were written in the vernacular Greek, an Alexandrian dialect, called koine. This language was spoken, or at least understood, by all the educated inhabitants of the Eastern and Western parts of the Roman Empire. It was the language of all the cultured people of that time. The Evangelists wrote in Greek rather than in Hebrew, in which the books of the Old Testament were written, in order to make the New Testament books accessible to a maximum number of people. At that time only the capital letters of the Greek alphabet were used in writing, without diacritics, punctuation, or separation between words. Lower case letters appeared only in the ninth century, together with spacing between words. Punctuation marks were introduced only with the invention of the printing press in the 15th century. The present separations of chapters was introduced by Cardinal Hugo in the 13th century, and the separation into verse was done by the Parisian typographer Robert Stephen in the 16th century.

Through its learned bishops and priests, the Church always concerned itself with preserving the texts of the Sacred Books in their original purity. This was especially important before the introduction of the printing press, when the texts were copied by hand, and errors could easily infiltrate the new copies. It is known that several Christian scholars of the 2nd and 3rd centuries such as Origen; Isihi, the Bishop of Egypt; and Lukian the priest of Antioch, labored with great diligence over the amendment of the Biblical texts. With the invention of the printing press, careful attention was given to the reproduction of the Sacred New Testament Books to ensure that they were copied according to the most ancient and reliable manuscripts. During the first quarter of the 16th century there appeared two publications of the New Testament texts in Greek: the “Complete Book of Writings” published in Spain, and the edition of Erasmus of Rotterdam in Basel. By the end of the last century, the scholar Tischendorf completed an important critical edition, for which he compared approximately nine hundred manuscripts of the New Testament.

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History of the Gospel TextsBY BISHOP ALEXANDER (MILEANT)

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These conscientious critical works, as well as the untiring efforts of the Church, filled and guided by the Holy Spirit, assure us that presently we possess the original and unadulterated Greek text of the Gospels. It may be fairly said that the genuineness of these books rests upon better evidence than that of any other ancient writing. The Slavic and Russian translations. During the second half of the 9th century, the Sacred Books of the New Testament were translated into Slavonic by Saints Cyril and Methodius, who enlightened the Slavic people. This language, a Bulgaro-Macedonian dialect, was more or less understood by all of the speakers of Slavic dialects and the people living in the region of Thessalonica, the birthplace of the brothers. The oldest manuscript of this Slavonic translation was preserved in Russia under the title of the Ostromirov Gospel since it was written for the Mayor of Novgorod by deacon Gregory Ostromirov circa 1056-57. With time, the Slavonic text was subjected to some Russification. The contemporary Russian translation was made during the first half of the 19th century. English Translations. Despite the many English translations of the Bible in whole or in part undertaken during the Middle Ages, it is not until the 16th century that the history of the English Bible as we know it actually begins. The New Testament of William Tyndale, published in 1525-26, was translated directly from the Greek original rather than from the Latin translation known as Vulgate, as its predecessors had been. The Hampton Court conference in 1604 proposed a new translation of the Bible, and 54 translators were invited to undertake the work at Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster. Their translation, dedicated to King James I, was published in 1611 in large folio volumes. This translation, known also as the Authorized Version, has so embedded itself in the religious and literary history of the English-speaking peoples that its secure place has been challenged only by revisions of it, not by replacements for it. Such revisions came in the British Revised version of 1885, followed by the American Standard Version of 1901. This later was more drastically revised by the Revised Standard Version (1946-52). The Amplified Bible (1954) is a literal translation with multiple expression using associated words to convey the original thought. This version is intended to supplement other translations. The

Jerusalem Bible (1966) is a translation form the Hebrew Masoretic text, the Greek Septuagint, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and accepted Greek and Aramaic New Testament texts. In making the New American Bible (1970), a Catholic translation, all the basic texts were consulted, and the work was 26 years in the making. The Living Bible (1971) is a popular paraphrase edition and is the work of a single translator, Kenneth L. Taylor. The New American Standard Bible (1971) was translated by an editorial board of 54 Greek and Hebrew scholars and required nearly 11 years to complete. The New King James Bible (1979-82) is a version in conformity with the thought flow of the 1611 King James Bible. It is based on the Greek text used by Greek speaking churches for many centuries, known presently as the Textus Receptus or Received Text. There are more than a dozen English Bible translations available today, each with its merits and its weaknesses. Some of them are more literal and, consequently, more difficult to understand; while others are much more readable and understandable, but less accurate. A serious Bible student might want to compare several of these translations in order to get a better understanding of the original text. The great variability among modern Bible versions testifies to the fact that translating is essentially interpreting. In other words, to do a good job, the translator must know both the original and the language being translated into quite well. The translator must understand the subject, and, what is extremely important, grasp the idea the author intended to convey and the sense in which he intended it to be conveyed. And since the ultimate author of Sacred Scripture is the Holy Spirit, the translator needs His illumination and inspiration to correctly convey His message. St. Peter pointed to this requirement when he wrote: “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:20-21). And here lies the main problem with of some of the modern Bible translations. The scientists who did them, with all their knowledge of ancient languages and sincere efforts to do the best job, were often far from the Church and hence never understood its teaching. So at the present time, the King James Bible and its more contemporary version, the New King James Bible, although neither is perfect, seem to convey most accurately the original meaning of the Bible as it was always understood by the Church.

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Prayer is the basis of our Christian life, the source of our experience of Jesus as the Risen Lord. Yet how few Christians know how to pray with any depth! For most of us, prayer means little more than standing in the pews for an hour or so on Sunday morning or perhaps reciting, in a mechanical fashion, prayers once learned by rote during childhood. Our prayer life - and thus our life as Christians - remains, for the most part, at this superficial level.

THE CHALLENGE OF ST. PAULBut this approach to the life of prayer has

nothing to do with the Christianity of St. Paul, who urges the Christians of first century Thessalonica to «pray without ceasing» (1 Thess. 5:17). And in his letter to Rome, the Apostle instructs the Christian community there to «be constant in prayer» (Rom. 12:12). He not only demands unceasing prayer of the Christians in his care, but practices it himself. «We constantly thank God for you» (1 Thess. 2:13) he writes in his letter to the Thessalonian community; and he comforts Timothy, his «true child in the faith» (1 Tim. 1:2) with the words: «Always I remember you in my prayers» (2 Tim. 1:3). In fact, whenever St. Paul speaks of prayer in his letters, two Greek words repeatedly appear: PANTOTE (pantote), which means always; and ADIALEPTOS (adialeptos), meaning without interruption or unceasingly. Prayer is then not merely a part of life which we can conveniently lay aside if something we deem more important comes up; prayer is all of life. Prayer is as essential to our life as breathing. This raises some important questions. How can we be expected to pray all the time? We are, after all, very busy people. Our work, our spouse, our children, our school - all place heavy demands upon our time. How can we fit more time for prayer into our already overcrowded lives? These questions and the many others like them which could be asked set up a false dichotomy in our lives as Christians. To pray does not mean to think about God in contrast to thinking about other things or to spend time with God in contrast to spending time with our family and friends. Rather, to pray means to think and live our entire life in the Presence of God. As Paul Evdokimov has remarked: «Our whole life, every act and gesture, even a smile must become a hymn or adoration, an offering, a prayer. We must

become prayer-prayer incarnate.» This is what St. Paul means when he writes to the Corinthians that «whatever you do, do it for the glory of God» (1 Cor. 10:31).

THE JESUS PRAYERIn order to enter more deeply into the life of

prayer and to come to grips with St. Paul’s challenge to pray unceasingly, the Orthodox Tradition offers the Jesus Prayer, which is sometimes called the prayer of the heart. The Jesus Prayer is offered as a means of concentration, as a focal point for our inner life. Though there are both longer and shorter versions, the most frequently used form of the Jesus Prayer is: «Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.» This prayer, in its simplicity and clarity, is rooted in the Scriptures and the new life granted by the Holy Spirit. It is first and foremost a prayer of the Spirit because of the fact that the prayer addresses Jesus as Lord, Christ and Son of God; and as St. Paul tells us, «no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit» (1 Cor. 12:3).

THE SCRIPTURAL ROOTS OF THE JESUS PRAYER

The Scriptures give the Jesus Prayer both its concrete form and its theological content. It is rooted in the Scriptures in four ways:

In its brevity and simplicity, it is the fulfillment of Jesus’ command that «in praying» we are «not to heap up empty phrases as the heathen do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them . . . (Matt. 6:7-8).

The Jesus Prayer is rooted in the Name of the Lord. In the Scriptures, the power and glory of God are present in his Name. In the Old Testament to deliberately and attentively invoke God’s Name was to place oneself in his Presence. Jesus, whose name in Hebrew means God saves, is the living Word addressed to humanity. Jesus is the final Name of God. Jesus is «the Name which is above all other names» and it is written that «all beings should bend the knee at the Name of Jesus» (Phil. 2:9-10). In this Name devils are cast out (Luke 10:17), prayers are answered (John 14:13 14) and the lame are healed (Acts 3:6-7). The Name of Jesus is unbridled spiritual power.

The words of the Jesus Prayer are themselves

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based on Scriptural texts: the cry of the blind man sitting at the side of the road near Jericho, «Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me» (Luke 18:38); the ten lepers who «called to him, Jesus, Master, take pity on us’ « (Luke 17:13); and the cry for mercy of the publican, «God, be merciful to me, a sinner» (Luke 18:14).

It is a prayer in which the first step of the spiritual journey is taken: the recognition of our own sinfulness, our essential estrangement from God and the people around us. The Jesus Prayer is a prayer in which we admit our desperate need of a Saviour. For «if we say we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth» (1 John 1:8).

THE THREE LEVELS OF PRAYERBecause prayer is a living reality, a deeply

personal encounter with the living God, it is not to be confined to any given classification or rigid analysis. However, in order to offer some broad, general guidelines for those interested in using the Jesus Prayer to develop their inner life, Theophan the Recluse, a 19th century Russian spiritual writer, distinguishes three levels in the saying of the Prayer:

It begins as oral prayer or prayer of the lips, a simple recitation which Theophan defines as prayers’ «verbal expression and shape.» Although very important, this level of prayer is still external to us and thus only the first step, for «the essence or soul of prayer is within a man’s mind and heart.»

As we enter more deeply into prayer, we reach a level at which we begin to pray without distraction. Theophan remarks that at this point, «the mind is focused upon the words» of the Prayer, «speaking them as if they were our own.»

The third and final level is prayer of the heart. At this stage prayer is no longer something we do but who we are. Such prayer, which is a gift of the Spirit, is to return to the Father as did the prodigal son (Luke 15:32). The prayer of the heart is the prayer of adoption, when «God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit that cries ‘Abba, Father!’» (Gal. 4:6).

THE FRUITS OF THE JESUS PRAYERThis return to the Father through Christ in the

Holy Spirit is the goal of all Christian spirituality. It is to be open to the presence of the Kingdom in our midst. The anonymous author of The Way of the Pilgrim reports that the Jesus Prayer has two very concrete effects upon his vision of the world. First, it transfigures his relation ship with the

material creation around him; the world becomes transparent, a sign, a means of communicating God’s presence. He writes:

«When I prayed in my heart, everything around me seemed delightful and marvelous. The trees, the grass, the birds, the air, the light seemed to be telling me that they existed for man’s sake, that they witnessed to the love of God for man, that all things prayed to God and sang his praise.»

Second, the Prayer transfigures his relationship to his fellow human beings. His relationships are given form within their proper context: the forgiveness and compassion of the crucified and risen Lord.

«Again I started off on my wanderings. But now I did not walk along as before, filled with care. The invocation of the Name of Jesus gladdened my way. Everybody was kind to me. If anyone harms me I have only to think, ‘How sweet is the Prayer of Jesus!’ and the injury and the anger alike pass away and I forget it all.»

ENDLESS GROWTH«Growth in prayer has no end,» Theophan

informs us. «If this growth ceases, it means that life ceases.» The way of the heart is endless because the God whom we seek is infinite in the depths of his glory. The Jesus Prayer is a signpost along the spiritual journey, a journey that all of us must take.

APPENDIXThe purpose of this article is merely to introduce

the practice of the Jesus Prayer. The Jesus Prayer cannot be separated from the sacramental life of the Church and asceticism. The following books are recommended for further study:

The Art of Prayer edited with an introduction by Kallistos Ware (Faber and Faber: London) 1966

The Power of the Name by Kallistos Ware (SLG Press: Oxford) 1974

The Way of a Pilgrim translated by R. M. French (Seabury Press: New York) 1965

Christ is in our Midst by Father John of New Valaamo (St. Vladimirs’ Seminary Press: New York) 1980

The Jesus Prayer by Per-Olof Sjogren (Fortress Press: Philadelphia) 1975

Prayer of the Heart by George A. Maloney (Ave Maria Press: Notre Dame) 1980

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Suffering is an inescapable aspect of human life in the present world. Suffering, affliction and tragic experiences disclose the vulnerable nature of human life; it enables us to recognize our limitations as human beings and our dependence upon others and upon God for sustenance in life. Suffering has the potential to lead human beings either to despair, misery and self enclosure or to transcendence through hope and faith, trusting the benevolence of God and His covenant relationship with His people.

There is a strong instinct in humans to seek reason(s) for their suffering. Why? Why me? These questions emerge from every human experience of suffering. The need to search for the causes of suffering is deeply engrained in us. Sometimes we find the answer and modify our behavior in the light of bad experiences. But, sometimes the causes are beyond our knowledge or control, and the search leads to increased frustration, misplaced guilt or blaming others. Yet, we find it hard to accept that we may never know the real reason for our suffering. We resent the inexplicable mystery, especially when we feel helpless and numb in the face of meaningless suffering. Thus, our search for meaning and explanations employs all our rational capacities to find intelligible causes for the inexplicable.

Every act and any reflection on suffering and death must begin by doing justice to actual human experience. Not all suffering is meaningless. Suffering can be an opportunity for maturation; an occasion to direct one’s life to the essential. Nevertheless, the suffering which one most often encounters is deadening, barbaric, and meaningless. The concrete experience of human suffering continues to call for a response, continues to raise the issue of its meaningfulness or, alternately, its meaninglessness. Suffering can never be kept at a distance: I am always involved in it; I share in it, either personally or insofar as I share in the lives of the others.

Undeserved suffering makes suffering intolerable in a world which is not ruled by irrational fate but by the just and powerful God. In Scripture, we find multiple responses

and interpretations of what suffering means in a theocentric structure of reality. All of them, however, are worth understanding and may help in dealing with our own suffering and that of others. Yet, none of these approaches is fully satisfactory taken on its own. Each one of them is a helpful resource to cope with suffering since escape from suffering as long as we live in history is impossible.

Suffering is not a problem, but an unfathomable, theoretically incomprehensible mystery. We should not try to explain suffering or construct theories about the reasons for suffering in the world and systematic explanations that seek to reconcile innocent suffering with belief in a good and all powerful God. The pervading presence of senseless suffering in the world falls outside the bounds of every rational system. Remember how Dostoyevsky in his book Brothers Karamazov was seized with horror in contemplating the picture of suffering throughout the world, especially the suffering of the innocent and of the little children. The only answer, which Aliosha (representing Dostoyevsky’s own faith and attitude) can give is the image of the Crucified: He can pardon all; He can reconcile all, for He has measured the depth of our afflictions, of our loneliness, and of our pain. In the Crucified Christ, God does not remain a distant spectator of the undeserving suffering of the innocent but He participates in their suffering through the Cross and plants hope in the life of all afflicted persons through the Resurrection. When faced with the mystery of evil and suffering, the story of Jesus as the story of God is the only adequate response. The human quest for meaning and hope in tragic situations of affliction, draw from Christ’s death and Resurrection the power of life needed for sustenance. Thus, as Christians we do not argue against suffering, but tell a story.

The Suffering of Jesus

The suffering and death of Jesus were the outcome of his public ministry, his preaching and making present the reign of God. The death of Jesus cannot be an isolated act of redemption detached from what transpired in His life. The crucifixion of Jesus was the intrinsic historical

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consequence of both His message and His lifestyle. The cross is salvific only in light of what God has accomplished in the Resurrection. The Crucifixion of Jesus should be envisioned as the ultimate expression of human rejection of salvation-from-God offered in Jesus. God, who according to Leviticus ‘abominates human sacrifices’ (Lev. 18:21–30; 20:1–5), did not put Jesus on the Cross. Human beings did that. Although God always comes in power, divine power knows no use of force, not even against those who had crucified Christ. But the kingdom of God still comes, despite human misuse of power and human rejection of God’s love.

The fact that Jesus in the last supper with His disciples offered the cup to His disciples for one last time, with the trust that He will drink it anew in the reign of God (Mk. 14:25), indicates Jesus’ trust that His communion with God and with His disciples was stronger than death. Jesus’ cry of abandonment: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” taken from the opening line of Psalm 22, should be interpreted in light of the entire psalm. Read as a whole, this psalm is a prayer of anguish but also a confession of trust in God. And it concludes with an expression of praise and thanksgiving for deliverance by God. These words reflect Jesus’ persistent trust in God even amidst the experience of darkness and the apparent failure of His mission.

God does not intervene to save Jesus, but neither does God abandon Jesus. Jesus’ life ends with an open question to God, “God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God answers to the crucified Jesus by raising Him from the dead and glorifying Him. The resurrection signifies that God is present in the suffering of Jesus and of every human person. If we speak of Jesus’ real abandonment by God at Calvary, this could lead to the mistaken impression that suffering human beings are also forsaken by God. Instead, we must speak of God as silently present to Jesus at this terrifying moment, just as God is silently present to all those who suffer. This silent presence of God to Jesus becomes manifest in the Resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus confirms and completes all that Jesus was about in His life. The bottom line of the Christian faith is that God will be victorious over evil and suffering, as exhibited and effected in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

God’s relation to suffering has practical consequences for Christian life. It means that Christians are called to be people of memory and action. First, believers in Christ keep the memory of human suffering – the memory of the ongoing passion of humanity. Christians are summoned to live in solidarity with suffering people and to enable suppressed stories of suffering to be told, whether they be the stories of individuals in pain or stories of peoples who are victims of systematic oppression. Christians also keep the memory of another story– the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It is this story, remembered and lived out, that speaks to us about the God of the kingdom who overcame the death of Jesus in the resurrection and who is on the move to overcome all evil and suffering. The story of Jesus assures us that entering into communion with suffering people and acting to bring life out of death is what God is doing for all people. Being attentive and hearing the stories of the afflicted and oppressed people and responding to their needs with compassion, care, and love and actively working against the causes of suffering provide opportunities to participate in God’s mercy and become true icons of His presence in the world. As Christians, we see the presence of the suffering Christ in our suffering brethren.

Winter 2013

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PLEASE, ORDER THE BOOKS THROUGH http://synaxispress.ca

BOOKS WRITTEN ESPECIALLY

FOR YOUNG READERS

Lives of Saints for Young People(by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo)

Eleven volumes of this series are currently available. Each volume contains the lives of twelve saints, one for each month of the year, told for young readers. Volume Five contains lives of British saints. Number of pages varies. Eleven volumes available.

Each Volume $5.00

TWELVE GREAT FEAST DAYS(by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo)

Written for young readers and arranged so that it can be used as a «Life of Christ,» and as a church school text. (Also available in Romanian and Russian).$10.00

COLOURING BOOKSFOR CHILDREN

THE CREATION OF THE WORLD,FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

This simply written narrative of the creation of the world is illustrated to be used as a colouring book. The simplified text is accompanied by the full text from the Orthodox Septuagint Old Testament. 27 pages. $4.00

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANALPHABET COLOURING BOOK

Illustrated with Orthodox Christian themes, this delightful book permits small children to learn about the faith while learning the «ABCs.»$4.00

ORTHODOX CHURCHES FROM AROUND

THE WORLD COLOURING BOOKThis children’s colouring book features selected drawings of Orthodox Christian Churches from Russian, Greece, Serbia, Alaska, Canada and many other countries around the world. Helps give children a broader understanding of the Orthodox Church as reaching out to all nations.$4.00

GREAT SERBIAN ORTHODOX FRESCOES

COLOURING BOOKThe drawings in this colouring book feature simple drawings of actual frescoes from the great Serbian Orthodox Monasteries, many of them in Kosovo- Metochia. This colouring book is of great cultural and historical value.$4.00

ORTHODOX CHILDREN’S STORIES

AUKE LAKE TALES(by Etolin Wittanen)

The only truly North American original Orthodox children’s book. This beautifully illustrated book contains charming stories of a family of Orthodox children in Alaska who are part Tlingit Indian and part Russian. $10.00

THE HOLY MYSTERIES/SACRAMENTS FOR CHILDREN

This Church school/home study text contains a introduction for Church School teachers and parents about the Sacraments and about Divine Grace. The text for children is simple

and straight forward. It contains pictures to colour, and simple puzzles to solve. 57 pages$8.00

IIESPECIALLY

FOR TEENAGERS

THE LAW OF GOD(by Saint Philaret of New York)

This excellent instructional book, written by the late Metropolitan Philaret of New York, covers a wide range of subjects affecting teenagers and young adults in our present times. It is excellent for church schools.$5.00

IIIPATERICONS AND

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

GREAT FATHERS OF THE CHURCHA unique presentation of the lives of 27 of the greatest fathers of the Church. This book is written for ordinary readers, not theologians or scholars. The «Life» of each of the holy fathers is prefaced with a history and description of the city they lived and worked in. This book will give the reader greater understanding of the history of the Church and the way its teachings were presented by the holy fathers.$10.00

THE KIEV CAVES PATERIKONTranslated and printed in honour of the 1000th anniversary of the «Baptism of Rus’,» this volume contains the lives of the saints and wonderworkers of the first great North Slavic monastery, and one of the holiest places of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians. 68 pages. $10.00

Synaxis Press is a monastic publishing house. It is a missionary outreach of The Canadian Orthodox Monastery of All Saints of North America. It is operated by the brotherhood with the intention of keeping the prices as low as possible. We endeavour to provide quality Orthodox Christian reading material, both for your own edification, and to help you witness to the Orthodox faith. All titles are carefully selected for purity of Orthodox content and complete conformity with the holy and God-bearing fathers of the Church.Our goal is to be the most dependable source of pure Orthodox Christian reading material in Canada and America. Your purchase of books from Synaxis Press makes you a participant in the missionary outreach of The Canadian Orthodox Monastery of All Saints of North America and helps sustain the Monastery.

Winter 2013

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Located on the outskirts of Sofia, Boyana Church consists of three buildings. The eastern church was built in the 10th century, then enlarged at the beginning of the 13th century by Sebastocrator Kaloyan, who ordered a second two-storey building to be erected next to it. The frescoes in this second church, painted in 1259, make it one of the most important collections of medieval paintings. The ensemble is completed by a third church, built at the beginning of the 19th century. This site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art.

Who were the creators of the Boyana wall-paintings? Of course the donors, the builder and the artists. We know the names only of the donors. They were bound to participate in the selection of the subjects and in determining the style of the paintings. That is why we consider them to have played an important role in the team of creators. The name of the artist or artists who executed the paintings remains unknown. There are, however, many speculations. Thus Krastyo Miyatev believes the initials are marked upon the handle of St. Demetrius’s sword and on the sword of the executioner in the scene where St. Nikola saves the unjustly condemned people. It is possible that the two words « Inscribed Iliya» carved into a piece of stone left from the old building and used again in the south wall of Kaloyan’s Church are related to the subject, but how?

We believe that the most likely place for the names of the artists is in the small triangle below the donor’s text where there is a special place left for this purpose. There are even lines cut into the wet plaster, but there are no letters. We also agree with those scholars who consider that two artists worked in the Boyana Church. The analysis of the style and techniques suggests two persons, each with his own individuality. It should be emphasized, however, that the painters have succeeded in the producing an integral composition. One of them was the innovator, the experienced artist and his work processes the new trends in 13th Century art. He painted most of the muralist the Boyana Church. Apparently his work included the most expressive scenes in images - those of the donors Kaloyan and Desislava, Tsar Constantine Assen and Tsarina Irina, St. Euphremus, Christ the Benefactor, the upright saints in the south and north areas of the lower church, as well as scenes in the First Church, the scene of Christ among the Scribes, some of the portraits in the upper church, etc. The other artist is more decorative and his style manifests more archaic elements. He has worked on the images of St. Panteleimon in the upper church, of St. Barbara and St. Nedelya in the lower church as well as some of the images in the scenes from the life of St. Nikola up on the vault.

The Bulgarian people, however, have a well-established idea that the Boyana wall-paintings were the work of single artist, whom they call the Boyana Master. We shall use this already legendary name to designate the first artist, the innovator, the one who has indeed created the world-famous frescoes.

That is how legends are created. In every legend there is a grain of truth.

Winter 2013

THE BOYANA CHURCH, SOFIA BULGARIA

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F R E E S P I R I T U A L G U I D A N C E

O V E R T H E P H O N E A N D A T H O M E

From now on any resident of Toronto and the surrounding area will be able to receive spiritual and psychological assistance, ask questions over the telephone or invite the priest to his/her home. This assistance is free of charge. Moreover, in case of urgent need priest will try to provide all possible assistance.Many people have a barrier in a conversation with a priest, and they might postpone this discussion for years.The task of spiritual instruction is precisely the restoration and

strengthening of the tradition of passing on, preserving, and increasing spiritual experience. The importance of this ministry is shown by the fact that in the Gospel the Lord Himself is called the Teacher. After all, He Himself gave us an example: the Savior walked through Palestine from end to end with His disciples. Christianity offers a very clear answer. Our faith, and the richness of our spiritual lives, is gained first of all through direct communion with God – that is, through

Sacraments of Church and prayer, by which one’s faith is established. Without this, according to Theophan the Recluse – theoretical knowledge and education are of little value. But, at the same time, this does not negate the value of knowledge, which is also an integral part of the spiritual life, one that can by no means be neglected. Why do we have so many problems today, including in the spiritual life? The whole trouble lies in the absence of Orthodox upbringing and of knowledge in the realm of theology. When

a child gains at least some understanding early on of what the spiritual life is, and of what faith is, then he can avoid many mistakes.Communication with the clergy is a step towards such people.After all, at the confession is usually no time to speak «heart to heart», and many need it in a confidential conversation.This is very important. During last four months Fr. Milan Radulovic and Fr. Boris Kriger visited over 90 homes.

Please, call us at (705) 635-3857

or email: [email protected]

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Our Orthodox FaithBy Very Rev. Prof. Blagoy Tchiflianov

The temporary life begins with birth and ends with death. It has a beginning and an end. But the life in the world to come, while having a beginning, will have no end. That is, it will be eternal and it will be blessed for the believers and those who obey God’s will but will be an endless torment for the unbelievers and the sinners. What is eternal life? It is, above all, a defined state of the human soul. It does not depend on distance or time. Consequently, it begins here on earth. Jesus Christ says: “The Kingdom of God is within you,” that is, it begins and expands here on earth.

Price $ 7.50

ISBN 9781105658990Publisher: Altaspera Publishing & Literary Agency

Please, order through [email protected]

Winter 2013

Baptism, weddings, funerals, memorial services, prayer services for the health,

the consecration of apartments, houses, cars and other rites performed

by arrangement with the priest, at a convenient time for you

Rector Archpriest Milan Radulovic (647) 995-3011 [email protected]

Second Priest Boris Kriger (705) 635-3857 [email protected]

ADDRESS:33 Mosley St.,

Aurora, Ontario, L4G 1G8

Автобусы: #32, 33, 34, 98 YRT / VIVA Yonge St / Wellington, Yonge St / Church St

DIVINE LITURGIES

EVERY SUNDAY

Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia

HOLY ASCENSION ORTHODOX CHURCH IN AURORA, ONTARIOhttp://auroraorthodoxchurch.org/

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ORTHODOX FAITH Winter 2012

Fr. Milan Radulovich

Outlines of 20th Century Church History

Fr. Milan Radulovich, an Orthodox theologian, had written many articles on a subject of Liturgical Theology, Dogmatics and Holy Scripture. This is his first work on Church History subject.

Price $ 15.00

Please order through: Tel. (647) 995-3011,

[email protected]

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SACRED MURALS STUDIO

Icon-Writing Workshops

by iconographer Philip Davydov from RussiaSign up at www.sacredmurals.com or email:

[email protected]

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