Saturday, June 8, 2024

Letter to us from our Synod + Minutes of the Synod Meeting




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http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2024-11

Message of the Bishops' Conference 2024

Автор: Митрополит Агафангел. Дата публикации: 30 мая 2024  Категория: РПЦЗ.


Message

Conference of Bishop of the ROCOR to her faithful children

Don't be afraid, small herd! for your Father was well-willed to give you a kingdom  (LK 12.32).

Christ is Risen!


Honorable pastors and faithful to our Church, monastics and laity!


Our Bishops' Conference (partially remote) with the rights of the Bishops' Council, now gathered in conditions that probably did not exist in the history of the Church – war, created in laboratories and widespread spiritual and physical diseases and technologies, a mass retreat from faith. At this difficult time, we found it necessary to address you with a word of support.


Even in the present apocalyptic time, when control over people increases, darkness thickens and grace diminishes, the Lord does not leave us and does not close the way to His Kingdom.


The Church of Salvation will be numerically small, as the Lord teaches, but for each individual Christian, in fact, the number of the saved is not as important as it is that by the great mercy of God he is personally saved. Therefore, staying in the Church and helping our neighbors not to perish with all our strength, let's not be embarrassed by the universal depriation and retreat that must be (see Mt 24.6).


An example for us is Christ, who has risen from the darkness, which is almost like the reality around us - only in Christ is our great hope, which is enough for the believing soul, even though hell is huge and strong.


We will not be afraid of your fear and will not be embarrassed, as God is with us! – St. Church. Together with Christ, His faithful followers will rise up - death has no power over Christians – the Lord is the Protector of my life, from whom will I be afraid? (Psam 26.1).


Therefore, in the spiritual darkness that has gripped this world, we will not lose the light of the saving grace of the Heavenly Kingdom reaching our souls! - this light is our solid consolation in the raging ocean of the dying world.


Indeed, Christ is risen and life lives!


President of the Archieresky Sobor of the RPTZ

Mitropolitan Agaphangel

Members of the Council

Archbishop John, Archbishop George, Archbishop Gregory, Bishop Kirill, Bishop Nikon, Bishop John, Bishop Ambrose, Bishop Christopher, Bishop Alexy.

May 16/29, 2024, Pascha of Christ




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http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2024-10

RPTSZ: Meeting of the Right Officers, September 2024

Author: Mitropolitan Aghaangel. Publication date: 29 May 2024. Категория: РПЦЗ.


Journals of the meeting of the Bishops' Meeting 15/28 - 16/29 May 2024.


The meeting of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia with the rights of the Council of Bishops was held on May 15/28 -—16/29, 2024 in the Synodal Mission in Ukraine, Odessa, Spl. Mikhailovskaya, 1.

Present: His Eminence Metropolitan Agafangel, Chairman of the Council of Bishops of ROCOR; Reverends: Archbishop George (Secretary), Bishop John, Bishop Alexy. Archbishops John and Gregory, as well as bishops: Anastasius, Cyril, Nikon, Ambrose and Christopher took part in the meetings of the Skype Conference.


JOURNAL №1

Listened: Chairman on the Agenda.

Decided: To adopt the Agenda of the meeting of the Council of Bishops with extended rights in the following form:

Agenda of the ROCOR Bishops' Meeting 15/28 - 16/29 May 2024.

1. On the procedure for office work of the Conference with the Rights of the Council of Bishops (protocol, magazines, forms, signatures, decrees).

2. Chairman's report.

3. Reports of bishops.

4. Judgment of the candidacy of Hieromonk Filaret (Lipin) for consecration as Bishop of Ferapontov, vicar of the Vologda diocese.

5. On the situation of bishops outside their dioceses.

6. Consideration of the letter of the Greek Synod.

7. About the Synodal House in California.

8. Requests for admission to our Church.

9. Approval of awards.

10. Different.


JOURNAL № 2.

Listened to: Chairman on the procedure for record-keeding of the Conference with the Rights of the Council of Bishops.

Decided: The office work of the Conference with the rights of the Bishops' Council should be conducted as it is conducted in the case of the Bishops' Council, i.e., to draw up protocols for internal use and magazines for general review. Issue decrees on the form of the Synod with the signatures of the Chairman and the Secretary. In the absence of the Registrar, the second signature shall be provided by the secretary elected to keep the minutes of the current Meeting. For absent bishops, the Secretary shall sign with their consent.


JOURNAL № 3.

Listened: Report of the Chairman and the Ruling Bishops.

Decided: The reports of the Chairman and the Ruling Bishops should be taken into account.


JOURNAL №4.

Listened: Judgment on the candidacy of hieromonk Filaret (Lipin) for consecration as Bishop of Ferapontovsky, vicar of the Vologda Diocese of ROCOR.

Decided: To approve the candidacy of Hieromonk Filaret for ordination to Bishop of Ferapontovsky, vicar of the Vologda Diocese.


MAGAZINE №5.

Listened: Chairman about the position of bishops outside their dioceses.

Decided: Bishops who are outside their dioceses, while retaining their titles, do not leave custody of their flock.


MAGAZINE №6.

Listened: Consideration of a letter from the Greek Synod.

Decided: To approve the text of the response to the letter from the Greek Synod.


JOURNAL №7.

Listened: Chairman about the Synodal House in California.

Decided: The report of the Chairman on the Synodal House should be taken into account.


JOURNAL №7.

Listened to: the Chairman about petitions for admission to our Church.

Decided: The Chairman's message on admission to our Church should be taken into account.


MAGAZINE №8.

Listened: About the awards.

Decided: To award Priest Sergei Tsapko with the right to wear a golden cross.

Priest Sergei Shuklin to award the rank of Archpriest, Priest Yevgeny Golovicher with a golden cross, Priest Igor Topchilko with the right to wear a kamilavka. To approve the awarding of Archpriest. Hristo Petkova and Archpriest. George Storozhitsky has the right to wear a cross with jewelry.


JOURNAL №9.

Listened: Archbishop John proposes that Bishop Ambrose be appointed as the ruling bishop.

Decided: Bishop Ambrose to be the Governor of the Moscow Diocese with the titles of Kolomensky and Shchurovsky.


JOURNAL № 10.

Listened: Chairman about the candidacy for bishop of Hieromonk Paul (Graul).

Decided: To interview the bishops by sending out the documents of Hieromonk Paul for review and approval as candidates for ordination as a vicar bishop to help the First Hierarch.


JOURNAL №11.

Listened: About the deprivation of the rank of prohibited clerics of the Chisinau Diocese: Priest Sergei Grapin and Priest Alexander Friptulyak.

Decided: To approve the decision of the Diocesan Church Court to deprive Priest Sergei Grapin and Priest Alexander Friptulyak of their oath and fall from the Holy Orthodox Church and unrepentance.


JOURNAL №12.

Listened: Minutes 1, 2 and Journals of the Meetings of the ROCOR Bishops' Meeting.

Decided: To adopt Protocol 1, 2 and the Journals of the Meetings of the ROCOR Bishops' Meeting, taking into account the amendments.


JOURNAL №13.

Listened: The chairman's proposal to approve the text of the Priestly oath.

Decided: To approve the text of the Oath for all ROCOR parishes.


MAGAZINE №14.

Listened to: Chairman on the draft Message of the Bishops' Conference to the flock.

Decided: To accept the message to the flock of the ROCOR Bishops' Conference, taking into account the comments.


JOURNAL №15.

Listened: Chairman's proposal to appoint the date of the next Extended Bishops' Meeting.

Decided: To approve the date of the next Bishops' Meeting on 25.09/08.10 2024.


Chairman of the Meeting + Metropolitan Agafangel

Secretary + Archbishop George



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Friday, April 19, 2024

Synodal House in San Diego

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/rptsz-sinodalnyj-dom-v-kalifornii

ROCOR: Synodal House in California

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Date of publication: April 15, 2024. Category: ROCOR.





In the USA, in California, at the address: The Synod of ROCA, 1914 Hauberk Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004, U.S.A., work is underway to convert the purchased residential building into the Synodal Representation. The temple is currently being equipped - an iconostasis is being built, it will be necessary to decorate the temple with icons and paintings.


We ask you to donate to this charitable cause to our Synodal account in California:


The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad Synod of Bishops 

Bank: WELLS FARGO

Routing Number (RTN): 122000247

Account Number: 8554295637


Or to the Synodal Representative Office in Odessa with the note “To the Synodal House”:

 https://sinod.ruschurchabroad.org/bank2023.pdf






More on this topic:  

ROCOR: A house for the Synod has been purchased  [pasted below] 

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/rptsz-priobretjon-dom-dlya-sinoda  

Метки: рпцз, синод

Печать E-mail

Comments  

# RE: РПЦЗ: Синодальный дом в КалифорнииМитрополит Агафангел 15.04.2024 07:53

Local birds are already taking up residence on the cross on our temple:




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http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/rptsz-priobretjon-dom-dlya-sinoda

ROCOR: A house for the Synod has been purchased

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Date of publication: February 24, 2024. Category: РПЦЗ.


Our Synod of Bishops, registered in New York, has changed its address.

Purchased a house in California (USA) at the address: The Synod of ROCA, 1914 Hauberk Dr, Borrego Springs, CA 92004, U.S.A. Now this is the official address of our Synod. Temporary address for correspondence: Address for all correspondence in CA: 6757 Friars Rd., Unit 28, San Diego, CA 92108-1113, Tel: +1 973 865 4707 (U.S.A.).


The house was purchased for $340,000, of which $140,000 came from the sale of a house in New York, and $200,000 was donated to our Church by kind people. The house was fully purchased, without a loan, and is the property of the Synod of Bishops of the ROCOR. All documents are fully prepared.


The house is one-story, with a large hall, kitchen, 4 bedrooms and 2 toilets, a large plot and a large detached garage for 2 cars. Since the purchased property belongs to the Church, according to California rules, there must be a temple there. It is planned to rebuild the garage into an Orthodox church. Upon receipt of the religious visa, Fr. will stay at the new Synodal Representation. Hieromonk Pavel (Graule), as house manager.


A new account of the Synod of Bishops has been opened:

The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad Synod of Bishops

Bank: WELLS FARGO

Routing Number (RTN): 122000247

Account Number: 8554295637

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There is a lot of work to be done, to purchase property and pay for the work of renovating the house for church needs, it is necessary to transport existing property from New York to California, and monthly utility payments are also made. We ask those who have the opportunity to donate towards the costs of refurbishment and maintenance of the Synodal House of the ROCOR to the specified account. We will not be able to maintain our house without the help of our parishioners.


Photo: view of the garage, which will be converted into a temple.



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Sunday, January 21, 2024

Russia Yesterday – America Today

Russia Yesterday – America Today

Government Monitored Purchases tied to Trump & Christianity


QUOTE   

 "What began in Russia will end in America"

Schema-hieromonk Elder Ignatius of Harbin Manchuria, 

August 3/16, 1958†)


Government Monitored Purchases Tied to ‘MAGA,’ Religious Books | Live With Josh

https://www.theepochtimes.com/epochtv/government-monitored-purchases-tied-to-maga-religious-books-and-others-for-extremism-5568900

video is 1 hour, but the Government monitoring of purchases is the first 5 or 10 minutes


Thursday, January 18, 2024

Memory Eternal Eugene Magerovsky 15th Memorial

In Memoriam: 

For the Fifteenth Anniversary of his passing: 

Professor EUGENE L'VOVICH MAGEROVSKY


Remembering:  LEST WE FORGET!-In Memoriam on the 9th, Anniversary of his passing, 'White-Russian',  Professor EUGENE L'VOVICH MAGEROVSKY : December 11, 1934-January 18, 2009, he died on the eve of Theophany 2009, .... who with his illustrious father, was a life-long fighter against the Communists and a big promoter of our Continued ROCOR under our honorable and solidly Orthodox, Vladyka Metropolitan Agafangel. He  loved his real Russia, and he loved his adopted home, America, and he fought for both.


MEMORY ETERNAL! and VECHNAYA PAMYAT!




The above is a recycled post from a previous year 


The below is also from the past, but it was not previously posted:

what Daniel wrote this about his friend Eugene back in 2015 when Peter Koltypin was still among the living:





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Sunday, January 14, 2024

Nativity Photos and Message


  PHOTOS 

Nativity 2023/2024 in our churches

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/2023-2024




Metropolitan Agafangel: Nativity message 2023/2024

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Date of publication: January 06, 2024. Category: Author's column.

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/stati/avtorskaya-kolonka/2023-2024


NATIVITY MESSAGE

First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia


The Lord did not come to this world for earthly joy and happiness - He was born to endure suffering for the sake of redeeming people from the power of sin and death, and to open for us the path to eternity - the Kingdom of Heaven.


Why suffering, why?


Because the evil will of people took them from Paradise to uncultivated land, to the kingdom of disease and death - that is, to the world around us. This is where the Lord came to save us. He, by His will, experienced the suffering to which people living on earth are subject. Since illness and death come from sins, Jesus Christ took them upon Himself, and, compassionate with each of us, moved by Divine Love, atoned for our sins (see Heb. 1.3). Therefore, each of us, in an effort to part with sins, must love God and our neighbors, must learn to sympathize with the earthly torment of our Savior. Otherwise, this is suffering only on one side - on His part - without mutual compassion necessary for our salvation. The Lord knows the initial incompatibility of the immortal soul of man with the earthly world, the crown of which is death. But for our salvation it is necessary that we, as people, be involved in the earthly, human suffering of the Lord, His death and Resurrection. Only then will we have a saving unity with Christ.


We are called by the Lord from non-existence not in order to live in this world and die in it, but to endure this temporary world and enter eternity together with Christ.

* * * *

The Star of Bethlehem led people to the born Christ, after which He Himself became a Guiding Star for people, leading us to the eternal Kingdom.

Christ was born - let's follow Him!

+ Metropolitan Agafangel

Christmas 2023/2024


Saturday, January 13, 2024

Gonzalo Lira is tortured and killed in a Ukrainian prison


some links in this post are not activated on purpose
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                   https://nitter.net/TuckerCarlson/status/1745863377493143906  



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Download copy of video here 

https://app.box.com/s/2tn0k3a3n1t5vxum6mjcxkpl2hyz7vg0

70 MB

VIEW:https://twitter.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1733581286256607619

https://savevideo.me/en/      Download would not work in Safari.    Works fine in Firefox.

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Gonzalo Lira's You Tube channel is still up Jan 13, 2023

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPxpPT4b4vnDlX0sBGz3r4Q

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Monday, January 8, 2024

Axios! a new deacon!

ROCOR: Vladimir Kungurov ordained to the rank of deacon

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Date of publication: January 08, 2024. Category: ROCOR.

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/rptsz-vladimir-kungurov-rukopolozhen-v-san-diakona


Yesterday, on the Day of Nativity, in the city of Bergheim, near Cologne, Germany, in the home parish in honor of St. Paisius the Great, with the concelebration of the rector, Priest Anatoly Shchabelsky, the Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Bishop Nikon. With the blessing of the head of the Western European Diocese, Metropolitan Agafangel, during the reading of the hours the Bishop appointed Vladimir Kungurov and Alexey Glebov (Alexey from the Czech Republic) as readers and then as subdeacons. During the Divine Liturgy, Subdeacon Vladimir was ordained by Bishop Nikon to the rank of deacon.













Monday, January 1, 2024

Damage to Met. Agafangel's cathedral in Odessa

  Fwd: Fw: Damage to Met. Agafangel's cathedral in Odesa  

  Time:  Sat, 30 Dec 2023 08:46:52 -0500    

  From: Holy Ascension Orthodox Church <holyascensionorthodoxchurch1@gmail.com>                 






There are many photos on the website.  Met. Agafangel is asking for donations to repair the damage.


DONATIONS FOR BUILDING REPAIRS 


Western Union, MoneyGram and others ( and others ): Natalya Sergeevna Kovtun ( mother Rafail ), Mikhailovskaya Square , 1, 65005, Odessa , Ukraine • Kovtun Natalya Sergeevna (nun Rafail), Mikhailovskaya Square, 1, 65005, Odessa, Ukraine (contacts ipc.roca@gmail.com ; Tel., Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram: +380674824297).


PayPal: at the e-mail address of the primate • payment system at the e-mail address of the primate: agafangel.roca@gmail.com


Mastercard, Visa: Metropolitan Agafangel /PASHKOVSKYI MYKHAILO/: 4149 4991 7010 4218


Bank account Odessa Diocese / ROCOR Synod Bishops :


name Beneficiary : Diocesan Administration of Odessa diocese of the ROCA


Recipient bank: First Ukrainian International Bank: st. Andriivska 4, Kiev , 04070, Ukraine • Payee's bank: FIRST UKRAINIAN INTERNATIONAL BANK 4, Andriivska Str., Kyiv, 04070, Ukraine SWIFT BIC: FUIBUA2X


U.S. DOLLARS


Checking account (IBAN): UA123348510000026002962502478


Bank correspondent:


USD JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A.* 270 Park Avenue, NY 10017, New York USA SWIFT: CHASUS33


USD The Bank of New York Mellon One Wall Street, 8th Floor, 10286, New York USA SWIFT: IRVTUS3N


USD Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas* 60 Wall Street, 10005 NY, New York, USA SWIFT: BKTRUS33


EUR


Checking account (IBAN): UA123348510000026002962502478


Bank correspondent :


EUR Commerzbank AG, Kaiserplatz, 60261, Frankfurt am Main, Germany DE SWIFT: COBADEFF


EUR KBC BANK NV Havenlaan, 2, 1080, Brussels, Belgium BEL SWIFT: KREDBEBB 


A place will not save you.  There is no place where you can flee 

from yourself.  ---- Ven. Nikon of Optina, +1931



http://internetsobor.org/index.php/novosti/rptsz/i-k-nam-priletelo










Комментарии   

# RE: И к нам прилетело…Митрополит Агафангел 29.12.2023 15:10

Today we spent the whole day cleaning up broken glass and earth scattered by the explosion. Parishioners came and helped. But we still need to clean up. And change windows, and install glass, and doors, etc. More than 70 windows alone were damaged - from broken double-glazed windows to completely destroyed. Replacement of double-glazed windows alone will cost approximately 2,000 thousand dollars. It also turned out that almost all the doors were warped, some were torn off their hinges, some had the locks torn out, and many did not close.


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Great Signs of Our Times (1955)

http://internetsobor.org/index.php/istoriya/rptsz/arkhiv-rptsz/mikhail-polskij-velikie-znameniya-nashego-vremeni

Mikhail Polsky: Great signs of our time

Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Date of publication: December 27, 2023. Category: ROCOR Archives.



On October 25 (November 7), 1917, the Bolshevik-Communist Party seized supreme power in Russia with a revolutionary uprising. Now, 38 years later, the influence of this Russian power has reverberated throughout the world. Deception, violence and godlessness are the explicit and open principles of this power. The falsity of the Marxist theory of the common good is revealed wherever the theory is implemented by this power. However, because men "did not accept the love of the truth for their salvation, God sent them acts of delusion, so that they began to believe a lie." Terror, unbounded in scope and cruelty, accompanies everywhere and always the path of this party dictatorship, which seeks power over the whole world. The godlessness of this party has its last and final form of justification in absolute materialism, and endeavors to deprive every man of his exaltation over the world in God, making him the spiritual slave of its system as infallible.


This world evil appeared from the West, primarily in the powerful Russian state, where Christianity, preserved in its pure, intact, authentic form of the Orthodox faith, merged with statehood into an organic whole.  Great upheavals occurred primarily against the backdrop of Ecumenical Orthodoxy, and the main blow of the maturing world wickedness was struck precisely here.


It was enough that in one Orthodox country in the world, where God’s faith was so supported by statehood in our era, it lost this principle that “restrained” evil from its predominance in the world, and the power there was captured by villainous atheism, just as this evil began to rage in all over the world.  The “taking from the environment of the holding” of moral, Christian statehood suddenly opened up the basis for destructive world wickedness.


Another event that deepens the evil and is terrible in its immorality and spiritual ugliness is the subordination of the Church to the Antichrist power and its service to the latter’s world seduction.  Betrayal of the calling and purpose of the Church - to affirm the truth of God in the world, perversion of Christian service, betrayal of one's own, collaboration with the enemies of Christ, the Church and all faith is the worst of the falls that happened to the highest church authorities in Russia on July 16/29, 1927 (declaration M. Sergius), who led the Church there along this path to this day.  Not all of us Russians are able to understand and appreciate this event.  We repeat - not everyone, but they succeed.  Those abroad fell even lower than in Russia who, in their freedom, through their short or long, nominal or actual submission to this church authority, threw their sacrifice on the altar of Satan.  Other representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches fell into these networks, and some have not yet escaped from them.  And heterodox Christians look at such a fall condescendingly or completely indifferently.  This is the situation in which the enemy finds Christendom.


Two great wars of global scope and significance: one (1914-1918) gave birth to Bolshevism in Russia, the other (1939-1945) brought it from Russia to the world stage.  But at the end of the latter, humanity successfully entered a new, atomic age.  On July 16, 1945, in the desert of the American state of New Mexico, with the explosion of an atomic device, humanity was notified that the most important secret of nature, the driving spring of the entire universe, had been revealed, and a new element, energy released by the splitting of atoms with a temperature of 50 million degrees, was at its disposal .


The greatest happiness of mankind was that this element was not discovered by the Bolsheviks, otherwise the whole world would have already been brought to its knees by them, as Japan was brought to its knees a few days after its discovery.  However, the Bolsheviks failed to be frightened by this bomb and after a while felt that the world had prepared its own means of suicide.  A possible war is depicted as “fire from heaven” (the atom is crushed only in the sun), as the last cup of God’s wrath, which can destroy all life on the globe.


And after this, suddenly a new, extraordinary, immensely amazing historical event, showing that the world has an internal, spiritual and sacred history that continues from the time of the establishment of the Old and New Testaments to this day.  On May 14, 1948, a Jewish state called Israel is established in Palestine.  The 2,000-year-old dream of Jews to have their own state has come true.  What does it mean?  How do the Jews themselves think about this?  “The Lord still heard the prayers of his people,” say the old Jews with tears in their eyes.  Regarding the Day of Judgment, we are reminded of the synagogue prayer (NRSL. M. Graev September 18, 1955) “so that in the near future the prophecy of Isaiah will come true that the day will come, and swords will be beaten into plowshares and all the peoples of the world will reach for the mountains of Zion to listen to the word of God about peace and brotherhood of nations."


However, there is also a party of extreme clerics in Jerusalem (Naturei Karta - Guardians of the City Walls), which teaches that the Jewish state contradicts the messianic idea of ​​Jewry.  The State of Israel, in her opinion, has illegally appropriated to itself the prerogatives of the Messiah, who alone, upon his coming, will establish state order in the country.  Poets compose poems in honor of the Messiah: - “What are you forging, stern blacksmith? - I turn tight strips into horseshoes. Yes, horseshoes for him, - Joy! joy! - for him.  For the horse of the Messiah. Agile, quick-eyed weaver, what are you preparing? The cloak is wide, the Robes are dear.  He himself will be clothed in them, - Joy! joy! - he himself, himself, the King of kings - the Messiah" (D. Frishman). Etc.


With deep amazement we look at this phenomenon of our era and with timid joy we think: will the words of the Apostle Paul really soon come true that against Jesus of Nazareth “hardness happened in Israel in part, until the time when the full number of the pagans came in; and so the whole Israel will be saved... in relation to election, they are beloved of God for the sake of their fathers, for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable" (Rom 10.25-29)?  What lies ahead for them in the hope of a new Messiah, other than disappointment?  Tactile and bitter experiences of history itself are needed to be convinced of the truth of the first Messiah.  The one faithful and immutable God, listening to the prayers of His people, gives them what they ask for and allows them to know good through the evil of trials, if they could not avoid it by the faith that the Pagans accepted. His trials were not over.  And when they end, Israel will be with us, that is, together with us near our Lord Christ, Jesus of Nazareth.  The other Messiah who is expected is a mistake, and they will understand it.  Exactly, in this way, “all Israel will be saved.”  This is his way.  Such are the faith, hope, love and wisdom of our Christianity.


The last real task of our scientific and technological development is travel into interplanetary space.  A way out of the earth, from its narrow confines.  Freedom, certainly freedom from the matter of time and space.  Higher and higher, from visible to invisible.  This is an unconscious desire for the Heavenly Kingdom, which alone frees us from our matter, time, and space, about which “consciously,” that is, with omniscient Divine wisdom, the Gospel has been preached for almost two thousand years, as revealed to us by our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, where He, the Risen One, dwells in our new body at the right hand of the Throne of His Father and our God.


Humanity is slowly developing, but is already on the threshold of understanding the purpose and meaning of its life, which were given to its faith from the beginning.  Faith, knowledge and experience of history speak of one thing.  Therefore, we Christians do not lose heart.  The triumph of Christ's truth and the eternal life of the Heavenly Kingdom will come, at least through the execution of the exodus from Egyptian slavery.  Our preaching does not need guessing: when and how it will happen.  Let it happen even through centuries, and the Lord will continue the life of the world for a long time for its eternal salvation.  The more important is our standing in the truth, its preservation, and the increasing revelation of its light to humanity.  In the face of the events of the world and even great signs, even sorrowful and even terrible, our face, illuminated by this light of eternal truth, should be like flint, being able to take all blows.  “This is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.”  And we must pay even more attention to where in our era, in what remnant of the faithful, the strength is preserved in order to walk the path ahead with them.  The Orthodox Church has been preserved by God. Orthodoxy or fidelity to the truth of Christ, in times of difficult trials, is present in her and nothing in the world can overcome it, even among many falls and apostasies.  The consciousness of this is our great consolation in our strange, wonderful and threatening era.


Protopresbyter M. Polsky

Orthodox Rus'-No. 21-1955.


http://internetsobor.org/index.php/istoriya/rptsz/arkhiv-rptsz/mikhail-polskij-velikie-znameniya-nashego-vremeni

Михаил Польский: Великие знамения нашего времени

Автор: Митрополит Агафангел. Дата публикации: 27 декабря 2023. Категория: Архив РПЦЗ.

     25 октября (7 ноября) 1917 г. революционным восстанием партия большевиков-коммунистов захватила верховную власть в России. Ныне, через 38 лет, влияние этой российской власти сказалось во всем мире. Обман, насилие и безбожие — явные и открытые принципы этой власти. Ложь марксистской теории всеобщего блага обнаруживается всюду, где теория осуществляется этою властью. Однако, за то, что люди "не приняли любви истины для своего спасения, послал им Бог действия заблуждения, так что они стали верить лжи". Безпредельный по масштабу и жестокости террор сопровождает всюду и всегда путь этой партийной диктатуры, добивающейся власти над всем миром. Безбожие этой партии носит последнюю и окончательную форму обоснования в абсолютном материализме и старается лишить всякого человека его возвышения над миром в Боге, делая его духовным рабом своей системы, как непогрешимой.

     Это мировое зло явилось с запада прежде всего в могущественной Русской державе, где христианство, хранимое в его чистом, неповреждённом, подлинном виде Православной веры, срослось с государственностью в органическое целое. Великие потрясения произошли прежде всего на фоне Вселенского Православия и главный удар зревшего мирового нечестия нанесён именно сюда.

     Достаточно было, чтобы в одной православной стране в мире, где Божия вера была в нашу эпоху так поддержана государственностью, лишилась этого начала, "удерживающего" зло от его преобладания в мире, и власть оказалась там захваченной злодейским безбожием, как это зло стало бушевать во всем мире. "Взятие от среды удерживающей" моральной, христианской государственности открыло вдруг и базу для губительного мирового нечестия.

     Другое событие, углубляющее зло и ужасное по своей безнравственности и духовному безобразию, это — подчинение Церкви антихристовой власти и её служению мировому обольщению последней. Измена призванию и цели Церкви — утверждать правду Божию в мире, извращение христианского служения, предательство своих, сотрудничество с врагами Христа, Церкви и всякой веры есть худшее из падений, которое случилось с высшей церковной властью в России 16/29 июля 1927 г. (декларация М. Сергия), поведшей там Церковь по этому пути до нынешнего дня. Понять и оценить это событие даже нам русским не всем удаётся. Повторяем — не всем, но удаётся. Ещё ниже, чем в России, пали те заграницей, которые при своей свободе, своим кратким или длительным, номинальным или действительным подчинением этой церковной власти, бросили и свою жертву на алтарь сатаны. В эти сети впадали другие представители Поместных Православных Церквей, а некоторые до сего времени из них не выбрались. А инославные христиане смотрят на такое падение снисходительно или совсем безразлично. Вот в каком положении враг находит христианский мир.

     Две великих войны, мирового охвата и значения: одна (1914-1918) породила большевизм в России, другая (1939-1945) вывела его из России на мировую арену. Но в конце последней человечество успешно вступило в новый, атомный век. 16 июля 1945 г. в пустыне американского штата Нью-Мексико взрывом атомного прибора человечество было оповещено, что важнейшая тайна природы, движущая пружина всего мироздания раскрыта, и новая стихия, энергия, освобождённая расщеплением атомов с температурой в 50 миллионов градусов, находится в его распоряжении.

     Величайшим счастьем человечества явилось то, что стихия эта была открыта не большевиками, иначе бы весь мир был уже ими поставлен на колени, как была, через несколько дней после её открытия, поставлена Япония. Однако, большевиков не сумели испугать этой бомбой и через некоторое время почувствовали, что мир сам приготовил себе средства для самоубийства. Возможная война рисуется, как "огонь с неба" (атом раздробляется только на солнце), как последняя чаша гнева Божия, могущая уничтожить всю жизнь на земном шаре.

     И вслед за этим, вдруг новое, чрезвычайное, безмерно удивительное историческое событие, показывающее, что мир имеет внутреннюю, духовную и священную историю, которая продолжается от времён установления Ветхого и Нового Заветов по сей день. 14 мая 1948 года в Палестине учреждается еврейское государство, называемое Израиль. 2,000-летняя мечта евреев иметь своё государство осуществилось. Что это значит? Как думают об этом сами евреи? — "Господь всё-таки услышал молитвы своего народа" — говорят евреи-старики со слезами на глазах. По поводу Судного Дня нам напоминают синагогальную молитву (НРСл. М. Граев 18 сент. 1955 г.) "чтобы в ближайшее время сбылось пророчество Исаии о том, что наступит день, и мечи будут перекованы на орала и все народы мира потянутся к горам Сиона, чтобы выслушать слово Божие о мире и братстве народов".

     Однако, есть в Иерусалиме и партия крайних клерикалов ("Натурей Карта" — Стражи Городских Стен), которая учит, что еврейское государство противоречит мессианской идеи еврейства. Государство Израиль, — по её мнению, — незаконно присвоило себе прерогативы Мессии, который один, по его пришествии, установит государственный порядок в стране. Поэты в честь Мессии слагают стихи: — "Что куёшь, кузнец суровый? — Превращаю я в подковы полосы тугие. Да, подковы для него, — Радость! радость! — для него. Для коня Мессии. Ткач проворный, быстроокий, что готовишь? — Плащ широкий, Ризы дорогие. Облечётся в них он сам, — Радость! радость! — сам он, сам, Царь царей — Мессия" (Д. Фришман). И т.д.

     С глубоким изумлением всматриваемся мы в это явление нашей эпохи и с робкой радостью думаем: неужели же вскоре сбудутся слова Апостола Павла о том, что против Иисуса из Назарета "ожесточение произошло в Израиле отчасти, до времени, пока войдёт полное число язычников; и так весь Израиль спасётся... в отношение к избранию, они возлюбленные Божии ради отцов, ибо дары и призвание Божие непреложны" (Рим 10.25-29)? Что впереди у них в надежде на нового Мессию, кроме разочарования? Нужны осязательные и горькие опыты самой истории, чтобы убедиться в истинности первого Мессии. Единый верный и непреложный Бог, внимая молитвам Своего народа, даёт ему то, что он просит и попускает познать добро через зло испытаний, если он не мог миновать его верой, которую приняли Язычники. Испытания его не окончились. А когда кончатся, Израиль будет с нами, то есть, вместе с нами около Господа нашего Христа, Иисуса из Назарета. Другой Мессия, которого ждут, — ошибка, и это поймут. Так именно, таким образом "весь Израиль спасётся". Это его путь. Таковы вера, надежда, любовь и премудрость нашего христианства.

     Последняя реальная задача нашего научно-технического развития — путешествия в междупланетное пространство. Выход из земли, из тесных её пределов. Свобода, непременно свобода от материи времени и пространства. Выше и выше, от видимого к невидимому. Это есть несознательное стремление к Небесному Царству, которое только и освобождает от нашей материи, и времени, и пространства, о котором "сознательно", то есть, всезнающей Божественной премудростью проповедует Евангелие почти две тысячи лет, как об открытом для нас Спасителем и Господом нашим Иисусом Христом, где Он, Воскресший, пребывает в новом нашем теле одесную Престола Отца Своего и Бога нашего.

     Медленно развивается человечество, но уже стоит у порога познания тех цели и смысла своей жизни, которые даны его вере от начала. Вера, знание и опыт истории говорят об одном. Поэтому мы, христиане, не унываем. Торжество Христовой истины и жизнь вечная Небесного Царства придут, хотя бы через казни исхода из египетского рабства. Проповедь наша не нуждается в гаданиях: когда и как это будет. Пусть будет хотя ещё через века, и Господь продолжит надолго жизнь мира для его вечного спасения. Тем важнее наше стояние в истине, её хранение, и всё большее раскрытие её света человечеству. Пред лицом событий мира и ещё великих знамений, хотя бы скорбных и даже ужасных, наше лицо, озарённое этим светом вечной истины, должно быть как кремень, будучи способным принять все удары. "Сия есть победа, победившая мир, вера наша". И тем внимательнее мы должны следить — где же в нашу эпоху, в каком остатке верных хранится твёрдость, чтобы вместе с ним пройти предлежащий путь.  Православная Церковь сохранена Богом. Православность или верность истине Христовой, в годину тяжких испытаний, имеется в ней и ничто в мире не поборет её, даже среди многих падений и отпадений. В сознании этого — наше великое утешение в нашу странную, и удивительную и угрожающую эпоху.

Протопресвитер М. Польский

Православная Русь-№21-1955г.