SAINT MATHEW, ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS, THE CONFESSOR- ΑΓΙΟΣ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ Ο ΝΕΟΣ ΟΜΟΛΟΓΗΤΗΣ

Ο ΑΓΙΟΣ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΣ Ο ΝΕΟΣ ΟΜΟΛΟΓΗΤΗΣ, ΜΥΡΟΒΛΗΤΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΘΑΥΜΑΤΟΥΡΓΟΣ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ (Γ.Ο.Χ.) ΑΘΗΝΩΝ

ΛΙΓΑ ΛΟΓΙΑ ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ ΑΓΙΑ ΖΩΗ ΤΟΥ

Γεννήθηκε την 1η Μαρτίου 1861, στο χωριό Πανεύθυμο της Κρήτης. Ήταν γόνος ευσεβούς οικογένειας και το δέκατο τέκνο του ευλαβούς ιερέως Χαραλάμπους και της πρεσβυτέρας Κυριακής. Στην ιερά Κολυμβήθρα έλαβε το όνομα Γεώργιος. Στην ηλικία 12 ετών, εισέρχεται στην ιερά Μονή Θεοτόκου Χρυσοπηγής (Χανιά Κρήτης), όπου και προχειρίζεται αναγνώστης. Τέσσερα έτη αργότερα, αναχωρεί εκ της Ιεράς Μονής, κατ’ εντολή του Γέροντος του και πηγαίνει στην Αλεξάνδρεια, προς συμπλήρωση των Γυμνασιακών του σποδών, τις οποίες περάτωσε κατά το έτος 1880. Μετά την αποπεράτωση των Γυμνασιακών σπουδών, μεταβαίνει στα Ιεροσόλυμα, όπου γνωρίζεται με τον τότε Πατριάρχη Ιερόθεο ο οποίος, διαβλέπων το θεοσεβή χαρακτήρα του, τον εισάγει στην Θεολογική Σχολή του Τιμίου Σταυρού. Εκεί είχε συμφοιτητές τους μετέπειτα πρωτεργάτες του Ημερολογιακούς Σχίσματος, Μελέτιο Μεταξάκη και Χρυσόστομο Παπαδόπουλο.

Το 1885 αποφοιτά και χειροτονείται διάκονος. Θιασώτης της ερημικής ζωής καθώς ήταν, παρόλο ότι ο Πατριάρχης Νικόδημος τον προόριζε διά τις ανώτερες τάξεις των κληρικών του Πατριαρχείου, λαμβάνει την άδεια του, για να μεταβεί στο Άγιο Όρος. Στη Σκήτη της Αγίας Άννης υποτάσσεται στον ασκητικότατο και αυστηρότατο Γέροντα Νεκτάριο, από τον οποίο χειροτονείται μεγαλόσχημος Μοναχός και λαμβάνει το όνομα Ματθαίος. Μετά πάροδο επτά ετών υποταγής και υπακοής, ο διάκονος Ματθαίος λαμβάνει το αξίωμα της Ιεροσύνης. Χειροτονείται Ιερομόναχος και καθίσταται ένας από τους πλέον διακεκριμένους πνευματικούς του Αγίου Όρους. Οι σύγχρονοι του Αγιορείτες τον ονόμαζαν Μέγα Πνευματικό. Σε τέτοιο δε σημείο τον ανέβασε η ολοκληρωτική του αυταπάρνηση του, η ζέουσα πίστη του, ώστε να επιζητεί και να παρακαλεί τον Θεό να τον αξιώσει να λάβει μαρτυρικό θάνατο διά την αγάπη Του. Είχε στενή πνευματική επαφή με τον Άγιο Νεκτάριο, ο οποίος έδωσε στον Άγιο Πατέρα το οφίκιο του Πνευματικού.

Το 1924, με την γενόμενη παράνομη και αντορθόδοξο εισαγωγή του καταδικασμένου Φραγκικού (Νέου) Ημερολογίου, ο Ιερομόναχος ,τότε, Ματθαίος ελέγχει το σχίσμα και αγωνίζεται κατ’ αρχάς για την επαναφορά της καινοτόμου «Εκκλησίας» στην προ του 1924 κατάσταση. Όταν, όμως, είδε πόσο ο Παπισμός και ο κρυφός μέχρι τότε Οικουμενισμός είχαν εισχωρήσει στους Καινοτόμους, τότε φρόντισε για τη διαφύλαξη και διοργάνωση της Ακαινοτομήτου Εκκλησίας των Γ.Ο.Χ. (κατόπιν εντολής της ίδιας της Κυρίας Θεοτόκου, που του παρουσιάστηκε στο Άγιο Όρος, στο σπήλαιο της ασκήσεως του). Συγχρόνως, δεν έπαυε να γράφει και επιστολές στα εν Αθήνα Πνευματικά του τέκνα και να διαφωτίζει τους πιστούς περί της καινοτομίας του Νέου Ημερολογίου. Επίσης, εντός του Αγίου Όρους, εγείρει με άλλους ζηλωτές Αγιορείτες Πατέρες, πνευματικό συναγερμό, με αποτέλεσμα να γίνει μισητός στους ιθύνοντες της κοινότητας του Αγίου Όρους και να του απαγορευτεί ακόμη και να εξέρχεται εκ της καλύβας του.

Τον Οκτώβριο του 1926, κατέρχεται στην Αθήνα και αναλαμβάνει πρώτος των εξ Αγίου Όρους κατελθόντων Ιερομονάχων την πνευματική διαποίμανση των Γ.Ο.Χ. Είχε κατορθώσει διά φλογερών κηρυγμάτων του και των διαφόρων διδακτικών επιστολών και εγκυκλίων, να αυξήσει τον θείο ζήλο και την αυταπάρνηση των τέκνων του και τόσο είχαν προοδεύσει στην αρετή και την εν Χριστώ ζωή, ώστε ανεπιφυλάκτως δυνάμεθα να πούμε ότι οι πιστοί Γ.Ο.Χ. της εποχής αυτής ήταν στην αρετή εφάμιλλοι, εν πολλοίς, των Χριστιανών των πρώτων αιώνων. Τεράστια υπήρξε επίσης η συμβολή του στην άνθηση του Μοναχισμού, με την ίδρυση των δύο μεγάλων και περίλαμπρων κοινοβιακών Ιερών Μονών Εισοδίων της Θεοτόκου (1927) και Μεταμορφώσεως του Σωτήρος (1934), που έγιναν τα προπύργια της Ορθοδοξίας επί της γης. Κατά το έτος 1935, κοινή επιθυμία κλήρου και λαού, χειροτονήθηκε Επίσκοπος Βρεσθένης, από τον τότε Αρχιεπίσκοπο... (Δημητριάδος Γερμανό) και δύο άλλους Αρχιερείς (οι οποίοι επέστρεψαν στην Ορθοδοξία από το Νέο Ημερολόγιο).

Μετά την πτώση των Αρχιερέων των Γ.Ο.Χ. στην κακοδοξία (άλλοι πήγαν πάλι στο Νέο Ημερολόγιο και άλλοι ακολούθησαν τον (πρώην Φλωρίνης Χρυσόστομο) Καβουρίδη με το Αιρετικό «Δυνάμει και ουχί Ενεργεία», για το καταδικασμένο πεντάκις φορές Φραγκικό Νέο Ημερολόγιο) ο Άγιος Πατήρ προσπάθησε να τους επαναφέρει στον Ορθόδοξο Δρόμο, αλλά ματαίως αυτοί έμειναν στην Κακοδοξία τους. Την 1η Σεπτεμβρίου 1948, οδηγούμενος υπό του Παναγίου και Τελεταρχικού Πνεύματος πραγματοποιεί την πρώτη χειροτονία, μια και ήταν ο μόνος Ορθόδοξος Επίσκοπος επί γης, και μετ’ αυτού χειροτονεί άλλους τρεις. Έτσι συνεχίσθηκε η μετάδοση της Αποστολικής Διαδοχής. Την 1η Σεπτεμβρίου 1949, ανακηρύχτηκε παρά της πενταμελούς Ιεράς αυτού Συνόδου, Αρχιεπίσκοπος Αθηνών και πάσης Ελλάδος των Γνησίων Ορθόδοξων Χριστιανών, Αρχιερατεύσας συνολικά (15) έτη. Εκοιμήθη την 14η Μαΐου 1950.

Πολλά θαύματα και ιατρείες επιτελέσθηκαν και επιτελούνται από τον Άγιο Πατέρα Ματθαίο. Ήταν εφάμιλλος των μεγάλων Αγίων, ώστε και Απόστολο να ονομάσουμε αυτόν αρμόζει, αλλά και Προφήτη, εάν τον ονομάσουμε και τούτο το όνομα διά των έργων απέκτησε, διότι και τα μέλλοντα ως παρόντα προέλεγε και τον μέγα Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο και τον εμφύλιο σπαραγμό και πολλά άλλα γεγονότα ακριβώς προφήτευσε. Αυτός, εξ όλων των ιεραρχών της οικουμένης, κράτησε αληθώς αναλλοίωτη την Ορθοδοξία και κατεύθυνε το σκάφος της Εκκλησίας σε λιμένα ασφαλή και σωτήριο.

Κοινή είναι η συμφορά, παγκόσμιο το κακό, οικουμενική η δυστυχία, αλλά ας είναι ευλογητός ο Θεός των Πατέρων ημών, διότι την μεν ψυχή αυτού εν ουρανοίς μακάρια εποίησε, το δε σώμα του κρήνη μύρα αναβλύζουν αενάως, εις παρηγορία μας και προσκύνηση. Τόσο κατά το διάστημα της κηδείας του, όσο και κατά την εναπόθεση του σεπτού νεκρού στον Ιερό Ναό της Αγίας Μαρίνης και κατόπιν παρά το τάφο του, έτρεξε άφθονο μύρο από τους σεπτούς του πόδας, σε έκπληξη πάντων των παρεστώτων, οι οποίοι έλαβαν σε ευλογία. Η ευωδία του Μύρου ήταν άρρηκτος και ανήκαστος, ως μαρτυρείται παρά πάντων των ευσεβών κληρικών και λαϊκών. Όχι δε μόνο κατά την ώρα της κηδείας και του ασπασμού ανέβλυσε το Μύρο, αλλά πολύ περισσότερο κατά την ώρα της ταφής και μετά της επόμενης ημέρας, ως ακόμη και μέχρι σήμερα ευωδιάζει.

Το όνομα αυτού τιμάει όχι μόνο τον Αρχιεπισκοπικό θρόνο της Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας της Ελλάδος αλλά και τον κλήρο συμπάσης της Ανατολικής του Χριστού Εκκλησίας, την δε αλήθεια αυτήν ομολογούν οι εγγύς και μακράν. Ήταν ζηλωτής ως ο Προφήτης Ηλίας, αγαπούσε το Θεό ως ο Ιωάννης ο Θεολόγος, αγαπούσε και τον πλησίον του ως την εαυτού ψυχή και φρόντιζε πάντοτε διά την σωτηρία του. Μία εκ των τελευταίων εντολών του ήταν: «ΚΡΑΤΑΤΕ ΥΨΗΛΑ ΤΗΝ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑΝ ΚΑΙ ΘΥΣΙΑΣΘΕΙΤΕ ΥΠΕΡ ΑΥΤΗΣ». Στους σημερινούς χαλεπούς και προδρομικούς καιρούς, εμείς πρέπει να εμποτιζόμαστε εκ των Ναμάτων της Αγίας Παραδόσεως, να συνδεόμαστε μετά των Αγίων Πατέρων, να γίνεται ζέουσα η πίστη μας, έχοντες προ οφθαλμών μας και τον Άγιο Ιεράρχη Ματθαίο τον Νέο Μυροβλύτη ο οποίος δύο πράγματα φύλαξε και έγινε ΜΕΓΑΣ στην εποχή μας: ΤΗΝ ΑΝΟΘΕΥΤΟΝ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΗΝ ΠΙΣΤΗ και την ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΙΚΗ ΔΙΑΔΟΧΗ!

ΑΠΟ ΤΑ ΘΑΥΜΑΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΠΑΤΡΟΣ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΥ

A’ Βρισκόμουν στην φυλακή (φυλακές Καλλιθέας), με τον διωγμό που μας έκαναν οι κακόδοξοι (νεοημερολογίτες) μετά την κοίμηση του Αγίου Πατρός, μαζί με τον τότε Επίσκοπο Πατρών Ανδρέα και με μοναχές του Μοναστηρίου. Σε αυτές τις φυλακές ήταν και πολιτικοί κρατούμενοι (κομμουνιστές). Βρισκόμασταν μετά τον εμφύλιο σπαραγμό. Μία μοναχή, η αδελφή Άννα, αρρώστησε και οι αρχές της φυλακής ζήτησαν μία μοναχή από τις φυλακισμένες να την πηγαινοφέρνει στο νοσοκομείο και να την φροντίζει. Δεν πήγε όμως καμία. Μόνο μία πολιτική κρατούμενη προθυμοποιήθηκε να την εξυπηρετήσει. Αυτή η πολιτική κρατούμενος είδε στον ύπνο της έναν κοντό γέροντα, ο οποίος κράταγε ένα βιβλίο και ξεχώριζε τους ανθρώπους ποιοί είναι για την κόλαση και ποιοί για το Παράδεισο. Μόλις αυτή προχωρούσε διά την τελική επιλογή, την σταματάει αυτός ο Γέροντας και της λέει: «Εσύ είσαι διά τον Παράδεισο, διότι φροντίζεις το Πνευματικό μου τέκνο, την Αδελφή Άννα». Αυτή τότε ξύπνησε. Αργότερα, που είχε επισκεπτήριο στη φυλακή και πήγε και η συγκεκριμένη πολιτική κρατούμενος, είδε τον (επίσκοπο) Ανδρέα με την κονκάρδα του Αγίου Πατρός. Αμέσως φώναξε: «Αυτός είναι ο Γέροντας, που είδα»! Ήταν ο Άγιος Πατήρ Ματθαίος. Στο μεταξύ αυτό το όνειρο το είχε διηγηθεί πριν. Τότε αυτή, χάρις σε αυτό το θαύμα, την έκανε και έδωσε Ομολογία Πίστεως και Μυρώθηκε, δηλαδή έγινε Ορθόδοξη.

B’ Υπάλληλος τραπέζης, ονόματι Ζαχαρίας, είχε μία δωδεκαετή κόρη άρρωστη (ετοιμοθάνατη). Τότε κάλεσε τον Άγιο Πατέρα να διαβάσει ευχές στο κοριτσάκι, στο σπίτι του (υπαλλήλου) στο Παγκράτι (όπισθεν του Παναθηναϊκού Σταδίου). Είπε στο ανδρόγυνο ο Άγιος Πατήρ, ότι για να γίνει καλά το παιδί τους, πρέπει να το τάξουν στην Παναγία. Αυτοί συμφώνησαν και επαυξήσανε. Ο Άγιος Πατήρ σταύρωσε ένα ποτήρι νερό και ράντισε το κοριτσάκι. Και -Ω του θαύματος- αυτό σηκώθηκε αμέσως όρθιο και έγινε καλά.

Γ’ Είχε έρθει μία οικογένεια, με έναν παράλυτο από τον Βόλο στο Μοναστήρι, για να προσκυνήσουν. Με το που έφτασαν με τα αυτοκίνητα στο Μοναστήρι, ο Άγιος Πατέρας βγήκε στο μπαλκόνι, να δει ποιός ήρθε. Τον παράλυτο τον παρουσίασαν μπροστά του και τον είπαν να τον θεραπεύσει. Ο Άγιος Πατήρ απάντησε: Ο Θεός να τον Θεραπεύσει». Αμέσως τον σταύρωσε και ο εικοσαετής παράλυτος έγινε καλά. Όλοι οι Μοναχοί κλαίγαμε από συγκίνηση.

Δ’ Είχαν έρθει 4 δαιμονισμένες στο Μοναστήρι, που μάλωναν μεταξύ τους, την ώρα της Θείας Λειτουργίας. Στο χερουβικό ο Άγιος έβγαινε έξω μέχρι τους πιστούς και θυμίαζε. Ξαφνικά, έπεσε νερό πάνω στο εκκλησίασμα από την πηγή της Ζωοδόχου Πηγής. Οι δαιμονισμένες σπάραξαν και έμειναν «κόκκαλο», όπως λέμε στην καθομιλουμένη, μέχρι το τέλος της Θείας Λειτουργίας. Στο μεταξύ, όλοι νόμιζαν ότι το νερό το έριξε ο Άγιος Πατέρας, για να ραντίσει τον κόσμο. Στη πραγματικότητα, όμως, την ώρα του Χερουβικού, παρουσιάσθηκε η Κυρία Θεοτόκος, ευλόγησε τον Άγιο Πατέρα και πήρε νερό από τη πηγή και ράντισε το κόσμο. Αυτό το διηγήθηκαν οι ίδιες οι δαιμονισμένες, που το είδαν αφού είχαν συνέλθει, μετά το πέρας της Θείας Λειτουργίας.

Ε’ Στο Μοναστήρι τότε ήταν και η σύζυγος (από τον κόσμο) του πατρός Κλήμεντος του Αγιορείτη, η Βασιλική, η μετέπειτα Μοναχή Μαύρα. Αυτή είχε μεγάλο δαιμόνιο. Στον εξάψαλμο, ο διάβολος την έριχνε κάτω και την σπάραζε. Έβγαζε μία λεκάνη αίμα. Το γεγονός αυτό είχε μαθευτεί και έξω στον κόσμο. Τότε ήρθε και ένας δημοσιογράφος να το εξακριβώσει ιδίοις όμμασιν. Κι ενώ ξεκίνησε η ακολουθία του Όρθρου και φθάσαμε στον Εξάψαλμο, έγινε το εξής γεγονός: Ο δημοσιογράφος από τον φόβο του και την έκπληξη του, λιποθύμησε. Τον έπιασα εγώ, που παρακολουθούσα την ακολουθία, ακριβώς πίσω του δημοσιογράφου. Ειδοποίησα τον Άγιο Πατέρα, που ζήτησε ένα ποτήρι νερό, το σταύρωσε, το έδωσε στο δημοσιογράφο και αυτός μονομιάς συνήλθε. Μου είπε ότι θα καταγράψει ακριβώς τα γεγονότα, ως είχαν.

Στ’ Μία άλλη φορά έβαλαν την αδελφή Μαύρα να την φυλάξουν 5 μοναχές, για να μην την αρπάξουν οι δαίμονες. Διότι πήγαιναν οι δαίμονες την άρπαζαν και σηκωτή την έβγαζαν έξω από την εκκλησία, την πήγαιναν στα πεύκα και την έριχναν κάτω και χτύπαγε. Και εκείνη την ημέρα παρά την φύλαξη της (συγκεκριμένα είπε ο δαίμων «Σιγά μην μπορέσουν να την φυλάξουν οι μοναχές»), την άρπαξαν οι δαίμονες από το παρεκκλήσιο του Αγίου Μηνά, που γινόταν η ακολουθία και την πήγαν στη θάλασσα να την πνίξουν. Αμέσως οι μοναχές ειδοποίησαν τον Άγιο Πατέρα, ο οποίος αμέσως γονάτισε και παρακάλεσε την Κυρία των Αγγέλων, την Παναγία μας, να την απαλλάξει από τους δαίμονες και να έρθει πίσω. Έτσι και έγινε. Ακούσαμε έναν θόρυβο από πέσιμο. Ήταν η αδελφή, που απαλλάχθηκε από τους δαίμονες, χάρις την Θεοτόκο. Όταν την είδαμε, ήταν βρεγμένη από τον λαιμό της και κάτω. Απόδειξη ότι οι δαίμονες την είχαν βάλει μέσα στην θάλασσα για να την πνίξουν. Γλίτωσε χάρις την επέμβαση της Θεοτόκου, που την ζήτησε προσευχόμενος ο Άγιος Πατήρ.

Ζ’ Μία καθηγήτρια είχε την φωτογραφία του Αγίου Πατρός. Δεν τον πίστευε όμως για άγιο. Μια μέρα, λοιπόν, παίρνει την φωτογραφία του Αγίου Πατρός και την πετάει. Δεν πρόσεξε που από τότε παρουσίασε κάποιο πρόβλημα στις φωνητικές της χορδές, με αποτέλεσμα να μην μπορεί να μιλήσει και βέβαια ούτε και να διδάξει. Δεν συνδύασε το γεγονός του πετάγματος της φωτογραφίας με την αρρώστια της. Η κατάσταση της χειροτέρευε. Μιλούσε βραχνά και με δυσκολία. Ανέφερε όλα αυτά τα γεγονότα δε έναν πνευματικό. Αμέσως εκείνος της είπε ότι οφειλόταν στο πέταγμα της φωτογραφίας και της εξήγησε την αγία ζωή του Αρχιεπισκόπου Ματθαίου και τα θαύματα που έκανε, όταν ζούσε, και αυτά που έκανε μετά την κοιμησή του και πως κράτησε την

Ορθοδοξία το 1948, ΜΟΝΟΣ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΗΣ. Εκείνη, αμέσως μετανόησε και πήγε στην Ιερά Μονή Εισοδίων της Θεοτόκου, στην Κερατέα (το Μοναστήρι που δημιούργησε ο άγιος Πατήρ) και έβαλε μετάνοια στον τάφο του και τα ευωδιάζοντα άγια λείψανα του αφού κατάλαβε το λάθος της. Το θαύμα της συγκεκριμένης υπόθεσης ήταν ότι όταν πήγε σπίτι της, βρήκε τη φωτογραφία στην θέση που την έβαζε, προτού την πετάξει. Πίνοντας από το αγίασμα της Ζωοδόχου Πηγής, σε λίγες ημέρες έγινε καλά!

H’ Ο Άγιος Πατήρ με μοναχούς και λαϊκούς πήγαινε να λειτουργήσει σε ένα ξωκλήσι του Αγίου Μηνά. Πήγαινε ανεβασμένος σ’ ένα γαϊδουράκι. Στο δρόμο, όμως, χάθηκαν οπότε ο Άγιος Πατήρ προσευχήθηκε στον Άγιο Μηνά, να δείξει το δρόμο για το εξωκκλήσι. Τότε παρουσιάσθηκε ο ίδιος ο Άγιος Μηνάς, καβάλα στο άλογο του και προπορευόταν της συνοδείας κι έτσι τους έδειχνε τον δρόμο. Όλοι θαύμασαν!

Σημείωση: Το παρακάτω κείμενο προέρχεται από φυλλάδιο με τίτλο «Αφιέρωμα», το οποίο γράφτηκε το 2000 με την ευκαιρία της συμπλήρωσης 50 ετών από την εκδημία προς Κύριο του Αγίου Ματθαίου. Το φυλλάδιο αυτό γράφτηκε από τον μακαρίτη Αρχιμανδρίτη Κάλλιστο Κατσούλη, ο οποίος υπήρξε κληρικός του Αγίου και έζησε από κοντά τα θαυμάσια (μερικά περιγράφονται εδώ), που ο ίδιος περιγράφει. Διακρίνεται ο Αρχιμανδρίτης στη δεύτερη φωτογραφία, όπισθεν του μακαριστού Πρωθιερέα Ευγενίου Τόμπρου, ως Ιεροδιάκονος κατά την εορτή των Θεοφανίων του 1949. Στο κέντρο ο Άγιος Πατήρ Ματθαίος.

SAINT MATTHAIOS THE NEW CONFESSOR, MYROVLITIS WONDER-MAKER AND ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS (G.O.C.)

A FEW WORDS FROM HIS SAINT LIFE

St Matthew was born on 1 March 1861, in the village of Crete Panefthymo. It was the tenth child of the family of devout priest Charalambos and his wife, Kyriaki. In the Holy Baptism took the name George. At age 12 years, he enters in the holy Virgin Mary Monastery Chrysopigi (Chania, Crete), where he was a reader. Four years later, he was departing from the Monastery, at the behest of the Elder and he went to Alexandria, to complete his gymnasium’s studies, which closed in the year 1880. After he was completing program of study, he moved to Jerusalem where he met Patriarch Ierotheos who he saw the godly character of saint so he introduced him in the Faculty of Theology of the Holy Cross. There were the later leaders of the subsequent of calendar’s schism, Meletios Metaxakis and Chrysostom Papadopoulos.

He graduated in 1885 and he was ordinate deacon. As he was votary of ascetic life he wanted to leave and go to Mount Athos, although the Patriarch Nicodemus achieved him through the senior ranks of the clergy of the Patriarchate. In the Skete of Saint Anna he was subordinated to the too ascetic and tight Elder Nektarios, who ordained saint father as Great-Scheme Monk and he named Matthew. After seven years of subjugation and obedience, Deacon Matthew was ordained priest. After his ordination as Hieromonk, he became one of the most eminent intellectual of the Holy Mountain Athos. The monks of Athos called him as Great Cultural. At such point raised him the total self-denial and the passionate faith, to seek and ask God to help in his wish to take the martyr's death by love of Christ. He had close intellectual contact with St. Nektarius, who gave the Holy Father the offikio of the spiritual father.

In 1924, it was made the illegal and ant-orthodox introduction of the New papal Calendar, Hieromonk Mathew was fighting first for the restoration of innovative «Church» in pre-1924 situation. When, however, he saw how the papacy and hidden until then Ecumenism had been entered in innovative “bishops” of New Calendar, he has to preserve and organize the non-innovative Church of G.O.C. (on the order of the Lady of the Assumption, who was presented to him in Mount Athos, in his ascetic cave). At the same time he ceased to write letters to the spiritual children of Athens and inform believers on the New Calendar’s innovation. Also, in Mount Athos, raises with other Fathers zealot monks of Athos, spiritual alarm, so he was hated by the leaders of the community of Mount Athos and they prohibited him even to leave his Cell.

In October 1926, he went first of all Athos’ fathers to Athens and he started to organize the “small flock” of G.O.C. He was succeeded by fiery preaching and teaching of various letters and circulars, to increase the sulfur content of self-denial and zeal of the children and both they were advanced in virtue and life in Christ, so unconditionally we can say that believers (G.O.C) of that age was comparable in merit, as the believers of first Christian centuries. It was also great his huge contribution to the flourishing of monasticism, by the establishment of two large and resplendent monasteries of the Virgin Mary (1927) and the Transfiguration of Christ (1934), which were the bulwarks of Orthodoxy on the land. In 1935, by common desire of clergy and people, he was concentrated as Bishop of Vresthenis, by then Archbishop ... (of Dimitrias German) and two other metropolitans (who returned to Orthodoxy from the New Calendar schism).

After the fall of the Bishops of G.O.C. in misbelief (others went back to New Calendar and others followed the (former of Florina Chrysostom) Kavouridis with his heretical belief that new calendar is «Under Energy and not in act» a schism, for the doomed five times Frankish New Calendar! Saint Father tried to restore them to Orthodox way, but they were vain in their misbelief. On 1 September 1948, guided by the Holy Spirit and he made the first consecration, as was the only Orthodox Bishop to land, and after that he ordained three others Bishops. Thus he continued the transmission of the Apostolic Succession. On 1 September 1949, he was despite by the five bishops who declared the Holy Synod, as Archbishop of Athens and All Greece of Genuine Orthodox Christians. After total 15 years as Hierarch, he slept (died) on 14 May 1950.

Many miracles and surgeries were done and performed by the Holy Father Matthaios. It was great as the Saints that appropriate to call him, and Prophet we could name him and that name by the works acquired since its future as he predicted and the great World War and the civil grief and many other events he exactly predicted. From all the Hierarchs of the world, he kept truly unchanged Orthodoxy and led the Church’s vessel in port safe and healthy. It is the common calamity, evil world, global poverty, but let bless God of our Fathers because his holy soul is set on heaven and the holy body spout myra perpetually, to comfort us and to worship. Both during the funeral, and during the deposition of the deceased in the venerable Church of Saint Marina and then despite the grave, ran plenty essence of the venerable closely, that surprised all people, who received this miracle as a blessing. The aroma was unsaid as the wishful clergy and lay are assuring. Not only during the time of the funeral and the kissing of his holy body, it was spurting the essence, but rather at the time of burial and then the next day, as even until today it is scent.

His name honors not only the throne of the Archbishop of Greek Orthodox Church and the clergy of Eastern Church of Christ, as this truth the near and far people admit. He was zealot as Prophet Elias, he loved God as John the Theologian, and he loved the other peoples as his soul and he has always trying for the rescue of our souls. One of the last orders was: «ΚΕΕP HIGH ORTHODOXY, SACRIFICE FOR HER». In today's difficult times and pre- antichristian age, we must imbibe by the holy water of Saint Tradition and to be linked with the Holy Fathers, by our great faith and to have before our eyes the Holy Hierarch Matthew, the New Myrovlytis who two things guarded and become GREAT in our time: THE APOSTOLIC FAITH UNDISTORTED AND APOSTOLIC SUCCESSOR!

WONDERS OF SAINT FATHER MATTHEW

A) I (father Kallistos) was in prison (in Kallithea Attica), in the persecution that we had by the misbelief (new-calendarists) after the Dormition of the Holy Father, together with the then Bishop Andrew of Patras and nuns of the monastery. In these prisons were political prisoners (communists). We were after the civil grief. A nun, Sister Anna, was sick and the prison authorities asked a nun from the prison to go with her to hospital and to arrange. No nun went with her. Only a political prisoner was willing to serve. This political prisoner saw in his sleep an Elder, who was keeping a book and pick people who are for the Heaven and who are for the hell. Once it went through the final selection, the Elder stops and said: «You are through Heaven, because you care my spiritual child, Sister Anna». She then woke up. Later, she had a visit and this political prisoner went to, saw bishop Andrew with the Holy Father picture’s cockade. She called immediately: «This is the Elder, who I saw»! It was Saint Father Matthew. This dream had told before by her. Thanks to this miracle, she made “Bond of Faith” (verbal repudiation of the schism and misbelief) and chrismation by the bishop so she become Orthodox.

B) A bank’s employee, Zacharias, had a twelve year daughter ill (dying). Then called the Holy Father wishes to read the little girl at his home in Pangrati (behind the Panathinaikos Stadium). He married at St. Father that if he would make their child well, he should dedicate her in the Virgin Mary. They agreed and enhanced. St. Father crossed (blessed) a glass of water and spray the little girl. Oh-and the miracle-that immediately she stood up upright and well done.

C) A family came with a paralyzed man from Volos to the monastery, to worship. When they came with the car to the monastery, the Holy Father came to the balcony to see who came. They tool the paralyzed man in front of him and asked him to cure this man. St. Father replied: “God to cure “. Immediately, he crucified (blessed) him and the twenty-year-old paralyzed man become well. All the Monks were crying of emotion.

D) In the monastery was the wife (in the world) by the later monk of Athos Father Clement, Basilici, after nun Mavra. She had great demon. In “Exapsalomos” (six psalms in Orthros), the devil was dropping her and was in shock. She doffed a basin of blood. This was learned by the outside world. Then a reporter came to see this with his own eyes. “Orthros” began and when reached the time of “Exapsalmos”, the following fact happened: The Journalist by fear and surprise, collapsed. I got him myself, who watched the series, just behind the journalist. Holy Father noticed him, he requested a glass of water, crucified (blessed) it and gave the journalist to drink and he was once held. He said that he would record the events exactly as they had.

E) Once again Saint put 5 nuns to keep Sister Mavra, not to grasp her demons. Because demons went and grabbed her and put her outside the church, went to the pines and down and droped her down and she was hurt. And on that day despite the retention of (A demon said” The nuns are unable to keep her”), the demons seized from the chapel of Saint Minas, which was the sequence and went to drown her into sea. Immediately the nuns informed the Holy Father, who immediately kneel and asked the Lady of the Angels, the Virgin of us, to dispense from demons and to come back. It happened. We heard a noise from fall. She was the sister who got rid of the demons, thanks to the Virgin Mary. She was soaked from the neck down. Proof that the demons had been put her into the sea to drown her. She was saved through the intervention of the Virgin Mary, who asked for the prayer of Saint Father.

F)A teacher has the picture of Saint Father. She did not believe, however, as saint Father Matthew. One day, therefore, took the picture of the Holy Father and flies it. She noticed that since then presented a problem in the vocal chords, so she could not speak and certainly not to teach. We combined the result thrown away with the picture of the disease. The situation became worse. She was raucous and spoke with difficulty. He said all these events to a Spiritual Father. Immediately he said that this happened because she flew the photo and he explained the holy life of Archbishop Matthew and the wonders he has done, where he lived and what he did after the Assumption, and that he kept Orthodoxy in 1948, ONLY ORTHODOX BISHOP ORTHODOX IN LAND. She immediately went to repent in the Monastery of Virgin Mary, in Keratea (this Holy Monastery was created by Holy Father) and she kneeled in front of the tomb and his Holy scent Body, after she understood her wrong. The miracle of the case was that when she went home, she found the photograph in the position that she put before the flight. She drank from the Life-Giving Source holy water and after a few days she was well!

G) St. Father with monks and laymen went to do the Divine Liturgy in a chapel of saint Minas. He went uploaded on a donkey. Although on the road, they were lost and the Saint prayed to the Saint Minas, to show the way for the chapel. Then Saint Minas was presented him, on horseback and the horse ran ahead of the convoy, so Saint Minas show them the road. Everyone admired!

Note: This text is from a brochure entitled «Afieroma», which was written in 2000 on the occasion of completing 50 years of Dormition of Saint Matthew. This booklet was written by the late Archimandrite Kallistos Katsoulis, who was clergyman of the saint and he lived close these wonders (some are here), he described. Archimandrite Kallistos distinguished in the second photo, behind the late First-priest Eugenios Tombros, as Hierodeacon during the celebration of Epiphany in 1949. In the center of the photo is Saint Father Matthew.

IN MEMORY OF METROPOLITAN OF MESSINIA (G.O.C.) GREGORY

ΣΤΗ ΜΝΗΜΗ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΠΡΩΘΙΕΡΑΡΧΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ Γ.Ο.Χ. ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ
ΚΥΡΟΥ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ (1923-2009)
ΣΥΓΚΙΝΗΤΙΚΟΤΑΤΟΣ ΕΠΙΚΗΔΕΙΟΣ ΛΟΓΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΝΟΣΙΟΛΟΓΙΟΤΑΤΟΥ
π. ΙΑΚΩΒΟΥ ΚΙΤΣΑΝΤΑ, ΝΥΝ ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΟΥ Γ.Ο.Χ. ΜΕΣΣΗΝΙΑΣ

Σεβασμιότατοι Άγιοι Αρχιερείς, Πατέρες και αδελφοί, Αγαπητοί εν Χριστώ αδελφοί.
Δεν ξέρω άμα θα μπορέσω να πω λόγο. Θα προσπαθήσω. Δεν είμαι καλός στους λόγους.
Ο πνευματικός μας Πατέρας είναι μπροστά μας και δεν μας μιλάει πλέον. Όχι μόνον Πατέρας του μοναστηριού και της Μεσσηνίας, άλλα όλης της Εκκλησίας μας, κλήρου και λαού. Τώρα πλέον δεν μας απαντάει, να μας δώσει τις συμβουλές, να μας λύσει τα προβλήματα μας, με λίγα λόγια να μας δώσει λίγο πνευματική τροφή. Με ρωτούν τώρα που μείναμε μόνοι «Τι θα κάνουμε τώρα που μας άφησε ορφανά;». τι να απαντήσω; Που να ρωτήσω; Αναγκάζομαι και απαντώ εγώ, ο αμαρτωλός: «Να τηρήσουμε τις εντολές που μας έδωσε, τις σοφές διδασκαλίας και προπαντός να θυμόμαστε το παράδειγμα και τη ζωή του».
Θυμάμαι μία από τις πολλές εντολές που μου έδινε ο Πατέρας μας. Μου έλεγε, όταν θα βγάζεις λόγο να μην μακρολογείς και θεολογείς. Να μιλάς με απλό τρόπο που να μπορεί να ωφελεί ψυχές. Γι’ αυτό θα προσπαθήσω να σας μιλήσω με λίγα λόγια για τη ζωή του Πατέρα μας, που μπορεί να ωφελήσουν όλους μας.
Ο Άγιος Πατέρας είχε τρεις μεγάλες αρετές. Πρώτη αρετή ήταν ο μεγάλος ζήλος του για τη μοναχική πολιτεία. Δεύτερη, η αγάπη προς όλον τον κόσμο και τον πλησίον του. Και τρίτον η τήρηση της ακριβούς Ορθοδοξίας.
Ο ζήλος που είχε για την μοναχική πολιτεία άρχισε με μία σπίθα. Και αυτή η σπίθα τι ήταν; Είχε πάει τότε κοσμικός με ένα φίλο στη Κερατέα. Και ο φίλος του ήταν Ορθόδοξος και του έλεγε «Έλα εδώ Γεώργιε να δεις το μοναστήρι». Και όπως περπάταγαν εκεί στο μοναστήρι, βλέπουν επάνω σε ένα εξώστη τον Άγιο Πατέρα. Και του λέει ο φίλος του: Κοίτα εκεί πάνω είναι ο Άγιος Πατέρας Ματθαίος». Σήκωσε επάνω τα μάτια του, κοιτάει τον Άγιο Πατέρα και εκείνος του πετάει κάτω ένα κομποσχοινάκι. Το πήρε στα χέρια του, και μας έλεγε ο Μεσσηνίας, «από τότε που μου πέταξε αυτό το κομποσχοινάκι ο Άγιος Πατέρας ήλθε μια φλόγα στην ψυχή μου, μια φλόγα να γίνω μοναχός, μια φλόγα να αφήσω τη την Μάνα μου, τον Πατέρα μου, να αφήσω τη δουλειά μου, όλες τις κοσμικές φροντίδες και από τότε δεν με βάσταγε τίποτα». Αυτή η φλόγα έγινε φωτιά μεγάλη που έκαιγε δένδρα και δάση ολόκληρα.
Ως προς τη μοναχική πολιτεία του, που είχε κληρονομήσει από τον Άγιο Πατέρα, πάντα άκουγε και μας έλεγε διδασκαλίες που έλεγε. Όταν έμπαινα στο κελλί του, τον έβλεπα να διαβάζει το Ευαγγέλιο και άλλα βιβλία και του έλεγα: «Σεβασμιότατε, τι κάνετε εκεί;». «Α, έλεγε π. Ιάκωβε, ο Άγιος Πατέρας μου είχε βάλει κανόνα να διαβάζω αυτά τα πράγματα όταν ήμουν Ιερέας και εγώ μέχρι σήμερα, ας είμαι δεσπότης, τα τηρώ όλα». Και αυτό είναι που τον κράτησε.
Πάντα σηκωνόταν στις 2 η ώρα μόνος του, για να κάνει τον κανόνα και τα καθήκοντα του. Και μετά κατέβαινε στις 3 το πρωί να κάνει την Ακολουθία του. Πολλές φορές εμείς οι μοναχοί αποκοιμόμασταν, ξεχνάγαμε να χτυπήσουμε το καμπανάκι, αλλά ο Γέροντας μας πάντα όταν σηκωνόμασταν είχε φως ανοιχτό στο κελλί. Τον έβλεπα εκεί να κάνει τα κομποσχοίνια του, να κάνει τα διαβάσματα του. Πάντα γινόταν αυτό, όσο άρρωστος και να ήταν. Πάντα σηκωνόταν να κάνει αυτό που Παρέλαβε από τον Άγιο Πατέρα. Μια φορά μπήκα στο κελλί του απότομα, τον τρόμαξα και τον είδα που κάθισε στη καρέκλα. Οι αναπνοές του ήταν απότομες και κοντές. Δεν μπορούσε να μιλήσει και κατάλαβα τότε, στα μεγάλα γεράματα του, έκανε μετάνοιες και δεν το ήξερα αδελφοί μου. Το έκανε κρυφά, και καθόταν στην καρέκλα για να μην το καταλάβω, αλλά εγώ έβλεπα πως δεν μπορούσε αναπνεύσει, και παρόλα αυτά δεν σταμάτησε ποτέ αυτό που παρέλαβε, τον ζήλο του μοναχικού βίου.
[…] Το κομποσχοίνι πάντα το είχε στο χέρι του, αδελφοί μου, ήταν σαν τρίτο χέρι, δεν του έλειπε ποτέ από το χέρι του. Πηγαίναμε στο κελλί του, είχε το κομποσχοίνι. Περπάταγε έξω είχε το κομποσχοίνι στα χέρια. Και το τελευταίο, από τα τελευταία παράπονα που είχε, όταν τον είχαμε στο νοσοκομείο, ήταν: «Να πάρει η ευχή να μην μπορώ να κάνω κομποσχοίνι. Αχ πάτερ Ιάκωβε, φέρε μου το κομποσχοίνι». Πήγα στην Καλαμάτα και του έφερα το κομποσχοίνι στο νοσοκομείο. Το έβαλε στα χέρια του μέσα, προσπαθούσε, προσπαθούσε, αλλά δεν μπορούσε είχε ασθενήσει…
Το κελλί του ήταν ο Παράδεισος, ήταν ο ουρανός, δεν έβγαινε έξω συχνά. Ήταν όντως καλόγερος, ναι, καλόγερος. Παραπάνω από καλόγερος. Καθόταν μέσα στο κελλί του να διαβάσει και να κάνει τις προσευχές του.[…] Eίχε σαν απλό καλόγερος, όπως έχουν όλοι οι καλόγεροι, και ο Δεσπότης εργόχειρα. Δεν σταμάτησε και τον θαύμασα. Εμείς καμιά φορά κουραζόμασταν και δεν κάναμε τίποτα. Ο Δεσπότης κάθε ημέρα κάποιο εργόχειρο θα έκανε. Ή θα αγιογραφούσε, ή θα έγραφε, ή θα έκανε γλυπτά. Όχι μόνον είχε εργόχειρα, αλλά συνέχεια, αδελφοί, έγραφε βιβλία, αντέγραφε από τους Αγίους Πατέρες διάφορα αποσπάσματα, για να τα δίνουμε και να ωφελείται ο κόσμος. Και συνέχισε μέχρι τα βαθειά του γεράματα, και δεν άφησε ποτέ το ζήλο του. Και άφησε και δύο ατελείωτα έργα. Το ένα περιλαμβάνει ένα ευρετήριο για το Πηδάλιο, για το εκκλησιαστικό δίκαιο, έργο που για εμάς τους Ιερείς και Αρχιερείς θα μας βοηθάει, στα καθήκοντα μας. Το άλλο περιλαμβάνει αποσπάσματα από διάφορες πηγές και σκόπευε ως ένα λεξικό να γράψει ένα βοήθημα από το Α έως το Ω για τους ψυχικά και σωματικά νοσούντες.
Σαν μοναχός που ήταν, είχε πάντα στη μνήμη του το θάνατο, αδελφοί μου. Πάντα θυμόταν το θάνατο, πάντα τον μελέταγε. Τον έβλεπα αυτά τα τελευταία χρόνια να περπατάει, συνέχεια στο νεκροταφείο. Όταν καυέβαινε από το κελλί του, πρώτα πήγαινε στο νεκροταφείο, κοίταγε τα μνήματα και έλεγε: «Α, η τάδε γριούλα, ο τάδε γέρος, εκεί θα πάμε». Και κάποια φορά μου είπε: «Εμένα που θα με βάλετε;». εγώ δεν άντεξα και έφυγα, δεν τον άγησα να τελειώσει.
Ένα βιβλίο που το αγάπησε και το έβαλε μέσα στην ψυχή του είναι η «Κλίμακα». Διάβαζε το βιβλίο αυτό συνέχεια, μας είχε μάλιστα βάλλει κανόνα σε όλους του πατέρες εδώ να διαβάζουμε και εμείς κάθε μέρα, ως οδηγός των μοναχών. Πόσες φορές το είχε διαβάσει είναι άγνωστο. Το τελευταίο σκαλοπάτι της «Κλίμακας» είναι, όπως ξέρετε, η αγάπη. Και εκεί αδελφοί, διαβάζοντας την κλίμακα και προσπαθώντας να κάνει όλα αυτά που λέει, έφτασε και αυτός στο τελευταίο σκαλοπάτι της αγάπης.
Η δεύτερη αρετή του ήταν η αγάπη του, η οποία δεν κρυβόταν. Έρχονταν διάφοροι και μόνο που τον έβλεπαν στο πρόσωπο, έλεγαν: Τι είναι αυτός;». έβλεπαν ένα άγιο πρόσωπο. Το χαμόγελο του σε κέρδιζε. Με το γλυκό τρόπο που σου μίλαγε, σε τραβούσε σαν μαγνήτης που δεν μπορούσες να τον αποχωριστείς.
Με όλη του την αγάπη, είχαν μεγάλο σεβασμό όλοι οι θρησκευόμενοι, ακόμη και οι Νεοημερολογίτες, ως και οι άθεοι. Όλη η Μεσσηνία, όλος ο κόσμος, παλαιός, νέος, έλεγαν τα καλύτερα λόγια για τον Δεσπότη μας, και όλοι τον αγαπούσαν. Αλλά, αδελφοί, παρά το χαμόγελο που είχε και το γλυκό του μίλημα, όταν ήταν θέμα πίστεως, τότε έβγαζε σπαθί και φωτιά. Τότε, αδελφοί, μιλούσε συνέχεια. Όχι για την Ορθοδοξία, αλλά για την ακριβή Ορθοδοξία. Τις ρίζες που είχε από τον Άγιο Πατέρα, αυτές συνέχισε, αυτές τις ρίζες του Αγίου Πατρός, της ακριβούς Ορθοδοξίας, συνέχισε μέχρι τέλους, παρά τις διώξεις που κατά καιρούς υπέστη, που σύρθηκε στα δικαστήρια και αναγκάστηκε να φύγει στην Αθήνα. Στον λόγο του για τα θέματα της Ορθοδοξίας, πάντα είχε στο νου του το «ει τις πάσαν εκκλησιαστικήν παράδοσιν αθετεί, Ανάθεμα, Ανάθεμα, Ανάθεμα…». […]
Όλες αυτέ τις αρετές που είχε ως μοναχός, την αγάπη, την ακριβή Ορθοδοξία, και άλλοι τις είχαν, άλλα χάθηκαν. Αλλά ο Δεσπότης μας είχε μία τελευταία αρετή, που χωρίς αυτήν τα τρία πρώτα είναι τίποτα. Είχε ταπείνωση, αδελφοί. Είχε πραγματική ταπείνωση. Μέσα στο Νοσοκομείο που ήταν, μου είπε ο διάκος τα τελευταία λόγια. Τι ήταν τα τελευταία λόγια. Τι ήταν τα τελευταία λόγια; «Ταπείνωση, ταπείνωση, ταπείνωση!». Σαν ταπεινός Αρχιερέας δεν ήθελε να φορά πολυτελή. Του έφτιαχναν οι καλόγριες ρούχα, και ρούχα καλά δεν τα φόραγε. Δούλευε στο εργόχειρο, ήταν τα κουμπιά του αλλού, ασβέστη από εδώ, χρώματα από εκεί, δεν τον ένοιαζε το ντύσιμο του. Το εγκόλπιο του το έβαζε πάντα από μέσα γιατί δεν ήθελε να ξέρουν ότι ήταν Δεσπότης. Περπατούσε έξω και όλοι αναρωτιόταν ποιος είναι αυτός ο καλόγερος;». και εγώ τους έλεγα δεν είναι καλόγερος, είναι ο Δεσπότης».
Οι καλογριές και πολύ άλλος κόσμος, του είχαν δώσει δώρο διάφορες στολές. Θα είχε τουλάχιστον 12-15 στολές. Δεν τις φόραγε. «Τι να τις κάνω;», έλεγε. Και είχε μια στολή που την φόραγε συνέχεια και μία δεύτερη στολή που ήταν η καλή του. Την πρώτη στολή την έλιωσε. Έραβαν οι καλόγριες, μπαλώνανε, αυτή φόραγε, αδελφοί.
Το ίδιο ταπεινός και μπροστά στους Ιερείς και στους Αρχιερείς που επισκέπτονταν το μοναστήρι μας. «Πείτε εσείς κανένα λόγο», τους προέτρεπε. Δεν ήθελε να είναι πρώτος, ούτε να δείξει.
Και ένα άλλο, τελευταίο, να το ξέρετε, αδελφοί. Αυτή του ακριβώς η ταπεινοφροσύνη τον έκανε να αρνείται επίμονα το αξίωμα του Αρχιεπισκόπου, παρότι πολλοί τον παρακαλούσαν: «Δέσποτα μου έλα στην Αθήνα να σε κάνουμε Αρχιεπίσκοπο, να παραλάβεις τα του Αγίου Πατρός. Εκείνος όμως απαντούσε: «Όχι, εγώ στο κελλί μου, εδώ στην άσκηση, εδώ στο μοναστηράκι μου». Αυτή η ταπείνωση που είχε, αδελφοί, τον ύψωσε. Δεν ήθελε πολλά πράγματα, αλλά υψώθηκε. Όπως ξέρετε, εδώ στην ενορία έρχεται μία Παναγιώτα που λέει διάφορα και φώναζε στην εκκλησία: «Ο Πατριάρχης Γρηγόριος». Άλλοι γέλαγαν μαζί της, άλλοι της έλεγαν να κλείσει το στόμα της, αυτή όμως δεν το έκλεινε. Όντως, Πατριάρχης αδελφοί. Αναπλήρωνε όλα τα πατριαρχεία, αδελφοί. Τόσο τον ύψωσε, αδελφοί, η ταπείνωση και παρά ότι δεν ήθελε καμία δημοσιότητα, καμιά προβολή, λάμβανε γράμματα από όλο τον κόσμο, ενώ δεκάδες ανθρώπων επικοινωνούσαν μαζί του διά του τηλεφώνου. Τον είχαν μάθει σε όλο τον κόσμο.
Πάντα ήθελε ησυχία, αδελφοί. Και τελικά εμείς σαν τέκνα, όταν κοιμήθηκε, δεν κ αλέσαμε κανέναν, πήραμε μόνο τηλέφωνο τους τρεις Αρχιερείς και όλους τους Ιερείς και το έμαθε όλη η Ελλάδα. Ήρθαν από όλα τα μέρη, από την Κύπρο, τη Κρήτη και από την Αμερική. Όχι μόνο αυτό, αλλά έρχονταν συνέχεια από το Νέο Ημερολόγιο παπάδες, καλογριές και κοσμικές από την Καλαμάτα. Μέχρι που φτάσαμε στο σημείο να τους διώξουμε. Ήρθαν και τα τέσσερα κανάλια. Πως βρέθηκαν; Δεν τους καλέσαμε, αλλά αυτός που ταπεινώνεται πάντα υψώνεται. Ήρθαν εφημερίδες για να γράψουν για το Δεσπότη μας. Μέχρι πρώτη σελίδα τον έβαλαν. Ήρθαν λεωφορεία από παντού, έως και ο Δήμαρχος Καλαμάτας, που είναι δίπλα μας. Δεν τον καλέσαμε, αλλά ήλθε, αδελφοί, γιατί η χάρη του είχε απλωθεί σε όλη τη Μεσσηνία.
Τελειώνοντας θα ήθελα να πω, αδελφοί, ότι ο Δεσπότης μας, που διά της ταπείνωσης έφτασε στο στάδιο του μικρού παιδιού, κοιμήθηκε αφού τελείωσε τη δουλειά του επί της γης. Στήριξε την Ορθοδοξία, ξεπέρασε τα σχίσματα, πάταξε τις αιρέσεις, χειροτόνησε Αρχιερείς, και ήρθε το πλήρωμα του χρόνου και ο Κύριος τον κάλεσε κοντά του.
Πάντα ερχόταν στο μυαλό μου δύο λογισμοί: «Τι στολίδι έχουμε; Τι προστάτη έχουμε; Τι οδηγό έχουμε; Τι χαρά έχουμε;». Αλλά πάντα, όταν διάβαζα το Ευαγγέλιο θυμόμουν το χωρίο που ρωτούσαν οι Φαρισαίοι το Χριστό: γιατί δεν νηστεύουν οι Απόστολοι σου;». Και έλεγε ο Χριστός: «Γιατί είναι ακόμη εδώ ο Νυμφίος». Και έλεγα όταν θα φύγει ο Νυμφίος μας, τότε θα χρειαστεί νηστεία και προσευχή. Και όντως, φεύγει ο Νυμφίος μας, αδελφοί. Και πότε έφυγε; Έφυγε την Πέμπτη, τελειώνοντας το τριήμερο. Μας άφησε μέσα στη νηστεία.
Ο Νυμφίος μας, αδελφοί, έφυγε και ολόκληρη η πόλη της Καλαμάτας βυθίστηκε την Πέμπτη σε πυκνή ομίχλη και βαριά ατμόσφαιρα. Ο ήλιος σκοτίσθηκε. Σεισμός δεν έγινε όταν κοιμήθηκε ο Νυμφίος μας, αλλά την άλλη μέρα την Παρασκευή, άρχισε να βρέχει και να φυσά δυνατός αέρας. Οι πέτρες δεν ράγισαν, αλλά ράγισαν οι καρδιές μας.
Θα συνεχίσουμε με τις ευχές του το έργο του και ό,τι άφησε ημιτελές θα το τελειώσουμε. Θα ακολουθήσουμε το παράδειγμα του. Θα τηρήσουμε τις διδασκαλίες και τις εντολές του. Θα κρατήσουμε και εμείς τη γραμμή των Αγίων Αποστόλων, των Αγίων Πατέρων, τη γραμμή του Αγίου Πατρός Ματθαίου, την γραμμή που ακολούθησε ο Δεσπότης μας μέχρι τέλους. Και αν τηρήσουμε αυτά, αδελφοί, δεν θα μας αφήσει και η ευχή του μέχρι τέλους θα μας σκεπάζει.
Άγιε Πατέρα μας, σου ζητάμε συγγνώμη για ό,τι σου κάναμε, ζητάμε να προσεύχεσαι γι εμάς, ζητάμε την ευχή σου πάντα να μας σκεπάζει και ποτέ να μην μας αφήσει. Ευχαριστώ όλους όσους βοήθησαν τους Αρχιερείς, τους Ιερείς, τις μοναχές, τους συγγενείς και όλον τον κόσμο. Άγιε Πατέρα ζητάω για τελευταία φορά την ευχή σου!

IN MEMORY OF SAINT ARCHBISHOP OF G.O.C. OF GREECE GREGORIOS OF MESSINIA (1923-2009) FUNERAL'S SPEECH OF FATHER IAKOVOS KITSANTAS, NOW METROPOLITAN G.O.C. OF MESSINIA

Saint Hierarches, Fathers and brothers, dear brothers in Christ. I do not know if I will be able to say why. I will try. I am not good in speeches. Our spiritual father is ahead of us and he is not talking anymore. Not only Father of the monastery and Messenia, but our entire Church, clergy and people. Now he does not answer to give us advice, to solve our problems with a few words to give us a little spiritual food. Brothers ask me now that we are alone “What do we do, now, that our left orphans?”. What to say? Where to ask? I have to answer, me a sinner: “Please observe the instructions that he gave us, the wise teaching and especially we have to remember the example of his life”.

I remember one of the many commands that my Father gave us. He said when you pronounce, be careful your speech not to be wordy and too theology. You should speak in a simple manner that can benefit souls. So I will try to speak a few words about the life of our Father, who can benefit all us.

The Holy Father had three great virtues. First great virtue was his zeal for the monastic life. Second it was his love for the world and the people. And thirdly it was the accurate observance of Orthodoxy. The zeal which he had for monastic life began with a spark. And what was this spark? He then goes as a cosmic layman with a friend in Keratea. And his friend was an Orthodox and he said him “Come here to see George the monastery”. And as they walked there in the monastery, they see in balcony Saint Father Matthew. And his friend says: “Look up there is the Holy Father Matthew”. He put up his eyes, he was watching the Holy Father and he throws down one little komposchini (“Rosario”). This was in his hands, and Metropolitan of Messenia told us, “Since Saint father Matthew threw this komposchoini, I sense a flame in my soul, a flame to become a monk, a flame to leave the Mother and my Father, to leave my job, all the cosmic care and then nothing could stop me”.

This torch was a great fire that burned trees and intact forests. In the monastic life, which he was inherited from the Holy Father, hear everything and he told us his teachings. When I was entering in the cell, I was seeing him to read the Bible and other books and say: “Your Eminence, what are you doing?” “Oh Father Jacob, he said, the Saint Father had put as my rule to read these things when I was a priest and I do so until today, as a Metropololitan” And so he was! Always he was getting up at 2 o'clock alone, to make the canon (monastic obligations) and the spiritual tasks. And then he was coming at 3 o’ clock am to start the Liturgy. Many times, we monks were asleep, we were forgetting to strike the bell, but our Elder has always light when he raised in his cell. I was always looking him doing his komposchoinia (pray with Rosario), reading his prayer books. Even he was ill and he was doing so. Always he was rising up to do what he was received from the Saint Father.

Once I came to the cell abruptly, he scared and he sat in the chair. His breaths were short and steep. He could not speak and I understand it that the older Gregory, while he was too old, was doing genuflection (“metanihes” in greek) and I did not know it my brothers. He did it secretly, and he sat in the chair to avoid (that I will understand his holy activity, but I see that he could not breathe but he had not stopped ever what he received, the zeal of monastic life.

[...] The komposchoini (Rosario) always, he had in his hand, my brothers, was something like a third hand, he never lacked from his hand. We went to his cell, he was doing komposchoini. He walked outside he had a komposchoini in his hands. And finally, his last complaint was, when we were in the hospital, was: «Ah the heck! I cannot do my komposchoini. Oh Father Jacob, bring me the komposchoini”. I went to Kalamata and I brought the komposchini to the hospital. I Put in his hands, he was trying, trying, but he could hot because he was too ill ... His cell was a Paradise. It was the sky. He was not coming often outside. He was indeed a monk, yes, monk and more than a monk. He was seating inside, in the cell to read and to make the prayers.

[...] He was a simple monk, as all the monks, and our despot had handiwork. We stopped and admired. We sometimes were tired and did nothing. Despot each day will make a sampler. He would hagiographies, or wrote, or did wood sculptures. Not only he had handiwork, but subsequently, brothers, he wrote books, he copied by the Holy Fathers various passages, to give the benefits to the world. And he continued until the deep old age, and he did not ever let the commitment. And he left two endless projects. One contains an index for the “Holy Rudder” (book of Saint Nicodemus, the canon law, work for us Priests and Hierarches that will help us in our tasks. Another includes excerpts from various sources and it is intended as a dictionary to write a device from A to Z for the mentally and physically diseased.

As a monk, who was, he had always the memory of death, my brothers. Always he remembered the death. We were looking at these last years him walking at the cemetery. When he was coming out from the cell, first he was going to the cemetery, he was looking at the memory and he said: “Oh, this one old lady, this old one, we will go there”. And any time he said: “Where will you put me (in which grave)?” I stood and left, I did not let him finish.

A book that he loved and he put it in his soul is the “scale” (“Klimaka”) of ascetic Saint John the Klimakos). He read the book that he followed, it helps us to rule all fathers here and we read every day, as a guide for the monks. How many times have he read it, it is unknown. The last step of “Scale”, as you know, is love. And brothers there, we read in the “Scale” and we try to do all what it says, and he reached the last step of love.

The second was the virtue of love, it could not be hidden. When somebody came into him and only he saw his face, was saying: What is he? They saw a holy person. His smile wins you. By the sweet way that he was talking, like a magnet he was pulling you that you cannot be separated. By his love, he had great respect for all faithful, even from the New-calendarists, even from atheists. All the region of Messenia, everyone, old, young, said the best words for our Despot, and all loved him.

Although, brothers, despite the smile that had the sweetest in his speech, where the matter was on faith, then he put out sword and fire. Then, brothers, he spoke afterwards. Not for Orthodoxy, but the exact Orthodoxy. Which had its roots in the Holy Father (Matthew), they continued, the Holy Father's roots, he continued the exact Orthodoxy until his end, despite the persecution that he suffered at times, which dragged him to court and forced him to leave Athens. In his speech on matters of Orthodoxy, was always in mind this; Minutes of the Seventh Ecumenical Council: "If somebody fails any written or unwritten tradition (oral) of Church, (to be in) anathema, anathema, anathema"

[...] All these virtues, that he had as a monk, love, exact Orthodoxy, and others had but they lost. But our despot had one last virtue, without which, the first three it is nothing. He had humiliation, brothers. He had a real humiliation. In the Hospital that he was, he said the last words to his deacon. What were the last words? What were his last words? «Humiliation, humiliation, humiliation!». As humble Hierarch, he did not want to wear a luxury. The nuns made him clothes, good clothes and he did not wear it. He worked as a sample monk, the buttons were elsewhere, lime was here, colors were there, he had not care of clothing. He put always his Egolpio inside his clothes because he did not want to know that he was despot. He walked outside and everyone wondering who this monk is“. I was saying, he is not a monk, he is despot”. The nuns and other people had given him as gift various uniforms (vestments). There were at least 12-15 uniforms. He did not wear them. “What to do them?” he said. And he was wearing only a uniform below and a second suit which was “good”. The first uniform is “melted” (because it was too old). The nuns sew, darn but he wore this one, brothers.

The same humble, he was in front of Priests and Bishops who visited our monastery. «Tell you the sermon” he urged them. He did not want to be first, or to show. And another, the last that you have to know, brothers is that this humility was that made him stubbornly refuse the office of the Archbishop, although many appreciate him: «Despota, come to Athens to be our Archbishop, as Holy Father Matthew was. But he answered: “No, I am good in my cell, in the exercise here, here in my lovely Monastery».

This humiliation, brothers raised him. He did not like many things, but he was raised. As you know, here in the parish is (a faithful sister) Panayota who says various words in church and shouting; “Patriarch Gregory”. Other laugh at her, others told her to close her mouth, (but) she never closed it. Indeed, he was Patriarch brothers. He deputizes all Patriarchates, brothers. He was raised (by God) too much, brothers, despite the humiliation that he wanted no publicity and no visibility he was receiving letters from around the world and dozens of people communicated with him by phone. He was known throughout the world. He always wanted peace, brothers. And finally we as children, when he reposed, did not mincing any, we called only our three Metropolitans and all the priests and the sad news was learned throughout Greece. They came from all parts of Cyprus, Crete and from America. Not only Orthodox, but subsequently New Calendar priests, nuns and secular came from Kalamata (in hospital an in Holy Monastery). Until we have reached the point to say them to go. All local, four channels come (for the Gregory’s repose in monastery). How they found it? We did not invited them, but man who always humiliated, will raise. Newspapers’ journalists came to write for our Despot. They put his repose in the first page. Buses came from everywhere, the Mayor of Kalamata’s City, which is next to us. We did not call, but he came, brothers, because late Metropolitan Gregory’s grace had spread throughout the Messenia.

I would like to say, brothers, that our despot who came through the humiliation of being a small child died after having finished his work on earth. He supported Orthodoxy, overtook the schism, fighting the sects, ordainment Hierarches, and now it was the fullness of time and the Lord called him. Two logisms always come to my mind; “What a gaud we have! What a prostate! What a driver have! What joy we have!” But always, when I read the Gospel, passage I remember this passage in which Pharisees asked Christ, why your Apostles do not you fast?” And Christ said: “Because is even here the Nymfios” (Bridegroom- Christ). And I thought when our Nymfios leave us we will need prayer and fasting. Indeed, the Nymfios left us our brothers. And when he left? He has gone on Thursday, finishing the first three days of Holy Fest. He left us in the fasting. The Nymfios our brothers, left the entire city of Kalamata sank on Thursday in dense fog and heavy atmosphere. The sun is dark. It did not happen an earthquake when he died, but the next day, on Friday, began to rain and strong wind blows. The stones are not broke, but broke our hearts.

We will continue with the wishes of his work and everything that he left incomplete, we will finish. We will follow his example. We observe his teachings and instructions. And we will keep the line of the Holy Apostles, Holy Fathers, the Holy Father Matthew’s line, the line that followed our despot untill the end. And if we observe these brothers, he will not leave us and his grace will cover us. Our Saint Father, we ask your forgiveness for what we did, we are asking to pray for us, we ask your blessing on us, always to cover and never leave us. I thank everyone who helped Hierarches, priests, monks, and the relatives in the world.

Holy Father, we are asking for the last time your grace!

O AΓΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ O ΟΣΙΟΜΑΡΤΥΡΑΣ O ΕΝ ΒΟΥΝΕΝΟΙΣ * SAINT NICHOLAOS THE NEW-MARTYR

Στις 9 Μαΐου (εκκλησιαστικό Ορθόδοξο εορτολόγιο- 22/5 νέο πολιτικό ημερολόγιο) η Αγία μας του Χριστού Εκκλησία εορτάζει την μνήμη του Αγίου Νέου Οσιομάρτυρα Νικολάου του εν Βουναίνοις Λαρίσης.

Ανήμερα της εορτής του Αγίου, κατά το Πάτριο Ορθόδοξο Εορτολόγιο, και μάλιστα κατά την Ιερά Αγρυπνία οπού τελούν Αρχιερείς και κληρικοί της Εκκλησίας Γ.Ο.Χ. Ελλάδος της Κανονικής Ιεράς Συνόδου η οποία προεδρεύεται νυν υπό του Αγίου Πρωθιεράρχη Θηβών κκ Χρυσοστόμου, γίνεται το έξης μέγα Θαύμα: Τρέχει ΑΙΜΑ από τα δένδρα στα οποία πάνω παρέδωσε την αγία του ψυχή μετά από φρικτά μαρτύρια τα οποία υπέστη ο Άγιος διά την εμμονή στη Αγία Πίστη του Χριστού μας.
Αξίζει να σημειωθεί ότι το ΑΝΑΜΦΙΣΒΗΤΗΤΟ ΘΑΥΜΑ αυτό, γνωστό τόσο στους Γνησίους Ορθοδόξους Χριστιανούς όπως και στους Νεοημερολογίτες και λοιπούς σχισματικούς «παλαιοημερολογίτες» των διαφόρων παρατάξεων, αποτελεί μία ακόμη σύγχρονη μαρτυρία για την εμμονή των Γ.Ο.Χ. στη Γνήσια Ορθοοδοξία και στην Ιερά Παράδοση αυτής όπως της εορτασμού και της ρύθμισης της πνευματικής ζωής κατά το Πάτριο Ορθόδοξο Παλαιό Εορτολόγιο.
Διά τούτο και το Θαύμα του Αγίου ΔΕΝ πραγματοποιείται ούτε κατά τον εορτασμό του Αγίου με το Φραγκικό Παπικό Εορτολόγιο υπό των Νεοημερολογιτών αλλά ούτε κατά την τελετή παράκλησης υπό των Σχισματικών Φλωριναίων «παλαιοημερολογιτών» το πρωί της εορτής του Αγίου.Παραθέτουμε φωτογραφικά στιγμιότυπα από παλαιότερες πανηγύρεις του Αγίου χοροστατούντος του Μακαριστού Μητροπολίτου (Γ.Ο.Χ.) Λαρίσης και Τυρνάβου κυρού Νεκταρίου και του Σεβασμιότατου Μητροπολίτου Τρίκκης και Σταγών και Ποιμενάρχου Γ.Ο.Χ. Λαρίσης κκ Κοσμά, καθώς και το σύντομο Βίο του Αγίου και Μαρτυρία του Θαύματος από Βιβλίο που εξέδωσε η Νεοημερολογητική Επιτροπή του Ιερού Προσκηνυματικού Ναού Αγίου Νικολάου Βουναίνοις.

ΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΥΛΩΝΑ-ΛΟΥΚΑ: "ΑΓΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ Ο ΝΕΟΣ" ΛΑΡΙΣΑ 1992
Θαύμα 8ον: ΒΡΟΧΗ ΑΙΜΑΤΟΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΑ ΔΕΝΔΡΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ
Διηγείται ο Ηλίας Κουρουξίδης κάτοικος Κάτω Βουναίνων.

«Εγώ έμεινα δύο φορές στον Άγιο Νικόλαο. Επειδή για να πιστέψω πρέπει να δω γι’ αυτό λοιπόν έκανα το εξής τέχνασμα. Το 1965 πήγα μία εβδομάδα και φύλαξα κάτω από τα δένδρα του Αγίου Νικολάου. Πήγα μαζί με τον Παλαμίδα.
Στον Άγιο Νικόλαο πήγα στις 22 Μαΐου. Τότε που γιορτάζουν οι παλαιοημερολογίτες (ενν. τους Γ.Ο.Χ. ). Φύλαξα όλη τη νύχτα. Οι Παλαιοημερολογίτες όλη τη νύχτα διάβαζαν και προσεύχονταν στην εκκλησία μέχρι το πρωί. Το πρωί μετά τη Θεία Λειτουργία βγήκαν έξω από την εκκλησία και διάβαζαν παράκληση. Δέκα με ένδεκα η ώρα έβγαλαν την εικόνα κάτω από τα δένδρα. Εκεί γονάτισαν κάτω όλοι. Εγώ ήμουν σε μία απόσταση 6-7 μέτρων. Όλοι γονατιστοί έψαλαν την παράκληση. Γύρω στις 11 η ώρα ξαφνικά το δένδρο ρίχνει μία κόκκινη βροχή σαν χαλάζι. Έγινε χαλασμός. Εγώ φοβήθηκα και το έβαλα στα πόδια, έτρεξα ένα χιλιόμετρο χωρίς να το καταλάβω. Μετά ξαναγύρισα.
Οι προσκυνητές μάζεψαν τη βροχή με τα ρούχα, με τα μαντήλια το βαμβάκι κλπ. Μετά μία ώρα ανέβηκαν στο πούλμαν και έφυγαν. Είδα κάτι τρομερό. Τους ρώτησα γιατί σε σας έγινε το θαύμα; Και εκείνοι απάντησαν, ότι εμείς το ζητάμε, κάναμε παράκληση και ο Άγιος μας στο έδωσε . Εσείς δεν το ζητάτε…»

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O AΓΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΟΛΑΟΣ O ΟΣΙΟΜΑΡΤΥΡΑΣ O ΕΝ ΒΟΥΝΕΝΟΙΣ

Ο Άγιος Οσιομάρτυρας Νικόλαος ο Νέος γεννήθηκε πιθανώς στη γη της Μικράς Ασίας. Από την παιδική του ηλικία διακρινόταν για την θερμή πίστη, την αγάπη προς τον Θεό και την ευσέβεια του. Η αρετή και η ανδρεία του Νικολάου δεν μπορούσαν να κρυφθούν. Η φήμη του ξεπέρασε γρήγορα τα στενά όρια της πατρίδος του και απλώθηκε μέχρι και αυτή την Βασιλεύουσα, την Κωνσταντινούπολη. Ο τότε αυτοκράτορας Λέων ο ΣΤ’ ο Σοφός (886-912 μ. Χ.) ζήτησε και γνώρισε το Νικόλαο. Εκτίμησε αμέσως, με την πρώτη επαφή μαζί του, τα σωματικά και ψυχικά του χαρίσματα και τον διόρισε αρχηγό του αυτοκρατορικού αποσπάσματος της Λαρίσης, που είχε ως σκοπό να φρουρεί και να υπερασπίζεται την πόλη αυτή της Θεσσαλίας.
Ανέλαβε τα καθήκοντά του με ζήλο. Το πέρασμα του χρόνου αύξανε την πνευματικότητα του Νικολάου και την αγάπη των στρατιωτών και του λαού στο πρόσωπό του.
Όταν οι Άβαροι έφθασαν μέχρι τη Θεσσαλία, έκαναν βαρβαρική επιδρομή και σκορπούσαν παντού την ερήμωση και το θάνατο. Ο Νικόλαος με τις λιγοστές δυνάμεις του προσπάθησε να αναχαιτίσει τον εχθρό. Οι παμπληθείς όμως δυνάμεις των αντιπάλων εύκολα επικράτησαν και επιδόθηκαν σε γενικές σφαγές και λεηλασίες. Πολλοί από τους κατοίκους εγκατέλειψαν την πόλη και την περιοχή και κατέφυγαν σε ορεινά μέρη. Τελικά και ο Νικόλαος με όσους στρατιώτες είχαν απομείνει πορεύθηκε στο δάσος που βρισκόταν στο όρος της Βουνένης, όπου υπήρχαν πολλοί ασκητές με τα ασκητήρια τους στα απόκρημνα υψώματα. Εγκαταστάθηκε κοντά τους συναγωνιζόμενος αυτούς στην άσκηση και την προσευχή. Μαζί του είχε και τους στρατιώτες του, που ζούσαν και αυτοί την αγγελική ζωή των μοναχών.
Κάποιο βράδυ, ενώ ο Όσιος προσευχόταν, Άγγελος Κυρίου παρουσιάσθηκε και προανήγγειλε τον μαρτυρικό τους θάνατο: «Δεύρο, αθληταὶ του Χριστού, προς το μαρτυρήσαι εαυτούς ευτρεπίσατε». Πράγματι οι εχθροί τους συνέλαβαν και τους υπέβαλαν σε πλήθος βασανιστήρια. Τους προέτρεψαν να αρνηθούν την πίστη τους. Εκείνοι έμειναν αμετακίνητοι στην πατρώα ευσέβεια και τελειώθηκαν μαρτυρικά. Τα ονόματα τους γράφηκαν στο βιβλίο της ζωής. Από αυτά μας είναι γνωστά τα ακόλουθα: Ακίνδυνος, Αρμόδιος, Γρηγόριος, Δημήτριος, Ευώδιος, Θεόδωρος, Ιωάννης, Μιχαήλ, Παγκράτιος, Παντολέων, Χριστόφορος και Αιμιλιανός.
Ο βιογράφος του Αγίου Νικολάου μαζί με τα ονόματα των στρατιωτών Μαρτύρων αναφέρει και τα ονόματα δύο γυναικών μαρτύρων, Ειρήνης και Πελαγίας. Προφανώς θα πρόκειται για δύο ηρωίδες Χριστιανές γυναίκες, που μαρτύρησαν για την αγάπη του Χριστού. Θα άνηκαν στον άμαχο πληθυσμό της πόλεως Λαρίσης, που είχε καταφύγει στα ορεινά του Τύρναβου.
Ο μακάριος Νικόλαος, διακρινόμενος για την ανδρεία του, κατόρθωσε να διαφύγει τη μανία του εχθρού. Φεύγοντας από τα μέρη της Λαρίσης και του Τύρναβου, έφθασε στα ενδότερα της Θεσσαλίας, στα μέρη της Καρδίτσας, όπου το χωριό Βούνενα. Εκεί βρήκε κατάλληλο τόπο για άσκηση. Ο Όσιος διάλεξε για κατάλυμα μία σπηλιά, που την σκέπαζε μία βελανιδιά. Εκεί συνέχισε την ασκητική ζωή, που είχε αρχίσει κοντά στους ασκητές του Τύρναβου. Υπέταξε κάθε σωματική επιθυμία και δαιμονική παρεμβολή. Ἡ Χάρη του Θεού τον είχε επισκιάσει.
Όμως οι βάρβαροι επιδρομείς ανακάλυψαν τον αθλητή του Χριστού Νικόλαο. Τον συνέλαβαν και τον πίεζαν με υποσχέσεις και κολακείες να αρνηθεί την πίστη του. Εκείνος αντιστεκόταν γενναία. Τον βασάνιζαν και εκείνος ευχαριστούσε τον Θεό, διότι τον αξίωσε να υπομείνει για χάρη Του βασανιστήρια. Τελικά τον αποκεφάλισαν και έτσι ο Οσιομάρτυρας Νικόλαος έλαβε τον αμαράντινο στέφανο της δόξας και εισήλθε στη χαρά του Κυρίου του.
Ο επίσκοπος της Λαρίσης Φίλιππος μετέφερε με πομπή στην πόλη τα λείψανα των μαρτύρων του Τύρναβου. Το ιερό λείψανο του Αγίου Νικολάου ανακαλύφθηκε από τον δούκα Ευφημιανό της Θεσσαλονίκης. Ο Ευφημιανὸς αρρώστησε κάποτε βαριά από τη φοβερή ασθένεια της λέπρας. Αναζήτησε την θεραπεία του σε όλους τους ιατρούς, αλλά μάταια. Άρχισε τότε να επικαλείται τους διαφόρους Αγίους και να κάνει αγαθοεργίες ελπίζοντας στο έλεος του Θεού. Προσέφερε τα χρήματά του σε χήρες, ορφανά και φτωχούς. Παρακαλούσε τον Θεό να τον ελεήσει και να του χαρίσει την πολυπόθητη υγεία του. Κατέφυγε στον πολιούχο της Θεσσαλονίκης Άγιο Δημήτριο και τον πολιούχο της Λαρίσης Άγιο Αχίλλειο, που είχε ακούσει πολλά για τα θαύματά τους. Ενώ όμως βρισκόταν στη Λάρισα και προσευχόταν μπροστά στο λείψανο του Αγίου Αχίλλειου, του υποδείχθηκε να μεταβεί στα Όρη των Βουνένων. Το σχετικό όραμα του έλεγε να φροντίσει να βρει το ιερό λείψανο του Οσιομάρτυρα Νικολάου, να λουσθεί σε πηγή που βρίσκεται κοντά στον τόπο του ιερού λειψάνου και να πιστεύει ότι ύστερα από αυτά θα εύρισκε την θεραπεία του. Χαρούμενος από το ελπιδοφόρο τούτο άγγελμα ο Ευφημιανὸς ξεκίνησε για τα Βούνενα, όπου βρήκε το τίμιο σκήνωμα του Αγίου Νικολάου και την δική του θεραπεία. Γεμάτος χαρά και ευγνωμοσύνη για τη θεραπεία που του χάρισε ο Οσιομάρτυρας του Χριστού, έκτισε ένα μικρό ναό και ενταφίασε εκεί το ιερό λείψανο.

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SAINT NICHOLAOS THE NEW-MONK-MARTYR IN BOUNENA

On May 9 (Orthodox old calendar -22 / 5 new political calendar) in Holy Church of Christ, we celebrate the memory of St. Nicholas the New Osiomartyr in Vounaina of Larisa’s region in Greece. On savage of the holy feast, by the paternal Orthodox Calendar, and even during wakefulness Holy ceremonies by Hierarches and holy clergy of the Church of G.O.C. of Greece of canonical Holy Synod which now is chaired by the saint First-Hierarch of Thebes Chrysostom, the following great Miracle is happened: BLOOD runs from the trees in which St Nicholaos handed over the holy soul after the horrific martyrdoms that he suffered by his persistence in Holy Faith of our Christ.

It should be noted that the undisputed WONDER is known both as in Genuine Orthodox Christians and other sectarians, old calendarists of various factions and New- calendarists. It is still a contemporary testimony to the persistence of G.O.C. in Genuine Orthodoxy and Holy Tradition as the celebration of Church’s feasts and the regulation of intellectual life by the Old Orthodox Calendar. This Miracle of Saint is NOT done either during the celebration of St with the franc, Papal Calendar of New-calendarists and also not at the ceremony in the “Paraklisis” of Schismatic Florinites false “old-calendarists” in morning of the feast of Saint. We publish photographs from the previous ceremonies of Saint with the late Metropolitan (G.O.C.) of Larissa and Tirnavos Nectarius and Metropolitan of Trikki and Shepherd of G.O.C. in Larissa Cosmas and a short text on saint’s life and testimony of miracle Paper issued by the New-calendarist Commission of Holy Church in Vounaina.

NIKIS MYLONA LUCKA: "THE NEW-MARTYR SAINT NICHOLAOS" LARISSA 1992

Miracle 8^th: BLOOD RAIN FROM TREES OF SAINT

Mr Elias Kourouxidis, resident in Kato Vounaina, tells:

“I stayed twice in Saint Nicholaos (monastery). Because to believe, I need to see, then I did the following trick. In 1965 I went a week and staying under the trees of St. Nicholas. I went along with (Mr) Palamida. I went to St Nicholas on 22 May. Then Old-calendarists (G.O.C.) celebrate (the Saint’s Holy Memory. I store overnight. The old calendarists all night were reading and praying in the church until the morning. The morning after the Divine Liturgy they came out from church and read request. Ten to eleven O’clock, they brought out the (holy) icon, beneath the trees. They all kneel down. I was at a distance of 6-7 meters. All were kneeling and said psalms. Around 11 o'clock suddenly the tree casts a red rain like hail. It was hubbub. I feared and run away, I ran a km without to understand. After, I returned. The pilgrims collected rain (of blood) with clothes, with cotton, handkerchiefs, etc. After an hour they climbed to the coach and left. I saw something terrible. I asked why happened this miracle in you? They replied that we ask, we request and Saint gave us. You do not ask" ...

St. Nicholas, the New Monk- Martyr, probably was born in the land of Asia Minor. From his childhood, he was distinguished by the strong faith, love for God and the piety. The virtue and valor of Nicholas could not be hidden. His reputation quickly exceeded the narrow limits of his home and spread to the Vasilevousa, Constantinople. This time, the emperor Leo VI the Wise (886-912 AD) called Nicholas. He was assessed immediately by the first contact with him, the physical and mental talents and appointed him leader of the imperial extract of Larissa, which was designed to guard and defend the city of Thessaly.

He assumed his duties with zeal. Over time the spirituality of Nicholas and his love of soldiers and people to him increases.

When the Avarians amounted to Thessaly, were barbaric raids and they spread devastation everywhere and death. Nicholaos with few forces tried to stop the enemy. Although the multitudinous forces of enemies easily prevailed and they served in a general massacre and pillage. Many residents fled the city and the region and sought refuge in mountain areas. Finally, Nicholas with soldiers went to the forest of Mount Vounena where there were many hermits in the hermitages in the steep hills. He settled near them, competitor in their exercise and prayer. With him, he had his soldiers who lived the angelic life of the monks.

One evening, while the saint praying, an angel of Lord appeared to him and announced the death of the martyrs: “Come, athletes of Christ, prepare yourselves to martyr”. Indeed, the enemies arrested them and tortured by a crowd. They urged them to deny their faith. They remained firm in paternal piousness and they died testimony. Their names were written in the book of life. From these (names), we know the following: Akindinus, Armodios, Gregory, Demetrius, Evodios, Theodore, John, Michael, Pagkratios, Pantoleon, Christopher and Emilianos.

The biographer of St. Nicholas with the names of soldiers and Martyrs says the names of two women Martyrs, Irene and Pelagia. Obviously they will be two heroines Christian women, martyrs for the love of Christ. They would belong to the civilian population of the city of Larissa, that had taken refuge in the mountains of Tyrnavos.

The blessed Nicholas, distinguished for the bravery, managed to escape the fury of the enemy. Leaving parts of Larissa and Tyrnavos and he arrived in the inner part of Thessaly, in parts of Karditsa, where the village of Vounena. There he found a suitable place for exercise. The saint chose a cave for shelter, which was covered an oak. He continued the ascetic life, which began near hermits of Tyrnavos. He got under any physical desire and demonic interference. The grace of God overshadow him.

But the barbarians invaders discovered the athlete of Christ Nicholaos. They arrested him and were pressurizing with promises and blarney to deny his faith. He bravely resists. The tortured him and he pleased God, because He claimed him to endure for Him tortures. Eventually, they decapitated him and the Righteous- Martyr Nicholas took the amarantos wreath of glory and he entered in the joy of the Lord.

The bishop of Larissa Philip moved in procession the relics of the Martyrs of town of Tyrnavos. The holy relics of St. Nicholas were discovered by Duke Effimiano of Thessaloniki. Effimianos was once heavy sick from the terrible disease of leprosy. He sought treatment at all physicians, but in vain. Then he began to invoke the various saints and hoping to do charity and the mercy of God. He offered her money to widows, orphans and poor. He begged God to give mercy him and to give the so- wanted health. He fled the patron Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki and the patron Saint of Larissa Achilleios, who had heard a lot about their miracles. While he was in Larissa and was praying in front of the relics of St. Achilleios, he was advised to go to the mountains of Vounena.

The relative vision said him to find the sacred relics of Righteous- martyr Nicholas, to wash himself to a source close to the place of holy relics and to believe that after these, he would found the treat. Happy by the promising of this dispatch, Effimianos began to Vounena, where he found the holy relics of St. Nicholas and his treatment. Full of joy and gratitude for the treatment which gave the Righteous- Martyr of Christ, built a small church and there he entomb the holy relics.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST (G.O.C.) AND THE SCHISMS

The unity and concord of believers, as said the Saint John Chrysostom in a word, attract more in the belief of God our brothers than the miracles! The Apostle Paul our desperate calls us for unity: «Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment». Epistle to Corinthians 1st, verse 10. Unfortunately, today the picture is tragic! The faithful are divided and do not constitute a unified body of Holy Church under the umbrella of the canonical Holy Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece, whose president happens today His Eminence Bishop of Thiva Crysostom and the Church of Christ is facing a divide (see notes) along with the schism of New Calendar and the Heresies of Ecumenism.
The Bishop of Thebes and Levadeias Avramios (+2005) said about the schism and the strong need to resolve them: «The Orthodox Church asked to provide a response to the concerns and controversies, not evasions, not ground, but stability and purity, with real sincerity and genuine love and pain for the present and future. Because of the paramount task is to remain faithful to Christ and into this institutionalized.
Desirable and all our task is to preserve this resource, to remain faithful in per dogmas, stable, sound and firm on the faith, ready to declare to love our fellow man each well. Love, of course, understood that no means an Ecumenist-way unexamined acceptance, brotherhood and union after all unabashed schematics or elected or, finally, after all, situated outside the Orthodox Church (clergy and lay, the lower and upper). No that is, by association or a simple handshake burning the files, but by union and love in truth, cultivated by the Orthodox way, based in the Belief of Saint Fathers, building in the Church’s spirit, determining by the Holy Synod. The union must be the result of a genuine, healthy and fair settlement of existing differences between us.” (The Metropolitan’s festal message. on the surface of the Lord Divine. “Thebaic Voice” No. 8 2005)
The Holy Church of Christ provides the «in LOVE and TRUTH» dialogue on the union in Christ: «... peaceful Consider what separates us so concerned with the peaceful end to the error, with the help of God having disclosed the truth . But if you do not, it disclosed in all that you are unfaithful people. » (Act V of the Cartagena Summit, Holy See Note 2 to the helm 99on rule of Cartagena Summit). Follow-up the Church has shown its faith in this dialogue by holding dialogues with the various separatist faction of Florina (Akakians better) but even in the past not hesitated to call in the dialogue the New Calendar «church» of Greece.
Wish all believers, to use the words of our Lord Jesus Christ by His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane just before His Holy Passion: “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”!!! (John. Q '21).

NOTES

Three major rift afflicted (or harassed) the Church of Christ
1] In 1937 became the first major and tragic schism of former Metropolitans Chrysostomos of Florina and Dimitriados German, who distorted the Orthodox Admission, which declared in 1935 on their return to Genuine Orthodox Church of Christ since the Schism of new calendar. The Metropolitans are the G.O.C. initially declared the followers of the new calendar SCHISMATIKOUS and the Church of G.O.C. as normal and Original Church of Christ in Greece. Later then, in their public sermons, promotes the illusion that the followers of the new papal diary is sectary «active», as defined by the sacred rules for those who breach the sacred tradition, but «potential» (!) And that the issue of the New Calendar will be judged by future «Pan-orthodox summit», which will be done by themselves schismatic bishops and in communion with them! After desperate efforts of St. Matthew the Confessor (then bishop Vresthenis then together with the bishop Cyclades German eventually later joined the sect of former Florina, where he died) to return two bishops in genuine orthodox opinion and avoid creating divide, eventually the formerly Florina and Dimitriados (who eventually returned to sectary New Calendar «church») were cut off from the church as misbelief and expelled from the body of the Holy Church of Christ. In 1955 the formerly Florina Chrysostom died, and the fans had brought secretly into irregular bishops (new calendar and old calendar) in order to obtain «bishops» instead of come back to the normal Holy Synod of G.O.C. (which was created by the ordination of the blessed St. Matthew, Archbishop of Athens Confessor) under the late Bishop Demetrios of Thessaloniki Cancel (+1977). Later they split into several groups and «sessions» ie sectary conventicle as far, Kioussis Chrysostom, Kyprianou Koutsoumpa, Makarios Kavvakidi, Afxentiakon (as Maximou Vallianatou, «Aegina» Afxentiou. «America» Michael) etc. exploiters of wishful believers!
2] In 1995 became the second major schism of people supporting various heretical errors in images of saints, especially the Holy Trinity (Synthrono) and the Resurrection of Christ from the tomb and generally non-Byzantine icons (Russian-Classical) style, and which they regarded as heretical! These people, unfortunately, supported by the then Archbishop Andreas of Athens (1995 / +2005) and two other bishops (1995) in contrast to the majority of bishops of the Holy Synod; Metropolitans of Messinia Gregory (+ 2009), Attica and Megaridos Cancel Matthew (+2001), Fthiotida Theodossiou (+ 2002), Kozani Titus (+2002) and Thessaloniki Chrysostom (2002), who remained faithful to the holy traditions of Orthodoxy and wishful respect of all images of saints, according to the Sanctuary rudder. Then under Archbishop of the Church of G.O.C. Of Greece Andreas, the Holy Synod issued two circulars Pastorals (1991 and 1993) which overthrew the heretical doctrines and appointed honorary respect all the images of saints. Unfortunately, the tumult in the body of the Church continued, and continued support for the theories misbelief holy images from the same heretical lower clergy and laymen. The situation deteriorated when Archbishop, under pressure from the misbelief environment hamper the convergence of the Holy Synod, fearing the condemnation of Neoeikonomachon (so marked because of the non-acceptance of the Holy Icons, mentioned), many of whom belonged to the environment, by the majority of the Holy Synod. In May 1995 the Archbishop Andreas came from a majority of bishops of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church Helladic genuine temporary Holiday so, after a long time accommodation, to work smoothly again and the synodical institution. But then the Archbishop to discipline, made -in a coup way- no canonical ordination, because, according to the Holy Rules requires the blessing of the Bishop for the Ordination of new Bishop in the area of jurisdiction but apparently the new election is Archpriests of Participation all bishops of the Holy Synod. The transaction, which was designed to obtain «majority» 5 against orthodox Archpriests, tragically deepened the gap and led to the separation of genuine Orthodox Christians, with tragic consequences today for Genuine Orthodox Church of Christ! Finally in 1997, the Third Circular, the heretical position concerning the Holy Icons were anathematized Synodical.
3] Last in December 2002 with Archieratical Letter from the president of the Holy Synod Metropolitan of Messinia Gregory interrupted the communion with the metropolitan of Thessaloniki Chrysostom, because of the declaration of heretical theories that: 1) The Church is without start like Christ but this is not documented anywhere by saint fathers, 2) Christ (as person (with the theologian mean)) is without start, not only as God but also as man while Jesus Christ clearly has a start as man) in time, His birth 3) that the head of the Church is the Holy Trinity while the Bible clearly preaches in the letters of Apostle Paul that only Christ, as God-human is the head of the Church!
Also, in 2005 the Valor «Metropolitan» of Mesoghaia Kyrikos (former clergyman of the Church of Greece G. O. C.) seceded from the separatist faction, in reaction to the resignation of former Archbishop Andreas of the «Assembly» conventicler and the enhancement of the former Metropolitan Piraeus in «Archbishop» in 2003. In the environment of Kyrikos are the most fanatical new-iconoclasts. Few months before he joined two of unknown origin, the old calendar Romanian "bishops" (?). They created a new sectarian and anti-conventicle session, however it should be noted that the behavior of Romanian is particularly objectionable if they come to give substance to schism-heretical groups and failed to inform the general objective for the church to inform what actually the Genuine Orthodox Church is.

HISTORICAL ANNIVERSARY

Last year completed 60 years that St. Matthew (then bishop of Vresthenis and later archbishop of Athens G.O.C.), only remaining Bishop of the ORTHODOX CHURCH OF CHRIST IN GREECE, thus the September 1948 ordainment the Archimandrite Gedeon bishop of Trimythountos (Cyprus), renaming him to Spyridon, in honor of St Spyridon, who was bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus.
The consecration has caused the anger of the enemies of Orthodoxy and the Church of Christ, who waited for the death of St Matthew, then only Orthodox bishop, to the disappearance of the true Orthodox Church of Christ. Following the establishment of the Holy Synod then followed persecution of the Orthodox (as heretics and schismatic called "old calendar" or "mattheists”) for several years. The separatist old calendar (Florinates-Akakians) and New Calendarists-ecumenists blame the consecration of Bishop of Spyridon by St. father Matthew because he was without the participation of another bishop as required by the sacred rules of the Church. Of course the respect of the sacred rules is indisputable, but as we learn from the head of the Church, Jesus Christ, "the letter kills while the spirit gives life "(to Corinthians Second Section C, 6.) That is why St Matthew, respecting the spirit of the Holy rules, applied economics and the ordainment as bishop Spyridon had done at critical times for Church of Christ and other holy fathers (,Saint Athanasius, the great).
After St Matthew with the bishop of Trimythountos Spyridon ordainment three other bishops: the bishop of Thessaloniki Dimitrios, the bishop of Patra Andreas (and later Archbishop of Athens 1972-1995,) and the bishop of Corinth Kalliston.
We must remember that the same period in Greece since 1937, there was a group of schematics bishops under former Bishop Chrysostom of Florina, who was separated from the Church by Saint Matthew and the crew of the Church and Orthodox distorted the original confession, which was accepted behind the Church of Christ from New Calendar Schism, said that the New Pope’s Calendar “church” was not a schism “under active". Eventually he died in 1955 without being involved in the consecration of bishops for the Genuine Orthodox Church and refusing to return to Orthodoxy and thus unite the divided people of genuine Orthodox Christians (G.O.C.). He denied in public that he would take ordination of bishops because he would harm his mother new calendar "church" (see newspaper "Vradini" 11-12-1950). Following the death of former Florina the bishops of his part were joined in new calendarism while his fans remained without bishops did not joined in the Holy Synod that was ordainment by bishop Matthew but secretly in abroad a false “bishop” ( former archimandrite Akakios Pappas) was ordained by an old calendar Russian “bishop” and a Romanian New Calendarist “bishop“. This act was obviously incorrect because, in addition to the other, strengthened and maintained that the split of Florinates-Akakians while there was canonical, Orthodox Synod.
However, the Genuine Orthodox Church of Christ was lighter after the holy consecration in 1948, while in the midst of persecution and temptations, giving the message that true "ONE, HOLY, CATHOLIC and APOSTOLIC CHURCH" that preaches the "Creed" , is none other than the CHURCH of G.O.C. of Greece, which keeps the exact doctrines and traditions of the Church of the Holy Apostles and the saint fathers.
Today, the apostolic succession of confessor St Matthew keeps the only canonical Holy Synod of the Church of Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece, that is chaired by the Metropolitan of Messenia Gregory, preserving the "small flock" of the Orthodox believers away from the various sects and especially the heresies of Antichristian Ecumenism, that first step towards the introduction of the orthodox crew was the replacement of the paternal ( old) ecclesiastical calendar by the new calendar to achieve first the calendar’s unity of Orthodoxy and sectarianism and to relieve the conscience of religious believers. The conclusion we can draw from this is none other than the words of our Christ
"EVEN THE HELL’S DOORS CANNOT DESTROY MY CHURCH (Gospel of Matthew)
Note: The photo above is distinguished by the Holy Synod of G.O.C. in 1948.In the center (he seats) St Matthew, confessor Archbishop of Athens.

THE VOICE OF TRUE ORTHODOX CHURCH AGAINST THE ECUMENISM

Against the New Calendarism-Ecumenism

The official state schismatic [church] by its transgressions and apostasies, remaining in schism, is becoming heretical. In the commentary of the First Canon of St. Basil the Great (footnote 1) is declared: “A schism persisting wrongly becomes a schismato-heresy, and a schismato-heresy becomes a complete heresy” (Divine Chrysostom).We confess with all the strength of our hearts and with a tyrannical trumpet we declare our Faith and confession as follows:

We remain firmly unshaken in the Faith of our Fathers, in the injunctions of the New Testament, the Symbol of the Faith, the sacred Canons decreed by the holy seven Ecumenical and Local Councils, in the Teachings of the God-bearing Fathers, in the Decisions of the Pan-Orthodox Councils and Patriarchs, and in the Sacred Traditions.

We exclude and reject every deviation, every addition or subtraction of even one iota.

We are obedient only to decisions of Orthodox Councils.

We denounce the “official” [church] as innovationist, as schismatic, as cacodox, paving directly towards heresy.

We have no communion with the cacodox “official” [church], not recognizing the validity of its mysteries, not considering its acts and condemnations against us to have any authority.

We are indifferent to, and by no means fall by, the persecutions, the placing of the spears, the imprisonments, the defrockments, the slanders and insults, the banishments, with which the “official” [church] unmercifully treats us, thereby becoming “God-fighting” according to St. Athanasius the Great; [the “official” church] bears not a single power, nor has the capability to shake our faith and confession in regards to the Patristic [traditions] and separate us from the Holy Church, the Bride of Christ.

+ Metropolitan Demetrius of Thessalonica (President of the Holy Synod)+ Metropolitan Spyridon of Trimythus +Metropolitan Andrew of Patras +Metropolitan Callistus of Corinth +Metropolitan Bessarion of Tricca and Stagae +Metropolitan John of Thebes and Lebadia +Metropolitan Meletius of Attica and Megaris +Metropolitan Matthew II of Bresthena +Metropolitan Epiphanius of Citium +Metropolitan Anthimus of Piraeus +Metropolitan Theocletus of Salamis +Metropolitan Agathangelus of Tinos +Archpriest Eugene Tombros (Secretary of the Holy Synod)

The Declaration Against Ecumenism 

Synod of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece - 1985 

To the heretical ecumenistic encyclical of 1920, this statutory charter of the schismato-heresy of new calendarism and ecumenism, together with those who wrote it, and those who accept it, and those who proceed according to its commands: Anathema!To the Masonic and ecumenistic Congress of Constantinople of 1923, whereby the introduction of the accursed innovation of the new Papal Calendar into Orthodoxy was decided for the common concelebration of the feasts with the heretics, marking her commencement in the heresy of ecumenism or the so-called Pan-Christian unity: Anathema!To the resolution of the fifth hierarchy, whereby Chrysostom Papadopoulos decided upon the introduction of new calendarism, as the first step of enforcing the obscure schemes of Freemasonry and ecumenism: Anathema!To the resolution in March of 1924, of the outrageous fighter against Orthodoxy, Chrysostom Papadopoulos, whereby he forcefully imposed the innovation and schismato-heresy of new calendarism and ecumenism: Anathema!To those who outrageously fought against Orthodoxy: Meletius Metaxakis, Chrysostom Papadopoulos, Basil II, Athenagoras, and all who are of like mind as them, who likewise intentionally served, and continue to serve, the God-hated work of ecumenism until this very day: Anathema!

+ Archbishop Andreas of Athens and all Greece (President) +Metropolitan Epiphanios of Kitiou and all Cyprus +Metropolitan Evmenios of Heraklion and all Crete +Metropolitan Gregorios of Messenia +Metropolitan Matthew of Attica and Megara +Metropolitan Nicholas of Piraeus and Islands +Bishop Lazaros of Bresthena +Bishop Theodosios of Phthiotidos +Bishop Pachomios of Argolis +Bishop Titos of ServiA and Kozani, Archimandrite Chrysostom (Metropoulos) (Head Secretary), Hieromonk Kyrikos (Kontogiannis) (on behalf of the priests),Monk Theodulus (Demetropoulos) (on behalf of the monks) Eleutherius Goutzides (on behalf of the laymen)

ENCYCLICAL ABOYT THE NEW CALENDAR SCHISM

1935 PASTORAL ENCYCLICAL OF THE GENUINE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF GREECE

Unjustly condemned by the schismatic synod to deposition and a five-year imprisonment in monasteries, and seized by force by the government (which has become the executory arm of the [New Calendar] Archdiocese, which by a mere word has placed itself above the divine canons, the [Church’s] Charter, and the Constitution of Greece) because we had the courage and the spiritual strength to raise the glorious and venerable banner of Orthodoxy, we consider it our pastoral duty before we depart [for prison] to direct the following admonitions to you that adhere to the Orthodox festal calendar of our fathers:

While faithfully following the Apostle’s admonition, “Stand fast and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or by our letter,” do not cease from struggling by every lawful and Christian means for the strengthening and triumph of our sacred struggle, which looks to the restoration of the patristic and Orthodox festal calendar within the Church; only this can re-establish the diminished Orthodox authority of the Greek Church and bring back the peace and unity of the Orthodox Greek people.

By the judgments which the Lord knows, the majority of the hierarchy of the Greek Church, under the influence and initiative of its president, has placed the blot of schism upon what up until now had been its pure and truly Orthodox countenance, when it rejected the Orthodox festal calendar — which has been consecrated by the Seven Ecumenical Councils and ratified by the age-long practice of the Orthodox Eastern Church — and replaced it with the Papal Calendar.

Of course, this schism of the Orthodox Greek people was created by the majority of the hierarchy, which forgot its sacred and national mission and the old Greek [revolutionary] slogan: “Fight for Orthodoxy and for Greek liberty,” and which, without the agreement of all the Orthodox Churches, introduced the Papal festal calendar into our divine worship, thereby dividing not only the Orthodox Churches, but also the Orthodox Christians into two opposing camps.

In assuming the pastorship of the Orthodox Greek populace that follows the Orthodox festal calendar of our fathers, and being conscious of the oath of faith that we took that we would keep all that we have received from the Seven Ecumenical Councils, we abjure every innovation and cannot but proclaim as schismatic the State Church, which has accepted the Papal festal calendar which has been described by Pan-Orthodox Councils as an innovation of the heretics, as a global scandal and as an arbitrary trampling underfoot of the Divine and Sacred Canons of the ecclesiastical traditions.

On account of this, we counsel all who follow the Orthodox festal calendar to have no spiritual communion with the Schismatic Church and its schismatic ministers, from whom the Grace of the All-holy Spirit has departed, since they have set at nought the resolutions of the Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils and all the Pan-Orthodox Councils that condemned the Gregorian festal calendar. The fact that the Schismatic Church does not have grace and the Holy Spirit is confirmed by Saint Basil the Great, who says: “Even though the schismatics have not erred in doctrines, yet because Christ is the Head of the Body of the Church according to the divine Apostle, and from Him are all the members quickened and receive spiritual increase, the [schismatics] have been torn from the consonance of the members of the Body and no longer have the grace of the Holy Spirit abiding with them. And how, indeed, can they impart to others that which they have not?”

While the Schismatic Church imposes oppressive and intolerable measures in order to violate our Orthodox conscience, we exhort you to endure all things and to preserve the Orthodox heritage intact and unstained, even as we received it from our pious Fathers, having us as luminous and fortifying examples, seeing we were not afraid — even in the waning years of our lives — to withstand with boldness and dignity the bigoted and medieval measures of our exile and imprisonment in monasteries, as it were in prisons.

Esteeming this as honor and glory and joy, according to the Apostle, who enjoins us to rejoice and boast in our sufferings in behalf of Christ, we counsel you also to have endurance and persistence in these grief's, and afflictions, and evils, and outrages to which you will be subjected by a Church that is Schismatic; and ever hope in God, Who will not permit that you be tried above what you are able to endure, and Who, in His infinite and unfathomable long-suffering, will be well-pleased to enlighten those who, out of innocence, have been led astray and follow the Papal festal calendar; and in the end may He grant you the triumph of Orthodoxy and the unity of those who bear the name of Christ, the Orthodox Greek people, for whom we struggle to the glory of Christ, Whose grace and infinite mercy be with you all.

June 21, 1935

+Germanos of Demetrias

+Chrysostom , formerly of Florina

+Chrysostom of Zakinthos

ENCYCLICAL ABOYT THE HOLY ICONS

CHURCH OF THE GENUINE ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS OF GREECE

№ 2566/January 23, 1992

PASTORAL ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE HIERARCHY OF THE GENUINE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF GREECE TO:

Her entire Christ-named body: Clergy, Monastics, and Laymen 

Beloved Children in the Lord: Grace be unto you, and may peace and mercy from God our Father and the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit, the Holy and Consubstantial and Life-Creating and Undivided Trinity, the Unique and Singular Divinity, be with you all. Amen. 

In these end times, the devil seeks in every way possible to sow tares in the flock of Christ in order to scandalize souls and to sever them from the path of Truth and Salvation. Hence, some years ago, there first appeared from outside the body of the Genuine Orthodox Church certain arguments and even anti-orthodox ways of thinking regarding the representation of the Holy Trinity, the Resurrection of the Lord, the Descent into Hades, the Hospitality of Abraham, the Nativity of the Lord, Pentecost; to wit, through the ages, the Church tolerated deceptions and errors, and specifically that the representation of the Beginningless Father as the Ancient of days leads to idolatry. Indeed, some express themselves with contempt for the depiction of the Holy Spirit in the appearance of a dove, describing it as "the bird." 

These ways of thinking were adopted by certain clergy and laymen of our Orthodox Church who had been influenced by alien ecclesiastical jurisdictions; and they transmitted them, causing the scandalization of the faithful. Therefore, our Holy Synod of the Genuine Orthodox Church, clearly seeing the danger to souls from such doubts and consequent disputations over the Holy Icons, and wishing to preserve the peace and love and unity of its flock, at its last regular meeting on the 19th of September of this past year, 1991, diligently, and in the light of the tradition of the Orthodox Church, studied this matter, and decided to inform all of you pious Orthodox Christians, Clergy and Laymen, through a pastoral encyclical relative to the matter.

Beloved Children in the Lord: Because we are mortal men and finite and incapable of truly understanding divine and spiritual things, in His extreme condescension and love, the All-Good God has permitted us to understand about invisible things through visible elements and thus to be led spiritually to the adoring worship of our Triune God "in spirit and in Truth." "Not wishing us to be totally ignorant regarding the bodiless creatures," St. John of Damascus writes, "God has clothed them with forms and shapes, and used images comprehensible to our nature, bodily forms which could be seen by the spiritual vision of the mind; and these we make into shapes and images… But the Scripture also has forms and images of God." (On the Divine Images, Apology III, 25) And thus the Holy 7th Ecumenical Council decreed, "We define with all certitude and accuracy.. that… the venerable and holy icons be set forth… those who behold them are lifted up to the memory of their prototypes and to a longing after them… For the honor which is paid to the icon passes on to the prototype, and he-who reveres [the icon] reveres in it the hypostasis [person] of him who is represented…" (Sacred Rudder, p.316) However, the same Holy 7th Ecumenical Council likewise declares categorically, "… we make icons… which we do not make into gods. We understand them as icons and as nothing else since they have only the name of the prototype but not the essence." (Session 7, Mansi XIII, 188B) [incorrect Session No. given in the encyclical. [Should be No. 5. See Translator's notes:] On the other hand, again, the same Holy 7th Ecumenical Council defines, "The making of icons is not the invention of painters, but is an approved institution and tradition" (Session 7, Mansi XIII, 252).

And the Orthodox Church continues and preserves this institution and tradition. [Incorrect Session No. given in the encyclical. Should be № 6. ] Therefore, we too as Genuine successors to the Holy Fathers who preceded us, and as continuers and keepers of their faith, wishing to preserve the tradition of the Church regarding the Sacred Icons unto "benefit and beneficence and salvation" for the faithful, declare to all faithful Orthodox Christians that every Sacred Icon passed down to us, regardless of technique or style, newer or older, Byzantine or "classical," is venerable and serves the purpose for which the Church consecrated the veneration of the Sacred Icons. Thus, in a fatherly manner, we urge and exhort the pious Iconographers to paint, and the devout faithful to respect, honor, venerate, and kiss, all Sacred icons that the tradition of the Church has shown and consecrated. And in particular, for pastoral reasons, we reply synodically concerning those Sacred Icons about which doubts have been raised and opposing viewpoints have been set forth: 

1. The icon of the Holy Trinity of "the three persons", that is, of the Beginningless Father, as the "Ancient of days," the Son as "He appeared in the flesh," and the Holy Spirit in the appearance of a dove, we venerate and honor. Of course, it is not as a circumscription of the uncircumscribable divinity that we depict Him, in as much as "it is impossible to depict and paint the nature of God" (Gregory III, Pope of Rome, Epistle to Leo III, In Session 7 of the 7th Ecum. Council, Mansi 963D) but as the Beginningless Father, as He was revealed in a vision to the prophet Daniel (Dan.7:13) and to the Protomartyr Stephen (Acts 7:55), and the Holy Spirit as He was revealed to John the Forerunner at the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan and as He is depicted in the icon of the Annunciation of the Theotokos. It is appropriate to remind ourselves that the Holy 7th Ecumenical Council, in the 5th Session, decreed that the visions of the prophets are to be painted. And, finally, it must be noted that this representation of the Holy Trinity does not constitute a violation of the relative prohibition by God (Ex. 20:4), as some contend, nor an exception to it, but an accurate consequence of the Orthodox Christian teaching regarding the mystery of the divine economy and extreme condescension of the love of God, as St. Dionysios the Areopagite says: 

"The forms of the formless and the figures of the figureless have been set forth [before us]… since our condition is unable to rise directly to the contemplation of intelligible things and is in need of aids corresponding to our nature so as to guide [us] upward." (Dionysios the Areopagite, On the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy, PG3, 441D) [incorrect column No. given in the original encyclical. Should be 373.] In order to prevent conflicting opinions and divisions, we decree that the icon of the Holy Trinity of "the three persons," that is, of the Beginningless Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be placed upon stands for veneration in the Sacred Temples on Monday of the Holy Spirit. This icon of the Holy Trinity must also be imprinted upon the Sacred Antiminsia. 

2. The icon of "The Hospitality of Abraham", which represents an actual historic event in the Old Testament, we accept and venerate because it depicts the dispensational and symbolic appearance of the Trihypostatic God to the patriarch Abraham (St. John of Damascus, On the Divine Images, Apology III). This icon must no longer bear the title "The Holy Trinity" but simply the title "The Hospitality of Abraham." 

3. The icon of the Resurrection of Christ, that is, the Arising of the Lord from the Grave, we venerate as depicting the Life-bearing Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the defeat of death and Hades was confirmed, as the hymnodist chants, "Like a comely bridegroom Thou came forth from the grave as if from a bridal chamber, having destroyed the tyranny of death, O Christ…" (Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, 9th Ode, No.2) This is because, according to St. John of Damascus, "The Lord's Resurrection was the union of the uncorrupted body and soul, for He said, 'Destroy this temple and in three days I shall raise it up. " (Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Bk.4, Ch.27) It must be emphasized that the Resurrection of the Lord constitutes the cornerstone of our faith and the completion of our salvation, in that, "If Christ be not risen, our faith is in vain" (1 Cor.15:17), and, "while the tomb was yet sealed, Life dawned from the grave." In order for the iconographic depiction of the Resurrection of the Lord to be in agreement with the narrative of the Sacred Gospels, the grave must be sealed. To prevent and avoid dissensions and disagreements, we decree that, on the one hand, this icon of the Resurrection of the Lord be placed in the series of the twelve feasts on the iconostases, and, on the other hand, on Sundays and other Resurrectional days and the namesake feast of the light-bearing Resurrection, the day of Pascha, on stands in the Sacred Temples for veneration, and that it be imprinted on the Sacred Antiminsia. 

4. The icon of the Lord's Descent into Hades we paint and venerate, which the Orthodox tradition of the Catholic Church of Christ accepted from the beginning, as the confirmation of the death of the Lord (as perfect man) and the existence in Him of a human soul, and as the authentic portrayal of the Lord's triumphant entry into Hades when He dissolved the power of death, despoiled Hades and freed the souls of the Just imprisoned from the ages, and granted incorruptibility and life to our race. This icon, in its totality, bears witness to the Glory of the Lord as the conqueror of death, as the Sacred hymnodist also confines, "My God Jesus has shone forth the light of the resurrection to those who dwelled in the shadow and darkness of death, and by His divinity has bound the mighty one and plundered his implements" (3rd Ode, Sunday of the 8th Tone). Therefore, we decree that this icon be placed on stands for veneration in the Holy Temples on the day of Great Saturday only and on no other days. We must also make it clear that because of the disagreements that have come about on this matter, henceforth the title "The Resurrection" is not to be placed on this icon but only the title "The Descent into Hades". 

5. The icon of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ we urge pious iconographers henceforth to paint without the depiction of the bath and midwives so as to give no cause for doubt regarding the painless childbearing by the Theotokos, as in the analogous circumstance, the fathers of the 7th Ecumenical Council decreed, "Confessing the divine childbirth to have resulted from the Virgin… without its being induced by seed; and preaching to all the flock, we require those who have done anything that was improper to submit to correction." (79th Canon, Sacred Rudder, p.289) [Orig. encyclical. incorrectly ascribes this canon to the 7th E. C. and not the 6th E. C.]

6. The icon of Pentecost we accept and venerate under both representations which the tradition of the Church has preserved, i. e. with the Most Holy Theotokos seated in the midst of the Apostles as "Mt. Zion," which is concluded from the narrative in the Acts of the Apostles, "These all with one mind… along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus…" (Acts 1:14), according to the interpretation of Sacred Chrysostom, or without the representation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul is not be depicted in the icon of Pentecost, at the bottom of which, the prophet Joel is to be shown in place of the world, according to the interpretation by St. Nicodemos. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul is not to be included in the icon of the Ascension. [See Translator's Notes:] 

Beloved Children in the Lord: In a fatherly manner we urge, and synodically we command that all of you faithful and genuine children of the church of Christ keep the traditions of the Fathers which we have received and Sacred icons of the Holy Trinity, the Hospitality of Abraham, the Nativity of Christ, the Resurrection of Christ, the Descent of the Lord into Hades, Pentecost, and all icons that bear the identifying characteristics of Orthodox Sacred Icons (according to the interpretation of St. Nicodemos in the Sacred Rudder), and those which the tradition of the Church, honoring and venerating them, has respected and preserved. Let us strive through faith and hope in God, through prayer and the work of philanthropy, through humility and obedience to the Church to cleanse our mind and heart and to be lifted up from earthly things to heavenly things, to the invisible and bodiless, from earthbound and daily affairs to the heavenly and spiritual. 

The Church of Christ has a wealth of men who were church theologians and extremely excellent in all learning, such as Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas, Mark the Noble, Symeon of Thessalonika, Dositheos of Jerusalem, Nicodemos of Athos, Joseph Bryennios, Niciphoros Theotokis, who never had doubts about any of the received icons. And we follow these men. Beloved Children in the Lord: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time… Be of sober spirit. Be alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. But resist him firm in your faith." (1 Pet. 5:6) "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. 

Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma." (Eph.4:31-5:2) Make peace among yourselves and others. Let every dissension and strife be lifted from you; give no ground to the devil and his warfare and scandalization. As genuine Shepherds of the Church of Christ, watching over her vigilantly and attending to every scandal which springs up, plucking out every tare from the field of Orthodoxy, and, with the sword of the Holy Spirit, the utterance of God, purging everything that rises up against the Sacred Institutions of the Church, we are aligned with the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church of Christ and follow the teachings and formulations of our Godbearing Fathers; therefore, we stand firmly with fear of God, faith and love in keeping everything which has been given to us.

Henceforth, every doubt and opposing view in the matter of the Sacred Icons must be referred through the presiding Ecclesiastical Head to the Church; and the Church, through the grace of God and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit Which dwells in Her shall guide on the path of Truth unto the salvation of us all. With regard to all of these things, we add blessing upon all of you and pray that the Grace of our Triune God, of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. Ardent suppliants before the Lord, The Holy Synod of the Hierarchy of the Genuine Orthodox Church.

PRESIDENT: Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, ANDREAS

FOR THE GENUINE ORTHODOX CHURCH OF CYPRUS:

Metropolitan of Citium, EPIPHANIOS

THE MEMBERS:

Gregory of Messinia, Matthew of Attica and Megaris, Nicholas of Peiraeus, Pachomios of Argolis, Theodosios of Phthiotis, Titos of Servia, Chrysostom of Thessalonika,

Archsecretary of the Holy Synod: Archimandrite Kirykos (Kontoyiannis) Chancellor