WARNING

NOT EVERYTHING THAT

CALLS ITSELF ORTHODOX IS

TRULY ORTHODOX


The above warning was given to me when I first met Orthodoxy in 1986. Today [2009] it is even more perilous, even more difficult to find the Royal Path. For one thing there is a far greater abundance of misinformation. And many materials are missing, and other materials are being rapidly rewritten. For another thing there are fewer than ever guides remaining on the Royal Path, especially who speak English. Hopefully this website will be a place where Newcomers to the Faith can keep at least one foot on solid ground, while they are "exploring."


blog owner: Joanna Higginbotham

joannahigginbotham@runbox.com

jurisdiction: ROCA under Vladyka Agafangel

who did not submit to the RocorMP union in 2007

DISCLAIMER



Orthodox Christians in Nigeria

This is the GOC mission under the care of GOC Bishop Maxmus Maretta, son of Archpriest Fr. Thomas Marretta who was ordained by St. Metr. Philaret of NY in 1979. 
 

Official Trailer
For years Stephen and 100s of converts waited for a Bishop to come to Nigeria and baptize them. During this time, Stephen was arrested, beaten, and rejected by friends and family for preaching Orthodox Christianity. Against all odds, he continued to pray for help from across the world, until one day his prayer was answered.


 documentary  2 hours  
 
download full video here 
 
https://app.box.com/s/qf781vh6haf6fn6m4geyowxe75z66f2o
   600MB


The documentary video has been uploaded by Etna on You Tube.  Link found near the bottom of this page:
   http://www.hotca.org/videos/1234-the-orthodox-christians-of-nigeria 
   caution: You Tube has some disgusting commercials (such as for Viagra)

more videos in English:

http://www.hotca.org/videos

I am careful not to steer newcomers towards Etna or to endorse Etna as a safe place for newcomers.  However I am glad to see some good things coming out of Etna, like this Nigeria Documentary.  ~jh

An old email I wrote to Fr. Gregory in 2014

See previous post: Beware of Euphrosynos Cafe
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2025/01/beware-of-euphrosynos-cafe.html

Folks,

I'm working on getting all of Fr. Gregory's emails out of my old gmail account.  I expect to eventually put together the email record of my reconciliation with Fr. Gregory...  how it came about, thanks to Nathan Lewis who thinks he is a prophet, and he had not confessed this to Fr. Gregory — at least not clearly.  When I tried to tell Fr. Gregory about Nathan's prelest, he jumped down my throat saying I was being a trouble-maker again.  This re-opened an old wound — painful as it was, it was needed.  That story will have to be for another day, or, actually another year at the rate I'm going.  A couple of years ago I started archiving Fr. Gregory's emails beginning with the most recent email and working back.  It has taken me this long just to get back to November 2014.  I think our reconciliation was before Pascha 2013, maybe 2012... so I have a ways to go yet.

In the meantime tonight I made it back to November 2014, and I found this
email from Fr. Gregory, which is his response to a complaint I still had — I was trying to tie up loose ends in our reconciliation.  By writing out my complaint to Fr. Gregory, I had inadvertently made a contemporaneous report about Suaiden's copycat blog.  It is a very personal email, I hesitate to post it, but I'm going to share it anyway.  Because... it was over 10 years ago, and I'm really the only one who is going to be embarrassed or hurt by it.  I hate knowing that Suaiden will see it — not that anything I said will come as a surprise to him; but that he uses (abuses) any personal information he gets for his narcissistic purposes.  Not for any good.  Nothing humbles him.  It is one of those situations: "Everything you say can and will be used against you."  And if it can't be used against you "as is," then it will be twisted so that it can be used to hurt you.  So, I brace myself for his revenge.

The most amazing thing!  I had forgotten all about Maria trying to censor me.  What was she thinking?  She not only censored the livin' daylights out of ECafe -- LOOK!  She tried to censor me, too!  Utterly amazing.  Unbelievable.  It is not a joke.  I had forgotten all about this.
Suaiden launched his imaginary blog war shortly after I posted a cut-paste of this article:
http://genuineorthodoxchurch.com/1983Encyclical_against_OldCalendarEcumenism.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20220122052707/http://genuineorthodoxchurch.com/1983Encyclical_against_OldCalendarEcumenism.htm
This post is found in the RRb Archives folder, a pdf file named: 2014.07 RRb
Over time I had posted a number articles on this subject, to which I applied the label:
Jurisdictional Ecumenism.  I'm thinking now to collect those posts into a folder and add the folder to my Shared Library.

Now.   Here is some history concerning ECafe and Suaiden:
 
A note concerning our past strife
Fr. Gregory <frgregory@sjkp.org>
Sat, Nov 8, 2014 at 4:33 PM
To: Joanna Higginbotham <joannahigginbotham@gmail.com>

Oh my!  Sauiden and his ilk are best ignored altogether,

I really don't think I "sided" with anyone in your conflict with Ambrose, and still don't.  This is clearly an area of what the Church calls "theologoumena" -- pious opinion.  The Scriptures are remarkably silent and/or ambiguous, and the Church fathers express a wide variety of opinions from the earliest days.

I regret, perhaps, having somehow indicated (even if privately) that I was concerned about your bellicose propensities (I've got some myself, but 70+ years have somewhat tempered them), and continue to pray for your discretion (and mine!).

Above all, I love you and hold you in my prayers!

Fr. Gregory+
frgregory@sjkp.org




On Nov 8, 2014, at 4:13 PM, Joanna Higginbotham wrote:

Dear Father Gregory,
Father Bless.

You are aware of Suaiden trying to open a blog war with RemnantROCOR
blog last August.  I believe I successfully managed to stay out of it.
The few RRb posts that could conceivably be even remotely considered
as answers to Suaiden's attacks were posts I would have posted
anyway<  even if a Suaiden's antiRRb did not exist.  This shows that
Suaiden can neither intimidate me nor cause me to engage with him.  I
never entered his boxing ring – he was in there punching at an
imaginary me.  He truly believed we were engaged in a blog war.

In high school my son was jumped and beaten by a gang.  I pressed
charges against the leader of the gang.  The defense kept trying to
call it a fight, as if the two had each willingly entered a mutual
scuffle.  But it was not a fight.  It was an attack.  Still, everyone
in town and at the school kept calling it a fight.

The problem with Suaiden's imaginary war was that people call it a
blog war.  I did post the link to Minas' satire blog, with the warning
you advised, and I wrote beside the link "caution: satire".  That
surely was taken as evidence, by some who knew about it, that I was
indeed engaged in a blog war.  But if you look, I have links there to
all English-speaking Sister Church member's blogs without
discrimination.  Whether I agree with them or not, (and some of
Hudson's blog makes me cringe).  The link list is in alphabetical
order.

I've said nothing in my defense publicly.  Last week the Milan synod
moderator, Maria, and chief censor of ECafe had the nerve to ask me to
end the war by deleting my posts which offend Suaiden.  What she means
mainly are my posts that warn and explain about jurisdictional
ecumenism and the vigante Milan synod.   She said the blog wars are
turning away potential converts from her ECafe forum.  My answer to
Maria was this:

I know nothing about any blog wars except maybe what plays in
Suaiden's imagination.  I carry on as always whether Suaiden is here
or there or nowhere.

Another private answer I've had to give is about your private email to
Nathan that he posted publicly.  What I've said is that you did write
that and at the time you did feel that way, but you no longer see
things that way – that you would not say that today – that our strife
has been healed not just with mutual forgiveness, but also with
clearer understanding.

I hope you could say something similar.

A particularly damaging part of the email is where you use the word "war":

 "Before setting her sights on you, she engaged in a war with
[another parishioner]… If I thought it would do any good, I would
issue a “cease and desist” order.”


Suaiden uses this quote to show that I have a history of getting into
wars with fellow-Orthodox.  Father, I deserve this public humiliation
which I believe God has allowed for my penance.  Punishment sure fits
the crime and I accept it and love Him for it, even though I don't
like it.  I can ignore what the public thinks, but what you think is
important to me.  So I want to make sure you understand, at least
somewhat, in retrospect, how I see it.

Without my going to check to see if I saved any of the emails, here is
how I remember it today:

ROCOR Refugees blog.  Ambrose was a member.  Reader Daniel either
posted or commented something showing his support for Fr. Seraphim
Rose's teaching on creation in "Genesis, Creation, and Early Man".
Ambrose, a PhD liberal, already had a prejudice against Daniel, a
high-school-graduate conservative with a writing style definitely not
appreciated by many (as you know, firsthand).  Ambrose responded to
Daniel's post/comment with negation and contradiction.  Ambrose showed
no condescension to Daniel's inferior education.  I refused to publish
Ambrose's comment and he got mad and tattled to you.  Since Ambrose's
comment sounded scholarly to you, and is in agreement with your
creation ideas, and because he is a man, and because he was answering
Daniel, and because of the memory of our previous strife, maybe also
some other causes – you sided with Ambrose in his complaint against
me.

First, I was unwilling to contradict Fr. Seraphim Rose.  Soon later I
established the blog policy that there will be no contradicting Fr.
Seraphim Rose.  Second, Ambrose's tone with answering Daniel, was one
of superiority and confrontational.  You could not see it when you saw
it out of context.  But I saw it in context.  In context of Ambrose's
general dislike of Daniel as well as what Daniel had written.

Ambrose started sending me alarming email messages, accusing me of
causing a scandal because I continued to post things from Fr.
Seraphim's book or things that related to it.  I suggested to him that
he write Kalomiro's answer to Fr. Seraphim's letter to Kalomiros that
today is titled: Patristic Doctrine of Creation.  I offered to publish
this if he wrote it.  But I'm unwilling to turn the RRb into a debate
platform for Orthodox Evolutionists to argue with Fr. Seraphim.
Ambrose kept submitting his comments anyway.  It was like he was
fighting for his life, not some "other perspective".

Kalomiros never answered Fr. Seraphim's letter that is today titled
"Patristic Doctrine of Creation".  And I believe that if Ambrose did
try to write that missing answer, that, in studying Fr. Seraphim's
letter, Ambrose would come to see Fr. Seraphim's perspective.
Ambrose seems to base his whole philosophy on one thing he says is a
misinterpretation of something in St. Basil's Hexæmeron.  Fr. Seraphim
addresses that – if Ambrose would go look.  But, I think he is afraid.
There is something going on that is not obvious.

I say you were unfair with me in siding with Ambrose, but I understand
why you would have been distrustful of me and quick to assume "history
repeating".   And, yes, I deserved that.  But I hope you see me more
clearly now.

Kissing your right hand,
Joanna

p.s.  What happened to Suaiden's blog war?  It appears he has very
reluctantly succumbed to peer pressure and closed the worst of his war
blogs.  In the past he cyber-attacked somebody in Canada where the
police got involved and there was a restraining order taken out
against him.  So, it takes quite a bit to get him to stop anything.

--
"An evil faith and a false church is arising."
(Bishop Theophan the Recluse †)



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.

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Who will be the Antichrist?

.Vladyka Agafangel
12/25 January 2025

Who will be the Antichrist?

The Antichrist will be accepted first by those who are waiting for him - under one form or another and for one reason or another. There are many such people who are waiting, but they all wait differently. That is why the Antichrist can be presented in various hypostases, or in their combination.

1.
The question is where, in what way, does the Antichrist appear before gaining power over the whole world? Jews are known to wait for the Savior, Moslems for their messiah - Mahdi (the last successor of Prophet Muhammad).  Buddhists generally allow for numerous reincarnations of their "saints," similar to the modern "avatars."  For papists, non-Orthodox and other ecumenists of a "Christian orientation," the role of the Antichrist has been claimed by the Pope himself since the early times of Christianity (since the Pope was the Antichrist initially, by his "role" — he allegedly took the place of Christ on earth), and the Pope, lately, seeks to be an authority among non-Christians as well — that is, everyone who takes it seriously.  For atheists, the Antichrist may be a leader capable of bringing order to the whole world.  He can begin his activity as the president of any country or, even, a superpower (say, the United States), he can begin with any high position —at least, even with the Secretary General of the Communist Party of China (the general secretaries of the CPSU still dream of world domination, in the USSR, Stalin was an exemplary predecessor of the Antichrist, although he didn't succeed in taking over the whole world, he did get a "sixth of the earth").  Thus, the first period of the appearance of the Antichrist will be his coming to power in some significant and known field—political, social, or religious.

2.
Having ascended to one of the peaks of diverse earthly power and, according to legend, having participated in the construction of the Jerusalem temple, the second period of the Antichrist's activity will begin — this outstanding, talented, charming and intelligent man will begin to expand his power and unite in himself the key powers of authority, that is, to seize power over the entire world and in all areas. If he, say, becomes the president of the USA, then gradually he must be recognized as the Messiah, Mahdi, avatar, etc., maybe even as the Pope, patriarch or even the Tsar of Moscow and so on (or, at least, all such leaders must express their approval and support to him). Ideally, the Antichrist will unite in himself the expectations of the coming of "someone great" for all peoples and religions. This is how Satan will be allowed to act. It is clear that for the ecumenical religion he will be God, or more precisely, the Man-God (like the deified pharaohs and Roman emperors, or, as in the Russian Federation now, “retroactively” the Soviet people almost deified the murderer and God-fighter Stalin, and before him, Lenin).

The Antichrist will come when a type of the Soviet-communist system will be established throughout the earth — defined as democracy, but in reality — dictatorship and total slavery — physical, electronic and spiritual.  This new order will be led by the finally united secret world government, referred to as the Scriptures as the "gates of hell," which, led by the Antichrist, will fight the Church of Christ (Mt. 16.18) — that is, the last remnant of genuine faith on earth.  But, as the Scripture says, even this demonic entity will not be able to completely destroy the true Church.

Just as the Jews did not recognize the Messiah despite all of their best efforts being directed towards it, so the Antichrist might not be recognized as Satan incarnate or "Christ," but simply as the greatest of the greatest.

3.
Gradually, his power and authority will be recognized by everyone in the whole world — the majority will accept his authority voluntarily (seven kings voluntarily, but three kings he will need to conquer — see. Daniel 7.8,20,24; Rev 17.13).  After this, the third period will come — the actual kingdom of the Antichrist.  This is when the terrible persecution against the real Christians will begin.  During the reign of Antichrist, there will be some magician, a sorcerer, who will imitate "miracles in the air" (kind of like Musk under Trump), and there will be two accusers of Antichrist — Elijah and Enoch.  The reign of the Antichrist will last for three years and will end with the Second Coming of Christ and the end of this world.

* * * *
Now about how we should live in the times of the Antichrist.

Communism was at first "destroyed" (in the USSR - the state of Antichrist's successive forerunners), and then "reborn" everywhere — the wound of the communist "beast," as we see it today, healed (see. Acts 13.3).  But its rebirth is no longer in the form of a Stalinist dictatorship, but rather in the form of the controlled global digital concentration camp.  The Antichrist will appear when the whole world is suffering in apostasy.  The Antichrist will then appear under the guise of a "liberator" as if unexpectedly, as a "savior" for all nations and religions — all of "civilized" mankind will be on his side, not knowing who he really is.  Everyone will recognize him as their savior and leader, the messiah or prophet.  Of course, there will still appear to be political struggle, but only as a pretense, — the internal politics will be completely united.  The small handful of those people who do not accept Antichrist as the world's savior-leader will be considered enemies of humanity, — "mentally ill fanatics".

If back then in the USSR a person's identity, — a person's very existence — was certified by a paper passport, (so lived many catacombs); then in these days a person's identity/existence will depend on being registered in a database with a personal "biometrics" and who has received his number in that database.  Nobody will be able to hide —  he will be found even if he does not have an identification document.  Our destiny as the last Christians, I suppose, is to live openly, but to pray in a narrow circle, hiding our faith from those around us (as was in the USSR).  Of course, we can't talk about any missionary work.  And you'll have to hide, I think, not in sketes or catacombs — such are easy to find nowadays (back in the time of Khrushchev, helicopters searched for and shot in the taiga, and today during the pandemic, they tracked crowds of people going to church with the help of drones).  It will be easier to hide in cities, among people, where it is much easier to hide, without revealing ourselves to others - without using, or extremely limiting the use, of the Internet and telephone communication (during the times of the USSR, for example, the bishop was always called "grandfather" in correspondence, and the secret churches were called "paseka").  Besides, in recent times believers are unlikely to be killed as communists did, they are likely to be in one way or another tracked, isolated and mechanically "corrected" in their minds (brainwashed by various means).   Thus, such actions of the Antichrist for the masses will be consideredas the greatest good and virtue. As the only true will of the purest "angel of light" (see. 2Cor 11:14).

Now, when there is not a single nation living compactly on the territory of its own state, with its own individual national culture, tradition and religion (no nation has any indivuality — “international” and “universal human values” have already been thoroughly implanted everywhere) — this allows for a national and spiritual leader to step in, to appear on the world stage (since, as has been said, there are no more nationalities, peoples and states in their classical form and understanding).  The Antichrist cannot reign in some isolated space (country, religion, people), he can only  be a world leader.

It is safe to assume that since Christ came out of the Jewish people and enriched all the nations by His grace, then the Antichrist will come "from the outside" (uncircumcised, but whose origin will be somehow connected to the tribe of Dan — now this is all too common), but he will particularly exalt the Jewish people.

* * * *
Of all nations and religions, only true Christians are not waiting for some "deity" or "genius" to come to the earth to fix all the problems.  Instead  we are waiting for the end of this world and the Second Coming of the Man of God, Christ.  This is why we are opposing the "new world order" and why we object to globalism — Genuine Christianity today is discredited and purposefully persecuted everywhere.  Of course, we must, as the army of Christ, live to defend Gospel values in a fallen world, but we have no hope that these values will prevail in this world, we have no cause, according to Saint Ignatius:

"The apostasy is allowed by God: do not try to stop it with your feeble hand."

We cannot deviate from the Orthodox faith, but we cannot let ourselves be deceived by a hope for the victory of Orthodoxy in this world.  We must, for the Glory of God, do what we can do, being in our place — including to fight while we have the strength for the Orthodox faith and statehood, for the sake of the salvation [to save ourselves and to encourage our brethren to stay steadfast.] To stand firm until the end of our days in our Lord Jesus Christ —  this alone is our only final destiny.

We must, without deceiving ourselves, admit the obvious — the Orthodox, sovereign, Russian (and no other) people, as a single and united people, capable of rebirth, no longer exists.  This time has passed — abroad, Orthodox Russians have died out, and on the territory of the former USSR — they were unable to overcome the Soviet essence in themselves.  Therefore, we, Orthodox Christians, have no one to expect, neither in the near nor in the distant future — neither a leader, nor a tsar, nor even a wise ruler, since behind all these expectations lies a very dangerous, deadly spiritual charm and demonic temptation.   With a good purpose, none of the great leaders and prophets will descend on our sinful and God-cursed land.

Orthodox people remain to wait for only Christ, who shines over the whole world in His revealed Kingdom — surrounded by Heavenly Power and Heavenly Glory.

Yes, come our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen to that!
+ Metropolitan Agafangel
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2581117155514395/posts/3534621483497286/
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Our Sister Church is Facing a Threat

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A Call to Pray from our Synod
Appeal ROCOR Synod of Bishops
October 15/28, 2009

The persecution of the faithful in Bulgaria is instigated by the "global communist system" which more and more reveals itself to be "an apocalyptical church-harlot."
            "We call upon our faithful flock to pray fervently to our Lord, Jesus Christ, His Immaculate Mother and all the saints, so that they may keep our souls unharmed from the destructive influences of globalism, ecumenism, sergianism, [and socialism*] and give all of us the strength to endure the latest onset of persecution of the Church of Christ."

    Joanna's Shared Library
    folder: RRb Archives
    file: 2009.10 RRb.pdf

* I added "socialism" to the list after I discovered a socialist among our most loyal American convert members.  His name is Michael.  Please pray for him.  If he could be fooled, then we all are at risk.  Our Church sees Socialism as a trick for Communism to get its foot-in-the-door.  Old Jordanville clearly teaches socialism is of the antichrist spirit.

— • —  


"I, my fellow clerics, and our faithful will be watching this situation closely.'
GOC bishop's official letter sent to Bulgaria's USA Ambassador

Patriarchal Sergianism and the Beginnings of Persecutions in 'Orthodox' Bulgaria
https://www.orthodoxtraditionalist.com/post/patriarchal-sergianism-and-the-beginnings-of-persecutions-in-orthodox-bulgaria
By Subdeacon Nektarios, M.A.
 
It has come to the attention of many within the True Orthodox community around the world that, in typical New Calendarist fashion, the ‘official’ Patriarchate of Bulgaria, in cooperation with the government, is currently engaged in the legal persecution of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria Metropolitan Photiy of Triaditsa, the First Hierarch of the Bulgarian Old Calendarist Church.

His Eminence Metropolitan Photiy of Triaditsa

Recently, the Supreme Court of Bulgaria—the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC)—ruled in favor of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria, granting it the right to register as a Church in the City Court of Sofia. However, the registering body in the capital city denied their registration, despite this Supreme Court ruling.

Government officials, along with the newly installed 'Patriarch' Daniil of Bulgaria, have since devised various pretexts to ensure that these True Orthodox Christians, who represent unaltered Orthodox Christianity—free from the heresy of ecumenism and the innovation of the New Calendar—remain an unrecognized Church. In a statement, Bulgarian Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev described the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria—a jurisdiction of approximately eighteen parishes—as a "potential threat," further stating, "I am convinced that the people’s representatives will take this into account and eliminate this potential threat."

Similarly, in a manner reminiscent of Sergianism, the New Calendarist Patriarch Daniil claimed that the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria under His Eminence Metropolitan Photiy—who was in communion with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia prior to its false union with the Soviet-created Moscow Patriarchate in 2007—poses a "threat to the security of the Bulgarian Church and people."

Furthermore, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has declared that the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria constitutes a "threat to the national unity and sovereignty of the Bulgarian people."

In a conversation with His Grace Bishop Seraphim of Sozopol, the assistant bishop to Metropolitan Photiy of Triaditsa, he stated:

          "We are currently under significant pressure. Our Church recently obtained legal registration as a religious entity, which has provoked a strong reaction from the Patriarchate and its political supporters. The Parliament is preparing to pass amendments to the Act on Religious Denominations that would designate the Patriarchate as the sole representative of Orthodoxy in the country. Consequently, our registration is likely to be revoked, and any future attempts to reinstate it would be impossible."

What crime has warranted this Sergianist-Stalinist-style persecution? The answer is simply Holy Orthodoxy. The Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria has long stood as a confessor of True Orthodoxy, rejecting the pan-heresy of ecumenism, the New Calendarist innovation of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, its historical membership in the World Council of Churches prior to its exit in 1996, and its continued communion with other World Orthodox jurisdictions that remain in fellowship with ecumenist bodies.

The Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria is a sister Church of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Greece and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad under its First-Hierarch Metropolitan Agafangel (Pashkovsky) of Odessa. In response to this persecution, His Grace Bishop Auxentios of Etna, Ruling Hierarch of the Western Diocese of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of America, has issued an official letter* of protest to the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and forwarded it to numerous U.S. lawmakers to raise awareness of the ongoing religious persecution of Orthodox Christians in a nation purportedly committed to religious freedom and modern democratic values.

*
download link here
https://www.orthodoxtraditionalist.com/post/patriarchal-sergianism-and-the-beginnings-of-persecutions-in-orthodox-bulgaria
scroll to bottom

These anti-Orthodox statements by Bulgarian government officials, along with the Sergianist rhetoric of their so-called Patriarchate, serve as yet another reminder that the concerns of World Orthodoxy are not centered on doctrinal purity but rather on submission and obedience to the officially sanctioned Church supported by the state.

The Bulgarian Patriarchate and its government have now joined the ranks of past persecutors of the Orthodox Church such as Stalin, Todor Zhivkov, Josip Broz Tito, the Greek government since 1925, and all of the “official” World Orthodox Patriarchates who are demonstrating a willingness to go to great lengths to force the True Orthodox faithful into submission to their innovations and heresies.

May Saint Catherine the New Martyr and the Holy Catacomb Saints of Russia intercede for the faithful of the Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria in their time of struggle. Let us also be reminded of the words of our Lord:

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (St. Matthew 5:10-12).

.

Quote of St. Philaret of New York

..

.
After my death our beloved Church abroad will break three ways ... first the Greeks will leave us as they were never a part of us ... then those who live for this world and its glory will go to Moscow ... what will remain will be those souls faithful to Christ and His Church. ~St. Philaret of NY

The header of the RRb always had this quote of St. Philaret.

On the 16th anniversary of the signing of the ROCOR-MP union,, May 17, 2023, Blogger deleted the Remnant ROCOR blog.  Most of the blog is archived in my Share Library, all but the last few months.  Some posts can still be viewed using the Way Back Machine
    
https://web.archive.org/web/20230201000000*/http://remnantrocor.blogspot.com

What does this quote mean?  The part that goes to Moscow is certainly the ROCOR-MP union.  But who are the Greeks?  These were the Boston Greeks, the Holy Transfiguration Monastery that caused St. Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina some frustration.  Less than two months after St. Philaret reposed, the Greeks left the ROCOR to avoid an investigation by our Holy Synod into accusations of homo activities going on in their monastery.   They covered up their real motive by claiming their reason for leaving was due to ROCOR being too ecumenical.  Archimandrite Panteleimon admitted this on his death bed in 2016. 

St. Philaret made this prediction two weeks before his repose on St. Michael's Day 1985.  I first heard of it from Fr. Andrew Kencis, now in the GOC.  He shared with me an email conversation he had had with ROCOR-MP Bp. Kyrill.  There were other witnesses, but this is where I first heard it.  You can see the context in
RRb Archives folder in my shared library.  The file is named:  2008.09 RRb.pdf

What did St. Philarent mean by "...they were never a part of us..."  I have two ideas:

1. First and foremost the Greeks and the Russians do not have the same "Mother" Church.  I explained this more fully in a previous post:
https://startingontheroyalpath.blogspot.com/2024/12/explanation-of-remnant-rocor-blog-post.html

2.  It is also possible St. Philaret sensed something in their nature that is not akin to us; maybe he sensed a heresy being conceived in them.  Certainly at that time Metr. Philaret was aware of Fr. Seraphim's disagreement with Dr. Kalomiros over the idea of evolution.  Later, in 2012, this group officially espoused the "name-worshipping" heresy.   I can't tell if they ever were officially connected to the GOC or not.  After they left ROCOR we called them "Panteleimonites" but then later they were known as HOCNA.  They sold books and icons, superior quality.  Many books you want to include in your Orthodox Home Library.

.

This book will go out of print.


       Archbishop Theophan of Poltava †1940
Selected Letters

©1989 ISBN 912927 31-3
includes a comprehensive Life by Archbishop Averky

I have a scan of this book.  I've been waiting for it to go out of print before I upload the scan. This is a book you want in your home library.  Buy extras for gifts, because already it makes a special gift.
https://orthodoxbooks.com/products/letters-of-abp-theophan-of-poltava

I do not know how many copies neo-SJKP has left from Fr. Gregory's SJKP.  But however many it is, we can be safely certain this booklet will not be reprinted when stock runs out, or maybe even earlier it will no longer be offered.  I don't see where this book is available anywhere else online, new or used.  Google books does not have an eBook available.  It's not in the Archive website.  St. Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina often recommended both Archbishop Averky and Archbishop Theophan as guides for us.

When you order this book from SJKP, please put in the "Special Instructions" box,  a request that back issues of Living Orthodoxy magazine be made available for purchase.  I saw with my own eyes the magazines there in the Press building in 2018.   My understanding now is the magazines are boxed up in the attic.    If enough people request it, maybe they will bring down the boxes...

an excerpt from a letter
about the future fate of Russia:

     You ask about the near future and the last days.  I will not speak on my own authority, but will inform you of the revelations of the Elders.  They have communicated to me the following.  

     The coming of the antichrist is approaching and is very near.  The time separating it from the present can be counted in years, being at most several decades.  But before the coming of antichrist, Russia shall of course be restored for a short time.  And in Russia there shall be a tsar prechosen by the Lord Himself.  He will be a man of flaming faith, of intellectual genius, and of iron will.  The is what has been revealed about him.

     We will wait for the revelation to be fulfilled.  Judging from the many signs, this time is coming, provided only that because of our sins our Lord God does not revoke and alter what has been promised.  According to the Word of God, this can indeed happen."  p. 24

Our Synod  proposed this Resolution, as recorded in a General Meeting 30Jun/13Jul 2008

The mission of our Church is to preserve truth and loyalty to the historical Russian Orthodox government, overturned by force in 1917.  We propose to clarify the text in the “Prayer for the Redemption of Russia” in prayer books and religious services with the words “for the restoration of the throne of the Orthodox czars.”

ADD THIS TO YOUR PRAYERS!
“for the restoration of the throne of the Orthodox czars.”

source of proposal found on this page:
https://revniteli.livejournal.com/?skip=20
scroll down more than half way


I don't know if this proposal ever went through.  I know there was controversy over this idea, speaking about what kind of government needs to be in place in Russia before ROCOR can return...  For making this stipulation we were greatly criticized by the pushers of the Metropolia autocephaly back in the 70s.   This is one of the top accusations Fr. Leonid Kishkovsky used against us.
*   There was hesitation within our own synod about this, some of our own bishops were very uncomfortable with it.  But in the long run, it was right then and it is still right today — it aligns with the Church prophets, as Abp. Theophan says above.  

What does not line up is that Antichrist should be here by now.  I think it was around 1960 when St. John S&SF said that Antichrist was already just born.  Antichrist should have made his appearance on the world scene 33 years after his birth, to mimic Christ.  That would be in about 1993.  The only thing that makes sense is that we know that we don't know when.  Nobody knows when.  Apparently even our clairvoyant bishops and elders did not know.  On the other hand, though....

One important thing stands out to me in this prophesy: we can be confident that what is happening in Russia now
(2025) is NOT what Abp. Theophan was talking about.  No way is Putin anything like the Tzar described in the prophesy.  There are other things missing also, like about how ROCOR will be honored for preserving the "pearl"  — not belly-crawling back to "Mother" with it's tail between its legs, apologizing for having even existed...  I don't know where to find more of this prophesy about the return of ROCOR, but I remember reading it somewhere from a source I could trust.  The important thing to note is that this promise from God about a Tzar is not written in stone.  St. Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina emphasized that.  We need to pray for to be worthy of this promise.  And repent.  Like with Adam's sin, we all are called to repent.  For our personal sins and for the sins of our nation.

* Kishkovsky's accusation is on record in a report he made that was published by the OCA in San Francisco during the years of the "Sorrowful Epistles" for the purpose of turning people against the ROCOR synod saying that ROCOR is invalid and confirming that it is right for Orthodox people in America to leave ROCOR and seek autocephaly from MP.  I don't have the report scanned...  It would be something good to attach to the  "Truth About OCA" History publication done by Holy Transfiguration in Monastery in 1972. ISBN: 0-913026-04-2. That our enemies go to such great lengths to discredit the idea shows me that we are on the right track by supporting the idea.
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Life of St. Seraphim of Sarov

This is one of my Starting blog posts that fits into more than one category
 Book Review
 by Fr. Seraphim
 Lifes of Saints & Elders


Fr Seraphim Rose's prayer for us:
By the prayers of our holy father St. Seraphim of Sarov,
may we understand his words and practice them,
according to our strength, for the salvation of our souls!
 
 


Little Russian Philokalia, Vol. I: St. Seraphim of Sarov
translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose
 ISBN 978-0-938635-30-7     160 pages       1996       $12
 https://www.sainthermanmonastery.com/product-p/lrp1.htm


     
CONTENTS
 Preface to the Little Russian Philokalia Series by Fr. Herman 1979
 Introduction: The Life of St. Seraphim, by Fr. Seraphim 1978  (typed out below)
   I. SPIRITUAL INSTRUCTIONS
  II. THE ACQUISITION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
     Editor's Preface. by Gleb Podmoshensky 1967
     INTRODUCTION  excerpt from The Diveyevo Chronicles, 1903
     Foreword by S.A, Nilus
     The Conversation
 III. THE GREAT DIVEYEVO MYSTERY
     Preface
     Concerning the Fate of True Christians
     The Great Diveyevo Mystery
      St. Seraphim's Prophecy on the Resurrection of Russia

  Appendix  I: St. Seraphim in Bonds: The Destruction of the Great Sarov Monastery
  Appendix II: Pascha in Summer: St. Seraphim's Arrival at Diveyevo 
   Index



The Life of Saint Seraphim
by Fr. Seraphim Rose


The best known of the Orthodox saints of modern times, St. Seraphim of Sarov, has much to teach the Orthodox Christians of these last times.  Unfortunately, the striking nature of some of his spiritual experiences — which indeed stand in glaring contrast to the ordinary Christian experience of our days — has led some to miss the whole point of his teaching.  Some are so dazzled by his visions and his all-embracing love that they try to follow him into the most exalted spheres of spiritual life without even the most elementary foundation in Orthodox knowledge and practice; others try artificially to set his "spirituality" against the "institutionalized Church," as if the two could be separated; still others would make him to be a "charismatic" figure who justifies the empty ecumenical "spirituality" of our own poor days; and a few imagine him to be a "guru" whose experience places him "beyond Christianity" and all religious traditions.

All such interpretations — which only bring spiritual harm and disaster to those who follow them — fail to understand St. Seraphim in the context of the religious tradition that produced him as one of its greatest flowerings: Orthodox Christianity in 18th-century Russia.

St. Seraphim (his worldly name was Prochor Moshnin) was born in 1754 in Kursk, in the heart of Holy Russia, to a pious merchant family.  Raised in the fear of God and strict Orthodox life, he also knew very early the mercies of God at first hand; at the age of ten he was miraculously healed of a serious affliction by the Mother of God through her Kursk Icon (which is now [1978] in America and continues to work miracles).

Once he learned to read, the boy Prochor immersed himself in the spiritual world of basic Christian literature: the Scriptures, the Horologion (containing the daily cycle of church services), the Psalter, and the Lives ofSaints.  He spent all the time he could in church (where services would go on for many hours every day), and thought only of God and the spiritual world.  A deep desire for spiritual things being thus kindled in him, he began to long to serve God in the monastic calling.  At the age of 19, on a pilgrimage to the holy places of Kiev, he received the counsel of the holy recluse Dositheus (actually a woman) to "go to Sarov"; and after a short time this is what he did — spending the rest of his life in this  remarkable Monastery.

The Hermitage of Sarov had been founded early in the 18th century by the Elder John.  The first settlers here were cave dwellers, and the Monastery always remained a place of severe ascetic life, at the same time handing down the ancient monastic tradition of inward spiritual activity, the mental prayer of Jesus.  Eighteenth-century Russia, although it was a time of monastic decline when compared with the flowering of the 14th to the 17th centuries, still had a number of fathers (and mothers) who kept alive the ancient tradition of Christian spirituality.  The great monastic revival inspired by the great Elder Paisius Velichkovsky and his disciples at the end of the 18th century produced such remarkable spiritual fruits (notably the clairvoyant Elders of Optina Monastery) precisely because the Russian soil had been prepared beforehand by an unbroken tradition of monastic struggle and spiritual life.

Blessed Paisius translated the patristic texts on spiritual life, most notably the anthology known as the Philokalia.  St. Seraphim made use of this book, which he probably received from Elder Nazarius of Sarov, one of the spiritual elders who prepared its publication; but the Philokalia was published in 1794, and St. Seraphim was spiritually formed before this, having read numerous other patristic books that taught the same spiritual doctrine.  There is nothing whatever that is "new" in the spiritual face of St. Seraphim; all is from the Holy Fathers, of whom he is a most faithful disciple, appearing in the latter times like some great desert Father of antiquity, like a new St. Macarius the Great.

In Sarov, St. Seraphim went through the standard monastic period of trial: he was placed in obedience to a spiritual father and was tested at various labors in the bread and prosphora bakeries, the carpenter shop, at chopping wood, as candlelighter.  Church services were long, as was his cell rule of prayer.  In addition to the difficult monastic discipline, he was severely ill for three years — a trial he bore with humility and trust in God — until being healed by a vision of the Mother of God.

At the age of 27 St. Seraphim was tonsured a monk, and a few months later was ordained deacon.  He served as deacon for nearly seven years, enter- ing deeply into the meaning of the Church's services.  Often he saw angels; and once, on Great Thursday, as he stood before the Royal Doors in the middle of the Liturgy, he saw Christ Himself in the air surrounded by angels.  Unable to continue serving, he was conducted away and stood for several hours in ecstasy.

At the age of 34 he was ordained priest, and the next year his elder, Abbot Pachomius, on his deathbed entrusted to St. Seraphim the spiritual guidance of the sisters of the nearby Diveyevo Convent — a task he fulfilled so well that even today, fifty years after it was destroyed, it is still remembered as "St. Seraphim's Diveyevo."  Just at this time he also received the blessing of the new Abbot to begin life as a hermit in the forest around Sarov.  Here in a small cabin he performed a long rule of prayer, labored much, and read the Scriptures and Holy Fathers.  On Sundays he would come to the Monastery to attend the Liturgy and receive Holy Communion, returning to the forest with his supply of bread for the week.  For one period of three years he ate nothing but a certain herb called "sneer."

In 1804 the saint was attacked by robbers and beaten almost to death.  The Mother of God appeared to him in his affliction, together with the Apostles Peter and John the Theologian, saying of him: "This is one of our kind."  After this attack he was bent over and walked always with a staff.

Now the saint undertook yet greater struggles.  Returning to his forest desert, he undertook an exploit like that of the ancient pillar saints of Syria: for a thousand days and nights he spent the better part of his time kneeling on a stone not far from his cell, constantly calling out to God with the prayer of the publican: "O God, be merciful to me a sinner."  Strengthened by divine grace for this humanly impossible task, he entered into open battle with the demons at this time, like St. Anthony of old in the tombs; often he would see the demons, whom he would only describe as "foul."

In 1807, his last elder and instructor, Abbot Isaiah, died; and the saint went into absolute seclusion, refusing to see anyone and maintaining an absolute silence for three years.  He no longer came to the Monastery even for Divine Services on Sunday, enduring with patience the great cross of total isolation and silence, by which he yet more crucified the passions and lusts of the old man.

Some of the inexperienced brethren of the Monastery, however, became scandalized that the saint did not seem to be receiving Holy Communion; and the Monastery elders requested him to return (1810).  In his monastery cell he remained in silence and seclusion, continuing just as in his forest cell to read the whole daily cycle of services, except for the Liturgy, saying the prayer of Jesus, and especially reading the New Testament (which he went through once a week).  During this  time he was granted visions of heavenly mysteries, beholding the mansions of heaven with many of the saints.

After five years of this  seclusion within the Monastery, St. Seraphim, by a special revelation, opened the door of his cell for all who desired to see him; but still he continued his spiritual exercises without paying any attention to his visitors or answering their questions.  After five more years the Mother of God again appeared to him, together with Sts. Onuphrius the Great and Peter of Mt. Achos, instructing him to end his silence and speak for the benefit of others.  Now he greeted all who came with a prostration, a kiss and the Paschal greeting: "Christ is risen!"  Everyone he called "my joy."  In 1825, the Mother of God again appeared to him and blessed him to return to his forest cell.

For the last eight years of his life St. Seraphim lived in the forest of Sarov and received the thousands of pilgrims who came to him to ask his prayers and spiritual counsel.  The saint now was manifest as a clairvoyant wonderworker, a grace-filled vessel of the action of the Holy Spirit.  No one — monk, layman, or nun (whether of Diveyevo or of the several other convents which arose with his blessing) — left him without consolation and an answer to their spiritual need.  He was in constant contact with the world above; twelve times in all, the Mother of God Herself appeared to him.  He died kneeling before an icon of the Mother of God of "Tender Feeling" on January 2, 1833.

Having led a heavenly life on earth, like the great desert saints of antiquity, even in these latter times of spiritual desolation, St. Seraphim is an instructor and an inspirer of the true Christian life.  His Spiritual Instructions — like his celebrated Conversation with Motovilov on the Acquisition of the Holy Spirit — contain no new teaching, but simply repeat in modern times the age-old Christian teaching of the great Fathers whom he constantly cites: Sts. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Macarius the Great, Dionysius the Areopagite, Ambrose of Milan, Isaac the Syrian, Symeon the New Theologian, the Fathers of the Philokalia.  These, with the Holy Scriptures, the Lives of Saints, and the Church services — all in the context of the living Sarov tradition of spiritual life — are his sources, and he is a faithful transmitter of their teaching: fear of God; heedfulness to oneself; not trusting the impulses of one's own heart but becoming so immersed in God's word that one learns to "swim in the law of the Lord"; working out one's salvation with patience, humility, repentance, forgiveness; acquiring the Spirit of peace, the Holy Spirit, which is the end of all our spiritual labors; placing first God and His love, which kindles our cold hearts and inspires us to follow Him, to know and to love Him.  This teaching is not complex; but in our own days, when the love of many has grown cold and the salt is going out of Christianity, it is almost impossible to follow.  Only with great humility on our part — which we can learn from the profound humility of "poor Seraphim," as he called himself — can we hope to receive and apply this teaching of the true Christian spiritual life to our own poor Christian lives.

By the prayers of our holy Father Seraphim, may we understand his words and practice them, according to our strength, for the salvation of our souls!


Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) 
Nativity, 1978




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