MYSTAGOGY RESOURCE CENTER: A Copy of the Cross of Constantine the Great Containing the True Cross Has Been Gifted to the City of Patras from Vatopaidi Monastery

Having entered the Christmas season, we ask those who find the work of the Mystagogy Resource Center beneficial to them to help us continue our work with a generous financial gift as you are able. As an incentive, we are offering the following booklet.

In 1909 the German philosopher Arthur Drews wrote a book called "The Myth of Christ", which New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman has called "arguably the most influential mythicist book ever produced," arguing that Jesus Christ never existed and was simply a myth influenced by more ancient myths. The reason this book was so influential was because Vladimir Lenin read it and was convinced that Jesus never existed, thus justifying his actions in promoting atheism and suppressing the Orthodox Church in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the ideologues of the Third Reich would go on to implement the views of Drews to create a new "Aryan religion," viewing Jesus as an Aryan figure fighting against Jewish materialism.

Due to the tremendous influence of this book in his time, George Florovsky viewed the arguments presented therein as very weak and easily refutable, which led him to write a refutation of this text which was published in Russian by the YMCA Press in Paris in 1929. This apologetic brochure titled "Did Christ Live? Historical Evidence of Christ" was one of the first texts of his published to promote his Neopatristic Synthesis, bringing the patristic heritage to modern historical and cultural conditions. With the revival of these views among some in our time, this text is as relevant today as it was when it was written.

Never before published in English, it is now available for anyone who donates at least $20 to the Mystagogy Resource Center upon request (please specify in your donation that you want the book). Thank you.

November 13, 2023

A Copy of the Cross of Constantine the Great Containing the True Cross Has Been Gifted to the City of Patras from Vatopaidi Monastery

Every year in the city of Patras, the Sacred Metropolis celebrates in the month of November a series of festive events known as the "Protokleteia", which refers to the Apostle Andrew, who was the first-called (protokletos) disciple of the Lord. This is because the city of Patras is where the Apostle Andrew suffered martyrdom by crucifixion, and he remains the patron saint of the city. In Patras one can find his majestic temple, his tomb and sacred skull, which was returned to Patras from the Vatican on September 26, 1964. November is therefore the month of Saint Andrew in Patras, whose feast day is on November 30th.

To mark Protokleteia 2023, the Athonite Monastery of Vatopaidi has gifted the city of Patras with yet another unique relic: a copy of the Cross of Emperor Constantine the Great which contains a portion of the True Cross. The particle of the Sacred Wood was cut by Archimandrite Ephraim of Vatopaidi, and the sacred object was delivered by him personally on November 13th 2023 to be handed over to Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras. The sacred relic will be displayed in the Cathedral of the Apostle Andrew to be venerated by the faithful.