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.



October 27, 2025

The Chapel of Saint Nestor at the National Sports Center of Larissa


Kaftanzoglio National Stadium in Thessaloniki, one of the highest quality sports stadiums in the Balkans, opened its doors on October 27, 1960. The reason it opened on that date is because it was the feast of Saint Nestor, who was proclaimed the patron saint of athletes after he appeared in the dreams of a man responsible for the building of the stadium, which is why there is a chapel to Saint Nestor there.

On October 27, 2000, at the National Sports Center of Larissa, a chapel dedicated to Saint Nestor was consecrated by Metropolitan Hieronymos of Larissa and Tyrnavos, in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Sports, Eleftherios Avgenakis, and the city's officials.

In his brief address at the consecration, the Metropolitan emphasized that the Christian life is like a stadium of sports and exercise, while the entire Christian teaching constitutes the Church's invitation to man in the spiritual struggle and the ascetic life in Christ.* He thanked those responsible for the sports center for the erection of the Sacred Chapel and called on all athletes to pray daily to Saint Nestor so that he may strengthen them in their arduous struggle.
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* The adjective "ascetic" derives from the ancient Greek term áskēsis, which means "training" or "exercise". The original usage referred to the physical training required for athletic events. Its usage was later extended by Christians to describe rigorous practices to overcome various vices, passions and demons through spiritual warfare in the pursuit of a virtuous life according to the commandments of Christ. Like athletes seeking the crown of victory, the goal of a Christian engaged in the stadium of spiritual warfare or martyrdom is to be crowned by Christ for victoriously enduring in a life pleasing to God.
 



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