Saint Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi, who is commemorated on June 3rd, was hanged in Constantinople together with Patriarch Gregory V in 1821, in retaliation for the proclamation of the Revolution in the Morea. On Sunday, July 13, 2014, the residents of the village of Zoumbata (the settlement of Moira, Patras), his birthplace, erected a bust in honor of their fellow countryman and ethnomartyr, the unveiling of which was performed by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patras. Today, I am translating from the booklet Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi: Sermons and Hymnographic Compositions, published by the Patras newspaper O Ekklisiologos, no. 365, June 21, 2014, and edited by the monks of Nezerita, his discourse against those who slander the clergy. The booklet has one more sermon and a poem by the Holy Metropolitan.
Discourse Against the Accusers of the Clergy
Composed and delivered by Saint Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi,
on the day when the memorial services were being held
for his departed predecessor, the blessed Ananias.
“Why does this man speak blasphemies in this manner?
Composed and delivered by Saint Gregory, Metropolitan of Derkoi,
on the day when the memorial services were being held
for his departed predecessor, the blessed Ananias.
“Why does this man speak blasphemies in this manner?
Who can forgive sins except God alone?” (Mark 2:7)
I do not know, my Christians, whether you have ever taken notice of this, whether you have ever reflected that when our Lord first began to dwell among men in this world—when, having gathered His disciples and apostles, He went forth to preach the Gospel, when He began to work miracles and teach the divine truths of the heavenly kingdom—there immediately arose so many opinions concerning Him, so many diverse judgments among men regarding His person. Some praised Him and exalted Him to the heavens, while others accused Him and cast Him down to the depths. Some worshiped Him as the true Son of God, while others avoided Him as a companion of Beelzebul. Some wished to crown Him King of Israel, while others ran to stone Him as an enemy of God and a deceiver. Some hastened to hear Him as a glorious prophet, while others desired to bind Him as one who led the people astray and corrupted their minds. Some, seeing Him, rejoiced in Him and loved Him, while others, seeing Him, hated Him and became His enemies. Some proclaimed Him holy, while others reviled Him as a blasphemer.
This is evident also from the scribes and Pharisees, who, when they heard Him say to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven,” immediately burst into the dreadful flames of envy and, without the least restraint, openly rebuked and denounced Him as a blasphemer, saying, “Why does this man speak blasphemies in this manner? Who can forgive sins except God alone?” (Mark 2:7). In short, as the Evangelist John also says, “There was much murmuring among the crowds concerning Him; some said, ‘He is a good man,’ while others said, ‘No, but He deceives the people’” (John 7:12).
Yet do not be surprised by this. For if we reflect carefully and wisely, we shall discover that such is the common fate of all great, extraordinary, and wondrous things. Men, always divided and at variance with one another, are never united in their judgment concerning such matters. Some regard them with the utmost hatred and aversion. This arises from nothing other than the fact that human desires and inclinations are fond of contention, and for that reason they excessively hate whatever is pleasing and beloved by others. Or else they envy whatever has attained great advancement, growth, honor, glory, and magnificence. This, indeed, was the principal reason why there were so many differing opinions and judgments concerning our Lord.
The order of the clergy has experienced the very same fate that we observed in our Lord. For it too contains great and extraordinary privileges and excellences. Therefore, from the beginning and throughout all ages, it has had ardent friends and devoted defenders who upheld it with great strength and zeal; yet it has also had enemies and adversaries who persecuted it with violence and fury.
But why did I say that it had them? It has them! To this very day it has both loyal friends and admirers, and fervent enemies and persecutors. And I am compelled to say that even you who are listening to me now—you, my very hearers—are divided and not of one mind. Some of you are its friends and supporters; others are its enemies and accusers.
Nevertheless, while I hope to receive from its friends a favorable and kindly hearing, I also hope for complete and impartial justice regarding the discourse I deliver today. In it I intend to show you briefly that you ought not to accuse the clergy—that is, the bishops and ministers of the Most High God—for by doing so you commit a grievous and inexcusable sin and bring the worst consequences upon yourselves.
I ask you, therefore, to give me your attention.
All rhetoricians commonly make it their practice to win the favor and secure the compliance of their hearers by artfully employing carefully devised methods, pretending that whatever they advocate—though in reality it serves either some personal passion or particular advantage of their own—proceeds from sincere love and fervent concern for those who listen to them. But far, very far be such rhetorical devices from me! For I have absolutely no need of them in support of the straightforward cause which my discourse today defends. I do not deny it, but openly confess it: today I am speaking on a matter in which I am deeply invested, and whose benefit extends in part even to myself. Therefore I tell you plainly that you ought to believe nothing except that which I shall enable you to see with your own eyes and touch with your own hands. I do not ask you to show me respect, reverence, or favor; I ask only that, by carefully considering the truth of my words and judging rightly, you may correct yourselves and cease committing an inexcusable sin. I assume—and this is the first point that we must carefully consider—that all of you are pious and Orthodox Christians, and therefore that there is nothing in which you take greater joy than in the glory, honor, and splendor of the Church. But if you are not such people (which God forbid), then I assure you that there is nothing you ought to hate and abhor more than the order of bishops and priests—that is, the clergy. Against this very order the unbelievers, the impious, the atheists, and indeed all the pagans and idolatrous Greeks raged at various times; and likewise those infamous heretics, like mad dogs, raged against it and poured out in torrents the poison of their black bile.
It is acknowledged, however, that you are certainly not such people, but are indeed Orthodox and sincere Christians. Therefore you ought not merely to refrain from hating and accusing our clergy, but you ought also to revere them, love them, and honor them. For those who raised the Church of God to that supreme and exalted degree of honor, glory, dignity, and greatness in which you now behold her; those who brought under her authority so many nations, nations barbarous and foreign, and so many innumerable islands—or rather, almost the entire inhabited world—were none other than the ministers of the Most High God. They were the ones who, soaring like eagles, flew higher than the Evangelists throughout the whole world and even into regions where men were not yet certain whether the inhabited world extended so far.
And consider, I beg you, who it was that, after the holy Apostles, converted all of Europe to the faith of Christ; all of Epirus; all of Greece; and, as I have said, so many countless islands, if not the ministers of the Most High God, who, departing from their homeland at the divine command, planted the standards of Jesus Christ even in the farthest regions of Europe?
Who enlightened the Muscovites? Who instructed the Scythians? Who preached the crucified Jesus as the true God even amid the harsh and inaccessible frozen lands of the northern nations, if not the bishops and ministers of the Most High God? It was the bishops who brought so many provinces of Asia, so many regions of Libya, and so many parts of Africa to the knowledge of God; and by means of the seeming foolishness of evangelical preaching—which is in truth the wisdom of our God-man and Savior—they overthrew the myths of the Arabs and dismantled the sophistries and rhetoric of the Greeks. And they accomplished all these things not without labor or suffering, as speech may easily recount them, but through many toils, through extraordinary struggles and hardships, through unceasing sweat and continual dangers. These noble men nobly achieved such deeds, traversing the whole inhabited world like other Spirit-bearing giants, the entire earth beneath the heavens; and, according to the Prophet-King, “their going forth is from the end of heaven, and their circuit unto the ends of it” (Ps. 18:7 LXX), and there was no one who could ever hide himself from the warmth of their teaching and the truth of their doctrine, so that “their voice went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Ps. 18:5 LXX). For this reason they were worthily deemed worthy to inherit both the name and the reality of the apostolic mission and to be called Equal-to-the-Apostles. Therefore, I now leave it to you yourselves to reflect upon all that the clergy have accomplished for the common benefit and salvation of mankind.
I do not wish to enumerate the many other good things which the clergy have accomplished throughout the ages, lest I prolong my discourse upon a matter so evident. I will say only this: all those things that are greatest, most splendid, and most glorious, which history presents to you or experience itself proves and confirms concerning the Church of God and the salvation of mankind, are the works, achievements, and noble deeds of the bishops and ministers of the Most High God, especially of those among them who united the theoria of divine things with practical life.
And consider who else served as the common teachers of both the Eastern and Western Church besides Athanasios, Basil, Gregory, Chrysostom, Cyril, Epiphanios, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and so many others—all of them bishops and ministers of the Most High God.
That secret and dogmatic theology—which, after John the Theologian and Apostle, had as its interpreters and teachers none other than the Theologian from Athens, the Theologian of Nazianzus, the Theologian of Damascus, and the Theologian of our own day, the Archbishop of Thessaloniki?
From where did Holy Scripture obtain its wise and faithful interpreters if not from the bishops and ministers of the Most High God?
From where did the spiritual life and the monastic way receive their unfailing guides and trustworthy instructors if not from those bishops who lived in stillness and composed their writings in the sacred monasteries throughout the ages? From where did the canons receive their illustrious codifiers if not from the bishops and ministers of the Most High God?
The heretics truly tremble and are struck with fear when they consider that whenever they dared to rise up against the Church, they were just as often defeated and put to shame by the bishops. And consider, among the whole body of Christians, who proved more prudent and learned in recognizing heretics, more courageous and valiant in resisting them, or more successful and skilled in overthrowing and crushing them, than the bishops and ministers of the Most High God?
It is evident, my Christians, that whenever some new heresy arose to corrupt and destroy the Church of God, there immediately stood opposed to it, on the other side, a newly assembled synod of clergy to uphold and protect her, as though it were a fresh army, armed, prepared, and appointed for the defense of the holy faith of Christ.
What did not the Athanasioi, the Basils, the Gregories, the Chrysostoms, the Cyrils, the Epiphanioi, the Ambroses, the Jeromes, and the Augustines accomplish? Together with them also the Antonioses, the Euthymioi, the Savvases, the Theodosioi, the Isidores, the Metrophanes, the Theodores, and the Maximoses, and so many countless others? Of these, the former, as generals of the heavenly King, advancing bravely and marching boldly at the front with the two-edged sword in their hands, were the bishops. The second group, as commanders and officers, girded with the sword of the Spirit, were the hieromonks. The third, as regular soldiers and experienced and skillful warriors, wearing the helmet of the All-Holy Spirit, clothed in the breastplate of faith and armed with the power of the honorable and life-giving Cross, were the holy fathers and monks dwelling in the monasteries. Together all of them crushed and utterly destroyed the battalions of the heretics and all the assaults and formations of the impious. And this despite the fact that their opponents were at various times armed even with the very scepters of the imperial power and with the many forces of the civil authority.
Who subdued, I ask you, the iconoclasts and fighters against the holy icons, those dreadful monsters of impiety who polluted nearly the whole East with the abomination of their Jewish and atheistic doctrines, if not the bishops and ministers of the Most High God? Indeed, it is evident how greatly the Church of God owes the clergy gratitude and honor above all others for the triumphs and victories they won against the heretics. For wherever the heretics did not encounter our clergy standing against them, there they erected the trophies of their impiety and maintained them for a longer time, as we see plainly in those regions and among those peoples where heresy and false doctrine, alas, continue to reign even to this day.
What do you say to these things now, my Christians? Can you perhaps say that I am out of my mind or speaking irrationally? Can you oppose anything that I have said to you thus far? Are not these things clearer than the sun itself, tangible and certain? And if this is indeed so, as in truth it is, why is it that on the one hand you rejoice, delight, and take pleasure in the good things of the Church, while on the other hand you are grieved and troubled by the slanders and accusations directed against those who have accomplished them for you? Or do you wish in this matter also to imitate those ancient Egyptians who on the one hand rejoiced in and loved having many sheep, tended and shepherded by shepherds, so that they might be nourished by their milk and cheese and clothed with their skins and wool, yet on the other hand loathed and despised as filthy those very shepherds who labored for their benefit?
But I can already infer what answer you wish to make to me. “Master, we neither hate nor despise nor condemn the clergy of old. On the contrary, we revere them and honor them for the many good things they accomplished for the Church. It is the clergy of the present day whom we dislike, accuse, and blame, because they have altogether degenerated and bear no resemblance whatsoever to their predecessors. Some of them are scandal-makers and disturbers of the Church; others are useless and unprofitable in their dioceses. Some are insatiably greedy in their pursuits; others are gluttons and slaves to their appetites at their tables. Others are wasteful and given to abuses in their residences; still others are openly wicked and evildoers. Being such men, they ought not to enjoy either the honors or the revenues which the clergy of old possessed as the reward of their labors. For the clergy of today squander and misuse them in extravagance and luxury born of their corrupt idleness.”
Are these not the very refrains that you are able to sing to me, my Christians? Yet I thank you for at least acknowledging the merits of the clergy of old. And I tell you with complete certainty that even those clergy of former times, those truly most holy bishops and ministers of the Most High God, were themselves accused—not less, but, if I may say so, far more. Did not your ancestors and predecessors, that is, the Christians of those times, say of them that they spent their days in the courts of rulers? Did they not accuse them of making use of all that was splendid, great, and glorious with calculated craftiness and deliberate malice? Did they not slander them even before public tribunals, alleging that they misused and embezzled ecclesiastical and monastic properties and revenues? Did they not accuse them of being headstrong and stubborn? Of being proud and inaccessible? Of being ambitious and power-loving? Of being contentious and sophistical? Of being ruled by passions and greedy for gain? And countless other, even harsher, crimes and accusations they recklessly heaped upon them—charges which I am ashamed even to mention to you. And whoever does not believe this, let him read the ecclesiastical histories; let him study the Divine Fathers, both Eastern and Western; let him examine the Lives of the Saints; let him consult the many vigorous defenses written by the accused clergy. Then he will see and understand how greatly those ever-memorable bishops and ministers of the Most High God labored to vindicate themselves against so many such accusations and slanders, and against others even worse than these, which, as I have said, I am ashamed even to mention to you...
But I can already infer what answer you would make to me on these matters: "We, Master, if we had lived in those times, in those days when our predecessors did what they did against the bishops of that age, certainly would not have agreed with them, nor would we have spoken against those clergy as they did. 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets' (Matt. 23:30)..."
But do you know, my Christians, what the Lord replies to this line of reasoning of yours? To this excuse? He replies with the very words that He addressed to the scribes and Pharisees of that time: “Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets; and you fill up the measure of your fathers. Serpents, brood of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?” (Matt. 23:31–33). And elsewhere again: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! Behold, your house is left to you desolate, and your dwellings laid waste, and there shall be no one dwelling in your tents...” (Matt. 23:37; Ps. 68:26).
These are the words of our Lord, my Christians—words as decisive as they are inescapable and irrevocable...
Ah, my Christians! But what do you expect the clergy to be? Do you wish them to be composed of a sinless nature? Why, that is impossible! For they too are human beings, born of human beings, and, because of the inclination of their wounded hearts, they too naturally tend toward falling away. But even if they were not descended from men and all of them were descended from angels, what would be strange if some among them were found to be evil? Was there not once a time when Lucifer himself fell? And together with him so many of his followers and attendant angels? If we consider the household of Abraham, we see that together with the most pious and obedient Isaac there was also a bold, insolent, presumptuous, and reckless Ishmael. If we consider again the household of Isaac, we see that together with his beloved Jacob there was also a blameworthy Esau. If we consider the household of Jacob, we see that together with the most chaste Joseph there was also a defiled and lawless Reuben. If we consider the family of the Prophet-King David, we see that within it there was both an ungrateful Amnon and a rebellious Absalom. If we consider even the most holy company of the all-renowned Apostles, we find among them a Judas, a fighter against Christ and a traitor. If we consider the apostolic school of the Divine Paul, we learn that from it emerged four dreadful heresiarchs: Phygellus, Hermogenes, Philetus, and Hymenaeus. What, then, is strange if among the order of the clergy there are found both good and evil men? Indeed, I say that it is impossible that there should not be such men among them, because the conditions and rules of this sacred order are so strict and demanding that it is impossible that there should not be some who become negligent and desert their duty. And do you not see that even the lighter laws which the Lord has given to you who live in the world have always found, and continue to find, and will continue to find many among you who transgress them?
But do you know what order has followers who so readily observe it with exactness? It is the order of the Saracens, which permits every kind of indulgence to the bodily senses and grants complete license and freedom to every pleasure, fleshly appetite, passionate desire, and sensual enjoyment. Such also is the order of our civil society, which determines every action and decides every matter according only to the rule of self-interest. But that the order of the clergy is not such a thing, who does not know? What, then, is strange in the fact that there are found among them some who are slothful and who desert their duty?
The more demanding the sacred order of the monastic life and way of living is, the fewer are those who are able to attain it. Certainly there are fewer who excel in the art of embroidery than in the art of simply sewing garments. Fewer excel in rightly understanding, and in composing and writing wisely and eloquently, than in merely reading and reciting what has been written. Yet despite all this, my Christians, however bad some clergy may be, they are nevertheless dedicated to the worship of the Most High God. They are ministers of His mysteries. They are consecrated servants of Jesus Christ. They wear His holy schema. They dwell in His sacred temples. They perform those things that contribute to your salvation. They have the privilege of being mediators between God and men. On the one hand, they bring down and convey from heaven the divine gifts and graces, namely the forgiveness of your sins and the salvation of your souls; on the other hand, they lift up and offer your prayers and supplications, beseeching God for the peace of the whole world and the stability of the holy Churches of God; for favorable weather and the fruitfulness of the earth; for those who travel by sea, those who journey, the sick, the suffering, the captives, and for their salvation; and for every Orthodox Christian soul, both living and departed. And they do these things not without labor, not without tears and fervent sighs, and at every time and in every place, since they have been dedicated precisely for this purpose to the Most High God. How then do you dare to accuse them, being such benefactors and saviors of yours? How do you make them the subject of ridicule in your gatherings, in your social conversations and discussions, in your reception rooms and homes, at every time and place, and often even in the very sacred Church of God itself, and at the very hour when, alas, they are tirelessly offering their worship to God on your behalf and for the sake of your souls, as we have said?
My Christians, the bishops are the true successors of the holy Apostles, who built this Church upon the unshakable foundation of Christ. Consequently, the bishops are the universal representatives of Jesus Christ Himself, who is the one and only Head of the mystical Body of the Church. Therefore, true Christians ought not only to refrain from dishonoring them, accusing them, unjustly despising them, and making spectacles of them, but they must also render to them the honor, reverence, and respect that are rightly due to them without diminution. For otherwise they sin inexcusably and suffer the gravest consequences if they do not approach them piously and reverently as faithful Christians.
Offenses committed by subjects against the representatives of earthly kings—such as insubordination and disobedience—are punished most severely as offenses directed against the kings themselves, whether through the confiscation of their property or even through the miserable deprivation of their very lives. How much more, then, should the offenses of Christians against the holy bishops, the universal representatives of the heavenly King—namely negligence, contempt, and various other forms of ill will—be punished by complete severance from the fullness of the Church’s mystical Body. Such persons ought to be condemned to the eternal death of their souls, as useless and decayed members, no longer receiving life from the dew-bearing graces of the All-Holy Spirit, which ineffably irrigate and sustain this mystical organism of the Church.
God Himself, with all His severity and dreadful indignation, has at various times chastised those who have shown greater or lesser contempt toward His holy bishops. Read the ancient histories, and you will see that He punished the accusers of the clergy with greater severity than those who sinned against God Himself. How many times did the people of Israel sin against God, and yet, through the intercession of their chief ministers—of Moses and Aaron, I mean—He continually forgave them? But when Dathan and Abiram and the two hundred and fifty men who followed Korah behaved arrogantly toward those very leaders, Moses and Aaron, then indeed the just God, both because there was no mediator for them and to demonstrate His love for His appointed servants, split the earth into dreadful chasms and caused whirlwinds of fire to burst forth and miserably consume all those who were with Korah. “The earth opened and swallowed Dathan and Abiram, and fire consumed all those who were with Korah, the two hundred and fifty men” (Ps. 105:17–18 LXX; Num. 16:32, 35).
And what more do you require, my Christians? Miriam the prophetess, that holy, righteous, and God-pleasing sister of Aaron and Moses, merely because she criticized and spoke against Moses for having taken Zipporah the Ethiopian woman as his wife rather than a Hebrew woman from among his own kin, according to customary practice, was immediately struck with leprosy and punished. At once she was afflicted with a grievous plague from head to foot, and for seven full days the prophetess Miriam became excluded from the congregation. She was expelled, cast out, and driven away from the assembly and even from her own sacred fellowship, she, the holy Miriam. Only when the very Moses whom she had spoken against offered fervent supplications, prayers, and petitions to God on her behalf did she receive her vindication and obtain forgiveness.
Therefore, for these parricides, for these rebels and insolent men, these followers of the accursed Ham who, upon seeing his father's nakedness, shamelessly mocked him—for these accusers of the clergy, I say, these truly reckless men—Solomon also pronounced judgment: “The eye that mocks a father, let the ravens of the valleys pluck it out, and let the young eagles devour it” (Prov. 30:17). And again elsewhere: “For him who mocks his father, his lamp shall be extinguished, and the pupils of his eyes shall behold darkness...” (Prov. 20:20).
The accusers of the clergy are truly worthy of condemnation and are, in fact, abominations, just as are those who spit in the face of those by whose food they are nourished. The accusers of the clergy are worthy of condemnation and utterly profane, just as are those who blaspheme the All-Holy Spirit. For the clergy are instruments of the All-Holy Spirit. They are appointed ministers of the Son and Word of God, who sovereignly commands and exhorts, declaring: “Touch not My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm” (Ps. 104:15).
Therefore, my Christians, both as pious and as prudent and sensible people, flee from this soul-destroying and body-destroying vice, lest you appear here as abominations before God and men, and there as combustible fuel for eternal punishment. Do not allow yourselves to be deceived by certain vulgar and insignificant men, corrupted in soul and understanding, lest you become participants in that unforgivable sin and kindle upon your own heads the indignation and wrath from heaven of those ancient clergy, by accusing their true successors, who benefit you spiritually and daily do good to you bodily as well, following the example of those predecessors. For even if the clergy of today are not saints, as those ridiculous marketplace babblers prattle on about, they are nevertheless just as necessary, just as beneficial for salvation, and just as useful to all of you as the clergy of old were to your forefathers.
For through them the splendor and glory of the Church are preserved and manifested by their sacred hymns and their angel-like doxologies. Through them, as we have said, your spiritual and bodily salvation, and even the repose of your departed, are abundantly provided through their daily liturgies and extended services. Through them divine assistance, protection, and support are granted and bestowed upon every city, province, town, village, and settlement. For they pray, keep vigil, liturgize, and make supplication to the Lord night and day for mercy, life, and the forgiveness of your sins; for the peace of the whole world and the union of all; according to the sacred ordinance of the Holy Church. But if they too should disappear from the world without cause (which God forbid), how great would your misery be, and how great the loss of your souls! Consider it for yourselves. You would all remain without the blessing of marriage. Your children would remain entirely unbaptized. The young would lose the saving guidance and pious formation of their lives. Christian conduct and way of life would altogether vanish from among you. In the synods there would no longer reign that sacred and theological wisdom which teaches the heavenly dogmas and hands down the divinely transmitted mysteries. The sacred pulpits, and even our episcopal thrones themselves, would become voiceless, inactive, and silent. The villagers and ordinary people would remain utterly destitute. For who would hasten to correct them? The tailors or the shoemakers? The furriers or the goldsmiths? The cloth merchants or the sandal makers? The butchers or the bakers? The money traders or the verbose talkers? And the sick as well, both within and without, in cities and towns and villages, would remain entirely without hope. For who would provide them with guidance concerning what ought to be done, correction concerning how they had lived, or courage and consolation amid those fears and terrors experienced by every soul when it spreads its wings to depart from this temporal world to that eternal one?
But who does not know that all these things are the works, actions, and daily accomplishments of the clergy of the present day? All Greece proclaims it. Europe announces it. Asia bears witness to it. The whole world perceives it and acknowledges it. Only the spiritually blind and those whose hearts have been hardened fail to perceive it—those absurd marketplace babblers, I say, who chatter on and dare to think, say, and write the most shameful and unjust things against the bishops, priests, and ministers of the Most High God.
But we, the Orthodox and faithful Christians, rightly considering all these things, together with all the other good, beneficial, and soul-profiting things which the bishops, priests, and ministers of the Most High God do and accomplish for us, should weigh with a conscientious mind the immeasurable debt we owe them. Then it will most certainly become evident that all clergy alike are worthy of the highest honor, the deepest reverence, complete obedience, and the greatest care and respect...
It is acknowledged, however, that you are certainly not such people, but are indeed Orthodox and sincere Christians. Therefore you ought not merely to refrain from hating and accusing our clergy, but you ought also to revere them, love them, and honor them. For those who raised the Church of God to that supreme and exalted degree of honor, glory, dignity, and greatness in which you now behold her; those who brought under her authority so many nations, nations barbarous and foreign, and so many innumerable islands—or rather, almost the entire inhabited world—were none other than the ministers of the Most High God. They were the ones who, soaring like eagles, flew higher than the Evangelists throughout the whole world and even into regions where men were not yet certain whether the inhabited world extended so far.
And consider, I beg you, who it was that, after the holy Apostles, converted all of Europe to the faith of Christ; all of Epirus; all of Greece; and, as I have said, so many countless islands, if not the ministers of the Most High God, who, departing from their homeland at the divine command, planted the standards of Jesus Christ even in the farthest regions of Europe?
Who enlightened the Muscovites? Who instructed the Scythians? Who preached the crucified Jesus as the true God even amid the harsh and inaccessible frozen lands of the northern nations, if not the bishops and ministers of the Most High God? It was the bishops who brought so many provinces of Asia, so many regions of Libya, and so many parts of Africa to the knowledge of God; and by means of the seeming foolishness of evangelical preaching—which is in truth the wisdom of our God-man and Savior—they overthrew the myths of the Arabs and dismantled the sophistries and rhetoric of the Greeks. And they accomplished all these things not without labor or suffering, as speech may easily recount them, but through many toils, through extraordinary struggles and hardships, through unceasing sweat and continual dangers. These noble men nobly achieved such deeds, traversing the whole inhabited world like other Spirit-bearing giants, the entire earth beneath the heavens; and, according to the Prophet-King, “their going forth is from the end of heaven, and their circuit unto the ends of it” (Ps. 18:7 LXX), and there was no one who could ever hide himself from the warmth of their teaching and the truth of their doctrine, so that “their voice went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Ps. 18:5 LXX). For this reason they were worthily deemed worthy to inherit both the name and the reality of the apostolic mission and to be called Equal-to-the-Apostles. Therefore, I now leave it to you yourselves to reflect upon all that the clergy have accomplished for the common benefit and salvation of mankind.
I do not wish to enumerate the many other good things which the clergy have accomplished throughout the ages, lest I prolong my discourse upon a matter so evident. I will say only this: all those things that are greatest, most splendid, and most glorious, which history presents to you or experience itself proves and confirms concerning the Church of God and the salvation of mankind, are the works, achievements, and noble deeds of the bishops and ministers of the Most High God, especially of those among them who united the theoria of divine things with practical life.
And consider who else served as the common teachers of both the Eastern and Western Church besides Athanasios, Basil, Gregory, Chrysostom, Cyril, Epiphanios, Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and so many others—all of them bishops and ministers of the Most High God.
That secret and dogmatic theology—which, after John the Theologian and Apostle, had as its interpreters and teachers none other than the Theologian from Athens, the Theologian of Nazianzus, the Theologian of Damascus, and the Theologian of our own day, the Archbishop of Thessaloniki?
From where did Holy Scripture obtain its wise and faithful interpreters if not from the bishops and ministers of the Most High God?
From where did the spiritual life and the monastic way receive their unfailing guides and trustworthy instructors if not from those bishops who lived in stillness and composed their writings in the sacred monasteries throughout the ages? From where did the canons receive their illustrious codifiers if not from the bishops and ministers of the Most High God?
The heretics truly tremble and are struck with fear when they consider that whenever they dared to rise up against the Church, they were just as often defeated and put to shame by the bishops. And consider, among the whole body of Christians, who proved more prudent and learned in recognizing heretics, more courageous and valiant in resisting them, or more successful and skilled in overthrowing and crushing them, than the bishops and ministers of the Most High God?
It is evident, my Christians, that whenever some new heresy arose to corrupt and destroy the Church of God, there immediately stood opposed to it, on the other side, a newly assembled synod of clergy to uphold and protect her, as though it were a fresh army, armed, prepared, and appointed for the defense of the holy faith of Christ.
What did not the Athanasioi, the Basils, the Gregories, the Chrysostoms, the Cyrils, the Epiphanioi, the Ambroses, the Jeromes, and the Augustines accomplish? Together with them also the Antonioses, the Euthymioi, the Savvases, the Theodosioi, the Isidores, the Metrophanes, the Theodores, and the Maximoses, and so many countless others? Of these, the former, as generals of the heavenly King, advancing bravely and marching boldly at the front with the two-edged sword in their hands, were the bishops. The second group, as commanders and officers, girded with the sword of the Spirit, were the hieromonks. The third, as regular soldiers and experienced and skillful warriors, wearing the helmet of the All-Holy Spirit, clothed in the breastplate of faith and armed with the power of the honorable and life-giving Cross, were the holy fathers and monks dwelling in the monasteries. Together all of them crushed and utterly destroyed the battalions of the heretics and all the assaults and formations of the impious. And this despite the fact that their opponents were at various times armed even with the very scepters of the imperial power and with the many forces of the civil authority.
Who subdued, I ask you, the iconoclasts and fighters against the holy icons, those dreadful monsters of impiety who polluted nearly the whole East with the abomination of their Jewish and atheistic doctrines, if not the bishops and ministers of the Most High God? Indeed, it is evident how greatly the Church of God owes the clergy gratitude and honor above all others for the triumphs and victories they won against the heretics. For wherever the heretics did not encounter our clergy standing against them, there they erected the trophies of their impiety and maintained them for a longer time, as we see plainly in those regions and among those peoples where heresy and false doctrine, alas, continue to reign even to this day.
What do you say to these things now, my Christians? Can you perhaps say that I am out of my mind or speaking irrationally? Can you oppose anything that I have said to you thus far? Are not these things clearer than the sun itself, tangible and certain? And if this is indeed so, as in truth it is, why is it that on the one hand you rejoice, delight, and take pleasure in the good things of the Church, while on the other hand you are grieved and troubled by the slanders and accusations directed against those who have accomplished them for you? Or do you wish in this matter also to imitate those ancient Egyptians who on the one hand rejoiced in and loved having many sheep, tended and shepherded by shepherds, so that they might be nourished by their milk and cheese and clothed with their skins and wool, yet on the other hand loathed and despised as filthy those very shepherds who labored for their benefit?
But I can already infer what answer you wish to make to me. “Master, we neither hate nor despise nor condemn the clergy of old. On the contrary, we revere them and honor them for the many good things they accomplished for the Church. It is the clergy of the present day whom we dislike, accuse, and blame, because they have altogether degenerated and bear no resemblance whatsoever to their predecessors. Some of them are scandal-makers and disturbers of the Church; others are useless and unprofitable in their dioceses. Some are insatiably greedy in their pursuits; others are gluttons and slaves to their appetites at their tables. Others are wasteful and given to abuses in their residences; still others are openly wicked and evildoers. Being such men, they ought not to enjoy either the honors or the revenues which the clergy of old possessed as the reward of their labors. For the clergy of today squander and misuse them in extravagance and luxury born of their corrupt idleness.”
Are these not the very refrains that you are able to sing to me, my Christians? Yet I thank you for at least acknowledging the merits of the clergy of old. And I tell you with complete certainty that even those clergy of former times, those truly most holy bishops and ministers of the Most High God, were themselves accused—not less, but, if I may say so, far more. Did not your ancestors and predecessors, that is, the Christians of those times, say of them that they spent their days in the courts of rulers? Did they not accuse them of making use of all that was splendid, great, and glorious with calculated craftiness and deliberate malice? Did they not slander them even before public tribunals, alleging that they misused and embezzled ecclesiastical and monastic properties and revenues? Did they not accuse them of being headstrong and stubborn? Of being proud and inaccessible? Of being ambitious and power-loving? Of being contentious and sophistical? Of being ruled by passions and greedy for gain? And countless other, even harsher, crimes and accusations they recklessly heaped upon them—charges which I am ashamed even to mention to you. And whoever does not believe this, let him read the ecclesiastical histories; let him study the Divine Fathers, both Eastern and Western; let him examine the Lives of the Saints; let him consult the many vigorous defenses written by the accused clergy. Then he will see and understand how greatly those ever-memorable bishops and ministers of the Most High God labored to vindicate themselves against so many such accusations and slanders, and against others even worse than these, which, as I have said, I am ashamed even to mention to you...
But I can already infer what answer you would make to me on these matters: "We, Master, if we had lived in those times, in those days when our predecessors did what they did against the bishops of that age, certainly would not have agreed with them, nor would we have spoken against those clergy as they did. 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the blood of the prophets' (Matt. 23:30)..."
But do you know, my Christians, what the Lord replies to this line of reasoning of yours? To this excuse? He replies with the very words that He addressed to the scribes and Pharisees of that time: “Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets; and you fill up the measure of your fathers. Serpents, brood of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna?” (Matt. 23:31–33). And elsewhere again: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! Behold, your house is left to you desolate, and your dwellings laid waste, and there shall be no one dwelling in your tents...” (Matt. 23:37; Ps. 68:26).
These are the words of our Lord, my Christians—words as decisive as they are inescapable and irrevocable...
Ah, my Christians! But what do you expect the clergy to be? Do you wish them to be composed of a sinless nature? Why, that is impossible! For they too are human beings, born of human beings, and, because of the inclination of their wounded hearts, they too naturally tend toward falling away. But even if they were not descended from men and all of them were descended from angels, what would be strange if some among them were found to be evil? Was there not once a time when Lucifer himself fell? And together with him so many of his followers and attendant angels? If we consider the household of Abraham, we see that together with the most pious and obedient Isaac there was also a bold, insolent, presumptuous, and reckless Ishmael. If we consider again the household of Isaac, we see that together with his beloved Jacob there was also a blameworthy Esau. If we consider the household of Jacob, we see that together with the most chaste Joseph there was also a defiled and lawless Reuben. If we consider the family of the Prophet-King David, we see that within it there was both an ungrateful Amnon and a rebellious Absalom. If we consider even the most holy company of the all-renowned Apostles, we find among them a Judas, a fighter against Christ and a traitor. If we consider the apostolic school of the Divine Paul, we learn that from it emerged four dreadful heresiarchs: Phygellus, Hermogenes, Philetus, and Hymenaeus. What, then, is strange if among the order of the clergy there are found both good and evil men? Indeed, I say that it is impossible that there should not be such men among them, because the conditions and rules of this sacred order are so strict and demanding that it is impossible that there should not be some who become negligent and desert their duty. And do you not see that even the lighter laws which the Lord has given to you who live in the world have always found, and continue to find, and will continue to find many among you who transgress them?
But do you know what order has followers who so readily observe it with exactness? It is the order of the Saracens, which permits every kind of indulgence to the bodily senses and grants complete license and freedom to every pleasure, fleshly appetite, passionate desire, and sensual enjoyment. Such also is the order of our civil society, which determines every action and decides every matter according only to the rule of self-interest. But that the order of the clergy is not such a thing, who does not know? What, then, is strange in the fact that there are found among them some who are slothful and who desert their duty?
The more demanding the sacred order of the monastic life and way of living is, the fewer are those who are able to attain it. Certainly there are fewer who excel in the art of embroidery than in the art of simply sewing garments. Fewer excel in rightly understanding, and in composing and writing wisely and eloquently, than in merely reading and reciting what has been written. Yet despite all this, my Christians, however bad some clergy may be, they are nevertheless dedicated to the worship of the Most High God. They are ministers of His mysteries. They are consecrated servants of Jesus Christ. They wear His holy schema. They dwell in His sacred temples. They perform those things that contribute to your salvation. They have the privilege of being mediators between God and men. On the one hand, they bring down and convey from heaven the divine gifts and graces, namely the forgiveness of your sins and the salvation of your souls; on the other hand, they lift up and offer your prayers and supplications, beseeching God for the peace of the whole world and the stability of the holy Churches of God; for favorable weather and the fruitfulness of the earth; for those who travel by sea, those who journey, the sick, the suffering, the captives, and for their salvation; and for every Orthodox Christian soul, both living and departed. And they do these things not without labor, not without tears and fervent sighs, and at every time and in every place, since they have been dedicated precisely for this purpose to the Most High God. How then do you dare to accuse them, being such benefactors and saviors of yours? How do you make them the subject of ridicule in your gatherings, in your social conversations and discussions, in your reception rooms and homes, at every time and place, and often even in the very sacred Church of God itself, and at the very hour when, alas, they are tirelessly offering their worship to God on your behalf and for the sake of your souls, as we have said?
My Christians, the bishops are the true successors of the holy Apostles, who built this Church upon the unshakable foundation of Christ. Consequently, the bishops are the universal representatives of Jesus Christ Himself, who is the one and only Head of the mystical Body of the Church. Therefore, true Christians ought not only to refrain from dishonoring them, accusing them, unjustly despising them, and making spectacles of them, but they must also render to them the honor, reverence, and respect that are rightly due to them without diminution. For otherwise they sin inexcusably and suffer the gravest consequences if they do not approach them piously and reverently as faithful Christians.
Offenses committed by subjects against the representatives of earthly kings—such as insubordination and disobedience—are punished most severely as offenses directed against the kings themselves, whether through the confiscation of their property or even through the miserable deprivation of their very lives. How much more, then, should the offenses of Christians against the holy bishops, the universal representatives of the heavenly King—namely negligence, contempt, and various other forms of ill will—be punished by complete severance from the fullness of the Church’s mystical Body. Such persons ought to be condemned to the eternal death of their souls, as useless and decayed members, no longer receiving life from the dew-bearing graces of the All-Holy Spirit, which ineffably irrigate and sustain this mystical organism of the Church.
God Himself, with all His severity and dreadful indignation, has at various times chastised those who have shown greater or lesser contempt toward His holy bishops. Read the ancient histories, and you will see that He punished the accusers of the clergy with greater severity than those who sinned against God Himself. How many times did the people of Israel sin against God, and yet, through the intercession of their chief ministers—of Moses and Aaron, I mean—He continually forgave them? But when Dathan and Abiram and the two hundred and fifty men who followed Korah behaved arrogantly toward those very leaders, Moses and Aaron, then indeed the just God, both because there was no mediator for them and to demonstrate His love for His appointed servants, split the earth into dreadful chasms and caused whirlwinds of fire to burst forth and miserably consume all those who were with Korah. “The earth opened and swallowed Dathan and Abiram, and fire consumed all those who were with Korah, the two hundred and fifty men” (Ps. 105:17–18 LXX; Num. 16:32, 35).
And what more do you require, my Christians? Miriam the prophetess, that holy, righteous, and God-pleasing sister of Aaron and Moses, merely because she criticized and spoke against Moses for having taken Zipporah the Ethiopian woman as his wife rather than a Hebrew woman from among his own kin, according to customary practice, was immediately struck with leprosy and punished. At once she was afflicted with a grievous plague from head to foot, and for seven full days the prophetess Miriam became excluded from the congregation. She was expelled, cast out, and driven away from the assembly and even from her own sacred fellowship, she, the holy Miriam. Only when the very Moses whom she had spoken against offered fervent supplications, prayers, and petitions to God on her behalf did she receive her vindication and obtain forgiveness.
Therefore, for these parricides, for these rebels and insolent men, these followers of the accursed Ham who, upon seeing his father's nakedness, shamelessly mocked him—for these accusers of the clergy, I say, these truly reckless men—Solomon also pronounced judgment: “The eye that mocks a father, let the ravens of the valleys pluck it out, and let the young eagles devour it” (Prov. 30:17). And again elsewhere: “For him who mocks his father, his lamp shall be extinguished, and the pupils of his eyes shall behold darkness...” (Prov. 20:20).
The accusers of the clergy are truly worthy of condemnation and are, in fact, abominations, just as are those who spit in the face of those by whose food they are nourished. The accusers of the clergy are worthy of condemnation and utterly profane, just as are those who blaspheme the All-Holy Spirit. For the clergy are instruments of the All-Holy Spirit. They are appointed ministers of the Son and Word of God, who sovereignly commands and exhorts, declaring: “Touch not My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm” (Ps. 104:15).
Therefore, my Christians, both as pious and as prudent and sensible people, flee from this soul-destroying and body-destroying vice, lest you appear here as abominations before God and men, and there as combustible fuel for eternal punishment. Do not allow yourselves to be deceived by certain vulgar and insignificant men, corrupted in soul and understanding, lest you become participants in that unforgivable sin and kindle upon your own heads the indignation and wrath from heaven of those ancient clergy, by accusing their true successors, who benefit you spiritually and daily do good to you bodily as well, following the example of those predecessors. For even if the clergy of today are not saints, as those ridiculous marketplace babblers prattle on about, they are nevertheless just as necessary, just as beneficial for salvation, and just as useful to all of you as the clergy of old were to your forefathers.
For through them the splendor and glory of the Church are preserved and manifested by their sacred hymns and their angel-like doxologies. Through them, as we have said, your spiritual and bodily salvation, and even the repose of your departed, are abundantly provided through their daily liturgies and extended services. Through them divine assistance, protection, and support are granted and bestowed upon every city, province, town, village, and settlement. For they pray, keep vigil, liturgize, and make supplication to the Lord night and day for mercy, life, and the forgiveness of your sins; for the peace of the whole world and the union of all; according to the sacred ordinance of the Holy Church. But if they too should disappear from the world without cause (which God forbid), how great would your misery be, and how great the loss of your souls! Consider it for yourselves. You would all remain without the blessing of marriage. Your children would remain entirely unbaptized. The young would lose the saving guidance and pious formation of their lives. Christian conduct and way of life would altogether vanish from among you. In the synods there would no longer reign that sacred and theological wisdom which teaches the heavenly dogmas and hands down the divinely transmitted mysteries. The sacred pulpits, and even our episcopal thrones themselves, would become voiceless, inactive, and silent. The villagers and ordinary people would remain utterly destitute. For who would hasten to correct them? The tailors or the shoemakers? The furriers or the goldsmiths? The cloth merchants or the sandal makers? The butchers or the bakers? The money traders or the verbose talkers? And the sick as well, both within and without, in cities and towns and villages, would remain entirely without hope. For who would provide them with guidance concerning what ought to be done, correction concerning how they had lived, or courage and consolation amid those fears and terrors experienced by every soul when it spreads its wings to depart from this temporal world to that eternal one?
But who does not know that all these things are the works, actions, and daily accomplishments of the clergy of the present day? All Greece proclaims it. Europe announces it. Asia bears witness to it. The whole world perceives it and acknowledges it. Only the spiritually blind and those whose hearts have been hardened fail to perceive it—those absurd marketplace babblers, I say, who chatter on and dare to think, say, and write the most shameful and unjust things against the bishops, priests, and ministers of the Most High God.
But we, the Orthodox and faithful Christians, rightly considering all these things, together with all the other good, beneficial, and soul-profiting things which the bishops, priests, and ministers of the Most High God do and accomplish for us, should weigh with a conscientious mind the immeasurable debt we owe them. Then it will most certainly become evident that all clergy alike are worthy of the highest honor, the deepest reverence, complete obedience, and the greatest care and respect...
Λόγος κατὰ τῶν ἱεροκατηγόρων
Ποιηθείς καὶ προσφωνηθείς παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου Δέρκων κυρίου Γρηγορίου
τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν ᾗ ἐπετελοῦντο καὶ τὰ μνημόσυνα
τοῦ προτεθνεῶτος προκατόχου μακαρίτου Ἀνανίου.
«Τί οὗτος οὕτω λαλεῖ βλασφημίας;
Ποιηθείς καὶ προσφωνηθείς παρὰ τοῦ Ἁγίου Δέρκων κυρίου Γρηγορίου
τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν ᾗ ἐπετελοῦντο καὶ τὰ μνημόσυνα
τοῦ προτεθνεῶτος προκατόχου μακαρίτου Ἀνανίου.
«Τί οὗτος οὕτω λαλεῖ βλασφημίας;
τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας,
εἰ μὴ μόνος ὁ Θεός;» (Μάρκος β΄)
εἰ μὴ μόνος ὁ Θεός;» (Μάρκος β΄)
Δὲν ἠξεύρω, Χριστιανοί μου, ἂν ποτέ ἐσημειώσατε μὲ τὸν νοῦν σας, ἂν ποτέ ἐστοχασθήκατε ὅτι, ὅταν ἄρχισε ὁ Κύριός μας νὰ συναναστρέφεται μὲ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν κόσμον, ὅταν δηλαδή συναγαγὼν τοὺς αὐτοῦ μαθητὰς καὶ ἀποστόλους ἐξῆλθεν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, ὅταν ἤρξατο νὰ θαυματουργῇ καὶ νὰ διδάσκῃ τὰ θεῖα μαθήματα τῆς οὐρανίου βασιλείας, τότε δὴ τότε ἐστάθησαν τόσαι πολλαὶ γνῶμαι περὶ αὐτοῦ, τόσαι πολλαὶ καὶ διαφορετικαὶ δόξαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἐξ ὧν οἱ μὲν τὸν ἐπαινοῦσαν καὶ τὸν ἀνεβίβαζαν ἕως εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς, οἱ δὲ τὸν ἐκατηγοροῦσαν καὶ τὸν κατεβίβαζον ἕως εἰς τὰς ἀβύσσους. Ἄλλοι τὸν προσεκυνοῦσαν ὡς ἀληθινὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἄλλοι τὸν ἀπέφευγον ὡς φίλον τοῦ Βεελζεβούλ. Ἄλλοι ἤθελον νὰ τὸν στεφανώσουν ὡς βασιλέα τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἄλλοι ἔτρεχον νὰ τὸν λιθοβολήσουν ὡς ἀντίθεον καὶ ὑποκριτήν. Ἄλλοι ἔσπευδον νὰ τὸν ἀκούσουν ὡς ἔνδοξον προφήτην καὶ ἄλλοι ἐπιθυμοῦσαν νὰ τὸν δέσουν ὡς λαοπλάνον καὶ παραλογιστήν. Ἄλλοι βλέποντές τον τὸν ἐχαίροντο καὶ τὸν ἀγαποῦσαν καὶ ἄλλοι βλέποντές τον τὸν ἐχθρεύοντο καὶ τὸν ἐμισοῦσαν. Ἄλλοι τὸν ἐκήρυττον ὡς ἅγιον καὶ ἄλλοι τὸν ὠνείδιζον ὡς βλάσφημον, καθὼς τοῦτο εἶναι φανερὸν καὶ ἀπὸ τοὺς σημερινοὺς Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαίους, οἵτινες ἀκούοντές τον νὰ εἴπῃ εἰς τὸν παραλυτικόν· «τέκνον, ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου», ἄναψαν εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τὰς φοβερὰς τοῦ φθόνου φλόγας, καὶ χωρὶς καμμίαν συστολὴν παρρησίᾳ τὸν ἐλέγχουν καὶ τὸν ὀνειδίζουν ὡς βλάσφημον· «τί οὗτος οὕτω λαλεῖ βλασφημίας; τίς δύναται ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας, εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ Θεός;» (Μάρκ. β΄ 7). Τέλος πάντων, καθὼς λέγει καὶ ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς Ἰωάννης ὅτι, «γογγυσμὸς ἦν μέγας ἐν τοῖς ὄχλοις περὶ αὐτοῦ· οἱ μὲν ἔλεγον ὅτι ἀγαθός ἐστι, ἄλλοι δὲ οὔ, ἀλλὰ πλανᾷ τὸν κόσμον» (Ἰωάν. ζ΄ 12). Ὅμως μὴ θαυμάσητε εἰς τοῦτο. Διότι ἂν στοχασθῶμεν καλῶς καὶ συνετῶς, θέλομεν καὶ εὕρῃ ὅτι εἶναι μία κοινὴ τύχη τῶν μεγάλων ἐξαισίων καὶ θαυμαστῶν πραγμάτων, εἰς τὰ ὁποῖα οἱ ἄνθρωποι, πάντοτε ἀσύμφωνοι καὶ διηρημένοι, δὲν εὑρίσκονται ἐπίσης εἰς αὐτά. Ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν τὰ ἀναφέρουσι μὲ ἄκρον μῖσος καὶ ἀποστροφήν μεγίστην, τὸ ὁποῖον δὲν προέρχεται ἀπὸ κανένα ἄλλο, εἰ μὴ ἢ διότι αἱ ὀρέξεις καὶ οἱ στοχασμοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀγαποῦν τὴν φιλονεικίαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καθ' ὑπερβολὴν μισοῦν ὅ,τι εἶναι εἰς ἄλλους ἀρεστὸν καὶ ἀγαπητόν, ἢ διὰτὶ ἐκεῖνο τὸ ὁποῖον εἶναι εἰς μεγάλην προκοπὴν καὶ αὔξησιν καὶ ἄξιον δόξης, τιμῆς καὶ μεγαλειότητος, ἐκεῖνον τὸν μισοῦν ἀπὸ τὸν φθόνον τους. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐστάθη ἡ καθ' αὑτὸ αἰτία τοῦ νὰ εἶναι τόσαι γνῶμαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων διαφορετικαὶ καὶ τόσαι δόξαι περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου μας. Καθὼς καὶ τὸ τάγμα τῶν ἱερωμένων ἔχει τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκείνην τύχην, τὴν ὁποίαν εἴδαμεν εἰς τὸν Κύριόν μας. Διὰτὶ καὶ αὐτὸ ἐμπεριέχει μεγάλα τινα καὶ ἐξαίσια πράγματα καὶ προτερήματα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀνέκαθεν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἶχε καὶ φίλους διαπύρους καὶ θερμοὺς προστάτας, οἵτινες τὸ ὑπερασπίζοντο μὲ πολλὴν ἰσχὺν καὶ δύναμιν, εἶχε δὲ καὶ ἐχθροὺς καὶ πολεμίους, οἵτινες τὸ ἐκατέτρεχον μὲ πολλὴν βίαν καὶ ὁρμήν. Ἀλλὰ τί εἶπον, ὅτι εἶχεν; Ἔχει! Ἔχει μέχρι καὶ τῆς σήμερον καὶ ἀχρόνους φίλους καὶ ἐπαινέτας του καὶ διαπύρους ἐχθροὺς καὶ διώκτας του· καὶ εἶμαι ἀναγκασμένος νὰ εἴπω ὅτι καὶ ἐσεῖς, ὁποῦ τώρα, τώρα μοῦ ἀκούετε, ἐσεῖς, λέγω, οἱ ἴδιοι ἀκροαταί μου, εἶσθε βέβαια διηρημένοι καὶ ἀσύμφωνοι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν εἶσθε φίλοι του καὶ ἐπαινέται του, οἱ δὲ εἶσθε ἐχθροί του καὶ κατήγοροι. Ὅμως μὲ ὅλον τοῦτο, ἐγὼ καθὼς ἐλπίζω ἀπὸ τοὺς φίλους του μίαν ἀγαθὴν καὶ εὐμενῆ ἀκρόασιν, ἔτζι ἐλπίζω καὶ μίαν ἄκραν καὶ ἀδέκαστον δικαιοσύνην εἰς τὸν σημερινόν μου λόγον, εἰς τὸν ὁποῖον θέλω σᾶς ἀποδείξει συντόμως ὅτι δὲν πρέπει νὰ κατηγορῆτε τοὺς ἱερωμένους, τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς δηλαδὴ καὶ λειτουργοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, διὰτὶ ἁμαρτάνετε ἀσυγγνώστα, καὶ παθαίνετε τὰ χείριστα. Δώσατέ με παρακαλῶ τὴν προσοχήν σας.
Συνηθίζουν ὅλοι κοινοῦς οἱ ῥήτορες νὰ τραβοῦν τὴν εὔνοιαν καὶ νὰ κερδίζουν τὴν εὐπείθειαν τῶν ἀκροατῶν, ὑποκρινόμενοι μὲ τέχνην εὔμεθοδον καὶ ἐπιτετηδευμένην ὅλον ἐκεῖνο, εἰς τὸ ὁποῖον ἔχουν αὐτοὶ ἢ πάθος ἴδιον ἢ ὄφελος ξεχωριστόν, διαβεβαιώνοντας τοὺς ἀκροατὰς ὅτι εἶναι μία εἰλικρινὴς ἀγάπη καὶ ἕνας ζῆλος ἔνθερμος πρὸς αὐτούς. Ὅμως μακράν, μακρὰν ἀπὸ ἐμὲ τέτοιοι τεχνικοὶ τῆς ῥητορικῆς κανόνες, μακράν! Καθ' ὅτι παντελῶς δὲν μοῦ εἶσθε ἀναγκαῖοι εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν εὐθείαν, τὴν ὁποίαν πρεσβεύει σήμερον ὁ λόγος μου. Ἐγὼ δὲν τὸ ἀρνοῦμαι, ἀλλὰ παρρησίᾳ τὸ ὁμολογῶ, ὅτι πραγματεύομαι σήμερον μίαν ὑπόθεσιν εἰς τὴν ὁποίαν εἶμαι ὅλος πάθος, καὶ τὸ ὄφελός της ἀνάγεται κατὰ μέρος καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ τὸν ἴδιον. Διὰ τοῦτο παρρησίᾳ σᾶς λέγω, ὅτι δὲν πρέπει νὰ πιστεύητε εἰς κανένα ἄλλο, παρὰ ἐκεῖνο ὁποῦ θέλω κάμη νὰ ἰδῆτε μὲ τὰ ὀμμάτιά σας καὶ νὰ ψηλαφήσητε μὲ τὰ χέρια σας. Ἐγὼ δὲν θέλω νὰ φυλάξητε μήτε σέβας, μήτε εὐλάβειαν ἢ χάριν εἰς ἐμέ, ἀλλὰ μόνον τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῶν λόγων μου καλῶς διανοούμενοι καὶ κρίνοντες ὀρθῶς, νὰ διορθωθῆτε, διὰ νὰ μὴν ἁμαρτάνητε ἀσυγγνώστα. Ἐγὼ ὑποθέτω (καὶ τοῦτο ἀναγκαιότατον κατὰ πρῶτον καλῶς νὰ στοχασθῶμεν) ἐγὼ ὑποθέτω ὅτι ἐσεῖς ὅλοι εἶσθε εὐσεβεῖς καὶ ὀρθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δὲν χαίρεσθε εἰς κανένα ἄλλο τόσον, ὅσον χαίρεσθε εἰς τὴν δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ λαμπρότητα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δὲν εἶσθε τοιοῦτοι (ὃ μὴ γένοιτο) ἐγὼ σᾶς βεβαιῶ, ὅτι δὲν πρέπει νὰ μισῆτε καὶ νὰ ἀηδιάζητε κανένα ἄλλο πρᾶγμα περισσότερον, ὅσον τὸ τάγμα τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ ἱερέων, ἢ ἐστὶ τῶν ἱερωμένων. Κατὰ τοῦ ὁποίου τούτου τάγματος καὶ οἱ ἄπιστοι καὶ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς καὶ οἱ ἄθεοι καὶ ἁπλῶς ὅλοι οἱ ἐθνικοὶ καὶ οἱ εἰδωλολάτραι Ἕλληνες κατὰ καιροὺς ἐφρίαξαν· ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ δυσώνυμοι αἱρετικοί, ὡς ἄλλοι σκύλοι κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐλύσσαξαν, καὶ τὸ φαρμάκι τῆς μελαίνης των χολῆς ποταμηδὸν ἐξέρασαν. Εἶναι ὅμως ὁμολογούμενον, ὅτι ἐσεῖς δὲν εἶσθε βέβαια τοιοῦτοι, ἀλλ' εἶσθε ὀρθόδοξοι τῷ ὄντι καὶ εἰλικρινεῖς Χριστιανοί, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρέπει ὄχι μόνον νὰ μὴ μισῆτε καὶ νὰ μὴ κατηγορῆτε τὸν κλῆρον μας, ἀλλὰ πρέπει καὶ νὰ τὸν εὐλαβῆσθε καὶ νὰ τὸν ἀγαπᾶτε καὶ νὰ τὸν περιποιῆσθε. Διατὶ ἐκεῖνοι ὁποῦ ὕψωσαν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν ὑπέρτατον καὶ ἀνώτατον βαθμὸν τῆς τιμῆς, τῆς δόξης, τῆς ἀξίας καὶ τῆς μεγαλειότητος, καθὼς ἤδη τὴν βλέπετε, ἐκεῖνοι οἵτινες ὑπέταξαν εἰς αὐτὴν τόσα καὶ τόσα ἔθνη, καὶ ἔθνη βάρβαρα καὶ ἑτερογενῆ, καὶ τόσας πολυαρίθμους ἢ μᾶλλον εἰπεῖν ἀναριθμήτους νήσους καὶ ὅλην σχεδὸν τὴν οἰκουμένην, δὲν ἐστάθησαν ἄλλοι εἰ μὴ οἱ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, οἱ ὁποῖοι ἐπέταξαν ὡς ἀετοὶ ὑψότερον πτητότητες τῶν Εὐαγγέλων ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ καὶ ἕως ἐκεῖ ὁποῦ δὲν ἦσαν βέβαιοι ἂν εἶναι οἰκουμένη.
Καὶ στοχασθῆτε, σᾶς παρακαλῶ, ποῖοι μετὰ τοὺς ἁγίους Ἀποστόλους ἐγύρισαν εἰς τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὅλην τὴν Εὐρώπην· Ὅλην τὴν Ἤπειρον· Τὴν Ἑλλάδα ὅλην, καὶ τόσας καὶ τόσας, ὡς εἶπον, ἀναριθμήτους νήσους, εἰ μὴ οἱ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, οἱ ὁποῖοι κατὰ νεῦσιν θείαν εὐγαίνοντες ἀπὸ τὴν πατρίδα των ἔστησαν τὰς σημαίας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἕως καὶ εἰς αὐτὰς τῆς Εὐρώπης τὰς ἐσχατιάς;
Ποῖοι ἐφώτισαν τοὺς Μόσχους; Ποῖοι ἐδίδαξαν τοὺς Σκύθας; Ποῖοι ἐκήρυξαν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον Ἰησοῦν Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἕως καὶ εἰς αὐτοὺς τοὺς σκληροὺς καὶ ἀβάτους παγετοὺς τῶν ὑπερβορείων Ἐθνῶν, παρὰ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου; Οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἔφερον εἰς Θεογνωσίαν τόσας ἐπαρχίας τῆς Ἀσίας, τόσους τόπους τῆς Λιβύας καὶ τόσα μέρη τῆς Ἀφρικῆς· καὶ μὲ τὴν μωρίαν τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ κηρύγματος, ἥτις εἶναι ἡ ἀληθινὴ σοφία τοῦ Θεανθρώπου Σωτῆρος μας, καὶ τὰς μυθολογίας τῶν Ἀράβων κατήργησαν καὶ τὰς σοφιστικὰς καὶ ῥητορικὰς τῶν Ἑλλήνων διέλυσαν. Καὶ ταῦτα πάντα ὄχι ἀκόπως μήτε ἀπόνως τὰ παρῆλθον, καθὼς ὁ λόγος τὰ διεξέρχεται, ἀλλὰ μὲ κόπους πολλούς, μὲ ἀγῶνας καὶ καμάτους ὑπερβολικούς, μὲ ἱδρῶτας ἀτρύτους καὶ μὲ κινδύνους ἀλλεπαλλήλους γενναίως οἱ γενναῖοι τὰ ἐκατόρθωσαν, διαδραμόντες ὡς ἄλλοι γίγαντες πνευματοφόροι πᾶσαν τὴν ὑφήλιον, ὅλην τὴν ὑπ' οὐρανόν· καὶ κατὰ τὸν Προφητάνακτα, «κατ' ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ ἔξοδος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἕως ἄκρου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ κατάντημα» (Ψαλμ. ιη΄ 7), καὶ οὐχ ἔστιν ὅστις ἠδυνήθη ποτε νὰ ἀποκρυβῇ ἀπὸ τῆς διδασκαλικῆς αὐτῶν θερμότητος καὶ ἀληθοῦς δογματολογίας, εἰς τρόπον ὥστε «εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν» διεχύθησαν (Ψαλμ. ιη΄ 5). Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὡς ἄξιοι ἀξίως ἠξιώθησαν τὸ νὰ κληρονομήσουν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα τῆς ἀποστολῆς καὶ ἰσαπόστολοι νὰ ὀνομάζωνται. Ὅθεν τώρα σᾶς ἀφήνω, ὥστε καὶ μόνοι σας νὰ στοχασθῆτε ὅσα οἱ ἱερωμένοι ἐκατόρθωσαν διὰ τὴν κοινὴν ὠφέλειαν καὶ σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
Ἐγὼ δὲν θέλω νὰ σᾶς ἀπαριθμήσω τόσα καὶ τόσα ἄλλα καλά, ἅτινα οἱ ἱερωμένοι κατὰ καιροὺς ἔκαμαν, διὰ νὰ μὴν ἐκτείνω τὸν λόγον μου εἰς μίαν ὑπόθεσιν τόσον φανεράν. Τόσον μόνον σᾶς λέγω, ὅτι ὅλα ἐκεῖνα τὰ πλέον μεγάλα, τὰ πλέον λαμπρὰ καὶ τὰ πλέον ἔνδοξα, τὰ ὁποῖα ἡ ἱστορία σᾶς προβάλλει ἢ ἡ δοκιμὴ καὶ ἀπόπειρα σᾶς ἀποδεικνύει καὶ σᾶς βεβαιώνει διὰ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, διὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅλα εἶναι ἔργα, κατορθώματα καὶ ἀνδραγαθήματα τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ λειτουργῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, καὶ μάλιστα ὅσοι ἐξ ἐκείνων ἥνωσαν τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν θείων μὲ τὴν πρακτικὴν ζωήν.
Καὶ στοχασθῆτε ποῖοι ἄλλοι ἐστάθησαν οἱ κοινοὶ διδάσκαλοι τόσον τῆς Ἀνατολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὅσον καὶ τῆς Δυτικῆς παρὰ ὁ Ἀθανάσιος, ὁ Βασίλειος, ὁ Γρηγόριος, ὁ Χρυσόστομος, ὁ Κύριλλος, ὁ Ἐπιφάνιος, ὁ Ἀμβρόσιος, ὁ Ἱερώνυμος, ὁ Αὐγουστῖνος καὶ τόσοι ἄλλοι, ὅλοι ὅμως ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Ὑψίστου Θεοῦ;
Ἡ μυστικὴ ἐκείνη καὶ δογματικὴ θεολογία, ποίους μετὰ τὸν Θεολόγον Ἰωάννην τὸν Ἀπόστολον, ποίους εἶχεν ἐκφάντορας καὶ διδασκάλους της παρὰ τὸν Θεολόγον τὸν ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν, τὸν Θεολόγον τὸν Ναζιανζηνόν, τὸν Θεολόγον τὸν ἐκ Δαμασκοῦ καὶ τὸν Θεολόγον τὸν σημερινόν, τὸν τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης πρόεδρον;
Ἡ ἁγία καὶ ἱερὰ Γραφὴ πόθεν εὕρισκε τοὺς σοφοὺς καὶ πιστοὺς ἐξηγητάς της παρὰ ἀπὸ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου;
Ἡ πνευματικὴ διαγωγὴ καὶ μοναδικὴ πολιτεία πόθεν εὗρῆκε τοὺς ἀπλανεῖς ὁδηγοὺς της καὶ ἀσφαλεῖς ποδηγέτας της παρὰ ἀπὸ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς τοὺς ἐφησυχάσαντας καὶ συγγράψαντας κατὰ καιροὺς εἰς τὰ ἱερὰ μοναστήρια; Πόθεν οἱ κανόνες παρέλαβον τοὺς ἐνδόξους κανονιστὰς των παρὰ ἀπὸ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου;
Φρίττουν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ τρομάζουν οἱ αἱρετικοὶ στοχαζόμενοι ὅτι, ὁσάκις φορὰς ἐτόλμησαν νὰ κινηθοῦν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἄλλαις τόσαις φοραῖς ἔπεσον νενικημένοι καὶ κατησχυμμένοι ἀπὸ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς. Καὶ στοχασθῆτε μεταξὺ ὅλου τοῦ συστήματος τῶν Χριστιανῶν ποῖοι ἐστάθησαν οἱ πλέον φρόνιμοι καὶ πεπαιδευμένοι εἰς τὸ νὰ γνωρίσουν τοὺς αἱρετικούς ἢ οἱ πλέον γενναῖοι καὶ ἀνδρεῖοι εἰς τὸ νὰ τοὺς ἀντισταθοῦν ἢ οἱ πλέον εὐτυχείς καὶ εὐμαθεῖς εἰς τὸ νὰ τοὺς καταβάλουν καὶ νὰ τοὺς κατατροπώσουν παρὰ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου;
Εἶναι φανερόν, Χριστιανοί μου, ὅτι εἰς κάθε νέαν αἵρεσιν τῶν αἱρετιζόντων, ὁποῦ ἐσηκώθη νὰ διαβλάψῃ καὶ νὰ διαφθείρῃ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀντέστη ἐξ ἐναντίας ἀπὸ τὸ ἄλλο μέρος, εἰς τὸ νὰ τὴν βαστάξῃ καὶ νὰ τὴν φυλάξῃ, μία νεοσύλλεκτος Σύνοδος ἱερωμένων, ὡσὰν νὰ ἦτον νέα τινα στρατεύματα ἐξοπλισμένες προητοιμασμένα καὶ ἀσθενῶς περιφυλαγμένα καὶ διωρισμένα εἰς τὸ νὰ διαφενδεύσουν τὴν ἁγίαν πίστιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ.
Τί δὲν ἔκαμαν, σᾶς παρακαλῶ, οἱ Ἀθανάσιοι, οἱ Βασίλειοι, οἱ Γρηγόριοι, οἱ Χρυσόστομοι, οἱ Κύριλλοι, οἱ Ἐπιφάνιοι, οἱ Ἀμβρόσιοι, οἱ Ἱερώνυμοι, οἱ Αὐγουστῖνοι, σὺν τούτοις καὶ οἱ Ἀντώνιοι, οἱ Εὐθύμιοι, οἱ Σάββες, οἱ Θεοδόσιοι, οἱ Ἰσίδωροι, οἱ Μητροφάνες, οἱ Θεόδωροι καὶ οἱ Μάξιμοι, καὶ τόσοι ἄλλοι πάμπολλοι; Ἐξ ὧν οἱ μὲν πρῶτοι ὡς στρατάρχαι τοῦ οὐρανίου βασιλέως, γενναίως προηγούμενοι καὶ εὐθαρσῶς προπορευόμενοι μὲ τὴν δίστομον ῥομφαίαν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας, ὁποῦ ἦτον οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς. Οἱ δὲ δεύτεροι, ὡς ταξίαρχοι καὶ ὀφφικιάλιοι, μὲ τὴν μάχαιραν τοῦ Πνεύματος περιζωσμένοι, ὁποῦ ἦτον οἱ ἱερομόναχοι. Οἱ δὲ τρίτοι, ὡς στρατιῶται τακτικοὶ καὶ πολεμισταὶ δόκιμοι καὶ τεχνικοί, μὲ τὴν περικεφαλαίαν τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος, ἐνδεδυμένοι τὸν θώρακα τῆς πίστεως καὶ καθωπλισμένοι μὲ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ τιμίου καὶ ζωοποιοῦ Σταυροῦ, ὁποῦ ἦτον οἱ ὅσιοι πατέρες καὶ μονάζοντες εἰς τὰ μοναστήρια. Οἱ ὁποῖοι συνάμα ὅλοι των συνέθλασαν εἰς τέλος καὶ ἐξηφάνισαν κατὰ κράτος τῶν αἱρετικῶν τὰς φάλαγρας καὶ πάσας τῶν δυσσεβῶν τὰς ὁρμὰς καὶ παρατάξεις. Μὲ ὅλον ὁποῦ οἱ ἀντικείμενοι ἦτον κατὰ καιροὺς καθωπλισμένοι καὶ μὲ αὐτὰ τὰ σκήπτρα τῆς τότε βασιλείας καὶ μὲ πολλὰς δυνάμεις τῆς τότε ἐξουσίας.
Τίς ἐκαταδάμασε, σᾶς παρακαλῶ, τοὺς εἰκονοκλάστας καὶ εἰκονομάχους, τὰ φοβερὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας τέρατα, ὁποῦ κατεμόλυναν ὅλην σχεδὸν τὴν Ἀνατολὴν μὲ τὴν βδελυρίαν τῶν ἑβραϊκῶν καὶ ἀθέων τους δογμάτων, παρὰ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου; Καὶ ἀληθινὰ τὸ πῶς ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔχει χρέος ἄφευκτον πρὸς τοὺς ἱερωμένους νὰ τοὺς εὐχαριστῇ καὶ νὰ τοὺς περιβάλλῃ περισσότερον ἀπὸ κάθε ἄλλον διὰ τοὺς θριάμβους καὶ τὰς νίκας, ὁποῦ ἔκαμαν κατὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν, εἶναι φανερόν. Καθότι, ὁποῦ οἱ αἱρετικοὶ δὲν ἀπήντησαν, δὲν εὑρῆκαν ἐναντίον των τοὺς καθ' ἡμᾶς ἱερωμένους, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐπιπλέον καὶ εἰς περισσότερον καιρὸν ἔστησαν τῆς ἀσεβείας των τὰ τρόπαια, καθὼς βλέπομεν ὀφθαλμοφανῶς καὶ εἰς ἐκεῖνα τὰ μέρη, καὶ εἰς ἐκεῖνα τὰ ἔθνη, ὁποῦ βασιλεύει μέχρι καὶ τῆς σήμερον ἡ αἵρεσις, φεῦ, καὶ κακοδοξία.
Τώρα τί λέγετε εἰς αὐτά, Χριστιανοί μου; Ἠμπορεῖτε τάχα νὰ εἴπῃτε ὅτι ἐγὼ παραφρονῶ ἢ παραλογίζομαι; Δύνασθε νὰ μοῦ ἐναντιωθῆτε εἰς ὅσα ἕως τώρα σᾶς ἐλάλησα; Δὲν εἶναι τάχα αὐτὰ καὶ φανερώτερα ἡλίου καὶ ψηλαφητὰ καὶ βέβαια; Καὶ ὅταν εἶναι ἔτζι, καθὼς καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ εἶναι, διατὶ ἀπὸ τὸ ἕνα μέρος χαίρετε, τέρπεσθε, ἠδύνεσθε εἰς τὰ καλά τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ἀπὸ τὸ ἄλλο μέρος λυπῆτε καὶ θλίβεσθε μὲ τὰς δυσφημίας καὶ κατηγορίας ἐκείνων, ὁποῦ σᾶς τὰ κάμνουν; Ἢ θέλετε καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο νὰ μιμήσθε τοὺς παλαιοὺς ἐκείνους Αἰγυπτίους, οἱ ὁποῖοι ἀπὸ τὸ ἓν μέρος ἐχαίροντο καὶ ἀγαποῦσαν τὸ νὰ ἔχουν πρόβατα πολλά, φυλαττόμενα καὶ ποιμαινόμενα ἀπὸ τοὺς τζοπάνηδες, διὰ νὰ τρέφωνται μὲ τὸ γάλα των καὶ μὲ τὸ τυρί των, καὶ νὰ ἐνδύνωνται μὲ τὰ δέρματα καὶ μὲ τὸ μαλλί των, ἔπειτα δὲ ἀπὸ τὸ ἄλλο μέρος ἀηδίαζον καὶ ἐσυχναίνοντο ὡς βρομεροὺς ἐκείνους τοὺς τζοπάνηδες, ὁποῦ ἐκοπίαζον διὰ τὸ καλόν τους;
Ἀλλ' ἐγὼ συμπεραίνω τί ἔχετε νὰ μοῦ ἀποκριθῆτε εἰς αὐτά· Ἡμεῖς, Δέσποτα, τοὺς παλαιοὺς ἱερωμένους μήτε τοὺς μισοῦμεν, μήτε τοὺς ἀηδιάζομεν, μήτε τοὺς κατακρίνουμεν, ἀλλὰ μάλιστα καὶ τοὺς εὐλαβούμεθα, καὶ τοὺς προσκυνοῦμεν διὰ τὰ τόσα καὶ τόσα καλὰ ὁποῦ ἔκαμαν εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Ἡμεῖς τοὺς τωρινοὺς ἱερωμένους καὶ ἀηδιάζομεν καὶ κατηγοροῦμεν καὶ μεμφόμεθα, ἐπειδὴ ἐκδιόλου ἐνθεύθησαν καὶ παντελῶς δὲν ὁμοιάζουν μὲ τοὺς προγενεστέρους των. Ὡσὰν ὁποῦ ἄλλοι ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶναι σκανδαλοποιοὶ καὶ ταραχώδεις εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἄλλοι ἀνωφελεῖς καὶ ἀχρήσιμοι εἰς τὰς ἐπαρχίας των· ἄλλοι ἀχόρταγοι καὶ ἀχόρταγοι εἰς τὰ ἐπαγγέλματά των· ἄλλοι λαίμαργοι καὶ κοιλιόδουλοι εἰς τὰ τραπέζιά των· καὶ ἄλλοι ἄσωτοι καὶ μὲ καταχρήσεις εἰς τὰ κονάκιά των· καὶ ἄλλοι φανεροὶ κακοήθεις καὶ κακοεργάται. Καὶ τοιοῦτοι ὄντες δὲν πρέπει νὰ ἔχουν μήτε τὰς τιμάς, μήτε τὰ εἰσοδήματα ἐκεῖνα, ὁποῦ εἶχον οἱ παλαιοὶ διὰ μισθὸν τῶν κόπων τους. Ἐπειδὴ οἱ τωρινοὶ τὰ ἐξοδεύουν καὶ τὰ καταχρῶνται εἰς σπατάλας καὶ τρυφὰς τῆς κακοήθους ὀκνηρίας των.
Δὲν εἶναι αὐτά, Χριστιανοί μου, τὰ κάλανδά μας ὁποῦ ἠμπορεῖτε νὰ μοῦ ψάλλῃτε; Ἐγὼ δὲ σᾶς εὐχαριστῶ, ὁποῦ ὁμολογεῖτε κἂν τὰ ἀξιώματα τῶν παλαιῶν ἱερωμένων. Σᾶς λέγω δὲ μετὰ πάσης βεβαιότητος, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ παλαιοὶ ἱερωμένοι, οἱ τῷ ὄντι ἁγιώτατοι ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Ὑψίστου Θεοῦ, καὶ αὐτοί, αὐτοὶ ἐκατηγορήθησαν ὄχι ὀλιγότερον, διὰ νὰ μὴ εἴπω καὶ πολλῷ τῷ μέτρῳ περισσότερον. Δὲν τοὺς ἐφώναζαν οἱ πρόγονοί σας καὶ προγενέστεροι, οἱ τότε δηλαδὴ Χριστιανοί, ὅτι διέτριβον εἰς τῶν ἀρχόντων τὰς αὐλάς; Δὲν τοὺς ἐκατηγοροῦσαν πὼς ἐχρησιμοποιοῦσαν μὲ πονηρίαν ἐποχετευομένην καὶ μὲ κακοήθειαν ἐπιτετηδευμένην ὅλα τὰ λαμπρά, ὅλα τὰ μεγάλα καὶ τὰ ἔνδοξα; Δὲν τοὺς διέβαλλον καὶ εἰς αὐτὰ ἀκόμη τὰ δημόσια κριτήρια πὼς ἐκαταχρῶντο καὶ διενoσφίζοντο τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ καὶ μοναστηριακὰ κτήματα καὶ εἰσοδήματα; Δὲν τοὺς ἐκατηγοροῦσαν πὼς ἦσαν ἰσχυρογνώμονες καὶ πεισματικοί; Πῶς ἦτον ὑπερήφανοι καὶ ἀκατάδεκτοι; Πῶς ἦτον φιλόδοξοι καὶ φιλάρχοι; Πῶς ἦτον φιλόνεικοι καὶ σοφισταί; Πῶς ἦτον ἐμπαθεῖς καὶ αἰσχροκερδεῖς; Καὶ ἄλλα πάμπολλα καὶ σκληρότερα ἐγκλήματα καὶ κατηγορήματα κατ' αὐτῶν ἀσυνειδήτως ἐπεσώρευον, ὁποῦ καὶ ἐντρέπομαι κἂν νὰ σᾶς τὰ ἀναφέρω. Καὶ ὅποιος δὲν πιστεύει, ἂς διαβάσῃ τὰς ἐκκλησιαστικὰς ἱστορίας, ἂς ἀναγνώσῃ τοὺς Θείους Πατέρας, Ἀνατολικοὺς καὶ Δυτικούς, ἂς περάσῃ τοὺς Βίους τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν, ἂς μετέλθῃ τὰς τόσας καὶ τόσας σφοδρὰς ἀπολογίας τῶν κατηγορηθέντων ἱερωμένων, καὶ τότε θέλει ἰδῇ, θέλει καταλάβῃ πόσον ἐκοπίασαν ἀπὸ τότε οἱ ἀοίδιμοι ἐκεῖνοι ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου εἰς τὸ νὰ ἀθωώσουν τὸν ἑαυτόν τους ἀπὸ τοσαύτας καὶ τοιαύτας παρομοίας καὶ ἔτι χείρονας κατηγορίας καὶ συκοφαντίας, ὁποῦ ἐντρέπομαι, ὡς εἶπον, κἂν νὰ σᾶς τὰ ἀναφέρω...
Μὰ ἐγὼ καὶ εἰς αὐτὰ συμπεραίνω τὸ τί ἔχετε νὰ μοῦ ἀποκριθῆτε· Ἡμεῖς, Δέσποτα, ἂν εἴμεθα κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρόν, κατ' ἐκείνας τὰς ἡμέρας, ὁποῦ οἱ προγενέστεροί μας ἔκαμαν τὰ ὅσα ἔκαμαν κατὰ τῶν τότε ἀρχιερέων, δὲν ἠθέλαμε μὲ αὐτοὺς συμφωνήσει βέβαια, καὶ δὲν ἠθέλαμε κατενεχθῇ κατὰ τῶν τότε ἱερωμένων, καθὼς ἐκεῖνοι κατηνέχθησαν. «Εἰ ἤμεν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἤμεν κοινωνοὶ αὐτῶν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν» (Ματθ. κγ΄ 30)...
Ἀλλ' ἠξεύρετε, Χριστιανοί μου, τί σᾶς ἀποκρίνεται ὁ Κύριος εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν εὐρησιολογίαν σας; Εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν πρόφασίν σας; Σᾶς ἀποκρίνεται ἐκεῖνα, ὁποῦ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτολεξεὶ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τότε Γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαίους· «ὥστε μαρτυρεῖτε ἑαυτοῖς, ὅτι υἱοί ἐστε τῶν φονευσάντων τοὺς προφήτας, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπληρώσατε τὸ μέτρον τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν. ὄφεις, γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, πῶς φύγητε ἀπὸ τῆς κρίσεως τῆς γεέννης;» (Ματθ. κγ΄ 31-33). Καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ· «Ἱερουσαλήμ, Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας, καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν. ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος, καὶ αἱ ἐπαύλεις ὑμῶν ἠρημωμέναι, καὶ ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασιν ὑμῶν οὐκ ἔσται ὁ κατοικῶν.... (Ματθ. κγ΄ 37, Ψαλμ. ξη΄ 26)
Εἶναι, Χριστιανοί μου, λόγοι τοῦ Κυρίου μας, ὅσον ἀποφασιστικοί, τόσον ἀναπόδραστοι καὶ ἀνέκπτωτοι...
Ἄχ, Χριστιανοί μου! Μὰ τί ζητεῖτε νὰ εἶναι οἱ ἱερωμένοι; Θέλετε νὰ εἶναι συνθεμένοι ἀπὸ μίαν φύσιν ἀναμάρτητον; Μά, τοῦτο εἶναι ἀδύνατον! Διατὶ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι καὶ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων γεγεννημένοι, καὶ ἄνθρωποι ὁποῦ διὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν τῆς πληγωμένης των καρδίας ῥέπουν καὶ αὐτοὶ φυσικῶς εἰς τὴν λιποταξίαν. Μά, ἂν καὶ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δὲν ἦτον, καὶ ἦτον καταγόμενοι ὅλοι των ἀπὸ ἀγγέλους, τί παράδοξον ἂν εὑρίσκοντο μεταξὺ των κακοὶ καὶ κακοί; [σ. 5β] Τάχα δὲν ἐστάθη μίαν φοράν, ὁποῦ ἐξέπεσε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἑωσφόρος; Καὶ μὲ αὐτὸν μαζῇ τόσοι ὀπαδοί του καὶ τόσοι ἀκόλουθοί του ἄγγελοι; Ἂν στοχασθῶμεν τὸ ὀσπήτιον τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, βλέπομεν ὅτι μὲ τὸν εὐλαβέστατον καὶ εὐπειθέστατον Ἰσαὰκ εἶχε καὶ ἕνα θρασὺν, τολμηρὸν καὶ αὐθάδη καὶ προπετῆν Ἰσμαήλ. Ἂν στοχασθῶμεν πάλιν τὸ ὀσπήτιον τοῦ Ἰσαάκ, βλέπομεν ὅτι μὲ τὸν ἀγαπητόν του Ἰακὼβ εἶχε καὶ ἕνα ἀξιοκατάκριτον Ἠσαῦ. Ἂν στοχασθῶμεν τὸ ὀσπήτιον τοῦ Ἰακώβ, βλέπομεν ὅτι μὲ τὸν σωφρονέστατον Ἰωσὴφ εἶχε καὶ ἕνα Ῥουβεὶμ μεμολυσμένον καὶ παράνομον. Ἂν στοχασθῶμεν καὶ τοῦ Προφητάνακτος Δαβὶδ τὴν φαμιλιὰν βλέπομεν ὅτι καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν ἦτον καὶ ἕνας ἀχάριστος Ἀμνὼν καὶ ἕνας ἀποστάτης Ἀβεσσαλώμ. Ἂν στοχασθῶμεν καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγιώτατον τάγμα τῶν πανευφήμων Ἀποστόλων εὑρίσκομεν καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἕνα χριστομάχον καὶ προδότην Ἰούδαν. Ἂν στοχασθῶμεν καὶ τοῦ Θείου Παύλου τὸ ἀποστολικὸν σχολεῖον, μανθάνομεν ὅτι τέσσαρες φοβεροὶ αἱρεσιάρχαι εὐρῆκαν ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἕνας Φάγγελος, ἕνας Ἑρμογένης, ἕνας Φιλητός, καὶ ἕνας Ὑμέναιος. Τί λοιπόν παράδοξον, ἂν καὶ εἰς τὸ τάγμα τῶν ἱερωμένων εὑρίσκονται ἀναμεταξὺ των καλοὶ καὶ κακοί; Ἐγὼ μάλιστα λέγω, ὅτι εἶναι ἀδύνατον νὰ μὴ εὑρίσκωνται, διότι μὲ τὸ νὰ εἶναι τῆς ἱερᾶς ταύτης τάξεως οἱ ὅροι καὶ κανόνες τόσον στενοὶ καὶ τόσον σφιχτοί, ἀδύνατον εἶναι τὸ νὰ μὴ εὑρίσκωνται καὶ τινες ὀκνηροὶ καὶ λιποτακτοῦντες. Καὶ δὲν βλέπετε πὼς καὶ οἱ ἐλαφρότεροι νόμοι, ὁποῦ ὁ Κύριος μᾶς ἔδωκεν πρὸς ἐσᾶς τοὺς κοσμικούς, εὐρῆκαν καὶ εὑρίσκουν πάντοτε, καὶ θέλουν εὑρῇ πολλοὺς ἐξ ὑμῶν τοὺς παραβάτας;
Ἀλλ' ἠξεύρετε ποία τάξις ἔχει τόσον εὔκολα τοὺς ἀκολούθους της, ὁποῦ νὰ τὴν φυλάττουν ἀκριβῶς; Εἶναι ἡ τάξις τῶν Σαρακηνῶν, ὁποῦ συγχωρεῖ κάθε λογῆς αἰτίαν εἰς τὰς σωματικὰς αἰσθήσεις, καὶ δίδει ὅλην τὴν ἄδειαν καὶ ἐλευθερίαν εἰς ὅλας τὰς ἡδονὰς καὶ σαρκικὰς ὀρέξεις καὶ ἐμπαθεῖς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ ἡδυπαθείας. Εἶναι καὶ ἡ τάξις καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πολιτικοῦ μας, ὁποῦ διορίζει κάθε λογῆς πρᾶξιν καὶ ἀποφασίζει κάθε λογῆς ὑπόθεσιν μὲ μόνον τὸν κανόνα τῆς ἰδίας ὠφελείας. Μὰ ἡ τάξις τῶν ἱερωμένων πῶς δὲν εἶναι τοιαύτη, τίς δὲν τὸ ἠξεύρει; Τί λοιπόν παράδοξον εἶναι τὸ νὰ εὑρίσκωνται καὶ τινες ῥάθυμοι καὶ λιποτακτοῦντες;
Ὅσον σκληρὰ εἶναι ἡ ἱερὰ τάξις τῆς μοναδικῆς ζωῆς καὶ πολιτείας, τόσον ὀλιγώτεροι εἶναι οἱ δυνάμενοι νὰ τὴν ἀποκτήσουν. Ὀλιγώτεροι εἶναι βέβαια οἱ ἐξαίρετοι εἰς τὴν τέχνην ὁποῦ κεντᾷ τὰ ροῦχα, παρὰ εἰς τὴν τέχνην ὁποῦ ἁπλῶς τὰ ῥάπτει. Ὀλιγώτεροι εἶναι οἱ ἐξαίρετοι εἰς τὸ ὀρθῶς νὰ ἐννοήσουν, καὶ σοφῶς καὶ ῥητορικῶς νὰ συνθέσουν καὶ νὰ γράψουν, παρὰ νὰ τὰ ἀναγνώσουν καὶ νὰ τὰ διαβάσουν. Ἀλλὰ μὲ ὅλα ταῦτα, Χριστιανοί μου, ὅσον κακοὶ καὶ ἂν εἶναι οἱ ἱερωμένοι, εἶναι ὅμως ἀφιερωμένοι εἰς τὴν λατρείαν τοῦ Ὑψίστου Θεοῦ. Εἶναι ὑπηρέται τῶν μυστηρίων Αὐτοῦ. Εἶναι ἐξιδιασμένοι δοῦλοι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Φοροῦν τὸ ἅγιόν Του σχῆμα. Κατοικοῦν τοὺς ἱεροὺς ναοὺς Του. Συντελοῦν, ἐνεργοῦν τὰ πρὸς σωτηρίαν σας. Πλοῦτοῦν τὸ νὰ εἶναι μεσῖται Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἐκεῖθεν μὲν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν κατάγουν καὶ καταβιβάζουν τὰς θείας δωρεὰς καὶ χάριτας, ὁποῦ εἶναι ἡ ἄφεσις τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν σας καὶ ἡ σωτηρία τῶν ψυχῶν σας, ἐντεῦθεν δὲ ἀνάγουν καὶ ἀναβιβάζουν τὰς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν εὐχὰς καὶ ἱκετηρίους ἐντεύξεις, δεόμενοι ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης τοῦ σύμπαντος κόσμου καὶ εὐσταθείας τῶν ἁγίων τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησιῶν· ὑπὲρ εὐκρασίας ἀέρων, εὐφορίας τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς· ὑπὲρ πλεόντων, ὁδοιπορούντων, νοσούντων, καμνόντων, αἰχμαλώτων καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας αὐτῶν· καὶ ὑπὲρ πάσης ψυχῆς Χριστιανῶν ὀρθοδόξων, ζώντων τε καὶ τεθνεώτων. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἀκόπως, οὐχὶ χωρὶς δάκρυα καὶ θερμοὺς ἀναστεναγμούς, καὶ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ καὶ τόπῳ, ὡς ἐπ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀφιερωθέντες τῷ Ὑψίστῳ Θεῷ. Πῶς λοιπόν ἀποτολμᾶτε καὶ τοὺς κατηγορεῖτε, τοιούτους ὄντας εὐεργέτας καὶ σωτῆρας σας; Πῶς τοὺς κάμνετε γέλωτος ὑπόθεσιν εἰς τὰς συνελεύσεις σας, εἰς τὰς συναναστροφάς σας καὶ συνομιλίας σας, εἰς τοὺς ὀντάδες σας καὶ ὀσπήτιά σας, καὶ εἰς κάθε καιρὸν καὶ τόπον, καὶ πολλάκις καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἱερᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ καθ' ἣν ὥραν, φεῦ! αὐτοὶ ἀκωπῶς ἀναφέρουν τὰς λατρείας των πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν σας, ὡς προείπομεν;
Οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, Χριστιανοί μου, εἶναι οἱ γνήσιοι διάδοχοι τῶν ἁγίων Ἀποστόλων, οἱ ὁποῖοι ᾠκοδόμησαν αὐτὴν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν εἰς τὸ ἀρραγὲς τοῦ Χριστοῦ θεμέλιον. Καὶ ἐπομένως οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς εἶναι οἱ καθολικοὶ τοποτηρηταὶ τοῦ ἰδίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅστις εἶναι ἡ μόνη καὶ κυρία κεφαλὴ τοῦ μυστικοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Σώματος. Λοιπὸν οἱ ἀληθεῖς Χριστιανοί, ὄχι μόνον νὰ μὴ τοὺς ἀτιμάζωσι καὶ νὰ μὴ τοὺς κατηγορώσι καὶ ἀδικώτατα νὰ τοὺς ἐξουθενῶσι καὶ νὰ τοὺς θεατρίζωσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀνήκουσαν εἰς αὐτοὺς τιμὴν καὶ ὀφειλομένην εὐλάβειαν καὶ εὐταξίαν ἀπαραμειώτως πρέπει νὰ προσφέρωσι, διατὶ καὶ ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἀσυγγνώστως καὶ παθαίνουσι τὰ χείριστα, ἂν δὲν προσενεχθῶσιν εὐσεβῶς καὶ εὐλαβῶς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὡς εὐσεβεῖς Χριστιανοί.
Τὰ εἰς τοὺς τοποτηρητὰς τῶν ἐπιγείων βασιλέων σφάλματα τῶν ὑπηκόων, οἷον ἀνυποταξία καὶ ἀπείθεια, ὡς πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἰδίους βασιλεῖς ἀναφερόμενα παιδεύονται αὐστηρότατα, καὶ μὲ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων τους τὴν δήμευσιν, καὶ μὲ αὐτὴν τῆς ἰδίας των ζωῆς τὴν ἐλεεινὴν ἀφαίρεσιν. Πολλῷ δὴ μᾶλλον τὰ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους ἀρχιερεῖς, τοὺς καθολικοὺς τοποτηρητὰς τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Βασιλέως, παραπτώματα τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ὀλιγωρία δηλαδὴ καὶ ὑπεροψία καὶ ἄλλαι κακοήθειαι διάφοροι, πρέπει νὰ παιδεύωνται μὲ τελείαν ἐκκοπὴν ἀπὸ τὴν ὁλομέλειαν τοῦ μυστικοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Σώματος. Πρέπει νὰ καταδικάζωνται τὸν αἰώνιον τῆς ψυχῆς των θάνατον, ὡς μέλη ἄχρηστα καὶ σεσηπότα, καὶ νὰ μὴ ζωογονοῦνται πλέον ἀπὸ τὰς ἐνδρόσους χάριτας τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος, ὁποῦ ἀῤῥήτως καταρδεύουσι τὸ μυστικὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦτο σύστημα.
Ὁ ἴδιος Θεός, μὲ ὅλην Του τὴν αὐστηρότητα καὶ φοβερὰν ἀγανάκτησίν Του ἐπαίδευσε κατὰ καιροὺς τοὺς πολλὰ ἢ ὀλίγον καταφρονεμένους καὶ καταφρονοῦντας τῶν ἁγίων Του ἀρχιερέων. Διαβάσατε τὰς παλαιὰς ἱστορίας, καὶ θέλετε ἰδῇ, ὅτι μὲ περισσοτέραν αὐστηρίαν ἐπαίδευσε τοὺς ἱεροκατηγόρους, παρὰ ἐκείνους ὁποῦ ἔσφαλαν εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν ἴδιον Θεόν. Ποσάκις φορὰς ἥμαρτεν εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ὁ λαὸς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ὅμως μεσιτευόντων τῶν ἀρχιερέων του — τοῦ Μωϋσέως, λέγω, καὶ τοῦ Ἀαρών — πάντοτε τοὺς ἐσυγχώρει. Ὅταν ὅμως οἱ Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρὼν καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν Κορὲ διακόσιοι καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρες αὐθάδιασαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἰδίους ἀρχιερεῖς, τὸν Μωϋσῆν καὶ Ἀαρών, τότε δὴ τότε ὁ δίκαιος Θεός, καὶ διὰ ἔλλειψιν μεσίτου καὶ διὰ ἔνδειξιν τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς ἀγάπης Του, ἔσχισε τὴν γῆν εἰς τόσα χάσματα φρικτά, καὶ ἔκαμε νὰ ξερασθοῦν τόσοι στρόβιλοι πυρός, καὶ ἐλεεινῶς τοὺς κατέφλεξαν ὅλους ἐκείνους τοὺς περὶ τὸν Κορέ. “Ἠνοίχθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατέπιε Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρών, καὶ πῦρ κατέφλεξε πάντας τοὺς περὶ τὸν Κορὲ διακοσίους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας”... (Ψαλμ. ρε΄ 17-18, Ἀριθμ. ις΄ 32, 35)
Καὶ τί περισσότερον, Χριστιανοί μου, θέλετε; Ἡ Μαριὰμ ἡ προφῆτις, ἡ ἁγία, ἡ ὁσία καὶ εὐάρεστος αὐτάδελφη τοῦ Ἀαρὼν καὶ τοῦ Μωϋσέως, μὲ τὸ νὰ κατέκρινε καὶ κατὰ τοῦ Μωϋσέως κατελάλησε, ὡς λαβόντος εἰς γυναῖκα Σεπφώραν τὴν Αἰθιόπισσαν καὶ ὄχι Ἑβραίαν ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς συγγενείας του, κατὰ τὴν νόμιμον συνήθειαν, ἐλεπρώθη παραυθὺς καὶ ἐτιμωρήθη. Ἐλαβώθη ἐν τῷ ἅμα μὲ μίαν πληγὴν ὀδυνηρὰν ἀπὸ κεφαλῆς ἕως ποδῶν, καὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ὁλοκλήρους ἔγινε ἀποσυνάγωγος ἡ προφῆτις Μαριάμ, καὶ ἐξώσθη, ἀπεβλήθη, ἀπεδιώχθη ἀπὸ τὴν συναγωγὴν καὶ ἀπὸ αὐτὴν τὴν ἱερὰν ἀδελφότητά της ἡ ἁγία Μαριάμ. Ἕως ὅτου μὲ θερμὰς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν παρακλήσεις, ἱκεσίας, καὶ δεήσεις τοῦ ἰδίου καταλαληθέντος Μωϋσέως ἔλαβε τὴν ἀθώωσίν της, ἔλαβε τὴν συγχώρησίν της.
Ὅθεν δι’ αὐτοὺς τοὺς πατραλοίας, δι’ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἀντάρτας καὶ αὐθάδεις καὶ ἀκολούθους τοῦ ἐπαράτου Χάμ, ὁποῦ τὴν γύμνωσιν ἰδὼν τοῦ πατρός του ἀναιδῶς ἐγέλασε, δι’ αὐτοὺς λέγω τοὺς ἱεροκατηγόρους καὶ τῷ ὄντι ἀπονενοημένους, ἐξυφάνισε καὶ ὁ Σολομών· “Ὀφθαλμὸν πατρὸς καταγελῶντα, ἐκκοφάτωσαν οἱ κόρακες ἐκ τῶν φαράγγων, καὶ καταφάγοισαν αὐτὸν νεοσσοὶ τῶν ἀετῶν” (Παροιμ. λ΄ 17). Καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ· “καταγελῶντος πατέρας σβεσθήσεται λαμπτήρ, οἱ δὲ κόραι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ ὄψονται σκότος...” (Παροιμ. κ΄ 9).
Ἀξιοκατάκριτοι ἀληθινὰ καὶ αὐτόχρημα βδελύγματα εἶναι οἱ ἱεροκατήγοροι, καθὼς εἶναι ἐκεῖνοι ὁποῦ πτύουν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον ἐκείνων, ὁποῦ ταῖς βρώμαις των παστρεύουν. Ἀξιοκατάκριτοι καὶ παμβέβηλοι εἶναι οἱ ἱεροκατήγοροι, καθὼς εἶναι ἐκεῖνοι ὁποῦ βλασφημοῦν εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Πανάγιον. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ οἱ ἱερωμένοι εἶναι ὄργανα τοῦ Παναγίου Πνεύματος. Εἶναι ψηφισμένοι ὑπηρέται τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ Λόγου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅστις δεσποτικῶς προστάζει καὶ προτρέπει πὼς ἀποφαίνεται· «μὴ ἅπτεσθε τῶν χριστῶν μου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς προφήταις μου μὴ πονηρεύεσθε» (Ψαλμ. ρδ΄ 15).
Ὅθεν ἐσεῖς, Χριστιανοί μου, καὶ ὡς εὐσεβεῖς, καὶ ὡς φρόνιμοι καὶ νουνεχεῖς, φύγετε, λείψατε ἀπὸ αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχοφθόρον καὶ σωματοφθόρον κακοήθειαν, διὰ [σ. 7β] νὰ μὴ φανῆτε ἐδῶ μὲν ὡς βδελύγματα ἐνώπιον Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἐκεῖ δὲ ὡς πέτευρα πυρίκαυστα τῆς αἰωνίου κολάσεως. Μὴ καταδεχθῆτε νὰ ἐξαπατᾶσθε ἀπὸ κάποια ἀγοραῖα ἀνθρωπάρια, μηδαμινὰ καὶ βεβλαμμένα κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ αἴσθησιν, διὰ νὰ μὴ συγκοινωνήσητε εἰς τὴν ἀσυγχώρητον ἐκείνην ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ διὰ νὰ μὴν ἐξάψητε κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς σας καὶ τὴν ἀγανάκτησιν καὶ ὀργὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τῶν παλαιῶν ἐκείνων ἱερωμένων, ὡς κατηγοροῦντες τοὺς γνησίους διαδόχους των, οἱ ὁποῖοι καὶ ψυχικῶς σᾶς ὠφελοῦν καὶ σωματικῶς καθ’ ἑκάστην σᾶς εὐεργετοῦσι κατὰ μίμησιν τῶν παλαιῶν ἐκείνων προκατόχων τους. Διατί, ἂν καὶ ἅγιοι δὲν εἶναι οἱ τωρινοὶ ἱερωμένοι, καθὼς φλυαροῦν οἱ τραγέλαφοι ἐκεῖνοι ἀγοραῖοι, εἶναι ὅμως τοσοῦτον ἀναγκαῖοι, τοσοῦτον σωτηριώδεις καὶ ὠφέλιμοι εἰς ὅλους σας, ὅσον ἦτον καὶ οἱ παλαιοὶ εἰς τοὺς προγενεστέρους σας.
Ἐπειδὴ δι’ αὐτῶν τούτων καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἡ λαμπρότης καὶ ἡ δόξα διασώζεται καὶ χαρακτηρίζεται μὲ τὰς ἱεροπρεπεῖς ψαλμωδίας των καὶ μὲ τὰς ἀγγελομιμήτους δοξολογίας των. Δι’ αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ψυχικὴ καὶ σωματικὴ σας σωτηρία, ὡς προείπομεν, καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀποθαμένων σας ἡ ἄνεσις ἐπιδαψιλεύεται μὲ τὰς καθημερινὰς των λειτουργίας καὶ ἐκτενεῖς ἀκολουθίας των. Δι’ αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ κατὰ πάσας πόλεις, χώρας καὶ κώμας καὶ χωρία καὶ πολυχνία θεία ἐπικουρία καὶ ἀντίληψις καὶ προστασία ἐπιχορηγεῖται καὶ βραβεύεται. Ὡσὰν ὁποῦ αὐτοὶ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἐλέους, ζωῆς καὶ ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτιῶν σας, καὶ ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης τοῦ σύμπαντος κόσμου καὶ τῆς τῶν πάντων ἑνώσεως, καὶ παρακαλοῦσι καὶ ἐπαγρυπνοῦσι καὶ λειτουργοῦσι καὶ δέονται πρὸς Κύριον νυκτός τε καὶ ἡμέρας, κατὰ τὴν ἱερὰν διάτυπωσιν τῆς Ἁγίας Ἐκκλησίας. Ἂν ὅμως καὶ ἀναιτίως ἤθελαν λείψῃ καὶ αὐτοὶ (ὃ μὴ γένοιτο) ἀπὸ τὸν κόσμον, πόση ἄραγε ἡ δυστυχία σας, καὶ πόση τῶν ψυχῶν σας ἡ ἀπώλεια ἤθελε σᾶς γένῃ; Στοχασθῆτε το καὶ μόνοι σας. Ἐσεῖς ἤθελε εἶσθαι ὅλοι ἀστεφάνωτοι. Τὰ τέκνα σας ἤθελαν μείνῃ ἄπαντα ἀβάπτιστα. Οἱ νέοι ἤθελαν χάσῃ τὴν σωτή- [σ. 8α] ριώδη ὁδηγίαν τῶν καὶ εὐσεβῆ διαίτησίν των. Ἡ χριστιανικὴ διαγωγὴ καὶ πολιτεία ἤθελεν ἐκλείψῃ διόλου ἀπὸ ὅλους σας. Εἰς τὰς συνόδους δὲν ἤθελε πλέον βασιλεύῃ ἡ ἱερὰ ἐκείνη καὶ θεολογικὴ σοφία, ἡ διδάσκουσα τὰ οὐράνια μαθήματα καὶ παραδίδουσα τὰ θεοπαράδοτα μυστήρια. Οἱ ἱεροὶ ἄμβωνες, καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἀρχιερατικοὶ μας θρόνοι, ἤθελαν εἶσθαι ἄφωνοι, ἄπρακτοι καὶ ἄλαλοι. Οἱ χωρικοὶ καὶ οἱ χυδαῖοι ἄνθρωποι ἤθελον ἀπομείνῃ παντελῶς δυστυχισμένοι. Διατί τίνος ἤθελε τρέξῃ νὰ τοὺς διορθώσῃ; Οἱ ῥαπτάδες ἢ οἱ παπουτζῆδες; Οἱ γουναρᾶδες ἢ οἱ κουϊμτζῆδες; Οἱ τζοχατζῆδες ἢ οἱ σαδαλτζῆδες; Οἱ κασαπῆδες ἢ οἱ σιμιτζῆδες; Οἱ φραγκοπραγματευτάδες ἢ οἱ φλύαροι λογάδες; Ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ μέσα καὶ ἔξω καὶ εἰς τὰς πόλεις καὶ χώρας καὶ κώμας, ἤθελον μείνῃ παντελῶς ἀπηλπισμένοι. Διατί ποῖος ἤθελε τοὺς δώσῃ ἢ ὁδηγίαν εἰς τὰ πρακτέα ἢ διόρθωσιν εἰς τὰ βεβιωμένα ἢ θάρρος καὶ παρηγορίαν εἰς τοὺς φόβους καὶ τρόμους ἐκείνους, ὁποῦ δοκιμάζει κάθε ψυχὴ, ὅταν ἀνοίγῃ τὰ φτερὰ της νὰ πετάξῃ ἀπὸ τὸν πρόσκαιρον τοῦτον κόσμον εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν αἰώνιον;
Μά, πῶς ὅλα ταῦτα εἶναι ἔργα, πράξεις καὶ καθημερινὰ ἀποτελέσματα τῶν τωρινῶν ἱερωμένων τίς δὲν τὸ ἠξεύρει; Ἡ Ἑλλὰς ὅλη τὸ φωνάζει. Ἡ Εὐρώπη τὸ κηρύττει. Ἡ Ἀσία τὸ μαρτυρεῖ. Ὁ κόσμος ὅλος τὸ αἰσθάνεται καὶ τὸ ὁμολογεῖ. Μόνον, ὅμως, μόνον δὲν τὸ αἰσθάνονται οἱ κατὰ ψυχὴν τυφλοὶ καὶ πεπωρωμένοι τῇ καρδίᾳ, οἱ τραγέλαφοι, λέγω, ἐκεῖνοι ἀγοραῖοι, οἱ ὁποῖοι φλυαροῦσι καὶ τολμοῦσι νὰ ἐπιτολμοῦν νὰ φρονοῦν, νὰ λέγουν, καὶ νὰ γράφουν ὅσα αἴσχιστα, τόσον ἀδικώτατα κατὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ ἱερέων καὶ λειτουργῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου...
Ἡμεῖς ὅμως, οἱ ὀρθόδοξοι καὶ καλοὶ Χριστιανοί, ὀρθῶς διανοούμενοι ταῦτα πάντα, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα καλά, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα βιοφελῆ καὶ ψυχωφελῆ σᾶς κάμνουν καὶ σᾶς ἐκτελοῦν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ ἱερεῖς καὶ λειτουργοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ Ὑψίστου, ζυγιάσατε τὸ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἄπειρον χρέος σας μὲ τρόπον εὐσυνείδητον, καὶ τότε βεβαιότατα θέλει σᾶς φανῇ ὅτι ὅλοι κοινοῦ οἱ ἱερωμένοι εἶναι ἄξιοι μεγίστης τιμῆς, μεγίστης εὐλαβείας, ἄκρας ὑποταγῆς, καὶ ὅτι πλείστης θεραπείας καὶ περιποιήσεως...
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
