Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 17

The Month of October

Day 17

48. To Parishioners Living Among Schismatics

(The Passion of the Holy Venerable Martyr Andrew, who was from Crete)

When you Orthodox Christians encounter schismatics, and they begin, in your presence, to blaspheme our faith and the Church, some of you remain completely indifferent to their blasphemies and, out of ignorance, offer them no response. Others, which is worse still, are carried away by the ravings of the schismatics. They abandon the faith and the Church, sometimes even leaving their families, and themselves join the schism. Is this right, brethren? No, it is very wrong, for whoever sells the holy faith and the Church becomes another Judas.

Therefore, if you are truly Orthodox Christians, do not merely believe, but also confess your faith. That is, do not renounce it; defend it with all the strength of your soul against every form of blasphemy and slander. Do not sell it to just any heretic, and do not become traitors to it yourselves. To learn how to do this, study the confession of faith of the saints. By their example, better than by any words, they will show you how a Christian ought to conduct himself toward heretics and with what courage and patience he ought to defend his holy faith and the Church against their schemes and slanders.

For now, consider at least one confessor of the faith: Andrew. He initially lived in the wilderness on the island of Crete. Although he was a layman, he conducted himself like a true monk, spending his days in fasting and prayer. When he heard that the impious Emperor Constantine Copronymos had begun defending the teaching of the heretics who rejected the veneration of holy icons and persecuting those who venerated them, he was inflamed with zeal for the faith and Christian love. He went to Constantinople, where he began speaking openly, courageously, and boldly to the people, urging them not to be deceived by the emperor’s words or the teaching of the heretics. He exhorted everyone to remain steadfast in the faith and even to be ready to endure torments for Christ.

But what did this cost Andrew? On one occasion, when he rebuked the emperor for his iconoclasm, some of the emperor’s servants threw him to the ground, others beat him, and still others trampled him underfoot. On another occasion, after Andrew had rebuked the heretical emperor a second time, he was made to endure even worse suffering. First, the emperor ordered that Andrew be stripped and beaten mercilessly. Then, after the first punishment, he ordered that Andrew be beaten again, even more brutally, until the ground around the Saint was stained with blood.

But this was not enough. Other heretics joined the emperor in turning against the confessor of the faith. Some threw stones at Andrew, others crushed his jaw, and still others pierced his ribs. Yet the confessor’s sufferings did not end there. The emperor once again issued an order for Andrew to be beaten without mercy, and he was beaten so severely that his body was torn apart and crushed. Then they bound him by the feet and dragged him along the ground through the entire city to the place where criminals were put to death. Along the way, one of the heretics rushed up to the Saint and cut off his leg with an axe. Andrew died from this amputation, and his body was thrown among the corpses of criminals.

So, do you see how the saints who lived among heretics regarded their faith? They defended it with all the strength of their souls, turning away from heresy everyone they possibly could. Neither torments nor death could compel them to renounce their confession of the holy Orthodox faith.

Therefore, act as they did. Do not allow zealots to gather at their assemblies and publicly spew blasphemies against the Church. Turn away from the schismatics all those whom they have led astray. Exhort all Orthodox Christians in general to avoid contact with schismatics, to keep their mouths closed against their blasphemies, and to keep away from their leaders as they would from ravenous wolves.

You must act in this way without fail, for listen to what the Lord says: “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32–33). Amen.

Questions for Discussion 48:

1. How did the Holy Venerable Martyr Andrew spend his days while living as a layman on the island of Crete?

2. What did Andrew say to the people in Constantinople when the impious Emperor Constantine Copronymos began persecuting those who venerated icons?

3. What did Andrew exhort the people to do?

4. By what means did the saints defend their faith?

5. According to the Lord’s words, whom will He confess before His heavenly Father?

 

Source: The Cheti-Minei: Homilies for Every Day of the Year (Book 1: September, October, November) by Archpriest Viktor Guryev. Publication of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, 1896. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.