My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.
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ON OCTOBER 11th OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE HOLY APOSTLE PHILIP, WHO WAS ONE OF THE SEVEN DEACONS AND LATER BISHOP OF TRALLES
The holy Apostle Philip was born in Caesarea of Palestine. He was married and had four daughters who prophesied. Later, he was chosen to be a Deacon by the holy Apostles and was ordained together with the holy Protomartyr (First Christian Martyr), the Archdeacon Stefanos (Stephen). He served the saints (Christian believers) with much fervor and cared for the poor and the widows. After the slaying of Saint Stefanos, there was a persecution against the Church at Jerusalem, and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Twelve Holy Apostles. Then Saint Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ, and the people with one accord gave heed to those things which he spoke (Acts, Ch. 8). He confirmed his preaching with numerous miracles, healing every illness and compelling evil spirits to come out crying with a loud voice from the men possessed by them. There was great joy in that city inasmuch as Philip healed not only the bodily infirmities but also the souls of those who received his preaching and believed in the True Messiah. Now there lived there a renowned wizard named Simon, who astonished the whole of Samaria with his sorcery and was regarded by all as a great miracle-worker. When this man saw the miracles worked by the hands of Saint Philip, which were greater than those he accomplished through his sorcery, and heard the Saint's proclamation of the Kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, he also believed and was baptized with the others.
Once, an Angel of the Lord appeared to Saint Philip and commanded him to arise and to go toward the south along the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. While travelling, Saint Philip saw a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of Candice, Queen of the Ethiopians, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. He was returning to Gaza and sitting in his chariot, reading the books of the Prophets. The man the holy Apostle instructed in the faith which is in our Lord Jesus Christ, and he baptized him along the way.
After he had baptized the eunuch, Saint Philip was caught up by an Angel and taken to Azotus, and passing through he preached the word of God in that region. Then he went to Caesarea, where his house was, and he lived for a time there with his four virgin daughters who prophesied. Later he returned to Jerusalem, was consecrated to the episcopacy by the holy Apostles, and was sent to Tralles in Asia Minor to preach. There he worked numerous miracles and converted many to Christ, baptizing those who believed, and in deep old age he departed unto the Lord. (Source: The Great Collection of The Lives of the Saints)
Acts, Chapter 8:26-40
"Meanwhile, Philip was commanded by an angel of the Lord, Rise up, and go south to meet the road which leads from Jerusalem to Gaza, out in the desert. So he rose up and went; and found there an Ethiopian. This man was a eunuch, a courtier of Candace, queen of Ethiopia, and had charge of all her wealth; he had been up worship at Jerusalem, and was now on his way home, driving along in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaias. The Spirit said to Philip, Go up that chariot and keep close by it. And Philip, as her ran up, heard him reading the prophet Isaias, and asked, Canst thou understand what thou art reading? How could I, said he, without someone to guide me? And he entreated Philip to come up and sit beside him. The passage of scripture which he was reading was this; He was led away like a sheep to be slaughtered; like a lamb that is dumb before its shearer, he would not open his mouth. He was brought low, and all his rights taken away; who shall tell the story of his age? His life is being cut off from the earth. And the eunuch turned to Philip, and said, Tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? Himself, or some other man? Then Philip began speaking, and preached to him about Jesus, taking this passage as his theme. As they went on their way, they came on a piece of water, and the eunuch said, See, there is water here; why may I not be baptized? Philip said, If thou dost believe with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered, I believe that Jesus Christ, is the Son of God. So he had the chariot stopped, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him there. But when they came up from the water, Philip was carried off by the spirit of the Lord, and the eunuch did not see him any longer; he went on his way rejoicing. As for Philip, he was next heard of at Azotus; and from there he went preaching all round the villages, until he reached Caesarea."
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ON OCTOBER 11th OUR WE COMMEMORATE THE SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
The Seventh Ecumenical Council (the second of Nicaea): Called in 787 A.D. over the Iconoclast heresy: under Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople, Adrian, Pope of Rome, Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene, number of holy Fathers: 367.
Iconoclasm
Iconoclasm was one of the most powerful and prolonged heretical movements. The Iconoclast heresy began in the first half of the Seventh Century and continued to disturb the Church for more than 100 years. Directed against the veneration of icons, it touched also on other aspects of the faith and Church order (for example, the veneration of the Saints). The seriousness of this heresy was increased by the fact that a whole series of Byzantine emperors acted energetically in its favor for reasons of internal and external politics; these emperors were also hostilely disposed to monasticism. The heresy was condemned at the Seventh Ecumenical Council (Synod) in 787 A.D., and the final triumph of Orthodox Christianity occurred in 842 A.D. under Saint Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople; at that time there was established the feast of the "Triumph of Orthodoxy," while is observed by the Church up to now (one the First Sunday of Holy and Great Lent).
Protestantism is very clearly iconoclastic and very much against the use of holy icons and of the holy relics of the Saints of the Christian Church. Tragically, however, there are some today who call themselves Orthodox Christians who have abandoned the Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church and refuse to venerate the holy icons and even the holy relics. They enter the church for worship and pass by the holy icons in the Narthex without even giving a glance toward them. This attitude is not just now with the pandemic but for years.
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" - Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry)
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George