AND HIS LOT IS AMONG THE SAINTS

From: Subject: AND HIS LOT IS AMONG THE SAINTS Date: Wed, 21 Feb 2007 18:48:07 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="Windows-1252" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.roacusa.org/9.html X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 AND HIS LOT IS AMONG THE SAINTS

AND = HIS LOT IS=20 AMONG THE SAINTS

On the = anniversary=20 of the finding of the honourable relics of the holy Hierarch Philaret=20 (Voznesensky)

Tatyana Senina

THE = ANGEL OF THE=20 PHILADELPHIAN CHURCH

=20 Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of = such as=20 have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours. When they see = it, they=20 shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the = strangeness of=20 his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. And they = repenting and=20 groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves, This was he, = whom we=20 had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach: We fools accounted = his=20 life madness, and his end to be without honour. How is he numbered among = the=20 children of God, and his lot is among the saints! Therefore have we = erred from=20 the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined unto = us, and=20 the sun of righteousness rose not upon us. We wearied ourselves in the = way of=20 wickedness and destruction: yea, we have gone through deserts, where = there lay=20 no way: but as for the way of the Lord, we have not known it. =

From = the Third=20 Reading for Holy Hierarchs (Wisdom of Solomon 5.1-7)

=20 The Holy Hierarch Philaret, in the world George Nikolayevich = Voznesensky, came=20 from a pious Orthodox family. He was born in the city of Kursk on March = 22,=20 1903. His father was a priest and, later, Archbishop Demetrius of Hailar = of the=20 Russian Church Abroad. In 1909 the family of Vladyka Philaret moved to = the Far=20 East, and until 1920 the future hierarch lived in Blagoveshchensk, where = he=20 finished high school.

=20 This is what Vladyka himself recounted about his childhood in a sermon = at his=20 nomination as Bishop of Brisbane.[ii] "There is hardly anything = specially worthy=20 of note in my life, in its childhood and young years, except, perhaps, a = recollection from my early childhood years, when I as a small child of = six or=20 seven years in a childishly nave way loved to 'play service' I = made myself=20 a likeness of a Church vestment and 'served'. And when my parents began = to=20 forbid me to do this, Vladyka Evgeny, the Bishop of Blagoveshchensk, = after=20 watching this 'service' of mine at home, to their amazement firmly = stopped them:=20 'Leave him, let the boy 'serve' in his own way. It is good that he loves = the=20 service of God.'" From this episode it is evident that Vladyka's future = lofty=20 ecclesiastical service was as it were foretold in a hidden way already = in his=20 childhood.

=20 After finishing high school the future Archpastor moved to Harbin, where = he=20 graduated from the Polytechnical institute and received a specialist=20 qualification as an engineer-electrical mechanic. Later, when he was = already=20 First Hierarch of the ROCA, he did not forget his friends at the = institute. All=20 those who had known him, both at school and in the institute, remembered = him as=20 a kind, affectionate comrade. He was distinguished by his great = abilities and=20 was always ready to help and helped his fellow pupils a great deal, = delivering=20 each one from any "woe" that may have threatened them. After the = institute he=20 got a job as a teacher and was known as a good, knowledgeable pedagogue; = his=20 pupils loved and valued him. But his instructions for the young people = went=20 beyond the bounds of the school programme and penetrated every aspect of = human=20 life. Many of his former pupils and colleagues after meeting him = retained a high=20 estimate of Vladyka's authority for the rest of their lives. =

Living in the family of a priest and = seeing the=20 life and labours of his father, a strict and pious pastor of the Church, = the=20 future Vladyka naturally became accustomed, from his early years, to the = church=20 and the Divine services. But, as he himself said later, this was at the=20 beginning only an external, haphazardly created habituation to the = atmosphere of=20 church life, in which there was "almost nothing deep, inwardly = apprehended and=20 consciously accepted". In truth, inward apprehension of the necessity of = faith=20 and life in accordance with faith is very important for a man insofar = as,=20 without this , perceiving church life in a merely external manner, = through the=20 atmosphere in which he lives, a man can later, in changed circumstances, = completely lose faith in God.

=20 "But the Lord knows how to touch the human soul!" recalled Vladyka = Philaret.=20 "And I undoubtedly see such a caring touch of the Father's right hand in = the way=20 in which, during my student years in Harbin, I was struck as if with a=20 thunder-clap by the words of the Hierarch Ignatius Brianchaninov which I = read in=20 his works: 'My grave! Why do I forget you? You are waiting for me, = waiting, and=20 I will certainly be your inhabitant; why then do I forget you and behave = as if=20 the grave were the lot only of other men, and not of myself?' Only he = who has=20 lived through this 'spiritual blow', if I can express myself thus, will=20 understand me now! There began to shine before the young student as it = were a=20 blinding light, the light of a true, real Christian understanding of = life and=20 death, of the meaning of life and the significance of death and = new inner=20 life began Everything secular, everything 'worldly' lost its interest in = my=20 eyes, it disappeared somewhere and was replaced by a different content = of life.=20 And the final result of this inner change was my acceptance of=20 monasticism"

=20 The holy hierarch accepted the monastic tonsure in 1931. In the same = year he=20 completed his studies in Pastoral Theology in Harbin. At this time he = had been=20 ordained he was the priest George. In monasticism he received the = name=20 Philaret in honour of Righteous Philaret the Merciful. In 1937 Fr. = Philaret was=20 raised to the rank of archimandrite.

=20 "Man thinks much, he dreams about much and he strives for much," the = holy=20 hierarch Philaret said in one of his sermons, "and nearly always he = achieves=20 nothing in his life. But nobody will escape the Terrible Judgement of = Christ.=20 Not in vain did the Wise man once say: 'Remember your last days, and you = will=20 not sin to the ages!' If we remember how our earthly life will end and = what will=20 be demanded of it after that, we shall always live as a Christian should = live. A=20 pupil who is faced with a difficult and critical examination will not = forget=20 about it but will remember it all the time and will try to prepare him- = or=20 herself for it. But this examination will be terrible because it will be = an=20 examination of our whole life, both inner and outer. Moreover, after = this=20 examination there will be no re-examination. This is that terrible reply = by=20 which the lot of man will be determined for immeasurable eternity = Although the=20 Lord Jesus Christ is very merciful, He is also just. Of course, the = Spirit of=20 Christ overflows with love, which came down to earth and gave itself = completely=20 for the salvation of man. But it will be terrible at the Terrible = Judgement for=20 those who will see that they have not made use of the Great Sacrifice of = Love=20 incarnate, but have rejected it. Remember your end, man, and you will = not sin to=20 the ages."

=20 The first years of the future holy hierarch's monasticism were passed in = the=20 usual temptations that are encountered on the path of this life. At = first Fr.=20 Philaret was greatly helped by the advice of the then First-Hierarch of = the=20 ROCA, Metropolitan Anthony (+1936), with whom Fr. Philaret corresponded = for=20 several years. And of course Fr. Philaret tried to draw the answers to = his=20 perplexities in the writings of the holy fathers, who from the very = beginning=20 instructed him on the path of the spiritual life and who constituted an=20 irreplaceable guide in the absence of living instructors. That Fr. = Philaret was=20 brought up in a truly Orthodox spirit precisely through the writings of = the holy=20 fathers is evident also from the fact that he later, almost always = practically=20 alone, rose up in defence of God's righteousness and Church truth. The = saints=20 taught him not to be afraid to be alone in the struggle for the truth, = for 'if=20 God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8.31). Fr. Philaret's = love for=20 the Word of God was such that he learned by heart all four Gospels, and = later,=20 throughout his life, he attempted to construct his sermons on an = interpretation=20 of this or that word of the Lord, on the Gospel parables and = stories.=20

=20 In Harbin Fr. Philaret was very active in ecclesiastical and = pastoral-preaching=20 work. Already in the first years of his priesthood he attracted many = people=20 seeking the spiritual path. The Divine services which he performed with = burning=20 faith, and his inspired sermons brought together worshippers and filled = the=20 churches. Multitudes pressed to that church in which Fr. Philaret was = serving.=20 All sections of the population of Harbin loved him; his name was also = known far=20 beyond the boundaries of the Harbin diocese. He was kind, accessible to = all=20 those who turned to him. Queues of people thirsting to talk with him = stood at=20 the doors of his humble cell; on going to him, people knew that they = would=20 receive correct advice, consolation and help.

=20 The holy Hierarch Philaret loved and pitied people. The Lord endowed him = with a=20 special gift the gift of finding the right approach to each = person. In his=20 sensitive and compassionate soul Vladyka immediately understood the = condition of=20 a man's soul, and, in giving advice, consoled the suffering, = strengthened the=20 despondent and cheered up the despairing with an innocent joke. He loved = to say:=20 "Do not be despondent, Christian soul! There is no place for despondency = in a=20 believer! Look ahead there is the mercy of God!" People went away = from him=20 pacified and strengthened by his strong faith.

=20 Vladyka was generous not only in spiritual, but also in material alms, = imitating=20 his protector, the righteous Philaret. Many learned only after his death = how=20 much good he had done and how he secretly given help to the needy. Many = homeless=20 people turned to him, and he refused help to nobody, except in those = cases in=20 which he literally had nothing left, when he would smile guiltily and = say:=20 "Nothing, my dear!" But then he would find a way out and give away = the=20 things he was wearing.

=20 Vladyka gave the whole of himself to the service of God and his = neighbours. In=20 reading the Holy Scriptures and the works of the holy fathers, he did = not see=20 them as something abstract, but as in truth the words of eternal life, = which=20 every Christian who wanted to be saved had necessarily to follow in his = life.=20 One of his favourite passages of Scripture, which he would often quote, = was the=20 words of the Lord from the Apocalypse reproaching the "lukewarm" = Christians.=20 Vladyka often emphasised that a man's lukewarmness, his indifference to = the=20 truth, is much worse that open opposition to Christ. This, for example, = is what=20 he said in his sermon on the Sunday of All Saints:

=20 "The Orthodox Church is now glorifying all those who have pleased God, = all the=20 saints.., who accepted the holy word of Christ not as something written=20 somewhere to someone for somebody, but as written to himself; they = accepted it,=20 took it as the guide for the whole of their life and fulfilled the = commandments=20 of Christ.

=20 " Of course, their life and exploit is for us edification, they are an = example=20 for us, but you yourselves know with what examples life is now filled! = Do we now=20 see many good examples of the Christian life?!. When you see what is = happening=20 in the world, you involuntarily think that a man with a real Orthodox = Christian=20 intention is as it were in a desert in the midst of the earth's teeming=20 millions. They all live differently Do you they think about what awaits = them? Do=20 they think that Christ has given us commandments, not in order that we = should=20 ignore them, but in order that we should try to live as the Church=20 teaches.

=20 ". We have brought forward here one passage from the Apocalypse, in = which the=20 Lord says to one of the servers of the Church: 'I know your works: you = are=20 neither cold nor hot. Oh if only you were cold or hot!" We must not only = be hot,=20 but must at least follow the promptings of the soul and fulfil the law = of=20 God.

=20 "But there are those who go against it But if a man is not sleeping = spiritually,=20 is not dozing, but is experiencing something spiritual somehow, and if = he does=20 not believe in what people are now doing in life, and is sorrowful about = this,=20 but is in any case not dozing, not sleeping there is hope that he = will=20 come to the Church. Do we not see quite a few examples of enemies and = deniers of=20 God turning to the way of truth. Beginning with the Apostle Paul =

=20 "In the Apocalypse the Lord says: 'Oh if only thou wast cold or hot, but = since=20 thou art neither cold nor hot (but lukewarm), I will spew thee out of My = mouth'=20 This is what the Lord says about those who are indifferent to His holy = work.=20 Now, in actual fact, they do not even think about this. What are people = now not=20 interested in, what do they not stuff into their heads but they = have=20 forgotten the law of God. Sometimes they say beautiful words. But what = can words=20 do when they are from a person of abominable falsehood?! It is necessary = to=20 beseech the Lord God that the Lord teach us His holy law, as it behoves = us, and=20 teach us to imitate the example of those people have accepted this law, = have=20 fulfilled it and have, here on earth, glorified Almighty God." =

=20 Following the example of the holy fathers, the holy Hierarch Philaret = did not=20 teach others what he himself did not do. He himself, like the saints, = whom he=20 called on people to imitate, accepted everything written in the Holy = Scriptures=20 and the patristic writings "not as something written somewhere to = someone for=20 somebody,", but as a true guide to life.

=20 Vladyka was exceptionally strict with himself and conducted a truly = ascetic=20 style of life. He had a rare memory, keeping in his head not only the = words of=20 the Gospel and the holy fathers, but also the sorrows and woes of his = flock. On=20 meeting people the holy hierarch demonstrated great interest for all = sides of=20 their life, he did not need to remember their needs and = difficulties he=20 himself developed the subject of conversation that interested a man, and = gave=20 ready replies to the perplexities tormenting him.

=20 In 1931 Manchuria was occupied by the Japanese armies. Fourteen years = later the=20 Japanese were succeeded by the communists in 1945 the Soviet = armies=20 defeated the Japanese army; immediately after the Soviet communists the = Chinese=20 came to power. In the first days of the "Soviet coup" the Soviet = government=20 began to offer Russian emigres the opportunity to take Soviet passports. = Their=20 agitation was conducted in a skilful manner, very subtly and cleverly, = and the=20 deceived Russian people, exhausted from the hard years of the Japanese=20 occupation during which everything Russian had been suppressed, believed = that in=20 the USSR there had now come "complete freedom of religion", and they = began to=20 take passports en masse.

At this time Fr. Philaret was the rector = of the=20 church of the holy Iveron icon in Harbin. There came to him a reporter = from a=20 Harbin newspaper asking his opinion on the "mercifulness" of the Soviet=20 government in offering the emigres Soviet passports. He expected to hear = words=20 of gratitude and admiration from Fr. Philaret, too. "But I replied," = recounted=20 Vladyka Philaret, "that I categorically refused to take a passport, = since I knew=20 of no "ideological" changes in the Soviet Union, and, in particular, I = did not=20 know how Church life was proceeding there. However, I knew a lot about = the=20 destruction of churches and the persecution of the clergy and believing=20 laypeople. The person who was questioning me hastened to interrupt the=20 conversation and leave"

=20 Soon Fr. Philaret read in the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate" that = Lenin=20 was the supreme genius and benefactor of mankind. Father Philaret could = not=20 stand this lie and from the ambon of the church he indicated to the = believers=20 the whole unrighteousness of this disgraceful affirmation in an = ecclesiastical=20 organ, emphasising that Patriarch Alexis (Simansky), as the editor of = the JMP,=20 was responsible for this lie. Fr. Philaret's voice sounded alone: none = of the=20 clergy supported him, and from the diocesan authorities there came a ban = on his=20 preaching from the church ambon, under which ban he remained for quite a = long=20 time. Thus, while still a priest, Vladyka was forced to struggle for = church=20 righteousness on his own, without finding any understanding amidst his = brothers.=20 Practically the whole of the Far Eastern episcopate of the Russian = Church Abroad=20 at that time recognised the Moscow Patriarchate, and so Fr. Philaret = found=20 himself involuntarily in the jurisdiction of the MP, as a cleric of the = Harbin=20 diocese. This was for him exceptionally painful. He never, in whatever = parish he=20 served, permitted the commemoration of the atheist authorities during = the Divine=20 services, and he never served molebens or pannikhidas on the order of, = or to=20 please, the Soviet authorities. But even with such an insistent = walling-off from=20 this false church behaviour, his canonical dependence on the MP weighed = as a=20 heavy burden on the soul of Fr. Philaret. When the famous campaign for = "the=20 opening up of the virgin lands" was declared in the USSR, the former = emigres=20 were presented with the opportunity to depart for the Union. To Fr. = Philaret's=20 sorrow, his own father, Archbishop Demetrius of Hailar, together with = several=20 other Bishops, were repatriated to the USSR. But Fr. Philaret, on his = own as=20 before, tirelessly spoke in his flaming sermons about the lie implanted = in the=20 MP and in "the country of the soviets" as a whole. Not only in private=20 conversations, but also from the ambon, he explained that going = voluntarily to=20 work in a country where communism was being built and religion was being = persecuted, was a betrayal of God and the Church. He refused outright to = serve=20 molebens for those departing on a journey for those departing for the = USSR,=20 insofar as at the foundation of such a prayer lay a prayer for the = blessing of a=20 good intention, while the intention to go to the Union was not = considered by Fr.=20 Philaret to be good, and he could not lie to God and men. That is how he = spoke=20 and acted during his stay in China.

=20 Such a firm and irreconcilable position in relation to the MP and the = Soviet=20 authorities could not remain unnoticed. Father Philaret was often = summoned for=20 interrogations, at one of which he was even beaten. In the end they = tried to=20 kill him: they set fire to the house in which he was living, having = first=20 boarded up the doors and windows on the ground floor. It was a terrible = fire,=20 and Fr. Philaret was only just able to save himself: he jumped out of a = window=20 on the first floor, and incurred serious burns. As a consequence of the=20 interrogations and burns he suffered, for the rest of his life he = retained a=20 small, sideways inclination of his head and a certain distortion of the = lower=20 part of his face; his vocal chords also suffered. Thus the holy Hierarch = Philaret was counted worthy of the lot of the confessors and martyrs for = the=20 Faith.

=20 Archimandrite Philaret left China only after almost the whole of his = flock had=20 left Harbin.

=20 "While striving to guard my flock from Soviet falsehood and lies," = recounted the=20 holy hierarch, "I myself sometimes felt inexpressibly oppressed to = the=20 point that I several times came close to the decision to leave = altogether =20 to cease serving. And I was stopped only by the thought of my flock: how = could I=20 leave these little ones? If I went and ceased serving, that would mean = that they=20 would have to enter Soviet "service" and hear prayers for the = forerunners of the=20 Antichrist "Lord, preserve them for many years," etc. This stopped = me and=20 forced me to carry out my duty to the end.

=20 "And when, finally, with the help of God I managed to extract myself = from red=20 China, the first thing I did was turn to the First Hierarch of the = Russian=20 Church Abroad, Metropolitan Anastasy, with a request that he consider me = again=20 to be in the jurisdiction of the Russian Church Abroad. Vladyka = Metropolitan=20 replied with mercy and love, and immediately blessed me to serve in Hong = Kong=20 already as a priest of the Synodal jurisdiction, and pointed out that = every=20 church server passing into this jurisdiction from the jurisdiction of = Moscow=20 must give a special penitential declaration to the effect that he is = sorry about=20 his (albeit involuntary) stay in the Moscow jurisdiction. I did this=20 immediately."

=20 Soon Fr. Philaret flew to Australia and arrived in Sydney. The ruling = Archbishop=20 of Australia accepted him with joy and love, and already in the first = weeks of=20 Fr. Philaret's stay in Australia began to speak about the possibility of = ordaining him as a Bishop. In the soul of Archimandrite Philaret there=20 immediately arose doubts and waverings. In accordance with his profound=20 humility, he considered himself weak and unworthy of such a lofty = service.=20 However, the experience of monastic obedience did not allow him to = decline from=20 the path to which ecclesiastical authority summoned him. In 1963 he was = ordained=20 Bishop of Brisbane, a vicariate of the Australian diocese. In his sermon = at his=20 nomination as Bishop Archimandrite Philaret said to the Archpastors who = were=20 present:

=20 "Holy Hierarchs of God! I have thought and felt much in these last days, = I have=20 reviewed and examined the whole of my life and I see, on the one = hand, a=20 chain of innumerable benefactions from God, and on the other the = countless=20 number of my sins And so raise your hierarchical prayers for my = wretchedness in=20 this truly terrible hour of my ordination, that the Lord , the First of = Pastors,=20 Who through your holiness is calling me to the height of this service, = may not=20 deprive me, the sinful and wretched one, of a place and lot among His = chosen=20 ones

=20 "One hierarch-elder, on placing the hierarchical staff in the hands of a = newly=20 appointed bishop, said to him: 'Do not be like a milestone on the way, = that=20 points out for others the road ahead, but itself remains in its = place Pray=20 also for this, Fathers and Archpastors, that in preaching to others, I = myself=20 may not turn out to be an idle slave."

=20 Of course, the humble servant of the Church had not idea at that time = that=20 already in the following year he would become First Hierarch of the = whole=20 Russian Emigration, and that his name would become known to all the ends = of the=20 earth as that of a confessor and champion of the True Orthodox = Faith.=20

=20 In 1964, having been for many years First Hierarch of the ROCA, = Metropolitan=20 Anastasy, for reasons of health and age, petitioned the Hierarchical = Sobor for=20 his retirement. The question arose who would be the new First Hierarch. = Some=20 members of the ROCA wanted to see the holy Hierarch John (Maximovich) as = their=20 head, but another part was very opposed to this. Then, to avoid any = further=20 aggravation of the situation, and a possible scandal and even schism, = the=20 Hierarch John removed his candidacy an suggested making the youngest = Hierarch,=20 Bishop Philaret, First Hierarch. This choice was supported by = Metropolitan=20 Anastasy: Vladyka Philaret was the youngest by ordination, had mixed = little in=20 Church Abroad circles, and had not managed to join any "party". And so, = in 1964=20 Bishop Philaret of Brisbane was elected to the First Hierarchical see by = the=20 Hierarchical Sobor of the ROCA.

=20 Truly the hand of God was in this ! Vladyka Philaret administered the = Russian=20 Church Abroad for 21 years. Under him many of those pleasing to God were = glorified: Righteous John of Kronstadt (in 1964), St. Herman of Alaska = (in=20 1971), Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg (in 1978) and, finally, in = 1981 the=20 Council of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia led by the Royal = Martyrs and=20 Patriarch Tikhon. It is worthy of note that until Metropolitan Philaret = there=20 was not one glorification of a new saint in the ROCA. This good = beginning=20 witnesses, as does Vladyka Philaret's whole activity, to the fact that = from the=20 very beginning of his first-hierarchical service he adopted a course = aimed at=20 preserving and defending patristic Orthodoxy, understanding that all the = formerly Orthodox churches in the world were falling away from the = faith, and=20 that true Christians had nothing in common with "Official Orthodoxy", = and that=20 therefore they should not wait until one of those sitting on the ancient = apostolic cathedras who alas! had fallen away from the = apostolic=20 confession of the faith, should glorify new saints that had clearly = already been=20 glorified by God, but should do it themselves.

=20 Being educated on the teaching of the holy fathers, Vladyka Philaret = strove to=20 lead his church along the path of the holy fathers. Unfortunately, he = was not=20 sufficiently understood by his episcopal brothers, some of whom = absolutely=20 refused to understand his striving. The holy hierarch had a difficult = task in=20 front of him, insofar as, on the one hand, it was necessary to lead the = Church=20 in the direction of a decisive rejection of the apostasy of "World = Orthodoxy",=20 and on the other, to preserve unity between the members of his own = Synod. A=20 particularly consistent supporter of rapprochement with World Orthodoxy = was=20 Archbishop Anthony of Geneva and Western Europe.[iii] Some Hierarchs = made=20 attempts to use the precedents of rare and irregular communion with the=20 "official churches" in the 1930s-50s to justify their striving to = preserve=20 communion with the ecumenists, referring, among other things, to the = fact that=20 the ROCA had never broken officially with a single one of the churches = of "World=20 Orthodoxy". The tacit aim of these Bishops' activity was to attain the=20 recognition by the ROCA of the MP, and to enter into a certain communion = with=20 her. But Vladyka Philaret truly became for these lovers of "World = Orthodoxy" a=20 stone of stumbling and a stone of temptation. In vain does one of the = opponents=20 of his course say today that Metropolitan Philaret "understood nothing" = about=20 what the position of the Church Abroad should be, because he lived the = whole of=20 his life far from "the great world" in a word, he was = "uneducated", he did=20 not know "the traditions of the Church Abroad" and for this = reason,=20 supposedly, his course was so strongly distinguished from the course of = all the=20 other "official churches".[iv] Others hint that he fell under someone's = "evil=20 influence". But it seems it would have been correct to say precisely the = opposite: the holy Hierarch Philaret received an excellent "education",=20 absorbing the patristic wisdom from his youth and acting under its = influence;=20 and the ecclesiastical course that he chose was so distinct from the = course of=20 the hierarchs of "World Orthodoxy" because the latter, being the sons of = this=20 world, simply trampled on the teaching of the holy fathers and canons of = the=20 Church, treating them as "non-existent".

=20 Moreover, the Lord in a clear way demonstrated that the path trodden by = the holy=20 Hierarch Philaret was pleasing to Him: in 1982 there was revealed a = miracle of=20 the mercy of God the wonder-working, myrrh-streaming icon of the=20 Iveron-Montreal icon of the Mother of God, which in the course of = fifteen years=20 unceasingly emitted myrrh and was hidden from us only in 1997. =

=20 While Vladyka Philaret was first-hierarch, ecumenism finally showed its = true=20 face the mask of a terrible heresy uniting in itself all the = earlier=20 heresies and striving to engulf Orthodoxy completely, destroying the = very=20 concept of the Church of Christ and creating a universal "church" of the = antichrist.

=20 As a counterweight to the apostate "Orthodox churches", Metropolitan = Philaret=20 strove to strengthen the movement of the True Orthodox Christians = throughout the=20 world. Thus in December, 1969, under his leadership, the Synod of the = ROCA=20 officially recognised the validity of the ordinations of Bishop Acacius=20 (Pappas)[v] and other hierarchs of the "Florinite" branch of the Greek = Old=20 Calendarists[vi], which Metropolitan Anastasy had refused to do before = the end=20 of his life. This recognition strengthened the position of the = "Florinites", as=20 a result of which the Old Calendarist "Matthewites" also turned to the = Synod of=20 the ROCA in 1971 Metropolitans Callistus of Corinth and Epiphanius = of=20 Cyprus arrived in New York with the aim of "establishing spiritual = communion for=20 the strengthening of the Sacred struggle for Orthodoxy." Communion was=20 established (although in 1976 the "Matthewites" broke it, to a = significant=20 extent because of the increasing numbers of concelebrations with = ecumenists in=20 the diocese of Archbishop Anthony of Geneva). This rapprochement with = the Greek=20 Old Calendarists went in parallel with a hardening of relations with the = "official churches". And it was about time, insofar as the stormy = ecumenist=20 activity of the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras led, in December, 1965, = to a=20 mutual "lifting of anathemas" between the Orthodox Church and the Roman=20 Catholics, about which declarations were made simultaneously in Rome and = Constantinople. Athengoras recognised the Catholics as his "brothers in = Christ".=20 Such as flagrantly anti-Orthodox deed on the part of the Ecumenical = Patriarch=20 could not leave the holy Hierarch Philaret indifferent. On December 15, = 1965 he=20 wrote to Athenagoras, protesting against his actions: "Your gesture puts = a sign=20 of equality between error and truth. For centuries all the Orthodox = Churches=20 believed with good reasons that it has violated no doctrine of the Holy=20 Ecumenical Councils; whereas the Church of Rome has introduced a number = of=20 innovations in its dogmatic teaching. The more such innovations were = introduced,=20 the deeper was to become the separation between the East and the West. = The=20 doctrinal deviations of Rome in the eleventh century did not yet contain = the=20 errors that were added later. Therefore the cancellation of the mutual=20 excommunication of 1054 could have been of meaning at that time, but now = it is=20 only evidence of indifference in regard to the most important errors, = namely new=20 doctrines foreign to the ancient Church, of which some, having been = exposed by=20 St. Mark of Ephesus, were the reason why the Church rejected the Union = of=20 Florence No union of the Roman Church with us is possible until it = renounces its=20 new doctrines, and no communion in prayer can be restored with it = without a=20 decision of all the Churches, which, however, can hardly be possible = before the=20 liberation of the Church of Russia which at present has to live in the = catacombs=20 A true dialogue implies an exchange of views with a possibility of = persuading=20 the participants to attain an agreement. As one can perceive from the = Encyclical=20 Ecclesiam Suam, Pope Paul VI understands the dialogue as a plan for our = union=20 with Rome with the help of some formula which would, however, leave = unaltered=20 its doctrines, and particularly its dogmatic doctrine about the position = of the=20 Pope in the Church. However, any compromise with error is foreign to the = history=20 of the Orthodox Church and to the essence of the Church. It could not = bring a=20 harmony in the confessions of the Faith, but only an illusory outward = unity=20 similar to the conciliation of dissident Protestant communities in the=20 ecumenical movement."[vii] Metropolitan Philaret sent a similar address = to=20 another leader of the ecumenical movement the American Archbishop = James.=20 However, the apostate hierarchs paid no attention to his exhortations. = The=20 ecumenical movement continued to gather speed. The holy Hierarch = Philaret looked=20 with sorrow on the falling away from the faith of the once Orthodox = Churches.=20 And he called the epistles which he sent to all the hierarchs of the = Orthodox=20 Church just that "Sorrowful Epistles".[viii] In his first Epistle, = written=20 in 1969, St. Philaret says that he has decided to turn to all the = hierarchs,=20 "some of whom occupy the oldest and most glorious sees", because, in the = words=20 of St. Gregory the Theologian, "the truth is betrayed by silence", and = it is=20 impossible to keep silent when you see a deviation from the purity of=20 Orthodoxy after all, every bishop at his ordination gives a = promise to=20 keep the Faith and the canons of the holy fathers and defend Orthodoxy = from=20 heresies. Vladyka quotes various ecumenist declarations of the World = Council of=20 Churches (WCC) and clearly shows, on the basis of the patristic teaching = and the=20 canons, that the position of the WCC has nothing in common with = Orthodoxy, and=20 consequently the Orthodox Churches must not participate in the work of = this=20 council. The holy Hierarch Philaret also emphasises that the voice of = the MP is=20 not the voice of the True Russian Church, which in the homeland is = persecuted=20 and hides in the catacombs. Vladyka calls on all the Orthodox hierarchs = to stand=20 up in defence of the purity of Orthodoxy.

=20 Vladyka Philaret wrote his second "Sorrowful Epistle" on the Sunday of=20 Orthodoxy, 1972. In it he noted that although in the last two years = hierarchs=20 had made declarations about the heterodoxy of the ecumenical movement, = not one=20 Orthodox Church had declared that it was leaving the WCC. Vladyka placed = as the=20 aim of his Second Epistle "to show that abyss of heresy against the very = concept=20 of the Church into which all the participants in the ecumenical movement = are=20 being drawn". He recalled the threatening prophecy of the Apostle Paul = that to=20 those who will not receive "the love of the truth for salvation" the = Lord will=20 send "strong delusion, that they should believe a lie. That they all = might be=20 damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" = (II=20 Thessalonians 2.10-12). St. Philaret's third Epistle was devote to the = so-called=20 "Thyateira Confession" of Metropolitan Athenagoras, the exarch of the=20 Constantinopolitan Patriarchate in Europe a document written in a=20 completely heretical spirit, but which did not elicit any reaction from = the=20 leaders of the "official churches". Evidently Vladyka Philaret hoped at = the=20 beginning that at any rate one of the bishops of "World Orthodoxy" might = listen=20 to his words, which is why he addressed them in his epistles as true = Archpastors=20 of the Church. Besides, attempts at exhortation corresponded to the = apostolic=20 command: "A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition = reject,=20 knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned = of=20 himself" (Titus 3. 10-11). It was fitting, before accepting an anathema = against=20 the apostates, to try and convert them from their error. Alas, no = conversion=20 took place, and the ecumenical impiety continued to pour out. Vladyka = addressed=20 his word not only to bishops, but also to their flock, untiringly = explaining the=20 danger of the new heresy. While telling about the zeal of St. Nicholas = the=20 Wonderworker, who slapped the face of Arius when he blasphemed against = the Son=20 of God, Vladyka said: "O how often we do not have enough of such zeal = when it is=20 really necessary to speak for the insulted and trodden-on truth! I want = to tell=20 you about one incident that took place not long ago and which it would = have been=20 difficult even to imagine several years ago and now we are going = further=20 and further downhill all the time. One man came from Paris and said that = the=20 following incident had taken place at a so-called "ecumenical meeting". = Of=20 course, you know what ecumenism is; it is the heresy of heresies. It = wants to=20 completely wipe out the concept of the Orthodox Church as the guardian = of the=20 Truth, and to create some kind of new, strange church. And so there took = place=20 this "ecumenical meeting". Present were a so-called Orthodox protopriest = from=20 the Paris Theological (more exactly, heretical) Institute, a Jewish = rabbi, a=20 pastor and a Catholic priest. At first they sort of prayed, and then = began the=20 speeches. And then (forgive me for saying such things from the holy = ambon, but I=20 want to show you what we have come to) the Jewish rabbi said that the = Lord Jesus=20 Christ was the illegitimate son of a dissolute woman

=20 "But that's not the main horror. The Jewish people has opposed God for a = long=20 time - so there's nothing surprising in this. But the horror was that = when he=20 said this everyone was silent. Later, a man who had heard this terrible=20 blasphemy asked the "Orthodox" protopriest: "How could you keep silent?" = He=20 replied: "I didn't want to offend this Jew." It's wrong to offend a Jew, = but to=20 insult the All-Pure Virgin Mary is permitted! Look at the state we have = come to!=20 How often does it happen to us all now that we do not have the zeal to = stand up,=20 when necessary, in defence of our holy things! The Orthodox cleric must=20 zealously stand up against blasphemy, just as the holy Hierarch Nicholas = stopped=20 the mouth of the heretic But now, unfortunately, we have become, as the = saying=20 goes, "shamefully indifferent to both the evil and the good". And it is=20 precisely in the soil of this indifference, of a kind of feeling of=20 self-preservation, that the heresy of ecumenism has established = itself as=20 also apostasy, that falling away which is becoming more and more evident = Let us=20 remember, brethren, that Christian love embraces all in itself, is = compassionate=20 to to all, wishes that all be saved and is sorry for, and merciful to, = and love=20 every creature of God; but where it sees a conscious assault on the = truth it=20 turns into fiery zeal which cannot bear any such blasphemy And so must = it always=20 be, because every Orthodox Christian must always be zealous for = God."=20

=20 At the beginning of the 1970s there arose within the Church Abroad a = powerful=20 movement in support of the Soviet dissidents. When the Third = All-Emigration=20 Council took place in 1974, a significant part of the participants = headed by=20 Archbishop Anthony of Geneva spoke in favour of the ROCA giving = unqualified=20 support to the dissidents in spite of their membership in the Moscow=20 Patriarchate and their ecumenist ideology, which was foreign to the = spirit and=20 teaching of the ROCA. However, the traditionalists, while giving due = respect to=20 the boldness of the dissidents, objected to their recognition, which = could lead=20 believers in Russia into error, devaluating the witness of the true = catacomb=20 confessors and creating the impression that one could be a true = confessor from=20 inside a heretical church organisation. Significantly later, in 1980, = after one=20 of the dissident leaders, Fr. Dmitri Dudko, had been "broken" and = offered=20 "tele-repentance"[ix] for his "anti-soviet activity", Vladyka Philaret = wrote to=20 one liberally-minded priest of the ROCA[x] that it could not be = otherwise,=20 insofar as Fr. Dmitri's activity had taken place inside the MP, that is, = outside=20 the True Church, "the church of the evil-doers", and therefore the God's = help=20 did not come to him. If Fr. Dmitri had joined the True Church, Soviet = power=20 would have dealt cruelly with him, but at the same time the Grace of God = would=20 have strengthened him for the exploit of true martyrdom. Thus the holy = hierarch=20 spoke out already at that time against the now very widespread ideology = of "the=20 struggle from within" for the regeneration of the Church, when the = "fighters for=20 Orthodoxy" carry on their activity within church organisations that have = fallen=20 away from Orthodoxy and that have preserved only the external shell of = the True=20 Church. Vladyka Philaret always warned his flock and priests against any = communion with the MP, not only in prayer, but also in daily life, = emphasising=20 that such an instruction was contained in the Testament of Metropolitan=20 Anastasy.

=20 At the Council of 1974 many voices were heard in favour of the union of = the ROCA=20 with the schismatic Paris and American jurisdictions "in the = spirit of=20 love", without emphasising differences of opinion. But these voices were = forced=20 to fall silent when Metropolitan Philaret underlined the fact that love = which=20 does not wish to trouble one's neighbour by pointing out his error is = not love,=20 but hatred[xi], as St. Maximus the Confessor wrote: "I want and pray you = to be=20 wholly harsh and implacable with the heretics only in regard to = cooperating with=20 them or in any way whatever supporting their deranged belief. For I = reckon it=20 misanthropy and a departure from Divine love to lend support to error, = that=20 those previously seized by it might be even more greatly = corrupted."=20

=20 After the death in 1976 of the catacomb Archbishop Anthony=20 (Galynsky-Mikhailovsky), the holy Hierarch Philaret accepted under his=20 omophorion fourteen hieromonks of the Catacomb Church who had been left = without=20 archpastoral care. Vladyka had a lofty estimate of the exploit of the=20 catacombniks and used to cite the example of the catacomb nuns who = refused to=20 carry out the commands of the godless authorities and received for their = firmness the miraculous help of God they did not freeze after = several=20 hours in the icy wind which the chekists had put them with the intention = of=20 killing them thereby. He used to say: "If the whole multi-million mass = of=20 Russian people were to display such faithfulness as these nuns = displayed, and=20 refused to obey the robbers who have planted themselves on the Russian=20 people communism would fall in a moment, for the people would = receive the=20 same help from God as miraculously saved the nuns who went to certain = death. But=20 as long as the people recognises this power and obeys it, even if with = curses in=20 their soul, this power will remain in place."[xii]

=20 Time passed, and it became clearer and clearer that it was impossible = for the=20 Orthodox to have any kind of communion with the "churches" of World = Orthodoxy,=20 let alone be in them: at the beginning of the 1980s there took place the = transition from inter-Christian to inter-religious ecumenism. In 1980 = the=20 ecumenical press-service (ENI) declared that the WCC was working out a = plan for=20 the union of the all Christian denominations into one new religion. In = 1981 in=20 Lima (Peru) an inter-confessional eucharistic service was devised = at a=20 conference during which Protestant and Orthodox representatives in the = WCC=20 agreed that the baptism, eucharist and ordination of all the = denominations was=20 valid and acceptable. But the greatest scandal was elicited by the = Vancouver=20 General Assembly of the WCC in 1983. Present at it were representatives = of all=20 existing religions, and it began with a pagan rite performed by the = local=20 Indians. Orthodox hierarchs took part in the religious ceremonies = together with=20 representatives of all the world's religions.[xiii]

=20 In the same year the Hierarchical Council of the ROCA pronounced an = anathema on=20 ecumenism: "To those who attack the Church of Christ by teaching that = Christ's=20 Church is divided into so-called 'branches' which differ in doctrine and = way of=20 life, or that the Church does not exist visibly, but will be formed in = the=20 future when all 'branches' or sects or denominations, and even religions = will be=20 united in one body; and who do not distinguish the priesthood and = mysteries of=20 the Church from those of the heretics, but say that the baptism and = eucharist of=20 heretics is effectual for salvation; therefore to those who knowingly = have=20 communion with these aforementioned heretics or advocate, disseminate , = or=20 defend their new heresy of Ecumenism under the pretext of brotherly love = or the=20 supposed unification of separated Christians, Anathema."

=20 It was obvious against whom this anathema was directed. After all, there = are no=20 heresies without heresiarchs, heretics and their practical activity. = Therefore=20 all the participants in the ecumenical movement who recognise it to be=20 ecclesiastical and useful are in heresy and are subject to the = condemnation of=20 those canons which the Church from of old applied against heretics = that=20 is, to excommunication. Also, those in communion with heretics become=20 participants in the same heresy. Factually speaking, they have already = fallen=20 away from the Church, and the anathema only witnesses to the fact that = they are=20 outside the Church. The opponents of the break with "World Orthodoxy" = said and=20 say much about the "invalidity" of this anathema to the extent of = saying=20 that the hierarchs of the ROCA accepted no anathema at all, but that = certain=20 "evil-minded people" simply introduced it into the text of the Acts of = the=20 Council. However, this seems improbable: after all, none of the = hierarchs later=20 renounced the anathema, none of them said that he had not signed it; the = anathematisation of ecumenism was introduced into the Synodicon of the = Sunday of=20 the Triumph of Orthodoxy Thus the work of Vladyka's whole life found its = highest=20 expression in a historical act having universal significance for the = whole=20 Fullness of Orthodoxy in the official anathematisation of the = ecumenical=20 heresy of heresies and the apostates of our age. It is evident that no=20 exhortation directed at the "Orthodox" ecumenists could have any effect, = and a=20 very powerful cauterisation was necessary in order to halt the general=20 infection. In one of his sermons Vladyka spoke about those who = transgress the=20 teaching of the Church, explaining the significance of the anathema: = "the Church=20 declares that they have cut themselves off from communion with the = Church,=20 having ceased to listen to her maternal voice. And this is not only for = the=20 information of others, so that they should know this, but also for the = good of=20 the excommunicates themselves. The Church hopes that this threatening = warning,=20 at any rate, will act upon them"

=20 Vladyka Philaret suffered many insults for his activity. It got to the = point=20 that a certain archimandrite in the presence of Vladyka declared to the = other=20 hierarchs that it was necessary quickly to remove "such an unfitting=20 Metropolitan" However, the holy hierarch paid no attention to such = insults,=20 remembering that he would have to give an account to Christ the Chief = Shepherd=20 and that of him, as a Bishop, would be asked first of all how he = preserved and=20 defended the Orthodox Faith. He showed no partiality before anyone. Thus = when in=20 1970 Archbishop Averky, the former rector of Holy Trinity monastery in=20 Jordanville, who in his views concerning the apostasy of the = contemporary world=20 was very close to the holy hierarch Philaret, [xiv] suddenly, in 1970, = permitted=20 Monophysite heretics to serve in the community's church ouf of some kind = of=20 "pastoral condescension", Vladyka Philaret, on hearing of this, ordered = the=20 church to be immediately closed and hallowed as having been defiled by = heretics,=20 and also in a letter to Vladyka Averky[xv] pointed out all the = anticanonicity of=20 this act, emphasising that it could be justified by no economy and = expressing=20 the fear that the faithful children of the ROCA would turn away from her = if=20 similar incidents were repeated

=20 In spite of the opposition of individual bishops and clergy, Vladyka was = loved=20 by the broad masses of the church people. As during his life in Harbin, = the holy=20 hierarch refused nobody help on his becoming First-Hierarch. He took = special=20 care over the spiritual enlightenment of the young people, whom he very = much=20 loved and by whom he was always surrounded. He taught people true = humility and=20 repentance:

=20 "Sometimes people say about themselves: "Oh, I'm very religious, I'm a = deep=20 believer," and they say this sincerely, thinking that can in = actual fact=20 say this about themselves with good reason From the life of the Church = we see=20 that those who really had true faith always thought about themselves and = their=20 faith in a very humble way, and always considered and were conscious of=20 themselves as being of little faith He who really believes does not = trust his=20 faith and sees himself as being of little faith, who in essence does not = have=20 the true faith thinks that he believes deeply

=20 "We see a similar 'paradox' in the moral, ethical and spiritual = evaluation of a=20 person; righteous men see themselves as sinners, while sinners see = themselves as=20 righteous.

=20 " In the soul of a sinner unenlightened by the Grace of God, who does = not think=20 about the spiritual life, who does not think about correction, who does = not=20 think about how he will answer for himself before God, everything has = merged=20 together, and he himself can make out nothing in it; only the all-seeing = God=20 sees the pitiful condition of the soul of this man. But he himself does = not feel=20 it and does not notice it, and think that he is not that bad, and that = the=20 passages in the Gospel that talk about great sinners have no = relationship at all=20 to him. Perhaps he does not think of himself as holy, but he supposes = that he is=20 not that bad

=20 "Those who were pleasing to God thought of themselves in a completely = different=20 way and saw themselves and their spiritual nature in a completely = different=20 light. One ascetic wept all the time; his disciple asked him: "Father, = what are=20 you weeping about?" "About my sins, my son," he replied. "But what sins = can you=20 have? And why do you weep over them so much?" "My son," replied the = ascetic, "if=20 I could see my sins as they should be seen, in all their ugliness, I = would ask=20 you to weep for my sins together with me." That is how these = extraordinary=20 people spoke about themselves. But we, being ordinary people, do not see = our=20 sinfulness and do not feel its weight. Hence it turns out as I have just = said: a=20 person comes to confession and does not know what to say. One woman = arriving for=20 confession just said: "Batyushka, I've forgotten everything." What do = you think:=20 if a man has a painful hand or leg or some inner organ, and goes to the = doctor,=20 will he forget that he has a pain? So is it with the soul: if it really = burns=20 with a feeling of repentance, it will not forget its sins. Of course, = not one=20 person can remember all his sins all to the last one, without = exception.=20 But true repentance unfailing demands that a man should be conscious of = his=20 sinfulness and feel sincere compunction over it.

=20 "We pray in the Great Fast that the Lord grant us to behold our = sins our=20 sins, and not other people's. But it is necessary to pray about this not = only in=20 the Fast, but at all times to pray that the Lord may teach us to = see=20 ourselves as we should and not think about our supposed "righteousness". = But we=20 must remember that only the mercy of God can open a man's eyes to his = true=20 spiritual condition and in this way place him on the path of true=20 repentance."

=20 It is interesting that Vladyka imitated the Apostles of Christ not only = in their=20 pastoral labours and zeal for the faith. He also very much loved = fishing, and=20 often went fishing. With this aim he even had a special "fisherman's = cassock"=20 into which he changed when he went fishing.

=20 We know of cases of healing through Vladyka's prayers. But if another = holy=20 hierarch of the Russian Emigration, Vladyka John, was glorified by a = multitude=20 of miracles, of healings and similar signs, the holy hierarch Philaret = was in=20 this respect more "unnoticed"; the Lord counted him worthy of another = gift =20 that of standing for ecclesiastical righteousness, of reproaching the = impiety of=20 the apostates of our age and of calling on all the faithful who really = wish, not=20 in words but in deeds, to be Orthodoxy, to turn away from the new heresy = of=20 ecumenism and from communion with the false Orthodox. The Apostle Paul = says:=20 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit = withal. For=20 to one is given wisdom; to another the word of wisdom; to another the = word of=20 knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to = another=20 the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of = miracles And=20 God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, = thirdly=20 teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, = governments,=20 diversities of tongues" (I Corinthians 12.7-10, 28). And in truth the = Lord gave=20 to the holy hierarch Philaret flaming faith, the word of wisdom and = reason to=20 confirm it, and placed him as an apostle and teacher of His = Church.=20

=20 Throughout his life the holy hierarch Philaret was a fighter for the = truth and=20 called on Christians to love the truth, to value it, to defend it and to = place=20 nothing in life higher than it. "The distinguishing characteristic of = our time,"=20 he used to say, "is that people are now more and more possessed by = indifference=20 to the Divine truth. Many beautiful words are spoken, but in fact = in=20 reality people are completely indifferent to the truth. Such = indifference=20 was once displayed by Pilate, when the Lord stood before him at his = trial.=20 Before Pilate stood the Truth Himself, but he sceptically declared: = "What is=20 truth?" that is, does it exist? And if it does, then it is a long = way from=20 us, and perhaps does not exist. And with complete indifference he turned = away=20 from Him Who announced the truth to him, Who was the Truth Himself. And = now=20 people have become similarly indifferent. You have probably more than = once heard=20 supposedly Christian words about the union of all into one faith, into = one=20 religion. But remember that what lies behind this is precisely = indifference to=20 the truth. If the truth were dear to a man, he would never go on this = path. It=20 is precisely because the truth is of little interest to everyone, and = they=20 simply want somehow to make simpler and more convenient arrangements in = matters=20 of the faith, too, that they say: 'Everyone must unite'

=20 "Brethren, we must fear this indifference to the truth. Our Lord Jesus = Christ in=20 the Apocalypse clearly indicates to us how terrible indifference to the = truth=20 is. There he turns to the Angel standing at the head of the Laodicean = Church and=20 says: 'I know thy works. Thou art neither cold nor hot. Oh if only thou = wast hot=20 or cold! But since thou art neither cold nor hot (but lukewarm = neither the=20 one nor the other, the truth is not dear to thee), I will spue thee from = My=20 mouth!' As an organism cast out of itself something which is absolutely=20 repulsive and harmful to it.

=20 "Let us remember that this indifference to the truth is one of the main = woes of=20 our age of apostasies. Value the truth, O man! Be a fighter for the = truth Place=20 the truth higher than all else in life, O man, and never allow yourself = to=20 decline in any way from the true path.

=20 " There are now many attacks on the Church Abroad. Not one Church is = reviled as=20 much today. And the servers of other Churches are not revile as much as = the=20 servants of the Church Abroad. What does this mean? This is the most = reliable=20 sign that our Church stands in the truth, and therefore every lie, every = unrighteousness has taken up arms against her in war She stands in the = truth and=20 preaches this truth, announces it and defends it hence all these = attacks=20 on her.

=20 "Let us remember and value the fact that you and I belong to the Holy = Church,=20 which in no way sins against the truth, but contains it in such a way as = our=20 Lord Jesus Christ and the holy apostles commanded. Amen."

=20 The holy hierarch Philaret always used to say that Christians who are=20 indifferent to the truth are precisely those who are called the = Laodicean Church=20 in the Apocalypse, who think: "I am rich, and increased in goods, and = have need=20 of nothing" (Rev. 3.17), and who, if they do not repent and acquire zeal = for the=20 Truth, will be cast out of the Heavenly Kingdom as being offensive to = the Lord.=20 It seems that we can compare Vladyka Philaret himself with the Angel of = the=20 Philadelphian Church, of whom it is said in the Apocalypse: "And to the = Angel of=20 the Church in Philadelphia write: These things saith He that is holy, He = that is=20 true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man = shutteth, and=20 shutteth, and no man openeth: I know thy works: behold, I have set an = open door=20 before thee, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, = and has=20 kept My word, and hast not denied My name Because thou hast kept the = word of My=20 patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall = come=20 upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I = come=20 quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" = (Rev.=20 3.7-8, 10-12). In truth, the Lord opened before Vladyka a door for = preaching and=20 reproaching the apostates of this age, and no one was able to shut this = door.=20 Vladyka "had a little strength" he did not have a multitude of = helpers and=20 those who thought as he did; and although he always insisted on the = complete=20 cessation of concelebrations with clerics and bishops of ecumenist = "Orthodox"=20 churches, nevertheless he did not have enough strength completely to = attain this=20 end in the West European diocese such concelebrations continued. = However,=20 there can be no doubt that Vladyka Philaret's inestimable merit consists = in the=20 fact that he did not allow all the Church as a whole to go along "the = path of=20 compromise" between Orthodoxy and ecumenism. The holy hierarch Philaret = kept the=20 word of the Lord and did not reject His name and the true Orthodox = confession=20 before the face of the falling away into ecumenism of the majority of = the=20 Orthodox hierarchs, which already in itself was a wonderful example of = firmness=20 and determination after all, we know that bad examples are = infectious,=20 that "evil conversation corrupts good manners", and that when there is = nobody=20 around you who really cares for Orthodoxy it becomes very difficult to = stand in=20 the truth Vladyka "kept what he had" Orthodoxy, and was not = deprived of=20 his crown: the Lord made him one of the pillars in His Heavenly Church = and "a=20 pillar of fire and a pillar of cloud" showing the way to all the = Orthodox living=20 upon the earth.

=20 "The confessor of Orthodoxy and defender of the Church of Christ from = the heresy=20 of heresies, Metropolitan Philaret, passed away to the Lord on November = 8/21,=20 1985, on the day of the Chief Captain of God Michael the warrior = against=20 the very first heresy since the creation of the world, as a result of = which a=20 part of the angels fell away from the Grace of God and became demons 14 = years=20 have passed since them And looking at the path that the Church Abroad = has=20 trodden since the day of the death of the holy hierarch Philaret until = the day=20 on which his honourable incorrupt relics were revealed to the world = (October 28=20 / November 10, 1998), one wants to ask the question: have we remained = faithful=20 to the teaching of St. Philaret, are we continuing to go along his = confessing=20 path?

=20 Vladyka struggled for the whole of his life for the purity of Orthodoxy, = and=20 this struggle led to the proclamation in 1983 by a Council of the ROCA = of the=20 anathema against the ecumenist heresy, under which anathema all the = hierarchs of=20 "World Orthodoxy" fall, with whom now, according to the Church canons, = it is no=20 longer possible to have any communion in prayer. However, from 1987 a = very=20 strange interpretation of the anathema of 1983 began to be implanted, = according=20 to which this anathema supposedly has no universal significance, but is=20 applicable only to members of the ROCA who hold ecumenist views. This=20 interpretation implies that the Local churches that participate in = ecumenism=20 have not yet fallen under anathema, and consequently cannot be called = graceless,=20 whence the possibility exists of there being salvation among them, and=20 concelebrations with them are permitted, and negotiations with them "in = the=20 spirit of love" are necessary, and similar anti-Orthodox conclusions. = Therefore=20 many children of the Church, striving to remain faithful to the teaching = of St.=20 Philaret, have not accepted this strange interpretation.

As a result, a sad division has taken = place in the=20 Church Abroad: almost three tenths of the clergy in America, and also = about a=20 tenth of the parishes in France have left the ROCA and joined the Greek = Old=20 Calendarists.

=20 Vladyka Philaret strove to support the newly converted Americans who = were=20 seeking True Orthodoxy. But now we more and more often hear that all = "converts"=20 are simply extremists who have no place in the ROCA the Church of = Russian=20 emigres.

=20 Vladyka Philaret had great respect for the archpastors of the Catacomb = Church=20 and strove to give the Russian catacombniks every kind of help and = support.=20 However, in 1990 Vladyka Lazarus (Zhurbenko) declared that Vladyka = Anthony=20 (Galynsky-Mikhailovsky) was not a canonical catacomb Bishop, and that = all the=20 ordinations carried out by him were invalid. As a result of this, a part = of the=20 catacombniks shunned the Church Abroad: many of them were very = distrustful of=20 Archbishop Lazarus, while Archbishop Anthony was revered as a great = confessor=20 and saint. The moving of parishes from the MP into the jurisdiction of = the=20 Hierarchical Synod of the ROCA, which began in 1990, instilled the hope = in the=20 zealots of Orthodoxy that the situation both in the ROCA itself and in = the=20 Russian Church as a whole would be corrected.[xvi] However, as = "negotiations in=20 the spirit of love" have developed between some hierarchs and clergy of = the ROCA=20 and hierarchs of the MP, distrust towards the priestly leadership of the = Russian=20 Church Abroad has begun to appear in a part of the True Orthodox = Christians of=20 Russia

=20 Metropolitan Philaret tried by all means to secure the cessation of=20 concelebrations with members of the ecumenist churches. Especially after = the=20 proclamation of the anathema of 1983, similar concelebrations can no = longer be=20 permitted. But they continue to take place periodically, especially with = clergy=20 and hierarchs of the Serbian Patriarchate, and this, it seems, is no = longer=20 considered disgraceful. What would the holy hierarch Philaret have said = about=20 concelebrations with a Serbian hierarch-ecumenist in the cathedral in = San=20 Francisco where the relics of the warrior for True Orthodoxy, the holy = hierarch=20 and wonderworker John, repose?..