Ά Κυριακή των Νηστειών. Κυριακή της Ορθοδοξίας
Μητροπολίτου Αντινόης Παντελεήμονος
Κατά το έτος 726 μ.Χ. ο αυτοκράτωρ του Βυζαντίου, Λέων Γ΄, επηρεασμένος από τις αιρετικές διδασκαλίες των Νεστοριανών και Παυλικιανών, οι οποίοι ήσαν κατά της χρήσεως εικόνων, διέταξε την απαγόρευση της προσκυ νήσεως των εικόνων. Όπου επικράτουν εικονομάχοι επίσκοποι οι εικόνες καταστρέφοντο. Η αντίδραση των Ορθοδόξων κορυφώθηκε, όταν ο βασιλιάς διέταξε την αφαίρεση της θαυματουργού εικόνος του Χριστού, που ήταν επάνω από την κυρία είσοδο των ανακτόρων.
Η εικονομαχία δεν αναφέρετο μόνον στην απαγόρευση της προσκύνησης των εικόνων, αλλά ήταν μία ευρύτερη θρησκευτική και εκκλησιαστική μεταρρύθμιση. Οι εικονομάχοι ηρνούντο, συνάμα, την προσκύνηση των αγίων λειψάνων, τις πρεσβείες των αγίων και της Θεοτόκου.
Ο λαός επαναστάτησε και με αρχηγό κάποιον Κοσμά στράφηκε με στόλο εναντίον της Κωνσταντινοπόλεως, αλλά ο έμπειρος στρατηγός και αυτοκράτωρ Λέων κατόρθωσε και έπνιξε την επανάσταση, συνέλαβε τον Κοσμά και τον αποκεφάλισε. Απ’ εκείνη την ημέρα ο αυτοκράτωρ διέταξε την γενική απαγόρευση της προσκυνήσεως και χρήσεως των εικόνων και σήκωσε σκληρό διωγμό εναντίον οποιουδήποτε ήταν εικονόφιλος. Η Ορθόδοξος Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία μπήκε σε μία περιπέτεια που κράτησε πάνω από 120 χρόνια. Ο λαός διαιρέθηκε σε εικονόφιλους και εικονοκλάστες.
Αναρίθμητοι μάρτυρες και ομολογητές έδωσαν την ζωή τους υπέρ των ιερών εικόνων και πολλοί εγγράμματοι επίσκοποι και μοναχοί συνέγραψαν έργα υπερασπίζοντας την τιμητική προσκύνηση των ιερών λειψάνων και εικόνων των αγίων της Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας. Μεταξύ των πολλών που συνέγραψαν έργα υπέρ των ιερών εικόνων είναι και ο Άγιος Ιωάννης ο Δαμασκηνός, ο Άγιος Βασίλειος ο Μέγας, Αρχιεπίσκοπος Καισαρείας της Καππαδοκίας και ο Άγιος Θεόδωρος, ηγούμενος της Μονής του Στουδίου.
Οι άγιοι Πατέρες τόνιζαν στα συγγράμματά τους, ότι η προσκύνηση των εικόνων και των ιερών λειψάνων δεν είναι λατρευτική, διότι λατρεία προσφέρομε μόνον στον Τριαδικό Θεό, αλλά τιμητική. Η προσκύνησή μας δεν απευθύνεται στη ύλη, αλλά διαβαίνει στο πρωτότυπο. Με την ενσάρκωση του Υιού και Λόγου του Θεού ο άνθρωπος έχει το δικαίωμα να απεικονίζει ό,τι είδε. Ο θρίαμβος της Ορθοδοξίας επήλθε τελικά το 843 μ.Χ., όταν η αυτοκράτειρα Θεοδώρα με την ενδημούσα Σύνοδο της Κωνσταντινουπόλεως αναστήλωσε την προσκύνηση των εικόνων και θέσπισε την γιορτή της Ορθοδοξίας.
Σήμερα, λοιπόν, οι Ορθόδοξοι όλου του κόσμου πανηγυρίζουν και σηκώνουν με ευλάβεια στα χέρια τους τις ιερές εικόνες και ψέλνουν στον Άγιο Θεό: «Την άχραντον εικόνα Σου προσκυνούμε, Αγαθέ, αιτούμενοι συγχώρησιν των πταισμάτων ημών, Χριστέ ο Θεός, …» Σήμερα, η ομήγυρις των Ορθοδόξων ομολογεί πίστη ορθή στον Ένα της Τριάδος και Δημιουργό του σύμπαντος. Σήμερα, ο Ορθόδοξος λαός υψώνει τον Τίμιο Σταυρό, το λάβαρο της Ορθοδοξίας, και κηρύττει την αγάπη του προς τους αγίους, τα ιερά αυτών λείψανα και τις ιερές εικόνες. Σήμερα, η Ορθόδοξος Εκκλησία ασπάζεται τους αγίους. Σήμερα, η Ορθόδοξος Εκκλησία προσφέρει τιμητική προσκύνηση προς όλους όσους έγιναν μιμητές του Νυμφίου της Εκκλησίας και είτε με την οσία ζωή και πολιτεία, είτε με τα συγγράμματά τους, είτε με την άσκηση ή το μαρτυρικό τέλος τους επισφράγισαν την ορθή τους πίστη και δόξασαν τον Κύριο μας Ιησού Χριστό. Αυτούς όλους τιμούμε ως γνησίους φίλους και υπηρέτες του Σωτήρος Χριστού.
Η Κυριακή της Ορθοδοξία γιά μας, που ζούμε σε μία χώρα όπου η Ορθόδοξος πίστη είναι μία μειονότητα, έχει ιδιαίτερη σημασία. Διότι, κατ’ αυτήν ενθυμούμεθα όλες τις θυσίες που οι προπάτορές μας υπέστησαν γιά να είμαστε εμείς, σήμερα, Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί. Μέσα, λοιπόν, σ’ αυτή την περίοδο της Αγίας και Μεγάλης Τεσσαρακοστής, ας αγωνισθούμε να κρατήσουμε και εμείς ψηλά το λάβαρο της Ορθοδοξίας μέσα στις καρδιάς μας και να κυματίζει η σημαία του Χριστού μέσα στη ζωή μας προς δόξα του Πατρός και του Αγίου Πνεύματος. Αμήν.
First Sunday οf Lent
By
His Eminence
Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes
With the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, namely the Son and Logos of God the Father, all the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled.
Jesus Christ by both word and deed, proved that He was the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind. The Teacher from Nazareth showed that He was the true Messiah as prophesied by Moses: "I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not give heed to my words which' he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him" (Deut. l8:l8, ¬l9).
The Saviour of mankind revealed to us the true knowledge of God, that is to say the true faith in the Holy Trinity. This faith has been safe-guarded from the beginning right up until today in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Orthodox Church, which is the Body of Christ.
Our Lord Himself prayed to His Heavenly Father, saying: "l have given them the words which Thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that l came from Thee; and they have believed that Thou didst send me. l am praying for them; l am not praying for the world but for those whom Thou hast given me, for they are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and l am glorified in them. And now l am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and l am coming to Thee. Holy Father keep them in Thy name, which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as we are one" (John l7:8-11).
Our Lord did not establish many churches with numerous different beliefs. He established One Church and One Faith. The existence today of a multitude of Christian beliefs and practices proves how men misinterpreted the true Teaching of our Lord. Any deviation, no matter how small, from the true Teachings of our Lord and His Apostles, leads to heresy. Anyone who tries to interpret on his own the Divine Revelation without the guidance of Scripture and Holy Tradition ends in heresy.
In the Gospel of St. Luke we read a prophecy that is being fulfilled right up until today. "And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, 'Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against'" (Luke 2:34). This prophecy of St. Simeon was fulfilled in Christ, because Christ is the One person who has been the centre of attention throughout the world for the past two thousand years, provoking either love or hatred. He is the salvation of those who believe in him. ''He who believes and is baptised will be saved" (Mark l6:l6), but also the condemnation of those who having heard the truth refuse it, "but he who does not believe will be condemned." (Mark l6:l6).
He who accepts the true Faith is guided to salvation. But he who believes in Christ, but does not accept the true teaching about Christ, as taught by our Lord Himself and His Holy Apostles and the Fathers of the Church, loses his way in heresy which in turn leads to his condemnation.
Christ is the truth and the Truth overcomes falsehood, just as our Lord overcame death by His Resurrection. Orthodoxy is the true Faith in Christ, she is the true Church, the Body of Christ and, as the Body of Christ, she has prevailed over heresy throughout the centuries. "l will build by church, and the power of death shall not prevail against it" (Matt. l6:l8).
Christianity has existed for two thousand years and anyone of goodwill, who wants to know which is the original Christian Faith and Church, has only to study history. And history will proclaim loudly that Orthodoxy is that Church and Faith which, through Her Holiness and true Teachings, and in spite of persecution, overcame every heresy that attempted to destroy truth which is to say Christ Himself.
Today many Orthodox Christians in the world, because they do not know their faith well, are tempted to say: "What difference is there between Orthodox and Roman Catholics and Reborn Christians, etc? They all believe in Christ, so they must be saved." In fact there is a big difference and the truth is not decided according to our personal ideas, beliefs and wishes. St. Paul teaches us, "for, in the first place, when you assemble as a church, Ι hear that there are divisions among you; and Ι partly believe it, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognised" (l Corinth. ll:l8-l9), "for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds" (2 Corinth. ll:l3-l5). St. Peter teaches us: "but false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction" (2 Peter 2:l). Our Lord Himself teaches us: "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray" (Matt. 24:ll) and "if any one says to you, Lo, here is the Christ! or there he is! do not believe it. For false-Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect" (Matt. 24:23-24). St. John the Beloved teaches us: “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world" (l John 4:l).
From the above verses we see that our Lord and His Apostles were warning us that many false teachers would appear and that they would have as their aim the leading astray of the faithful from the Truth. The Orthodox Church on the other hand, has the function of presenting the True Faith unchanged and unadulterated. For this reason the truth exists there where there is consensus of the Bishops. Thus the teachings of the Ecumenical Councils express the true Dogmas of the Christian Faith. "The Bishops, when they drew up definitions at the Councils, did not imagine that they had explained the mysteries, they merely sought to exclude certain false ways of speaking and thinking about them. Το prevent men from deviating into error and heresy, they drew a fence around the mysteries, that was all" (Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, l985, p. 28).
The Orthodox Church recognises Seven Ecumenical Synods. Today we commemorate the Seventh Ecumenical Synod at which it was decided that the icons which we have in Church and in our homes are not idols, as many believe, but symbols, and that the "honour which is given to the image passes over to the prototype. But this is an unwritten tradition, just as is also the worshipping towards the East and the worship of the Holy Cross" (St. John of Damascus). We do not worship the matter from which the icons are made. We worship only the Holy Trinity as the True God. Through icons we show respect to the holy persons who are depicted in them. These holy people, whom we call Saints, proved in their lives their faith in Christ and for this reason the Church places them before us as models worthy of imitation. St. John of Damascus calls the icons the "living books", because every time we see them they remind us of all that our Lord and His Mother and His Disciples did for our salvation, and how the Saints are glorified through their true faith in Christ.Today, we must also prove our Orthodox Faith, to those who are in heresy, that Orthodoxy is the only True Faith in Jesus Christ.
http://anavaseis.blogspot.gr/2013/03/blog-post_24.html
