VatopaidiFriend: Rev. Fathers, dear brothers in Christ, The main aim of the contributors of the vatopaidi.wordpress.com is to work for the worldwide unity of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, namely Orthodoxy. Any texts concerning the Orthodox spiritual life, any news about Orthodoxy or other relevant information is welcomed. Our aim is to publish and/or republish Orthodox information from all Patriarchates and all jurisdictions that are in communion with the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Within this context, we avoid to interfere with church politics. In some cases the latter has more to do with human errors than with divine illumination. Human errors are to be corrected with spirit of love in Christ and humility. We support all Orthodox Patriarchates (Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria, Moscow, e.t.c.) and all Orthodox jurisdictions. However, we always keep in mind that as the Ecumenical conventions have decided, the primary (among equals) patriarchate is the one in Constantinople. For this reasons we decided to republish the letter of His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you,
and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward
in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:11-12).
Dearly Beloved in the Lord,
Christos Anesti!
The Church of Constantinople, tracing her apostolic roots back to St. Andrew the First Called of the Apostles, continues to preserve the integrity and sanctity of our Christian Orthodox Church. The apostolicity of the Throne of Constantinople is further acknowledged by the historical fact that the Apostle and Evangelist John preached in Asia Minor.
For over 2000 years, faithful Orthodox Christians have kept the Church in Constantinople alive. This is especially true of the last 556 years, since the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans. Each day the faithful of the Ecumenical Throne, both clergy and laity, live their lives witnessing to our precious Faith in a Muslim world. Their world is one of sacrifice and persecution that comes from outside the Church. Διαβάστε τη συνέχεια του άρθρου »