Bearing Shame With Christ

 

The mockery of Christ, fresco in the holy monastery of Metamorfosis, Meteora (from here)

Ancient faith / Glory 2 God for all things · Fr. Stephen Freeman

Public shaming is a commonplace in our culture. Public stocks and tar-and-feathering have disappeared, but shaming itself is as up-to-date as the internet itself. I well imagine that some view the use of ridicule and derision as an inherent part of public life. Those who enjoy the accolades of crowds must be prepared to endure their opprobrium. Of course, for those who live anonymous lives, such public shaming is about other people.  The quiet sense (and sometimes not so quiet) that “they had it coming to them” is the strange pleasure of envy, a subset of shame. These are among the darkest parts of our public life.

Of course, there is nothing new about shame and envy. That our digital world is infected with them is nothing more than a manifestation of an ancient social contagion. It was envy that drove Cain to kill his brother. It continues to drive murders to this day.

It is deeply significant that the gospel account of Christ’s Passion includes ample descriptions of the shame and envy that permeated that event. Indeed, St. Mark’s gospel tells us that Christ perceived that it was “out of envy that the chief priests had delivered Him up” (Mark 15:10). I have noticed, across the years, that the texts for the services of Holy Week make far more mention of shame and envy (the “mocking and the spitting”) than they do of the specific suffering of the crucifixion itself. Crucifixion is not about the pain (the Romans had far more painful options at their employ). Crucifixion is specifically about the shame – it was considered the lowest form of execution – particularly suited for slaves.

St. Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless, I live…” Our attention is drawn to the Cross and its nails. However, if crucifixion is primarily an act of public shaming, then we have far more literal opportunities to be crucified with Christ. The mocking and the spitting, if only in their lesser forms, are likely common to us all.

Of course, there’s a very quiet crucifixion of shame endured by many: the torturous voices that haunt our lives, whispering in the dark. The insidious power of such shame makes us want to hide (hiding is in the very nature of shame). It attacks more than our actions – it goes for our very self.

We hear this in the mocking words hurled at Christ: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross…” A similar taunt was spoken by the devil in the temptations in the wilderness. “If you…”

The taunts within us take on their own form – but are almost always aimed at “who we are,” or “what kind” of person we imagine ourselves to be. They are likely the deepest source of pain in our lives.

If it is true that we are “crucified with Christ,” then it is also true that Christ is crucified “with us.” The mocking and the spitting that we undergo in our own minds and lives is something that Christ has made His own. We are not alone. This is at the very heart of God’s love. In my pastoral experience through the years, I see that we doubt the love of God. We are unworthy (of course). We fail to love Him in return (of course). There is something within us, I think, that makes us give greater weight to the words and thoughts of shame than we do to the assurance of God’s love.

Our brains are wired for protection (for which we give thanks). However, that same wiring tends to give greater emphasis to dangers and warnings than to joy and celebration. Christ knows this very aspect of our being:

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”(Heb. 2:14–15)

I am aware of this, particularly, in the sacrament of confession, when the epitrahelion (stole) of the priest is placed over my head and I hear the soothing words that assure me of God’s forgiveness:

…May that same God forgive you all things, through me a sinner, both in this present world, and in that which is to come, and set you uncondemned before His dread Judgment Seat. And now, having no further care for the sins which you have declared, depart in peace.

I think of that space beneath the epitrahelion as the “secret place of the Most High.”

St. Paul wrote:

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Rom. 8:17)

I suspect we often externalize this verse and presume that it refers only to those who endure physical torture. However, its focus is found in the phrase, “with Him.” We unite our sufferings (even our self-inflicted mental tortures) with Him with as small a phrase as, “Lord, have mercy!” I have also been taught to pray, “O God, comfort me!”

In these things, with Christ, we are “more than conquerors.”

Let us die with Christ in the Jerusalem of our minds, that we may reign with Him in the New Jerusalem of His Kingdom!

 

Image: a detail from Christ Carrying the Cross by Hieronymous Bosch, ca. 1515.

 

The Bridegroom and Judgment // Orthodox Holy Week

 

Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching; and again, unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless.  Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, lest you be given up to death and lest you be shut out of the Kingdom.  But rouse yourself crying: Holy, holy, holy, art Thou, O our God.  Through the Theotokos, have mercy on us.

+ Troparion of Bridegroom Matins

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When the Romeoi (Rum) are persecuted, does Greece merely “follow the situation”?

 

Aγγλική μετάφραση του άρθρου Συρία: Ὅταν καταδιώκονται οἱ Ρωμηοί, ἡ Ἑλλάδα ἁπλῶς «παρακολουθεῖ»;, που δημοσιεύθηκε στην ιστοσελίδα της ΝΙΚΗΣ.

The violent events of the past days in Syria (27 March 2026), and especially in the city of al-Suqaylabiyah (Seleucia), where the Romeiko indigenous population predominates, leave absolutely no room for misinterpretation. Orthodox Romeoi (Rum) are being targeted by religiously motivated violence from fanatic elements, with barbaric and ruthless attacks against homes, property, and human lives.

Beyond the personal appeals for help voiced by many Romeoi—even addressed directly to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis—which were posted on social media as cries of anguish, the harsh truth is also recorded by the very voice of the Church. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, in a firm and unequivocal statement, does not speak of mere “incidents,” but of the incitement of religious tensions and calls for the protection of its faithful. This alone should suffice.

And yet, the Greek Government chose to respond with a weak, brief, and “formal” statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—issued, notably, in English, so that the Greek people themselves might remain unaware—stating that it is following with concern the situation and takes into account the announcement of the Syrian Government regarding the investigation of the incidents, calling for its swift implementation.

A typical “following the situation”?

What exactly is it following? The gradual disappearance of the Orthodox presence in the East? The repetition of historical persecutions? The silent genocide of a living part of our Genos?

This stance is neither “composure” nor “diplomacy.” It is political absence, national indifference, and complete historical irresponsibility.

For the Romeoi of Syria are not “a foreign population” that it is merely desirable to protect. They are flesh of the flesh of our Genos. They are Seleucia. They are Antioch. They are the Romeiko Middle East. They are our historical heart. They are the living continuation of our homeland, Romanía (misleadingly and deceitfully termed “Byzantium”).

And there, today, severe violence is being inflicted.

Greece does not have the luxury to “follow the situation.” It has the duty to act.

It has the duty:
– to condemn clearly and unequivocally these attacks
– to bring to the forefront internationally the issue of the persecution of Orthodox Christians
– to demand security guarantees for these communities from the Syrian Government, even by attaching conditions to its funding by the European Union
– to actively support the Patriarchate of Antioch

And above all: to remember—and to re-examine—its identity.

For if Greece does not defend Romeosyne and the Romeoi throughout the world, and especially in the, in every respect, “sensitive” region of the Middle East, then it ceases to have any reason for existence as the historical and spiritual center of our Genos.

NIKI has consistently supported the Romeoi of the Middle East by bringing their problems to light in international forums, through Greek and foreign-language texts, through multiple parliamentary interventions, and through substantive proposals such as the granting of expatriate (homogeneis) status. We once again call upon the Government to truly support and protect our Romeoi brothers in Syria. We also call upon every Greek who feels a sense of responsibility toward our history, our culture, our heritage, and toward our afflicted brothers—with whom we share not only a common past but also a common future—to bring their endless martyrdom to light in every possible direction.

We will not abandon the Romeoi of the Middle East.
We will not grow accustomed to persecution.
We will not remain silent.

Romeosyne does not “follow the situation.”
Romeosyne resists.

Romeosyne Policy Department of NIKI

Democratic Patriotic Popular Movement NIKI 

History of the Sundays of Great Lent

 

The Catalog of Good News

The Sundays of Great Lent are dedicated to events and personalities from different times. The events of Palm Sunday date back to the life of Christ, while St Gregory Palamas was born at the end of the 13th century. Some commemorated events have changed; some remained constant since antiquity; the origin of others remains obscure. This article describes how the Sundays of Great Lent were established and what they commemorate.

Triumph of Orthodoxy

The Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy was established in connection with the events of the Constantinople Council condemning iconoclasm in 843. After the Council ended, Empress Theodora established a celebration in honor of the Orthodox people’s victory. It fell on the first week of Great Lent. It was therefore decided to commemorate these events on the first Sunday of Lent. The liturgical order of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (the Synodicus) took shape by the 11th century.

According to the texts of the Lenten Triodion, before the Triumph of Orthodoxy, this Sunday was dedicated to the memory of the prophets. Some of the liturgical hymns dedicated to the prophets were eventually replaced by texts in honor of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.

Sunday of St Gregory Palamas

 

St Gregory Palamas lived in the 14th century. He was canonized in 1368, 9 years after his death, and his memory on the second Sunday of Great Lent was established in 1376.  This continued the topic of Orthodoxy’s victories over heresies, since St Gregory won in many years of controversy against Barlaam the Calabrian, Gregory Akindynos and Nicephorus Gregoras. 

Before the memory of St Gregory was established, this Sunday had been associated with the parable of the prodigal son. This is evidenced by the canon dedicated to this parable, read at Matins on this day, according to the Lenten Triodion. In the ancient liturgical manuscripts of Jerusalem, on this Sunday there is also a reading of the actual parable.

Μore here. 

Veneration of the Holy Cross

Special veneration of the Holy Cross during the third week of Great Lent was established in the 7th century. It was associated with several historical events. Knowing these events is important for those wishing to understand the Lenten atmosphere. Find out about all of them in our recent article.

Sunday of St John Climacus

It is impossible to say exactly when the Church canonized St John. We know however that in the tenth century he was already revered as a saint. According to the 10th century Synaxarion of the Church of Constantinople, the memory of St John was celebrated on March 30. The earliest known liturgical texts celebrating the memory of St John on the fourth week of Great Lent date back to the 14th century. Likely, the decision to celebrate St John’s memory on the fourth Sunday of Great Lent has been influenced by occasional coincidences of the two dates.

Sunday of St Mary of Egypt

 

Image of St Zosimas and St Mary of Egypt in the Church of Santa Maria Antiqua (was an ancient Orthodox Church)

 

The Venerable Zosimas, who was made worthy of communion with St Mary, was the spiritual father of St John Climacus. Zosimas told John about St Mary, making him her great admirer. When, over time, John also began to be treated as an elder, the news of St Mary spread through his spiritual children. 

St Mary of Egypt soon began to be widely revered. This is evidenced by the fact that the Patriarch Sophronius of Jerusalem personally compiled her hagiography. St Mary departed to the Lord around 522, whereas Patriarch Sophronius lived in 560-638. Given the development level of the means of communication in the early Middle Ages, this is an extremely short time for the veneration of a saint to spread.

It is quite possible that one of the Sundays of Great Lent was dedicated to St Mary as early as the 7th century. It may have been done in the wake of the general church veneration of this great ascetic, whose deeds of repentance are fully in line with the Lenten mood.

However, it is most likely that the Sunday in honor of St Mary of Egypt was established later. The memory day of St Mary of Egypt was first mentioned in church calendars as late as in the 9th century. The Martyrology by Ado of Vienne (9th century) refers to St Mary’s deeds as “praiseworthy”.  The oldest depiction of St Mary, dated c. 850, was preserved in the church of Santa Maria Antiqua in Rome. The earliest text of the service commemorating St Mary on the fifth week of Great Lent dates back to the 11th century.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday was the first among the Sundays of Great Lent to be established. It is also the only one directly related to the gospel events. The first mentions of the feast date back to the fourth century. They were made by St Ambrose of Milan and St Epiphanius of Cyprus. In liturgical books, Palm Sunday has been mentioned since the 7th century.

Apparently, it was established so early because the event of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem is known to have taken place exactly one week before His Resurrection. 

Post-Liberalism: The West in Search of Romeosyne

 

Democratic Patriotic Popular Movement NIKI 

In the contemporary West, an interesting and revealing phenomenon is unfolding.
After decades of radical liberalism, individualism, and the dismantling of every tradition, a new current of thought is beginning to emerge — one described as “post-liberalism.” Among its principal exponents are Patrick Deneen, John Milbank, and Alasdair MacIntyre.

Western thinkers themselves now openly acknowledge that a society without moral bonds, without community, without a sacred center, collapses. When man deifies the individual, he loses all meaning. Freedom cannot survive in a society that has dissolved every moral tie, every tradition, and every sacred cell — such as the family. Liberalism, in attempting to liberate man from his roots, has left him defenseless, stranded in a life devoid of substantive meaning.

What the West (Europe and the broader Euro-descended world) today baptizes as “post-liberalism” is not a new wisdom. It is the awkward admission of its failure. Having dismantled community, family, and faith, it now seeks — even unconsciously — the very Romeike roots it lost through the centuries, primarily under the weight first of Frankish domination and subsequently of Papalism. It seeks the roots that we have known for centuries as Romeosyne.

Romeosyne is neither an ideology nor a political current. It is the living mode of existence of our Genos (sic) — our historic peoplehood.

For Romeosyne, freedom is not license but virtue and purification of the heart. It is liberation from the passions. It is the fruit of ascetic life and divine Grace. It is not the removal of every limit, but the voluntary self-binding of man to the good. What Western thinkers today rediscover as the need for a “moral framework” and self-restraint, our tradition has lived for centuries as philotimo — the inner impulse to do what is right not out of fear of the law, but out of love for God, for one’s neighbor, and for the Genos.

Romeosyne has never known the isolated individual, the autonomous self of modernity. It knows only the Person — and the Person exists only in relationship: in the family, the parish, the ecclesial community, the Genos. There, man does not merely “connect” sociologically; he communes existentially. What the West now calls “the search for community” is simply a belated discovery of a truth we have lived for centuries. The freedom of the Romeos is a freedom of love, service, and sacrifice — not of selfish isolation.

The economy must serve the needs of the community, not the reverse. What some Western thinkers today formulate as a “new principle,” the Romeike tradition always regarded as self-evident. Production and wealth exist to sustain the family, the parish, and the Genos — not to subjugate them. A contemporary, realistic patriotism must translate this principle into action. Thus, for example, the complete tax exemption of large families and the stable support of households with many children are not mere social policy; they are elementary justice. The Romeike tradition understands the family as the foundation of society, and the economy must protect it, not crush it. The economy exists to safeguard the hearth, not to liquidate it.

Our homeland [and the whole world] today needs a true return to its roots. It needs a Romeike rebirth — a spiritual and ecclesial awakening that will first free us ourselves from the dead ends of modernity’s ideology and, at the same time, illuminate the path for the West, which increasingly finds itself searching.

Romeosyne does not propose theories. It generates a way of life. From this way of life, the necessary political orientations naturally emerge, structured around four main axes:

a) Economy as service to need, grounded in the Gospel and in the example of our Saints — men and women who lived love and communion in practice. Not accumulation, but sharing. Not treasures on earth, but treasure in heaven.
“He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none…” and “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth…”

b) Education with roots — not mere transmission of information, but initiation into truth, the cultivation of ethos, faith, and living historical memory.

c) Productive self-sufficiency — for a people is free only when it can feed itself, shelter itself, and create by its own labor, without dependence on foreign powers. The economy serves man and community, not the reverse.

d) Sovereignty and dignity — the protection of the homeland, of borders, and of strategic structures is not a technical administrative matter but a sacred trust and a duty toward both our ancestors and our children.

The West, exhausted by its spiritual and social decay, gropes awkwardly for a way out. Yet we have no new ideology to offer it. What we offer is the witness of our way of life — our Romeosyne: our faith, our philotimo, the love and the freedom born of communion with God, which unites the Genos.

This inheritance must once again become the ground upon which not only tomorrow’s Greece, but all those — personally or collectively — who seek truth already lived and embodied in practice, may stand.

Christodoulos Molyvas
Head of the Development and Investment Policy Department of NIKI
Ioannis Kon. Neonakis
Head of the Romeosyne Policy Department of NIKI

Articles on the tag Romeosyne 

Notes: (a) The term “Romeosyne” was preferred over “Romanitas”, as it better expresses the culture of the Roman Empire after the prevalence of Christianity.
(b) For reasons of more accurate phonological rendering and simplification, the term “Romeos” was preferred over “Rhomaios” and “Romeoi” over “Rhomaioi”
(c) romeike (adjective): of the Romeos/Romeoi

Faith and Science: Contradictory or complementary meanings?

By Michael G. Houlis
Theologian, professor, special associate of the Holy Metropolis of Syros
Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiries
More articles (in Greek) by prof. Michael G. Houlis can be found here: http://www.im-syrou.gr/poimantikes_drastiriotites/keimena/xoulis/

ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ: Πίστη και Επιστήμη: Έννοιες αντίθετες ή αλληλοσυμπληρούμενες;

 

Photo

Over the past few years, there has been an unnecessary return to essays and articles at the forefront of research, even by various positive scientists, on the old, misunderstood topic of the “enmity” between Science and Faith, or, Logic and Religion.

This phenomenon is being fuelled once again, mostly by representatives of the positive sciences, with quite a number of new and more heated books opposed to Christianity, but also by circles of the more conservative Protestants of America, who are opposed to the contemporary findings of Biology, Astronomy, Physics, etc. with their verbatim interpretation of the first Chapter of the Holy Bible (Genesis) and who are also against certain branches of Science with scientific and religious criteria.

We must make it clear from the very start, that Theology and Science do not oppose each other by nature, given that Science concerns itself with the structure and the functions of Nature, whereas Theology deals with God’s revealed truth and with the Holy-Spiritual meaning of Life.  Science can answer questions about how the world and the universe are made, but it cannot of course answer the questions of who created the universe and why.  These last questions are the business of Theology and by extension, of the Church.  The great contemporary scientist Stephen Hawkins had stated that “even if science could manage to explain everything that happened from the birth of the universe to this day, it will not be able to explain why.” (FOCUS magazine, vol.2, April 2000, p.80-84).

Science does not have the right to formulate methodologies by resorting to metaphysics (i.e., by accepting or rejecting God), regardless whether each and every scientist is personally faithful or faithless.  On the other hand, it is the duty of Theology to help us – from within the spiritual experience of the Church – to reach the (spiritual) heavens.  Similarly, Theology does not have the right to concern itself scientifically, either with how the “cosmic” heavens were created, or how Man appeared on Earth, because these are matters that preoccupy Science, not Theology.

The purpose of the first chapters of the Book of Genesis is to reveal that the entire universe has a Creator-God - that it did not just happen to appear, as though by magic - and also, that the heavenly bodies and all of Creation are not “gods”, as was the belief of the numerous idolatrous nations that surrounded Israel at the time.  The intention, therefore, of the divinely-inspired authors was not to project any kind of science but rather, a sublime theology, for which purpose they utilized the religious and scientific knowledge that existed at the time.  One cannot therefore regard the (purely auxiliary) scientific world-images of the divinely-inspired authors’ times as “divinely-inspired images”; only the theological message of the Bible is considered divinely-inspired. That is the ONLY sector of the Holy Bible that can be called infallible, and not necessarily the scientific knowledge that has been utilized therein.    We can therefore understand why the representatives of either side are not justified in their reactivation of situations and settings that had been contained over 100 years ago.  Given the above, one discerns how Science actually betrays itself, if and when it strives to discover the uncreated God through physical means, because by doing so, it is going beyond the boundaries of its own research.   But certainly Theology is also not obliged to accept each and every scientific theory that conflicts with the Christian world-theory on God and the world.

In this context, Atheism does not have the right to use Science as its vanguard against Christianity and religions in general, because when Science embarks on researching an absolute knowledge, it lacks the instrument, the object and the method respectively that can even come close to understanding the meaning of “God”, since the essence of God is beyond everything absolute and is entirely inapprehensible.  Atheist scientists, therefore, are not atheists thanks to any findings of their science, but on account of a specific, materialistic ideology that they believe in.

Faith and Logic, Religion and Science are not seen as conflicting, by well-meaning persons.  Only the erroneous placements of the representatives of each side are in conflict. Proof of this is the fact that eminent Christians, clergymen and laymen, as well as the major Fathers of the Church, were also well educated for their time and some of them – for example Saint Basil the Great – were also well versed in all the sciences.  Wasn’t the Belgian scientist Georges Lemaitre – the “father” of the “Big Bang” theory on the Beginning of the Universe – a priest?  Weren’t many of the Teachers of our Nation during the Turkish Occupation, such as: Eugene Bulgaris, Nikephoros Theotokis, Methodios Anthrakites, Benjamin of Lesvos, e.a., also the first teachers of positive sciences in our homeland, and at the same time priests?

On the other hand, there have been very important scientists who were also religious:  Keppler, Pascal, Newton, Leibnitz, Volta, Ampere, Gauss, Carrell, Faraday, Maxwell, Pasteur, Lister, Jung and so many others; all of them were exceptional scientists and at the same time people with deep religious faith.  Their science did not and does not negate their faith; in fact, one could say that it complemented it.  This is because scientists examine with their Science the natural and the empirical world, throughout Time, while with their faith and their prayers, they communicate with the “One Who Is” – the personal, Triadic God – and from Him, they draw their courage in their lives and their work.  When, in the course of his observations and his research, a scientist realizes the grandeur of Nature as a creation of Divine Providence, he does not necessarily have to respond with a display of conscience, crying out “How great are Your works, o Lord; You have created everything with wisdom” (Psalms). In view of this, the English Physicist Paul Davis wrote: “The fact that the natural laws of the universe have allowed the development of complex biological structures which have led to the appearance of conscience, to me constitutes obvious proof that there is something in nature that surpasses us. I am convinced that behind the miracle of the universe, there is a divinely-inspired plan”. (FOCUS magazine, as above)

The very significant scientist and studier of the human genome, Francis Collins, in his book “The Language of God” writes: “The God of the Bible is also the God of the genome. He can be worshiped in the cathedral or in the laboratory." (http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0702/voices.html) -  Interview with John Horgan.

Furthermore, the English astronomer, prof. Smart, submitted the following thoughts: “When we study the Universe, we take into account its size and its regularity and are thence led to acknowledging a Creative Power and a Cosmic Purpose, which transcends all the boundaries of human comprehension.” (D.Kotsakis, “The astronomical Universe – Creation, or chance?”, Zoe publications, 1983, page 108).

But even the great mathematician Einstein wrote: “Every researcher of nature is overcome by a kind of religious awe in the presence of the order that prevails in nature, which cannot be a chance thing. The universe reveals to Man an unlimited superior intelligence.” (Ferdinand Krenzer, SYNOPSIS OF CATHOLIC FAITH, Spiritual Course Publications, p. 32-33).

The existence of the infinitely perfect God can in no way be proven by scientific means and much less can His essence be made known, because if that were the case, Man would have been perfect, and God imperfect.  God is not a cadaver laid out on an operating table for forensic examination; He is a Person – an actual, existent Person – with Whom we can come in contact and communicate.  The inability to logically prove the existence of God does not mean that God does not exist. It only means that our own intellect is not able to grasp the infinite God.  Intellectual logic functions under the same laws and the same infrastructure as Nature.  God, however, (as far as His Nature and His essence are concerned) is the “entirely Other”, when it comes to our cosmic laws. He cannot be comprehended with only our ideological and scientific capabilities. A scientist - devout or agnostic - but also every faithful Christian, can detect only the traces of His presence in the world; His Providence and His energies in Creation (His “circum-essence”), but not His essence per se – that is, His unfathomable depth.  God is not a unit, an individual atop a throne in the sky. He is the source of life; He is the meaning of “being” per se, and He is not revealed by anyone; instead, it is He who reveals Himself, through His uncreated energies, to the humble and the spiritually sound (=with a cleansed heart), in response to their prayers and their worship, whereas the self-opinioned mind usually requires God to adapt Himself to its own, personal theories, without that person displaying any humility whatsoever.  This is how an autonomized and obscured mind is, when it cannot see God’s things, because it is in a fallen state.  Obversely, salvation is attained through catharsis of the heart, through ascetic labor and the upholding of Christ’s commandments, through Whom and in Whose Person God revealed Himself and ever reveals Himself to the world.  Such is the experience of the Prophets, the Saints and the Fathers of the Church. And we Christians know in our hearts that this is the truth and the path that orientates us towards the personal, Triadic God.

Nowadays, Man has succeeded in placing Nature in his service through Science and Technology, which has given him the impression that this has made the presence of God redundant.  But the fact that someone can utilize electricity does not mean that he has actually created it.  For someone to solve a mathematical problem, he must follow the correct mathematical method for solving problems.  In order for an experiment to succeed in Chemistry, we must combine specific materials in correct proportions. In order for a piece of equipment to work, it must have the instructions of its manufacturer.  For someone to learn to dance, it is imperative that they follow the teacher’s steps.  To learn how to play a musical instrument, we need to understand the notes and acquire dexterity in our hands.  Thus, in order for one to attain faith, but also the state of seeing God (which is the only perfect, divine miracle), it is imperative that he follow, step by step, the guidelines of the Church (Christ’s guidelines), Who is the only one that can responsibly show us the way: that is, through humility, acts of love, sacramental living, ascesis and the orientation of one’s will towards God.  It is futile to ask “cerebrally” if God exists, if we haven’t first embarked on the road that leads directly to His own revelation of Himself.

Science mainly provides knowledge and the technological implementation of that knowledge, for the health and the well-being in people’s lives, while Theology –and especially the Church- provides psychosomatic therapy and salvation, sanctification and deification (theosis), through ascesis, sacramental life and love. The work, therefore, of the Church has a much broader spectrum than Science. And the genuine scientist or intellectual does not reject the miracle – should he encounter it in his life – because neither Intellect nor Science blocks the paths and the means of research, nor do they stagnate and crystallize into irrevocable recipes and solutions. Everyone has a right to declare himself an agnostic, however, he is betraying his quest and his very self, if he declares himself an atheist.  The truth may exist in the future of Science, but Christ always comes from the future as well - in some bend of our existential road - and never from the past. 

These two supreme magnitudes in people’s lives – Faith and Science – we can therefore discern as not being in conflict, but rather, that they are in a harmonious collaboration for mankind’s benefit.  In other words, they most definitely complement each other – especially in our day, when the problems that rear their heads are multilateral and in need of a multilateral handling.  If mankind wants to survive, it needs to be in a phase of synthesis and reconciliation, and not in a phase of unproductive confrontation and division. The future of our planet and our universe should concern us, and not the pseudo-advantageous pursuits of various representative individuals.

It is a fact, that wherever Religion is attacked by Science, that is where certain representatives of Science respond with ideological and metaphysical -and not scientific- warfare.

Science is neutral in its research. It should have no materialistic or theistic presuppositions during its search for the objective truth.

Hence, wherever Science’s work is made difficult by religious representatives of various confessions, that is where the role of Religion has become misunderstood and unorthodoxically interpreted.

Of course, it has by now become clear to scientists that each Science is not a kind of magic with unlimited potentials, nor does it claim to possess –without any weaknesses whatsoever- the extreme certainty, in an absolute knowledge, based on its findings.  Natural reality has many aspects, just like a building. And it has now become part of our conscience that the scientific view of the world and nature indicates only one of the many functions of the world.  Besides, the source of every knowledge is undoubtedly the faith in the potentials of that knowledge, even when our basic scientific beliefs are as yet unproven. Furthermore, every world theory is –deep down– an esoteric and religious one.  You begin from the point that you believe in, deep down inside you, and you continue on, with faith in the result.  Philosopher E. Block mentions:  “There are some knowledges that we cannot acquire, except only if we desire to” (Ferdinand Krenzer, as above, page 31). We must not forget that all scientists, during their work, daily put their trust in the positions and the research of others, of colleagues who have preceded them, without trying to prove everything, from the very beginning.  (see Chorepiskopos of Arsinoe George: RELIGION AND SCIENCE IN OUR DAYS, A Homily at the Union of “Friends of Saint Menignos the Cloth-dyer”, patron saint of Chemists, Athens 23.11.2003).

Given the above, collaboration is becoming evident in our day, on every level, between Science and Religion, and especially for us, between Science and Christianity.  Without Religion, Science stands only on one leg. This is because “every science, separated from virtue, appears as cunning and not as wisdom”, according to Saint Gregory the Theologian. In fact, humility is the only thing that can save Science from its self-sufficiency and its isolation, when it finally admits that it is aware of its boundaries and its limitations, and that it does not always have a ready answer to all the problems and questions in life.

Nobody can live with scientific knowledge alone.  Morality, meaning and quality of life, the perception of beauty, of sanctity, of everything lofty and just are equally necessary.  When the Third World and millions of our fellow-men are living below the levels of mere survival, they are most assuredly not interested in chromosomes, DNA, or the number of protons and neutrons that comprise the nucleus of their cells.  When someone is dying of hunger, he will not satisfy his hunger with quarks and sub-atomic particles. Christianity, Science and Technology are, for that reason, the servants and the deacons for the benefit of the world, especially in view of the rapid development of the bio-sciences and bio-technology, in the wake of the critical impasses that are encountered. The German Physics Nobelist, Max Planck, actually states that: “the paths of science and religion move parallel to each other, and they meet in the vast infinity, in other words, God.” (SCIENCE AND CHURCH, Archmandrite Timothy Kontoyannis, www.imlarisis.gr).

Subsequently, “Science and Technology are both instruments given by God, which, if used properly, will extend our potentials for the better… it is the misuse and not the temperate use of Science that causes harm. If, on the other hand, there are those who from the standpoint of Science…present themselves as atheists, they will need to remember that their atheism cannot be founded in Science, but will continue to be simply an existential placement on their part.... The relationship between Christianity and the Positive Sciences is a relationship of a common course, because all the factors that shape it are positive ones.” (Chorepiskopos of Arsinoe George, as above)

The dilemma therefore of “Science, or Faith?” is a pseudo-dilemma.

“Science and Faith” is the answer, for all time.

Translation by A. N.

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Orthodox Churches in Thessaloniki

 

Agios Demetrios

Greeka.com

Thessaloniki offers many religious attractions among which are the abundant Byzantine churches found in the upper town and the wider region. Visitors have an opportunity to admire a thousand years of unique architecture and well-preserved monuments.

One of the closest churches to the town that still stands proudly to this day is Agia Sofia, the largest and most famous Byzantine church in Thessaloniki. It was built in the 8th century over the ruins of a paleo-Christian church that was destroyed from the earthquake. It used to be a Turkish mosque. Along with other churches from Istanbul [Contantinople], Agia Sofia represents the Byzantine architecture.

The church of Agios Dimitrios lies in the heart of the old town, on the homonymous street. It was initially a small Byzantine church built over the ruins of a Roman spa. Bishop Ioannis founded the five-aisled basilica and between 1493 and 1912 it was used as a Turkish mosque. In 1917, the church was entirely burned out and in 1949 it was completely renovated. Today it is one of the most famous pilgrimages in Greece and the patron saint of the town.

One of the most valuable examples of Byzantine architecture is the church of Panagia Chalkeon dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It was founded in 1208 at the center of the town, near the ancient agora. It is well decorated with carved marble and well-preserved frescoes.

The 5th-century church of Panagia Achiropoitos is one of the best surviving monuments that exist in the city of Thessaloniki. It was the first Orthodox Church to be converted into a Turkish mosque. It hosts many beautiful frescoes from the 13th century and is open to the public.

The 14th century Church of Agios Nikolaos Orphanos is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and visitors are impressed by the surrounding environment and its well-decorated interior. Nearby is the monastery of Vlatadon, the only surviving monastery from the Byzantine era. It offers a breathtaking view to the entire town of Thessaloniki. Other churches in the town of Thessaloniki are Agios Panteleimonas, Agios Athanasios, Agios Antonios, and Agia Ekaterini.

 

Click on the titles:

Church of Agios Dimitrios

​ Egnatia

The church of Agios Dimitrios (Saint Demetrius) is the most famous in Thessaloniki and is dedicated to the city's patron saint. It dates back to the Byzantine Times and was built on the exact location of Saint Demetrius’ martyrdom.

Church of Agia Sofia

​ Egnatia

Located in the city center, this is among the most important churches of Thessaloniki. Built sometime around the 7th to 8th centuries, its design was influenced by the namesake grand church in Constantinople.

Church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos

​ Old Town Ano Poli

The church of Agios Nikolaos Orfanos is one of the oldest in Thessaloniki. It was built in the 14th century and contains valuable frescoes from Byzantine times.

Church of Panagia Halkeon

​ Egnatia

On the southwest of the archaeological site of Roman Market, there is the Byzantine church of Panagia Chalkeon. Its name means "Virgin Mary of the Copper Smiths" in Greek, because of the many copper workshops that once resided in the area.

Monastery of Vlatadon

 

Old Town Ano Poli

Constructed in the 14th century, the Monastery of Vlatadon is one of the oldest and most historically important Byzantine Monuments in Thessaloniki, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

Church of the Holy Apostles

​ Town Centre

The church of the Holy Apostles is representative of the Palaiologian Era’s prosperity and art. Two chapels lie next to it.

Church of Profitis Elias

​ Old Town Ano Poli

Dated to the late 14th century, the Church of Profitis Ilias presents significant examples of Palaeologan-era architecture and art and has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Church of Panagia Acheropoietos

 

 

​ Egnatia

The Church of Panagia Acheropoietos is one of the city’s most important religious buildings. Despite the several reconstructions it has undergone, it remains one of the most well-preserved examples of early Byzantine architecture.

Church of Agios Gregorios Palamas

​ Egnatia

The church of Agios Gregorios Palamas is the Metropolitan church of Thessaloniki. Its basic architectural plan was designed by the eminent architect Ernst Ziller.

Church of Kyrillos and Methodios

​ Beach Promenade

This imposing church is located on the Waterfront of Thessaloniki. It is a large building reminiscent of the architecture of Eastern European Orthodox churches.

Church of Agia Aikaterini

​ Old Town Ano Poli

The church of Agia Aikaterini is a hidden gem in the western area of Ano Poli. Since 1988, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Monastery of Latomos

 

​ Old Town Ano Poli

The monastery of Latomos in Ano Poli is a paleochristian religious monument in Thessaloniki. An impressive fresco depicting the Vision of Ezekiel is found inside it.

Church of Ipapanti

​ Egnatia

The Church of Ipapanti houses beautiful icons representative of its long history, going back to the 10th century.

Church of Panagia Gorgoepikoos

​ Egnatia

The Church of Panagia Gorgoepikoos is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. It houses an iconostasis with beautifully painted icons and a lovely icon of Mary holding infant Jesus.

Church of Agios Charalambos

​ Egnatia

The Church of Agios Charalambos dates to the early 20th century and is a dependency of the Monastery of Simonopetra of Mount Athos.

Church of Pammegistoi Taxiarches

​ Old Town Ano Poli

Founded in the 14th century, the Church of Pammegistoi Taxiarches saw many alterations throughout its lifetime. It is notably one of the only churches in Thessaloniki that presents Byzantine and neo-Byzantine architectural elements.

Church of Agios Panteleimon

​ Rotonda

The Church of Agios Panteleimon is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city. It has been through a lot, yet restoration works have aided it to be preserved.

Church of Agios Minas

​ Town Centre

The church of Agios Minas is one of the oldest churches in the city. It has been through a lot of destruction, yet has maintained its design and beauty to a large extent.

Church of Agios Athanasios

 

​ Egnatia

Dated to the early 19th century, the Church of Agios Athanasios is a small, three-aisled basilica emblematic of post-Byzantine architecture.

Monastery of Agia Theodora

​ Town Centre

The Monastery of Agia Theodora is situated in the center of Thessaloniki. It has a long history behind it and is dedicated to Saint Theodora who resided and died there.

Church of Agios Antonios

​ Town Centre

The church of Agios Antonios has a charming exterior, with stone features and roof tiling. During the Ottoman occupation of Thessaloniki, it was used as a psychiatric asylum.

Church of Nea Panagia

​ Town Centre

This small church was built on the site of a Byzantine Monastery. Inside it, one can admire beautiful icons and ceiling paintings.

Church of Panagia Laodigitria

​ Old Town Ano Poli

The Church of Panagia Laodigitria was constructed in the 14th century and renovated in the 19th century. It presents wonderful architecture and houses the miraculous icon of Panagia Tricherousa.

Church of the Transfiguration of Jesus

​ Egnatia

The Church of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ is one of the greatest examples of Byzantine architecture in the city and a UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Site.