DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ST. JOHN, ARCHBISHOP OF SHANGHAI AND SAN
FRANCISCO
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN WITNESS (USPS 412-260)
is published monthly by St. Nectarios American Orthodox Cathedral,
10300 Ashworth Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98133-9410.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
OCW, 10300 Ashworth Ave. N., Seattle, WA. 98133-9410
Fr. Neketas S. Palassis, Editor Email: frneketas@stnectariospress.com
Telephone (206) 522-4471; (800) 643-4233 U.S. & Canada;
Fax: 206-523-0550
MAY 2006, Vol. XL, No. 5(1560)
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
SPECIAL MEMORIAL EDITION TO CONSTANTINE ANGELOS
1. LONGTIME REPORTER NEVER LOST BOUNDLESS ENTHUSIASM...,
2. A MESSAGE FROM METROPOLITAN MOSES
3. "REMEMBERING CONSTANTINE," Met. Ephraim of Boston
4. SOME THOUGHTS FROM FR. NEKETAS
5. ST. DEMETRIOS MINI-CONFERENCE
6. BISHOP SPYRIDON OF TRIMYTHUS
7. NEW ITEMS FROM THE BOOK CENTER
Hearken unto me, ye holy children, and bud forth as a rose growing
by the brook of the field: And give ye a sweet savour as frankincense,
and flourish as a lily, send forth a smell, and sing a song of praise,
bless the Lord in all His works.
The Wisdom of Jesus, the Son of Sirach 39
1. Longtime reporter never lost boundless enthusiasm for the job
By Jack Broom
Seattle Times staff reporter
Thursday, June 1, 2006
BARRY WONG / THE SEATTLE TIMES, 1995
Constantine "Gus" Angelos retired from The Seattle Times in 1995
after
40 years of service.
Constantine "Gus" Angelos, who died Monday at 75, displayed many
talents in his 40-year career as a reporter at The Seattle Times, but
only one speed: All out.
"Right up until he retired in 1995, Gus had a zeal for reporting I had
never seen before," said Janet Horne Henderson, his last editor at The
Times. "Big story or small, it didn't matter ... he'd grab his coat,
his wool scarf and a notebook and be out the door before others in the
newsroom even knew what was going on."
So boundless was Mr. Angelos' energy that when he retired, then-Times
Managing Editor Alex MacLeod called him "a combination of almost
perpetual motion, self deprecation and pure zeal. ... He's not the kind
who stands still long enough for an anecdote to be told."
Mr. Angelos spent most of his career reporting on education and the
Seattle Public Schools but also covered community issues, local
government and breaking news of every sort.
"Gus embodied all the qualities we aspire to have as a newspaper," said
The Times' managing editor, David Boardman. "Passion. Expertise. A
commitment to the community. And most importantly, integrity."
As devoted as he was to his profession, though, those who knew him best
say his twin top priorities were faith and family.
"He was an extremely dedicated husband and father," said Olga Angelos,
his wife of 45 years. While the couple's four sons were growing, "He
did not miss a single concert, a single ball game, ... family and
church were the fiber of our life."
A devout Orthodox Christian, Mr. Angelos was a founding member of St.
Nectarios American Orthodox Church, where he was a chanter and a
sub-deacon.
For 35 years, Mr. Angelos and his wife published the church's
newsletter and for much of that time, printed it on a small press in
their basement.
"They would sometimes come bleary-eyed to church because they had been
working late at night writing, editing, printing, doing whatever was
necessary," said the Rev. Neketas Palassis, a longtime family friend
who presided at the couple's wedding in 1961.
Mr. Angelos also served as parish president, council member and, as the
council's secretary, took the most detailed meeting notes imaginable,
Fr. Palassis said." He recorded everything. You could read those
minutes and feel you were at the meeting yourself Sometimes I would
tell him, 'You really don't have to write down everything everybody
said.' "
Another example of his thorough record-keeping: When Mr. Angelos
retired and was told the newspaper didn't want his files, he donated
nine boxes of material to the Seattle School District. Dale Stirling,
an assistant archivist who recently completed sorting the paperwork,
said the collection has "permanent historical value" for its details on
issues such as desegregation, budgets and school closures.
In retirement, Mr. Angelos drew special joy from being around his six
grandsons and four granddaughters, all under the age of 10. "He would
play with them, read to them, he would be at birthday parties, T-ball
games, ballet performances," his wife said.
Born to immigrant Greek parents in Elma, Grays Harbor County, and
raised in Olympia, Mr. Angelos was 11 when his father died. He grew up
in poverty, an experience that instilled in him a concern for society's
less fortunate. To help with household expenses, he sold newspapers and
worked at a bakery.
"I was always impressed that he could come from that difficult
background, with an immigrant mother who spoke no English, and managed
to be valedictorian of his high-school class," said his son, Paul
Angelos of Seattle.
It was during high school that Mr. Angelos began to help keep baseball
statistics for the Olympia newspaper.
He won an academic scholarship to St. Martin's College in Olympia,
graduating with a degree in political science. His made his first trip
to his parents' homeland in 1952, when he won a Fulbright scholarship
to study at the Panteios School of Political Science in Athens.
After a short stint at the Olympia newspaper, he was hired at The Times
in 1955, which he described as a dream come true. "I wanted to come to
this newspaper so bad, I would have done whatever they told me. I'd
have polished the reporters' boots," he said years later. "I'd have run
through fire to get a story if they'd said to."
For Mr. Angelos, getting the day's news to Seattle Times readers often
meant more than just writing articles. When two of the couple's sons
were young, they got Seattle Times newspaper routes. But as the press
of school activities increased, the job of delivering papers shifted to
their mother, assisted by Mr. Angelos.
The couple also helped sons Paul and Nick, of Silver Lake, Snohomish
County, run Scoops at Seattle Center, the food concession at the Fun
Forest.
"He did a little bit of everything," said Paul Angelos. "He'd do our
payroll, our taxes, pick up supplies for us, man registers, take
orders, scoop ice cream, clean tables - even take our deposits to the
bank."
Recalls Mrs. Angelos, "He even learned how to make a very good latte,
with unbelievable foam, holding it at just the right angle. I never
thought he would have the patience for that, but he did."
Mr. Angelos is also survived by sons Allen of Athens, Greece, and
Christopher of Snohomish.
His funeral will be 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Nectarios American Orthodox
Church, 10300 Ashworth Ave. N., Seattle, with a Trisagion service at
the church at 7 p.m. Friday.
Remembrances may be sent to the St. Nectarios Benevolent Fund, 10300
Ashworth Ave. N., Seattle, 98133.
Jack Broom: 206-464-2222 or jbroom@seattletimes.com
Copyright (c) 2006 The Seattle Times Company
_______________________________________________________________________
2. MESSAGE FROM METROPOLITAN MOSES
May 21/ June 3, 2006
Saints Constantine & Helen
Equals to the Apostles
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I wish to express my regrets that I could not be in Seattle for the
funeral of our brother in Christ, Sub-deacon Constantine.
It is not a small thing that the funeral service of our fellow laborer
in the Vineyard of Christ is on the very feast of his patron, Saint
Constantine the Great, equal to the Apostles. Constantine was a devoted
father of his family, but as we all know, he also was very devoted to
Christ and a tireless worker for His Church. I only echo what Fr.
Neketas has said and you all know, the great witness for the Church of
Christ found during the many years of the publication of the Orthodox
Witness would not have occurred without Sub-deacon Constantine.
He served as a chanter with great devotion for many years and now, most
assuredly, he takes up his abode in the realm of joy and unceasing
praise. He will be sorely missed, yet we can be consoled and inspired
by the example of his faith and love.
Eternal memory, to our brother in Christ, Sub-deacon Constantine.
Your fervent suppliant unto the Lord,
+Moses, Metropolitan of Seattle
________________________________________________________________________
3. A MESSAGE FROM METROPOLITAN EPHRAIM OF BOSTON.
REMEMBERING CONSTANTINE:
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
I first met Constantine - "Gus" - in 1969, when I first came to Seattle
after having attended the Glorification of St. Herman of Alaska in San
Francisco. I was a young monk then, barely 30 years old, and I was
tagging along behind Father Panteleimon, who had told us about the new
community of St. Nectarios that was just forming at that time in
Seattle.
When I learned that Constantine was a reporter for Seattle's biggest
newspaper I was awe-struck. A Greek reporter - wow! His street-wise
knowledge about things in the secular world, his grasp of ancient and
modern Greek history, his low-key and self-effacing sense of humor, the
hospitality that he and his then-expectant wife, Olga, offered us with
their mind-boggling array of different teas, was all quite astonishing
to this California farm kid. But what was most impressive of all was
his unstinted, unconditional and unwavering devotion to the Orthodox
Christian Faith.
This devotion became especially evident when, some time later, he and
Olga took over the preparation and printing of the "Orthodox Christian
Witness." This became the voice of the parish, and eventually, of our
entire Church - a voice that was heard throughout the world, the voice
of "the mouse that roared." His love of his family and of his work was
evident to all. His service in the Church as a sub-deacon and chanter
was a work that he considered an honor and privilege. He increased the
talent that had been given to him.
Well done, thou good and faithful steward! Enter thou
into the joy of thy Lord. Amen.
________________________________________________________________________
4. SOME THOUGHTS FROM FR. NEKETAS
Constantine Angelos was
a cradle Orthodox Christian.
a depression child who helped support his widowed mother by selling
newspapers.
an honors' graduate from high school and college.
a recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Greece,
a loving devoted husband who deeply loved his wife and considered her
his treasured partner.
an exemplary parent with four sons and ten grand-children. Among the
many ways he supported his children was delivering newspapers for their
route when they had school events to attend. He was always their
support at sports events, music concerts or when they served in the
altar. He encouraged them in their educational efforts. All his sons
received their university diplomas. He always encouraged fruitful
discussions in the home about contemporary issues, as well as about
religious subjects.
a newspaper reporter who maintained quality objective standards.
a sub-deacon, a chanter and a reader who spent nearly all of his
liturgical life at the chanter's stand. He always chanted with humility
working with Dr. Andrew Tolas, our parish's lead chanter. Frequently he
would arrive at the chanter's stand out of breath but ready to
participate. He learned to chant from Dr. Tolas and from the various
tape recordings made for Dr. Tolas and himself by the then Monk Ephraim
(now Metropolitan Ephraim). Monk Ephraim was prompted by our parish to
translate and set to western musical notation the Divine Liturgy,
and various hymns of Vespers and Orthros. These settings were the
basis for the music used in nearly all of our English language churches
and missions.
...the copy editor of the Orthodox Christian Witness from its inception.
...the actual person who for several years printed the bulletin after
he and his wife Olga had read through the rough copy and found any
glaring errors that I had made.
...an individual who understood the teachings of the church and lived
the ethical and moral standards expected of him, He imparted that
understanding to his children. Costa was a man who
took his religion seriously
Costa had a manner of deprecating himself. Though he would have scored
a "10" by today's Olympic measuring standards, he always felt he hadn't
done enough or written at the best level of his talent and ability. He
would struggle over his articles attempting to give them the best
possible presentation. He wanted people to understand the written word
and to trust him that he would always report honestly and accurately
the events about which he wrote. He would struggle to ascertain the
accuracy of his articles, It didn't matter if the articles were for his
newspaper, The Seattle Times, or for the Orthodox Christian Witness he
maintained his journalistic standards. To sum it up: HE WAS A
PERFECTIONIST.
When Metropolitan Ephraim urged him to consider ordination to the
diaconate he refused stating that "I am unworthy and I would add sins
to my soul". He stressed his unworthiness and wanted to serve the
church in his capacity as a reader and chanter. However, he was the
first sub-deacon tonsured by Metropolitan Ephraim following
Metropolitan Ephraim's consecration to the Episcopate in 1987. It was
Metropolitan Ephraim's first Divine Liturgy celebrated in a parish.
Metropolitan Ephraim also tonsured Constantine's son, Christopher, to
the rank of reader. He was the first reader tonsured by the
Metropolitan.
He felt honored to have made a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands and Mt.
Sinai, with his wife and many pilgrims from the U.S., Canada and
Greece, led by the Elder of the parish, and founder of Holy
Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, Mass., Archimandrite
Panteleimon.
Father Panteleimon deeply respected Costa and Olga always delighting in
Olga's consistent participation in the services and Costa's insights
and knowledge of church history and Hellenic history.
Costa we miss you. But as Orthodox Christians we
believe that you now are a heavenly intercessor for us before the
throne of our Lord. It is my prayer that your example will be a light
to others.
MAY THY MEMORY BE ETERNAL O VENERABLE AND BELOVED BROTHER
______________________________________________________________________________
5. ST. DEMETRIOS MINI-CONFERENCE, LOS ANGELES. NOV 11-12
A mini-conference is swcheduled for November 11 and 12, 2006 at St.
Demetrios parish. Speakers include Metropolitan Moses of Seattle,
Bishop Sergius and Fr. Simon of St Gregory Monastery, California, and
Fr. Panayiotis Carras of Toronto.
This week-end will celebrate thec25th anniversary of the parish and the
40th anniversary of fr. Nicholas Liberis' ordination to the priesthood.
On Tuesday, Nov 14 an excursion to the Getty Museum to view the Mt.
Sinai exhibition of icons. For further information go to Web site of
St. Demetrios Church, http://www.saintdemetriosgoc.com/ or write
to: St. Demetrios Church, PO Box 1984, Pomona, CA 91766 .
______________________________________________________________________________
6. BISHOP SPYRIDON OF TRIMYTHUS
(1888 - 1963)
In His loving providence, God often permits many trials and
temptations to come upon those that love Him. St. Isaac of Syria
writes: "Affliction willingly borne brings to light the proof of love."
This "proof of love" is twofold. It is a proof of God's love for us,
for "the Lord disciplines him whom He loves and chastises every son
whom He receives" (Heb. 12:6). Likewise, tribulations test our love for
God. "That is why the saints were proved by tribulations for Christ's
love, and not by ease," says St. Isaac. This is how Job triumphed. This
is how the martyrs prevailed over their tormentors. This is how the
confessors of true piety and Orthodoxy won their crowns and gained
eternal glory.
In this life, there can be no other way for those who love God. St.
Paul is very emphatic about this: "If ye be without chastisement
...then ye are illegitimate offspring, and not sons" (Heb. 12:8).
Even in our own perverse and unbelieving generation, God has given
us splendid examples of individuals who have suffered afflictions
and calumny for the sake of truth and righteousness. In the Soviet
Union, how many millions were sent to the death camps, cynically
accused of engaging in "anti-Soviet propaganda" -- that is, preaching a
sermon, or chanting a church hymn? St. Nectarios of Aegina too, is an
example of a remarkable and holy hierarch, who even in his old age
became the victim of the very basest sort of slander.
Bishop Spyridon of Trimythus, also, is such an example. He was born in
1883 in Cydonia of Aetoloacarnania. His name in the world was George
Pasios, and his parents, Spyridon and Maria, saw to it that their
gifted son was reared "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." In
1907, at the age of nineteen, George departed for the Holy Mountain.
After a short time, he joined the brotherhood of the Monastery of
Xenophon. With the passage of the canonical trial period of three
years, he received the Great and Angelic Schema and was re-named Gideon
monk.
Very quickly, the fathers of the monastery came to esteem the young Fr.
Gideon, who impressed all with his modesty, obedience, humility and
self-denial. In time, he was ordained to the priesthood, and then,
after fourteen years in the community, upon the demise of the abbot,
Fr. Gideon was chosen by the brotherhood to be the new superior. Thus,
at the age of thirty-three, in the year 1921, Fr. Gideon took upon
himself the yoke of spiritual fatherhood.
He did not remain abbot for long, however. In 1924, the Ecumenical
Patriarchate sought to coerce the Athonite community into changing to
the new calendar. Seeing that the secular authorities were bent on
forcing the monasteries to commemorate the innovating Ecumenical
Patriarchate, Fr. Gideon submitted his resignation as abbot. He
withdrew to the Skete of Kafsokalyvia, where he remained for three
years. Then, seeking greater solitude for silence and prayer, he went
to the wilderness of St. Basil and the hermitage of St. Peter of Athos,
where he remained for another seven years.
By this time, the persecution against the old calendarists had reached
fever pitch in Greece. Unleashed by the new calendar church
authorities, the police openly harassed, jailed and physically beat
both clergy and laypeople. There were even incidents where Orthodox
Christians, including a young mother, were clubbed to death in
"Christian" Greece. Their crime? Attending a church service held
according to the traditional ecclesiastical calendar.
At the invitation of the priest-monk Matthew (later to become
Archbishop of the "Matthewite" old calendarists), Fr. Gideon came to
Athens to help strengthen and encourage the Christians. This was in
1934. It was during this period also that the old calendarists began
organizing their monastic communities. The convent at Keratea was
established and eventually came to have some 500 nuns. At about two
hours walking distance from the convent, in Kuvara of Attica, the men's
monastery of the Holy Transfiguration was founded and, at its peak, had
some ninety to one hundred fathers in its brotherhood. It was in this
monastery, on May 31, 1941, that Fr. Gideon was elected to the abbacy.
But here, too, his tenure as abbot lasted only a short three years.
What happened?
One day, in the spring of 1944, a group of monastics appeared at
Archbishop Matthew's residence at the convent. The head of the group,
Fr. Victor Matthew, one of the senior fathers of the monastery,
requested an audience with the Archbishop concerning a "serious
matter."
Archbishop Matthew welcomed the fathers into his quarters and asked
them the purpose of their visit.
"Your Eminence, we wish to speak to you about Fr. Gideon," replied Fr.
Victor.
"It's a very serious matter, Your Eminence. All of us here are ready to
testify, in writing if necessary, that Fr. Gideon is immoral. He has an
unbecoming and perverted fondness for young men."
Archbishop Matthew was thunderstruck. He had always revered Fr. Gideon
greatly, and knew him for his strictness in fasting, his vigils in
prayer, and his spiritual diligence. The charges were incredible.
Indeed, they were preposterous.
"No, Your Eminence, everything we are saying is true, and we are
willing to swear on it and put it in writing.
The Archbishop found himself in an impasse. On the one hand, he knew
and loved Fr. Gideon and respected him for the strictness of his life
and his steadfastness in matters regarding the Faith. On the other
hand, the witnesses were many. Furthermore, they were senior members -
the pillars, so to speak, of the monastery. They had neither run away
from the monastery, nor stolen anything, nor done anything
dishonorable. They were evidently in their right minds and, at least
from a canonical point of view, had to be esteemed as trustworthy and
reliable. In fact, the head of the delegation -Fr. Victor Matthew - was
the one who later was to print the monumental series of the Lives of
the Saints (The Great Synaxaristes) in fourteen volumes.
Archbishop Matthew now found himself in a very difficult position.
After the others left, he summoned Fr. Gideon to question him
concerning these grave charges.
"What do you have to say to these accusations, Fr. Gideon?" asked the
Archbishop.
"Holy master, the only thing I can say is that I have many sins; but I
am not guilty of these particular sins of which I am accused."
"But the witnesses are many, and they are all responsible members of
your monastery."
"What more can I say, holy master?"
Archbishop Matthew was left with no other course of action: Fr. Gideon
was defrocked and sent into exile away from the monastery.
Unperturbed, and at peace with himself, Fr. Gideon - now a simple monk
- packed up his shoulder bag and headed for the mountains. He found
himself a quiet spot and began to build a small hut. To this structure,
he added a little chapel where he could chant his daily office in peace
and quiet.
From time to time, shepherds passed through the area grazing their
flocks. They noticed the little hut and often saw the black-robed
figure tending a small garden of herbs, vegetables and greens. Moved by
curiosity, they came to investigate. Fr. Gideon greeted them in a
kindly manner and spoke with them briefly. A little later, when their
flocks were again grazing in the area, the shepherds went out of their
way to visit the monk. Fr. Gideon spoke to them from the parables of
our Lord, from the lives of the Saints. He spoke to them of the things
they understood -- of flocks, of good pastures, of wolves that seek to
devour the sheep, of the Good Shepherd. He told them of the rocky
earth, of thorns and thistles that choke out the grains of wheat, and
he spoke also to them about the good earth. They were simple men of the
mountains, and so they understood these simple things which he told
them. They themselves were men of the earth, the good earth, and so Fr.
Gideon's words began to take root.
On returning home, the shepherds told their wives of the kindly little
father they had met in the mountains. They related how the father spoke
to them about how they should be pious, and kind, and fair in all their
dealings, and about how they should love God and man, and be faithful
to the Orthodox Faith.
Naturally, the women felt they had to check out everything that their
husbands had told them.
Hence, they too began hiking up into the mountains to visit Fr. Gideon.
Of course, their philótimo * precluded them from going
empty-handed. So, loaded down with bags of food and bottles of
olive-oil ("for the icon-lamps, little Father"), these sturdy little
women trekked up to Fr. Gideon's hermitage.
As he spoke with the men, so did Fr. Gideon speak with the women also.
He told them many parables and accounts from the Lives of the Saints.
He told them about prayer, about fasting; he admonished them how to
struggle in the life of piety, and also how to cope with their husbands.
As the numbers of Fr. Gideon's new spiritual children continued to
increase, many of them began to wonder why they could not have a parish
nearby which followed the Church's traditional calendar and usages.
"Fr. Gideon, you have explained many things to us about the spiritual
life, and about Orthodoxy, and about the church calendar," said his
faithful disciples. Then came the big question: "Why don't you
become our priest?"
Fr. Gideon cleared his throat and looked here and there desperately.
"Well. . .the matter is difficult," he hedged.
His new flock - most of them former new calendarists - were not put
off. It was obvious, they said among themselves, that Fr. Gideon was
being evasive only because of his humility. They would write a petition
directly to Archbishop Matthew, requesting that the good Fr. Gideon be
ordained to the priesthood for them.
On receiving their petition, Archbishop Matthew was astonished, for he
understood how great a number had returned to traditional Orthodoxy
thanks to Fr. Gideon's teaching and example.
The report of these doings eventually reached the men's monastery of
the Holy Transfiguration also. Pricked by his conscience, Fr. Victor
Matthew - the leader of the group who had originally accused Fr. Gideon
- made his way to the Archbishop's office once again.
"Your Eminence, I must speak with you."
"What do you have to say, Fr. Victor?"
"I have a confession to make to you. All those charges that we brought
against Fr. Gideon some four years ago. . ."
"Yes, what about those charges?"
"They were false -all of them."
"False?" exclaimed the Archbishop. "In God's name, what prompted you to
do such a thing?"
"He was too strict! - what with his unrelenting fasts and his incessant
work hours - he even had us working in the olive groves during the
Great Fast while we had to keep the fast of the Ninth Hour! The fathers
said that if we didn't get rid of him, he would kill us all for sure!"
According to the holy canons, if Fr. Victor and the other accusers had
been priests or deacons, then they would have been subject to
defrockment for slandering another. However, Fr. Gideon agreed to come
back to the monastery only if his accusers were not punished.
He was re-instated to the priesthood, and on September 1, 1948, Matthew
ordained him to the episcopate and gave him the name Spyridon. His
diocese was Trimythus of Cyprus, and thus he became "Spyridon of
Trimythus."
Even though his stay in Cyprus lasted only two years, the new Bishop
Spyridon ordained many clergy, established monasteries, convents, and
parishes, and, in general, completely organized the church life of the
traditional Orthodox Christians.
The British government authorities in Cyprus, however, felt that he was
too active and too popular. Therefore, at the urging of the new
calendarist hierarchy, the British exiled him back to Greece.
However, in Greece also, the traditional Orthodox Christians were
weathering terrible new persecutions from another Spyridon - the new
calendarist Archbishop of Athens. Nonethe1ess, Bishop Spyridon of
Trimythus remained active for another three years, until the repose of
Archbishop Matthew in 1953.
Immediately after Archbishop Matthew's funeral, Bishop Spyridon
disappeared. He simply vanished into thin air without a trace. For ten
years no one had any idea what happened to him.
In fact, Bishop Spyridon had gone into seclusion. Just below the
convent in Keratea, there is a village by the sea-side. An old-calendar
family living in the village of Keratea had agreed to receive the
bishop into their home secretly. There, in the basement of this home,
Bishop Spyridon established a secret hermitage, and for some ten years
no one knew of his whereabouts.
About one year before his repose, he came down with cancer. Bed-ridden
for most of this time, he patiently endured the terrible agony of his
malady without once complaining. Together with the righteous Job, he
cried out, "The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. As it seemed good to
the Lord, so hath it come to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
He was determined, however, to make one last pilgrimage. Many decades
before, he had been tonsured rassophor at the Skete of St. Anne on the
Holy Mountain. Now his last wish was to visit the Skete church - the
kyriakon - so that he could venerate the icon of St. Anne there in the
very church where he had made his renunciation of the world.
He never got there.
He got only as far as Daphne, the "second capital" of the Holy
Mountain. As he was waiting to transfer to another boat which would
take him down the coast of the Athonite peninsula, someone recognized
him. Immediately, this individual rushed to the local police station
and reported that an old calendarist bishop was trying to sneak into
the Holy Mountain. Alarmed, the gendarmes ran down to the harbor and
arrested Bishop Spryidon.
"You must leave immediately. The Holy Mountain is under the
jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and you have no right to
be here."
"My children, I am close to death. I have no purpose for coming here
except to kiss the icon of St. Anne in the Skete church where I was
first tonsured. If you do not believe me, come with me. You may even
hold me by the arms if you wish. My only wish is to venerate the
Saint's icon and to return to my hermitage to die."
"Absolutely not! You are going no further. You must leave immediately
under guard."
Broken-hearted and dejected, Bishop Spyridon, now accompanied by a
gendarme, returned to the mainland and began to make his way back to
Keratea.
He had to pass through Thessalonica. When he arrived at that city, he
was again recognized... The report spread like wildfire: "Spyridon of
the Matthewites is here in the city!" Immediately, great numbers of the
faithful began to gather, including those of the other Old Calendarist
jurisdiction. Everyone wanted to receive his blessing, to kiss his
panagia, to venerate the hem of his rassa, to kiss his hand, to touch
him.
Finally, with great difficulty he made it back to his little hermitage.
There, after a few weeks, he peacefully reposed in the Lord on February
18, 1963.
Of course, even if Bishop Spyridon's enemies had not recanted, it would
have made no difference, for God knew the innocence and sincerity of
his soul. Even if they had continued to denounce him - as the enemies
of St. Symeon the New Theologian continued to denounce him until his
death -- Bishop Spyridon would have suffered no harm from them.
Few people know that St. Symeon the Theologian - who is one of the
Church's greatest monastic fathers - was on one occasion violently
attacked by thirty of his monks when he was abbot of the Monastery of
St. Mamas in Constantinople. If they had been able, those monks would
have killed him -- such was their malice against him. The reason? The
saint had repeatedly rebuked them for their wrongdoing. As it says in
Proverbs:
Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
Rebuke a fool, and he will hate thee. (Cf. Proverbs 9:8)
This was not the only grief which St. Symeon suffered during his life.
Several bishops of the Ecumenical throne nurtured a deep malice against
him. Thanks to their jealousy and hostility -- which was cloaked in the
guise of politeness -- St. Symeon spent the last thirteen years of his
life in exile.
The saint accepted this injustice because, although the bishops of his
day were spiritually remiss and led astray by their passions, they
were, nonetheless, Orthodox. Had his bishops been faulty in their
faith, however, the saint would have been under no obligation to obey
them. St. Athanasius the Great, St. Maximus the Confessor and St.
Gregory Palamas are examples of Church fathers who were slanderously
accused of many misdeeds and who fought back -- for in their case, it
was not simply a matter of vindicating themselves, but of standing up
for the Orthodox Faith.
Yet, here is the irony: despite the fact that St. Symeon - like St.
Nectarius and Bishop Spyridon - suffered untold slanders and calumnies,
what Orthodox Christian today does not deeply honor him? And who
remembers the names of his implacable enemies? Indeed, who is not
deeply moved at reading his spirit-soaring poetry? And who can restrain
his tears when reading his compunctionate prayer in preparation for
Holy Communion?
Truly, as David the Psalmist says, "Many are the tribulations of the
righteous, and the Lord shall deliver them out of them all."
It is precisely because of their hope in the Lord that they who love
God can accept their tribulations with joy. And this too - despite all
the grief that he suffered and his banishment - is why St. Symeon, like
all those who have suffered because of the malice of others, could end
his famous poem with the words:
Wherefore, with a mind most thankful,
And a heart most thankful also,
Thankful also in the members
Of my soul and of my body,
I adore and magnify Thee,
As One verily most blessed,
Now and ever, to all ages.
*An all-encompassing Greek word that includes the meanings of
common decency, good manners, plus a personal sense of honour and
self-respect.
______________________________________________________________________________
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