Vernost' Number 29

The Editorial Board is glad to inform our Readers that this issue of “FIDELITY” has articles in French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian Languages.

С удовлетворением сообщаем, что в этом номере журнала “ВЕРНОСТЬ” помещены статьи на английском, французском, испанском, португальском и русском языках.

3. "СВЯТОРУССКИЕ УРОКИ КРЕСТА ГОСПОДНЯ". Е.Ю. Королёв

6. "СВОЕ ОТСТУПЛЕНИЕ ПЫТАЮТСЯ ПРИКРЫТЬ ИМЕНЕМ СВЯТИТЕЛЯ". Иеромонах Савва

7. "ОТКРЫТОЕ ПИСЬМО ПАСТЯРЯМ РПЦЗ РЕШИВШИМ В УЙТИ НА ПОКОЙ В МАЕ". П. БОНДАРЕНКО

10. "ТАЙНА ЛИЧНОСТИ ЦАРЯ". Свящ. Кирилл Зайцев (Архим. Константин)

ВЫСОКОПРЕОСВЯЩЕННЕЙШИМ ВЛАДЫКАМ РУССКОЙ ЦЕРКВИ, ДУХОВЕНСТВУ, МИРЯНАМ, ВСЕМ ЧИТАТЕЛЯМ И ЖЕРТОВАТЕЛЯМ НА РОДИНЕ И В ЗАРУБЕЖНОЙ РУСИ, ОСНОВАТЕЛИ И ПРАВЛЕНИЕ "Общества Ревнителей Памяти Блаженнейшего Митрополита Антония" И РЕДАКЦИЯ “ВЕРНОСТЬ” С ДУХОВНОЙ РАДОСТЬЮ ВОЗВЕЩАЕТ:

В этих трех словах для христианина заключается весь жизненный путь и указание как проводить не только сам великий праздник Рождества Христова, но и всю свою жизнь на земле, предвкушая жизнь вечную в Царствии Небесном. Великое славословие Спасителя нашего является высшей формой богообщения христианина. Поэтому в наших храмах по всему миру поется: «Слава в вышних Богу, и на земли мир в человецех благоволение!»

В эти светлые и святые дни воспоем с Церковью Христовой: «Величай, душе моя, Триипостасного и Нераздельного Божества державу.. » «Величай, душе моя, от Девы Бога, плотию рождшагося!..»

Всех наших дорогих читателей просим принять наши сердечные поздравления с великим праздником Рождества Христова. Надеемся, что в эти рождественские дни свет Вифлиемской звезды удостоит наполнить сердца у нас всех! Пусть Дивный новорожденный Младенец коснется каждого из нас Своей любовью, миром, радостью и надеждой на вечное блаженство с Ним. А в Новом 2006 году искренно желаем всем полного здравия, во всем благого поспешения, и великих милостей от Господа нашего!

Многие годы в эмиграции и на Родине мы жили верой в то, что многострадальная Русь освободится от ига богоборческой власти. Мы помним, что все наши великие патриоты были глубоко верующими. Мы знаем и помним, что наши деды и прадеды любили свою Церковь, любили свою Веру, берегли и хранили их. Они, во славу Божию, возводили храмы и строили часовни по всей нашей необъятной Святой Руси, где столетиями отливались золотом купола церквей, разливался звон колоколов, а в монастырях, скитах и кельях день и нощь усердно возносились молитвы угодников Божиих. То была Русь наших дедов, прадедов. Россияне православные всегда вставали на защиту Отчизны своей – в России, на Украине, в Белоруссии и в Червонной Руси.

Теперь полагаясь на великую милость Божию, по молитвам многотысячных святых Новомучеников и Исповедников Российских, мы надеемся на то, что Российский народ, претерпевший уже столько испытаний, отвергнет новые, страшнейшие искушения века сего и, принесши покаяние, вернется к спасительной и неизвращенной Вере Православной – Вере отцов, к Ее исконным обрядам и обычаям. В этой Вере – мудрая сила, оправданная надежда, нелицетворная любовь и залог вечного спасения для каждого верующего в отдельности, как и для всего Православного Российского народа в целом.

Мы также молитвенно надеемся, что и в новом 2006 году Господь Бог подаст добрых сил и мудрости сотрудникам журнала «Верность» бескомпромиссно стоять на стражи и отстаивать нашу Святую Веру от всех пагубных нововведений, ведя Россиян в рассеянии сущих, как и в нашей вечной Российской Отчизне, к взаимной христианской любви, миру и согласию.

The most recent Epistle of the First Hierarch Metropolitan Laurus (dd. December 9, 2005) is a curious document that proposes an 'alternative view' of ROCOR history. For example, I am unaware of the Soviet Church ever having been viewed by our late Hierarchs of blessed memory as "the Mother Church", "the Sister Church", or even "part of the Russian Church" as stated by Vladyka Laurus below, in the 85 year legacy of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. As a convert, I have always been taught that the other "part of the Russian Church" was and continues to be, the Russian Catacomb Church -- the glorious New Martyrs and Confessors, as well as the faithful lay people, priests, and bishops that continue to be persecuted by "the official church" -- even to this very day. Notably, Vladyka Laurus states in his most recent Epistle,

"I wish to remind everyone that at this moment, we are not talking about "unification," "merging" or "union" with the Moscow Patriarchate, but of reconciliation of the two parts of the Russian Orthodox Church."

I can think of no other way to decipher this statement, apart from an understanding of the literary device the great George Orwell described in his discourse on the English language, as "Newspeak". In a nutshell, "Newspeak" is an attempt to rewrite history through the distortion of language. To illustrate this point, compare the above statements with that of Blessed Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) +1985 concerning this matter:

"When Metropolitan Sergius promulgated his criminal Declaration, then the faithful children of the Church immediately separated themselves from the Soviet church, and thus the Catacomb Church was formed. And she, in turn, has anathematized the official church for its betrayal of Christ." Metropolitan Philaret, Letter Concerning Father Dmitri Dudko, 1980.

These two statements represent two very different ecclesiological views on the Synod's stand in regard to the Soviet church. In fact, they are diametrically opposed. The former is something of a newcomer to the scene -- a strictly political philosophy that is being slickly marketed to the faithful to be 'in step with the times'; while the latter is steeped in the tradition of ROCOR - 'the mind of the fathers'. Vladyka Laurus continues with a description of the ecclesiastical arrangements that will follow the proposed forthcoming union in May 2006:

"...one Chalice, that is, joint services, but two entirely separate ecclesiastical administrations. In short, our Church will preserve its independence in all administrative, property, educational and pastoral matters, and we will remain what we were before reconciliation—a self-governing part of the Russian Church.

To this I might be so bold as to ask -- What would be the point of this fraternal arrangement? Either the Synod will be in communion with Moscow, or She will not be. To give an illusion of autonomy to the Synod faithful, (such as currently exists between "the MP" and its KGB-created offshoot known as "the OCA") is a distortion of reality at best, and a blasphemy against the unity of the Church of Christ at worst. His Eminence continues,

"No one can meddle in the internal workings of our beloved Church, the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia will continue to appoint bishops to their sees, and our ruling bishops will appoint priests to their parishes."

Are we to believe that "the internal workings of our beloved church" have not already been meddled with? Given the massive amount of documented KGB penetration into the Moscow Patriarchate, it seems necessary at this juncture to come to terms with the degree to which our own Synod has already been compromised. Instead, we are exhorted in the Epistle below to cooperate with the Unionists: "...it is necessary for us on our part", "the process...we must not shy away from"; and to shut our eyes to the further dismantling of our Synod: "this should be of no concern at all".

Finally, it seems the author of this Epistle has been practicing the currently fashionable ecumenical diatribe with great diligence, as the Epistle is peppered with WCC-inspired prose such as, "the process of coming to know each other", "through constructive cooperation and fraternal meetings", "embark upon this road of peacemaking through dialog", "being conducted in a frank and constructive spirit", "receptive to the idea of reconciliation and of spiritual unity with the Church in Russia." What a far cry from the First Hierarch we stood confidently behind only three short years go when the same Metropolitan Laurus gave his blessing to print the following concerning the state of The Russian Church Abroad in 2002:

"Many people still remain under the influence of hierarchs who for some reason refuse to reject the legacy of the Moscow Patriarchate... If Saint John (Maximovitch) in 1960 wrote that "The church authority in Russia (i.e., the Moscow Patriarchate) is an image of captivity and spiritual powerlessness: neither is there freedom of will, nor action," then surely his words apply in our days. Now one can say that the bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate are held captive only by their own incorrect way of reasoning. The fruits of such captivity are participation in the ecumenical movement (which has as its secret agenda the creation of a "universal church" for the coming antichrist), and the willingness to serve any civil government - under the present circumstances, the spiritually antichristian "New World Order." (Rassaphor-monk Vsevlod, Commentary on the Contemporary State of Church Life).

Metropolitan Laurus is the inheritor of the great spiritual succession of First Hierarchs that spans the greater part of a century. However, it is clear that this most recent Epistle signed with the name of "Metropolitan Laurus" is not a part of the tradition of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Whether the mind of the First Hierarch has been darkened, or whether these are not really Vladyka's words at all but those of an imposter, is perhaps not for us to know. Let us not forget the 'Official Declarations' attributed to Saint Patriarch Tikhon giving validity to the Living Church, that he in fact, never issued. It is not for us to judge our brothers and sisters, much less our own hierarchs, as only God knows what they have endured and been subject to. Rather, it is imperative that we pray for them and forgive them, as each one of us is capable of becoming a Judas. As servants of the one true God - may we not lose heart when all seems lost, but find the strength to fight against these God-hating philosophies dressed up in sheep's clothing and passed off as an "Epistle from the First Hierarch". God is infinitely just and merciful in His wisdom - may His will be done.

For many years now, during the era of our "youth cult," it has been popular to use the expression, "the future of our Church is our youth."

Few people seem to have paused to reflect on the meaninglessness of such a statement. For, the future of the Church, just as Her past and Her present, is Christ. The Holy Church is totally fulfilled and She offers this fullness to us. We, on the other hand, have absolutely nothing to bring to the Church except our sins. It is really correct to say that the future of our youth is the Church. With this in mind, and with a deep, sincere and unhypocritical love, Metropolitan Philaret has written this book for the benefit and guidance of our youth.

The Law of God was written primarily as a church-school text for intermediate students, but its value far exceeds that. Popadija Anna Krosnjar, a dedicated and outstanding church-school educator, has enhanced the value of this text by providing church-school lessons at the end of each chapter. This is of great assistance not only to local church-school teachers, but to parents who wish to use this book in the home.

We thank our Savior that He had given us such a holy and loving archpastor as Metropolitan Philaret to guide us along the dark and twisted path of these last days.

The translation and publication of this work is reverently dedicated to the memory of

Of all the creatures on earth, only man has an understanding or morality. Every person is aware that his or her actions are either good or bad, kind or evil, morally positive or morally negative (immoral). By these concepts of morality, man differs immeasurably from all animals. Animals behave according to their natural characteristics or else, if they have been trained, in the way they have been taught. They have, however, no concept of morality-immorality, and so their behavior cannot be examined from the point of view of moral awareness.

By what means does one distinguish between the morally good and the morally bad? This differentiation is made by means of a special moral law given to man by God. This moral law, this voice of God in man's soul is felt in the depth of our consciousness: it is called conscience. This conscience is the basis of the morality common to man. A person who does not listen to his conscience but stifles it, suppresses its voice with falseness and the darkness of stubborn sin, is often called "unconscionable." The Holy Scripture refers to such stubborn sinners as people with a "seared" conscience. Their spiritual condition is extremely dangerous and ruinous for the soul.

When one listens to the voice of one's conscience, one sees that this conscience speaks in him first of all as a judge - strict and incorruptible, evaluating all one's actions and experiences. Often, it happens that some given action appears advantageous to a person, or has drawn approval from others, but in the depths of the soul this person hears the voice of conscience, "This is not good, this is a sin."

In a tight bond with this action of judging, the conscience also acts in one's soul as a legislator. All those moral demands which confront a person's soul in all his conscious actions (for example, be just, do not steal, etc), are norms, demands, prescriptions of this very conscience. Its voice teaches us how one must and must not behave. Finally, the conscience also acts in man as a rewarder. This happens when we, having acted well, experience peace and calm in the soul or, on the other hand, when we experience reproaches of the conscience after having sinned. These reproaches of the conscience sometimes pass over into terrible mental pain and torment. They can lead a person to despair or a loss of mental balance if one does not restore peace and calmness in the soul through deep and sincere repentance.

It is self-evident that man bears a moral responsibility only for those actions which he commits, in a conscious condition, being free in the carrying out of the actions. Only then can moral imputation be applied to these actions, and then they impute to the person either guilt, praise or judgment.

People who, on the other hand, are incapable of recognizing the character of their actions (babies, those deprived of reason, etc). or those who are forced against their will to commit such actions, do not bear responsibility for them. In the first epoch of persecution against Christianity, the pagan tormentors often placed incense in the hands of martyrs and then held their hands over the flame burning on their altar. The torturers supposed that the martyrs would jerk their hands back, dropping the incense into the fire. In fact, these confessors of the faith were usually so firm in spirit that they preferred to burn their hands and not drop the incense; but even had they dropped it, who would charge that they had brought sacrifice to the idols?

That the moral law must be acknowledged as innate to mankind, that is, fixed in the very nature of man, is indisputable. This is clearly seen from the fact that a concept of morality is universal in mankind. Of course, only the most basic moral requirements are innate - a sort of moral instinct - but not so with revealed and clear moral understandings and concepts. For, clear moral understandings and concepts developed in man in part through upbringing and influence from preceding generations, most of all on the basis of religious awareness. Therefore, coarse groups of people have moral norms lower, coarser, more malformed than Orthodox Christians who know and believe in the True God Who placed the moral law into man's soul and Who, through this law, guides all of his life and activities.

All Orthodox Christians know from the Holy Scripture, and believe, that God created man in His own image and likeness. Therefore, in the creation man received a sinless nature, but not even the first man, Adam, remained sinless. He lost his original purity in the first fall into sin in paradise. The toxin of this sinfulness contaminated the entire human race, which descended from its forbears who had sinned - just as poison water flows from a poisoned spring. Acting upon the inclination to sin inherited from our ancestors, each person commits their own personal sins, as the Scriptural indictment says, "There is no one who will live for a single day and not sin." Only our Lord Jesus Christ is absolutely free from sin. Even the righteous, God's saints, bore sin within themselves and, although with God's help they struggled with it, yet they humbly acknowledged themselves to be sinners. So, without exception, all people are sinners, tainted with sin.

Sin is a spiritual leprosy, an illness and an ulcer which has stricken all mankind, both in his soul and his body. Sin has damaged all three of the basic abilities and powers of the soul; the mind, the heart and the will. Man's mind became darkened and inclined toward error, thus, man constantly errs - in science, in philosophy and in his practical activity.

What is even more harmed by sin is man's heart - the center of his experience of good and evil, as well as feelings of sorrow and joy. We see that our heart has been bound in the mire of sin; it has lost the ability to be pure, spiritual and Christian, to possess truly elevated feelings. Instead of this, it has become inclined toward pleasures of sensuality and earthly attachments. It is tainted with vainglory and often startles one with a complete absence of love and of the desire to do good toward one's neighbor.

What is harmed most of all, however, is the capability of our will to effect our intentions. Man proves to be without strength of will particularly when it is necessary to practice true Christian good - even though he might desire this good. The holy apostle Paul speaks of this weakness of will when he says: "For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds which I do not desire to do are what I am always doing." That is why Christ the Savior said of man the sinner, "Whoever practices sin is the slave of sin," although to the sinner, alas, serving sin often seems to be freedom while struggling to escape its net appears to be slavery.

How does a sin develop in one's soul? The holy fathers, strugglers of Christian asceticism and piety, knowing the sinful human soul, explain it far better than all the learned psychiatrists. They distinguish the following stages in sin: The first moment in sin is the suggestion, when some temptation becomes identified in a person's conscience - a sinful impression, an unclean thought or some other temptation. If, in this first moment, a person decisively and at once rejects the sin, he does not sin, but defeats sin and his soul will experience progress rather than degeneration. It is in the suggestion stage of sin that it is easiest of all to remove it. If the suggestion is not rejected, it passes over first into an ill-defined striving and then into a clear, conscious desire to sin. At this point, one already begins to be inclined to sin of a given type. Even at this point, however, without an especially difficult struggle, one can avoid giving in to sin and refrain from sinning. One will be helped by the clear voice of conscience and by God's aid if one will only turn to it.

Beyond this point, one has fallen into sin. The reproaches of the conscience sound loudly and clearly, eliciting a revulsion to the sin. The former self-assurance disappears and the man is humbled (compare Apostle Peter before and after his denial of Christ). But even at this point, defeat of sin is not entirely difficult. This is shown by numerous examples, as in the lives of Peter, the holy prophet-king David and other repentant sinners.

It is more difficult to struggle with a sin when, through frequent repetition, it becomes a habit in one. After acquiring any kind of habit, the habitual actions are performed by the person very easily, almost unnoticed by himself, spontaneously. Thus, the struggle with sin which has become a habit for a person is very difficult since it is not only difficult to overcome, but is even difficult to detect in its approach and process.

An even more dangerous stage of sin is vice. In this condition, sin so rules a person that it forges his will in chains. Here, one is almost powerless to struggle against it. He is a slave to sin even though he may acknowledge its danger and, in lucid intervals, perhaps even hates it with all his soul (such is the vice of alcoholism, narcotic addiction, etc.). In this condition, one cannot deal with oneself without special mercy and help from God and one is in need of prayer and the spiritual support of others. One must bear in mind that even a seemingly minor sin such as gossiping, love of attire, empty diversions, etc. can become a vice in man if it possesses him entirely and fills his soul.

The lowest stage of sin, in which sin completely enslaves one to itself, is the passion of one or another type. In this condition, man can no longer hate his sin as he can with a vice (and this is the difference between them). Rather he submits to sin in all his experiences, actions and moods, as did Judas Iscariot. At this stage, one literally and directly lets Satan into his heart (as it is said of Judas in the Gospel) and in this condition, nothing will help him except Grace-filled Church prayers and other such actions.

There is yet another special, most terrible and destructive type of sin. This is blaspheming against the Holy Spirit. Even the prayers of the Church cannot help one who is found in this condition. The Apostle John the Theologian speaks of this directly when he entreats us to pray for a brother who has sinned, but points out the uselessness of prayer for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself says that this sin - the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - is not forgiven and will not be forgiven either in this age or in the future. He pronounced these terrible words against the Pharisees who, though they clearly saw that he worked everything according to the will of God and by God's power, nevertheless distorted the truth. They perished in their own blasphemy and their example is instructive and urgent for all those who would sin mortal sin: by an obdurate and conscious adversity to the undoubted Truth and thereby blaspheming the Spirit of truth - God's Holy Spirit.

We must note that even blasphemy against the Lord Jesus Christ can be forgiven man (according to His own words) since it can be committed in ignorance or temporary blindness. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit could be forgiven, says St Athanasios the Great, only if a man ceased from it and became repentant. But the very nature of the sin is such that it makes it virtually impossible for a man to return to the truth. One who is blind can regain his sight and love the one who revealed the truth to him and one who is soiled with vices and passions can be cleansed by repentance and become a confessor of the Truth, but who and what can change a blasphemer who has seen and known the Truth and who has stubbornly refused and hated it? This horrible condition is similar to the condition of the devil himself who believes in God and trembles but who nevertheless hates Him, blasphemes Him and is in adversity to Him.

When a seduction, a temptation to sin, appears in man, it usually comes from three sources: from man's own flesh, from the world and from Satan.

Concerning man's flesh, there is absolutely no doubt that in many respects it is a den and source of anti-moral predisposition's, strivings and inclinations. The ancestral sin - this inclination towards sin, a heritage from the sin of our progenitors and our own personal sinful experiences: all this added up and each (experience) strengthening one another, creates in our flesh a source of temptations, sinful moods and acts.

More often, though, the source of seduction for us is the world around us which, according to the Apostle John the Theologian, "is under the power of the Evil-One" and friendship with which, according to another Apostle, is enmity with God. The milieu around us seduces us, the people around us do likewise (especially the willful, conscious seducers and corrupters of youth about whom the Lord said: "Whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble and sin, it were better for that man that a millstone be tied around his neck and he be cast into the sea."

The enticers are also external goods, riches, comforts, immoral dances, dirty literature, shameless attire, etc. - all of this is undoubtedly a fetid source of sin and seduction.

But the main and root source of sin is, of course, the devil, as the Apostle John the Theologian says, "He who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning." In struggling with God and His Truth, the devil struggles with people, striving to destroy each of us. He struggles most intensely and with the most malice with the saints as we see in the Gospel and in the lives of the saints. We, sick and infirm, are specially defended by Christ against those fierce temptations to which God's saints, strong in spirit, are subjected. Nevertheless, Satan does not ignore us, acting through the enticements of the world and the flesh, making them stronger and more deceptive, and also tempting us by sinful suggestions of all kinds. It is because of this, that the Apostle Peter compares Satan with a "raging lion which stalks about seeking whom he might devour."

The complete opposite of sin is virtue. Its rudiments are found in every person, as remnants of that natural good which was placed into the nature of man by his Creator. It is found in a pure and complete form only in True Christianity, for Christ the Savior said: "Without Me ye can do nothing."

Christianity teaches us that man's earthly life is a time of moral struggle, a time of preparation for the future, eternal life. Consequently, the tasks of man's earthly life consist of correctly preparing for future eternity. The earthly life is brief and it does not repeat itself, for man lives but once on earth. Therefore, in this earthly life, one must work at virtue if one does not wish to destroy one's soul. For this is precisely what God's truth demands of one on the threshold of eternity.

Each Christian, with God's help, shapes his own earthly life, in the sense that he or she directs its course toward virtue. In order to be virtuous, however, one must not only do good for others, but work on oneself, struggling with his insufficiencies and vices, developing in himself a good, Christian-valued foundation. This work on oneself, this struggle toward moral perfection of man's earthly life is indispensable for every Christian. The Lord Himself said: "the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault and violent men seize it by force" (Mt.11:12).

The moral character and features of each person are worked out in such a life-struggle. A Christian must, of course, be a Christian before all else, a person with an established, solid moral character and he must aim for the building of such a character. In other words, he must strive for progress in himself toward moral perfection.

Thus, from a Christian point of view, life is a moral struggle, a path of constant striving toward good and perfection. There can be no pause on this path, according to the law of the spiritual life. A man who stops working on himself will not remain the same as he was, but will inevitably become worse - like a stone which is thrown upwards and stops rising, it will not remain suspended in the air, but will fall downward.

We already know that our sins generally originate from three sources: from the devil, from the world around us lying in evil, and from our own sinful flesh. Since sin is the main enemy and obstacle of virtue, it is evident that a Christian who is striving towards virtue must, through God's mercy and help, struggle against sin in all its aspects. It is especially needful at this point to recall the Savior's words to the Apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane, "Keep vigil and pray lest you fall into temptation." The words are directed not only at the Apostles but to all of us, indicating that the struggle with sinful temptations is possible only for one who is vigilant and who prays, standing on guard for his survival.

The task of man's earthly life is preparing himself for eternal salvation and beatitude. To attain this, a man must live in a holy and pure manner - that is, according to God's will.

How can one recognize this will of God? First of all, in one's conscience, which for this reason, is called God's voice in the soul of man. If the fall had not darkened the human soul, man would be able unerringly and firmly to direct the path of his life according to the dictates of his conscience, in which the inner moral law is expressed. We know, however, that in a sinful man, not only are the mind, heart and will damaged, but the conscience is also darkened and its judgment and voice have lost their firm clearness and strength. It is not without reason that some people are called unconscionable.

Therefore, conscience alone - the inner voice - became insufficient for man to live and act according to God's will. The need arose for an external guide, for a God-revealed law. Such a law was given by God to people in two aspects: first, the preparatory - the Old Testament law of Moses - then the full and perfect Gospel law.

There are two distinguishable parts in Moses' law: the religious-moral and the national-ceremonial which was closely tied with the history and way of life of the Jewish nation. The second aspect is gone into the past for Christians, that is, the national-ceremonial rules and laws, but the religious-moral laws preserve their force in Christianity. Therefore, all the ten commandments in the law of Moses are obligatory for Christians. Christianity has not altered them. On the contrary, Christianity has taught people to understand these commandments, not externally - literalistically, in the manner of blind, slavish obedience, and external fulfillment, but it has revealed the full spirit and taught the perfect and full understanding and fulfillment of them. For Christians, however, Moses' law has significance only because its central commandments (the ten which deal with love of God and neighbors) are accepted and shown forth by Christianity. We are guided in our life not by this preparatory and temporary law of Moses, but by the perfect and eternal law of Christ. St Basil the Great says, "If one who lights a lamp before himself in broad daylight seems strange, then how much stranger is one who remains in the shadow of the law of the Old Testament when the Gospel is being preached." The main distinction of the New Testament law from that of the Old Testament consists in that the Old Testament law looked at the exterior actions of man, while the New Testament law looks at the heart of man, at his inner motives. Under the Old Testament law, man submitted himself to God as a slave to his master, but under the New Testament, he strives toward submitting to Him as a son submits to a beloved father.

There is a tendency to regard the Old Testament law incorrectly. Some see no good in it, but only seek out features of coarseness and cruelty. This is a mistaken view. It is necessary to take into consideration the low level of spiritual development at which man then stood thousands of years ago. Under the conditions of the times, with truly coarse and cruel morals, those rules and norms of Moses' law which now seem cruel to us (e.g., "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," etc.) in reality were not such. They did not, of course, destroy human cruelty and vengeance (only the Gospel could do this), but they did restrain it and establish firm and strict limits upon it. Moreover, it must be remembered that those commandments about love toward God and neighbors, which the Lord indicated as the most important, are taken directly from the law of Moses (Mk. 12:29-31). The Holy Apostle Paul says of this law, "The law, therefore, is holy and each commandment is holy, just and good" (Rom. 7:12).

Святорусские уроки Креста Господня.

Евгений Юрьевич Королёв.

В сентябре исполнилось четыре года с того дня, когда в городе Бийске Алтайского края была обретена новая Богородичная икона, получившая название «Пресвятая Богородица – Святая Русь Торжество Православия». Быть может, глубина и смысл этого события станет нам ближе и понятней, если мы рассмотрим его через призму события, в чём-то подобного, связанного с воздвижением Честнаго и Животворящего Креста Господня.

В первые годы, и даже столетия существования христианства, христиане ничего не знали о духовной силе Креста Господня. Нет, они, конечно же, вспоминали об орудии казни Спасителя, использовали его начертание в оформлении своих первых – катакомбных, - храмов. Но только как один из условных знаков, наряду с такими, как рыба, корабль, якорь, виноградная лоза – своеобразными аллегориями, напоминавшими о Христе и Его спасительной миссии. И только спустя три века (!), после череды чудесных событий, Святый Крест был прославлен и введён в церковную жизнь как само значимая христианская Святыня.

В начале IV от Рождества Христова Римская Империя была охвачена жесточайшей междоусобной войной. В какой-то её период, главным спорным вопросом противостояния двух претендентов на единоличную власть в Римской Империи – цезарей Константина и Лициния, - стал о вопрос о веротерпимости, и, в частности, о веротерпимости к христианам.

Константин был сторонником прекратить гонения на христиан, Лициний, соответственно был противником такой позиции. И одного и другого претендента на императорский престол поддерживала определённая часть населения Империи. В распоряжении и того и другого было собственное войско. Около 320 года от Рождества Христова эти войска сошлись для того, чтобы в ратном сражении определить достойного стать императором Великой Римской Империи. Войско Лициния было более многочисленным, чем армия Константина. Но у последнего не было выбора. Только драться и победить в этой драке – только так он мог стать Императором. Отступить, попытаться избежать сражения, в данном случае было равносильным тому, чтобы собственными руками короновать Лициния императорской короной.

В один из тех дней, когда войска противников стояли друг против друга и готовились к решающему сражению, произошло ЧУДО! Перед глазами Константина, его войска и, надо полагать вражеских солдат тоже, на синем безоблачном небе возникло свечение. Оно приобрело форму креста, под которым образовалась надпись: «NIKA» - «Сим побеждай». И это видели все! Видели и гадали, что бы это значило? А наступившей ночью, было Константину видение: явился перед ним Сам Иисус Христос, с крестом в руке, и сказал, что именно этим знамением разобьёт Константин своего врага.

Проснувшись, Константин приказал изготовить хоругви – стяги с изображением Креста Господня. Под этими стягами и вступило в неравное сражение войско Константина Великого, и победило в нём, и открыло дорогу к рождению христианской цивилизации. Константин же, после этого, вместе с материю своею, Св. царицей Еленою, отыскал останки того самого Креста, на котором был распят Христос, и воздвиг его для всеобщего поклонения.

Значение Креста для христианской жизни велико и многообразно. Никто и никогда из людей не сможет сказать, что он до конца понял это значение. Ибо, каждый новый день приоткрывает какие-то новые стороны, какие-то новые смыслы тех далёких событий.

Для нашего случая история обретения Честнаго и Животворящего Креста Господня в Алтайском краю, особо поучительна двумя моментами.

Урок первый: нельзя служить Богу, оставаясь язычником. Почему Константин поддерживал христиан? Потому ли, что и сам разделял их взгляды, или же потому, что захотел заручиться их поддержкой в борьбе за свою власть?

Сложившаяся ситуация, как бы оборачивается для Константина вопросом: «Что для тебя вера Христова? – Модное учение твоего «электората», или святыня, ради которой ты не устрашишься отдать и собственную жизнь?» Если бы голова и сердце Константина были заняты лишь заботой о мирском, то не понял бы он ни дневного, ни ночного видения Креста Господня. Мало того, что не понял, но и НЕ ДОВЕРИЛСЯ бы ему, вступая в сражение с превосходящим по силе противником. Но именно потому, что понял, потому что принял и доверился, вступил в схватку, в итоге одержал в ней победу, стал первым христианским Императором, был прославлен Церковью, как святой и равноапостольный.

Таким образом, первый урок состоит в том, что богоугодные дела и исполняться могут только людьми, по настоящему верующими. Никаких промежуточных вариантов, никаких компромиссов в таких ситуациях быть не может. Нельзя «возрождать Россию» по средам, пятницам и воскресеньям, в остальные дни недели, превращая её в нечестивое торжище.

Урок второй: Богу Богово, а кесарю кесарево.

Увидев Крест и надпись под ним «Сим побеждай!», не оружие особенное принялся сооружать Константин, типа того, чтобы сколачивать некие деревянные дубины крестообразной формы, или ковать такие же мечи и доспехи, а поднял изображение Креста в качестве ЗНАМЕНИЯ над всем своим войском, над всем полем боя, посвящая Кресту Господнему всю пролитую на этом поле кровь, все израненные тела, все прервавшиеся жизни. Вознёс Крест, как ценность, превышающую все иные мирские ценности. В одном этом духовном действе силы оказалось больше, чем в тысячах крестообразных орудиях убийства.

Иначе говоря, смысл второго урока состоит в том, что всякая святыня предполагает не просто «веру в Бога», но и соответствующее к себе отношение. И, когда человек правильно служит святыне, то она становится живым участником жизни этого человека, неизменно помогая ему во всех его делах и сложных ситуациях.

Примерно также дело обстоит и в нашем случае, в случае явления образа Пресвятой Богородицы – Святой Руси Торжества Православия.

Во-первых, явление иконы показало, что речь идёт о том, что Православная Россия – это не некая историческая случайность, а само значимая христианская Святыня. То есть, Святая Русь – это не идеологическая условность, а живая реальность, подобная Честному и Животворящему Кресту Господню; не одно из многих национально-государственных образований, а совершенно особая, промыслительная миссия прославления имени Божия на Земле. В связи с этим, всякие попытки служения России, попытки какого бы то ни было её возрождения – экономического, политического, культурного, - бессмысленны без учёта её духовно-нравственного характера и предназначения. Именно об этом говорит нам явление иконы Пресвятой Богородицы – Святой Руси Торжества Православия.

Внемля многолетним молитвам всего православного народа российского о возрождении своего Отечества, Господь, как бы подсказывает, чтобы мы сами поняли, о чём именно просим – о возвращении ли нашей стране былого её земного могущества и благополучия, или же о восстановлении попранной святыни? Ибо, накормить алчущих – это одно, а вернуть заблудших на путь служения Истине – это другое. И потому, каждому из нас – из тех, кто называет себя православным патриотом России, - прежде всего, предстоит определиться, чем лично для него является Святая Русь? - Романтическими пожеланиями о всеобщей святости русского народа, или особой, промыслительной миссией социального служения Богу, смысл которой состоит в том, чтобы утвердить торжество христианских идеалов и ценностей во всех сферах и на всех уровнях общественной жизни современного человека?

Во-вторых, тем, кому Русь святыня, опыт Константина Великого подсказывает, что «пользоваться» этой святыней следует должным образом. Не как плугом, чтобы возродить русские поля, не как мастерком, чтобы отстроить русские дома, а как иконой – МОЛИТВЕННО!

Подобно святому и равноапостольному Константину Великому, нам следует соорудить хоругви с изображением Святой Руси Торжества Православия и ознаменовать ими все наши экономические, политические, культурные, военные, международные и все остальные начинания. Таким образом, больше не дать себе забыть, чего ради мы живём – трудимся и празднуем, строим и разрушаем, почитаем и порицаем.

Особо следует остановиться на теме «хоругвий». На церковном языке хоругвиями называют церковные знамёна – матерчатые стяги, на которых изображаются лики Иисуса Христа, Пресвятой Богородицы, святых подвижников Божиих, Честной и Животворящий Крест Господень. В сущности – это те же самые иконы, сопровождающие особый вид церковного служения – крестные ходы. Так о хоругвиях пишется в специальной литературе, и это совершенно правильное определение. Мы же, для большей ясности вопроса рассмотрим его на условной, аллегоричной ситуации.

Представим себе, что некий странник, изнывающий от жажды где то в испепеляющей песчаной пустыне, обратился к Богу с молитвой о ниспослании ему воды. В ответ на эту молитвенную просьбу было страннику видение – чаша на небе. Чаша наклоняется и из неё льётся живительная влага. Смотрит стран&