WHAT DOST THOU BELIEVE
A quotation from a Paschal encyclical
of Vladyka Anthony (Khrapovitsky), Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia (1934)
The present age is rich not in
ascetical feats of piety and confession of faith, but in cheating, lies, and
deceits. It is noteworthy that several hierarchs and their flocks, have already
fallen away from Ecumenical unity, and to the question: What dost thou believe? reply with references to self-proclaimed
heads of all sorts of schisms in Moscow, America, and Western Europe. It is
clear that they have ceased to believe in the unity of the Church throughout
the whole world and do not wish to admit it, attempting to bear calmly the
refusal of the True Church to have relations with them, and imagining that one
can supposedly save one’s sou 1 even without communion with Her...
Those who have cut themselves off
from Her deprive themselves of the hope of salvation, as the Fathers of the
Sixth Ecumenical Council teach concerning this, having recognized the renegades
as being totally devoid of grace, according to the word of Christ: But if he
neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a
publican. (Mt 18:17).
Unfortunately, some Orthodox laymen,
even, alas, many priests (and hierarchs) have subjected themselves to this
state of gracelessness, although still retaining the outward appearance of the
church services and the apparent perfor¬mance of the Mysteries.
Page 8
Vol. 18, Issue 03-04
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