WHAT DOST THOU BELIEVE

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.

Orthodox Heritage 

Page 8

Vol. 18, Issue 03-04