MONKS AND MERMAIDS (A Benedictine Blog): ROMANIAN ORTHODOXY AND THE WIDER WORLD

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"Today the concept of truth is viewed with suspicion, because truth is identified with violence. Over history there have, unfortunately, been episodes when people sought to defend the truth with violence. But they are two contrasting realities. Truth cannot be imposed with means other than itself! Truth can only come with its own light. Yet, we need truth. ... Without truth we are blind in the world, we have no path to follow. The great gift of Christ was that He enabled us to see the face of God".Pope Benedict xvi, February 24th, 2012

The Church is ecumenical, catholic, God-human, ageless, and it is therefore a blasphemy—an unpardonable blasphemy against Christ and against the Holy Ghost—to turn the Church into a national institution, to narrow her down to petty, transient, time-bound aspirations and ways of doing things. Her purpose is beyond nationality, ecumenical, all-embracing: to unite all men in Christ, all without exception to nation or race or social strata. - St Justin Popovitch

Friday, 19 April 2013

ROMANIAN ORTHODOXY AND THE WIDER WORLD

The Miracle of Christ in Prison Uniform Icon

my source: Romanian Orthodoxy in English

The icon was painted in a church by Father Arsenie Boca during the communist regime in Romania at a time when he was under constant and direct surveillance by the secret services (Securitate). Not only the details of this icon (prison uniform and haircut) were not observed by Securitate, but it took another 60 years until someone who was fascinated by his icons observed them, after the fall of communism. It was typical of Father Arsenie to do such "defiant" things and he performed countless other miracles. Also "defiant" is the fact that the icon does not fit within the basic guidelines for iconography which is true for many of his icons. Farther Arsenie confessed that he was simply painting the things that God showed him. The prison theme is relevant to the persecutions that were endured during the communist regime and also has Biblical connotations: "I was in prison and you came to visit Me" (Matthew 25:36) Christ identifies with those in prison and suffers together with them.