Summer 2001
In This Issue
The Official Publication of the
Diocese of the West of the
Orthodox Church in America
Diocese of the West
650 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Publisher
His Grace Bishop TIKHON
Bishop of San Francisco and
the Diocese of the West
650 Micheltorena Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026-3612
Phone: (323)666-4977
Fax: (323)913-0316
Address all stories, editorial
comments and circulation to:
Editor-in-Chief
Priest Eric George Tosi
5400 Annie Oakley Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone: (702)898-4800
Fax: (702)898-0303
Email: marsaba@aol.com
The Orthodox Vision is published three times
a year by the Diocese of the West. It is free to
all parish members and outreach within the
Diocese. Subscriptions outside the Diocese
is available for $10 per year in the United
States and $15 per year in Canada.
The articles contained herein do not neces-
sarily reflect the views or policies of the Dio-
cese or the editors. The advertisements con-
tained herein are not necessarily endorsed
by the Diocese or Editorial Staff.
Volume 6, Number 2
From His Grace...................................................................................1
Raphael House in San Francisco:
Thirty Years of Serving the Community............................................2
Consecration of St. Seraphim in Santa Rosa...................................4
St. Innocent Hosts Nun from Guatemala.........................................5
Old Meets New in Reno.....................................................................5
St. Panteleimon: A Healing Story.....................................................6
News Around the Diocese..................................................................7
Book Review: Elder Cleopa...............................................................8
Clergy Wives Gather for Retreat........................................................9
Southwest Deanery Holds Summer Camp......................................10
Diocesan Teen Weekend Planned....................................................12
From the Fathers:
Fr. Alexander Men on Christianity.................................................13
Editor’s Note: There were some letters to the editor on gram-
matical errors in the last issue, specifically in the reprint of
the diary of Fr. Alexander Kukulevsky. It is common editorial
practice to reprint diaries and quotes exactly as given, errors
and all. This allows the exact context of the passage to be
read and maintains the historical integrity of the text.
WWW.OCADOW.ORG
For the latest information on the Diocese of the West
Information on all parishes, institutions and departments
Archived issues of The Orthodox Vision
Complete letters of instruction from His Grace
And much, much more

From His Grace Bishop TIKHON
Renovation, Renewal, Reform, Restoration
The holy Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “For we know that
the whole creation groaneth and travaileth together until now.”
(Rom. VII:22). This verse always comes to my mind at the
consecration of a new Orthodox Church. Recently we conse-
crated a new temple named after St. Seraphim of Sarov in Santa
Rosa, California, a little over an hour’s drive north of San Fran-
cisco, where Father Lawrence Margitich is the Rector and his
father, Father Michael Margitich the Rector Emeritus. Once again,
that verse about the suffering of creation until the coming of
Christ was in my thoughts. The consecration of a Church is
called, in the language of the services themselves, a renewal, a
renovation, or even a restoration. It means that just as there is
salvation or damnation for us mortals, just as there are the Re-
deemed and the damned among us, an old Adam and a New
Adam, an old Man and a new Man, the same prospects and
hopes may be part of the course of life for every part of cre-
ation, not only men, but trees, streams, animals, flowers, even
minerals!
The pieces of wood that have been consecrated into a Holy
Altar table during the consecration of a Church are different
from the wood of a tree in the forest, different from the wood
used in a cocktail bar. The minerals that are mixed into the tem-
pera in order to provide coloring for our Holy Icons are differ-
ent from the minerals that lie unmined or used for the decora-
tion of the vain or even “put to good use,” for the wood, the
minerals in the pigment of the icons, the flower of the cotton
plants that went into the making of the white cloth that was
wrapped around the Altar Table…in short, every item that went
into what some people call (often with a misleading sense of
disparagement) “a man-made Church”, is different, is made
anew, from what it was: it is renewed, renovated, restored.
Everything in the service of consecration, or, rather, renewal,
points out and underlines this transformation. Many of the ac-
coutrements of a man’s Baptism are employed in the consecra-
tion, or, rather, renewal of created material into a Church, and
rightly so: a pure white garment, like a Baptismal Stikharion, is
wrapped around as an undercloth, the Altar Table and the table
itself has been blessed with Holy Water, washed, bathed in wine
and water, censed. But to me, like most human beings, affected
most powerfully by language that is one of the main qualities
that differentiates us from the rest of the animal world, the very
prayers of the service make plain in the most vivid way this
renewal. These prayers make it very plain why those well-mean-
ing, perhaps sentimental, persons that excuse themselves from
prayer and worship with the Body of the Church in a conse-
crated temple in order to “pray in God’s creation” by the seaside
or on a mountaintop or in the woods, are on the wrong track, so
to speak.
1
The Orthodox Vision
Much of the service takes
place within the closed
Altar: in fact, in earlier
times, the part of the ser-
vice where the people
were first allowed to par-
ticipate was only at the
time of the procession bearing the relics from an already conse-
crated, or, rather, renewed Church to the new One. But even in
that first part of the service, the Holy Doors are opened, and the
Bishop comes out and kneels on a rug and cushion before them,
and prays in a very loud voice in the hearing of all, so that all
may participate in that prayer, that the Church being conse-
crated and the Altar in It would be filled with “everlasting Light,
made into the habitation of God’s own Glory, and that God’s
eyes would be “open on it day and night”, that it would be
“preserved unto to the end of time”, and that the holy Altar table
would be glorified “above the Mercy Seat of the Law,” and,
finally, that the sacred actions performed on that Altar would
ascend to God’s “holy, super-celestial and no¸tic Altar, where-
upon the Grace of God’s own “over-shadowing” (Heb.
Shekinah) would be brought down upon us.
Sometimes the phrase “awe-inspiring” is over used. It seems to me
that when an entire Community, an entire Orthodox Church, the Faith-
ful and their Bishop, are gathered together and making supplication to
the Holy Trinity in full consciousness, fervor, hope, love and Faith, the
content of such prayers is truly ‘awe-inspiring.’
Let’s all give thanks that another part of Creation has left off its
groaning and travailing “together with us until now,” and has
been blessed by God’s Grace to participate in His work, His
Renewal of His Own Creation. Let’s give thanks that another
place on this planet has become HOLY. And let’s give thanks
that we are members of Christ’s Church Whose characteristic
is Holiness!
In our time, many of the so-called “faith-communities” that can
only aspire to the Church, even those that may confess our
Creed in an altered form, have lost all sense of the word “Holy”
in the phrase, “in one, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church,”
so that it means for them perhaps only “religious” or “ethical”,
if it is thought at all.
We deserve nothing of what God has given us, but He has given
us Everything! And not only to us!
+TIKHON
Bishop of San Francisco and the West
The Orthodox Vision
Raphael House in San Francisco: Thirty Years of Serving the Community
By Priest David Lowell
There are two Raphael Houses in the Diocese of the West — the
Raphael House of Portland that serves victims of domestic vio-
lence, and the Raphael House of San Francisco which serves home-
less families.
San Francisco’s First Shelter for Families
This year, the Raphael House of San Francisco is celebrating its
30th Anniversary. Our shelter has 17 bedrooms for homeless fami-
lies. Our AfterCare program serves 788 former residents who are
now successfully housed, but are still very much struggling to make
ends meet.
I live here with my wife Elaine, and our two children, Victoria (11) and
Gregory (13). Another dozen Orthodox staff live here as well, and it
makes a huge difference. We have a little Chapel. When we are “off
duty”, we still go to the kitchen for coffee and join in at meals and
celebrations. It all adds up to something very important — a con-
tinuous, stable presence in the household that keeps Raphael House
safe, orderly and peaceful. We invite homeless families to live with
us for a time, generally about six months. They eat dinner with us in
our dining rooms; they join in the daily chores; and we have a very
organized program of activities that keeps everyone active — and
most especially the children!
Elaine, I and some of our older staff were mentored by Ella Rigney
who re-organized Raphael House in 1977 and expanded its services.
2
Mrs. Rigney brought a lifetime of organizational experience to Raphael
House. She created the American Cancer Society’s education and
fundraising campaigns, starting in 1927 and continuing into the
1950’s. In the late 1960’s, she served in Vista (the domestic Peace
Corps) which led to her meeting Raphael House in 1971. It was her
sensibility which built Raphael House into the kind of shelter she
would be willing to live in herself, and live here she did - for more
that 15 years.
Ella Rigney was nearly 100 years old when she died here peacefully
in 1992. The programs which we have been expanding since her
repose (Follow-up services, Day Care training, and our future plan-
ning for a larger Raphael House Village) are all ideas which she
championed. Deacon Mark Story, who is now the Executive Direc-
tor of the Portland Raphael House, was the Director here in the late
1980’s. He and his wife, Anne, share the same experience as Elaine
and I and many others who were lastingly touched by Ella Rigney’s
integrity, commitment, and vision. Although the Portland and San
Francisco Raphael Houses are organizationally independent of one
another, they share a common origin: they were both started by the
volunteer labors of the members of Christ the Savior Brotherhood,
prior to our entry into the Orthodox Church.
In 1991, Christ the Savior Brotherhood asked Raphael House of San
Francisco to incorporate separately and recruit a Board of Trustees
from the local community. As you might imagine, most of our trust-
ees, donors and families are not Orthodox, and only about half of

our 40 member paid staff are Orthodox Christians. We place no
religious obligations on any of the families who stay with us. They
are welcome to attend services in the Chapel, but never required.
Our cooks prepare both fasting and non-fasting meals throughout
the year so that everyone’s needs are met at every meal.
For those of us who live here year in and year out, the Chapel is the
peaceful center of our household. We gather for prayer and a mid-
week liturgy in addition to our responsibilities in our local parish.
His Grace Bishop TIKHON visited a number of years ago, and last
Fall I was ordained by His Grace. I am attached to Holy Trinity
Cathedral — only a few blocks away — and serve there regularly
under the pastoral leadership of the Rector, Archpriest Victor
Sokolov. The Chapel community at Raphael House is (since No-
vember, 2000) a metochian of Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Many of our live-in staff are also members of the parish at Holy
Trinity, but not all. Staff from other Orthodox jurisdictions usually
attend their own local parishes on Sundays. Raphael House, as an
agency, in not a substitute for the Church, even though the life of
the Church is visible in Raphael House. We have several native
Russians who attend the Moscow Patriarchate Church; we also
have an erstwhile Serbian and one Antiochian. In past years, we
have had Greek Orthodox staff as well.
Who Do We Serve?
Raphael House of San Francisco serves families. Eighty-six percent
of the families we serve are headed by single parent mothers. In
most cases, the fathers of these families have abandoned all respon-
sibility for caring for the children. Some were married. Some were
not. Nearly a third of the families have case histories with Child
Protective Services. Substance abuse is a background factor in
about a third of the families — either in the case of the now absent
father or with the mother as well. Domestic violence is a factor in
about 25% of the families who stay with us. And, of course, all of
them are poor. By
the time they come
to Raphael House
they have usually
exhausted what-
ever hospitality may
have been available
through members of
their own families.
Raphael House is a
clean and sober
program. Parents
with substance
abuse issues must
be in an outpatient
treatment program.
Fortunately, we
have plenty of such
treatment programs
in San Francisco.
No mother is de-
prived of this help if
3
The Orthodox Vision
she is willing to accept
it. And if a mother goes
back to drugs? The
family is asked to leave.
You can imagine how
hard this is all the way
around. Hard, yes, but
worth it. Some of our
most rewarding suc-
cesses have been with
mothers who finally
stayed in their treat-
ment program as a con-
dition for being re-
ceived back into
Raphael House.
During the past two
years we had 66
unduplicated families
stay at Raphael House.
Of these 66 families, 46
families moved into a stable living environment which means their
own house or apartment (33 families), a shared rental (7 families) or
a long term transitional program (6 families). Over the years, we
have seen a statistical correlation between active participation in
our adult education programs and a family’s ability to find and hold
onto housing after leaving Raphael House. Ninety-five percent of
the families who participate in our AfterCare program have remained
stably housed.
What about those families who don’t have stable outcomes? What
happens to them? Sometimes we don’t know, but usually they
reappear in other shelters. Returning to alcohol or drug use is a
fairly common occurrence among a minority of our families. Mental
health issues are also a factor.
Although Raphael House was created to keep families together in
times of crisis, interventions are sometimes necessary (and man-
dated by law) which result in children going into foster care. Two
examples: a mother abandons her children at Raphael House and
disappears into a transient hotel world of crack cocaine. The chil-
dren must go into foster care, and the decision (by law) must be
timely. Another case: a mother is in serious depression, neglecting
her new born infant. After talking with her and seeing no change,
we take her to a psychiatric emergency room where she is admitted
immediately. Later on she tells us she might have thrown the baby
away and thanks us for taking her to the hospital.
So, what is it like to live and work at Raphael House? Stressful?
Intense? Overwhelming? Sometimes. But most of the time our work
is actually a lot of fun. We look forward to each new day. Approxi-
mately 2/3 of the population we serve are children and this is what
keeps the shelter upbeat. Instead of having television, we provide
art activities, outings, supervised play and special events for the
children, as well as tutoring and educational support. These chil-
dren have their whole lives ahead of them, and this helps us to be
creative in the present moment and in planning for the future.
Cont. on p. 10
The Orthodox Vision

the services, and between Saturday’s Consecration and Liturgy.

There was the deep, protracted resonance of Protodeacon Vsevolod
Borzakovsky of Washington, DC. Fr. David Brum, Secretary to
Metropolitan THEODOSIUS and Ecclesiarch for the OCA, made
sure the services progressed in an organized manner. OCA Chan-
cellor, Fr. Robert Kondratick, provided invaluable help behind the
scenes, as he and a local parishioner, Reader John Vandeventer,
made sure the various ecclesiastical accoutrements were prepared
and available as required.

Reader Vandeventer was one of two parishioners with particular

reason to celebrate as the altar was given its final assembly amid
considerable loud banging (a truely joyful noise unto the Lord).
The wine used in finishing the altar was a bottle of his homemade

St. Seraphim in Santa Rosa is Consecrated

By Paul Burch
“Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of
ages.” With these traditional words on Friday evening, July 27, Fr.
Lawrence Margitich, Rector at St. Seraphim Church in Santa Rosa,
California, introduced the reading of the Ninth Hour and Vespers,
touching off a weekend that those present will never forget. It was
the Consecration Weekend at St. Seraphim Orthodox Church, the
new temple on the grounds of Protection of the Holy Virgin Parish.
Many of those present had never before participated in such an
event. Before things got back to normal with Vespers on Saturday
evening, and Divine Liturgy on Sunday, they had experienced some-
thing almost beyond description.

Following Fr. Lawrence’s sonorous call to worship, the weekend

produced highlights almost too numerous to mention. By the end
of the actual Consecration Service and Divine Liturgy on Saturday,
many things were etched into the minds of those attending. There
were glorious antiphonal responses from choirs on both sides of
the church. Singers from other Orthodox communities augmented
the St. Seraphim choir directed by Macrina Lewis. Most notably, a
choir from Ben Lomond, led by Alice Hughes. There were, of course,
the dulcet benedictions of His Grace, Bishop TIKHON, both during

wine. It was, in fact, the first bottle of the first vintage from a small
vineyard on the church property that Reader Vandeventer planted
three years ago and now tends. The altar itself was built, and pre-
pared for final assembly, by Serge Anderson, also a parishioner and
a former chairman of the parish council.

All told, 16 priests, two deacons, and three sub-deacons served at

the altar with Bishop TIKHON. At least another dozen priests from
several jurisdictions were in attendance. After communion, there
was a catered luncheon sponsored by the St. Seraphim Sisterhood.
This celebration lasted until Saturday evening, when it was time for
Vespers. Eventually Vespers ended in a cacophony of borrowed
bells, a set brought in for the occasion from St. Nicholas Church in
San Anselmo, and rung throughout the weekend. Finally, everyone
headed for home with a profound sense that something rare, remark-
able, and profoundly sacred, had taken place that day. Holy St.
Seraphim, pray to God for us!
4
 The Orthodox Vision

St. Innocent Mission Welcomes

Nun from Guatemala
On May 20, 2001 (the Sunday of the Blind Man), St. Innocent of
Alaska Orthodox Mission in Fremont, California, was privileged to
welcome Mother Maria (and friends) from the Hogar Rafael Ayau
Orthodox Orphanage in Guatemala.

The Hogar Rafael Ayau is an orphanage in Guatemala City that

houses an average of 150 children at any time. Some children are in
the process of being adopted, others have been abandoned on the
streets and are waiting to see if they will be reclaimed by their fami-
lies. The youngest child ever to be placed in the Hogar was one day
old. The oldest children are elementary age girls up to 12 years.

The Hogar is run by 5 Orthodox nuns, including Mother Maria and

her superior Mother Ines, who live at the Monasterio Ortodoxo
Lavra Mambre in Guatemala. The orphanage was founded by Rafael
Ayau, the great-great-grandfather of Mother Ines in 1857, and was
the first home for abandoned children in the area. Because Guate-
mala is a very poor country, the orphanage continuously receives
babies and children brought to its doors—as soon as one child is
adopted, another takes the place. Mother Maria and Mother Ines
are doing their best to find real family homes for adoptable children,
and to provide a loving Orthodox Christian home at the orphanage
for the other poor children. Mother Maria told us a moving story
about one little girl who is in the process of being adopted by a
Greek Orthodox family. This little girl already speaks Maya and
Spanish, she has been learning English at the orphanage, and now
she is learning Greek as well. When she talks to the family who is in
the process of adopting her, she runs out of Greek things to say
Old Meets New
after a little while, but she doesn’t want to hang up the phone so she By Priest Hilarion Frakes
sings “Khristos Anesti”—Christ is Risen!, as long as she is able.
On Sunday July 9/22 we were blessed to have visit our mission of St.
The parishioners of St. Innocent of Alaska Orthodox Mission in John of Kronstadt in Reno, Nevada, Fr. John Dunlop, his wife
Fremont, California were grateful for the opportunity they had to Matushka Beth and son John from Kodiak, Alaska, and with them
listen to Mother Maria and to learn about the Hogar Rafael Ayau Fr. John’s mother Olga from the San Francisco Bay area. Fr. John is
Orthodox Orphanage in Guatemala. For more information about the priest-in-charge at Holy Resurrection Church on Kodiak. Fr.John
the orphanage and about the Orthodox Church in Guatemala, and his family were vacationing at nearby Lake Tahoe, and at Bishop
look at www.hogarrafaelayau.org or contact Hogar Rafael Ayau NIKOLAI’s suggestion, Fr. John gave me a call indicating that he
Orphanage, Section 2619 GUA, P.O. Box 02-5339, Miami, FL and his family would like to visit us. I asked him if he would like to
33102-5339; telephone 502-232-8916 concelebrate the Divine Liturgy on the upcoming Sunday of their
visit and he thought it would be a wonderful thing. It was indeed
glorious serving together in our humble little “home chapel.” Our
mission has begun to grow so it is truly wonderful to have these
opportunities to bring the many dimensions of Orthodoxy to the
faithful in the Reno area.

We followed the Liturgy with a simple agape meal and had a chance
to visit a bit when Fr. John’s mother noted that here was the oldest
Orthodox mission in America (Kodiak, founded in 1794) serving
and celebrating with one of the newest (Reno, founded in 2000).
Both missions were founded on the spirit and foundation of taking
the Gospel to the “ends of the earth.” God pours His grace upon
blessed gatherings such as these, and it is with such that we Ortho-
dox Christians increase and are woven more surely together in love
and unity of true brotherhood, friendship, and family in our Lord’s
vineyard. Glory to God for all Things!

5
The Orthodox Vision
St. Panteleimon: A Healing Story For Today
By Jonathan D. Lewis
Recently I have had to deal with doctors and physicians of all kinds.
Twins born two and a half months early, by the grace of God and the
hard work of many who cared for them, are beautiful. The firstborn
twin, Theophan, had an interventricular hemorrhage at birth. This
caused the flow of ventricular fluid to malfunction, resulting in
hydrocephelas. Not too many years ago this condition would have
resulted in enormous enlargement of his head, severe pain, and
early death. Now they can put a tube into the ventricles of the brain
and shunt the excess fluid to another part of his body. I am in awe of
the neorosurgeon’s bravery and skill in dealing with this great mys-
tery.
This great mystery.
Walking down his usual route from
school to home one day, came a young
medical student. He was the brightest
and most talented of his generation.
Beautiful to look upon. Graceful in con-
versation. As for bedside manner, they
would have called him an angel. He was
studying under the greatest physician in
the Roman world, who told him that if
he studied well there would be no illness
he could not cure. The emperor himself
had already singled out this young man
to be his personal doctor, even before he
had finished his education.
This road was in the city of Nicomedia,
during the time of the persecutions of
Maximianos, and it passed by the house
of an elderly priest, Fr. Ermolaos. The
priest had been watching this young man
for some time, and this day he invited
him in to ask him about his faith. The
young man’s father was a pagan, but his mother had taught him
about Christ before her death, when he was still young. Although
he liked Christianity best, he knew little about it and had been
forced by his father to worship the idols and to devote himself
entirely to the dream of curing all illness through his medical
education.
Fr. Ermolaos told him, “The Lord Jesus Christ is the only true
God. If you believe in Him, you will be able, through His grace, to
cure all kinds of illnesses without medicine or herbs. Jesus cleansed
lepers, gave sight to the blind, freed persons from evil spirits, and
raised the dead as well. You, too, can do all that and much more if
you believe in Him with all your heart.”
The young man learned what he could of Christianity from Fr.
Ermolaos that day, and went his way. One day, again on the road
home from school, he came upon a boy who had been fatally
wounded by the bite of a snake. He thought that if Christ were to
hear his prayer, raise this boy from the dead, and kill the snake,
6
then he would need no more proof about Christ; he would become
a Christian. He knelt next to the boy and prayed with tears. The
boy got up and the snake fell over dead. Our young friend gave
thanks to God and ran to the old priest to be baptized.
Because the twins, and especially young Theophan, were doing so
well, I forgot about gratitude. When a surgeon operates, the pain is
temporary and the cutting with the knife is in order to heal. When
God has some surgery to perform on my sinfulness, it is never com-
fortable. It is especially difficult when the cutting takes place through
my children’s pain.
In November, Theophan had a seizure
that left him temporarily paralyzed on one
side of his body. The doctors could not
figure out why. Some doctors wanted to
put him on seizure medicine. His neuro-
surgeon felt that it was due to shunt fail-
ure and operated, clearing the tubing in
his ventricles. Two weeks later he had
another seizure. Three weeks more and
he had another, even more severe. Then
came EEGs, shuntogrammes, nuclear medi-
cine, and two more neurosurgical shunt
revisions - all in a painfully slow and seem-
ingly un- “scientific” process. Theophan
rode the CAT scan machine as routinely,
and excitedly, as many three year olds ride
the pony outside the grocery store.
Portland, where Addison’s hospital is,
has many wonderful, God-fearing priests.
Two of them in particular are very dear to
our family; they come whenever we are at
the hospital to chat with the children and
pray for our little patient. He loves them.
The nurses all talk of the “men in black” that accompany his crib to
the surgical waiting room. Before this last surgery, we asked one of
these priests if he could think of an icon that might be appropriate to
give to our neurosurgeon. He suggested a saint we had not yet met:
St. Panteleimon, holy unmercenary physician of the late third cen-
tury. We bought a book and two icons. And we are very excited to
have a new saint in our home.
Our young medical student and new convert, Panteleimon, stayed
with the aged priest for a week to learn the mysteries of the faith.
He then returned to his father and quietly saw to the conversion of
his father’s soul, by the grace of God. It became well known that
this young man was a skilled physician and even those whom all
the other doctors had failed to cure, Panteleimon would cure in
the name of Christ. He sold all of his possessions and would care
for, and heal, all who asked, for no money. Many were converted
to the faith.
The other physicians in the city became jealous of Panteleimon’s

success and popularity with the people. They plotted to betray
him to the emperor. They were successful. Panteleimon bore wit-
ness to Christ, enduring many tortures. He was saved from
scourgings, boiling tar, the wild beasts, and even the sword. Many
were converted to Christ by his acts of bravery and the power of
God. He was finally put to death tied to an olive tree, with milk
running from his wound. The tree bloomed and bore fruit instantly.
The icon we gave to Theophan’s neurosurgeon shows young
Panteleimon holding a scalpel in one hand and a box of herbs in the
other. The scalpel has a cross on one end of it. This neurosurgeon
was very pleased and has spoken of it since. Theophan took the
other icon to church so that it could be blessed. He was very anx-
ious during Liturgy, and as soon as the service was over he asked
for his icon back and thanked Fr. Stephen for “splashing” it. St.
Panteleimon now has a special place in our bright corner and a very
special place in our hearts.
To the glory of God and by the prayers of St. Panteleimon and the
hard work of many doctors, Theophan is doing very well. He prays
and chants prayers and Psalms to God, swinging his little censer,
many times during the day. He struggles with his temper by making
the sign of the cross. And whenever anyone is not feeling well, he
will call for a special icon to be brought down from the wall so that
he might bless them with the venerable image of his most holy St.
Panteleimon.
In a world of doubt and lack of faith, I stand as the chief among
sinners. Every day I turn my heart from God and put my faith in the
answers and pleasures of this world. Most holy Panteleimon, pray
to God for me that I might share the faith you bore witness to, in the
eternal healing power of our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jonathan Lewis is an extension student at St. Tikhon’s Seminary in
South Canaan, Pennsylvania and a member of St. Anne’s Mission
in Albany, Oregon.
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To Order or Inquire Please contact Deacon Elias
Union Toll Free (877) 984-1729
7
The Orthodox Vision
News Around the Diocese
June 1 - Priest Eric G. Tosi is assigned and appointed rector of
St. Paul the Apostle Church in Las Vegas, NV
Priest Joseph O’Brien is assigned and appointed rector of St.
Nicholas of South Canaan Church in Billings, MT & priest-in-
charge of Helena Mission
Priest Peter Tobias is assigned and appointed rector of St. An-
thony the Great Mission in Bozeman, MT
July 4 - Fort Ross pilgramage and celebration
July 27 - St. Seraphim Church in Santa Rosa, CA consecrated
August 3 - Archpriest Basil Rhodes appointed Dean of the Pa-
cific Central Deanery
September 15 - 25th Anniversary & Feast Day forElevation of
Cross in Sacramento, CA
September 22 - 25th Anniversary & Blessing of the new Iconosta-
sis at St. John of Damascus Church in Poway, CA
October 10-12 - Diocesan Assembly in San Francisco, CA
October 13-14 - Retreat with Bishop KALLISTOS at St. Paul’s in
Las Vegas, NV
October 27-28 - Diocesan Teen Weekend at St. Paul’s in Las
Vegas, NV
November 9-10 - 50th Anniversary Celebration at Sts Peter &
Paul Church in Phoenix, AZ
To be Released This Fall, 2001
Portraits of American Saints
Compiled and Edited by Fr. George Gray & Jan Bear
Special Advance Order Price of $8.00
Updated Lives of the Saints
New Layout and iconography
For more information or to order an advance copy
Contact the Department of Communications at
(702)898-4800
The Orthodox Vision
Elder Cleopa of Girastria: In the Tra-
dition of Saint Paisius Velichkovsky
Reviewed By Priest Daniel Jones
I remember, nearly twenty years back, a friend called and told me of
a new book that had been published about a recent Saint of our
times. At the time I was very busy, the times were hectic, and I
thought with skepticism, “Oh great, another life of a Saint to read,
that is just what I need!” A few years later I looked back and realized
genuinely, yes, that was just what I needed. That life of “another
saint to read,” was in a small way a salivific intrusion into my busy
world. Just what was needed. - I can think of no better way to
introduce this book: Elder Cleopa of Girastria. Another Saint to
read. Just what is needed! An intrusion into the busy world we
mostly live in. Better described: an-introduction, a little journey into
that other heavenly world we all so much desire.
The book contains an informative Preface by the translator, Mother
Cassiana, who makes the historical and spiritual connection be-
tween Saint Paisius Velichkovsky and our present day Father Cleopa.
There is an eloquent foreword by Father Roman Braga that paints
the historical and modern day picture of Romania in which we meet
Father Cleopa as spiritual father. The main body of the book is a
translation of the life of Elder Cleopa from the Romanian edition by
Father loanichie Balan with much additional information included
from Father Cleopa’s teachings and from the personal experience of
the translator who met Father Cleopa and received Father Ioanichie’s
blessing for the work of translation into English.
The text covers the span of life of Elder Cleopa from 1912 to 1998.
There are beautiful sketches of his early chi1dhood wherein one
2001 Diocesan Assembly
To be held October 10-12 at Holy Trinity
Cathedral in San Francisco.
This year’s guest speaker will be
Bishop KALLISTOS (Ware)
Detailed information has been sent to each parish or
can be found at the Diocesan Website
For more information on the Assembly call
the Diocesan Office at (323)666-4977
8
sees the Orthodox worldview that shaped him into the holy elder he
became. His early years certainly portray startling asceticism, not
monastic, simply the asceticism of everyday life in Romania. The
picture of those years conveyed, even in their austerity, is joyfully
expressed and uplifting. There follows his introduction into the
monastic life and his subsequent “education” that he received while
living in the mountainous woods and meadows while tending the
sheep. One might be reminded of Saint Anthony the Great or other
holy fathers who while never having a formal education were taught
directly by the Holy Spirit. Father Cleopa was remarkably well-read
and experienced in the Orthodox tradition and in secular disciplines.
He was astonishingly knowledgeable about earthly and heavenly
mysteries. The life continues with his surprising recognition and
election as Abbot of a great historic monastery, years of solitude,
and his growth and service as a renowned spiritual father. Following
are the subsequent years wherein he is instrumental in rebuilding
and strengthening the spiritual life of Romania through the last
difficult years of communism and finally its fall and the influx of the
modern world into Romania. And then his repose in the Lord.
I especially liked the way the book conveyed the spiritual teaching
of Father Cleopa, his counsels, not as something separate from his
life but intertwined in his daily activities and duties. The content
and the easy flowing translation contribute to a sense to what in
America might be called meeting “just folks” But while meeting
“just folks, we in fact meet a holy elder, great spiritual father, a simple
shepherd, yet a master of Orthodox spiritual teaching. It is compel-
ling in its simplicity. It is an encounter with a person who lives
Christ, follows Christ in the hardship and reality of day to day life.
One meets a Christ-like figure. Not that direct comparisons can be
made but in that respect the book Father Arseny comes to mind, and
there are other books too that somehow convey not only profound
Orthodox Christian teaching, but “life more abundant.” It cheers
you up to read it.
Do not think that because Father Cleopa was a monastic father the
book is best left for monks and nuns to read. To paraphrase the
introduction to the book, the life and teachings of Father Cleopa
amply spills over to people in the world who are just living. His life
and words of wisdom address some of the most contemporary ques-
tions, even problems, that face Christians individually and the Church
at large. But in an unimposing manner. It is easy to understand, clear
to read and encouraging.
It has been said that the Saints are the keys to our theology, they are
Orthodox theology in action, theology in life, incarnate. In that sense
this book is alive. Another life of a saint to read? Yes, and it is just
what is needed. The door to heaven has been left ajar if anyone is
interested.
The book may be ordered directly from the
Publisher: The Holy-Protection Monastery for
$19.95 plus $2.50 for postage and handling,
P.O. Box 416, Lake George, Colorado, 80827.

Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery Releases Catalog
❏ Icons
❏ Hand-made Rugs
❏ Worship Items
❏ Prayer Ropes Protection of the Holy Virgin Monastery
❏ Cds
❏ Books and more Books
Clergy Wives Gather for Retreat at
Life-Giving Spring Center
During the days of May 17th through 20th, sixteen Matushki from
throughout the Diocese of the West gathered at The Life Giving
Spring Retreat Center in Boulder City, Nevada for their annual re-
treat. This year’s topic was “Myrrh Bearing Women: An Orthodox
Perspective on Death and Dying”. The speakers were Mother
Gabriella, Abbess of the Holy Dormition Monastery and Ruxy
Sheldon, from Rives Junction, Michigan.
The retreat began on Thursday, which was scheduled as a free day
to arrive, sightsee, and spend time catching up on each other’s
news. On Friday, Ruxy Sheldon shared her personal experience of
dealing with her husband, Donald’s cancer diagnosis and his death.
She explained the importance of making Orthodox choices about life
sustaining treatment in accordance with the teachings of the Church;
the importance of having a Living Will, a Durable Power of Attor-
The Orthodox Vision
To recieve the catalog call
(719)748-3999
or write
2343 County Road 403
P.O. Box 416
Lake George, CO 80827
See Our New Items!
ney and Advanced Directives; the need to be aware of patient’s
rights; and what to expect from doctors, hospital staff and others in
the medical field during stressful and confusing medical situations.
Mother Gabriella presented the spiritual aspect of death and dying.
She stressed that life on earth is merely our preparation for eternity.
In the Orthodox Church, death and dying is presented in its iconog-
raphy, hymnography and the writings of the Holy Fathers. Satur-
day included a brief wrap-up session followed by a wonderful gour-
met lunch, courtesy of Chef Eric (Subdeacon Euphrosynos)
Patterson. Saturday concluded with Vigil and Confession at St.
Paul the Apostle Church in Las Vegas. Retreat participants joined
St. Paul’s for Sunday Divine Liturgy and departed following brunch
and good-byes. Retreat coordinators were Matushki Julia Erickson,
Ann O’Brien and Makrina Patterson.
The Matushka Retreat for 2002 has been scheduled for May 16, 17,
18 & 19 at The Life Giving Spring Retreat Center. Coordinators for
the upcoming retreat are Matushki Susanne Senyo, Debra
Spainhoward, Deborah Tomasi and Judy Waisanen.
Bishop KALLISTOS (Ware) will be
leading a two day retreat at St.
Paul’s Orthodox Church in Las
Vegas on October 13 to 14.
“Confession and Communion”
Cost is $25
Call (702)898-4800 for more details
9
The Orthodox Vision
Raphael House
cont. from p. 5
Over the years we’ve kept in contact with families and watched the
children grow to adulthood. Three of our current staff stayed at
Raphael House when they were children. Last Spring, we held a
high school graduation party for a girl who stayed here when she
was three years old. She and her mother have been volunteers ever
since. She has always been a wonderful artist and will be going to
college this Fall at the Rhode Island School of Design.
Another family we see regularly stayed here five years ago. We
asked the mother, Rozelle, to leave because she dropped out of her
drug treatment program, but Peter Wright, our Program Director,
told her firmly that if she called him every day until she was able to
get back into her program we might take her back. She did, and
Rozelle went on to become a successful peer counselor here and in
another program where she is now working.
Last year we had a single parent father taking care of his three year
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST DEANERY SUMMER CAMP 2001
Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral and the Pacific Southwest Deanery of
the Diocese of the West sponsored the annual Summer Camp at
Camp Edwards in the San Bernardino National Forest from July 22 to
July 27, 2000. This year, there were over seventy campers and staff
in attendance.
Owned and operated by the Redlands YMCA, the camp is located
about a quarter mile from Jenks Lake, which has facilities for canoe-
ing, swimming, and fishing. The YMCA staff provided our group
with its expert help in archery, hiking, nature walks, wall climbing,
rappelling, trail-biking and swimming, as well as wonderful meals.
Our own staff served as counselors and cabin leaders, who coordi-
nated special evening activities including a carnival and a Mexican
Fiesta dance.
Being a church camp, there were divine services and religious in-
struction within the regular program. Morning prayers, vespers and
evening prayers were served each day. The Divine Liturgy was
served on Tuesday in celebration of the Feast of Ss. Boris and Gleb.
Archpriest Michael Senyo served as Camp Director. Priest Paul
Waisanen served as our instructor in the Religious Education ses-
sions, once more doing an outstanding job. Additional assistance
was provided by Seminarian Nicholas Finley, an intern from the
OCA Department of Youth. Hundreds of hours of administrative
support were provided by Matushka Susanne Senyo, secretary, at
Holy Virgin Mary Cathedral.
Many campers are provided with financial aid from their home par-
ishes. Major financial support for our camp is provided by Holy
Virgin Mary Cathedral; the Cathedral Sisterhood and “O” Club; and
the Russian Children’s Welfare Society.
Next year’s camp will, once again, be held at Camp Edwards. 2002
camp dates will be announced in the Fall.
10
old son, and doing it well, as far as I could tell. Marcus was working
full time. We had his boy in Day Care; they were always on time for
dinner; the little boy seemed happy and clean. Marcus was working
hard, but you could see fear in his eyes. How was he going to do all
this? He was really looking forward to re-uniting with his wife when
she got out of jail. We accepted her when she was released, but she
left after only a few days, throwing Marcus and his little boy into
tears and turmoil. But, Marcus kept going. I was a little worried
because he was pushing himself so hard. I wondered if he would
snap, but the predictability of Raphael House gave him patterns to
settle into, and after several months he made the successful move
into an apartment, juggling all his responsibilities and holding onto
his job.
Now that we have a web site, former residents who live in other
cities occasionally find us and send us a note. A young man con-
tacted us recently:
I accidentally crossed your web-site this evening and just want to
share my experience about your facility.
I once stayed at the house probably about 22 years ago. I was
about 4 or 5 years old then and lived there with my father and
sister for a short period of time.
It was a time of crisis for us because my father was unemployed and
recently divorced from our mother. Supporting two young chil-
dren was very difficult, if not, impossible for him. I really can’t
recall too much now at 27 years old; however, I did remember the
name of the house, the good food I ate - my first meal was a tuna
sandwich, and especially celebrating my 5th birthday there. Even
though it was a very simple little celebration, I remember receiv-
ing a birthday cake, a couple of toys, and having some of the other
children who lived at the house celebrate this occasion.
In addition, I remember going to the beach, the park and playing
baseball. It was a lot of fun especially for such a young child who
didn’t have very much to start with. But the small things in life like
those are very important to children especially during critical
stages of development.
Inevitably, our stay was short lived and we finally moved on. After
many years since this childhood experience, I still remember the
wonderful staff that accommodated us.
Unfortunately, my dad passed away 2 years ago from pancreatic
cancer so we couldn’t make a family visit like we someday had
planned to. My sister and I ended up graduating from high school
in California. She is now part of the management staff in a hotel in
Hawaii and is moving to New York shortly. I myself will be gradu-
ating for the University of Southern California’s School of Medi-
cine in the fall. Unfortunately, I can’t make a donation at this time
but promised myself to help out in any way after my educational
endeavors.
Once again, thank you for your hospitality through our family’s
difficult time.
Many former residents from fifteen and twenty years back have
come by for a visit. One mother wanted to show her grown daugh-

ter where they stayed when the girl was three years old. The daugh-
ter had no memory of being homeless. A more recent resident told
me that if it hadn’t been for Raphael House she “would have been
homeless”. For her, Raphael House was home, not homelessness.
My own children have lived at Raphael House all their lives. They
enter into art activities, go on field trips, and generally enjoy living
in a huge house with lots of other children. Elaine and I are often
asked if living at Raphael House has made our children more sensi-
tive, aware, and altruistic. Our answer: not that we’ve noticed. But
they’re good kids, and gradually they are making the transition from
playing to helping. In fact it was our preference to have our children
unselfconsciously join in the activities and daily life of Raphael
House. For them, this isn’t “charity”— it is normal life. Their par-
ticipation has helped Elaine and me and other staff to broaden our
Children’s Program in ways that we felt were healthy all the way
around - more cultural activities, more outings into nature, and more
educational support. It’s tough enough being a two-parent family.
How do these single parents do it?! We were able to draw volun-
teers and staff from the nearby private school our children attend,
strengthening our Children’s Program considerably. The experi-
ence of living here all these years has been good for our family and
good for Raphael House.
Residential Internships for Orthodox Women
Raphael House in San Francisco offers residential internships for
Orthodox Christian women who are interested in learning more about
serving families in crisis. The live-in staff have one floor of the
shelter, so we do have some privacy. Space is limited, however,
which is why we can only accept women interns or, occasionally, a
married couple. Over the past decade we have had more than thirty-
five live-in volunteers who came for internships as short as six weeks
or as long as nine months. Some students arrange in advance to
have their internship approved for credit as part of graduate or
undergraduate course work. Non-academic internships are some-
times of interest to women who are changing their academic or ca-
reer path. More simply still, learning to serve families in crisis at
Raphael House is the way some of us feel called by God to serve
others. It may in fact have nothing whatsoever to do with academia
or a lucrative career path.
We frequently host international visitors who are interested in non-
profit administration — generally from Russia, 2 or 3 at a time, in
cooperation with the Fund for International Non-Profit Develop-
ment. These mature visitors are struggling to build a new volunteer
service sector in Russia under incredibly difficult conditions. Elena
Novikova, in addition to her full time work with the families, is our
primary hostess and translator for our Russian guests. In the years
to come, we hope to have more interns who come to us directly
through relationships within the Church. We would like to see a
network for Orthodox Christian internships that begins to compare
favorably with the already existing channels for secular and aca-
demic internships.
Ralitza Doynova oversees our Live-In Training Program. Anyone
applying for our residential training will be speaking with Ralitza.
We will also have Randa Aoun returning from St. Vladimir’s Semi-
nary where she recently received her Master’s Degree in Theology.
11
The Orthodox Vision
Randa began working at Raphael House nine years ago and has a
passion for training and outreach. While working for Raphael House,
she has organized the sorting of thousands of pounds of good
clothing for container shipments to Russia (through the Diocesan
Outreach to Refugees), and also remains active in her Antiochian
Church.
Hundreds of Volunteers and No Government Funds
Raphael House of San Francisco does not accept government money.
Our support comes from individual donors, foundations, corpora-
tions and revenues from our Thrift Store and special events.
Fundraising turns out to be more enjoyable than any of us imagined
before we started doing it. We get to meet a lot of people who are
looking for ways to help, and our many volunteers from the corpo-
rate community have been a welcome result.
We have 300 regular volunteers at all levels within the agency. When
we add all of the corporate groups who come in for one time special
projects, we have as many as 1200 volunteers in a typical year.
Many of these groups cook and serve dinner on Monday and Thurs-
day nights. Some of these are Church groups, but most are corpo-
rate volunteers from San Francisco’s nearby financial district, such
as the Charles Schwab Company, Price Waterhouse Coopers and
the local hotel industry. There is a lot of talent and creativity all
around us, and it is most efficiently harnessed when a vision for
helping people is in place, and volunteer opportunities are well or-
ganized.
We are fortunate to have Priest Thomas Alessandroni on our staff.
He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who provides some of the
case management for our families and who has helped oversee the
residential program for the past five years. Matushka Angela
Alessandroni also works here as our personnel manager and corpo-
rate secretary.
You can learn more about our programs by visiting raphaelhouse.org
which is in turn linked to Holy Trinity Cathedral’s website. I’m
hoping that everyone who is reading this article will come by for a
visit the next time you are in San Francisco. Some of you will be here
this October for our Diocesan Assembly and we will be arranging
tours. As for the rest of you, you’ll likely visit San Francisco sooner
or later. When you do, give us a call. We’d love to show you
Raphael House and the work we do with families.
If you are inter-
For more informa- ested in the in-
tion on Raphael ternship pro-
House in San gram or volun-
Francisco see their teering to help,
website at www. contact the
Raphaelhouse.org staff at Raphael
House.
The Orthodox Vision

“Facing the World”

Diocesan Teen Weekend 2001
For youth in grades 9-12
The 2001 Diocesan Teen Weekend will again be held in Las Vegas at St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church

This year’s presentation and discussion will be led by Fr. Eric Tosi

The Retreat begins on Friday evening, October 26 through Sunday afternoon, October 28

This year we will go on hike through the beautiful Red Rock Canyon
Items to Bring:
Sleeping Bag Pillow, towel, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, sneakers, hiking shoes, sweatshirt/sweaters/
jackets, Church clothes and shoes, Bible and prayer book

Please return the bottom portion of this form together with your Medical Information/Permission Form and Registration Fee

Diocesan Teen Weekend 2001

October 26 -28, 2001

St Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church

5400 Annie Oakley Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89120 Telephone: (702) 898-4800
Registration Fee: $20.00 per person

Please make checks payable to: St. Paul the Apostle Orthodox Church
And send to: 5400 Annie Oakley Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89120
Attn: Diocesan Teen Weekend 2001

Name: _________________________________ Age: _____________ Present Grade: ______

Address: _________________________________ Telephone: _____________
City: _________________________________ State: _____________ Zip: _________
Additional
Names: _________________________________ Age: _____________ Present Grade: _____
_________________________________ Age: _____________ Present Grade: _____
_________________________________ Age: _____________ Present Grade: _____
Home Parish: ____________________________ City/State: ___________________________________

For Office Use Only:

Amount Paid: ___________ Medical Information/
Cash/Check: #___________ Permission Form: ___

12

Excerpts from “Christianity by Fr Alexander Men
(September 8, 1990) on the eve of his assassination
“In Christianity the world is sanctified, while evil, sin and death are conquered. But the victory is God’s. It began on Resurrection
morning, and will continue as long as the world remains.”
Saturday evening September 8, 1990, Fr Alexander Men delivered a
talk on Christianity as part of a series of talks on world faiths. His
audience were citizens of the Soviet Union who had grown up under
an atheistic society and whose knowledge of Christ was rudimen-
tary. Some who knew Fr Alexander felt he talked differently this
night, almost as if giving his last testament. Fr Alexander would be
murdered early the following morning, leaving his home en route to
serve the Divine Liturgy.
What does it mean, however, to have faith in Jesus Christ? Does it
mean to believe that such a man lived on earth? That would not be
faith, but knowledge. The fact that he lived was recorded by his con-
temporaries, and the gospel writers left reliable evidence. Today’s his-
torian will agree that such a man was a real historical figure. Attempts
to assert that Christ was a mere myth have long
been refuted, except, of course, in our country,
where the notion has been upheld as in a won-
der preserve. So what does it mean to believe in
Him? Does it mean to believe that he came from
the world beyond? This is also true, but only
theory all the same. Here we must recall that
faith which was declared in the Old Testament:
faith as trust in being. When Abraham said yes
to God, he probably uttered nothing, but in si-
lence submitted to His call, giving birth to faith.
In ancient Hebrew the word for faith is emuna,
from the word aman, or faithfulness. “Faith” is
therefore closely related to “faithfulness:” While
God was true to His promise, man was to be
faithful to God, weak and sinful as he was.
But if the God to whom man was then faithful
was a secret and awesome, sometimes remote
Creator God, Christ revealed through himself a
new dimension of God. He hardly ever used the word “God,” but
instead addressed Him as his “Father.” And in his earthly life he used
the tender and affectionate (but untranslatable) word that children in
the East use when addressing their father. Christ reveals God as our
heavenly Father, and in so doing he creates brothers and sisters, for
brothers and sisters are possible only where there is a common father.
So our common spiritual Father is God. And the mystery of the Gospel
is this: an openness of the heart to the news of Jesus Christ. This is
because each of us knows very well how weak and confused we are,
and how every manner of sin and disorder has built its nest inside us.
Of course there is a strength which Christ gives freely. In Russian it is
called blagodat’: a blessing which is given, not earned. We must make
the effort, as well as struggle with sin and strive for self-perfection, as
long as we remember that we can only do the preparatory work. Herein
lies the fundamental difference between Christianity and Yoga, which
maintains that man can reach God and become part of Him of his own
accord, so to speak. Christianity teaches, on the contrary, that while
man can perfect himself, it is impossible to reach God as long as He
himself does not come to man.
13
The Orthodox Vision
From the Fathers
Fr. Alexander Men
So grace surpasses the Law. The Law is the first stage of religion,
which begins with childhood, where do’s and don’ts are necessary
until grace comes through an internal encounter with God. That en-
counter is like love, rejoicing, victory, and the music of the spheres.
Grace is new life. St. Paul tells us of the dispute which arose between
those who wished to keep the ancient Old Testament rites and those
who did not. The only thing that was ultimately important was a new
creation, and faith, which acts in love. And in fact the only thing that
was ultimately important was a new creation, and faith, which acts in
love. This is authentic Christianity. All else (everything associated
with culture) is historical wrapping, frame, and environment.
I am speaking of the very essence of Christian faith: the limitless value
of human individuality, the victory over death and decay, and a new
covenant which grows like a little acorn into a
tree, or which does to history that which leaven
does to dough. And today God’s kingdom mys-
teriously manifests itself among us as we do
good, show love, contemplate beauty, or feel
the fullness of life. Jesus taught that the King-
dom is not only in the distant future or in futur-
istic contemplation: it exists here and now. The
Kingdom of Heaven will come, but has already
come. The world will be judged, but is already
being judged. “Now is the judgment of this
world,” said Christ when he proclaimed the gos-
pel for the first time. Elsewhere he said, “And
this is the judgment, that the light has come into
the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light...” The judgment began during Jesus’ min-
istry in Galilee, and spread to Jerusalem,
Golgotha, the Roman Empire, Europe in the
middle ages, Russia, and into this century and
beyond. The judgment will continue through-
out human history because history is Christian as the world keeps
step with the Son of Man.
Finally, the essence of Christianity is found in God-manhood, or the
joining of the organic and temporal human spirit with that of the Eter-
nal and Divine. It is found in the sanctification of the flesh, for the
world and nature, which is the birthplace of the Son of Man as both
man and God-man, was not cast away or degraded, but elevated to a
new level and sanctified ever since the Son of Man took upon himself
our joys and sufferings, our creation, our love and labor. In Christian-
ity the world is sanctified, while evil, sin and death are conquered. But
the victory is God’s. It began on Resurrection morning, and will con-
tinue as long as the world remains. With that I shall end, and next time
address the way in which this mystery of Godmanhood was worked
out in specific Christian churches. Thank you.
Translation © 1994 Steve Griffin. The entirety of this lecture is on the Fr.
Alexander Men Web Site (http:// home.earthlink.net/~amenpage), which con-
tains other material by and aboput Fr. Alexander. This was reprinted with their
permission.
The Orthodox Vision BULK RATE
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