Posts Tagged ‘saviour’

The Non Hand made Image of God “Mandylion” – The Saviour not made by hands icon in Eastern Orthodox Church

Friday, August 16th, 2019

Non-Hand-Made-Image-of-Our_Lord-and-Saviour_Jesus-Christ-Eastern-Orthodox-icon

 

Short History of Non Hand Made Image of God

The question of how really the Lord Jesus Christ looked liked during his earthly living is a question actively intriguing billion of people that lived over the centuries from year 33 A.D. in which Jesus Christ raised from the death as the Gospel testifies. Even for non Christian reliigon in pagan world before the Incarnation of Christ and the Old Hebrew Testament this question has been of interest whether the Abrahamic religions such as Jewish faith and Islam (as emerged in the 7th century) makes it clear that Image of God should not be made. However this Monotheistic religions did not went through the revelation given in Christian faith that God is Three in Faces but one in Essence and that The Holy Trinity. Thus the Icon Image being depicted in Christianity is an Image showing us a close copy to the Image of God The Son (The second Hypostasis / Face of God)  during his Humanity Saviour Mission as he was living and seen by our living ancestors while still being in fleshly earthly Body on Earth before his crucifixion / execution on the Cross of Golgotha in 33 A.D. in Jerusalem.

Hence the veneration of the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ is not in reality a break up of any of the 10 Commandments which says "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" – (Hebrew: לֹא-תַעֲשֶׂה לְךָ פֶסֶל, וְכָל-תְּמוּנָה) as Jewish, Muslim and other people of Abrahamic religions claims but is a close copy of visualized graphical depiction, how Jesus (The Begotten Son of God before all Ages) looked like – there was no other way as Photography was not yet discovered so Jesus as a Son of God used this miracle to leave us a memory about his physical and spiritual likeness.. The Non-Hand Image of God is just an Image very much like on the Photo, you see an Image of someone but you cannot know exactly who he is he good except if you already don't know him and the photo is just a remembrance of him in the similar manner the Non-Hand Made image of God is a remembrance of God for those who believed in Him and already know him with their spirits, e.g. Christians. And a testimony memory for his physical existence in the world 2000 years ago.


The Non Hand made image (icon – word rooted from Greek εικών) also known as Acheiropoieta (Byzantine Greek: αχειροποίητα, "made without hand") is a painted copy surviving over the centuries to another Image the so called Image of Edessa known also under the term of Mandylion – a square or rectangle of cloth upon which a miraculous image of the face of Jesus had been imprinted as Jesus took a simple cloth (used for painting pictures put it on his face and miraculously imprinted  exact copy of his face.

This Imprinted Image has been very famous through the last 21 centuries and has been an object of interest to innumerous number of Christians and scholars and is known to have made multiple miracles, used as a shield for cities, have cured the incurrable sick king Abgar V-th (The King of Edessa) who attempted to find a cure for his terrible skin disease across all known and best medicians, pharmacists, herbalists, magicians etc. healers with various methods but none helped.
 

King Abgar healed by Jesus's Non Hand Made Image of God Mandylion

 

The most ancient known reference to the Non-Hand-Made story in History has been recorded by Eusebius of Caesarea in his Ecclesiastical History.

It was retold in elaborated form by Ephrem the Syrian in the fifth-century Syriac Doctrine of Addai.
An early version of the Abgar legend exists in the Syriac Doctrine of Addai, an early Christian document from Edessa. The Epistula Abgari is a Greek recension of the letter of correspondence exchanged between Jesus Christ and Abgar V of Edessa, known as the Acts of Thaddaeus. The letters were likely composed in the early 4th century.
The legend became relatively popular in the Middle Ages (In the West), even though it was well known in the East for centuries. The letters were translated from Syriac into the Greek, Armenian, Latin, Coptic and Arabic languages.

The Letters tells us the story of King Abgar being seriously desperated heard about Jesus whose fame has been growing as a healer who can heal any disease, because of the already famous multple miracles done by him of healing people who suffered diseases from birth, for healing leppers and giving sight to blind people from birth, resurrecting death people, such as Lazarus who was dead for 4 days until Jesus Resurrected him from the Grave.

Hearing about this great things done by this new healer King Abgar due to his inability to travel long distances sent his servant portrait-painter Anananias with a letter addressed to Jesus in which he was begging him to come to Edessa and heal him from his leprosy. Ananias was told by prince Abgar that in case if Jesus is unable to come to Edessa for some reason, Ananias should paint a picture of Jesus's face and bring it back to the kings palace, firmly hoping and believing that only seing the image will immediately heal him.

The servent went to search for Jesus and found him, preaching the Good news of Salvation being fulfilled in himself and stayed, kept himself on a side and tried to paint Jesus face on a number of times as each time he started painting the face of Jesus in a very short while the face has changed so he couldn't complete it and have to start again.
After some time Jesus has called him took the cloth (napkin) and placed the cloth on his face and an image depicting has face has imprinted on the cloth.

The Image of Christ on the cloth was brought to the King and as Abgar kissed the Image on the napkin with Love and Faith and the sickness disappeared as he was completely cured, only a small part of his face was still having the trace of the disease. After this glorious Miracle King Abgar ordered that the idols on the Entry Gate of the City that were believed to protect the city from Evil should be and in their place the Non-Hand made image of Jesus Christ to be put on top of the city Entry Gate having the Image stuck onto wood, surrounded with a gold frame and ornamented with pearls. Prince Abgar also wrote above the icon on the gateway:
 

"O Christ our God, no-one who hopes in Thee will be put to shame" !

 

, to let everyone know about the Great power of the one who is depicted on the Mandilyon cloth, just as well as a protection sign for the city from all evil and invaders as he was convinced the image of Christ had the power to not only heal him but had the Power to protect his city from the numerous barbaryan raids that were so common during Ist century.

In the coming centuries The Non Hand Made Image of God have been said to have cured multiple people from all kind of diseases.

Abgar-with-image-of-Edessa10thcentury-Monastery-Saint_Ekaterina-Sinai

Abgar receiving the Non Hand Made Image of Christ cloth icon – Saint Catherin (Ekaterina) Monastery Sinai 10th century

According to the eastern Tradition, Jesus has said to the survent to convey message to the the King that this Image of Him will cure most of the disease of the king but the complete healing will be completed by Jesus's desciple Thaddaeus (who was one of the 70th Apostles). This letter was brought to King Abgar too. The Orthodox Tradition believed in the Church is that the words of Jesus fulfilled, King Abgar biggest part of body lepper buds, have been healed and only a small part on his face remaimed and this was also healed by disciple Thaddaeus who after the Crucifix and Resurrection of Christ in the 3rd day after his execution went to the King and have preached the Good news of Gospel that Christ has resurrected and asked the king to repent and shortly baptized him in the New Christian faith In the Name of the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Immediately after Baptism King Abgar become completely healed. More on the Story for the Image Not Made By Hands can be red here.

 

08.21_saint_ap_Thaddeus_rex_Abgar_ikona_Sinai_Sv_Ekaterina
Saint Apostle Thaddeus arriving to King Abgar V of Eddessa and healing – icon X-th Saint Catherin's Monastery Sinai

The Jesus Image of Edessa – a Syrian city in upper Mesopotamia on the Banks of Euphrates  (today city of Urfa in Turkey), painted copy has been made on number of occasions through the history before the original clothed image disappeared mysteriously in the 13th century as it was stolen by the Roman Catholic Crusaders during IV-th Crusade whose goal was the liberation of the Holy Lands (Jerusalem and the other biblical cities from the Muslim) in year 1204.  After the hungry and and mad crusaders destroed (sacked out) Constantinople they took the Mandylion have reappeared as a relic in King Louis IX of France's Sainte-Chapelle Church in Paris and has been said to have been there until its total disappearance in the French Revolution (during which many holy relics were stolen by revolutionists, many of whose are known to have been Masons as well as many relics were destroyed).

This Non-Hand Made image of Jesus Christ known in Church Slavonic under the term (Убрус / Ubrus) is considered the first icon ("image"). In the Eastern Orthodox Church (Bulgarian, Russian, Greek, Serbian, Macedonian, Moldovian, Syrian, Antiochian, Jerusalem's Churches) and the rest of Oriental Orthodox Churches (Armenian, Copts, Syriacs, Jacobites etc.) according to Church Tradition.

Christos_Acheiropoietos-Non-hand-made-image-of-Jesus-Christ-given-to-King-Abgar

Christos Acheiropoietos (Non-hand-made-image)  of Jesus Christ given to King Abgar of Edessa
(Novgorodian Russian Icon circa 1100)

 

The Eastern Orthodox Church observes a feast for this icon on August 16 (August 29 in N.S.), which commemorates its translation from Edessa to Constantinople and is being observed with a Church service Holy Liturgy.

Ancha_Icon_of_the_Savior_(Art_Museum_of_Georgia,_Tbilisi)

Ancha Icon of the Savior ანჩისხატი (Traditionally considered to have been the tile Kiramidion a tile copy of the Mandylion) – "holy tile" imprinted with the face of Jesus Christ miraculously transferred by contact with the Image of Edessa (Mandylion).

Ancha icon is dated to the 6th-7th century, it was covered with a chased silver riza and partly repainted in the following centuries. The icon derives its name from the Georgian monastery of Ancha in what is now Turkey, whence it was brought to Tbilisi in 1664.

Holy Face of Genoa

Mandylion image is also point of high interest in the Roman Catholic Church too as well as to some more conservative Protestant denominations (though perhaps most of them are rejecting that story as a pious myth.).
In Western Tradtion the Ubrus's copy there is the famous Holy Face of Genoa (which is a donation by the Byzantine Emperor John V Paleologos to Doge of Genos Leonardo Montaldo in the 14th century it was carefully studied by Colette Dufour Bozzo that the image is on cloth that is on a wooden board (the wooden board is a typical plane on which icons are being painted) and is dated also to 14th century.

Jesus_Christ_Face_Holy-face-of-Genoa-_Genes

Holy face of Genoa 14th Century with face made more visible

 

Holy Face of San Silvestro

 

Holy Face of San Silvestro (Saint Silvester) image was kept in Rome's Church San Silvestro in Capite and is now
kept in Matilda chapel Vatican Palace. Its earliest existence known is from 1517 (at that year the nuns were forbidden to exhibit it) as people often has mixed it up with the Veronica Veil (another famous Jesus cloth face imprint often called Volto Santo – holy face).

The_San_Silvestro-image-imprint-of-Jesus-non-hand-made-Mandylion_visage

 

Veronica Veil

 

The Western Roman Catholic tradition recounts that Saint Veronica from Jerusalem encountered Jesus along the Via Dolorosa on the way to Calvary. When she paused to wipe the blood and sweat (Latin sudor) off his face with her veil, his image was imprinted on the cloth. The Veronica Veil tradition however is legendary and not accepted in Eastern Orthodox Churches as this tradition is quite new first to occur somewhere in the middle ages, like in the 16th century and was not known at all in Christiandome prior to that.

The act of Saint Veronica wiping the face of Jesus with her veil is celebrated in the sixth Station of the Cross in many Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran rites, Methodist and Western Orthodox churches.

 

Image of the Saviour Other traditional Orthodox Copy icons

It is notable to mention few very famous Russian iconography interpretation, many of the interpretations are taken by the Russian Iconography from the sample Novgorodian Russian Icon which of itself has been an exact copy, the Russian and Greek monks have made of the Origianl Non Hand Made Cloth image that has been on top of Byzantine Eastern Empire Capital Constantinople's city hanging on the entry Gate.

Saviour-Wet-Beard-Spas_Mokraya_Brada_ikona-Russian-icon


Спас Мокрая Брада (Spas Mokraja Brada – The Saviour Wet Beard) Russian Orthodox Icon 16th Century

Even today, many of the Eastern Orthodox Church are having a copy interpretation of the icon hanging on top of the Dveri (The Inner part Alter Church Doors) – see below picture for reference:

Ubrus-Mandylion-Non-Hand-Made-icon-Hanging-upper-to-Church-Alter-Walls-Dveri-Eastern-Orthodox-Church-Vlaherna-Tsarigrad-Istanbul-ex-Konstantinopol

Non-Hand Made Image copy of the Saviour Jesus Christ hanging on top of Church Alter Walls (Dveri) on top of the priest head

Image-of-the-Saviour-traditional-Orthodox-Iconography-Simon_Ushakov_Nerukotvorniy

 

The Mandylion by Simeon Ushakov – year 1658.

As well as the bit newer but very beautiful Russian Iconograph interpretation  of  Image of Saviour from Harkov.

Harkovskij-Spas-Saviour-Orthodox-icon-18th-century-Harkov

Harkovskij Spas icon Harkov Saviour from 18th century Russian Orthodox Icon

Jesus is Risen – Truly he is Risen / Hristos Voskrese paschal greeting and why Orthodox Christians don’t celebrate with Roman Catholics and Jewish

Thursday, April 19th, 2012

Jesus Glorious Resurrection from the grave in the third day Orthodox Christian Icon

It is the first week after Orthodox Christian Easter. This year 2012, the Orthodox Christians Easter date was on fifteen of April.
We've not just had a feast of an Eastern, but we actually celebrated the greatest day in all human history that happened 2012 years ago – The Glories Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the Death in the Third day!

Some Roman Catholic Christians, might be wondering, why the Orthodox Church is celebrating one week after Jewish Pascha, so in short I will explain in the reason.We orthodox christians do not celebrate with Roman Catholics Easter because Roman Catholics use the gregorian calendar to calculate and decided the day in which the Eastern celebrations should occur, where we the Orthodox Christians use still the old moon calendar (which the jews used too), when Jesus was crucified.
The gregorian calendar is very precise from a scientific point of view, however from a Church stand point it is completely wrong because, plainly taking the gregorian calendar math model doesn't take in consideration, that the jews are still celebrating their pascha following the old moon calendar.

The consequence is this year Roman Catholics, celebrated with Jewish. This from our Orthodox Christian point of view is incorrect, because Christ's Cross suffering is the pascha for us christians.
We Christians consider that the old God ordained jewish pascha was a prophecy feast, simply to remind jewish people before Christ's coming that Messiah (Christ) will come to say his people.
As Jewish rejected their true Messiah and Crucified him on the Cross, they have rejected to accept Christ as being the true pascha lamb slained for our sins.

Hence the Orthodox Christian Church teaches even to this day, that it is not righteous to celebrate Christ's Glorious Resurrection with Jewish Pascha.
Prohibition to celebrate Easter and Jewish Pascha on the same day is an Orthodox Church rule, since the early church days.
The Holy Fathers in their Church councils Council of Nicaea etc. has established as unchangable Church rule that, Jesus's Resurrection day feath, should never-ever coincide with the Jewish Pascha Celebrations.

The reasons the Church fathers ordered the Church Easter day to be always 1 week after Jewish Pascha is our saviour Jesus Christ ate pascha with his desciples as we can read in the 4 gospels in Holy Bible. After Jesus ate pascha, he was caught mocked, tortured and crucified (killed on a cross shaped trees).

Jesus is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

The Slavonic Paschal Greeting, translated words, we use across the Slavonic dome: ( Bulgaria / Russia / Ukraine, Serbia) is:
 

Христос Воскресе ! Воистину Воскресе!

According to our Church Tradition, Christians should great each other with the Paschal greeting Hristos Voskrese during the whole "bright week" instead of the usual Hi / Hello phrase.

The current Bulgarian version of Христос Възкресе ! Воистину Воскресе! is

Христос Възкръсна! Наистина Възкръсна!

 

One great miracle that testifies about the Christ's resurrection each and every year happens on each Orthodox Christian Eastern in Jerusalem in the Temple of Holy Sepulchre (where the saviour's grave cave, before the resurrection used to be). Last year, I've written to great all Christians for the Resurrection with the joyful Paschal Greeting Jesus is Risen and the Miracle of the Holy Fire
Pitily, the number of Roman Catholics who heard or know about this amazing miracle are mostly within the clergy. Its very rare a layman Christian in Roman Catholic realm heard of the miracle. Once again as a closure I want to great everyone with the joyful paschal greeting in the manners of Russians which say it three times during the paschal period.

Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе !
Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе !
Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе !

Why saint George is depicted on icons killing a Dragon (an ancient story of saint George killing the last dragon) – A Collection of 7 icons of Saint Martyr George

Friday, July 6th, 2012

saint_Georgios-killing-the-dragon-in-cave
Saint George is one of the most venerated Orthodox Christian saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church. My interest in saint George is cause of the reason, I myself bear the name Georgi (the Bulgarian equivalent of George). Saint George is mostly venerated in the Slavonic Christian-dome.In almost all Church icons depicting st. George in Orthodox and Roman Catholic christiandome saint George is piercing killing a dragon.
One of the reasons, st. George is depicted piercing the dragon is a reference of st. George victory over satan, through his martyrdom.

The Beast (Dragon) on the iconi is a straight reference to the Holy Bible; Chapter Revelation also known under the name Apocalypse.

In revelation, we read humanity and our saviour Jesus Christ will finally once and for all will kill the "ancient beast" = (satan)

In same logic, as Saint Martyr George has been victorious over Satan by his unshakable confession of faith in Jesus Christ in early 5th century A.D. , we believe in the Orthodox Church he is given the crown of (eternal) life as a prize for bearing un-human tortures in the name of the of Christ.

To illustrate visually the victory of saint George over Satan through his immesurable faith confession with which he become, there is a an early tradition in iconography in the Church to depict st. George killing a dragon.

The other reason why saint George is depicted to kill a Dragon is due to a Lebanon / Palestinian ancient story saying; There was a huge Dragon living somewhere in nowdays Lebanon / Palestinian lands.
The beast created a huge havoc killing many people and systematically torturing people in the area.

As the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition continues …. the Dragon is said to have inhabited one of the caves near some village.
Interesting, the story tells these very same dragon was the last Dragon crawling the earth before the final disappearance of dragons.

Many brave local people tried to kill the beast but many died as the beast was unbeatable.
Being unable to beat-up the dragon with a physical (human) force the local population turnted to God for help – saying continously prayers to Saint George to help them defeat their dragon mischief.

Soon after, Saint George appeared on a white horse and pierced the "old dragon / snake". The dragon liberation miracle is said to be evidenced by local people and according to Orthodox monk books is one of the many great miracles occuring in past times.
The report of the miracle has quickly spread around all Lebanon / Palestinian lands and soon, being confirmed as real spread along all Russia as well as the rest of the Slavonic and Orthodox Christian world (Bulgaria, Serbia), Greece, Egypt (Alexandria) etc..
To illustrate saint George's appearance miracle, monastic iconographers started depicting saint George as we see him until this very day – Riding a horse and slaughtering a monstrous beast.

Below are seven 12-th century early icons of saint Saint Great-Martyr George killing the dragon;;
I've collected the icons from various website online. Hope this collection will be blessing for all Christ brother and sisters and generally anyone reading this post:

12-th century mosaic icon of st. George the Great Martyr Xenophontos Monastery

12-th century mosaic icon of st. George the Great Martyr Xenophontos Monastery

Orthodox Christian icon saint George dated to 1130 - 1150 A.D.

Orthodox Christian icon saint George dated to 1130 – 1150 A.D.

Saint Georgius the Dragon Slayer icon XII century orth icon

Saint Georgius the Dragon Slayer icon XII century orth icon

St. George Enamel icon Georgia 12th century

St. George Enamel icon Georgia 12th century

saint George Christian icon Yuriev Monastery Novgorod 12th century

saint George Christian icon Yuriev Monastery Novgorod 12th century

st. George Staraya Ladoga Orthodox Christian icon

st. George Staraya Ladoga Orthodox Christian icon

sv. Georgius 12th century Aios

sv. Georgius 12th century Aios

Nowdays saint George Holy Relics particles are kept for veneration in many Orthodox Christian countries monasteries. Here in Bulgaria saint George Holy Relics are kept in a Monastery nearby the seacoast in Pomorie. Any Christian visiting Bulgaria have the opportunity to venerate the Holy in (Pomorie's Monastery – St. Great Martyr Georgi.
 

Ancient Christian Coptic Oriental Orthodox icons – The reason for asymmetric body members in early Christian iconography

Monday, July 30th, 2012

While checking some information on Coptic Eastern Oriental faith, I've stumbled upon a very beautiful (and unique) ancient Orthodox Christian icon depicting Saint Menas and our saviour the Lord Jesus Christ, below is the very beautiful icon

Saint Mena (Sv. Mina) and The Lord Jesus Christ icon from 6th century

Saint Mena (Sv. Mina) and The Lord Jesus Christ icon from 6th century

As you can see the iconography is very interesting, the images differ from modern day iconography the portraits are not looking so serious but looks like "childish". This childish forms and faces on the early Christian iconography is not accidental; it expresses the childish like pure faith our Christian devoted ancestors had. This early Christian faith and spiritual life icon is obviously in conjunction with our Saviour Jesus Christ words as red in the Gospel according to Matthew:
 

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Matthew 18:1-5

This icon as well as the early Christian icons are very different from nowdays iconography probably for reason;
the images difference, the seriousness and the lack of brightness in the faces of nowdays iconography is a clear sign of the great decay of both Orthodox Christian as well as the down-fall of spiritual life worldly.
I've seen similar childish looking image icons in some Bulgarian ancient relics museums in my child years and always thought the depictions are so kiddish because iconographers of that time did not have the painting knowledge and skills to draw better ones.
Now as I know Christianity much better than then, I understand my previous assumption for the reason of the kiddish looking images is wrong.
Saint Mena (Sv. Mina) and The Lord Jesus Christ icon from 6th century

Very interesting in the early Christian iconography are the shapes. If you take a close look to above icon, you will notice the disparity of the two body members; the hands, head and eyes are unusually big. My guess for the lack of correspondence of body members is the attempt of early iconographers to put accent on most important members of our bodies;

– The head (holding the mind and thoughts of the saints)
– The hands through which the daily food is raised and the eyes through which the world is comprehended are much bigger than in a real person portrait.
– The mouth which is almost the size of the eyes; obvious reference that for early Christian contemplating was much more precious (important) thing, than speech.
This is also in accordance with the New Testament holy scriptures which says like so concerning the tongue:
 

8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;
10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.
11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?
Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Notice also the Halos of the two saints, the size of the halos is almost one third of the whole body of the saints. The Gospel hold by our and all humanity Saviour Jesus Christ is also enormous sized; corresponding almost the height of the arm of Christ on the icon.
The size of the Gospel stresses out the importance of the Holy Bible writtings for early Christians. Nowdays the size of Gospels or Holy Bible especially among protestant Churches "tradition" is becoming smaller and smaller following the spirit of the time proclaiming mobility …

Today the iconography Orthodox Christian "school" has severely changed and the icon images are much more complicated than in ancient times.
The complication of images and elements on Orthodox Icons is a "mirror" of the internal complicated world of us modern-time Christians. This over-complication of our internal spiritual world, does separate us from God instead of uniting us as it is well known in Holy Orthodox Christian tradition God is best known through simplicity and pureness in life thoughts and actions.

The Coptic Oriental Orthodox Church is the only Church, where there is still iconographers drawing in the style of the ancient times childish looking icons. The reason Copts preserved this ancient iconography is that they have conservated big portion of the ancient faith rejecting the decisions of all 7 Orthodox Ecumenical Church Councils. Copts still accept only ecumenical council decisions up to the III-rd ecumenical council. This is also the reason why Eastern Oriental Orthodox Christians are considered not in official communion with the rest of Eastern Orthodox Churches. I had the opportunity by God's grace to meet an Coptic Orthodox Christian (a guy called Baky); From what I've seen and experienced within the few months with Baky my conclusion is Coptic Orthodox layman faith is much stronger than the one in most of other Orthodox Christians I know. The official standpoint of our Eastern Orthodox Church concerning the copts are that they're in heresy and not really orthodox. I'm not sure if this is really true, since I have spend few months with this Coptic Christian brother this autumn and winter and from what I've seen and heard as well as researched on coptic Orthodox it seems their overall Church teaching, Holy Liturgies and everything is very much orthodox (with very little service and faith differences). Here are few beautiful Coptic Orthodox Christian icons still being drawn in the spirit of early days Christianity.

Saint Abba Anthony the Great Coptic Oriental orthodox Icon

Abba (saint) Anthony the Great the father of Orthodox Christian Monastic Life

Coptic Orthodox Oriental Icon Abba Anthony and saint Paul

Coptic Orthodox Oriental Icon of Saint Anothony the Great – "the founder" of Monastic life

Coptic Oriental Orthodox Icon Tobias old testamential Book story

Tobias Old Testamential Story coptic icon

Holy Family Flight into Egypt Coptic Orthodox Icon

Holy Family – Flight into Egypt Coptic Orthodox oriental icon

Christ the Saviour Coptic Oriental Orthodox icon

Christ the Saviour – Coptic Oriental Orthodox icon

Holy Theotokos Coptic Oriental Orthodox icon

Holy Theotokos Coptic Oriental icon

Saint Athanasius defender of pure orthodoxy Oriental Orthodox icon

Saint Athnasius coptic orth icon

The Dormition of Holy Theotokos Mother Mary Coptic Orthodox Oriental Icon

The Dormition of Virgin Mary Coptic icon

Saint Abraham the Bulgarian co-memoration in Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Monday, April 2nd, 2012

saint Abraham the Bulgarian, sv. Avramii Bolgarski

Saint Abraham the Bulgarian is an Orthodox Christian saint venerated across most Slavonic Christian dome. His co-memoration in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BPC) is on 1st of April.

What is unique about this saint is that he used to be born and grown in the tradition of the Muslim (Islam) faith and by the great providence of God he converted to the true faith of Christianity.

St. Abraham of (Bulgaria), was born in Volga Bulgaria in a community of Muslim Volga Bulgars (old Bulgarians). Nowdays Volga Bulgaria is located in Tararstan Russia. The saint used to be an islamic merchant and His martyrdom for Christ happened in March 6 (according to old Church Calendar) in year 1229.

He used to live in a very complex situation, when the islamic influence of Arabs in his motherland was quite severe. St. Abraham of Bulgaria used to be a rich man for his time, he was a merchant.
Because of the trade he travelled a lot to the Byzantine Empire and the Orthodox Christian principalities. This give him an opportunity to get to know Christian faith little by little.

He was accustomed to a wordly life but still always accepted strangers and similar to the Old Testamental father of nations st. Abraham he's been very hospitable to poor people.
By Gods grace he become convinced Muslim faith does not teach a true faith to the one God,  being pointed by God himself towards the right salvation way, he accepted Jesus Christ as a Lord and Saviour being baptized and hence converting to the truthful Christian faith.

His Christian baptizmal was accepted from Russian traders, who lived nearby the place of Great Bulgar.
Being baptized in the Christian faith Saint Abraham of Bulgaria not only confessed Christian faith across his fellow people, but he also led very harsh (ascetic like) life, wearing secretly below his clothes a heavy chains during his worldly travels. The profit he made from trade often he shared with the poor.Once he went for a trade to the city of Great (Bulgar) Bulgar. There he was arrested because there was a rumor, he cursed (islamic faith believed prophect) Mohammed and the muslim faith.


Saint Abraham Avramii Bylgarski Bulgarian Martyr saint old drawing

Muslims catched him and started convincing him to reject Christ, accusing him at a blasphemy. Abraham was not scared of muslim threats of expel and even putting to death. As Muslims failed to force him "by words" to convert back to Islam, they took him and put him in jail because of his denial of (their) Islamic faith.

In jail he was tortured but, they failed to convince him to deny Christ, seeing they have no way to convince him to accept Muslim faith once again, saint tormentors first cut his hands, then the legs and finally disgraced by his boldness and continues confession of Christ they beheaded him.

Soon afterwards the city of Bulgar was captured and burned down by the Mongols, many people in that time saw this is Gods punishment for the innocent shed blood of Abraham the Bulgar.
The local Christians took his body and buried him in the Christian cemetery of the ancient city of (Bolgar) / Bulgar.
On the place, where the saint was buried, a healing water spring emerged. The first man who received healing from this spring by Christ's grace was a muslim.

Miracle Making Spring Well Saint Abraham the Bulgarian

Great healing miracles happened on the saint grave. Local Christians took their relatives and bring them to the saints grave for a miracle healing and a prayer intercession of the saint. A rumour about the saints great graceous grave quickly spread and some people told about the miracle healing grave f st. Abraham to prince Georgi / (George) Vsevolodich.One year later again on 6th March 1230, the body of the saint was carried in the city of Vladimir, where the prince and his family, the Vladimirsk Bishop, the clergy and the local people received the holy relics of st. Abraham (of Bulgaria). The holy relics was kept in the local church "Dormition of Mother Mary" on 6th of March in the year of 1230.

The co-memoration of st. Abraham the Bulgarian is being observed in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, since very ancient times.
Nowdays both Christians and Muslim celebrate the saints feast.

Icon of Orthodox Christian Saint Abraham of Bulgaria and his Holy Relics

Interesgingly, nowdays St. Abraham the Bulgarian is venerated as a saint by both Orthodox Christians and by Muslims. Many Muslims from Turkey and other muslim countries come each year for the saints feast day to pray and ask for healing or prayer intercession to God.

Even to this very day people receive by Jesus's grace through saint Abraham the Bulgarian's prayers – a various incurable disease healings. The healings occur on the same holy spring where the saint was buried. Many people are also healed from incurrable diseases through the veneration of the incorruptable saint holy relics kept in the Church Dormition of Mother Mary.

The Satanic roots of Metal and Rock Music genre – Two parts Christian movie exposing connection between Satanism and Metal music

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

Some long time ago a bit before I repent and believed in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, I've done quite an extensive research on the trustability of the Holy Bible and mostly the Church and Christian writtings. In that times, as an ex-metal head I had a profound interest if there is really a connection between Modern Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Music?

My research back then was quite thoroughful and I found plenty of proofs clearly showing a clear connection between most of the hard rock and heavy / death metal bands to satanism. I used to listen this anti-christian music for about 8 years repeatedly believing the message is not  really bad, even though subconsciously I knew something is not right with the music.

It was quite shocking to me to find that one of my favourite hard rock / psychedelic bands Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Doors, Rolling Stones etc. e, had a clear connection with Alester Crawley (a new age occultist magician and a forefather of modern satanism …).

Crawley was a completely insane person proclaiming himself under the alias "The Beast". This psycho travelled all around America, cursing people and cities and teaching people to worship evil. In other words the guy was a complete modern day anti-christ. I found in youtube few short 20 minute, movies exposing the relation between the new age ecumenistic beliefs and Crawley. Along with the musicians spoken about and their exposure to be a bible and God deniers, the movie explains why the message of this popular figures is anti-Christian in essence. This short few movies explains how this terrible guy Crawley become an inspirator of many of the today world popular played rock bands in most of the radio stations …


Satanism – The Root of Rock Music (part 1)


Satanism – The Root of Rock Music (part 2)

Another interesting documentary exposing some of the major pop and rock culture and musicians connection with satanism and the occult is They Sold Their Souls to the devil. The movie is again a short research on popular musicians, who openly say in their interviews they sold their souls for fame to the devil. . Many of the star musicians featured in this videos, even say openly they're possessed by evil spirits.


They Sold Their Souls to the devil part 1 of 3


They Sold Their Souls to the devil part 2 of 3


They Sold Their Souls to the devil part 3 of 3


They Sold Thir Souls to the devil part 4 of 4

Some people might think this is a joke non-serious, some crazy christian propaganda, but if you watch it without bias and analyze it nomatter if Christian or atheist you will see most of the things said in the video reflect the reality. Actually it's very sad reality, today's world has rapidly headed towards non-christianity, occult and satanism. Believe it or not, the elite in the world, we see daily on TV or hear on the Radio and read for as heroes in the newspapers has a strong connection with magicians, occult and fake spirituality. Many of them think loving evil is fun and okay but in fact it is a big lie we're said. As I've red someone says, once a lie is repeated many times it appears to sound like truth….
Anyways we should know Evil is evil and no good can come of worshipping the evil our ancestors and forefathers knew that pretty well and they used to teach us in a spirit to obey good and walk after good and not evil. Modern pop-rock culture teach us something else it teach us to go after the ways of dis-obeying satan took … Pitily our dying generation forgot that evil seeking will bring just evil and now systematically many  governments and medias are working seriously for  destroying the Christian moral and pureness hence by that we  seek to destroy ourselves hurrying towards our own destruction….

Lets hope God will be merceful and turn more people to him and unveil them the truth we read in the Holy Bible. I have hope more and more people will realize that we have to be living in a moderate and saintly way and not like the rock and pop stars shown in those videos. We should pray for each other and love each other and keep an eye on our children to let them not go the bad ways of witchcraft, unholiness and sinfulness  the modern pop – rock culture push us to.

Question, Questions, Questions

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

I don’t know about you out there, but I’m a kind of person asking questions all the time.I really wanna serve the Lord in a way. Today my grandma came home and shared she is on a wayto go completely crazy I really am in pain for her she is so kind and good but she suffers so badlyshe suffers from diabetic foot disease I fervently pray to our creator to have mercy over her and help herand heal her disease or at least take away the pain in the Name of Jesus Our Saviour! Amen.

END—–

Back on the Road Again

Saturday, February 17th, 2007

Yesterday I’ve went through a depression. The depression is trying to hunt me periodically. Right now I feel soso.So Praise the Lord. Yesterday I found out I passed the Accounting exam this was a great deal (thanks LORD).Today since it’s Saturday I hoped I will be able to sleep until 2, 3 o’clock unfortunately Tisho came andwake me up. Tisho is a friend I borrowed some money a week and a half ago. I can’t communicate normally with thisguy I don’t know why … We went to Mitko to take him for a coffee. e was playing Mugen ( A StreetFighter likecool fighting game). We stayed their for 30 minutes probably and then went to the fountain for a coffee.It was boring as a whole we smoked some cigaretes then everybody went to his home. When I cameback I upgraded the PHP modules on two of the boxes of DBG and right now I upgraded the clamav release.Meanwhile My boss make some interviews for a new server admin in the firm. One friend Joro went on the Interviewand the Boss approved him for the Job. What I am wandering and feeling about is, will this be me substitutionin the firm or this will be just another local administrator for the office. Actually I hope this thing wouldhappen that God has thought about me. I wait for the Lord to direct my way to somewhere since I’m in theocean as and no Land can be seen, just like I dreamed in one of my dreams before few months.In 5 o’clock I’ll meet Joro to speak about him how his interview in DBG went and possibly what will behis exam. ( I’ll be the examiner :]). Static come home yesterday and told me the dream he had the previousnight. He dreamed the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the dream.Our saviour was standing on a platform of a sort of cloudsand a lot of people were around him. He was all in light and everything around was light,there were 4 pillars ending in a sort of a sky. Jesus was all in white (white more whiter than any light in the world we can observe), he was with long White beard and Long white hair.Then my friend who dreamed this dream just thought in his mind “Oh Lord that’s you.”Then the Lord Jesus Christ pointed at him and he started ascending into the skies, full of very deep joy.After that he just woke up and prayed. Well Praise the Lord for giving to one of my brothers such a wonderfuldream. I hope his mercy will guard us all. Let Christ’s peace be in our hearts. AmenEND—–

A sinner

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007

I’m such a sinner. I’m ashamed of me … I want to stop sinning but every time I sin again. I pray the Lord to fix my problem and do my paths before his eyes rightfulness. Please lord see my prayers and deliver me and bless me with what my soul desires, for what you have made me.I’ve really no idea where my life will end. A lot of times I think of selling everything I have and following the Saviour. Please Lord don’t let me die in my sin. Give me a way out. Set me Free Lord Jesus Christ please. The day was ordinar nothing interesting at all. The day started with lectures in Business Communication in 8:45 up to 10:00 after that from 12:30 to 2:00 I had German and from 2:15 to 3:45 I had Introduction to Management Classes. After that I worked a little on the servers … Praise be to God for being merciful to me the sinner. I really don’t want to grieve him :[END—–

How my day passed

Monday, June 25th, 2007

My day started at 10:00 when a man called and asked is his Windows preinstalled and I pointed him to call to Nomen because his computer was in Nomen. Later I met Nomen and we have a walk in the central park. Then we went to see Jivko the Beggar. Hel told us a story how a skinhead started throwing stones at him for no reason … A sort of protestant Christian came and started telling me very messed things about Christ his new life etc. etc. I told him that I would send him to a hospital If I had the power :]. After that I met Lily and we walked for sometime together on my way to my uncle. I tried to read/explain him The New Testament “The Gospel of Mark”. But every time I started telling him how Christ has paid the price for us with his Holy Blood, and how He exchanged his rightfulness for our unrightfulness he started to get sleepy (strange). After that we had a great dinner together, I decided to stay for the dinner just because I wanted to suggest them to pray before eating, we prayed together with “The Lord’s Prayer”. After that I decided to walk to Mino’s coffee and I drinked a beer there with Ceco and Dido. After that I went home and spend some time reading posts on the “http://whygodwonthealamputees.com”. This forums are addictive but seems that are disturbing for my spiritual health, so I should to visit this place. I read some Christians on the Topic some of them were interesting it’s seems St. Anthony healed amputees so someday It’s vital to read about the Living of this Saint. The day passed comparingly untroublful for which I may only give a thanks to God :]. Few times during the day I hhave lost the point of where my life is going to and I doubt about my faith and Christ as a Saviour and the meaning of life, but it’s unescapable it’s the devil work to put lies into my head in the end :].END—–