Obama's War
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| Elder Paolos of Sinai |
The End of American Democracy?
Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai has been closed by the Egyptian government as a precaution, given the Muslim Brotherhood's continued attacks on Christians. Well over one hundred churches and monasteries have been burned to the ground, since the military’s ouster of President Mohammed Morsi. Father Paolos, the Elder of the monastery (who visit us about a year ago), reports that the monastery is now in extreme financial straights, as are the countless Bedouin families who depend on the monastery to feed their families. Please pray for the safety and well being of the Sinai monks, and their Bedouin friends, and remember to pray for the Coptic people, who are suffering persecution not seen in centuries.
Orthodox and Roman Catholic leaders from throughout the Middle East have voiced concern that an American attack on Syria, could spell the end of the Christian presence throughout the Middle East. The leader of the Greek Catholic Church in Syria said that if the U.S. were to launch an attack on the country, it would be “a criminal act” and would “reap more victims as Islamic Extremists continue to flow into Syria". The rebel groups the United States is supporting are now controlled by extremists such as Al Qaida. It should be obvious to our political leaders that should Assad be ousted, and the rebels win out, we could see terrorist groups gain control of Syria and gain access to Assad’s weapons, including the chemical weapons we are so concerned about.
That our elected officials would be moving closer to war in spite of the opposition of the American people, is tantamount to declaring the end of American democracy, and is, to my mind, a treasonable offense. As we edge closer to what will certainly become a war that America can not win, we must join our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, and pray that this madness end, and that our American leaders will come to their collective senses. Holding these politicians accountable in future elections, may be too late.
As American military intervention against the regime of Bashar
al-Assad appears likely, the Russian Orthodox Church
expresses "strong concern" about possible developments of the crisis. "Once again, as was the case in Iraq, the United
States is acting as an international executioner", said Metropolitan
Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. What worries the Russian Orthodox Church most of all is the fate of the
civilian population and that of the Christians. It is clear that the
extremist forces seeking power have set themselves the goal of the
complete and total destruction of Christianity in Syria.
Pope Francis has declared Saturday a day of "fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East and throughout the world." We Orthodox Christians should heed his call, and join our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, in prayer and fasting.
Pope Francis has declared Saturday a day of "fasting and prayer for peace in Syria, the Middle East and throughout the world." We Orthodox Christians should heed his call, and join our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, in prayer and fasting.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Father Paolos, Elder of Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai, during his visit the All-Merciful Saviour Monastery.
Friday September 6, 2013 / August 24, 2013
11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Hieromartyr Eutychius (1st c.), disciple of St. John the Theologian.
Translation of the relics of St. Peter, metropolitan of Kiev (1479).
New Hieromartyr Seraphim (1946).
Venerable Aristoclius elder of Moscow (1918).
Venerable Arsenius, abbot of Komel (Vologda) (1550).
Martyr Tation at Claudiopolis (305).
Virgin-martyr Cyra of Persia (558).
Venerable George Limniotes the Confessor of Mt. Olympus (716).
Equal-to-the-Apostles Cosmas of Aitolia (1779).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Petrovskaya" ("of St. Peter of Moscow") (1306).
St. Martyrius, ArchBishop of Novgorod (1199).
Commemorating the appearance of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary to Venerable Sergius, abbot, of Radonezh (1385).
St. Dionysius of Zakynthos, archbishop of Aegina (1622).
St. Serapion the Wonderworker, abbot of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist at Garesja, Georgia (1747) (Georgia).
New Hieromartyr Cosmas of Aitolia, Equal-to-the-Apostles (1779).
St. Maxim (Sandovich), martyr of the Lemkos, Poland (1914). You can read the life of the saint in red, by clicking on the name.
11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Hieromartyr Eutychius (1st c.), disciple of St. John the Theologian.
Translation of the relics of St. Peter, metropolitan of Kiev (1479).
New Hieromartyr Seraphim (1946).
Venerable Aristoclius elder of Moscow (1918).
Venerable Arsenius, abbot of Komel (Vologda) (1550).
Martyr Tation at Claudiopolis (305).
Virgin-martyr Cyra of Persia (558).
Venerable George Limniotes the Confessor of Mt. Olympus (716).
Equal-to-the-Apostles Cosmas of Aitolia (1779).
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Petrovskaya" ("of St. Peter of Moscow") (1306).
St. Martyrius, ArchBishop of Novgorod (1199).
Commemorating the appearance of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary to Venerable Sergius, abbot, of Radonezh (1385).
St. Dionysius of Zakynthos, archbishop of Aegina (1622).
St. Serapion the Wonderworker, abbot of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist at Garesja, Georgia (1747) (Georgia).
New Hieromartyr Cosmas of Aitolia, Equal-to-the-Apostles (1779).
St. Maxim (Sandovich), martyr of the Lemkos, Poland (1914). You can read the life of the saint in red, by clicking on the name.
THANKS to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity, and kindness.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Abbot Tryphon
Donations can be made directly to the monastery through PayPal, or you may send donations to:
All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
PO Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420 USA
The Scripture Readings for the Day
2 Corinthians 4:13-18
Seeing the Invisible
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.Matthew 24:27-33
The Coming of the Son of Man
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.The Parable of the Fig Tree
32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!
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Thank you Father for talking so openly about this problem.
ReplyDeleteGod bless,
Dana Sumar