October: Day 11: Teaching 1: Saint Theophanes the Graptos

October: Day 11: Teaching 1:
Saint Theophanes the Graptos
 
(What is Orthodoxy?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Theophanes, whose memory is celebrated today, was born in Arabia, and learned piety and understanding of the Holy Scriptures in the Lavra of Saint Savvas. Knowing the truths of the Orthodox faith and being an educated man, Theophanes, together with his brother Theodore, was sent by the Patriarch of Jerusalem to Constantinople "to defend Orthodoxy" against the Iconoclasts. Here, together with his brother, he suffered cruel tortures from the Emperor Theophilos, who ordered them to be beaten with thick straps, and then ordered that shameful verses be written on their faces with a red-hot iron. "Write whatever you like; you yourself will read your writing before the terrible Judge," said the brothers. The verses were inscribed on their faces, and from that time on, the brothers Theodore and Theophanes began to be called the "Graptoi" ("the inscribed ones"). With the inscription on his face, Theophanes, after the restoration of the veneration of holy icons, was the Metropolitan of Nicaea, and having composed many liturgical canons he peacefully.

II. We have seen, brethren, that the Holy Confessor Theophanes endured great suffering for the truth of Orthodoxy, which demanded and demands that due veneration be given to holy icons. And many holy men – bishops, presbyters and deacons, as well as a great host of holy laymen – suffered insults, imprisonment, torture and even death, defending the truths of Orthodoxy in the struggle against pagans and heretics.

What is Orthodoxy, which is so dear to all true Christians, without which we cannot enter the Kingdom of God?

Let's talk about this very important subject at this time.

a) Orthodoxy, as far as one can answer this difficult question of Christian doctrine, is, at its core, firstly, obedience to God, when a person humbles his mind before the highest revelation and accepts it by faith. This obedience is guided by the thought: "The Lord Himself said it, what can I add here of my own?" In the words of the Lord there can be neither error nor omission; if something is not clearly revealed, we, in any case, will not recognize it. Obedience of faith is filled with feelings of the most sincere reverence for the words of the Lord. The Lord said of the Holy Spirit: "Who proceeds from the Father" (John 15:26), and we confess together with the Church: "I believe also in the Holy Spirit... Who proceeds from the Father." The Lord said about His blood: “Drink of it, all of you” (Matt. 26:28), so the cup of life is given to everyone, not only to adults, but also to infants.

b) Secondly, Orthodoxy is obedience to the Church, when we do not rely on our own reason or that of other people in interpreting the divinely revealed teaching, but listen to its voice and teaching and with all our hearts entrust ourselves to its guidance. Together with this and according to this very fact, Orthodoxy is faithfulness to the teaching of the Apostles and Fathers of the Church, agreement with the entire ancient Church and unity with the universal Church which now exists and spiritually reigns in the world. Therefore, having proclaimed the ecumenical symbol of faith, the Church solemnly exclaims: “This is the apostolic faith, this is the patristic faith, this is the Orthodox faith, this faith has established the universe.” By adhering to this faith, a Christian is in union with God, the Source of immortal life; “but having broken the living connection with it, he will perish from eternal life.”

My beloved brethren! Pay attention to these words and do not let them pass by your heart's ears!

c) Orthodoxy, further, is not only the right confession of faith, but also the right life. Orthodoxy, for example, rejects the teaching that arose on the soil of Catholicism about virtue as a kind of merit before God. It also rejects the Protestant (Lutheran) teaching about justification by faith alone, which, after long reinterpretations in the West, was brought to our fatherland by one self-proclaimed teacher and proposed in a form that pleased so many: “Live as you wish, only believe, and everything will be forgiven you,” as if the pure oil of faith could burn brightly in a vessel overflowing with impurities. Orthodoxy does not give any concession to sin and passion, firmly and persistently demands the expression of faith in love and good deeds, directly and clearly poses the question of virtue as a duty before God, which man can never completely fulfill. Therefore, no matter how much a righteous man strives in doing good, he considers himself, according to the word of the Lord, a worthless servant and, falling prostrate before the holy Cup of Life, most sincerely recognizes and calls himself the foremost of sinners.

d) Orthodoxy is not only the right faith and life, but also the right service to Him, befitting the greatness of God. The atmosphere of an Orthodox church is different from that of a Catholic church or a German church, the rites are different, the worship is different. There, in the Western, for example, Catholic and Protestant (German) faiths, art in painting and in organ music has done everything it could, and gives us moments of rapture, the soul rises, is carried away somewhere far, far away, is carried away, and a person forgets why he came to this church, and there is no more prayer in the soul. Here, in the Orthodox Church, we are touched, shaken to the depths of our souls, fall prostrate before the Lord and pray. There are services that are not found in other Christian confessions, at which, however, the non-believers themselves feel the contact of earth and heaven: let us point out the wonderful Easter service as an example.

On the part of every man there is required constant and unflagging observation, whether he is following the way of the Lord, and unswerving use of those gracious means which have been given to us by the great mercy of the Redeemer of the world.

Here are some of the rules for the life of those who want to remain Orthodox. “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:6). “Beware of false prophets” (Matt. 17:1). “Do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see whether they are of God” (John 4:1). “Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good” (John 5:21). “Enter by the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction” (John 5:13).

III. May the Lord God help us to preserve the priceless treasure of our Orthodox faith in all its fullness and purity, following the example of Saint Theophanes the Graptos and other holy ascetics, who did not spare not only their health or earthly possessions, but also their very lives in defense of the Orthodox faith from pagans and heretics, and may He grant us the spirit of wisdom and reason, the spirit of fear and piety to live in the holy and saving commandments of Orthodoxy!

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.