Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Two monks tonsured at Monastery of St. Ephrem

I found this to be an interesting photo of two men being tonsured in the Syrian Orthodox Church. The article (in Arabic) is available here.



Posted by Byzantine, TX

5 comments:

  1. BortAugust 23, 2011 at 4:51 PM

    It appears that one of the men was a priest, since he was wearing a phiro (skull cap). The other man was wearing a blazer, so presumably he was a layman, or perhaps a deacon, subdeacon, or reader.

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  2. Byzantine, TXAugust 23, 2011 at 10:54 PM

    A reader asked me to post the below for him:

    "Why should the tonsure of a heretic (monofysite) be of interest to the Orthodox?

    By the way, let me remind you of the following:

    Those who attack the Church of Christ by teaching that Christ's Church is divided into so-called "branches" which differ in doctrine and way of life, or that the Church does not exist visibly, but will be formed in the future when all "branches" or sects or denominations, and even religions will be united into one body; and who do not distinguish the priesthood and mysteries of the Church from those of the heretics, but say that the baptism and eucharist of heretics is effectual for salvation; therefore, to those who knowingly have communion with these aforementioned heretics or who advocate, disseminate, or defend their new heresy of Ecumenism under the pretext of brotherly love or the supposed unification of separated Christians, Anathema!
    (ROCOR)."

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  3. BenAugust 24, 2011 at 12:59 AM

    Unfortunately, they are not heretics. Perhaps schismatics, but not heretics:

    "It is the same hypostasis of the Second Person of the Trinity, eternally begotten from the Father Who in these last days became a human being and was born of the Blessed Virgin. This is the mystery of the hypostatic union we confess in humble adoration - the real union of the divine with the human, with all the properties and functions of the uncreated divine nature, including natural will and natural energy, inseparably and unconfusedly united with the created human nature with all its properties and functions, including natural will and natural energy. It is the Logos Incarnate Who is the subject of all the willing and acting of Jesus Christ.

    Also, quoting a local council of a jurisdiction that was at the time in schism with the rest of the church is itself spurious at best. Only an ecumenical council will be able to settle this issue.

    Let me also remind you of the following words from the Gospel according to St. Mark: "And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbade him, because he followeth not us. But Jesus said, "Don't stop him, because no one who works a miracle in my name can slander me soon afterwards.For he that is not against us is on our part."

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  4. Mor SeverusAugust 26, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    No actual monofysites (?) appear in these photographs.

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  5. Byzantine, TXAugust 26, 2011 at 6:48 PM

    Let me repost the original blog description that has held unchanged since 2007.

    "Discussions of Eastern Christianity, often with a Byzantine flavor. Posts on the Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and even the occasional church of the West."

    I post what is interesting to me and what I believe will be interesting to readers. Sometimes I am surprised by what "catches fire" with readers, but I strive to have something worth looking at when the material presents itself. I am always open to suggestions for future posts and even the future direction of the blog.

    ReplyDelete

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