Author: orthodoxaustralia

Dear Father in Christ, Panteleimon,

Please forgive me for my long delay in replying to you. We have received your two translations, together with the letter of Br. Haralampos. Thank you very much. We will gladly print both articles, under the conditions set forth in the letter. The “Life of St. Mark” will appear in our first issue for next year, and “The Ecumenical Patriarch” perhaps in no. 5 or 6 of this year. I presume that you wish the translations to remain anonymous. If you approve, we will use the formula used by the Greek Theological Review for your other translations, “translated by a monk of the Holy Mountain.”

In connection with the Life of St. Mark, we would like to publish in the same issue a more detailed account of the state of the soul after death (this will be our issue for Great Lent). There is a homily of St. Makarios which we could reprint from Orthodox Life; it speaks of the reason for commemorating the dead on the 3rd, 9th, and 40th days after death, but mentions nothing of the “aerial custom houses,” If you know or have translated a good text on this subject, we would be very grateful to hear of it.

As for the article on the Ecumenical Patriarch, I think it would be wise to include a note on the two instances when “the Slavic Orthodox Churches gave a splendid lesson of Orthodox thinking to the Mother Great Church of Christ.” I confess I am not familiar with either instance: neither that involving Nicholas of Ochrid in 1930, nor that at the third meeting at Rhodes. Also, I wonder if you could give us the exact date of the issue of Typos in which this article appeared.

We are very interested in the small book on ecumenism which you would like to publish. Until now we have printed everything on a small hand press, but recently we have purchased a large electric press which will enable us to expand our printing activity. Our first task will be to catch up on the printing of our magazine (we are now at least a month behind), and then we will begin printing pamphlets and small books. At the present moment we cannot promise anything, but I think we will be ready to undertake the printing of such a book by early next year. I would certainly be most interested in reading the manuscript, if you could send it. As to the cost, that would depend upon just how long the book is and how many copies you wish. Since our press exists solely for the propagation of Orthodox Christianity, we would certainly charge as little as possible.

I do not recall whether or not I have sent you a copy of the icon “The Joy of All Who Sorrow.” In any case I shall do so tomorrow. I think it was quite successfully printed. I believe the cost was about $500 for 3000 copies, but I do not know what they charge for smaller icons. I will obtain the address of the company (it is near San Francisco) for you as soon as I can.

We have sent you a few extra copies of the latest issue of our magazine, which you may use as you wish. If you wish to sell them, please keep the money for your monastery. If you can use more copies than that, please tell us.

We very much look forward to receiving other translations and articles from you, as well as any suggestions or comments you may have about our magazine. God willing, may this be the beginning of a fruitful cooperation for the good of Holy Orthodoxy! We shall have many enemies, not least among the modernist Orthodox, but it is our duty to speak the truth. Please pray for me, a sinner, and for Gleb, and also for Hieromonk Savva, a young Serbian priest who may soon be joining our small missionary brotherhood.

Respectfully in Christ our Lord,

Dear Fr. in Christ Panteleimon,

I must ask you again to forgive me for my long delay in writing you about Against False Union and in returning the manuscript, but it is only now that we have finished the latest OW that I have had the time to read it once more and offer my comments.

In general, of course, the book is very good and is very needed today. We would have liked to publish it here, but it is quite true that our hands are full right now just printing the magazine. The only important criticism I would make of it concerns the author’s very imprecise and even erroneous views of the whole question of Communism and the Russian jurisdictions; I think that here he is rather naive in seeing as external and secondary a question that is actually quite subtle and extremely important. The statement on p. 82, for example, that there is “full essential communion” among the different jurisdictions, is simply false. There is no communion whatever between the Russian Church Abroad and any of the other groups, and for very good reasons. The Moscow Patriarchate is subject to the anathema laid against the Soviet government and all who cooperate with it, laid upon it by Patr. Tikhon; obviously there can be no “essential communion” with those who are subject to the Church’s anathema. As for the Paris jurisdiction, it appealed to Constantinople not only to escape Soviet influences, but even more (since its spirit, after all, is close to that of the Soviet Church) to escape the traditional Orthodoxy upheld by the Synod of Bishops Abroad. Its apostasy is not accidental but quite deliberate, as is that of the American Metropolia. And the differences have nothing to do with “legalistic concepts” but with the upholding of Orthodox Truth and tradition.

I believe the author is deceived in regarding Communism as purely a political phenomenon that wears no “masks.” Perhaps he is thinking of it in terms of the Turkish Yoke — an external yoke whose intent was to enslave a nation and allow the conquerors to live well. But Communism applies an internal yoke, since it is essentially a spiritual movement (in an inverted sense). Its aim is not to conquer the world and enslave the nations, but to fight God, primarily by destroying faith in the hearts of men. There is no comparison in previous history with such a system. Communism’s whole aim is to prepare the world for Antichrist, and its most subtle work is to gain control of the Church and make it over into a new Church for Antichrist. This it is very successfully doing with the Patriarch of Moscow and is now attempting to do with the whole Orthodox Church through its representatives at Rhodes. To believe that Communism is satisfied with political influence is, I believe, completely to misunderstand its nature.

As to specific corrections, it is perhaps impractical at this late date to offer many minor corrections. However, I would strongly recommend one major change: the entire omission of the paragraph on p. 82 which raises the question of the Russian jurisdictions (begin with line 5 of p. 82, ending with line 1 of p. 83). The omission would not affect the continuity of the thought (its effect is only to cause a slight pause) and leaves out no essential point (since it is only an illustration of a point already made). What it does do, I believe, is to obscure the point already made by giving as an example a situation that raises new and very complicated questions of Communism, which is nowhere adequately discussed. (What is more, it seems to me to treat rather barely the whole question of jurisdictional dependence.) Such an admission would also certainly facilitate the reception of the book among circles in the Russian Church Abroad.

I am returning the manuscript separately and certainly hope for the widest possible circulation for the book.

Concerning the article “The Patriarchate of Constantinople” — in view of the most recent sign of the rapprochement of Rome and Constantinople, perhaps some brief comment or interpretation of it has appeared in the Greek press which we could use in our magazine, either as a footnote to the article or in our “news” section. We should start printing that issue about the middle of January.

Thank you for the book of St. Mark. We will finish taking the pictures soon and return the book then. I only hope that we can succeed in transferring the spirit of such a marvelous book into our English version.

I have already written Nina Seco about Archbishop John’s reply to the Greek situation. He doesn’t want to make any decision until the Synod meets next Tuesday. He is favorable to the idea of a traditionalist Greek jurisdiction; the only complication would seem to lie in the precise means of establishing it, and especially in the connection with Bp. Peter?

Dear Gleb,

I can’t find anything about persecutions at the Pochaev Lavra in the English Orthodox Life (there was something about the Siberian Protestant peasants in January, 1963, but that’s all), and I don’t have any issues in Russian before 1963.

The Devil has begun his work against us. A Russian lady came in this morning to look us over and tell us of the rumors about us in the Russian colony: that we are Communists with a store full of Soviet books; that we are Soviet diplomats using the store as some kind of front; that we are American converts (!); etc. By the time she discovered I wasn’t Russian, she was so charmed that she didn’t mind too much and even bought ten dollars worth of eggs, icons, and cards.

“When you come up we must think of ordering some of the Large Jordanville icons, even if they aren’t in the best style.

I placed the ad in Russian Life again for this weekend. To preserve what little reputation we have, we cannot advertise in the other newspapers. Also, we should have Skripkin or someone like that write an article about us for Russian Life.

Pray for me.

Your brother in Christ,
Eugene

Dear Gleb,

I received your letter this morning and have despatched the letter to Martianoff. I added a note about the 6 calendars, so you don’t have to bother — but save the envelope for future use.

The Service to St. John is being sent from Jordanville (I received the bill today), so you needn’t mention it in your letter.

We have a chance to sell the two gold rizas after all if we can get them right away — please write immediately (and tell him to rush the order).

You are not the only one who is possessed by depression. I have been attacked especially strongly in the last week or so. This only means that the devil doesn’t want us to start a magazine. But with the aid of the Lord and His Saints, we can fight him! Once we get busy, things will be much better. I started building a bookcase yesterday, and already I feel better! I’m ordering some more type today, and some paper this week, so we can begin soon. If the boys will help us I think we will have no problems. I still think we can have a first issue out in December. If you will give me proper instructions, I can see about having a sample сlісhe made next week.

Pray for me.

Your sinful brother in Christ,
Eugene

Dear brother in Christ, Gleb,

Our printing boys came yesterday and turned out some nice work. If they will give us much help, our work will be fairly easy!

Business was bad yesterday, and even though the whole week was better than usual, we are still a long way from making money — and to support a printing press we have to make lots of money. We have to have an ad in the newspaper very soon, but we must have rizas first, so that people will not come to us and get the impression that we are just amateurs and can’t supply them with even the most ordinary religious articles. Therefore:

1. Please look up the letter from the riza-deacon in New York (and bring it with you this weekend so I can mark the prices down somewhere) and order from him two gold and two silver rizas of each of the smaller two sizes (that is, four pairs altogether); we’ve waited so long now that we’ll have to take them sight unseen. Then I can make some kiots and we can be in business. I lost a $25 sale this week because we had no rizas.
2. Order 6 calendars from Martianoff — a few people do seem to want them.
3. From Jordanville order the following:
4. Service to Fr. John of Kronstadt (somebody has just printed it, and it is probably Jordanville). At least 25 copies.
5. Icons size 8×10”:

20 each of:

St. Pantaleimon, St. Nicholas (half-stature), St. Nicholas (full-stature), Of the Passion.

10 each of:

Wetbeard, Iverskaya, St. Paraskeva, Znamenie, Annunciation, Baptism of Christ, Palm Sunday, Ascension, Pentecost.

1. Small icons (4 x 8):

20 each of St. Ekaterina, and Vera, Nadezhda, Liubov, Sophia.

1. 1965 calendar, if its ready yet. 20 copies.

For the moment the icons are most important.

I’m sorry to write so much about business, but we do have to have our feet on the ground before we can do much dreaming. We’re dreaming about a magazine and we can’t even afford the paper!

Nonetheless, if we work hard God will bless us. Pray for me.

In Christ, your brother,

Eugene

Dear Gleb,

Wait until you come this weekend before writing VI. Vitaly. He sent us an outrageous bill and it must be corrected. I forget what else you were supposed to do, but it can wait until Saturday.

You won’t recognize the printing room. I’ve gotten all equipment and we can begin printing _______ ! I have the cabinet almost finished and it is successful. I have samples of several kinds of papers — but it’s going to cost money.

You are right about a picture on the cover. But I think there has to be a “The” in the title for printing.

I’ve got another small helper for printing, I think.

Let me know when you arrive. If I don’t hear from you I’ll be at the Greyhound Depot at 7:45.

Pray for me.

Your brother in Christ,
Eugene

Dear Brother in Christ, Gleb,

Glory be to God! The press is already bought and will be delivered (I hope) on Thursday. (But if not then, probably not until next Tuesday, so don’t be shocked if you don’t see it this weekend.) I also bought all equipment, so all we need now is paper and ink (also a marble slab and a cabinet which I’ll have to make). If all goes well we can begin printing something in two weeks.

Everything cost $200, so the money from Fr. Gabriel will be very welcome. There should be no difficulty paying him back after Christmas. However, we will be in a critical condition until then. I am still a little stunned. There will be nothing but work from now on. To succeed we must be really brothers. May God help us!

My mother is making a Christmas card with the new Sobor on it. If it’s successful (the sample she sent isn’t bad) we can print a Russian greeting ourselves!

Pray for me.

Your sinful brother in Christ,
Eugene

Dear Brother in Christ, Gleb,
I was waiting for some interesting news before writing you, but there hasn’t been any interesting news, so I’ll write anyway. Business has been very slow, except for a large sale to Mr. Ivanovsky (for which I haven’t received the money yet).

The Philokalia arrived, but no one has bought yet. Vladimir was in yesterday. I gather that he has no particular interest in a Brotherhood. Which means, I suppose, that we two “brothers” should work all the harder.

You should have received your Paissy Velichkovsky by now.

Olyas Kiot will soon be finished and will look quite nice, I think. I can begin your Kiot next if you’ll bring up the icon next weekend.

From Jordanville you should order the following:
10 each of all icons 8 x10 1/2” (3rd size).
10 Prayer Book, Russian script, paperback.
10 Selected Prayers to the Mother of God.
5 Hymns from all — night Vigil and Liturgy
5 Slobodskys Brief collected articles
10 St. Theophan the Recluse — What is the Spiritual Life.
5 Talberg, ? .
10 Sologub, Fr. John of Kronstadt.
5 — 10 Fr. John of Kronstadt, Thought on Divine Services.
5 Living Wheel from the Spiritual Field of Fr. John of Kronstadt.
5 Chuzhoo, Fr. John of Kronstadt.
10 Fr. John of Kronstadt, vol. I. My Life in Christ.
20 Sokoloff, Manual of Orthodox Services.

I think I will run away from everything and go to the woods tomorrow (just for the day).
The shoemaker came yesterday and delivered your shoes (for which you owe $4.75).
These two feast days have been very splendid, but I suppose they were even more so in Monterey.
I’m afraid I haven’t had time to make out the list of English books, but I’ll try to get around to it soon.
As you see, nothing is new. I presume you will be here next Saturday. We should think about another ad for Russian Life.
If the tone of this letter sounds a little weary, it’s because I’m tired, but otherwise I am in good spirits and hope you are the same. My regards to your mother and Ija.
Your brother in Christ,

Eugene

Dear Gleb,

Much business yesterday ($35) — a constant stream of people to buy cards; but today nothing at all for 3 hours. A man bought some books for a Russian girl who wants to commit suicide — pray for her (Barbara). Our friend finished Feophil in one sitting (he stayed up half the night), and apparently enjoyed it. His impression: everything is possible with faith, love, and humility.

Today was Fr. Leonid’s name-day, and many came to pray with him.

Our advertising material is being mimeographed today, and it will be ready for mailing by the end of the week.

I hope you will be able to come on Sunday. We could have a small Easter feast in the evening. I plan to go to Holy Communion tomorrow, please forgive me for everything, and pray for me.

Your sinful brother in Christ,
Eugene

Dear Gleb

I don’t know whether I’ll see you today or not, so I’ll mail this now. You didn’t fill out the whole withdrawal slip, and the bank is sure to be suspicious if it’s filled out in two different handwritings. Anyway, I probably won’t be downtown for a few days. Why don’t you just fill it out and mail it in? They would send it back by return mail.

I finished most of one bookcases yesterday, and hope to get them both in place by this afternoon.

I heard most of VI. Filofei’s last night and was extremely unimpressed.

The most important things for you to do by next weekend are to contact Ariadna Ivanovna about advertising, VI. Nektary about blessing (you should call him as soon as you arrive Fri. night, to make sure he has time), and making preparations for silk-screen cards.

Your Slavonic sign looks very nice.

Mme. Langeron brought her cot yesterday. She thinks she knows someone who makes eggs.

Pray for me.

Your sinful brother in Christ,
Eugene