"Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers planted a
crown of thorns and put it on His head and they put on Him a purple
robe. And said, Hail King or the Jews! and they smote Him with their
hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them,
Behold I bring Him forth to you that ye may know that I find no
fault in Him. THEN CAME JESUS FORTH, wearing the crown of thorns and
the purple robe, And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!" John
19:1-5
Grave
"O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down;
Now scornfully surrounded with thorns, Thine only crown;
How pale Thou art with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How does that visage languish, which once was bright as morn!"
In The Name Of The Father And Of The Son And Of The Holy Spirit.
Amen.
My dearly beloved Orthodox Christians, I am laden with a particular
"grief" this morning. I have just read a story in Polsky's "New
Martyrs Of Russia," and I wish to share it with you all.
In 1927 the Soviets employed a contrivance to tear down a village
Church in Kimri under the Tver administration. The Soviets claimed
that the town officials had petitioned the Central Communist
Committee to utilize the property for a maternity ward to be
attached to the neighboring hospital. The parishioners of "The
Church Of The Transfiguration" protested.
In May of 1929 a final decision was reached in favor of the "town
council" and a commission for taking a church inventory was selected.
On the next day, when the commission came to the church to take
inventory, it was met by resistance: a crowd of about 60 people
encircled the entrance of the church and would not allow them to the
doors, which was fastened by a big lock.
A peasant woman, whose name was Karnaukhova, suspended herself on
the lock, chanting, "I am hanging on the lock and I will die on the
lock."
There is no need for me to continue with the story - for these
stories herein "The New Martyrs," or "Catacomb Saints," all end the
same way. This is Saturday, why end the week on a bad note?
Holy Russia: "Behold the woman! Of her you read,"I am hanging on the
lock and I will die on the lock."
Nathanael: "Holy Russia! I the grandchild of the "krestyane" wish
to enter the Church called the True Orthodox Church. But I know not
how I may enter therein."
Holy Russia: "Behold the woman! If you wish to enter therin you must
enter by the door into the sheepfold - you cannot climb up some
other way."
Nathanael: "How then do I enter by this door into the sheepfold?"
Holy Russia: " If you hear the chanting, "I am hanging on the lock
and I will die on the lock," then you will "behold the woman." If
you chant along with her she will lead you in - for she knows not
the voice of strangers."
+holy russia+ +holy russia+ +holy russia+ +holy russia+ +holy russi
grave
n.
In Euphrosynos Cafe' "bernard of claivoux" sang:
"Men mock and taunt and jeer Thee, Thou noble countenance,
Though mighty worlds shall fear Thee and flee before Thy glance;
How wert thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn!
How did Thy visage languish that once was bright as morn!"