Holy Fire

[spiridon]

But it does matter Katya, The Bishop has to be in good standing with the church and sobor...

[AndyHolland]

But God did not interfere with the persecutions, God did not interfere when "Christian" Roman emperors persecuted the Orthodox, God did not interfere when semi-Arian missionaries converted Northern Europe, leaving millions in the semi-Arian "heresy" for literally centuries. God did not interfere at Ephesus or Chalcedon, to suggest a compromise that would save Christianity from splitting. God did not cause the beliefs of the 7th Ecumenical Council to be enforced, but let "his Church" fall immediately back into turmoil, which was to last another century. God did not prevent the Crusaders from pillaging, raping, murdering, and putting Protitutes on the Altar in Constantinople. God did not champion the cause of those westerners (pre-Protestants) gathered at Basle in the 15th century, nor did he support the anti-papal sentiment which could have been ignited into a fire at Ferrara. Further, when the Council was transferred from Ferrara to Florence, God did not see fit to make orthodoxy triumph. God did not stop the dastardly Turks from conquering Constantinople. And while the martyrdoms of the early Church supposedly led to her growth, the results of the martyrdoms of the 16th-20th centuries were a very different story (I guess God wasn't in the missionary mood, as his Church was not only not growing, but was doing everything it could from being obliterated-- and it wasn't, of course, though not because of God's power, but because the power of an idea can remain alive as long as even a few people believe it) . And I could go on, but those few examples from Church history are pretty representative of God's involvement in the world's affairs; that is to say, no involvement at all.

BUT he led his people through the wilderness, he saved the three youths in the fiery fiery furnace, He provided the Ark (prototype of the Church), He brought the prophets, HE SENT HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON who taught us to endure even Gods silence (Psalm 22 KJV, 21 LXX) He sent us the All Good-Holy and Life Giving Spirit to guide us into all truth.

And he sends the Holy Fire every year - and even if a Patriarch is too twisted to receive it in humility, it comes to the Orthodox faithful in the Church itself - or if the faithful are kept outside, it blows open a column and alights the candles of the faithful outside.

Star Trek is not real. Jesus Christ is Real. Picard is not a captain. Jesus Christ is Lord - and we waste billions of dollars looking for life out there, when life surrounds us, enfolds us, beckons us to find the creator who found us even when we strayed into hell.

andy holland
sinner

[joasia]

CHRIST IS RISEN!

Justin,

God also did not force you to trust in Him, implicitly. The bottom line is...who are we to judge what GOD is suppose to do or not do? He gave us free will and how we choose to use it is up to us. We have no place to say whether what was allowed or not allowed to be done, by God, was wrong....otherwise, we would be guilty of blasphemy.

[1937 Miraculous Cross]

The Holy Fire is a Mystery. Who can comprehend it? Speculation is useless regardless of what angle we take on it. For me, just knowing it occurs is a blessing to my personal faith in Christ our Lord.

in Christ,
nectarios m.

[Anastasios]

Well, a Matthewite priest told me in 2004 that the Holy Fire is demonic--a satanic rouse. It just shows me how far from reality someone can get when they put principles so far in front of practical reality. "The JP is in communion with NC's....therefore it is graceless...therefore the holy fire must be demonic!" One could argue the opposite way: "The Holy Fire is Real. Therefore the JP has grace...therefore so do NC's..." It's just so stupid to think about this business of "who has grace" and "who does not" if it's going to lead you to think the Holy Fire is demonic.

Anastasios

[AndyHolland]

Yikes!:

M't:12:24: But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
M't:12:25: And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
M't:12:26: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
M't:12:27: And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
M't:12:28: But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
M't:12:29: Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
M't:12:30: He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

M't:12:31: Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.

Lu:10:13: Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Lu:19:37: And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;

andy holland
sinner

[TomS]

It's fake people. It's a trick.

I am not saying that how specifically it is a trick, but it is. Start with Wikipedia (ignoring the St. Elmo's fire idea) and research how it could be done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Holy_Fire

There is absolutely no reason why we need these types of supposed "miracles" If it IS real, then it is demonic, because it is used to divide Christians.