Victory Josephite over Sergianism

[Priest Siluan]

Anastasios,

I'm not very knowledgable in icons. But, my first impressions are that it is a violent depiction which I would not venerate, it's personalized to a specific groups(and people) and is Joseph a saint? Even if he was(like the icon of St Mark), it's not an appropriate depiction.

The enemy is not the the person who is the hierarch, but the source of their actions, which is satan. A topical cleansing will not eliminate the source. We have to pray for the heretics to come back to the truth and we should all remember who the true enemy is. Only with love in our hearts, will we win the spiritual warefare, even if we lose a few battles. But, instead of recognizing our pride and remember Christ's law, we become divided and satan laughs at us.

I agree with you

[Priest Siluan]

St Petersburg Icon Causes Worldwide Controversy

(St Petersburg - 9.24.05)
On the heels of the recent controversies in ROAC concerning the deposition and suspension of various clergy, a controversial new icon has dominated discussion among Russians and diasporites in the ROAC and the MP.

On September 5, a new icon was commissioned by a member of the Makarian-Synod parish in St Petersburg, and depicts St Joseph of Petrograd, known as the leader of the catacomb Church, standing over Metropolitan Sergius (Stragodorsky), garbed in a Soviet uniform under his cassock. The icon, placed online by Fr Alexey Lebedev of St Petersburg's St Mary of Gatchina Parish (ROAC), spawned hundreds of comments demonstrating an incredible range of anger and support, as well as spawning a discussion of proper iconographic types. Comments from members of the Moscow Patriarchate ranged from shock to outright anger while comments from ROAC and ROCOR members ranged from cheers to disgust.

On the Russian Internet, the icon has even been picked up on secular filesharing sites and seems to be gaining a sort of cult popularity, revealing a deep wellspring of distrust of the Moscow Patriarchate even among unchurched Russians.

Neither the Synod of the ROAC nor that of the ROCOR-V in Russia, which includes the iconographer in its membership, has made an official statement yet on the matter. NFTU

http://www.roac.tk/

[Myrrh]

St Petersburg Icon Causes Worldwide Controversy

(St Petersburg - 9.24.05) On the heels of the recent controversies in ROAC concerning the deposition and suspension of various clergy, a controversial new icon has dominated discussion among Russians and diasporites in the ROAC and the MP.

On September 5, a new icon was commissioned by a member of the Makarian-Synod parish in St Petersburg, and depicts St Joseph of Petrograd, known as the leader of the catacomb Church, standing over Metropolitan Sergius (Stragodorsky), garbed in a Soviet uniform under his cassock. The icon, placed online by Fr Alexey Lebedev of St Petersburg's St Mary of Gatchina Parish (ROAC), spawned hundreds of comments demonstrating an incredible range of anger and support, as well as spawning a discussion of proper iconographic types. Comments from members of the Moscow Patriarchate ranged from shock to outright anger while comments from ROAC and ROCOR members ranged from cheers to disgust.

On the Russian Internet, the icon has even been picked up on secular filesharing sites and seems to be gaining a sort of cult popularity, revealing a deep wellspring of distrust of the Moscow Patriarchate even among unchurched Russians.

Neither the Synod of the ROAC nor that of the ROCOR-V in Russia, which includes the iconographer in its membership, has made an official statement yet on the matter. NFTU

[Myrrh]

apologies, forgot source.

http://www.roac.tk/

[Suaidan]

Anastasios,

I'm not very knowledgable in icons. But, my first impressions are that it is a violent depiction which I would not venerate, it's personalized to a specific groups(and people) and is Joseph a saint? Even if he was(like the icon of St Mark), it's not an appropriate depiction.

The enemy is not the the person who is the hierarch, but the source of their actions, which is satan. A topical cleansing will not eliminate the source. We have to pray for the heretics to come back to the truth and we should all remember who the true enemy is. Only with love in our hearts, will we win the spiritual warefare, even if we lose a few battles. But, instead of recognizing our pride and remember Christ's law, we become divided and satan laughs at us.

St Joseph is my name saint. And I believe this is actually modeled on the St Michael icon trampling Satan underfoot. Sergius was not a typical heretic in that he was partially responsible for the death of all those who disagreed with Stalin. He, unlike any other heretic in history, acted in concert with those whose goal was to annihilate Christianity from Russia.

Amazing even non-Orthodox Russians are grabbing this icon now. They may not know the truth of Christ; but they know the truth of the Soviet Church.

I wish I could make this icon my avatar.

Joe Suaiden
St Petersburg, Russian Federation

[Nikodemus]

When I first saw this icon, I was a bit surprised and amazed. It reminds me of the traditional byzantine icon of the apocalyptic Michael Archangel who tramples down the devil in the fallen city, Babylon. I guess that Patriarch Segius resembles the patriarch in a fallen city. He was not strong enough to be patriarch at this time, he should had resigned instead of writing this fidelity declaration to the Communists. I both feel sorry for him, and at the same time find it difficult to respect him for this action. Being a devoted anti-communist myself, I slightly agree with the symbolism in this icon.

[Грешник]

The interesting thing is that this image can not be correctly called an icon for one simple reason, neither the Synod of the ROCOR (V) nor that of the ROAC, (nor any other Synod for that matter,) has declared this an actual type for an icon and until such a time when that might happen this image is just that, an image. I will not judge as to wether it can be venerated, but for me I await an official word from my Synod before doing such a thing. I do not really have an opinion on the image nor its significance because there are millions of other recognized and miraculous icons in the Holy Orthodox Church for us to venerate and give honor to.

[steps off soapbox and cowers in the corner awaiting flying fruit and vegetables...]