Beware: Elder Sophrony of Essex

[Archimandrit Nilos]

More particular points about the live of the Pseudo-Saint Sophrony Sacharaov. Interesting ist the fact: he was ordained to the diaconate by Nikolai Velimirovic 1930, this Pseudo Saint of the official Serbian Church, involved in Old Catholicism during his studies at the Old Catholic Theological Faculty at the University of Berne/Switzerland. Regularly Velimirovic has accepted "communion" at the Old Catholic Cathedral at Berne with the explicit permission of the Serbian Patriarchate. Full ecumenism already in the year 1904 !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophrony_( ... (Sakharov)

[Barbara]

I read the writeup. The English is not too good despite the fact that it must have been penned by
his followers in Maldon [that's interesting, I have to check on the map for it].

Now what does this mean ? It's written so unclearly but sounds highly important :

"The faculty of St Sergius allow Elder Sophrony to sit the examinations of the whole course, providing for his needs; however, upon arrival, this is blocked by faculty insistence on Elder Sophrony denying by silence the grace of the Moscow Patriarchate, which he refused to do."

Denying by silence ?- ?
Did this elder then deny the grace of the MP ? Or the opposite ?

Thanks for the background, Archimandrite. Interesting to learn.

They are saying he reposed on July 11, 1993. Is this Old Calendar or - if EP, I guess it is New ?

Also I noted the involvement of Anthony of Sourozh in the foundation of Fr Sophrony's monastery. I had a feeling that
that notorious character might have been a party to some of the life story of this Russian emigre.
I would like to know more about that chapter ; and why Sophrony changed to the EP away from Sourozh.

[Jean-Serge]

I think he changed from Sourozh to EP and not the opposite. Sourozh had an anti-monastic and antitraditional mentality in fact.

[jgress]

More particular points about the live of the Pseudo-Saint Sophrony Sacharaov. Interesting ist the fact: he was ordained to the diaconate by Nikolai Velimirovic 1930, this Pseudo Saint of the official Serbian Church, involved in Old Catholicism during his studies at the Old Catholic Theological Faculty at the University of Berne/Switzerland. Regularly Velimirovic has accepted "communion" at the Old Catholic Cathedral at Berne with the explicit permission of the Serbian Patriarchate. Full ecumenism already in the year 1904 !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophrony_( ... (Sakharov)

Fr Nilos I would be careful. As far as I know no True Orthodox church has glorifed Bp Nikolai, but there are accounts that claim he helped the GOC during the period when we had no bishops by providing antimensia for our priests to celebrate the Mysteries. It is also well-known that Bp Nikolai later repented of his modernism and became very traditional, which you can tell when you read the Prologue of Ohrid.

In any case, I know many True Orthodox actually honor his memory.

[Hieromonk Enoch]

Jonathan,

I think many people also don't like the fact that he died in the ROGC Metropolia (future OCA), since the ROCOR, I believe, had declared them schismatic. That is, he died at St. Tikhon's in Penn. Whether one agrees with the labeling of the pre-OCA metropolia as such or not would depend upon how one viewed this.

I believe Fr. Nilos also implied or said that Fr. Silouan of Mt. Athos was heretical, or that he taught universal reconciliation. The main book we have about Fr. Silouan of Athos is from Fr. Sophrony (although, there were many others who knew him). I believe that book is divided into two parts: 1 is Fr. Sophrony's exposition, etc, about Fr. Silouan, and the second half consists of letters of Fr. Silouan himself.

In Christ,

Fr. Enoch

[Maria]

Jonathan,

I think many people also don't like the fact that he died in the ROGC Metropolia (future OCA), since the ROCOR, I believe, had declared them schismatic. That is, he died at St. Tikhon's in Penn. Whether one agrees with the labeling of the pre-OCA metropolia as such or not would depend upon how one viewed this.

I believe Fr. Nilos also implied or said that Fr. Silouan of Mt. Athos was heretical, or that he taught universal reconciliation. The main book we have about Fr. Silouan of Athos is from Fr. Sophrony (although, there were many others who knew him). I believe that book is divided into two parts: 1 is Fr. Sophrony's exposition, etc, about Fr. Silouan, and the second half consists of letters of Fr. Silouan himself.

In Christ,

Fr. Enoch

Is Fr. Silouan of Mt. Athos not considered a saint by the True Orthodox?

In his biography on Fr. Silouan, Elder Sophrony stressed that Fr. Silouan even prayed that the devil himself would be saved.

[Hieromonk Enoch]

Well, in all fairness, Sulpicius Severinus records St. Martin of Tours saying something similar to the Devil, and Selupicius was a personal friend and wrote the earliest life of St. Martin. I don't know why he would say that.

If there are those who know of True Orthodox who have defended Fr (St?) Silouan, I'd be happy to know them. Like many figures in the 20th century, without sufficient info it can become difficult to make a judgment, especially if they are from the 30s and 40s on Mt. Athos.

In Christ,

Fr. Enoch