Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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Barbara
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Re: Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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For Russian speakers, this 44 minute video may help them become familiarized with Brother Jose's life.

Released St John of Kronstadt's Day 2013, it unfortunately is quite confusing for most English-speakers.

There is a long interview with a youngish Rocor nun [ from Lesna Convent ? ]. But not one word of English subtitles so one can know what she is saying. A clip with an older nun speaking follows.

There is interesting footage of the Iveron Myrrhstreaming Icon being brought into a presumably Rocor parish. But which one ? Even that is not clear to the average viewer. I didn't recognize either of the 2 Priests who arrived with the Icon.

At the end of the film, Jose's picture is superimposed with an icon of St John the Forerunner.

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Re: Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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If anyone is interested, this homemade video shows a pilgrimage to the same monastery of St Nicholas on the Greek isle of Andros which Brother Jose visited the day before his untimely end.

Strangely, this unnamed woman [ Greek ? ] went almost the same day but 18 years later. I don't believe she mentioned Brother Jose in her commentary.
I say that because my computer was skipping. I well might have missed that reference.

The footage and narrative revolve around the Myrrhstreaming [ and Scented ] Icon of the Mother of God sent there from the famous Blachernae Monastery in Constantinople in the 15th century, as well as other sites of interest at and around the island's St Nicholas Monastery.

Included is a thorough filming of a small white Church built on the site of an apparition of the Theotokos to one of the monks 20 years ago. This is probably a new addition since the day Fr Alexander Iwaszewicz and Brother Jose visited in late October 1997.

Though the camera shakes at points, this amateur effort is certainly better than nothing for those of us who likely aren't going there ourselves. It gives a sense of this tucked away Monastery which is impossible to obtain by reading alone. I remember reading Fr Alexander's gripping narrative of his time traveling in Greece with Brother Jose in the newspaper Orthodox America, as did many people. For some reason, I was thinking now that it was the island of Tinos that the 2 members of Rocor visited. That's why I looked up Andros to learn more about this island.

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Re: Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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Rereading Fr Alexander's account of those days of late October 1997, one seems to find new information. I noticed that it was not only Fr Alexander and Brother Jose who visited Andros, largest of the Cyclades islands. A spiritual daughter of [ ecumenist ] Abp Anthony of Geneva accompanied them. Likely to the monastery, too. I wonder who that was ? And whether, if still alive, this Greek woman could be located to inquire about any reminiscences of that fateful excursion. Though the object of their trip was to see the Blachernae-bestowed Icon of the Root of Jesse, a different icon -- a full-length fresco of the Mother of God and Child seated upon a throne -- wept as soon as these visitors arrived at the St Nicholas Church.

The monks were anxious, telling the pilgrims that this 15th century fresco painted directly onto the stone wall only wept when a catastrophe was happening or about to happen. Only one or two examples have been proffered over the years : the bombing campaign against Serbia and the start of the first Gulf War in 1991. Therefore, it is difficult for one to gain a true perspective on the frequency of this fresco's weeping. The main example of which we can sure was the case of Brother Jose. The fresco's tears foretold imminent disaster for him : the very next night saw his untimely end.

Fr Alexander stressed that the Montreal Icon did NOT come to Greece with Brother Jose. Surely Fr Alexander would know this well, having traveled with Brother Jose for some days to visit holy sites in Thessaloniki and around Athens before that final day trip to the Cyclades island.

So why was it assumed by many that the Iveron Myrrhstreaming Icon had been taken from Brother Jose that tragic night ?
The Icon was widely rumored to have disappeared without a trace at that same time. Did the Montreal Icon vanish from where it was normally kept in Canada ? How could that have been pulled off simultaneously ? Very strange.

Clarification regarding earlier post : the Andros Icon of the Mother of God was given by the Church of the Mother of God at Blachernae to the St Nicholas' Monastery's podvorie in Constantinople. Not directly to the island monastery.
However, after 1453, She was brought to the quiet, remote monastery for safety.

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Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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I hope this 'icon' of Brother Jose is not intended for the 20th anniversary to have him glorified !
I was shocked to see an actual icon already being promoted :

http://www.stjohndc.org/en/brother-muni ... noz-cortez

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Re: Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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A pilgrimage mainly from the Washington DC parish of St John the Baptist took place this Oct 31 for Brother Jose's 19th anniversary.
Rocor's Archbishop Leonty of Chile, best known perhaps as a friend and supporter of St John Maximovitch, and notably, Matthewite SchemaAbbot Clement of Mt Athos were included in the pannikhida served :

"...commemorated at the panihida were those close to Brother Jose: Archbishop Leonty (Filippovich; +1971), the Athonite Schema-Abbot Clement, and Emmanuel Argiris. Archbishop Leonty of Chile received the young Jose into the Orthodox Faith. Schema-Abbot Clement is the very same abbot of Holy Nativity Skete on Mount Athos who originally refused to sell the copy of the Iveron Icon to Brother Jose, and later, unexpectedly, rushed down the path from his cell to pass along a package containing the desired icon – one of the first [ever] painting[s] at the skete. Jose then hurried to the Iveron Monastery, where he laid the icon he had received from the abbot upon the original.

Emmanuel (Manolis in Greek) was the jeweler who created the first silver riza for the icon. And it was his son who made the rize for the new Hawaiian Montreal Icon of the Mother of God.

"On Saturday evening, the clergy serve[d] the All-Night Vigil in the presence of the [ Hawaiian ] myrrh-streaming image, and on Sunday morning celebrated the Divine Liturgy....

"Thus drew to a close the eve of the 19th anniversary of Brother Jose Muñoz-Cortes’ murder at the place of his burial – in his beloved Jordanville, under the protection of the holy icon [ the Hawaiian Myrrhstreaming Icon ] which has now taken the place – perhaps, only for a time – of the image of the Most Holy Theotokos he so deeply loved."

http://eadiocese.org/News/2016/nov/jose.en.htm

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Re: Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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Some further details about the Montreal Icon when it was in its heyday traveling all over to various Churches.

For comparison - perhaps to convince skeptics - two historical precedents of myrrhstreamng icons in Russia are noted :

" The Icon was kept in a frame about two inches deep and measures about 12 by 18 inches. At first the myrrh flowed only from the hands of the Mother of God, from the star on Her left shoulder and, occasionally, from the hands of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet in March 1985, during a Lenten service, even the frame and glass of the Icon began to exude myrrh in such quantities, that the cloth of the analogion on which it lay was totally saturated. There was always a layer of cotton wool placed at the base of the Icon to absorb the myrrh: pieces of this cotton were distributed to the faithful.

"Although there have already been several cases of physical healing (not only among Orthodox, but Catholics and Protestants, too), the purpose of the Mother of God seemed to be directed more at the healing of souls. Many who have stood before the Icon have testified to this, experiencing not only compunction and repentance, but consolation as well.

"As mentioned earlier, the flow of myrrh would cease during Holy Week. It would cease on Holy Monday. After the Liturgy on the morning of Great Saturday, a light dew of myrrh would form on the Icon, its case and protecting glass. During Matins (the midnight service at which the glorious Resurrection of Our Lord is proclaimed), when the procession of clergy and faithful, holding icons and banners, would leave the church, the Icon would begin to exude myrrh in such quantities, that it would cover the hands of the person carrying it.

"This is not the first time that the Orthodox Church has witnessed such a miracle. In the nineteenth century the Surety-of-Sinners Icon in Moscow exuded myrrh with which the sick were anointed and received healing. Earlier, there was a myrrh-streaming icon of the Mother of God in the Tolga monastery in Yaroslavl; and there have been others."

http://www.stjohndc.org/en/brother-muni ... mother-god


Neither is the Montreal Icon the first Icon held by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia [ Rocor ] to stream myrrh :

http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/forum/vi ... 120#p69120

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Re: Glorification of José Munoz by the ROCOR-MP?

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A new "icon" of Brother Jose Munoz [ despite the fact that no Orthodox Church has glorified him ] presented standing next to St John Maximovitch, who holds the Icon painted far after his repose by Pavel Tikhomirov, the one of the Tsar-Martyr which famously streamed myrrh. This may have come from Greece

https://workersectingreece.files.wordpr ... =588&h=300

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