A Catacomb Epistle of 1962

bogoliubtsy · Post by **bogoliubtsy** » Sat 5 June 2004 3:22 am

Just put this onto my new and developing webpage.

http://www.martyria.com/epistle

bogoliubtsy · Post by **bogoliubtsy** » Sat 5 June 2004 11:16 am

I wonder what some here think of this, having themselves made similar statements, and at the same time claiming to be a continuation of the Catacomb Church?

From the epistle:

Now, your basic question: What are you to do? If the present days were like the days of the Sergianist disturbance, I would tell you what I said then: Go to churches which do not have communion with Metropolitan Sergius, but do not go to him and his partisans. But the times have changed. We have no churches in the USSR now, and can we, who have gone into our solitary cells and find there everything which the churches gave us, forbid the thousands of believers who do not have such an opportunity from seeking consolation and spiritual food in the churches that do exist, and can we condemn them because they go there? We cannot imitate those ignorant ones who stupidly affirm: "Those are not churches, they are demon's temples, those who attend them defile themselves and are deprived of saving grace," and other such foolish sayings.

And so I say to you: If you do not have any other way of taking part in Divine Services and receiving the Mysteries, if you are languishing with thirst for church unity and prayer, and if attending the churches gives this to you - then go there without disturbance, and do not fear that this will be a sin. The Spirit breathes where It will; and in His unutterable mercy the Lord, even through His most unworthy ministers, even through unbelievers, does not deprive Christians of His heavenly gifts. If you wish a more intimate personal communion, then I advise you, as I also told you before, to choose for this sincere and unhypocritical priests - and such do exist in the churches. Of course, it is difficult for them, but they somehow try to squeeze through the eye of the needle.

TomS · Post by **TomS** » Sat 5 June 2004 12:00 pm

Well, of course I agree with this.

But for certain people, unless it comes from their ever-dwindling list of Saints, they will pay it no mind.

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Mon 7 June 2004 4:46 pm

I hope this question doesn't come off wrong, as though I'm just trying to ignore it (I'll read it when I get home tonight ), but I'd like to ask: who in particular wrote this epistle?

bogoliubtsy · Post by **bogoliubtsy** » Mon 7 June 2004 7:06 pm

Information on the Epistle is here: http://www.martyria.com/catacomb

Daniel · Post by **Daniel** » Wed 9 June 2004 1:51 pm

I was looking through Holy Cross Hermitage's siteand they have some back issues of Orthodox Life. In the March-April issue from 1951 there is an interesting article about the Catacomb church. I think it's tone and such are not too dis-similar from the Epistle written 11years later.

bogoliubtsy · Post by **bogoliubtsy** » Wed 9 June 2004 11:52 pm

Thanks for posting that link, Daniel. I've visited their webpage many times and must have skipped over that one. I'm still wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this important document.