Hero - Worshipping
The sickness of our Holy Struggle
By Bishop Photios of Marathon of the Church of the G.O.C. of Greece
«Don't put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save
you.» (Psalm 145:3)
We mustn't have absolute trust in human beings for our salvation,
no matter which dignity they have. Human beings are changeable. Today are saints, tomorrow deniers. Today sinners, tomorrow righteous. We must have absolute trust in God and in Him we must base the hopes of our salvation. «Happy is the man who has the God of Jacob to help him and who depends on the Lord his God» (Psalm 145:5) Human beings even betray the one whom we admire today as a saint and virtuous. Unfortunately we see him later to fall, though someone else earlier
who didn't have good reputation to prove himself worthy of the
circumstances and steady.
The Holy Struggle of the Genuine Orthodox Christians (G.O.C.) from
the beginning until today has shown a great number of such examples. But if we search in depth all the schisms through the times in the bosom of the G.O.C. we will find out the germ of hero-worshipping as the guilty one. This germ coexists with us and when it finds us in favourable conditions, and it causes the manifestation of the sickness. Well, let us examine these pestilential conditions, so we guard ourselves.
At the beginning of the manifestation of the disease it is required the presence of a spiritual father who has fame of being a virtuous
man be it so by outside appearance. It does not have much meaning the essence but it does the external image. It suffices not to have given reasons to unfavourable comments.
Afterwards, it is a necessary factor the existence around this
spiritual leader of a close circle of spiritual sons who respect and
esteem him. Up to a point, this is understandable.
However, the manifestation of this sickness happens when the
spiritual sons are changed into followers of the leader's person. This becomes as follows: The leader-spiritual father perhaps has some ability through which he attracts. He can be ascetical, has fervent zeal, is an orator, or charitable, but can also be simply clever and he plots several tricks through which he attracts the admiration of his spiritual sons. He can be in fact virtuous at the beginning, however it is possible he is full of hatred hiding carefully his hatred sides and overemphasizing some of his positive elements. Well, then, the germ of hero-worshipping surrounds such spiritual sons who belong to the close environment. It starts with flattery. When the elder's intimate environment is formed by monks or nuns and the elder starts the games, the intoxication of flattering people who in turn flatter him, then the sickness is spread.
If the elder rejects flatteries and breaks the cloud of flatteries and if he keeps the flatterers at a safe distance, then he is saved.
In case, however the Elder does not oppose, alas! It is created a wicked circle in which the Elder inspires hero-worshipping to his worshippers and next he collects this like incense of flattery from
them. Then if the elder were still virtuous, dizzy by the cloud of
flatteries he tends to believe himself that he has abilities which he
does not usually have. He is convinced that he is a new Saint Mark
Evgenikos, a new Saint Theodore the Studite, a new Saint Maximos the Confessor, a new pillar of Orthodoxy.
The close circle of followers (the «Cherubs» and «Seraphims» of the
Elder!) undertakes with zeal the advertisement of the admirable
capabilities of the Elder to those who are found in the wider circle. Because around the Leader's circle are formed concentrical circles of the «newly converted» to which the «rays» of the Elder reach sufficiently overemphasized by their passage from the «cherubs», «Seraphims», «seven-wing angels», etc. of the Elder who characterize him as «The Teacher», «the Holy Father», «our Little Father» and «the Holy Elder». Above this proclaimed «saint» Elder there is only God, from whom he receives the divine inspirations. No Church Authority surpasses the «holy Elder». Neither Bishops nor Synods, «even if an angel from heaven» speaks to them against the teachings of the adorable person of the Elder «let it be anathema» for the followers to whom the psychology of the mob has power.
The «Elder's» pictures cover completely the walls of the followers,
like the pictures of singers and athletes in the bedrooms of the modern youth and the hero-worshippers have in their cells more pictures of their «holy Elder» instead of icons of Christ!
They declare unblushingly that wherever their «Elder» goes, they will follow him even if he goes to Hell! Whatever the admirable «Elder» says it is considered a dogma of faith. They invent yearly celebrations of the «Elder», icons of the elder are painted while he is still alive and after his death his bones are carried around in golden boxes like the ark of the testament! Their graves are venerated and their personal objects are given as prizes. Nobody
becomes accepted in the ranks of the followers if they do not fall on their knees to venerate the imaginary icon which they created
themselves for their Elder.
The more tragic of the circumstances is the person of the Elder himself, whom the flatterers of the close circle created as other golden calf for veneration by the mob. Perhaps these flatterers have a greater responsibility than the Elder himself, who was driven by them in different illegal actions, just as schisms and divisions, led him to believe himself that he is the «Saviour» of the Church!
And it is required intense prayer and continuous attention so nobody will be found in the situation of these people and especially the most important thing for all our clergymen is to be afraid of the flatterers. Our ancient ancestors were correct when they stated that they «were afraid of the flatterers and they were in favour of the crows because the crows eat flesh while the flatterers tear to pieces the souls».
Translation from the Greek by Christos, the List owner ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The-Old-Calendarist ).