Mel Gibson on Mt Athos

[Barbara]

Catholic Traditionalist and actor Mel Gibson is visiting Mt Athos right now, apparently :

[Barbara]

Many people's eyes caught that Mel Gibson has a nicotine tin in his shirt pocket. I have seen construction workers using that ZYN energy-boost < I guess it is. Anyone know ?

People are speculating that Mel Gibson has converted to Orthodoxy, but i doubt that.

They are negatively observing his wearing of 'crocs' - ? Never heard of them. Perhaps refer to the footwear as someone mentioned foam sandals ?

[Barbara]

Fascinating story told in a comment to the above picture posted about Mel Gibson.
[The spelling leaves something to be desired, though !]

The writer has a Serbian last name, Stojkovic, and of course Hilandar is the Serbian Monastery on Mt Athos

"I was in Chilandar few years ago. The brethren starts a service at 4AM (which is not a 4am for them…all I can say their days do not flow like for the rest of us).

I was awoken by my paratrooper friends at around 3AM (I was part of the organized group of paratroopers making pilgramige to the Holy Mountain), to prepare for and attend the service. I felt unworthy, weak, and decided to remain in bed.

Couldn’t sleep and rose at the time the service already started. Walked to a small fountain at the entrance of Chilandar, where there’s a spot for us who stuggle with nicotine addiction. I sat there, smoking my cigarete, and dog approached the fountain, I guessed to drink some water.

There was no one else but me and that dog, all were on service, so I rejoiced and called it to get near, wanted to pet it. A moment later, the second dog joined it. Then a third, and fourth…few seconds passed and there was 5-6 dogs at the fountain, all looking at me.

It felt weird - no bark, no growl, no sound, just looking at me.

Then I heard someone walking from the church, and there was a tall monk there, in a hurry, walking towards me and the dogs.

He asked “what are you doing here brother?"

Bit ashamed for missing the service, with a weak smile, I said - talking to these dogs, father. He looked at me, not breaking his stride, and said - there are no dogs on Mount Athos.

I turned back to point at the fountain dogs and correct him…but there were no dogs there anymore.

Flabergasted, I turned back towards the passing monk…but he was no longer there either. I’ve put down the cigarette, rose, and went to the service as fast as I could.

I later spoke to my priest about this. He says there are no monks strolling the monastery during the service, the same way as there are no dogs there.

Chilandar is a strange place."

[SavaBeljovic]

God lead him to the Truth! I know Mel Gibson's father, Hutton Gibson, was a well known Sedevacantist who wrote several books about the post Vatican II Papist church, which I do recommend as they contain invaluable information. He also wrote some very good articles against the Sedeprivationalist view disseminated by groups such as the SSPX. Fr. Joseph also made me aware he was a Jeopardy champion, which was a surprise.

Mel Gibson himself is rather ambiguous about his beliefs. His actions anyway state he isn't a Sedevacantist -- as he's been seen going to Novus Ordo churches -- and in the past has been married to an Episcopalian and a Russian woman who was the MP, and there he petitioned the Roman Catholic bishops to grant him a divorce.

He will sometimes throw a bone towards the Sedevacantists however, go to their churches, write in defense of them etc. like he did with that bishop who was excommunicated last year by Bergogilo. I don't know what his actual beliefs are as they seem quite scattered and I can't find a definitive reason of why he decided to visit Mount Athos.

[Barbara]

Thank you !
What does "Sedeprivationalist view" mean ??

Yes, that's a great characterization that Mel Gibson's views are ambiguous. Good point. I couldn't recall reading exactly what he is.

The sole thing he does want people to know is that he ONLY attends the Traditional Latin Mass

But-which one ? The Tridentine one or the Novus Ordo 1962 one ?

He was at Hilandar ; hence that story that the commentator told.
I wonder WHY he picked that monastery to spend time ?
Did he attend the Liturgies, did he ask to be shown the relics there to venerate ?
We don't know any of that yet, I guess.

He has such a grin in the photos that he seems to be highly entertained by being there.

[SavaBeljovic]

Thank you !
What does "Sedeprivationalist view" mean ??

Yes, that's a great characterization that Mel Gibson's views are ambiguous. Good point. I couldn't recall reading exactly what he is.

The sole thing he does want people to know is that he ONLY attends the Traditional Latin Mass

But-which one ? The Tridentine one or the Novus Ordo 1962 one ?

He was at Hilandar ; hence that story that the commentator told.
I wonder WHY he picked that monastery to spend time ?
Did he attend the Liturgies, did he ask to be shown the relics there to venerate ?
We don't know any of that yet, I guess.

He has such a grin in the photos that he seems to be highly entertained by being there.

Sedeprivationalism is best exemplified by the SSPX with their view the Novus Ordo is "illicit but not illegal" i.e. the Catholic church is in heresy but still has grace. The SSPX also uses the term "fighting from within" so that sounds familiar to a certain group of people...

You also correctly pointed out that of course you can still do the Mass of Paul VI (a modernist Mass) in Latin and many places do so. The Cathedral of St. John Cantius (not one of our Saints just for note) in Chicago that Provost -- the current Pope -- came from does the Mass of Paul VI in Latin.

More than likely he's referring to the Tridentine Mass, which most of the Diocesan Latin Mass people use and so does the SSPX. The last rendition of that was in 1962 and what we call the Novus Ordo only began in 1969.

[Barbara]

OH ! Very helpful ! I remember seeing a few Masses from that Cathedral pop up in the youtube margin. I never figured out what that was exactly. It was not quite right was what i concluded.
Thank you ! NOW i understand WHY !

Pope Leo XIV came from THERE ? I had no idea. No wonder he recites so much in Latin then. It's good, compared with other occupants of the Papal throne since Pope Pius XII - but it could be WHY he feels like a fake nonetheless, though he is trying somewhat.

Still, I note that - changing the topic a little - but he took the name of Pope Leo XIII.

But instead of talking about the Prayer to Archangel Michael which was recited at the end of every Mass since the late 1800s to 1962, I think was when it was banned by Vatican II -
this Pope makes dumb comments at the most superficial level.
I haven't seen one of ANY spiritual value ! Though i don't pay close attention to his utterances.

He hasn't once mentioned that all-important Prayer and the warnings of his predecessor against the infiltration of Masons into the Catholic Church !

Pope Leo XIII was always considered a comparative liberal [not by today's standards but compared with HIS predecessor Pope Pius IX] talked about capitalism and socialism and workers and all that.
BUT his main contribution was that Prayer which regardless of the origin [a vision, it's said, but who knows exactly ?] - helped keep the Devil out of many, many parishes and parishioners' lives !