Ἱερὰ Κοινοβιακὴ Μονὴ Ὁσίου Γρηγορίου
Ἅγιον Ὄρος Ἄθως - Ἑλλάς

Holy Coenobitic Monastery of Saint Gregory
Mount Athos "Holy Mountain" Greece

Μοναχός Χριστόδουλος Γρηγοριάτης

Monk Christodoulos Gregoriates

Ἀνοικτὴ ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς κάθε ἀγαπητὸ ταξιδιώτη διψασμένο γιὰ ἀλήθεια

... (Τὸ ἑλληνικὸ κείμενο θὰ ἀναρτηθεῖ προσεχῶς)

Μοναχός Χριστόδουλος Γρηγοριάτης

Open letter to every fellow traveller who thirsts for truth

In this letter, I visit you beloved reader to remind you of two soul-saving stories from the Old Testament which have the purpose of becoming a compass of truths in your life travels.

One day the Military General of Syria, Neeman visited the prophet Elisaios to heal him from the illness of leprosy (4 Kings 5). Prophet Elisaios through a third party told Neeman to go under the waters of the river Jordan seven times and he would be healed. Neeman however left angrily saying, "I thought that this person would come to visit me, stand over me in prayer and call on his God and then put his hand on my ill body and heal me. Are not the rivers of Avana and Farfar in Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not go under these waters and be healed?" His soldiers drew near and said, "The prophet did not tell you to do something very hard or impossible." And they made him follow the commandment of the prophet. Truly, Neeman believed. He went to the river Jordan, immersed himself seven times and his body was cleansed of leprosy. His skin became like that of a small child. Yet from Neeman, the leprosy went to prophet Elisaios1 servant, Yehazi. It went to Yehazi because he secretly ran to Neeman and received an unlawful gratuity for the miraculous healing and then concealed his sin from the prophet with a silly lie.

Who healed Neeman from leprosy? The waters of the Jordan? No of course! If the prophet sent him to the Euphrates river and Neeman went under the water in the river Jordan he would not have been healed! Neeman was healed from the healing power of OBEDIENCE. He obeyed the prophetic truth and was freed from leprosy. The leprosy was saddled on the lie of Yehazi. What a powerful and irrefutable teaching this story leaves us! Who can dispute that obedience to truth is a sacrifice greater than every other sacrifice? The greatness of truth on earth is noted by Zorobabel in the Old Testament (1 Esdras 4:34-41). The greatness of the sacrifice of obedience is taught by Prophet Samuel (1 Kings 15).

One day the prophet Samuel told the King Saul to go into battle with the Amalikites and slay them and all their animals. Saul went to war with them, defeated them, but withheld as spoils of war, their best animals to sacrifice to God. God however did not want a sacrifice such as the spoils of disobedience. He was visited by prophet Samuel telling him the following very significant words, "Do you think your sacrifices are more preferable to God from obedience to his commandments? Obedience to his commandments is higher than any other sacrifice and his careful attention to God's commandments is more preferable from the fat of the sacrifices of rams. This is a sin which is equivalent to sacrifices being made to idols and such sacrifice brings pain to man. For this disobedience, Saul's lost his title as King.

With these two stories, the truth, more brighter than the sun, teaches us that no one received healing without obeying God's commandments and no one becomes holy with sacrifices that are done outside obedience of his commandments that are given through his prophets. Because genuine sacrifice to God is the humblest of spirits (Psalm 50:19); that is, the spirit of obedience. Genuine freedom for man is knowledge of truth. "Know the truth and the truth will free you." (John 8:32) What however is the truth? Dear reader: as a hospital is verifiable as a healing centre from the good results of healing the sick, the truth is verifiable from the results of its healings. Neeman obeyed the truth of the prophet and saw immediately the results of his healing.

Today, there are many rivers in which people are baptized with no results of healing. This is because their source is not based on truth and obedience. The Jordan river springs from the sources of Ior and Dan. Symbolically, these springs can be translated as obedience to truth. The river today that springs from these two sources is named Orthodoxy. If you want to see the healing results of baptism in this river do not hesitate to follow the example of Neeman. You may at the beginning become angry like Neeman and put reason above faith. Afterwards however, think more clearly, and place your faith above human reasoning. Your faith to obedience of truth will become the joy of your salvation. I wish this upon you!

Monk Christodoulos Gregoriates

Ἡ Νύμφη τοῦ Χριστοῦ

«Ὕστερα ἐφάνηκε ἕνα μεγάλο σημεῖο εἰς τὸν οὐρανό. Εἶδα μία γυναῖκα, ἡ ὁποία εἶχε γιὰ ἔνδυμα τὸν ἥλιον καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἦτο κάτω ἀπὸ τὰ πόδια της καὶ εἰς τὸ κεφάλι της ἦτο στεφάνι μὲ δώδεκα ἄστρα» ... «καὶ ἡ γυναῖκα ἔφυγε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ὅπου ἔχει τόπον ἑτοιμασμένον δι᾿ αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τὸν Θεόν, διὰ νὰ τὴν τρέφουν ἐκεῖ χίλιες διακόσιες ἐξήντα ἡμέρες» (Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰωάννου ΙΒ´ 1-17).

Εἶναι κοινῶς ἀποδεκτὸ ἀπὸ τοὺς ἑρμηνευτὲς τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως ὅτι ἡ γυναῖκα αὐτὴ συμβολίζει τὴν Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἶναι ἡ Νύμφη τοῦ Νυμφίου ποὺ καλεῖται εἰς τοὺς Βασιλικοὺς Γάμους (Ἀποκ. ΚΒ´ 17, Ματθ. ΚΒ´ 1-14, Λουκ. ΙΔ´ 15-24). Εἶναι μία καὶ μοναδική. Φέρει δὲ ὡς διάδημα δώδεκα ἀστέρες ποὺ συμβολίζουν τοὺς δώδεκα ἀποστόλους τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Ὁ Νυμφίος Χριστὸς ἔρχεται εἰς Γάμου Κοινωνίαν μαζί της εἰς τὸ Μυστήριόν της Θείας Κοινωνίας. Εἶναι Γάμος Πασχάλιος. Δηλαδὴ Γάμος διαβάσεως καὶ ἐπιστροφῆς εἰς τὸν Παράδεισον (Πάσχα=διάβασις).

Ἕνας εἶναι ὁ Παράδεισος, μία εἶναι ἡ Νύμφη, μία εἶναι ἡ Ἐκκλησία. Ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἶναι ἡ κιβωτὸς τῆς σωτηρίας, ἡ σώζουσα τοὺς πιστούς της ἀπὸ τὸν κατακλυσμὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας.

Ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ Νῶε εἶναι τύπος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἶναι ἡ Ἐκκλησία τῶν σεσωσμένων ἀπὸ τὰ ὕδατα τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ τὰ ὁποῖα συμβολίζουν τὴν ἁμαρτία ποὺ ὁδηγεῖ στὸ θάνατο.

Αὐτὸν τὸν ἐπίζηλο τίτλο τῆς Ἐκκλησίας - Νύμφης τὸν διεκδικοῦν σήμερα πολλὲς «ἐκκλησίες» ποὺ ἡ κάθε μία γιὰ λογαριασμό της αὐτοποβάλλεται ὡς γνήσια Νύμφη Χριστοῦ. Δὲν μπορεῖ ὅμως παρὰ μόνο μία ἀπὸ ὅλες τὶς «νύμφες» νὰ εἶναι ἡ Νύμφη τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Ποία ὅμως εἶναι ἡ ἀληθινὴ Νύμφη; Τὴν ἀκριβή θέση της μᾶς τὴν προσδιορίζει καὶ πάλιν ἡ κιβωτὸς τοῦ Νῶε. «καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἡ κιβωτὸς τὴν εἰκοστὴν ἑβδόμην του ἑβδόμου μηνός, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ» (Γεν. Η´ 4). Δὲν γράφει ἡ Ἁγία Γραφὴ «στὸ ὄρος» ἀλλὰ «ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ». Ἐκεῖ λοιπὸν ἐκάθησεν καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ: «ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ».

Ποία εἶναι τώρα αὐτὰ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ; Τὰ ὄρη αὐτὰ εἶναι δύο.

Τὸ πρῶτο εἶναι τὸ ὄρος Σινᾶ. Εἶναι τὸ ὄρος τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης, ὄρος τύπων καὶ συμβόλων. Τὸ ὄρος ἀπὸ ὅπου ὁ Μωυσῆς ἔλαβεν τὸν Νόμον ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ συνεστήθη ἡ Ἐκκλησία. Κάτω ἀπὸ τὸ ὄρος αὐτὸ ὁ λαὸς ἐθυσίασεν τὸν πασχάλιον ἀμνὸ ποὺ ἦταν τύπος τῆς λυτρωτικῆς θυσίας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Εἶναι ἐπίσης τὸ ὄρος, ὅπου ὁ Μωυσῆς εἶδεν τὴ φλεγομένη καὶ μὴ καιομένη βάτο, ποὺ συμβολίζει τὸ μυστήριο τῆς σαρκώσεως τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ τῆς Ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας (Ἐξ. Γ´ 2).

Τὸ δεύτερο εἶναι ὁ Ἄθως, τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος. Εἶναι τὸ ὄρος τῆς Καινῆς Διαθήκης, τὸ «Περιβόλι» τῆς Παναγίας. Στὸ ὄρος αὐτὸ ἐπιτελοῦνται τὰ προτυπωθέντα στὸ ὄρος Σινᾶ. Ὅπως στὸ Σινά, ἔτσι καὶ στὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος ὡς Πασχάλιος Ἀμνὸς θυσιάζεται ὁ Λυτρωτὴς Χριστὸς στὴ Θεία Εὐχαριστία. Εἰς τὸ ὄρος Σινᾶ ἡ Παναγία μας προτυπώνεται ὡς βάτος φλεγομένη καὶ μὴ κατακαιομένη. Εἰς δὲ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος ἀντιστοίχως, ἐπιστατεῖ ὡς Γερόντισσα ὅλης τῆς Ἁγιορειτικῆς Μοναστικῆς ἀδελφότητος.

Ἡ κορυφὴ τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους εἶναι ἀφιερωμένη εἰς τὴν Μεταμόρφωση τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ἀφοῦ τὸ Ἅγιον Ὄρος, ὡς ἄλλον Θαβώρειον ὄρος, εἶναι ὄρος τῆς μεταμορφώσεως τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς τὸ «καθ᾿ ὁμοίωσιν» τοῦ Θεοῦ. Στὰ δύο αὐτὰ ὄρη Σινᾶ καὶ Ἄθω, ἡ παρουσία τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τῆς Παναγίας μας εἶναι ἰδιαιτέρως ἐμφανής, διότι εἶναι τὰ ὄρη «Ἀραράτ» ἐπὶ τῶν ὁποίων κάθεται ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Χριστοῦ· καὶ τὰ δύο αὐτὰ ὄρη εἶναι Θεομητορικά.

Δὲν εἶναι διόλου τυχαῖον τὸ ὅτι καὶ τὰ δυὸ αὐτὰ ὄρη ἀνήκουν σήμερα στὴν Ὀρθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία. Ἡ Ὀρθόδοξος Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Χριστοῦ «ὡς πόλις ἐπάνω ὄρους κειμένη» κάθεται ψηλὰ γιὰ νὰ φαίνεται καὶ νὰ ξεχωρίζεται ἀπὸ ὅλες τὶς ἄλλες «νύμφες». Κάθεται ψηλὰ «ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ» γιὰ νὰ ἀναγνωρίζεται ἀπὸ ὅλους ὅσους ἐπιζητοῦν τὸ καταφύγιον τῆς σωτηρίας των. Δὲν εἶναι μία «νύμφη» ἀνάμεσα σὲ «νύμφες» ἀλλὰ εἶναι ἡ μία καὶ μοναδικὴ Νύμφη τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως ποὺ μὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγουν στὸν Κύριον «Ἔρχου» (Ἀποκ. ΚΒ´ 17).

Ἂς σιωπήσουν λοιπὸν ὅλες οἱ ἄλλες «νύμφες». Ἂς μὴν διεκδικοῦν τίτλο ποὺ δὲν τοὺς ἀνήκει, διότι ἡ Νύμφη κάθεται «ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ Ἀραράτ». Στὸ ὄρος τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης ποὺ εἶναι κατάξηρον (Σινᾶ) καὶ στὸ ὄρος τῆς Καινῆς Διαθήκης (Ἄθως), ποὺ εἶναι κατάσκιον (μὲ πολὺ πυκνὴ βλάστηση). Καθὼς λέγει καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἀββακούμ: «ὁ Θεὸς θὰ ἔλθει ἀπὸ Θαιμᾶν· καὶ ὁ Ἅγιος θὰ ἔλθει ἀπὸ ὄρος μὲ πολὺ πυκνὴ βλάστηση» (Ἀββ. Γ´ 3).

Μοναχός Χριστόδουλος Γρηγοριάτης

The Bride of Christ

"After, a great sign appeared in the sky. I saw a woman who had the sun for a garment and the moon was under her feet and on her head was a wreath (crown) with twelve stars. ... and the woman fled into the desert, where she has a place made ready for her by God, so that they may feed her there for one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (Rev. 12:1-17).

It is commonly accepted by the interpreters of the Apocalypse that this woman symbolises the Church of Christ. She is the Bride of the Bridegroom who is invited to the royal wedding (Rev. 22:17, Matth.22:1-4, Luke 14:15-24). She is one and unique! She wears a crown (wreath) of twelve stars which symbolise the twelve apostles of Christ.

The Bridegroom Christ comes in nuptial communion with her at the Mystery (sacrament) of Holy Communion. It is a Passover wedding. That is, it is a wedding of going and returning to Paradise. (Pascha means Passover or passing).

Paradise is one and the Bride is one, the Church. The Church of Christ is the arc of salvation, the one who saves her faithful from the floods of sin.

Noah's Arc is a type of the Church of Christ. It is the Church of the saved from the waters of cataclysm which symbolise sin which leads to death.

This enviable title of the Church- Bride is claimed by many "churches" and each one of them is self-projected to be the true Bride of Christ. But only one of all these "brides" can be the Bride of Christ.

Which though is the true Bride? Her correct place is defined again by Noah's Arc; "and the arc settled on the twentieth and seventh of the seventh month, over the Ararat mountains" (Gen. 8:4). The Holy Scripture does not say "over the mountain" but "over the Ararat mountains".¹ And so there, where Noah's Arc settled, there the Church of God settled. "Over the Ararat Mountains".

Which are the mountains on which the only Church of God sits? The mountains are two.

The first is Mount Sinai. It is the Mountain of the Old Testament. The mountain from where Moses received from God the Law, and the Church was introduced. Down, underneath (at the foot of) this mountain, the Israeli people sacrificed the Paschal lamb, which was a type of the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is the mountain on which Moses saw the burning but not consumed Bush, which symbolises the mystery of the Theotokos² and ever- virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. (Ex. 3:2). Mount Sinai is a mountain of types and symbols.

The second mountain is the Holy Mountain of Athos. It is the mountain of the New Testament (the counterpart of the Old Testament). It is the "Garden" of the Most-Holy³. On this mountain, are fulfilled (accomplished, done, executed) those things which were patented on mount Sinai. As on mount Sinai and on the Holy Mountain, the paschal Lamb is sacrificed. On mount Sinai the Most Holy (Mary) is as (a prototype) the Burning but never consumed Bush. On the Holy Mountain equivalently, she herself is the predominant person as the Abbess of the entire Holy-Mountain Monastic brotherhood.

The summit of the Holy Mountain is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Saviour. The Holy Mountain as another Taborian Mountain is a mountain of Transfiguration and of transfigurations. It transfigures the people into "the likeness" of God. On these two mountains the presence of Christ and of the Most-Holy (Mary) is especially visible. Because they are the "Ararat" Mountains on which the Church of Christ sits. Both of these mountains are Theomitoric⁴ mountains!

It is not at all by chance that these two mountains belong today to the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Church of Christ "as a city situated on a mountain" sits high so that she will be seen and separated from all the other "brides". Sits high "on the mountains of Ararat" so that she will be recognised by all those who seek the refuge of her salvation. She is not a "bride" among "brides" but is the unique Bride of the Revelation which with the Spirit are saying to the Lord "come" (Rev. 22:17).

Let the other "brides" be silent. Let them not claim a title which does not belong to them. Because the Bride sits "on the Ararat Mountains". On the mountain of the Old Testament which is a very dry mountain, and on the mountain of the New Testament which is a mountain most shaded (With thick forests). As the prophet Abbakum ⁵ says: "God will come from Theman⁶ and the Holy one will come from a mountain with a very thick vegetation (Hab. 3:3). This verse which mentions the Most-Holy (Mary) can also be attributed symbolically to the Holy Mountain.

Monk Christodoulos Gregoriates⁷

1. The point made here is that the word is in the plural.
2. God-bearer.
3. A title given to the Virgin Mary, but it is understood by everyone that she is the Most-Holy of the human race, and no one thinks that she is above or equal to God.
4. Belonging to the Theotokos, the Mother of God.
5. Habbakuk.
6. It may mean south.
7. The monks of a monastery take their monastery's name as their surname.