AHEPA PATRAS AHJ_025 "SAINT ANDREW - MUNICIPAL CULTURAL EVENTS

The Great Teacher of Greece Patrokosmas from Aetolia

and the meaning of his own teachings.

 

JOHN PORFYRIS CHAPTER PRESIDENT AHEPA PATRAS HJ_25/25 "SAINT ANDREW"

Prominent among the great spiritual figures of the Greek Nation of Modern History holds Saint Cosmas of Aetolia. The much talked-established form of our saint Papoulakos of  national apostle and Martyr of our Church is deeply engraved in the minds of pious Greek people. The teachings of slaves was not only brave format comforted, supported the enslaved our people, but kept lime craving for freedom. And now, in the struggle of our economic and intellectual enslavement, our people moved and excited by the form of the holy Martyr Kosmas of Aetolia Today even looks as ever the teachings of today remembers his prophecies, nourished by his sermons and spiritual benefits.

Saint Patrokosmas, after his studies, he became a hermit for 17 years on Mount Athos, in Philotheou monastery. There exercise his spiritual senses exercised to virtue, accepting the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit. The ascetic life fills him with the graces of the sacrament of pure Orthodox Theology.

The spiritual culture leads him to full sense of social responsibility. The reading of the Scriptures, as he himself admits, make him discover the hidden divine daisies, the treasure of faith, the spiritual joy, the joy of eternal life.

"... near of others, I found This is the word where Christ says us, that we should no Christian man or woman cares only by the word of how to be saved, but to care and by his brothers ...." he does not, never considered himself so called savior of our Nation, but put his humility in our church service, as a living entity saint and pneumatically gifts.

Saint Patrokosmas through the teachings dealt with almost all temporal problems of society, as if he studied anatomy of social reality. Often - dense stated clearly in social justice, in the unity of the human race, fair taxation, the virtues of honest labor in frugality help avoid nationalism in education and good parenting, respect the sanctity of holiday Sunday, the cultivation of sacred family relationships, respect for nature and the creation Wisdom of God, in the care of trees, the establishment of utility projects, particularly schools. The divinely inspired and holy spiritual discourse was thus dwindled robbery and violence.

It is worth mentioning the great effort of St. Cosmas, the consolidation of the ideal of civic responsibility. It highlighted the teachings of that society needs responsible citizens, social justice and sound worthy political and spiritual leaders. Social illegalities arising from falsehood, injustice, theft, human exploitation, greed and avarice. It's amazing how educating the Greek order firstly to prevent injustices and on the other to restore and directly injustice. Alongside St. Cosmas praises and teaches the value of honest labor and toil, that such teaching is a source of joy for everyone.

".... Wherefore my brothers, he said, to rejoice and to rejoice a thousand times, those who live and unplug your bread with your toil and sweat, because that bread is blessed, and if you want give one piece of bread is insolvent, with him, win Paradise ... ".


Another axis of the teachings of our Holy Equal to the Apostles Cosmas was the lord and incipient relations, highlighting the essence of deaconship and not govern, service literally to other humans. "Every principle, highlighted through the teachings, should not be a means for the accrual of goods, wealth and honors, but pure exercise field of pride, social responsibility, values stemming from Christian love ...

... The notables who you are in the countries and villages, are equitable taxes, not ye hard and not play it low the weak ... "Message highly topical and proposes a fair tax bracket!


Simultaneously Saint Cosmas addressing the people, incipient class, advised to love and cooperate patiently with the notables, to pray for their souls because of the many burdens and responsibilities. They were urged to pay their debts and not recant and be a Turk, because of heavy taxation.

It is worth noting that St. in the spirit of social justice and supported the establishment of schools. So justly considered the first RAPPORTEUR OF FREE EDUCATION! Take care not to volunteer funding builder of schools and their unhindered Service because schools excellently connecting faith and knowledge!


Sometimes Saint Cosmas accused by officials and unique enemies, who were Jews, mainly due to the bank holiday Sunday, who eventually killed him, that taught chauvinism & Semitism. Unjust and false this category and will explain.

It is of course known rivalry Patrokosmas and Jews. But beyond that, to have a clear picture and equitable, should take into account:
a) In medieval Europe, on the occasion of the Crusades, Jews were either expelled or forced to Christianized.
b) created many prejudices perhaps linking Jews to murder children and various epidemics.

In the late 15th century were harsh persecution of Jews in Spain and persecuted Sefradites Khazars Jews swarmed the European countries and Greece. Very quickly we had the ban coexistence of Christians and Jews, even in 1516 in Venice, the then Doge of Venice founded isolated Jewish Quarter.


In the Turkish-occupied Greece was not entirely the case. The Sultan Bayezid II and accepted their enormous privileges against local Greeks. Let us bear in mind that gave them land, eg in my country, the current village Rigani of Nafpaktia known as Vrostiani the word Evraiostani [shieling with Jews], as it was called by the locals! The Jews did not pay no taxes, no Jewish children recruited janissaries never did chores etc. So was socially and economically stronger unlike Greeks and Greeks lacked! Alongside unbridled venality their cultivated usury and unfair transaction! So then, as now, because of the many people came to despair!

A large mob of Jews settled in Ioannina that dealt with jewelery, silverware and usury. In Ioannina had established the Sunday bazaar of Jews affected the Orthodox faith and the Greek consciousness. Who forgets that Sunday is the day the price of our Risen Lord! These causes were accusing the Patrokosmas and on anti-Semitism is iniquity and slander!

The active word of Patrokosmas was particularly successful and bazaar moved Saturday so imagine the hatred of Jews in the Holy. So have provided plenty of money and killed. I will mention something important, the habit of the Greeks, after each speech doctrine of St. Cosmas, queuing to get his blessing, kissing his hand. Then Santa said the inimitable once. "... Hi, is better to kiss the image of Jesus Christ and beg him to guard against them snares of the devil and the Jews, who blow thousand purses to kill me ..." There is a characteristic letter to his brother Chrysantho, Scholarch Naxos, dated 03/02/1779: "... ten thousand Christians love me and one hates me, a thousand Turks love me and one not so, thousands of Jews want my death and one not."

 
His student ZIKOS BISTREKIS, followed him to the end, recorded the amount of fifty purses they spent to kill him! But he respected and Jews and all non-Christian and proved. Listen to it and own what he says to the Jews: "... However, because you told me the Christians? Not to kill Jews and persecute them, but cry to them, that they left God and I went to the devil! ". Apparently his motives were pedagogically and not conceal traces of anti-Semitism! The Patrokosmas clearly preached love and not hatred. He preached the unity of the human race and that we are all children of God.

Essentially the teachings of St. Cosmas were based DUAL MANDATE OF LOVE! Love to God: "love the Lord thy God in all your hearts and in all your soul and in all your mind ... '' and love of neighbor," ... and your neighbor as yourself. "Saint justifies hatred against anyone, because it is the essential poison human relations. At the same time as great enlightened educator, teaches the pastoral level, ie "per a force" in order to activate the pride and less spiritual people, the mediocre and uninteresting:
"We want to give alms, let's go, at least not the injustice and do not steal. You do not want to help, at least do not hurt! Do not get the coat and not to persecute and do not eat with your tongue! "And adds: "God is merciful but is fair and has iron bars."

Continuing to approach the meaning of the teachings of St. Cosmas and individual speculations worth pausing by an interest in the creation, environment, trees, live animals birds and amphibians. He taught so that the natural environment is proof of the infinite and endless love of God to man. Admire my dear and my dear one dictum:

"... We gave the benevolent God his eyes to see into heaven, the sun, the moon and the stars and we say: Oh my gosh, if the sun is your creature is so brilliant, then thy Holy Name where you are poet of heaven and earth, poet and creator, whether you're brighter! ... "

In the path of the Patrokosmas grafted trees, cleaned and eperipoieito and urging listeners and people in mountainous areas to do the same. How timeless is the ecological message of the saint and especially now that the bad exploitation and indifference destroyed the natural environment!

I left last great interest in the issue of family relationships and nutrition of children. Here the Saint gave great weight with the clear consciousness of social and excellent enlightened knowledge about healthy family relationships, teaches parity woman and man, mutual respect and devotion to each other and love. Alongside teaching children to honor their parents, living and passed away. For parenting used to likens their parents with the tree root and children twigs. If the roots are watered with virtues and healthy, whole tree is healthy and fruitful.

conclusively, my Dear, Summarizing all the pillars of the teachings of St. Patrokosmas enumerate seven rubric axes and modules:

1) Social responsibility,

2) social teaching,

3) fighting injustice, honest work, respect elders and people, fair participation in taxation,

4) avoidance chauvinism and anti-Semitism,

5) double love for God and neighbor,

6) the love for the environment and the trees and

7) Family relationships and parenting.

In conclusion the primary but christocentric work of St. Cosmas was the virtuousness of all the world and the salvation of his soul. "Christ and your soul needs" taught. "Your body, let your burning, let your frying your stuff let you take them, not your studies, give them, not you specially. Soul and Christ needs you. "

By how much melancholy and sadness look back now a Greek great spiritual leader, a modern Patrokosmas! One who will animate the Greek disappointed by the unbearable burden of the crisis. This will prevent the shaky candidate suicide. He who learns the faithful saying hundreds of times a day the 'IS GOD "! How many young people especially, run the internet to suck the teachings and prophecies. Holy Equal to the Apostles, Martyrs, TEACHING OUR Patrokosmas professed for us!

I do not know my dear sirs   and my dear ladies,  if you satisfied from what I tried briefly to expound you our sacred Papoulakos. In closing let me remind the scenes of capture and killing of Saint Kosmas. Indeed monument Christian social responsibility. There no squawk, no Worries, continuously glorifying the Lord, faced calmly and even pleased their executioners and having prayed, blessed cross of the four cardinal points and wished the world to keeps its orders.

Brother and sisters Greeks, the teaching of our great national apostle and blood spilled ordering us:

Orthodox Christians, State and always state traditions! Remain faithful to Christ, to Orthodoxy. Support and store it as a pupil education and keep it away from rationalism, sensuality, philosophical empiricism, the unbridled technology and atheism! Such education would keep us free from the vice of our globalization and leveling as NATION and PEOPLE!

I conclude with a prayer: "Our Lord and our patron saints Patrokosmas, our strength and helps us all and all to walk in your tracks and embrace your teaching, as we ordered, that offers the meaning of life!" Amen.