| He launched two ultimately unsuccessful Crusades against the Ottomans: in 1443 AD, reaching Sofia before retreating for the winter, and 1444 AD reaching the Black Sea city of Varna where he perished at the age of 20 in theBattle of Varna against the forces of Ottoman Sultan Murad II (r. 1421-1451 AD). Because of that, in Bulgaria theheroic Polish and Hungarian King is known as Vladislav Varnenchik (Wladyslaw Warnenczyk), i.e. Vladislav of Varna. The Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1396) was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1396 (although some Bulgarianestates in the west may have survived for а few more decades). In 1396 AD, Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg (r. 1387-1437 AD, later Holy Roman Emperor in 1433-1437 AD), organized a crusade against the Ottoman Turks which, however, ended in a disaster for the Christian forces in the Battle of Nicopolis (today’s Bulgarian town of Nikopol). The Crusades of the Polish and Hungarian King Vladislav (Wladyslaw) III Varnenchik were the last Christian campaign against the Ottoman Empire in the Late Middle Ages that had the potential to liberate Bulgaria. With its failure, Bulgaria remained suffering for centuries, a horrific period known as the Ottoman Yoke, and was liberated only in the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-1878. D uring his campaign against the Ottoman Empire in 1444, King Vladislav (Wladyslaw) III Jagello was in charge of an army of some 20,000 European Christian warriors, including Poles, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Wallachians, Ruthenes (Rusyns), Bulgarians, Croatians, Saxons, Lithuanians, and Crusader Knights of Pope Eugene IV (r. 1431-1477). The young Vladislav (Wladislaw) III Jagello inherited his father King Wladyslaw II Jagello as the King of Poland in 1434, at the age of 10. In 1440, Vladislav became also the King of Hungary, after a union between the Kingdoms of Poland and Hungary designed to unite their forces against the Ottoman Turks. After the first Crusade of King Vladislav and John Hunyadi against the Ottoman Empire, which reached Sofia in the fall of 1443, the Ottoman Sultan Murad II signed a 10-year truce with Hungary, and in August 1444 resigned from the throne in favor of his 12-year-old son Mehmed II (who later became Mehmed II the Conqueror after conquering Constantinople in 1453 AD). The new Crusade was organized under the auspices of Pope Eugene IV in anticipation of a new Ottoman invasion. The preemptive Christian campaign that later became known in history literature as theVarna Crusade led the old Sultan Murad II to return to the throne. |
| Does this sound familiar? It does if one pays attention to any mainstream media coverage of these controversial issues as they play out in law and society. But the victim status requires a story to back it up. Thus, perhaps the most common lament of the garden-variety homophile revolves around the alleged “tidal wave of anti-gay” hate crimes. An analysis of FBI statistics on hate crimes committed against homosexuals during the time period 2000-2008 shows that the probability of any individual homosexual being the victim of a hate crime during his or her entire life span is slightly more than one percent. Interestingly, “gays” are more likely to commit hate crimes against “straights” than “straights” are to commit hate crimes against “gays.” According to the FBI, there are 3.98 hate crimes committed by each million heterosexuals annually against homosexuals, and there are 4.44 hate crimes committed by each million homosexuals annually against heterosexuals. Violence against homosexuals by others gets all the press, but it is interesting to note that the great majority of anti-”gay” violence is committed by other “gays.” The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) is the leading tracker of violence against “gays” in the United States. According to the NCAVP’s statistics on anti-”gay” violence, 83 percent of all violence committed against “gays” is carried out by other “gays” in domestic situations. This does not even count “gay-on-gay” violence committed outside the home. This confusion is now pervasive in society, and questioning the agenda is simply not to be tolerated – especially among America’s youth. For example, the classical notion that universities should be “arenas for the free exchange of ideas” has been completely discarded in the United States. More than three-fourths of U.S. colleges and universities now possess codes of conduct that ban behavior and speech based upon, including many other things, “homophobia.” The danger that these codes represent to academic freedom far outweighs their usefulness. This has already been amply demonstrated, as many colleges have severely punished students for merely desiring to debate the topic of homosexuality. |
| John Argyropoulos. On the Procession of the Holy Spirit Joh.Bek. John Bekkos Apol. Apology for the Union of 1274 Ep.Joh.XXI. Epistle to Pope John XXI Un. On the Union of the Churches of Old and New Rome Joh.Cant. Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus Apol. Apologies for the Christian Religion against the Mohammedan Sect Or. Orations against Mohammed Joh.D. John of Damascus 1 Cor. Exposition of 1Corinthians from John Chrysostom Dialect. Dialectic Dialex. Dispute (????????) with a Manichean Disp.Sar. Dispute of a Saracen and a Christian F.o. The Orthodox Faith Haer. On Heresies Imag. Orations on the Images Jacob. Against the Jacobites Man. Dialogue against the Manicheans Parall. Sacred Parallels Rect.sent. On the Correct Thought (De recta sententia) Volunt. On Two Wills in Christ (De duabus in Christo voluntatibus) Ps.Joh.D. Trin. Pseudo-John of Damascus. On the Trinity Joh.Diac. John the Deacon Joh.H. John V of Jerusalem Const. Against Constantinus Cabalinus on the Images Icon. Against the Iconoclasts Joh.Maur. Carm. John Mauropus. Poems (Carmina) Just. Dial. Justin Martyr. Dialogue with Trypho LeoM. Tom. Pope Leo I (the Great). Tome Leo II. Ep. Pope Leo II. Epistles Leo III. Ep. Emperor Leo III. Epistle to ‘Umar (Omar), Chief of the Saracens Leo IX. Ep.Petr.Ant. Pope Leo IX. Epistle to Peter of Antioch Leo Ochr. Enc. Leo of Ochrida (Bulgaria). Encyclical Leo Per. Lat. Leo OF Perejaslav. Against the Latins Leont.B. Nest.etEut. Leontius of Byzantium. Aginst the Nestorians and Eutychians Leont.N. Leontius of Neapolis (Cyprus) fr. Fragments Serm. Sermons Lib.Car. Caroline Books (Libri Carolini) Lib.diurn. Daybook of the Roman Pontifs (Liber diurnus Romanorum pontificum) Lit.Bas. Liturgy of Basil Lit.Chrys. Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom Lit.Clem. Clementine Liturgy Lit.Praesanct. Liturgy of the Presanctified Liut. Leg. Liutprand of Cremona. Narrative of the Legation to Constantinople Luth. Martin Luther Ep. Epistles Rom.Leip. Against the Famous Romanist in Leipzig Mac.Ant. Symb. |
| Short Dialogue aginst the Jews (Adversus Jueaeos dialogus parvus) Anath.Sar. Anathema against the Saracens Andr.Cr. Imag. Andrew of Crete. On the Veneration of the Holy Images Ps.Andron.Comn. Jud. Pseudo-Andronicus I Comnenus, Emperor. Dialogue of a Christian and a Jew against the Jews Ans. Proc. Anselm of Canterbury. On the Procession of the Holy Spirit Ans.Hav. Dial. Anselm of Havelberg. Dialogues in Constantinople with Nicetas of Nicomedia Arist. An. Aristotle. On the Soul (De anima) Arnob. Nat. Aronobius of Sicca. Against the Nations Ath. Athanasius of Alexandria Ar. Orations against the Arians Exp.Ps. Exposition of the Psalms Tom. Tome to the Antiochenes Ps-Ath. Pseudo-Athanasius Az. Treatise on the Azymes Chr.un. That Christ Is One (Quod unus sit Christus) Exp.fid. Expositions of the Faith (Expositio Fidei) Aug. Augustine of Hippo Ev.Joh. Exposition of the Gospel of John Grat. On Grace (De gratia) Quaest.Ex. Questions on Exodus Serm.Dom. Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount (De sermone Domini in monte) Trin. On the Trinity Avell. Avellan Collection Bab. Babai of Kaskar Evagr. Exposition of the Book of Centuries by Evagrius Ponticus Tract. Tractate against Those Who Say: “As the Soul and the Body Are One Hypostasis, so God the Logos and the Man Are One Hypostasis” Un. On the Union Barl. Barlaam of Calabria Ep. Epistles Lat. Against the Latins Or.Un. Oration for the Union Barth.Ed. Bartholemew of Edessa Agar. Refutation of the Hagarene Moh. Against Mohammed Bas. Basil of Caesarea Ep. Epistles Hom. Homilies Spir. On the Holy Spirit Bas.I.Mac.ap.CCP(869) Basil I the Macedonian, emperor, at the Fourth Council of Constantinople (869) Bas.Ochr. Ep. Basil of Ochrida (Bulgaria). Epistles Bess. John Bessarion Consec. On the Words of Consecration Plat. Against the Calmniator of Plato Proc. On the Procession of the Holy Spirit C.A. Augsburg Confession Calv. Inst .(1559) John Calvin. Institutes of the Christian Religion (edition of 1559) CChalc. Council of Chalcedon Act. Acts Can. |
| The number of hate crimes against Christians is likely higher than what is reported in the data, as only 11 of the 57 OCSE states submitted data on hate crimes against Christians. Madeleine Enzlberger, head of the Observatory of Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians ( OIDACE ) in Vienna, Austria, said that in media and political spheres “hatred of Christians is hardly noticed as an increasingly obvious social problem.” “The OSCE report reflects only part of this trend, which we have been documenting for years, and yet it is a loud wake-up call against indifference and fashionable Christian-bashing,” she commented. Here is a breakdown of some of the hate crimes committed against Christians documented by OSCE: Rampant vandalism in Poland by abortion advocates The uptick in hate crimes against Christians in Poland is largely due to “a series of incidents targeting the Catholic Church due to its stance on abortion,” according to the OSCE data. These included more than 100 acts of graffiti on Catholic property in 2020, many of which included anti-Christian slogans. Other Catholic churches were vandalized with LGBTI symbols. Women’s rights activists vandalized a monument to unborn children at night with black paint in a Polish Catholic cemetery in October 2020. Abortion activists also vandalized a cross at a cemetery commemorating victims of Nazism in the same month, according to the report. People praying in front of a Catholic cathedral were assaulted by women’s rights activists, who threw bottles, stones, and firecrackers, injuring several worshippers. In Spain, a monastery and four other churches were vandalized on International Women’s Day in 2020. At the monastery, a group of women’s rights protesters also disrupted Mass with anti-Christian slogans. Arson attacks on Catholic churches There were a number of arson attacks on Catholic churches reported in France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. In one instance in Germany, disinfectant was poured over pews in a Catholic church and then set on fire. |
| Excerpts from his diary supplement our understanding of how St. Nicholas related to Buddhism. Here observations are also marked by the fact that they were made by a practicing missionary. Thus it is with, for example, the theme of the Buddhist priests’ resistance against Christianity. The saint calls them outright “enemies of Orthodoxy”, who “do not miss any opportunity to take advantage of existing circumstances in order to trouble the Orthodox and weaken Orthodoxy—which, however, they have thus far not been able to do.” “In their sermons, the bonza revile Christianity with all their might, but through this they are only showing their own confusion, and that they do no know what to do” (II, 205). The catechist “Paul Okamura related that bonza in plainclothes often come to him asking about Christianity, but then only use the knowledge they gather to pervert it and make it food for derision. Around [catechist] Matsuda the bonza have formed regular gatherings, always unbearably blaspheming against Christianity and forbidding others to listen to him. This, according to Matsuda, brings the exact opposite result: it only arouses people’s curiosity and they come to ask about Christianity” (II, 223). It is worth noting that the holy hierarch was never perturbed by these displays of aggression from Buddhism, and considered it a sign of Buddhism’s inner weakness in the face of Christianity. He writes, “In Ebishima, an especially strong hatred against Christianity was aroused, and a society was even formed to defend Buddhism against Christianity; but this is only a sign that Christ’s teaching is beginning to more deeply occupy the people’s attention. As a counterweight there are no few pagans who, not yet even knowing about Christianity, become defenders of it against angry attacks” (III, 383). “In Nakatsu … the bonza were very troubled by the success of Christianity—they formed a union against Christianity, give sermons and revile it. Just in time! There are working for the good of Christianity by popularizing it; Buddhism has no defense against it” (IV, 31). And truly, soon the news came from Nakatsu of converts to Orthodoxy, “one of whom was a sworn Buddhist, and now he is an equally zealous Christian” (IV, 65). |
| Philoth. Posl. Philotheus of Pskov. Message (Poslanie) Philox. Diss. Philoxenus of Mabhug. Dissertations Phot. Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Amph. Amphilochia Enc. Encyclical Ep. Epistles Hom. Homilies Man. Against the Manicheans Myst. Mystagogy Concerning the Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Syn. Collections and Demonstrations (??????????????????????) Ps.Phot. Pseudo-Photius Franc. Against the Franks Rom. Against Those Who Say that Rome Is the First See Pos.V. Aug. Possidius. Life of Augustine Psell. Michael Psellus Acc.Cerul. Accusation against Michael Cerularius Cant. Commentary on the Book of Canticles Char.Gr.Theol. Character of Gregory the Theologian Char.Joh.Chrys. Character of John Chrysostom Chron. Chronography Com.Sim.Met. Commemoration of Simeon Metaphrastes Daem. On the Activity of Demons Enc.Sim.Met. Encomium of Simeon Metaphrastes Ep. Epistles Exeg.Phdr. Exegesis of the “Phaedrus” Id. On Plato’s Doctrine of Ideas Om.doct. Omnifarious Doctrine Pr.Phil.Sol. Preface to Philip the Solitary Salut. Oration on the Salutation (to Mary) Pyrr. Pyrrhus of Constantinople Radb. Cog. Paschasius Radbertus. You Compel Me (Cogitis me) Ratr. Graec. Ratramnus. Against the Greeks Reg. Chron. Regino of Prum. Chronicle Rom.Mel. Romanus the Melodist Akath. Akathistos Kont. Kontakion Oik. Oikioi Hymn. Hymns Se’ert.Chron. Chronicle of Se’ert (Kurdistan) Serg. Ep. Sergius of Constantinople. Epistles Serg.Cyp. Ep.Thdr. Sergius of Cyprus. Epistle to Pope Theodore Sev.Ant. Severus of Antioch Ep.Thds. Epistle to Theodosius Gram. Against the Godless Grammarian Hom.cathed. Cathedral Homilies Neph. To Nephalius Sim.N.Th. Simeon (Symeon) the New Theologian Catech. Catechetical Sermons Eth. Ethical Orations Hymn. Hymns Myst. Mystical Prayer Or. Orations Theol. Theological Orations Sim.Thess. Haer. Simeon of Thessalonica. Against all Heresies Smarag. Smaragdus Acta Acts of the Conference in Rome (810) Spir. On the Holy Spirit Soph. Sophronius of Jerusalem Ep.syn. Synodical Epistle Or. Orations |
| As is known, UN representatives have already repeatedly drawn attention to the critical situation and violations of the rights of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Thus, on the 24th of March 2023, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on freedom of religion in Ukraine for the period fr om the 1st of August 2022 to the 31st of January 2023, wh ere one of the sections, which deals with freedom of religion, talks about discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In particular, it mentions legislative initiatives aimed at its prohibition, searches in monasteries and other church buildings, interrogation of clergymen, declaring them suspects, etc. The " Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine, 1 August 2022 – 31 January 2023 " mentions discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In the report " Review of the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine " for the period from the 1st of February to the 30th of April 2023, the UN Office for Human Rights recorded an upsurge in the use of " hate speech " and violence against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, bans on its activities by a number of regional and local authorities, termination of lease agreements for churches, persecution of clergy. A concern was expressed that " the cumulative impact of government actions directed against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church may be discriminatory " . In addition, on the 17th of November 2023, the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights and Head, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Ilze Brands Kehris made critical comments on the adoption in the first reading of draft bill 8371 by the Verkhovna Rada . According to the participants of the International Human Rights Association " The Church against Xenophobia and Religious Discrimination " , the existing response remains insufficient. In particular, they were particularly concerned about criminal cases against Metropolitan Theodosius of Cherkassy and Kanev, Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchyn and Bratslav, Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, Metropolitan Longin of Banchensk, and the use of such measures as detention and house arrest against them. |
| 7131 On the careful Pharisaic attention to objective legal procedures, see especially rules on examining witnesses (Sus 48–62; m. Abot 1:9; Sanh. 5:1–4; t. Sanh. 6:3,6; Sipre Deut. 93.2.1; 149.1.1–2; 189.1.3). 7132 See Isocrates Peace 38; Antidosis 140, 310, 320, Or. 15; Cicero Or. Brut. 40.137; Fam. 2.4.1; Verr. 2.5.1.2; Att. 3.5; see further Anderson, Glossary, 24; Rowe, «Style,» 140–41; in Paul, see esp. Gal 4:20 ; cf. Porter, «Paul and Letters,» 581. 7133 Their methods might strike readers as unjust yet not surprising. E.g., though we (and some ancients, e.g., Cicero Pro Sulla 28.78) recognize that such tactics bias evidence, many ancients were happy to interrogate slaves under torture (Lysias Murder of Eratosthenes 16; Or. 7.34, §111; Isaeus Estate of Ciron 10–12; Frg. 12, Against Hagnotheus 2; Aeschines False Embassy 126–128; Demosthenes Against Neaera 122; Against Pantaenetus 27; Against Olympiodorus 18–19; Against Timotheus 55–58; Against Conon 27; Rhet. Ad Herenn. 2.7.10; Cicero Pro Deiotaro 1.3; Mi1. 21.57; Tacitus Ann. 3.67; 4.29; 14.60; Appian C.W. 1.3.20; Chariton 1.5.1; Apuleius Metam. 10.28; Justinian Digest 48.18.1), or others (Seneca Controv. 9.6.intr.; Arrian Alex. 6.29.11; Pesiq. Rab Kah. 15:7). One accepted or rejected such evidence depending on whose side of the case one was arguing (Aristotle Rhet. 1.15.26, 1376b; Quintilian 5.4.1). 7135 Cf. also m. Sanh. 6:2; Ezra 10:11. Also Hoskyns, Gospel 356–57; Dodd, Interpretation, 81; Bligh, «Blind,» 140; Brown, John, 1:374; assumed in Lake and Cadbury, Commentary, 127, 140. Cf. perhaps Acts 12:23; Rev 11:13; 16:9. Early Judaism regarded sin as a widespread malady; to whatever extent standard Jewish prayers for forgiveness were uttered communally, they were at least at Qumran (4Q393; Falk, «Confession»). This is not an invitation to general confession, however, but an interrogation. 7138 Especially given the greater potential flexibility in Greek sentence structure, ancient hearers were likely more sensitive than we are to lines starting similarly (cf. anaphora in Demetrius 5.268; Anderson, Glossary, 19; Rowe, «Style,» 131; Porter, «Paul and Letters,» 579; Lee, «Translations of OT,» 779), a pattern continued further with the repeated emphatic «we» opening 9:29. |
| So, speaking of apparent evidence, it is worth recalling the report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights dated 4 October 2023, which recognized the violation of religious freedom of Ukrainian believers, or the testimony of the Ukrainian journalist and writer Yan Taksyur given in his speech at the special session of the UN Security Council on 26 July 2023. Ecumenical figures in Europe also recognize violations of religious freedom. For instance, on 15 September 2023, Prof. Dr. Thomas Bremer of the University of Münster challenged conclusions of the so-called religious expert examination carried out in Ukraine with the view of justifying the liquidation of legal entities of the Ukrainian Church. Many of these facts are mentioned in the letters, which the Primate of the Russian Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus " sent more than a few times to the leadership of the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, and to many religious leaders and public figures. The persecution of the Ukrainian Church is a planned campaign devised along the lines of the atheists of communist times. It includes media accusations of betrayal of State, the closure of churches and monasteries, and terror against the most prominent clergymen. Let us take a closer look at the latter. According to the Security Service of Ukraine, seventy criminal proceedings were opened against clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Onufriy in 2022-23, including sixteen against metropolitans. Out of a total of proceedings, twenty are on “high treason” and “collaboration” charges and eighteen – on charges of “violation of the equality of citizens depending on their religious belief.” Charges were filed against twenty-six hierarchs and clerics, nineteen were sentenced by court. Someday a book about victims of the anti-church campaign of terror directed against clergymen of the Ukrainian Church will be published. The list of their names can be drawn up now. |
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