This Page Last Updated November 28th, 2008 (new style reckoning)
Self-Immolator Saints and Sacraments Without Clergy
One of the differences we find between Old Believers is self-immolation; some Old Believers found self-immolation acceptable, while most rejected the idea. There are misleading accounts of self-immolation. The Nikonites were already burning Old Believers alive, so the Old Believers were under this very real threat to their lives. The Nikonites would go to Old Believer churches where the faithful had barricaded themselves to pray. The Nikonites pounded with such force on the doors that candles would fall onto the floor where straw was laying, which then caught fire. The Nikonites blamed the Old Believers for suicide, when that is not what actually happened. There are, however, early christian records of self-immolator saints. The tradition of “passion-bearing” in Russia is long standing, Boris and Gleb accepted death without resistance. Below is a photo of their 14th century icon.
Some Old Believers have talked about baptism by fire, and that starvation is as purifying as fire. I try to give here a few examples of saints that some might call suicidal, which also record for us some examples of Sacraments without clergy. Self-immolation is dying for a good cause while under threat of death, whereas suicide is killing ourselves for no good reason at all. No matter what we might like to think, it is not possible to make bishops for ourselves, accept fugitive new-rite clergy or receive deposed hierarchs, which is what many Old Believer groups have done. As we can see from such sources as are given here, we do not require residing earthly clergy for earthly Church Sacraments to exist. This is a mystery, inside a mystery, inside yet another mystery. These old Russian nesting dolls are one example of the mysteries; they also show the proper head covering for women at worship, with a pinned kerchief, not knotted. In these it is not error to understand the Mysteries in a hidden manner, as if they were invisible sacraments.
St. John Chrysostom, in his homily on the Epistle to the Hebrews makes this comment at chapter 11, verse 38 where it mentions those whom the world was not worthy, who went into caves and holes of the earth, “Elia (Elijah) was driven out, persecuted, and compelled to struggle with famine...But what is this that ‘they were made to wander’? They were made to wander like exiles and fugitives, as those caught and detected in shameless crimes, as those not worthy to see the sun. They found no refuge from the wilderness, but must always be fleeing, must be seeking hiding-places, must bury themselves alive in the earth
, and ever be in fear.”
Prior to the Great Schism between the Eastern and Western Churches St. Apollonia was seized and threatened to be burned. “Given, at her own request, a little freedom, she sprang into the fire and was burned to death.”
See Here.
It is more important to remember God than it is to remember to breathe - St. Gregory the Theologian
Greater love has no one than this, than they lay down their life for their friends.
DROSIS and the 5 NUNS of ROME
Drosis...lived during the reign of Emperor Trajan. Drosis was the daughter of Trajan...
[the Emperor killed Christians casting them into unclean sites]
...five devout nuns, who were replete with every virtue for which they earnestly labored, also took on the indispensable work of collecting the sacred relics of the saints. They scented the relics with myrrh…Drosis, who loved the Christians, was informed of this God-pleasing labor...
The guards… apprehended the five nuns together with the emperor’s daughter…the women were escorted to the emperor. When Trajan beheld his daughter, he was astonished. The five nuns…he commanded to be burned in a large smelting-furnace...
in a dream, Trajan beheld five pure lambs that were pasturing inside a green field. Among the sheep was the shepherd who had a dreadful countenance. The shepherd then looked upon the emperor, and said, “O impious emperor, the nuns...the good Shepherd Christ has taken from thee. He hath established them in...Paradise which, in the future, thy daughter, Drosis, the pure lamb of God, shall also enter.”
...out of stubbornness...he charged that two huge ovens...be fired and placed on either side of the city. They were designated to immolate every Christian. Each furnace exhibited the imperial order on a placard, reading: “Galilean men, those that worship the Crucified One, deliver yourselves from many torments and save us the trouble. Unhindered, each of you may cast himself into whatever furnace he desires.”
...multitudes offered themselves as sacrifices, rational and acceptable, inside those roaring furnaces; for “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1...
Drosis passed through the city so she might cast herself into one of the furnaces, she thought to herself, “How shall I go unto God without a wedding garment, since I have not received holy Baptism, without which I am unclean? Yet, behold, O King of all, Lord Jesus Christ, I have departed the imperial court for love of Thee that I may be appointed a door-keeper in Thy Kingdom...Thou Who wast baptized for us, baptize me by the Holy Spirit.” Straightway, upon uttering this to herself, she drew from her bosom holy myrrh which she took from her bed chamber. She anointed herself and then was baptized inside a nearby vaulted pond...saying, “The handmaid of God, Drosis, is baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
...On the eighth day after her Baptism, she besought God in prayer to direct her. She then departed to her beloved Lord.
[Further Sacraments Without Clergy]
Holy 26 Saints of the Goths
...twenty-six martyrs lived during the reigns of the Hunnic khan...(375-383). For their pure confession of the Christ, the holy men and women received the imperishable crown of martyrdom by a fiery death...
As this took place, a certain Christian was bringing the prosphora* to church when he was captured by the idolaters. Therefore, instead of the soulless prosphora, he himself became a living prosphora to God. He, too, became a burnt offering, as he confessed Christ...
* The prosphora (meaning “offering” in Greek) is the altar bread.
Excerpted from The Holy Women Martyrs, by Holy Apostles Convent, Pages 104-111
Saint Pelagia (the subject of two sermons by Chrysostom), at age 15, chose death by jumping from the top of her house, in order to stop threats to her virginity.
The strict Old Believer condition of having no earthly clergy was foretold by the Holy Prophet Daniel as the, “sanctuary that is desolate” - Daniel 9:17. This is due to the Abomination of Desolation and this Great Apostasy, where all the existing earthly churches are impostors, counterfeit and fake.
If someone is preparing for Baptism, or is favorably disposed in this way, and if there is danger of their dying before he/she can be baptized, any lay man or woman “has the right, and indeed the duty, to perform the rite by thrice repeated immersion, or even by aspersion, or by pouring of water on the bed, with the words, ‘the servant (or handmaiden) of God (name) is baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.’ Such a baptism is entirely valid, as far as it goes. Later on, the priest does not repeat the rite, but only completes it by saying the omitted prayers and performing the omitted rites, then enters it into the church register.” (From – A Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services)
Once at trapeza I recall the story from a book about young St. Basil. He, along with fellow Christian youths and a nonchristian youth were at a beach. The nonchristian youth was willing to become a Christian so the young St. Basil organized all his friends and baptized this willing youngster in their midst. The bishop learned of the happening and called all the youths to himself. The bishop, St. Athanasius, inquired into all that happened and decided everything was in order. The only thing necessary was to complete the priestly portions of baptism, which was then done. St. Athanasius, noticing the good desires of the young St. Basil took him under his wing from that time. If anyone can give an exact reference, or more details about this account, I would be most happy.
Tsar Ivan IV, who did truly and justly assemble the Stoglav Council, also rightly mentioned this historical Christian teaching. Those who suffer a death of martyrdom prior to baptism, with wholehearted repentance and having right faith, are in fact cleansed by their own blood. This is because the life is in the blood, and those who find themselves in such a situation are to be understood as having been baptized in their own blood. It is not unlike the idea known as baptism of desire.
Nicholas Cabasilas lived in 14th century Constantinople. His Commentary on the Divine Liturgy is part of lay theology from his time. His uncle was, Archbishop Neilos (or Nilus) of Thessalonica. In the Commentary on the Divine Liturgy Nicholas mentions, “Then, you will say, if a living man has the dispositions you mention in his soul, and yet does not partake of the holy mysteries, will he nevertheless receive the sanctification which the sacrament gives? Not in all cases; only when it is physically impossible for him to receive the elements, as it is for the dead. Such was the case of the solitaries who lived in the desert, or in caves and grottoes in the mountain-side, and could not avail themselves of priest or altar. Christ gave them this sanctification in an invisible manner. We know this because they had life, which they could not have had without partaking of the sacrament, for Christ himself said: ‘Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.’ Another proof is the fact that God sent angels to several of these men with the sacrament.”
From the beginning of human history there has always been marriage, so marriage is always acceptable. Speaking about the early Christian marriages in the book, St. John Chrysostom On Marriage and Family, we find on page 11, “For a long time there was apparently no specifically Christian marriage.”
The strict Old Believer Pomorsky clergy, when the numbers of real earthly priests began to drastically diminish, provided portions of Holy Communion for those Christians who were about to find themselves in the position of being without any earthly clerical representative. Not very many people know about this fact. But there is indeed actual Holy Communion for people living today. This is available to those who are at the end of their earthly lives. It is not impossible to find this as Agafia Lukov (which we read about in the book, “Lost in the Taiga”) found a strict Old Believer monastery where this Sacrament continues to exist today. Agafia says that today salvation can only be found in the wilderness.
The more strict Old Believers, “Instead [of a priest use], a nachetchik, nastavnik or nastoyatel (layman), who is elected as spiritual leader, leads the community. He substitutes for a priest by conducting services, baptisms, and marriage rites, and by teaching church grammar to village youth. He is also consulted about spiritual questions and he holds confession.” p. 19, Old Russia in Modern America, by A. B. Dolitsky.
Here is a link to a short video,
Savoniha: A Siberian Old Believer 1997. At 90 years of age she gave this record of Avvakum teaching on the Sacrament of Confession. “...all trees are sacred... but above all Birch is holy... the Birch cleanses away any illness...” Avvakum foretold, “...that a time was coming when we might not find a priest... when this time arrives we are allowed to confess to our brothers... but if it is to remain secret we must go to the Birch...” Savoniha being with the priested Old Believers often found herself without a priest. The trees are like angels who we owe confession, along with the entire creation, for our offense towards them.
Concerning the Antichrist - St. Chrysostom says, “he will be seated in the temple of God, not that in Jerusalem only, but also in every Church.” Commentary on 2 Thess. 2:3,4. [It is the bishops’ throne (seat) in a church that he is speaking of.]
From early Christian times people would go on long journeys, say on pilgrimage to Jerusalem, people would be without priests for an extended period of time. Though they might find many heretic churches along the way they would not worship with them. Such people should not believe themselves lacking any Grace or Sacrament, for the fullness of Faith certainly had not left these faithful pilgrims. They would receive Grace spiritually, by the many prayers offered during their courses. There are of course many lives of saints who lived most of their lives without Communion, yet we do not think any less of them. St. Mary of Egypt and St. Mark the Ascetic are just two of them. We too can be pilgrims to heaven, like these saints. Should we not ever find any faithful earthly clergy we can rest assured that there is a good example of such waiting for us on the Last Day, if we have done everything possible to be standing right and believing correctly.
Within the Holy Gospels the Lord offers a rhetorical (persuasive) question; will there be the Faith on earth when He returns to the earth? The answer a resounding “No!” If then the Church is where the bishop is, will there be any bishops on earth in the end? If St. Ignatius of Antioch from the 1st century A.D. was correct when he said, “Where the bishop is, there let the multitude of believers be; even where Jesus is there is the Catholic Church.” Then, as the Lord’s Kingdom is not of this world and as it has always been known that the last bishops would be martyred, should we not all accept the position of the more strict Old Believers?
Did not the Lord clearly explain that in the end it would be like the days of Noah, when one faithful man, and his children, were alone left on the earth? We should not think that the last faithful have a earthly breathing bishop. The Church does not consist only of bishops, and not only of earthly people. It is possible for a bishop from above to participate in earthly affairs. Did not the Lord say it would be worse than Sodom, when only lonely Lot and his daughters were saved from the destruction? Even Lot’s wife was lost to worldly pride. During this Great Apostasy are we to believe that we could find a faithful bishop presiding from earth? I do not see a one. Noah did not see any earthly bishops presiding on earth, yet Noah is part of the Church, so it is today. Noah did not believe the Devil had prevailed, neither do I. Simply said, earthly bishops, or none, do not determine the status of the Church.
I agree with the strict Old Believers that say it something like this: “How can there be any earthly orthodox bishops during the age of this Great Apostasy?” If you believe there is a right believing bishop residing on earth today, I am willing to reconsider. Each “bishop” I see today has a broken succession due to many heresies, in both Faith and Practice. Even if they have one or two things right it is not possible to separate the others. From ancient times those Christians who lived in rural areas would rarely, if ever, see clergy.
Some people wish to argue that Christ said the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church; but these words here do not contradict the Lord. The Church will always exist in heaven. Those few souls on earth who keep right faith and correctly worship, in spirit and truth, are also present with heaven. While being on earth they enjoy the company of all right believing bishops who are in heaven. Their altar is the same as the Heavenly Altar. God is able to complete that which outsiders falsely claim is lacking in the strict Old Believers. This Great Apostasy is not a fault of the faithful, or that their clergy were all brutally martyred, but this is rather one of many evidences, proofs, facts and the truth that shows to everyone exactly how spiritually powerful and strong these few people are. Their bishops and their Lord are in Heaven where nothing can destroy them. In this manner the Eternal Liturgy is brought down to earth spiritually, even if worldly minding folks do not see it. God is still here, without God there are no sacraments anyway, and heretical clergy have only a spirtually harmful immitation of sacraments. I do not believe the strict Old Believers to be without sacraments or without priests, they have heavenly assistance, which is the substance of those things they each represent.
The strict Old Believers do not reject the priesthood, they only obey God in rejecting all unrepentant heretical priests. They are convinced that they will see no clergy until the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus Christ Himself is understood as being their Heavenly Great Archbishop. Christ said that as long as there were 2 or 3 good Christians that He would always be with them in their midst. Yes, these kind and exceptional people do still exist in this mixed up world, but at a good distance from its present societies.
Better even is unbaptized saintliness than baptized earthliness. Saintliness includes goodness and sacrifice, and excludes all the earthly impure spirits of selfishness, pride, quarrels and conquests. Therefore, if we return to the pure Christian ideal, we will have that elementary simplicity in which the Church was so powerful as to move mountains and empires and hearts at the beginning of her history. That is what the world needs now just as much as it needs air and water, i.e., the elementary spiritual power by which we could be moved, cleared up, purified and brought out of our chaos to a solid and beautiful construction. It is greatly sorrowful that we have so entirely polluted and poisoned all the air and water that we have. I took the liberty to edit some of the lines from, “The Agony of the Church” 1917, a eBook, free online. Though it has an idea or two right it is not on my recommend list.