[reiseebup]

To all those who may have automatic email notification enabled for their account on the Monachos.net message boards, and who are thus receiving this note via email:

I have just added several new linked resources and updated many of those extant in the Resource Area on the Terrorist Attacks (URL: http://www.monachos.net/news/11_september_2001.

Included among the new resources is a secure page on the OCA website that allows for the making of donations online to the Emergency Relief Fund. I would encourage all who are struggling for a way to assist in the response to this tragedy, to consider this method of support.

INXC,
Matthew

[NKUDirectory]

Panayiota, your comments, reflections on the words of bishop BASIL, are especially timely right now. There are reports of anti-Arab 'retaliations' across America: Mosques defaced, business ransacked -- all due to the intense anger in the hearts of a troubled nation.

I hope God will give us the wisdom to respond to this tragedy in love, and not in the same hatred that caused it.

[VZF74G0M]

Seraphima, do you personally know the author of this text? I have now seen it in several locations on the internet, and have been curious of its source.

[ariniaxia]

Dear Yanis,
What I'm about to say I learned when I was in Protestantism; therefore, it may not mesh with Orthodox doctrine (I'm still fairly new to the faith, even after three years).
When God created the world there were laws set in motion which operate to this day. And this is in both the spiritual and physical realms. Lucifier, created as an angel of light, distorted the will of mankind when the choice was made to disobey God and eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree. The immediate result of this was spiritual death, separation between man and God. "Adam, where are you".
As a result, when something evil/bad happens in the world, if they're in proximity it also happens to the people of God. The laws that are in effect are not negated just because of my relationship with the Almighty (There are numerous instances of this happening in the Scriptures however).
One thing that Christians especially need to be careful of doing, is trying to "read to much into the event." This does not mean that God's purpose in this is unknowable, I personally prefer not to beat myself up emotionally and spiritually agonizing over something which God amy not want me to know, but as someone has said in another venue, do what I know to be the will of God...!
The pride of this nation has taken a tremendous fall (sound familiar). "We have seen the true Light, we have found the true faith , worshipping the undivided Trinity, for He has saved us! If there's been a wakeup call to the United States as a result of 9-11, that is it.

His unworthy servant,
Moses

[Trotoleterm]

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) the first day of the Coptic liturgical year is September 11 (except on leap years) and is refered to as "Feast of the Martyrs". It is even a national holiday in Ethiopia.

[reiseebup]

You can find an article on the destruction of St Nicholas Church at:

http://www.goarch.org/september11/re...olas-9-14.html
(Link opens new browser window)

The icons in the Church were indeed donated by Czar Nicholas II, and the parish possessed the icons of St Nicholas and St Savva, among others.

[yasalaioqe]

Yes, St. Nicholas Church was destroyed. They are hoping to retrieve the relics that were in the church, as well as the icons. From what I read in an article about this, the icons were a gift from Czar Nicholas II. There is probably an article about it on the Greek Orthodox site.

Katherine

[dicemets]

I would like to here an answer from our orthodox brothers in US, are there significant changes in the people's spirituality that might trigger some towards God ? I'm sure there are individual cases of people turning to God because of the 9/11 events (just like some probably had their belief in God weakened because of it), but for the most part things have turned out the way people should have expected them too: a momentary superficial "awakening" of spirituality followed by the majority of the awakened people falling back to sleep. America was not vigilant, but was prideful and arrogant, thinking herself impervious to attack. A nightmare woke her up one night; a few minutes later she was resting once again. Perhaps not as sure of herself, yet sleeping without having been (internally) changed much by the nightmare.

The "mixed multitude" wandering in the desert ended up having two make it to the promise land; I hope our own personal wake up call has created more fruit than that. (I wish it would have woken me up more than it did -- I don't exclude myself from the above judgment; but then, I was not trying to judge, only echo what happens every time God intervenes on a large scale, people repent and then after a time most return to their previous state).