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This excerpt is from “A Call From the Holy Mountain” by Elder Ephraim of Arizona ( 2019) written in 1974 and published in English in 1991. These words may be difficult to hear yet they are written by the greatest missionary to America of our times. Let us stand firm on the teachings of our holy Elder Ephraim lest we fall away from the narrow path. Read “A Call From the Holy Mountain“: Hear the longer section recorded in 2022: _______ Elder Ephraim writes: We feel no animosity against any men because of their heresy or their faithlessness, but we shall never come to love faithlessness or heresy for the sake of men, because if we do we shall be alienated from God. At present we are praying all the more fervently, for clouds are again gathering on the horizon of Fanari (i.e. Ecumenical Patriarchate) and we do not know what the weather will be like tomorrow. It is well known that the devil-instigated Zionism is coordinating two insidious operations both within and without the Church aspiring to one and the same end: to destroy the fortress known as Orthodoxy. Papists, Protestants, Jehovah Witnesses, Freemasons, Unionists, Ecumenists and any other “root of bitterness“ -- all these have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.... We believe that Orthodoxy has no place among this conglomeration of errors and heresies. This insidious “ecumenical fabrication does not wish to seek out the truth but,“ according to Father Haralambos Vasilopoulos, “is a mixture aimed at exterminating the Truth. It is an effort not for those that have been deceived to find the truth but for those that do have it and lose it; that is, those who believe in the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.“ _______ An important article on “Freemasonry and the Orthodox Church“: A resource to help laity write respectful letters to their hierarchs: Books/Articles on Ecclesiology and Ecumenism: --The Orthodox Church and Ecumenism by St. Justin Popovic --A Confession of Faith Against Ecumenism (signed by saints, elders, hierarchs, priests, and laity around the world): --On Common Prayer with the Heterodox According to the Canons of the Church by Fr. Anastasios Gotsopoulos --The Missionary Origins of Modern Ecumenism by Fr. Peter Heers --Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future by Fr. Seraphim Rose Videos/Recordings on the Orthodox Church: --LECTURE SERIES: Orthodox Ecclesiology - The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church by Fr. Peter Heers --The Attributes of the Church - St. Justin Popović --Church-Organism vs Church-Organization - St. Mikhail Novoselov Videos/Recordings on Ecumenism: --Playlist: “Ecumenism: The Heresy of Heresies“: --Ecumenism Has A Spirit of Wickedness and is Dominated by Unclean Spirits - St. Ephraim of Katounakia --Ecumenism: One of the Most Dangerous Heresies - St. Sophrony the Athonite Books by Elder Ephraim: --Counsels From the Holy Mountain --My Elder Joseph the Hesychast --The Art of Salvation _______ A note regarding the authenticity of the text: I, Timothy Honeycutt, spoke with a man who knew Elder Ephraim and many close to him, including the publisher himself. He also mentioned that he has seen in Greek many sections of this text and that the publisher of the English edition is adamant that the “controversial” section on ecumenism is authentic and from the Elder. This section has also been published by the respected “Orthodox Kypseli”. Furthermore, this was published 28 years before the Elder’s repose and only recently has he heard rumors that this text is not from the Elder. I think it would be rather strange if over 28 years the truth of the text, if the truth is what you mentioned some have said, was not confirmed and clarified. I cannot vouch for the entire text, though I have no real reason to doubt it, and large sections of it have appeared in Greek from a very respected publisher, including those most “controversial“ parts.
