Platina Monastery's schism from the ROCOR in the 1980s. During his visit to the Monastery Bishop George was given a tour of the property, including the former cell and the grave of Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) of Platina. Bishop George also visited Hieromonk Herman (Podmoshensky), the ailing former abbot of the Platina Monastery who led it into schism following St. Seraphim's death. More here.Pictured are Archimandrite Gerasim (Eliel), former abbot of the Monastery, Bishop George, and Hieromonk Hilarion, current abbot at Platina.
I would like to read more on why the Schism took place.
ReplyDeleteDo you know any details or articles?
Thanks very much!
My understanding of the situation was that St. Seraphim was the cornerstone of the brotherhood and after he reposed Fr. Herman fell apart somewhat, so much so that Archbishop Anthony of blessed memory defrocked him. At that point Fr. Herman rebelled and led what was left of the Monastery and its dependencies into an Old Calendrist jurisdiction. Around 2000 he realized his sin and stepped down, at which point Fr. Gerasim was elected abbot and regularized the Monastery's situation by leading it into the Serbian Orthodox Church. (At that time the ROCOR was only in direct communion with the Churches of Jerusalem and Serbia and its canonicity was controversial in some circles.)
ReplyDeleteHere's another overview of what happened by Metropolitan Jonah - http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=features.one&content_id=9859&CFID=55323010&CFTOKEN=82950006&tp_preview=true
ReplyDeleteA breath of life, done in mercy is extended to these monks who submitted themselves in monastic obedience to a convicted, defrocked phedophile. Bishop Maxim is the most gracious man I have ever met. He like the Christ he is in, has no condemnation. It remains to the monks to cast off the works of darkness and submit in genuine humility to a bishop who manifest the Holy Spirit. It seems logical that tonsuring homosexual monks would not be unacceptable to Abbot Herman or Abbot Gerasim. These monks will not abide any anti-gay agenda profession, because it threatens them.
ReplyDeleteYour comment's a little hard to follow I'm afraid :-/. I don't know the whole story between Fr. Seraphim's repose and the Platina Monastery's union with the Serbian Orthodox Church, but I do know that Platina in our day is a good monastery and has enjoyed a good relationship with the ROCOR for at least a couple of years now. I've heard Bishop Maxim is a wonderful bishop (and thank God), and I have friends who deeply love Fr. Gerasim (and all the monks at Platina) and have benefited a great deal from having him as a father confessor.
ReplyDeleteYour multiple negatives have thrown me off vis-a-vis tonsuring gay guys who want to be monks. Are you saying you have a problem with that? If so, why? It seems monasticism is the only generally accepted "lifestyle choice" for gay or lesbian Orthodox Christians, so why bar them from it? If you're saying it's a good thing, then why not say it's good that they tonsure anyone who proves a good fit for the monastic life? (That is, why bring up the gay thing.) Sorry, just trying to figure out where you wanted to go with that :-).
I follow the guidance of the Holy Father St. John, one of the 4 principal theologians of Christianity. They are worse than murders, his words. Who chooses practicing or admitted murderers to be their spiritual ruler, and is it not possible to find much more worthy personages to be accepted as monks. They use discernment in rejecting drug addicts,and alcoholics and rapist, all lesser evils than murder. St John says they would be better off with the murders then gay men and women. Adding to this in the modern age, there is a homosexual agenda which champions gay marriage in a most vicious manner. This was my experience in Platina, when they confronted my AUTHENTIC CHRISTIAN teaching of St John.The majority of gay monks will follow the homosexual agenda ,not authentic Christianity.St John made his statement emphatic, as clear as the difference in the choice of jumping off a cliff on staying on the ground. Who are any of you to question the Wisdom and Holiness of a true Saint. I believe my direction is made stunningly crystal clear. Chose Heaven or hell,
ReplyDeleteThey are worse than murders says St. John Chrysostom. What congregation would ever considering practicing murderers to be their clerics? God made them male and female, there is no such thing as a homosexual Christian. It is the epitome of an oxymoron. The spiritual darkness of homosexuals is soul destroying. Anyone identifying himself as a homosexual, rather than a male or female struggling against the darkness of this perversion, is not attempting or approaching true repentance. It is like saying I am water that is dry, which denies the very nature of water. I have a problem with the fact that they will perish if allowed to continued in darkness, as opposed to acknowledging it is a work of extreme wickedness.
ReplyDeleteYou jack wads, you won't let me straighten this slimy poisoned tongue viper out.Homosexual christian is the epitome of an oxymoron. Dry water. Men afflicted with this spiritual darkness, most proclaim God's Truth, God made them male and female.I have problem with gay guy monks, because there are no professing gay Christians.Mix darkness with light all you want, the results will not gain you victory over the Royal Law.
ReplyDeleteAnd Michael, did St. John also teach you to call people "jack wads" :-)? Because if he did, then perhaps you have let chaff become mixed with the wheat you were trying to harvest from his writings.
ReplyDelete"Discernment" is a wisely used word, as I know of people with all sorts of backgrounds who have gone on to become great monks and nuns. You are unfamiliar with the Tradition of our Church, and God's forgiveness and mercy, if you think that sinners cannot repent, whether in the world or in a monastery.
As for the Platina Monastery endorsing gay/lesbian marriage I'm afraid I can't speak to that. I've only had the privilege of visiting there once - on pilgrimage to Fr. Seraphim's grave - and I most definitely did not get the impression that the fathers support marriage equality. (The subject came up at one point during my stay there.)
St. Paul was a murderer, involved in the martyrdom of St. Stephen, and although he was a great sinner his repentance led to his being held as equal in rank with the Twelve and to the inclusion of his writings in the New Testament.
I don't know whether you've been hurt by a gay/lesbian or are yourself one, but from the tone of your posts you need help - find a good priest and/or counselor and try to work things out! Are you Orthodox? I'd like to have you commemorated at proskimidia if you are. I'm sure your priest already does, but it seems you could use a lot more prayer. (Couldn't we all!)
I do apologize for the time taken in approving your comments - their tone was disturbingly medieval enough to make me postpone publishing them, and then life got busy. (In case you couldn't tell from the dearth of new posts over the last couple of months.)
ReplyDeleteThank you, I am capable of civil discourse, but I get rather teechy when ex-communicated, which is what it appeared to be to me. I faced these monks in Platina, my opinions of them are based on my experience of them, as I did seek tonsure. We are in the beginning of the end of the world world. Platina was homosexual led ever since the repose of the superb Fr. Seraphim Rose.It could have been a place of real Holiness which grieves me.The monks keep up appearances and suffer greatly, it is joyless and there is no kindness that is not synthesized. Love is kind. I offer you my apology.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that you had a poor experience of Platina, but I don't think that the Monastery's digression into Old Calendrism after Fr. Seraphim's repose has meant a permanent fall in the level of its spiritual life. The vast majority of people I know who are connected with Platina in any significant way love the brotherhood there and hold them in rather high regard, and have received good spiritual guidance from Fr. Gerasim and the other fathers there. God sees all - if things are bad there, then He will judge.
ReplyDeleteI can't say as I sympathize with all the talk about the end of the world. Life has always been up and down, and in time of great cultural change people tend to think the sky is about to fall. (How many times have we gathered on the hilltops to greet the Lord only to have to go home the next day?) We know neither the day nor the hour...
I speak of the years of Herman and Pangratios, and Blanco.Tx monk is still there. There is a difference, noticeable ,indeed, between the spiritual direction and guidance of an Optina Elder and Abbot and 2 defrocked homosexual spiritual fathers, one alleged,and the other convicted of child molestation.This is the ugly reality and my experience there certainly reflexed this. I was Abbot Gerasim who was having fits of rage this time.He told me not to speak to him for a week. I would like to see him explain what part of the Royal Law I was violating and against whom.Wisdom is justified of all her Children.Father Seraphim Rose, always said "It's later than you think" Chipping is legal in the Obama Health Care Bill, which gives first class treatment to the chipped, due to economic expediency.This preference will be exponentially expedited toward the beasters. You will be walking down the street by them soon.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid you're not making sense :-/. God guide you!
ReplyDeleteTo anyone reading these comments, in my experience the Platina Monastery is a strong, grounded monastery, but if you have questions, then go see for yourself! Platina's in northern California, not too far from Redding.