Russian Orthodoxy once embraced Immaculate Conception? - 10/04/10 12:38 AM
I stumbled across this Western Orthodox website which stated that during a period from the Middle Ages through the 1600's, most of the Russian Orthodox Church held a more Western view of original sin and the Immaculate Conception.
Here are some excerpts:
From the middle ages to the seventeenth century the Russian Church has, as a whole, accepted belief in the Immaculate Conception .
The Academy of Kiev, with Peter Moghila, Stephen Gavorsky and many others, taught the Immaculate Conception. A Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception was established at Polotsk in 1651. The Orthodox members of the Confraternity promised to honour the Immaculate Conception of Mary all the days of their life.
The Council of Moscow of 1666 approved Simeon Polotsky's book called The Rod of Direction, in which he said: "Mary was exempt from original sin from the moment of her conception."
Orthodox Religious associations organized to honour the Immaculate Conception abounded in the Middle Ages and later. They wore a medal similar to the Miraculous Medal of more recent times, invoked the Virgin as the “Immaculate Mother” and even took the “bloody vow” or a vow to defend to the death her Immaculate Conception.
The Immaculate Conception also came to be reverenced in Orthodox countries, especially during the height of the Baroque period in the Kyivan Church and also by Greeks, as Father John Meyendorff has shown.
When as a result of other Greek influences, attacks were launched in Moscow against the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, a protest was made by the Old Believers - a traditional group separated from the “oofficial” Church by reason of its faithfulness to certain ancient rites. Again in 1841, the Old Believers said in an official declaration that "Mary has had no share in original sin". To all those who know how deeply the Old Believers are attached to the most ancient beliefs and traditions, their testimony has a very special significance.
Interesting!
http://www.immaculateconceptionmonastery.com/immaculate.html
Here are some excerpts:
From the middle ages to the seventeenth century the Russian Church has, as a whole, accepted belief in the Immaculate Conception .
The Academy of Kiev, with Peter Moghila, Stephen Gavorsky and many others, taught the Immaculate Conception. A Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception was established at Polotsk in 1651. The Orthodox members of the Confraternity promised to honour the Immaculate Conception of Mary all the days of their life.
The Council of Moscow of 1666 approved Simeon Polotsky's book called The Rod of Direction, in which he said: "Mary was exempt from original sin from the moment of her conception."
Orthodox Religious associations organized to honour the Immaculate Conception abounded in the Middle Ages and later. They wore a medal similar to the Miraculous Medal of more recent times, invoked the Virgin as the “Immaculate Mother” and even took the “bloody vow” or a vow to defend to the death her Immaculate Conception.
The Immaculate Conception also came to be reverenced in Orthodox countries, especially during the height of the Baroque period in the Kyivan Church and also by Greeks, as Father John Meyendorff has shown.
When as a result of other Greek influences, attacks were launched in Moscow against the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception, a protest was made by the Old Believers - a traditional group separated from the “oofficial” Church by reason of its faithfulness to certain ancient rites. Again in 1841, the Old Believers said in an official declaration that "Mary has had no share in original sin". To all those who know how deeply the Old Believers are attached to the most ancient beliefs and traditions, their testimony has a very special significance.
Interesting!
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