Elder Ephraim: Missionary to America

[@zosima_the_sinner]

I have gone many times to St. Anthony's Monaster. Pape Ephraim touched my heart when I sat at his feet while I was in the midst of my addiction to meth and heroin. He is a Saint!

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Glory to God. Come again!

[@applesnicolle5144]

Dear Br Adam, are you free of the meth addiction now? Have you had any dream of beloved Elder Ephraim whom we know is a saint? 💗🌼

[@paulk8072]

He is a great man, his book "Counsels from the Holy Mountain" is a tome of perfect knowledge. He speaks so well and makes the Christian teaching more easily understood. God bless Elder Ephraim.

[@zosima_the_sinner]

Papa Ephraim pray for us sinners!

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Amen amen. Amen.

[@OrthodoxKyle]

Thank you 🙏

[@tamaraw.118]

I had no idea, thank you fr. Seers ♥️🍎🇺🇲

[@OrthoNepali]

May Elder Ephriam forgive me for any offense I have done against him and his sisters.

[@thattimestampguy]

8:40 Economia Ecos + Nomos Management of The House 🏡 Applied Case-By-Case

[@bernard4459]

This is awesome, definitely need those books.

[@dougharitopulos9288]

Father peter you have to aleast 1 hour podcast great content . 12 minutes just isn't enough. consider thanks I listen to you while I'm working I'm a painter by trade thanks again

[@pah9730]

You are familiar with our Tuesday night podcast? They go usually about 2 1/2 hours. Or our Thursday night question and answer sessions? They also go about two and a half hours.

[@dougharitopulos9288]

Oh yes every tue, I've been before 50 subscribed excellent teaching

[@blop3922]

I have recently began going to Holy Archangels here in Texas, father Ephraim continues to help so many

[@katherinegeorge2400]

Thank you for explaining akrivia vs economia and how economy is not the norm!

[@thatolderitalianlady184]

thank you

[@nepsis33]

Thank you Father Heers.

[@joylarson9040]

Thank you do muvh.

[@richruggiero750]

Amen

[@dem4087]

I just tried to order book - The life of geronda Ephraim but it says that it's unavailable in Greece...Can someone please help me where can I get this book ? Thank you.

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Not yet available.

[@dem4087]

@@OrthodoxEthosDo you know when will it be available ?

[@joshuagilmore7522]

Fr., would you say that the Orthodox exercises Economia in the document "For the Life of the World: Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church", in which the Church allows non-abortifacient contraceptives? I have been told several times by Catholics that the Orthodox have waivered on their stance with respect to Contraception. I would love to hear you take on this. In Chirst, Joshua

[@BroadwayRonMexico]

Fr Josiah Trenham did a pretty good job of explaining how that goes. It's not a blanket "anything goes" with non-abortifacient contraceptives for married couples. It's still only with the approval one's spiritual father, and only in cases where abstention would cause major strain to the marriage AND where there are serious complications that could come from pregnancy or having more children. It's not something to be given lightly, and even when it's permitted by your spiritual father, there's usually a penitential prayer rule of some sort attached. The permitting of contraception by economy of a couple's spiritual father isnt a blanket allowance for it.

[@crosmanchallenger1]

Glory to Jesus Christ! Father do you know why he kept all of his monasteries (at least in my personal experience St Anthony's in Arizona and Holy Archangels in Texas) with everything being 100% Greek? Not just the liturgy, but the readings at trapeza and elsewhere. It struck me as very odd to be a missionary within any area, and not at all using the local vernacular. I can't recall any Equal to the Apostles throughout history doing this such as St. Nino, St. Kyril and Methodius, St. Innocent of Alaska, etc. Holy Elder Ephraim knows better, but I haven't read any reason for this decision to be 100% Greek in the monasteries he established?

[@billybenson3834]

He ministered primarily to the Greeks and other Orthodox, who then took his messages to the communities and share it. Of course, there are books regularly being translated into other languages including English. I don't speak Greek yet have spent time in Arizona and received a blessing from Elder Ephraim. My experiences are much like the other pilgrims, one in which I found spiritually uplifting. Plus, most if not all the monks speak English. Don't allow the distractions of the world to color our perspective.

[@hh8222]

I hope to hear Father Peter's answer also. There is more English than one may at first realize at the monasteries. Funerals and Baptisms are in English and sometimes special prayers are given out in English translation to be read during the services. Also, the priests frequently give in-depth teachings on topics, scripture, feasts, etc in English, but outside of the services, obviously. I do think it would be nice to have English services, but I trust that the Holy Elder had a good reason for his decision.

[@whitemakesright2177]

He never even bothered to learn English himself, never learned anything about America or its culture, and seems to have had no interest in any kind of evangelism to non-Orthodox. And neither do the monasteries he founded. I've never met anyone who was introduced to Orthodoxy by Ephraim or his monasteries. I don't really see how he's a missionary in any way.

[@ditrys.]

​@@whitemakesright2177 he went there to spread orthodox monastic way of living to America, not to learn the language or get to know the culture. His goal was one and only to spread the love of God in America. Idk what you're talking about fr

[@kristaps5296]

​@@whitemakesright2177 Ok mr racial supremacist lol

[@lasttrump6015]

Always glad to see God sending out His faithful to minister to others - in this case most Greeks by the sounds of it which is good of course and needed. I fully support it and rejoice with you in this. The Greek do have a number of churches worldwide and can minister to some of the non Greeks that way also as they have done. To look at the big picture however if it wasnt for the Catholic Church worldwide then most Christians would never have received the gospel or become Christian at all as Orthodox Churches are known for specializing in their particular area and sphere's which are very very good but also limited in scope (yes, even my own Orthodox church). The Catholic Church however was given special purpose to witness to all parts of the world which they basically have done. How do I know this - by history and Early Church Fathers. Both St Peter and ST Paul were martyred in Rome around the same time giving that church a more 'Catholic' authority than any others as its not where they preached as much as where they were martyred that God gave the establishment of that church as in every church and their authority. So Catholic dont have the speciality of the Orthodox in how they do it but they do have the more universal authority and ability to carry it out. The Orthodox and not quite like that just as parts of the body are not all the same and St paul makes it clear. If it wasnt fore the Catholics then most Christian would never be - simple as that. Argue all you like but this is the truth... glad Orthodox are still active in theitr own unique way though...

[@OrthodoxEthos]

This assumes that what they’re preaching is the same gospel that the apostles preached. Is that true? No. Unfortunately, it is “another gospel”. Just as the apostle Paul said that the Judaizers in his day were preaching “another gospel“ … Are you familiar with the heretical teachings that led to the “great schism”? Are you familiar with the heretical Filioque? What did Saint Gregory Palamas say about the filioque? Are you familiar with the teachings which are not apostolic which they accept, like “created Grace”? Are you familiar with the demonically-inspired dogma of papal infallibility? Do you see what has happened to Catholicism and how many people have walked away from Christ due to these heretical teachings and the inevitable departure from the ethos that they bring? Unfortunately, your judgment is superficial and does not get to the heart of what happened when the pope walked away from the church in pride and arrogance and then fell into delusion, eventually provoking the protestant reformation and all of that has come in its wake, the terrible apostasy of modernity…

[@lasttrump6015]

@@OrthodoxEthos The Catholic are not as strong spiritually which was basically what I already mentioned above which you might have missed but that was what I was saying but Christ Himself the Church would not end (gate of hell) so do you want to say Christ was a heretic now..? I hope not..actually some of you abuse the term heretic a lot. The Apostles never spoke of the "Foliquoe" so your wrong again saying they didnt follow the Apostles teaching on this as there never was any...this topic came much later than the Apostles. Some of you get hung up on details on lesser matters and forget the bigger ones instead like love, compassion, witnessing, humility, spirituality and communion....Some things are just not as important as others...

[@TsaristCossack]

That's funny. The things the Papists have done to "spread the gospel" Crusades, Residential schools, forced conversion, union of brest etc. Have permanently tarnished the name of Christ and have made many people walk away from the faith entirely or never consider it. I'm saying this as someone who grew up Catholic and went to a catholic school.

[@lasttrump6015]

@@TsaristCossack Well, yes, there is always some issues - particlularly from the Catholics but for all that they still part of Christ's body else we would have to deny what Christ said to St Peter on how the gates of hell would not prevail. But on your point ,yesm, Christ made particular mention to peter on feeding Christs sheep 3 times in a row plus Peter was the only one to verbally deny Christ.....yes for all that he still an Apostle...

[@whitemakesright2177]

A "missionary" who never bothered to learn the language, never bothered to learn anything about American culture, mindset, or way of life, almost never preached publicly, and wrote almost nothing? Whose sole accomplishment is the founding of monasteries which also do nothing in the way of public outreach? Sorry, I don't buy it. I've never met anyone who was introduced to Orthodoxy by Ephraim or his monasteries. At best he could be considered a "missionary" to lapsed Greeks in America, but that's a strange way to use that term. The only people who even know about him are those who have been Orthodox for a while, usually those who love pointless asceticism, and who venerate him because of how supposedly "hardcore" his monasteries are. These people seem to venerate him, but they can never tell me why, except for the fact that the monasteries are "hardcore." Either way, not much of a missionary.

[@OrthodoxEthos]

Sadly, you are very misinformed. Hundreds of converts, thousands of repentant previously essentially lapsed Orthodox, and hundreds of monastics: these are just some of the fruits of his work. He had the gift of clairvoyance. He had the gift of miracle working. He had to gift of being in more than one place at a time. He prophesied. He taught the people continually. He was an amazing ascetic. He wrestled with demons in the mist of the night. He loved everyone, including simple Americans. Once, even though he did not know English well, by God’s grace, he spoke fluently to one who did not know Greek. The miracles are endless. You will see, when the books come out.

[@Ortholocks]

This breaks my heart to see such callousness towards Geronda, when he literally almost single handedly is the reason Orthodoxy is even known to Anerica. Almost everyone I know who is Orthodox came to it through Geronda’s monastery’s. Including myself. It also can’t be taken for granted how his monasteries are catering to Orthodox Christians both pragmatically and through prayer. They do tremendous outreach and support for those who come seeking. They are not Protestant and don’t go knocking on doors, but I’ve personally witnessed his monasteries and his monks and nuns save lives, care for children, support starving or struggling families, and countless other forms of support, love and, care for their communities. Thank God for Geronda Efraim and his monasteries. I’d be lost without them. Not because they are hardcore, but because they are a wellspring of spiritual richness.

[@BroadwayRonMexico]

It was my experience during a visit to St Anthony's that led me to Orthodoxy, actually. Long story, but I was in a bad place, an old friend (who is Orthodox) convinced me to visit just as a peaceful, quiet place near me to take a day retreat to. I knew *about* Orthodoxy just from a purely historic and scholarly stance, but had never so much as considered joining due to my falling out with Roman Catholicism years prior (was for multiple reasons, both dogmatic and organizational, but it all left me embittered towards Christianity and religion for nearly a decade--I was getting better as far as the anger goes, but still never saw myself joining a church again). Well, the peace I felt there, and the love I felt from both the pilgrims and monks is what made me reach out to my local Orthodox parish, which I'm still a part of years later. Christ called for the faithful to be as a city upon a hill, and that's exactly what Elder Ephraim's communities serve as. And some of his disciples from the monasteries have gone on to lead missions in places like Guatemala and India, where there have been in recent years, some of the biggest mass baptisms in the history of the Church (unseen since the conversion of St Vladimir and the Rus)