Hellenic Argentine

Prokopovich had clergy and monks imprisoned and tortured for going against his anti-Christian and anti-monastic reforms. Father George Florovsky called him “a dreadful person” lol

“Unfortunately, this Orthodox movement as a whole started to collapse when Russia began to be infiltrated by Western influence. In certain respects, Russia's acquaintance with the European West was very beneficial. Many technical sciences and much other useful knowledge came from the West. We know that Christianity has never had any aversion to knowledge of that which originates outside itself…. Nevertheless, not all that was Western was good for Russia. It also wrought horrible moral damage at that time, for the Russians began to accept, along with useful knowledge, that which was alien to our Orthodox way of life, to our Orthodox faith. The educated portion of society soon sundered themselves from the life of the people and from the Orthodox Church, in which all was regulated by ecclesiastical norms. Later, alien influence touched Iconography as well. Images of the Western type began to appear, perhaps beautiful from an artistic point of view, but completely lacking in sanctity, beautiful in the sense of earthly beauty, but even scandalous at times, and devoid of spirituality. Such were not Icons. They were distortions of Icons, exhibiting a lack of comprehension of what an Icon actually is.” - Saint John Maximovitch, Orthodox Life, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan-Feb 1980), pp. 42-45

‘How do we “wrong God”? The concept is very deep. We often say, “I am such a sinner, I am damned! I cannot be saved. Not even the mercy of God can save me, nor do I repent; therefore, how can I be saved?” Saint Peter [Damascene] says, do not “wrong God,” because what you say—that it is difficult for you to be saved—is an expression of your ignorance. You neither know God, nor His Love. Why do you “wrong God” and think of Him as weak? Might you have the impression that God is limited and cannot save you, no matter what condition you are in? Saint Peter says that certainly God can save us, even when we commit greater sins. Was not the publican saved? Was not the thief saved? Was not Saint Mary of Egypt saved? Even tyrants were saved!’ - Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra, On Hope & Repentance