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Paganism. There are many pagan customs among Christians, in Christian towns and villages. This evil and destructive remnant was seen (and who doesn’t see it in other places, from the great city to the small one?) in Voronezh by Saint Tikhon. And this is how the zealous shepherd cried out against him, on the occasion of some obscene festival! “Last Monday, that is, on the first day of this (Petrov’s) fast, I was informed in the evening through a certain kind person that some kind of holiday was being celebrated in a field near the Moscow Gate, which the local residents of Voronezh call Yarilo. They renounced Satan and his works three times, and three times swore an oath to serve Christ! In those people who confess God, who created heaven and earth, their lips glorify the name of the Most Holy Trinity, they accept the holy mysteries, they hope for the resurrection of the dead, etc.... But, alas, blindness! Christians have forgotten that they are Christians: their lips confess Christ, but their deeds deny Him; they glorify God with words, but with disorderly deeds they blaspheme Him... I leave it to you to judge, listen, what a holiday this is... (a description of it follows again)... Isn’t this an invention of the devil, who, like a roaring lion, always walks around, looking for someone to devour (1 Pet. 5:8)? Isn’t it the prince of this age who is a delusion, who darkens the spiritual eyes of poor people, so that they do not see the light of the truth of Christ? I tell you for sure and will testify that this holiday is a demonic holiday, and definitely stinks of idolatry... (a rare comparison follows with that Israeli holiday, in which, as they say (1 Cor. 10:7), people sat down to eat and drink, and rose to play). The Christian holiday consists of entering the church of God, praising the name of God, reflecting on God’s good deeds, and thanking God the benefactor with your heart and lips... And what does this holiday consist of?.. So, this holiday is a demonic holiday, it gives off the smell of idolatry... Who will give my head water and comb away the source of my tears, and I cry day and night?.. How dark is the gold, and the good silver has changed, i.e., Christians have turned to paganism? In this sorrow and illness of my heart, I turn my word to all those living in this city, and with tears I pray: remove this evil (the remains of paganism) from among you. Priests! Shepherd of verbal sheep! Guards of the house of the Lord! Angels proclaiming the will of heaven! According to your position, insist, beg, prohibit. Gentlemen commanders, to whom the most pious monarch has entrusted a sword to intimidate evildoers and wickedness! Frighten and suppress the lawlessness and temptations of the pagans... If not these, the name of Christ is blasphemed, the faith of Christ is humiliated, Orthodoxy is defamed... before Calvinists, papists, and even before Mohammedans, etc., etc.?” Question What does St. Tikhon suggest in his article (part 13): does a person fall into a hole that he himself dug? Rep. Thus, the evil that they have prepared for their neighbors befalls the slanderers and evildoers. Often the poison prepared for others is drunk and killed; often with a sword, which they raise against others, they strike and kill themselves; They often fall into greater reproach when they plot to slander and discredit their neighbors: we see many examples of this. This is how God’s judgment befell the tormentor Pharaoh, who was pursuing Israel... So Absalom, the son of David, wanted to take possession of the kingdom of Israel, but instead he hung himself on a tree and died between heaven and earth. A similar judgment was experienced by Haman, who, by royal command, was hanged on the very gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai... Similar fates are still befalling us... Be afraid of slanderers, and beware of doing evil to your neighbors (Ps. 7:15-17). Saint Tikhon next. with a simple and ordinary word he strikes the pride of the proud. We hear, he says, one saying this to another: I am not your brother. It’s amazing that a person can say this to a person. Look around, man, from what spirit you are pronouncing this word, and you will see for yourself that the spirit of pride emits its evil smell in him. When you are not his brother; whose? He is a man, but what should we call you - an Angel or a demon?.. I am tall, and he is short; I am rich, and he is poor; I am a master, and he is a slave...; I am kind, but he is evil...” Oh, man! look at Christ the Son of God: Who is more noble than him? Who is richer than Him? Who is better than Him? Who's nicer? No one can compare with Him in anything. For He is the eternal God, the King of kings and Lord of lords. And yet He is not ashamed to call men His brethren, saying: I will proclaim Your name to My brethren; and: go to my brethren and tell them, etc. (Heb. 2:12; John 20:17). And who are you who say to a man: I am not your brother? .. Look around you: you are the same person (Part 13).