What an incredible Saint! An inspiration to have Christian boldness in these times. I have recently bought and started reading a book by this Saint unbeknown to me, and days later I stumble across this video. I realised when l was listening to the synergy part that this Saint is the author of my book! Glory to God!
What a great confessor of the faith! Under his watch ROCOR would have never united with the ecumenical Moscow Patriarchate. His sermons and writings stand as a sure guide for those to whom the Orthodox Faith is most important.
The Holy Church, from within which St. Metropolitan Philaret purified and nourished his holy soul, does in fact recognize his Glorification. We commemorate, pray to him and venerate his Icons. In fact, Icons of this great saint for our times can be ordered through "the Art of Prayer Workshop". Not only Saint Philaret, but there are many other Saints who are now venerated in True Orthodox Church (his/their terms), who's canonization in world orthodoxy is prevented by the spirit of the times and fearful mans need to rewrite history.
I've struggled a lot with Metropolitan Philaret's sorrowful epistles. I see his points about ecumenism and accept the warnings but find his condemnations, while accurate, to be somewhat unsettling in their willingness to condemn any and all association with anyone who doesn't practice their faith just right, no matter how minor the association is. While these things needed to be said the danger of becoming the Pharisee is a real issue for all and in the end nothing we do is enough on its own without God's grace.
One might say that Met. Philaret is giving us more clearly the standard and ideal, but this shouldn’t mean he wasn’t a kind man with the spirit of condescension and humility. It also is worth remembering that the canons of the Church are nothing short of therapeutic and life-giving, no more burdensome than the commands of Christ that Apostle John says “are not burdensome.” The danger to become a Pharisee is real. Let us be on guard in our struggle to keep the traditions of the Fathers.
