The Brother Joseph Memorial Fund has been receiving many reactions to two films dedicated to the curator of the Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Here is one such letter received from Russia, from the brotherhood of Holy Hierarch Philaret of Moscow.
Dear Fr. Victor!
Recently, we had the opportunity to view the two videos which you had sent to V.N. Trostnikov regarding the death of brother Joseph Muñoz and the trial in the matter of his murder. We are still moved by them. It is as if we had looked behind the “darkened glass” about which the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, and had clearly seen the border of the other world, the border which everyone will someday have to cross, and will have to give an account of his earthly actions. The 20th-century saint, whose image you have painted in all its greatness, calls to mind the Canon of St. Andrew of Crete: “O my soul, arise, why are you sleeping?” This has a salvific meaning. What is said in your film is true: brother Joseph’s martyrdom was an event of universal importance.
It is of especially great significance for Russia, a land which Joseph, the chosen one of the Mother of God, had loved and had hoped to visit with the icon, for it is the home of the Mother of God. For this reason, we at first had wanted to ask your blessing to duplicate these cassettes, so that they might be shown to the Orthodox people of Russia. However, we later recognized that we ourselves would also have to make some efforts: Your films’ audience consists of parishioners of ROCOR, those who knew everything about Muñoz, and who more than once had venerated his miraculous icon. Here, everything will have to be explained from the beginning. Therefore, our idea is to produce our own videocassette about brother Joseph, and to ask your blessing to use your video material in it (of course, with attribution, and with an expression of thanks in the film credits).
We plan to include a needed introduction, and to tell how over the course of 15 years we in Russia had been receiving pieces of the cotton which healed both body and soul. [We plan to relate] how brother Joseph is venerated in the Optina Hermitage, where two icons of him have already been written, [how] photographs of those icons are streaming myrrh, and to explain by what invisible ties he was connected to the Neo-martyr Elizabeth – one who had at one time been “head of the household of Moscow” – and to relate many other things. The Lord will indicate the subject matter to us.
Brother Joseph Muñoz’ great mission was, of course, a challenge to Russia to return to God. This challenge must be presented to the Russian people in the most readily accessible manner. This will facilitate the spread of reverence for brother Joseph in Russia, and likewise will shut the mouths of those enemies of Christ who are fanning the flames of conflict between our Churches, and who to that end are resorting to unconscionable lies, declaring that ROCOR is without grace.
With Love in Christ,
Archpriest Artemy Vladimirov
Rector, Church of All Saints, Krasnoye Selo
A. F. Scherbakov
Chairman, Brotherhood of Holy Hierarch Philaret of Moscow