called the Eusebeia (εὐσέβεια, piety), composed chiefly of laymen, was formed at Smyrna to send preachers and catechists around to the parishes. Mr. Gregory Vaphides was its first president, and then Lord Basil Chariupolis, Metropolitan of Smyrna, consented to take that place. The Society had a great success. Its preachers spoke in churches, schools, even in the streets, and they taught children the catechism. Other metropolitans wrote approving letters about it and all was going well, when the Phanar took fright. The Eusebeia was suspected of protestantizing tendencies, and most of its preachers were laymen. Lord Germanos Karavangelis, who is now slaying Bulgars at Kastoria, but who was then Chorepiscopus of Pera, had taken up its cause. The Phanar then published in its organ (Ἐκκλησιαστικὴ Ἀλήθεια, September 27, 1897) a public reprimand to him in the sharpest terms, ending: "Let His Beatitude be content to do his own duties faithfully; to go beyond them is neither virtuous nor praiseworthy." However, the Eusebeia still exists, though with diminished reputation.[1] The funeral service begins at the dead man's house, goes on in the church, and ends at the grave.[2] The dead are usually carried on an open bier, the face uncovered,[3] and a long procession of friends, relations, and clergy in kalemaukion and phainolion follows, singing the Trisagion. And after her children are dead the Orthodox Church does not forget them, but continually offers the holy Sacrifice for the repose of their souls, while their friends eat kolybas for the same intention.
Summary.
In spite of its great inconvenience all the Orthodox countries still use the Julian Calendar. Their ecclesiastical year begins
1 See the article on the Eusebeia in the Κωνσταντινούπολις for August 3, 1897, also E. d'Or. i., pp. 36-39, and Gelzer: Geistl. u. Weltl., pp. 76-82.
2 The funeral service (ἀκολουθία νεκρωσιμός) in the Euch. 393-420; for monks, 421-437; for priests, 437-470.
3 A Greek is carried to the grave in his boots, so as to be ready for his long journey; and at any rate in some of the islands (Euboia, &c.) he has in his right hand a coin to pay Charon — so tenacious are religious customs. Sometimes the coin becomes a disc with the holy name stamped on it — one more example of the usual evolution.
