THE GREAT COMMISSION

‎Friday, ‎June 6, ‎2025

On June 3 (May 21 in the Julian calendar) in 2025, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) celebrated the feast day of the Holy Equals-to-the-Apostles, Emperor Constantine (who reigned until 337) and his mother, Helen (who lived until 327). The following night, on June 4, 2025, after the Compline Service, Moses Myers, an Orthodox convert from Jamaica, was tonsured as a Stavrophore Monk at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York. Upon taking his monastic vows, he was given the name Constantine by the abbot, His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse. Following his tonsure, he was sent back to Jamaica on a mission to preach and spread the authentic Orthodox Christian faith among the people of Jamaica.

This is significant news, and "Axios!" (He is worthy!) marks Constantine’s tonsure into the Schema and his receiving the name Constantine. Being sent to Jamaica carries deep meaning and serious implications:

1. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME "CONSTANTINE": A Prophetic Mandate

• Apostolic Mission: The Abbot-Bishop explicitly connected his name to the missionary efforts of St. Constantine the Great and St. Helen. St. Constantine not only converted to Christianity but also played a significant role in promoting its spread throughout the Roman Empire. He issued the Edict of Milan, built churches, and supported the Church. St. Helen is renowned for discovering the True Cross and constructing churches in the Holy Land.

His Mission: 

1. Legacy: He is to "legalize" Orthodoxy in Jamaica—making it visible and accessible.
2. Theology: Guard the faith’s integrity amid heterodoxy.
3. The Cross: Helen’s recovery of the Cross mirrors his task: revealing Christ’s Cross to Jamaica.

• A Mandate: This is not just a historical reference; it is a direct commissioning. His Bishop declares that his primary monastic obedience will reflect theirs: to preach, plant, and establish the Orthodox Christian faith in Jamaica.

His name is not accidental—it is a theological directive.  St. Constantine the Great: 

1. Legalized Christianity (Edict of Milan, 313 A.D.),
2. Convened the First Ecumenical Council (325 A.D.),
3. Sent his mother, St. Helen, to find the Holy Cross and establish churches in Jerusalem.

• Patronage & Intercession: Constantine becomes his primary heavenly patron and intercessor for the daunting task ahead, for which he is entrusted with care and guidance.

2. THE NATURE OF THE OBEDIENCE: Apostolic Mission as Monastic Vocation

His bishop’s command merges two callings:  

1. The Great Commission (Matt. 28:19) to "make disciples of all nations,"  
2. Stavrophoric Witness to "take up your cross and follow Christ" (Matt. 16:24).  

• Core Monastic Vow: Obedience is essential. This assignment is not merely a suggestion; it represents God's will for the new monk, conveyed through his spiritual father, the Abbot-Bishop. His affirmation of monasticism now becomes a specific commitment to this mission.
• Missionary Monasticism: He is being sent out from the monastery while remaining a monk. This is a specific charism – the monk as a missionary. His monastic life (prayer, asceticism, and stability in spirit) becomes the foundation for active apostolic work.
• Foundational Work: Jamaica has a very small Orthodox presence. He is being sent as a founder or pioneer, which implies building from the ground up through evangelism, catechism, community formation, establishing liturgical life, and potentially finding or creating a worship space.

3. IMPLICATIONS FOR YOUR MONASTIC LIFE:

• Radical Shift: Transitioning from the structured environment of the monastery to the mission field is a significant change. His daily schedule of services, shared meals, and brotherhood support will alter dramatically.
• Integrating Prayer & Action: The challenge is to maintain his Rule of Prayer, fasting, and inner stillness amid the inevitable busyness, distractions, and logistical demands of missionary work. His cell becomes wherever he is, and his schedule must fiercely protect time for prayer.
• Living the Schema in the World: As a Stavrophore, he visibly wears both the inner cassock (podryasnik) and the outer cassock (ryassa). This attire makes him a visible symbol of Orthodoxy in Jamaica—a walking witness to the faith. His monastic demeanor, along with his patience, humility, and love, plays a crucial role in his preaching. Unlike cloistered monks, Constantine will live in the world while upholding his practice of prayer, fasting, and asceticism. His ryassa, paraman, and cross will serve as a public witness in a land unfamiliar with Orthodoxy.
• Connection to the Monastery: His obedience remains to his Abbot-Bishop and his home monastery. Regular communication, including spiritual guidance and reporting, is vital. He is not an independent agent but rather an extension of his monastic community.
• Potential for Future Growth: If the mission succeeds, it could lead to the establishment of parish churches, mission stations, or even potentially a dependency (metochion) or skete connected to his home monastery. He is planting seeds.

Constantine’s tonsure as a Stavrophore significantly deepens the spiritual significance and implications of his obedience. This is not merely an assignment—it is a consecration for apostolic mission. Here’s what this entails:

• Life-long Cross-Bearing: As a Stavrophore ("Cross-Bearer"), he has taken lifelong vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and stability. The paraman (cloth with the Cross) and wooden cross he wears against his chest serve as physical seals of this covenant.
• Death to the World: The Stavrophore tonsure symbolizes his "burial" into monastic death and resurrection. He is now detached from personal will, property, and worldly identity.
• Spiritual Authority: Unlike a Rassophore, a Stavrophore is a fully consecrated monk. In Jamaica, he will embody Orthodoxy not as a representative but as a living icon of the monastic Church.

4. IMPLICATIONS FOR JAMAICA:

• Introduction of Orthodoxy: He is being sent to bring the fullness of the ancient apostolic faith to his homeland. This mission involves teaching the doctrines, sacramental life, spirituality, and traditions of Orthodoxy in a clear and accessible manner.
• Contextualization: Jamaica has a strong Christian culture, predominantly Protestant and Pentecostal, along with unique cultural influences such as Rastafarianism. Understanding this context is essential. His task is to present Orthodoxy authentically while ensuring it resonates within the Jamaican context, without falling into syncretism.
• Building Bridges: Although he may engage respectfully in ecumenical dialogue, his primary focus is on establishing the Orthodox Church.
• Serving the People: Mission encompasses not only preaching but also providing pastoral care, demonstrating compassion, and addressing the spiritual (and possibly physical) needs of those attracted to the faith.
• Pioneering a Mission: Jamaica has a small number of Orthodox communities. He is being sent to establish the Church by preaching, catechizing, celebrating sacraments, and building community, similar to St. Constantine’s role in establishing Christianity as the heart of the Roman Empire.

5. PERSONAL IMPLICATIONS:

• Great Responsibility & Burden: This task is significant. He carries the hopes of his bishop, the monastery, and potentially the future Orthodox faithful of Jamaica. He should prepare for spiritual warfare, discouragement, and immense challenges.
• Deep Fulfillment: Engaging in the apostolic work of spreading the Gospel is central to the Christian calling and is intensified by monastic vows. Witnessing souls embrace the ancient faith can be profoundly rewarding.
• Dependence on God & Community: His success will ultimately depend on God's grace, the intercessions of St. Constantine, St. Helen, and all saints, the guidance of his Abbot-Bishop, and the prayers of his brotherhood. Humility and constant prayer are essential.
• Cultural Re-Entry: Returning to his native country after a monastic life involves complexities, including navigating family relationships and cultural reintegration, all while living as a visible monk on a specific mission.
• Spiritual Combat: He should anticipate intense spiritual warfare. Colonial history, Protestant and Pentecostal dominance, and syncretic traditions like Rastafarianism will challenge his mission. His Stavrophore vows serve as his armor (Eph. 6:11).

6. PRACTICAL CHALLENGES & GRACE:

• Loneliness vs. Communion: He has left his brotherhood but remains tied through prayer and obedience. He is to maintain contact with his abbot for guidance and confession.
• Cultural Bridge: He will utilize his Jamaican roots to contextualize Orthodoxy without compromise. He should translate services into Patwa if helpful and embrace local culture where it aligns with Tradition.
• Sustainability: He should start small by hosting home liturgies, offering catechism classes, and inviting clergy to celebrate sacraments. He should also seek support from Orthodox missions, such as OCMC.
• The Cross as Strength: When feeling discouraged, he can touch his paraman. His cross is not a burden; it is the weapon of victory (1 Cor. 1:18).

IN ESSENCE / CONCLUSION: A New Thebaid in the Caribbean

His Abbot-Bishop, by the prophetic act of naming him Constantine and declaring this obedience, has commissioned him as a Monastic Missionary Apostle to Jamaica. He is sent to:

1. Witness through his monastic life and personal example.
2. Preach the Orthodox Gospel clearly and faithfully.
3. Plant the seeds of an Orthodox Christian community.
4. Build the foundations of the Church in his homeland.

This obedience represents the fulfillment of his Stavrophore vows in the specific way that God, through his superior, has called him. It is a path that requires immense courage, unwavering faith, profound humility, ceaseless prayer, and total reliance on grace. He is called to embrace it as both his cross and his resurrection, under the patronage of St. Constantine the Equal-to-the-Apostles.

He is being sent as a monastic apostle—a Stavrophore bearing the Cross to establish Orthodoxy on Jamaican soil. This is his path to sanctity. As St. Seraphim of Sarov said: "Acquire the Spirit of Peace, and a thousand souls around you will be saved." His obedience is a seed. Water it with prayer, tears, and the Bloodless Sacrifice. One day, Jamaica may have its own Orthodox saints—because a Stavrophore named Constantine carried his cross there.

May God grant him strength, wisdom, and every blessing for this sacred work!