Sts. Dionysios the Rhetor and Metrophanes the Spiritual Father, of Mount Athos

Sts. Dionysios the Rhetor and Metrophanes the Spiritual Father, of Little St. Anna's Skete, Mount Athos - Commemorated July 9th  (Source: www.eikonografos.com)

   

(amateur translation)

They were both born in the beginning of the 16th century, and were from whereabouts unknown.

They lived according to the commandments of the Gospel, and Dionysios especially, was very inclined towards learning. Later, he became a monk at the Monastery of the Studium, and desiring a higher hesychastic life, left for Mount Athos. There, in a certain cell near the Skete of Karyes, he gave himself to study and and to the work of ascetical philosophy. Because however, he could not find silence, he went to a hermitage of Mikas Agias Annas (Little St. Anna's).

There, together with his student Metrophanes, in a cave, they lived the life in Christ in asceticism. Later Metrophanes, by the decision of the fathers, left Mount Athos and taught the word of God to the surrounding area. Later, he returned to his Elder, Dionysios.

Thus the two lived God-pleasingly and ascetically. Dionysios reposed in peace on July 9th 1606 (though other documents mention his dormition was October 6th 1596 or 1602), with Metrophanes reposing a short time later.

In the Skete of St. Anna is preserved a book with the epigraph: "Osiou Dionysiou tou Retora" (The Righteous Dionysios the Rhetor), and with the title "Kouvaras".

(http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/83/sxsaintinfo.aspx)

The chapel of Sts. Dionysios and Metrophanes built in the cave where they lived at Little St. Anna's, Mount Athos. In this Skete lived the ever-to-be-remembered Elder Gerasimos Mikragiannanitis, who for many years had the office of the Hymnographer of the Great Church of Christ (under the Patriarch of Constantinople). Thus many church services (especially for recent saints) were written through his hand (around 2,500 services in total). (http://www.mikragianna.gr/photo-gallery)

   

Sts. Dionysios and Metrophanes of the Holy Mountain (Source: www.eikonografos.com)

   

Ἀπολυτίκιον. Ἦχος γ’, θείας πίστεως.

Θείοις ἄνθραξι, τῆς ἐγκρατείας, πάθη φλέξαντες, τὰ φρυγανώδη, ἀσκητικῶς ἐν τῷ Ἄθῳ ἠστράψατε· τῷ γὰρ ἀδύτῳ φωτὶ λαμπρυνόμενοι, τῶν θεοφόρων ἐφάμιλλοι ὤφθητε, Διονύσιε σοφέ, καὶ θεῖε Μητρόφανες, αἰτούμενοι ἡμῖν τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion in the Third Tone (amateur translation)

You consumed the roots of the passions with divine coals, and shown on Athos ascetically, for shining with the unwaning light, you were shown to be equal to the God-bearers, O wise Dionysios, and divine Metrophanes, entreat that great mercy may be granted unto us.

Κοντάκιον. Ἦχος πλ. δ’. Τῇ Ὑπερμάχῳ.

Ὡς τῆς Τριάδος μυστηπόλοι ἱερώτατοι

Καὶ τῶν Ὁσίων κοινωνοὶ καὶ ἰσοστάσιοι

Διονύσιε σοφὲ σὺν τῷ Μητροφάνει,

Μὴ ἐλλείπητε ἐχθροῦ τὰ πανουργεύματα

Ἅτεκταίνει καθ’ ἡμῶν συντρίβειν πάντοτε,

Ἵνα κράζωμεν, θεοφόρητοι χαίρετε.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone (amateur translation)

As the most-holy mystical ones of the Trinity

And equal shares with the Righteous

O wise Dionysios with Metrophanes,

Do not neglect to ever crush

The machinations of the evil one against us,

That we may cry, hail, O God-bearers.

Μεγαλυνάριον.

Χαίροις τῶν Ὁσίων δυὰς σεπτή, οἱ ἀμέμπτῳ βίῳ, διαπρέψαντες ἐπὶ γῆς, σὺν τῷ Διονυσίῳ, Μητροφάνες θεόφρον, Τριάδος τῆς Ἁγίας, θεῖοι θεράποντες.

Megalynarion (amateur translation)

Hail holy dyad of the Righteous, who walked upon the earth blamelessly in life, with Dionysios, and Metrophanes the godly, as divine healers, of the Holy Trinity.

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!