Full of Grace and Truth

Selected hymns to St. Tryphon the Great Martyr and Unmercenary

2012-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

St. Tryphon the Great Martyr and Unmercenary - Commemorated February 1 (http://hram-dimitria.ru/sait/Icon/39.jpg)

Selected hymns to St. Tryphon the Great Martyr and Unmercenary (amateur translations below, unless specified)

Idiomelon of the Litia in the First Tone

Arraying yourself with strength of mind, O glorious one, you counted the tortures of the godless as nothing, and you stood steadfast to the end. Being enlightened in mind through the divine Spirit, you reproached the most-lawless Akylinos, and proclaimed Christ as God with boldness, and kept His Orthodox Faith, and now in the heavens, you receive the prayers and doxologies that your servants offer ceaselessly to the Holy Trinity, and you intercede on behalf of those who honor your sacred memory with faith and fervor.

Doxastikon of the Litia in the Plagal of the First Tone

Come, all those who love the martyrs, let us rejoice in the all-pure feast of the Champion, and let us feast spiritually. Today this honored festival of the Great Martyr Tryphon calls us to a table that is set by his struggles, and to the all-praised treasury of his relics, which pour forth healings as waves, to those who faithfully approach them, and from them flow healing of souls and bodies, and deliverance from dangers, and the great mercy.

Doxastikon of the Aposticha in the Plagal of the First Tone

Today the honored feast of the Champion of Christ has dawned, enlightening the hearts of the faithful, and driving away the dark clouds of the demons. Through the grace and energy of the Spirit, let all who love martyrs cry out: Hail, you who were shown for the faithful to be a God-given and inexhaustible food. Hail, shield of the King, that has deposed the demons through the healing operation of the Spirit. Therefore, deliver us from our enemies from Hagar, those terrible tyrants, through your fervent and constant prayer to God Who loves man, O all-blessed Tryphon. As you now stand before Him, do not cease to intercede that we be delivered from dangers, and that we be granted the good things of life, for those who honor your all-sacred memory in faith.

Apolytikion in the First Tone

You endured the pains of torturers, having truly inherited the life without pain, O all-honored Tryphon, the foundation of Champions. Therefore, today the Church of Christ celebrates your all-holy memory, and rejoices in a godly manner.

The Martyrdom of St. Tryphon (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/jpg/im4001.jpg)

Kontakion - Tone 8

By the power of the Trinity you destroyed polytheism to the ends of the earth, and you were honored by Christ, all-glorious Tryphon; having conquered tyrants through Christ the Savior, you received your crown of martyrdom and the gift of divine healing, for you are invincible.

(http://www.oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100397)

Oikos

A holy table is prepared today, all who love feasts, bringing the Pre-festal symbols, of the Lord forty-days old from His awesome birth from the Virgin, and He is held in the arms of the righteous Presbyter [Symeon], along with the memorial of the sacred Champion, for on behalf of him, Christ made him victorious, as the invincible.

Synaxarion

On the first of this month, the Memory of St. Tryphon the Great Martyr.

Verses

What of you Tryphon? You have reached death by sword.

Is this the time of your end? Not at all.

On the first of February, Tryphon dies by beheading.

Doxastikon of the Praises in the Plagal of the Second Tone

You truly showed to all, O all-famed Martyr Tryphon, that you were prudent with the height of humility, (and the demon flees meekness) and you heal every sickness and infirmity, as you raise to heaven without a ladder, imparting the immortal food that is your namesake. And the shepherd of geese has become an athlete of the heavenly mansions, as he now stands before the throne of Christ God. Do not cease to shepherd our lives, and ceaselessly entreat Him, that we be delivered from dangers, and from the godless tyrants that arm themselves against us, and bring down everyone's sword, for those who hymn in fervor your holy and all-honored memory.

Megalynarion

Let us the faithful praise Tryphon, the Great Martyr of Christ, that through his intercessions to the Lord, we be delivered from every evil.

(http://voutsinasilias.blogspot.com/2010/02/1_18.html, http://analogion.gr/glt/texts/Feb/01.uni.htm)

St. Tryphon the Great Martyr and Unmercenary (http://sobor-shop.ru/UserFiles/Image/img336_67317_big.jpg)

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

Excerpt from the Encomium to Sts. Cyrus and John by St. Sophronios Patriarch of Jerusalem

2012-01-31T06:02:00.000-08:00

Sts. Cyrus and John the Holy Unmercenaries and Martyrs (http://pravicon.com/sv-1149, http://pravicon.com/sv-928)

Excerpt from the Encomium to Sts. Cyrus and John by St. Sophronios Patriarch of Jerusalem (amateur translation)
Others have praised other saints, triumphing in their gifts for many days, and in many ways preaching their works. They have raised exalted churches, they have adorned them with different forms of marble, while others have formed golden mosaics, and others have painted joyous icons, and others have gilded with gold and silver...and all have done so to honor and praise the martyrs in a thousand ways, as each is able and desires. They wish to offer to them their victories through them, and to show the care that they feel towards them, and they partook of unfading things instead of corruptible, instead of the things of this life, the things that have no end; the people praise these glorious ones whom they love, and offer them gifts out of habit. We, however, find that the word is more precious than natural materials, for it comes from the natural tongue, but proceeds from the spirit, which therefore flows as a stream unspoken; let us praise the saints in this way. He who therefore rejoices in the martyrs, takes refuge in the Word of God, Who made them martyrs. So it is worthy to celebrate their feast, we who have been greatly benefited from their grace, entreating them to open our mouth, that they might receive from us our gift offered to them...

Let us therefore praise the perfect among martyrs, and offer words of joy to those who listen. The faithful skip, seeing the ways of Cyrus being praised, and the mass of the pious ones praise John, learning of his encomium. From the Gospels and from the words of the Lord, which were first offered to the apostles, comes the praise of the martyrs Cyrus and John, and we say to them: You are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth, O thrice-blessed ones, and the light to those in darkness and the salt that does not loose its potency, and the light that is not extinguished and the salt that is not thrown out, the sleepless light and the salt that is not trampled upon, the light that is ever seen and the salt that is ever effective, the light of everything sweet and the salt beloved by all things...the light of godly-knowledge and salt fashioned from love of God, light that dissolves the darkness and salt that gives flavoring to food, light that illumines the dark things and salt that makes pleasant unpleasant things, light that reveals things that were lost and salt which seasons things. O holy band, through whom the Divine works wonders! For truly “God is wondrous among His saints”. O band of martyrs, through whom the world rejoices! O band of righteous ones, through whom life is renewed! O band of holy ones, through whom the faith is preserved! O band of praised ones, through whom the faithful are magnified! O band of zealous ones, through whom error is destroyed! O band of powerful ones, through whom we are delivered from the devil! O band of soldiers, through whom the demons are banished to perdition! O band of pious ones, through whom the idols are drowned! Hail, O band truly holy, and presence of God, who confirm the age to come to men. Hail, O precious band, you who were heavenly without leaving the earth. Hail O holy band, you who rejoice with the angels and give help to men. You are truly worthy to hear from the Savior, Who praises and cries out with a great voice: “You are the light of the world and the salt of the earth,” light illuminating from the true light, and salt from that true spring of salt, and light that illumines those who take refuge in you, and spring that continuously flows for those who praise you.

(http://books.google.com/books?id=CMHUAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false)

Sts. Cyrus and John the Unmercenaries and Martyrs (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8AOyMxjWK0A/Ta8GkzE-dsI/AAAAAAAAD9c/nB3hPjNt-_Q/s1600/07260727SfMcErmolaeSiPantelimon.jpg)

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

Akathist to St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr of Rome

2012-01-27T20:45:00.000-08:00

Jesus Christ, depicted with St. Paraskevi the Great Righteous Virgin Martyr of Rome (July 26) (http://www.mlahanas.de/Greece/Arts/AngelosAkotantos/ChristParaskevi.jpg)

Akathist to St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr of Rome (amateur translation); for the life of St. Paraskevi, see: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2009/07/st-paraskevi-great-martyr-of-rome.html.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

As the Lord’s grace-flowing nun, and His fervent apostle and Martyr, we praise you with triumphant hymns, and we praise your memory most tunefully, sprinkling flowers and crying:

Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Hymns I offer to you the beauty of virgins, O chaste Paraskevi, martyr of Christ (3). For you struggled boldly, and you enlighten and shine with the rays of wonders on those who hymn you, and we offer you hymns with fervor:

Hail, child of pious faithful,
Hail, dear throne of God.
Hail, beautiful-voiced trumpet of love,
Hail, pure servant of the Virgin.
Hail, for from above you cover the Orthodox from blows,
Hail, you who cease the tears and groans of mortals.
Hail, for you are the protection of eyes,
Hail, for you rejoiced in the monastic path.
Hail, for you deposed the boasting of the enemy,
Hail, you who were victorious through Christ’s power.
Hail, divine adornment of Rome,
Hail, speedy healer of wounds.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Being the root from the divine prayer of your parents, Agathon and Politia watered you with the streams of piety. And you, O comely Virgin, flourished as a tree, as those who gave birth to you rejoiced in your grace, and chanted to the Lord: Alleluia.

Laughter and boldness, the streams of perdition, did not come near your soul, O Godly-minded one, but you spoke with the sacred virgins, and spent your time studying the Scriptures, becoming for us an example, for those who piously cry out:

Hail, most grace-endowed soul,
Hail, our most beloved righteous one.
Hail, nourishment of Orthodox asceticism,
Hail, heroism and worth of the calling.
Hail, divine seal of sacred missions,
Hail, boast and seal of the angelic life.
Hail, youth honored by God,
Hail, the ceasing of idol worship.
Hail, you who takes the honor from the false god,
Hail, joy of those who every cry out:
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

You were not at all conquered by the glories of this life, O pure Christ-bearer Paraskevi, but taking hope in the life above, you perceived the things of life as refuse joyfully, and were enriched with divine things, and cried out to God in fervor: Alleluia.

Following the words of your Incorruptible Bridegroom, the divine passing of your parents you perceived as a divine call, and you distributed your wealth to the poor, who praise your philanthropy, and cry out with all reverence:

Hail, you who were filled with the wisdom from above,
Hail, soul of godly monasticism.
Hail, nightingale singing praise of the Most-high,
Hail, you who bestow grace on monastics.
Hail, you who imparted your joy upon your brethren,
Hail, you who possess incorruptible treasuries in the Heavens.
Hail, for you showed manliness in trials,
Hail, for you dissipate the cloud of error.
Hail, greatly-victorious one on the road of the Martyrs,
Hail, lamp which shines with light of purity.
Hail, container that leads towards the Lord,
Hail, rays of the supernatural life.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Being zealous for the things of Heaven, you locked yourself in a Convent, O most noble champion Paraskevi, for you submitted your wise mind, and joyfully struggled with ascetical pains, worshiping the Lord, and crying out with bitter hymns: Alleluia.

St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr of Rome (http://www.saintparaskevi.com/images/icon.jpg)

You were raised by divine grace to the heights of love, desiring the crown of martyrdom, and having sought the blessing of your Superior, you spoke the word of the Lord and dispelled error for many people, who now hymn you:

Hail, dawn of consolation,
Hail, harp of divine knowledge.
Hail, you who shared the name of the Wise Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13),
Hail, you who spoke with the spotless Angels.
Hail, you who embraced the angelic Schema with fervor,
Hail, protection and foundation of those who honor you with faith.
Hail, you who heard unspeakable voices,
Hail, you who were made worthy of the honor of the age to come.
Hail, all-fragrant lyre of the faithful,
Hail, salve for our eyes.
Hail, music of divine love,
Hail, breath of unsleeping worship.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

You walked the God-traced path of the Apostles, as another Protomartyr Thekla, and passed through the land of the Romans, and the cities of the Greeks, as an all-precious doe, preaching Christ fervently, and crying out with longing: Alleluia.

When Antoninos learned of your way Equal-to-the-Apostles, he placed a flaming helmet upon you, but through the will of the Lord, you were preserved utterly unharmed and remained pure, while all the faithful who beheld this, cried out victoriously words such as these:

Hail, divine doe of the flock of Christ,
Hail, for your fragrance was as pure nard (John 12:3).
Hail, teacher of blessing and mindfulness,
Hail, sweetest apostle of the Savior.
Hail, for your words were preached by pure lips,
Hail, for you imparted your experience to ascetics.
Hail, for you are the worker of peace,
Hail, for you are the protector of those endangered.
Hail, catechesis of the holy faithful,
Hail, disappearance of the false gods.
Hail, aloe of Orthodox manliness,
Hail, reproach of the evil heart.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Demonic waves and unbearable blows, you endured, O much-suffering Lady, for the tyrants sought to burn you, and to break the chain of your faith, but you stood as an unshakable divine statue of Christ, saying: Alleluia.

Shining with your wonders, the choir of those who believed through you were brought to the flock of Christ, enraging the Emperor, who became short of breath through his many tortures, and now these radiant Dwelling-places cry out these in gratitude:

Hail, pure and comely martyr of Christ,
Hail, our map and canon.
Hail, you who ridiculed the false gods,
Hail, you who shattered the faces of idols.
Hail, all-sacred nun, humble and dedicated,
Hail, all-fragrant rose, and seal of the soul.
Hail, for you endured ascetical pains,
Hail, for you also trouble the swarms of the demons.
Hail, dowry to Christ of many talents,
Hail, chosen ode of the God of all.
Hail, root of the presbyter Rome,
Hail, protector of every town and place.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Dwelling, as Paul, in prison alone, you were made worthy of the vision of an Angel, who showed you the honored symbols of the passion of Christ, in order to give you courage, O all-wise one, that we might cry unto the ages: Alleluia.

St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr of Rome (Source: www.eikonografos.com)

You are as a precious coin of the church, O Mother, bearing the seal of your Master, for you were tried by fire, and many tortures, O thrice-glorious one, and were not at all altered, as you hear from all these:

Hail, seal of sacred graces,
Hail, key of uncreated gifts.
Hail, for you endured the stretching of your flesh,
Hail, for you were steadfast manfully as you were being raked.
Hail, for your struggles reached the impassible peak,
Hail, Martyr who also shelters desert ascetics.
Hail, for you were placed in boiling tar,
Hail, for you were divinely kept unharmed.
Hail, savior for many in sickness,
Hail, you who grant light to the blind.
Hail, through whom goodness has come,
Hail, through whom magic has disappeared.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

You were tortured mercilessly, and brutally hung, without your steadfast mind wavering at all, but you cried out to the tyrant: Christ can deliver me from any of your tortures, to Whom I chant fearlessly: Alleluia.

Antoninos' eyes were burned from oil and tar, having asked it of you, but filled with great compassion, you straightaway granted him healing, O Paraskevi, therefore, the ruler who then espoused your faith, cried out:

Hail, spring of gifts,
Hail, well of healings.
Hail, for you won the spoils of the Romans,
Hail, for you preached the Sun of love.
Hail, divinely-breathed organ that makes glad the faithful,
Hail, purest eye that looks against the enemies.
Hail, you who bless those who hymn your many blessings,
Hail, you who conquers the opposing swarms.
Hail, sacred and genuine personage,
Hail, soul arrayed in light.
Hail, faithful honor and worth,
Hail, fragrance to men from Heaven.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Before your end, they placed a heavy stone upon your chest, O Martyr Paraskevi, while Jesus appeared to you at night, surrounded by light and the radiant ranks of the Angels, and totally healed you. Thus you cried in joy: Alleluia.

With the strength of the Master, you bravely surpassed the weakness of other women. Through the divine Cross and your prayer, you tore apart a fearsome dragon, while all were astonished and cried out triumphantly:

Hail, light-bearing nun,
Hail, crown-bearing Martyr.
Hail, you who were steadfast of soul in terrible dangers,
Hail, you who were victorious in beatings and asceticism.
Hail, repository of grace, and dwelling of love,
Hail, meekness of spirit, and giver of peace.
Hail, for you are the trainer of monastics,
Hail, for you are the intercessor to the Trinity.
Hail, chain of chaste virgins,
Hail, deliverer from sinister spirits.
Hail, you through whom the dragon was torn apart,
Hail, you through whom the governor was astounded.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

You were worthily granted from Heaven an incorruptible crown, O lady, and the grace of wonders, which were founded upon your virtues, and your many struggles and terrible tortures, from which you blossomed forth and were glorified, as your fellow struggles cried out: Alleluia.

St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr of Rome (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ir0BxevvGe4/TF6jfO9kiVI/AAAAAAAAAi4/J9pIQIZB0Iw/s1600/ag-Paraskevi-IMAA.png)

Your all-sacred Skull, O godly-minded one, rests in the Monastery of the Bodiless Powers Petraki, to which we take refuge, Paraskevi, as we all entreat that we find mercy, and healing of vision, as we cry out with fear:

Hail, healing of the eyes,
Hail, divine stream of wonders.
Hail, foundress of the churches that bear your name,
Hail, plantress of rose-beds of monastics.
Hail, seven-towered castle of those who hope in God,
Hail, dew of Hermon that burns up dangers.
Hail, for your prayer leads towards harmony,
Hail, for your hand heals those in pain.
Hail, help for those fervent in faith,
Hail, providence that you give to the poor.
Hail, vessel of the blessings of God,
Hail, flower of joyous fragrance.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Water of incorruption is your Holy Water, O Mother, which heals ever sickness. Therefore, we who praise you, hasten to your protection, O Paraskevi, entreating for purification of soul, for those who ceaselessly cry to you: Alleluia.

We are are delivered from the bitter assaults of the demons, O Mother, through the hyssop of your intercessions, and from the visages of false gods, which you threw down to the earth through your unshakable hand, utterly shaming them. In joy we hymn you saying:

Hail, moon of those living in nepsis,
Hail trauma of the demons.
Hail, astonishment of Orthodox asceticism,
Hail, guide of catechesis of the faithful.
Hail, for you were offered as a sacred seal,
Hail, for you were hung from a peg by your hair.
Hail, you who were nailed, for the love of the Lord,
Hail, you who bore the weight from the evil doers.
Hail, apostle among ascetics,
Hail, all-wondrous one among apostles.
Hail, for your members bore indignities,
Hail, firewood that accepted burnings.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

Rejoicing with good cheer, you entered the Bridal Chamber above, O sacred martyr, and fell at the feet of Christ, which you embraced fervently, O all-precious Paraskevi. He placed a crown upon your head, and you cried out: Alleluia.

Nourish me, O Martyr, from your Heavenly Mansions, with the manna of your divine love, that I may cry out with my whole heart the sweet and sacred name of Jesus, and proclaiming your grace, O pure one, I cry out in compunction:

Hail, outer wall of the faithful,
Hail, shield of those who bear your name.
Hail, you who saves the inhabitants of Krokou [Kozani],
Hail, you who drove back the Germans.
Hail, chosen woman of the vale of Tempe,
Hail, Martyr who makes the desires of the Bridal chamber disappear.
Hail, for you work a multitude of wonders in Rodolivo,
Hail, for you deliver from the chaos of the faithless through your intercessions.
Hail, surrounding wall of Meteora,
Hail, terror to the demons.
Hail, you who were enriched with the boldness of Christ,
Hail, you who are the protection of those who hymn you.
Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

O divine nun, great prize of pious virgins to the Most-high (3) receive this as wild flowers, which we have gathered for you simply, and entreat the divine Trinity for salvation of those who cry with you: Alleluia.

Again, the Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

As the Lord’s grace-flowing nun, and His fervent apostle and Martyr, we praise you with triumphant hymns, and we praise your memory most tunefully, sprinkling flowers and crying:

Hail, Paraskevi, O comely virgin.

(http://voutsinasilias.blogspot.com/2010/07/26.html)

St. Paraskevi the Great Martyr of Rome (Source: www.eikonografos.com)

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

St. Ephraim the Syrian

2012-01-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

St. Ephraim the Syrian - Commemorated on January 28 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0815/s0815007.jpg)

Saint Ephraim the Syrian, a teacher of repentance, was born at the beginning of the fourth century in the city of Nisibis (Mesopotamia) into the family of impoverished toilers of the soil. His parents raised their son in piety, but from his childhood he was known for his quick temper and impetuous character. He often had fights, acted thoughtlessly, and even doubted God's Providence. He finally recovered his senses by the grace of God, and embarked on the path of repentance and salvation.

Once, he was unjustly accused of stealing a sheep and was thrown into prison. He heard a voice in a dream calling him to repent and correct his life. After this, he was acquitted of the charges and set free.

The young man ran off to the mountains to join the hermits. This form of Christian asceticism had been introduced by a disciple of St Anthony the Great, the Egyptian desert dweller Eugenius.

St James of Nisibis (January 13) was a noted ascetic, a preacher of Christianity and denouncer of the Arians. St Ephraim became one of his disciples. Under the direction of the holy hierarch, St Ephraim attained Christian meekness, humility, submission to God's will, and the strength to undergo various temptations without complaint.

St James transformed the wayward youth into a humble and conrite monk. Realizing the great worth of his disciple, he made use of his talents. He trusted him to preach sermons, to instruct children in school, and he took Ephraim with him to the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea (in the year 325). St Ephraim was in obedience to St James for fourteen years, until the bishop's death in 338.

After the capture of Nisibis by the Persians in 363, St Ephraim went to a monastery near the city of Edessa. Here he saw many great ascetics, passing their lives in prayer and psalmody. Their caves were solitary shelters, and they fed themselves with a certain plant.

St. Ephraim the Syrian (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/ih3270.jpg)

He became especially close to the ascetic Julian (October 18), who was of one mind with him. St Ephraim combined asceticism with a ceaseless study of the Word of God, taking from it both solace and wisdom for his soul. The Lord gave him a gift of teaching, and people began to come to him, wanting to hear his counsel, which produced compunction in the soul, since he began with self-accusation. Both verbally and in writing, St Ephraim instructed everyone in repentance, faith and piety, and he denounced the Arian heresy, which at that time was causing great turmoil. Pagans who heard the preaching of the saint were converted to Christianity.

He also wrote the first Syriac commentary on the Pentateuch (i.e. "Five Books") of Moses. He wrote many prayers and hymns, thereby enriching the Church's liturgical services. Famous prayers of St Ephraim are to the Most Holy Trinity, to the Son of God, and to the Most Holy Theotokos. He composed hymns for the Twelve Great Feasts of the Lord (the Nativity of Christ, the Baptism, the Resurrection), and funeral hymns. St Ephraim's Prayer of Repentance, "O Lord and Master of my life...", is recited during Great Lent, and it summons Christians to spiritual renewal.

From ancient times the Church has valued the works of St Ephraim. His works were read publicly in certain churches after the Holy Scripture, as St Jerome tells us. At present, the Church Typikon prescribes certain of his instructions to be read on the days of Lent. Among the prophets, St David is the preeminent psalmodist; among the Fathers of the Church, St Ephraim the Syrian is the preeminent man of prayer. His spiritual experience made him a guide for monastics and a help to the pastors of Edessa. St Ephraim wrote in Syriac, but his works were very early translated into Greek and Armenian. Translations into Latin and Slavonic were made from the Greek text.

St. Ephraim writing (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0815/s0815014.jpg)

In many of St Ephraim's works we catch glimpses of the life of the Syrian ascetics, which was centered on prayer and working in various obediences for the common good of the brethren. The outlook of all the Syrian ascetics was the same. The monks believed that the goal of their efforts was communion with God and the acquisition of divine grace. For them, the present life was a time of tears, fasting and toil.

"If the Son of God is within you, then His Kingdom is also within you. Thus, the Kingdom of God is within you, a sinner. Enter into yourself, search diligently and without toil you shall find it. Outside of you is death, and the door to it is sin. Enter into yourself, dwell within your heart, for God is there."

Constant spiritual sobriety, the developing of good within man's soul gives him the possibility to take upon himself a task like blessedness, and a self-constraint like sanctity. The requital is presupposed in the earthly life of man, it is an undertaking of spiritual perfection by degrees. Whoever grows himself wings upon the earth, says St Ephraim, is one who soars up into the heights; whoever purifies his mind here below, there glimpses the Glory of God. In whatever measure each one loves God, he is, by God's love, satiated to fullness according to that measure. Man, cleansing himself and attaining the grace of the Holy Spirit while still here on earth, has a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven. To attain to life eternal, in the teachings of St Ephraim, does not mean to pass over from one realm of being into another, but rather to discover "the heavenly," spiritual condition of being. Eternal life is not bestown on man through God's one-sided efforts, but rather, it constantly grows like a seed within him by his efforts, toils and struggles.

The pledge within us of "theosis" (or "deification") is the Baptism of Christ, and the main force that drives the Christian life is repentance. St Ephraim was a great teacher of repentance. The forgiveness of sins in the Mystery of Repentance, according to his teaching, is not an external exoneration, not a forgetting of the sins, but rather their complete undoing, their annihilation. The tears of repentance wash away and burn away the sin. Moreover, they (i.e. the tears) enliven, they transfigure sinful nature, they give the strength "to walk in the way of the the Lord's commandments," encouraging hope in God. In the fiery font of repentance, the saint wrote, "you sail yourself across, O sinner, you resurrect yourself from the dead."

St Ephraim, accounting himself as the least and worst of all, went to Egypt at the end of his life to see the efforts of the great ascetics. He was accepted there as a welcome guest and received great solace from conversing with them. On his return journey he visited at Caesarea in Cappadocia with St Basil the Great (January 1), who wanted to ordain him a priest, but he considered himself unworthy of the priesthood. At the insistence of St Basil, he consented only to be ordained as a deacon, in which rank he remained until his death. Later on, St Basil invited St Ephraim to accept a bishop's throne, but the saint feigned madness in order to avoid this honor, humbly regarding himself as unworthy of it.

After his return to his own Edessa wilderness, St Ephraim hoped to spend the rest of his life in solitude, but divine Providence again summoned him to serve his neighbor. The inhabitants of Edessa were suffering from a devastating famine. By the influence of his word, the saint persuaded the wealthy to render aid to those in need. From the offerings of believers he built a poor-house for the poor and sick. St Ephraim then withdrew to a cave near Edessa, where he remained to the end of his days.
(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100328)

The Dormition of St. Ephraim the Syrian (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0815/s0815009.jpg)

Troparion - Tone 8

By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! Our Father Ephraim, pray to Christ God to save our souls!

Kontakion - Tone 2

Ever anticipating the hour of Judgment, you lamented bitterly, venerable Ephraim. Through your deeds you were a teacher by example; therefore, universal Father, you rouse the slothful to repentance.
(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100328)

Apolytikion in the Third Tone (amateur translation)

Bearing the life-giving stream in your soul, you were enriched with fear [of God], and were shown a treasury of compunction, therefore you lead us towards perfect virtues through the great number of your teachings. O Righteous Father Ephraim, entreat Christ God that we be granted the great mercy.

(http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1921/sxsaintinfo.aspx)

St. Ephraim the Syrian (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0815/s0815006.jpg)

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

St. Xenophon the Righteous, and his family

2012-01-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

St. Xenophon the Righteous, and his family - Commemorated on January 26 (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/cf83ceaccf81cf89cf83ceb70187.jpg)

Saint Xenophon, his wife Maria, and their sons Arcadius and John, were noted citizens of Constantinople and lived in the fifth century. Despite their riches and position, they distinguished themselves by their simplicity of soul and goodness of heart. Wishing to give their sons John and Arcadius a more complete education, they sent them off to the Phoenician city of Beirut.

By divine Providence the ship on which both brothers sailed was wrecked. The waves tossed the brothers ashore at different places. Grieved at being separated, the brothers dedicated themselves to God and became monks. For a long time the parents had no news of their children and presumed them to be dead.

Xenophon, however, already quite old, maintained a firm hope in the Lord and consoled his wife Maria, telling her not to be sad, but to believe that the Lord watched over their children. After several years the couple made a pilgrimage to the holy places, and at Jerusalem they met their sons, living in asceticsm at different monasteries. The joyful parents gave thanks to the Lord for reuniting the family.

Sts Xenophon and Maria went to separate monasteries and dedicated themselves to God. The monks Arcadius and John, having taken leave of their parents, went out into the wilderness, where after long ascetic toil they were glorified by gifts of wonderworking and discernment. Sts Xenophon and Maria, laboring in silence and strict fasting, also received from God the gift of wonderworking.

(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100314)

St. Xenophon with his wife and two sons, all depicted as monastics (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/st-xenophon.jpg)

Troparion - Tone 4

O God of our Fathers, always act with kindness towards us; take not Your mercy from us, but guide our lives in peace through the prayers of Venerable Xenophon and his family.

Kontakion - Tone 4

You kept vigil in the courts of the Lord with your wife and two children, blessed Xenophon, and you gladly lavished your wealth on the poor. Therefore, you have inherited divine joy.

(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100315)

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone (amateur translation)

As a generation blessed by the Lord, made worthy of heavenly glory, you glorified Christ upon the earth ascetically, the Righteous Xenophon, and his wife, along with their holy children, whom we praise, saying with joy: hail, O four-numbered band of the Righteous.

(http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1899/sxsaintinfo.aspx)

St. Xenophon the Righteous, with his two sons (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1237/s1237001.jpg)

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

A miracle of St. Xenia of St. Petersburg

2012-01-24T14:53:00.000-08:00

St. Xenia of St. Petersburg, the Fool-for-Christ and Wonderworker (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/im3321.jpg)

The Conversion of a French Man to Orthodoxy
By Maria Biniary
WE follow with an account by a resident of France, who was benefited by the Saint in our days.

A French dentist with a private clinic in Paris was injured in a car accident and had to stay in hospital for a few days.

Roman Catholic by creed, but indifferent to the faith, he watched as the patient next to him, a Russian émigré, would pray in the evenings in the ward, and would laugh behind his back.

Since the Russian’s lengthy prayers were repeated for as many days as he remained there, the dentist saw fit to make fun of the praying man, and he joked around with those from the other rooms.

After that first evening of making fun with the others, it was impossible for him to fall sleep.

Suddenly, the door to the ward opened and a woman appeared, wearing men’s clothing and holding a cane in her hand.

She was heading towards his bed. He was startled. Unknown facial features. A sweet, strange face.

“What do you want, lady? I don’t have any change. Who let you in here?”

“I came to tell you,” she said to him, as she lifted her cane, “to stop ridiculing Yuri, who is praying, because you will remain here a long time yet, and will seek his prayers....”

And indeed. Over the following days, he was diagnosed with serious cardiac insufficiency and remained three months in the hospital.

Yuri visited him at one point, and when the Frenchman revealed his vision to him, he began to tell him about St. Xenia and Orthodoxy.

Today, the Frenchman is an active member of the French Orthodox community and Baptized his newborn baby girl with the name Xenia last December, in honor of the Saint and in memory of his miraculous conversion.
(Source: Xριστιανική, No. 515 (829) (9 January 1997), p. 8.(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/01/miracle-of-saint-xenia-fool-in-france.html))

St. Xenia of St. Petersburg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oO4si60HBc8/TU-V9b8EM0I/AAAAAAAAICM/qmbbY2boAqY/s1600/37.jpg)

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

St. Euthymios the Great

2012-01-20T04:40:00.000-08:00

St. Euthymios the Great - Commemorated on January 20 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0731/s0731006.jpg)

Saint Euthymius the Great came from the city of Melitene in Armenia, near the River Euphrates. His parents, Paul and Dionysia, were pious Christians of noble birth. After many years of marriage they remained childless, and in their sorrow they entreated God to give them offspring. Finally, they had a vision and heard a voice saying, "Be of good cheer! God will grant you a son, who will bring joy to the churches." The child was named Euthymius ("good cheer").

St Euthymius' father died soon after this, and his mother, fulfilling her vow to dedicate her son to God, gave him to her brother, the priest Eudoxius, to be educated. He presented the chid to Bishop Eutroius of Melitene, who accepted him with love. Seeing his good conduct, the bishop soon made him a Reader.

St Euthymius later became a monk and was ordained to the holy priesthood. At the same time, he was entrusted with the supervision of all the city monasteries. St Euthymius often visited the monastery of St Polyeuctus, and during Great Lent he withdrew into the wilderness. His responsibility for the monasteries weighed heavily upon the ascetic, and conflicted with his desire for stillness, so he secretly left the city and headed to Jerusalem. After venerating the holy shrines, he visited the Fathers in the desert.

Since there was a solitary cell in the Tharan lavra, he settled into it, earning his living by weaving baskets. Nearby, his neighbor St Theoctistus (September 3) also lived in asceticism. They shared the same zeal for God and for spiritual struggles, and each strove to attain what the other desired. They had such love for one another that they seemed to share one soul and one will.

Every year, after the Feast of Theophany, they withdrew into the desert of Coutila (not far from Jericho). One day, they entered a steep and terrifying gorge with a stream running through it. They saw a cave upon a cliff, and settled there. The Lord, however, soon revealed their solitary place for the benefit of many people. Shepherds driving their flocks came upon the cave and saw the monks. They went back to the village and told people about the ascetics living there.

People seeking spiritual benefit began to visit the hermits and brought them food. Gradually, a monastic community grew up around them. Several monks came from the Tharan monastery, among them Marinus and Luke. St Euthymius entrusted the supervision of the growing monastery to his friend Theoctistus.

St Euthymius exhorted the brethren to guard their thoughts. "Whoever desires to lead the monastic life should not follow his own will. He should be obedient and humble, and be mindful of the hour of death. He should fear the judgment and eternal fire, and seek the heavenly Kingdom."

The saint taught young monks to fix their thoughts on God while engaging in physical labor. "If laymen work in order to feed themselves and their families, and to give alms and offer sacrifice to God, then are not we as monks obliged to work to sustain ourselves and to avoid idleness? We should not depend on strangers."

The saint demanded that the monks keep silence in church during services and at meals. When he saw young monks fasting more than others, he told them to cut off their own will, and to follow the appointed rule and times for fasting. He urged them not to attract attention to their fasting, but to eat in moderation.

In these years St Euthymius converted and baptized many Arabs. Among them were the Saracen leaders Aspebet and his son Terebon, both of whom St Euthymius healed of sickness. Aspebet received the name Peter in Baptism and afterwards he was a bishop among the Arabs.

Word of the miracles performed by St Euthymius spread quickly. People came from everywhere to be healed of their ailments, and he cured them. Unable to bear human fame and glory, the monk secretly left the monastery, taking only his closest disciple Dometian with him. He withdrew into the Rouba desert and settled on Mt. Marda, near the Dead Sea.

St. Euthymios the Great (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0731/s0731010.jpg)

In his quest for solitude, the saint explored the wilderness of Ziph and settled in the cave where David once hid from King Saul. St Euthymius founded a monastery beside David's cave, and built a church. During this time St Euthymius converted many monks from the Manichean heresy, he also healed the sick and cast out devils.

Visitors disturbed the tranquillity of the wilderness. Since he loved silence, the saint decided to return to the monastery of St Theoctistus. Along the way they found a quiet level place on a hill, and he remained there. This would become the site of St Euthymius' lavra, and a little cave served as his cell, and then as his grave.

St Theoctistus went with his brethren to St Euthymius and requested him to return to the monastery, but the monk did not agree to this. However, he did promise to attend Sunday services at the monastery.

St Euthymius did not wish to have anyone nearby, nor to organize a cenobium or a lavra. The Lord commanded him in a vision not to drive away those who came to him for the salvation of their souls. After some time brethren again gathered around him, and he organized a lavra, on the pattern of the Tharan Lavra. In the year 429, when St Euthymius was fifty-two years old, Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem consecrated the lavra church and supplied it with presbyters and deacons.

The lavra was poor at first, but the saint believed that God would provide for His servants. Once, about 400 Armenians on their way to the Jordan came to the lavra. Seeing this, St Euthymius called the steward and ordered him to feed the pilgrims. The steward said that there was not enough food in the monastery. St Euthymius, however, insisted. Going to the storeroom where the bread was kept, the steward found a large quantity of bread, and the wine casks and oil jars were also filled. The pilgrims ate their fill, and for three months afterwards the door of the storeroom could not be shut because of the abundace of bread. The food remained undiminished, just like the widow of Zarephath's barrel of meal and cruse of oil (1/3 Kings 17:8-16).

Once, the monk Auxentius refused to carry out his assigned obedience. Despite the fact that St Euthymius summoned him and urged him to comply, he remained obstinate. The saint then shouted loudly, "You will be rewarded for your insubordination." A demon seized Auxentius and threw him to the ground. The brethren asked Abba Euthymius to help him, and then the saint healed the unfortunate one, who came to himself, asked forgiveness and promised to correct himself. "Obedience," said St Euthymius, "is a great virtue. The Lord loves obedience more than sacrifice, but disobedience leads to death."

Two of the brethren became overwhelmed by the austere life in the monastery of St Euthymius, and they resolved to flee. St Euthymius saw in a vision that they would be ensnared by the devil. He summoned them and admonished them to abandon their destructive intention. He said, "We must never admit evil thoughts that fill us with sorrow and hatred for the place in which we live, and suggest that we go somewhere else. If someone tries to do something good in the place where he lives but fails to complete it, he should not think that he will accomplish it elsewhere. It is not the place that produces success, but faith and a firm will. A tree which is often transplanted does not bear fruit."

St. Euthymios the Great (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/Images/ih3222.jpg)

In the year 431, the Third Ecumenical Council was convened in Ephesus to combat the Nestorian heresy. St Euthymius rejoiced over the affirmation of Orthodoxy, but was grieved about Archbishop John of Antioch who defended Nestorius.

In the year 451 the Fourth Ecumenical Council met in Chalcedon to condemn the heresy of Dioscorus who, in contrast to Nestorius, asserted that in the Lord Jesus Christ there is only one nature, the divine (thus the heresy was called Monophysite). He taught that in the Incarnation, Christ's human nature is swallowed up by the divine nature.

St Euthymius accepted the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and he acknowledged it as Orthodox. News of this spread quickly among the monks and hermits. Many of them, who had previously believed wrongly, accepted the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon because of the example of St Euthymius.

Because of his ascetic life and firm confession of the Orthodox Faith, St Euthymius is called "the Great." Wearied by contact with the world, the holy abba went for a time into the inner desert. After his return to the lavra some of the brethren saw that when he celebrated the Divine Liturgy, fire descended from Heaven and encircled the saint. St Euthymius himself revealed to several of the monks that often he saw an angel celebrating the Holy Liturgy with him. The saint had the gift of clairvoyance, and he could discern a person's thoughts and spiritual state from his outward appearance. When the monks received the Holy Mysteries, the saint knew who approached worthily, and who received unworthily.

When St Euthymius was 82 years old, the young Sava (the future St Sava the Sanctified, December 5), came to his lavra. The Elder received him with love and sent him to the monastery of St Theoctistus. He foretold that St Sava would outshine all his other disciples in virtue.

St. Euthymios the Great, St. Anthony the Great, and St. Sabbas the Sanctified (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0731/s0731001.jpg)

When the saint was ninety years of age, his companion and fellow monk Theoctistus became grievously ill. St Euthymius went to visit his friend and remained at the monastery for several days. He took leave of him and was present at his end. After burying his body in a grave, he returned to the lavra.

God revealed to St Euthymius the time of his death. On the eve of the Feast of St Anthony the Great (January 17) St Euthymius gave the blessing to serve the all-night Vigil. When the service ended, he took the priests aside and told them that he would never serve another Vigil with them, because the Lord was calling him from this earthly life.

All were filled with great sadness, but the saint asked the brethren to meet him in church in the morning. He began to instruct them, "If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). Love is the highest virtue, and the bond of perfectness (Col. 3:14). Every virtue is made secure by love and humility. The Lord humbled Himself because of His Love for us and became man. Therefore, we ought to praise Him unceasingly, especially since we monks have escaped worldly distractions and concerns."

"Look to yourselves, and preserve your souls and bodies in purity. Do not fail to attend the church services, and keep the traditions and rules of our community. If one of the brethren struggles with unclean thoughts, correct, console, and instruct him, so that he does not fall into the devil's snares. Never refuse hospitality to visitors. Offer a bed to every stranger. Give whatever you can to help the poor in their misfortune."

Afterwards, having given instructions for the guidance of the brethren, the saint promised always to remain in spirit with them and with those who followed them in his monastery.St Euthymius then dismissed everyone but his disciple Dometian. He remained in the altar for three days, then died on January 20, 473 at the age of ninety-seven.

A multitude of monks from all the monasteries and from the desert came to the lavra for the holy abba's burial, among whom was St Gerasimus. The Patriarch Anastasius also came with his clergy, as well as the Nitrian monks Martyrius and Elias, who later became Patriarchs of Jerusalem, as St Euthymius had foretold.

Dometian remained by the grave of his Elder for six days. On the seventh day, he saw the holy abba in glory, beckoning to his disciple."Come, my child, the Lord Jesus Christ wants you to be with me."

After telling the brethren about the vision, Dometian went to church and joyfully surrendered his soul to God. He was buried beside St Euthymius. The relics of St Euthymius remained at his monastery in Palestine, and the Russian pilgrim igumen Daniel saw them in the twelfth century.
(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100238)

St. Euthymios the Great (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0731/s0731009.jpg)

Troparion - Tone 4

Rejoice, O barren wilderness! And be glad, sterile desert, that has never known the travail of birth! The man of desires has multiplied your sons; he has planted them in faith and piety. he has watered them with the Holy Spirit: they grow in self-denial and perfect virtue. Through his intercessions, O Christ God, preserve Your people in peace!

Kontakion - Tone 8

The wilderness rejoiced at your birth, holy father Euthymius. In your memory, it brings a harvest of joy through your many miracles. Pour these wonders on our souls as well and cleanse us from our sins,
That we may sing: Alleluia!
(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100238)

St. Euthymios the Great (http://www.xristianos.gr/forum/eikones/agioi_tis_orthodoksias/agios_euthumios_megas_342.jpg)

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

St. Basil the Martyr of Mangazeya

2012-01-19T17:53:00.000-08:00

St. Basil the Martyr of Mangazeya - Commemorated March 23 (his martyrdom) and May 10 (the translation of his relics) (http://www.ihtus.ru/092007/st05_01.jpg)

Saint Basil was born in 1587 in the very old town of Yaroslavl. Yaroslavl was an important port on the Volga River. Basil's father Theodore was a poor merchant and his family often had very little food.

Even when he was a very small boy, Saint Basil used to go to the church every time he could. He loved God's house and wanted to be there more than any place else.

In those days, when a boy was twelve years old, he could become an apprentice. An apprentice is someone who works for a company without pay just to learn the business. The boss pays the boy's father a certain ammount and then gives the boy food and a place to live.

Because Basil's family was very poor, he agreed to become an apprentice too. The saint became an apprentice for a merchant in the Siberian town of Mangazeya.

St. Basil of Mangazeya (http://cr-sobor.narod.ru/icon9.htm)

Sibera was a very dangerous place, full of wild animals, war-like native tribes and lawless men. The journey to Mangazeya was long, difficult and full of danger. When Saint Basil arrived there safely, he hurried to the church to give thanks to God for protection on the road. Then he went to the merchant's office where he was given the job of clerk. Saint Basil was a very good and careful worker. Soon he was given a more responsible job in the company.

Unfortunately, at that time Siberia was a frontier area, and there were almost no women there. Because of this, some men who had beastial passions used to commit homosexual acts with young men and boys. Saint Basil's boss was one of these perverse men. Soon after Saint Basil had arrived in Mangazeya, the boss tried to entice the youth into homosexual relations. He tried flattery, he offered Basil money and finally, he tried threats and punishments.

Saint Basil only continued to fast and pray and ask God to help him remain pure.

St. Basil of Mangazeya, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and St. Helen the Equal-to-the-Apostles (http://www.divinum.ru/images/nikolai-vasily-elena-big.jpg)

The boss began to hate Basil. He was angry that he would not submit to his evil lust, and he hated Basil's prayerful, religious life. He especially hated Basil for his meek and humble personality. But no matter how much he persecuted and mistreated the innocent lad, Saint Basil continued to faithfully and honestly perform all his duties and responsibilities.

Finally, the persecutions and slanders reached a terrible point. During the Paschal Matins, theives robbed the merchandise house in which Basil worked. The boss, discovering the theft, went to the governor and reported the theft. But then a terrible deed occured: the merchant hated Basil so much and the evil in him was so strong that he formally accused the innocent of being the robber.

Thus, on the day of Christ's Bright Pascha, when the Holy Church calls all people to peace and love, this inocent, God-fearing boy was betrayed by a false witness, just as Christ had been betrayed by false witnesses. The governor did not even investigate the charges. He sent officers to arrest Saint Basil and drag him right out of the church. The governor and Basils boss began to torture the boy in order to force a confession out of him. In spite of all the fierce tortures, the blessed one would only reply meekly: "I am innocent."

The pain of the torture became so unbearable that the youth fainted, but when he came to, he again quietly repeated, "I am innocent."

The meek, humble, Christ-like endurance and peaceful reply of the young saint enraged the evil merchant even more. Finally, he flew into a demonic rage and struck the innocent virgin on the head with a heavy chain of keys. Saint Basil fell to the floor, sighed heavily and gave up his pure soul into the hands of the Lord, on the day of Christ's Radiant Pascha, 1600.

In order to hide this foul crime, the Governor, Mr. Pushkin, and the passion-crazed merchant, placed the body of the holy martyr into a rough coffin and lowered it into a nearby marsh, weighed down with stones.

Rumors of the brutal murder circulated around the town of Mangazeya almost immediately after the incident, but God chose to conceal the sacred relics of His saint for fifty-two years.

St. Basil of Mangazeya, with the implement of his martyrdom (http://norilsk-sobor.ru/files/attaches/1172137201_vasiliymangazeyskiy.jpg)

In 1652, during the tenure of the military governor Ignaty Stepanovich Korsakov, God willed to reveal the glory of His Virgin Martyr. In that year, many wonderous events began to occur in the area around Mangazeya. Many pious people had dreams in which a beardless youth appeared to them and many ill people were healed by this holy boy. A strange light was seen over the marsh and unseen voices were heard chanting nearby.

Then, the coffin of the saint rose slowly to the top of the mud. A pious archer, Steven Shiryaev, noticed the coffin, but did nothing about it. Saint Basil appeared to him in a dream and told him to open the the coffin. The whole story of Saint Basil's martyrdom became known.

The coffin was brought out of the swamp and opened. Inside they found the sacred relics of the saint, whole and incorrupt. A chapel was built over the relics and many people received healing through the prayers of the young martyr.

St. Basil the Virgin Martyr of Mangazeya (http://litopys.net/img/thisday/April/05-04/Vasilij_Mangazejskij1.jpg)

[A chapel was built over his grave, and in 1670 the relics were placed in the church of Holy Trinity Monastery near Turakhanov.

In 1719 the holy Metropolitan Philotheus of Siberia (May 31) sent a carved reliquary to the monastery. Many miracles took place there, and St Basil helped Metropolitan Philotheus on many occasions

A new stone church was built at Holy Trinity Monastery in 1787, and the relics were transferred there.

In iconography, St Basil is portrayed as a young man with light brown hair, bare-footed and wearing only a shirt. He is also depicted on the Abaletsk Icon "Of the Sign" (July 20, November 27). (http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100874)]

Holy Virgin Martyr Basil of Mangazeya, pray to God for us!
(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/03/saint-basil-of-mangazeya-12-year-old.html)

For another account with more miracles of the Saint (in Russian), see: http://www.ihtus.ru/092007/st05.shtml.

St. Basil of Mangazeya (http://www.ruicon.ru/exhibition/1x1.php?page_28=46&)

Apolytikion in the First Tone
Thou O Basil didst witness unto death to the glory of virginity, and having been cast into the darkness of a swamp by thy cruel tormentors, thou didst ascend to the heights and shine forth with the glory of the Eternal Light, wherefore we cry to thee rejoicing, glory to Christ Who has glorified thee, glory to Him Who has made thee wondrous, glory to Him Who worketh healings for all through thee.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
Chosen Martyr of Christ, patron of missionaries, protector of those who struggle for chastity, we see thee as a radiant lamp in the darkness of a wicked and perverse generation. And since thou hast been thrice-crowned by our Saviour, free us from passions, who cry to thee: Rejoice Holy Martyr Basil, radiant light of virginity.
(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/03/saint-basil-of-mangazeya-12-year-old.html)

St. Basil of Mangazeya (http://turuhansk.info/svyato/img/mangaz.png)

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

St. Sebastian the Martyr of Rome, and those with him

2012-01-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

St. Sebastian the Martyr of Rome, and those with him - Commemorated on December 18 (http://www.saint.gr/3288/saint.aspx)

The Holy Martyr Sebastian was born in the city of Narbonum in Gaul (modern France), and he received his education at Mediolanum (now Milan). Under the co-reigning emperors Diocletian and Maximian (284-305) he occupied the position of head of the imperial guards. St Sebastian was respected for his authority, and was loved by the soldiers and those at court. He was a brave man filled with wisdom, his word was honest, his judgment just, insightful in advice, faithful in his service and in everything entrusted to him. He was a secret Christian, not out of fear, but so that he could provide help to the brethren in a time of persecution.

The noble Christian brothers Marcellinus and Mark had been locked up in prison, and at first they firmly confessed the true Faith. But under the influence of the tearful entreaties of their pagan parents (Tranquillinus and Marcia), and also their own wives and children, they began to waver in their intent to suffer for Christ. St Sebastian went to the imperial treasurer, at whose house Marcellinus and Mark were held in confinement, and addressed the brothers who were on the verge of yielding to the entreaties of their family.

"O valiant warriors of Christ! Do not cast away your everlasting crowns of victory because of the tears of your relatives. Do not remove your feet from the necks of your enemies who lie prostrate before you, lest they regain their strength and attack you more fiercely than before. Raise your banner high over every earthly attachment. If those whom you see weeping knew that there is another life where there is neither sickness nor death, where there is unceasing gladness and everything is beautiful, then assuredly they would wish to enter it with you. Anyone who fears to exchange this brief earthly life for the unending joys of the heavenly Kingdom is foolish indeed. For he who rejects eternity wastes the brief time of his existence, and will be delivered to everlasting torment in Hades."

Then St Sebastian said that if necessary, he would be willing to endure torment and death in order to show them how to give their lives for Christ.

So St Sebastian persuaded the brothers to go through with their act of martyrdom, and his speech stirred everyone present. They saw how his face shone like that of an angel, and they saw how seven angels clothed him in a radiant garment, and heard a fair Youth say, "You shall be with Me always."

St. Sebastian the Martyr (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/jpg/im3892.jpg)

Zoe, the wife of the jailer Nicostratus, had lost her ability to speak six years previously, and she fell down at the feet of St Sebastian, by her gestures imploring him to heal her. The saint made the Sign of the Cross over the woman, and she immediately began to speak and she glorified the Lord Jesus Christ. She said that she had seen an angel holding an open book in which everything St Sebastian said was written. Then all who saw the miracle also came to believe in the Savior of the world. Nicostratus removed the chains from Marcellinus and Mark and offered to hide them, but the brothers refused.

Mark said, "Let them tear the flesh from our bodies with cruel torments. They can kill the body, but they cannot conquer the soul which contends for the Faith." Nicostratus and his wife asked for Baptism, and St Sebastian advised Nicostratus to serve Christ rather than the Eparch. He also told him to assemble the prisoners so that those who believed in Christ could be baptized. Nicostratus then requested his clerk Claudius to send all the prisoners to his house. Sebastian spoke to them of Christ, and became convinced that they were all inclined to be baptized. He summoned the priest Polycarp, who prepared them for the Mystery, instructing them to fast in preparation for Baptism that evening.

Then Claudius informed Nicostratus that the Roman eparch Arestius Chromatus wanted to know why the prisoners were gathered at his house. Nicostratus told Claudius about the healing of his wife, and Claudius brought his own sick sons, Symphorian and Felix to St Sebastian. In the evening the priest Polycarp baptized Tranquillinus with his relatives and friends, and Nicostratus and all his family, Claudius and his sons, and also sixteen condemned prisoners. The newly-baptized numbered 64 in all.

Appearing before the eparch Chromatus, Nicostratus told him how St Sebastian had converted them to Christianity and healed many from sickness. The words of Nicostratus persuaded the eparch. He summoned St Sebastian and the presbyter Polycarp, and was enlightened by them, and became a believer in Christ. Nicostratus and Chromatus, his son Tiburtius and all his household accepted holy Baptism. The number of the newly-enlightened increased to 1400. Upon becoming a Christian, Chromatus resigned his office of eparch.

During this time the Bishop of Rome was St Gaius (August 11). He blessed Chromatus to go to his estates in southern Italy with the priest Polycarp. Christians unable to endure martyrdom also went with them. Father Polycarp went to strengthen the newly-converted in the Faith.

Tiburtius, the son of Chromatus, desired to accept martyrdom and he remained in Rome with St Sebastian. Of those remaining, St Gaius ordained Tranquillinus as a presbyter, and his sons Marcellinus and Mark were ordained deacons. Nicostratus, his wife Zoe and brother Castorius, and Claudius, his son Symphorian and brother Victorinus also remained in Rome. They gathered for divine services at the court of the emperor together with a secret Christian named Castulus, but soon the time came for them to suffer for the Faith.

The pagans arrested St Zoe first, praying at the grave of the Apostle Peter. At the trial she bravely confessed her faith in Christ. She died, hung by her hair over the foul smoke from a great fire of dung. Her body then was thrown into the River Tiber. Appearing in a vision to St Sebastian, she told him about her death.

The priest Tranquillinus was the next to suffer: pagans pelted him with stones at the grave of the holy Apostle Peter, and his body was also thrown into the Tiber.

Sts Nicostratus, Castorius, Claudius, Victorinus ,and Symphorian were seized at the riverbank, when they were searching for the bodies of the martyrs. They were led to the eparch, and the saints refused his command to offer sacrifice to idols. They tied stones to the necks of the martyrs and then drowned them in the sea.

The false Christian Torquatus betrayed St Tiburtius. When the saint refused to sacrifice to the idols, the judge ordered Tiburtius to walk barefoot on red-hot coals, but the Lord preserved him. Tiburtius walked through the burning coals without feeling the heat. The torturers then beheaded St Tiburtius, and his body was buried by unknown Christians.

Torquatus also betrayed the holy Deacons Marcellinus and Mark, and St Castulus (March 26). After torture, they threw Castulus into a pit and buried him alive, but Marcellinus and Mark had their feet nailed to the same tree stump. They stood all night in prayer, and in the morning they were stabbed with spears.

The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1841/s1841003.jpg)

St Sebastian was the last one to be tortured. The emperor Diocletian personally interrogated him, and seeing the determination of the holy martyr, he ordered him taken out of the city, tied to a tree and shot with arrows. Irene, the wife of St Castulus, went at night in order to bury St Sebastian, but found him alive and took him to her home.

St Sebastian soon recovered from his wounds. Christians urged him to leave Rome, but he refused. Coming near a pagan temple, the saint saw the emperors approaching and he publicly denounced them for their impiety. Diocletian ordered the holy martyr to be taken to the Circus Maximus to be executed. They clubbed St Sebastian to death, and cast his body into the sewer. The holy martyr appeared to a pious woman named Lucina in a vision, and told her to take his body and bury it in the catacombs. This she did with the help of her slaves. Today his basilica stands on the site of his tomb.
(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103565)

St. Sebastian the Martyr of Rome, pierced with arrows (http://www.aegeanews.gr/images%5Cstories%5Cproducts%5C4d0e3374c209d_pc170896.jpg)

Troparion - Tone 1

O Sebastian, spurning the assemblies of the wicked, you gathered the wise martyrs who with you cast down the enemy; and standing worthily before the throne of God, you gladden those who cry to you: Glory to Him Who has strengthened you! Glory to Him Who has granted you a crown! Glory to Him Who through you works healing for all!

Troparion - Tone 4

Your holy martyrs, O Lord, through their suffering have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. Through their intercessions save our souls!

Kontakion - Tone 4

Excelling in godly zeal, you gathered a band of martyrs from which you shone as a star. The arrows that wounded your body, O Sebastian, pierced the hearts of the enemy. Therefore Christ has glorified you!

(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=103565)

The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian (http://days.pravoslavie.ru/jpg/ih3891.jpg)

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

St. Matrona of Moscow on the coming trials

2012-01-14T05:05:00.000-08:00

St. Matrona of Moscow (physically blind during her life, but properly depicted here with the eyes of her soul open, and whose physical eyes will also be open in Paradise) (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1415/s1415001.jpg)

St. Matrona of Moscow on the coming trials
To those close to her, Matushka said, “I feel so sorry for you, you will live to the last times. Life will be worse and worse. It will be very heavy. There will be a time when they will put before you a cross and bread and say: Choose!”

Those who were close to her answered, “We will choose the Cross, but how will we be able to live then?”

She replied, “We will pray, take earth, make little balls out of it. We will pray to God, we will eat and be satisfied!”

But she also said that those in difficult situations should not be afraid of anything, no matter how terrifying. "Christ has placed us on His sleigh, and He will take us where He wills.”
(http://manastir-lepavina.org/novosti/index.php/engtext/detaljnije/matrona_of_moscow_saint_and_wonderworker/, http://www.antiochian.org/node/18294)

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

St. Kyranna the New Martyr of Thessaloniki (+1751)

2012-01-10T19:49:00.000-08:00

St. Kyranna the New Martyr of Thessaloniki (+1751) - Commemorated January 8 and February 28 (http://www.orthodoxienstasi.com/images/agia_kyranna/psifidoto_agias_kyrannas.jpg)

The Life of St. Kyranna

Our Orthodox Church today celebrates the memory of the New Martyr Kyranni or Kyranna. Saint Kyranna came from the village of Ossa near Thessaloniki. Because she was very beautiful, one a day a certain janissary who came to the New Martyr's village in order to collect taxes, upon seeing her, wanted to make her his wife. Even though he tried to persuade her to change her religion with flatterings and gifts in order for her to marry him, the modest girl stubbornly refused to resign to his flattering. Then he began to bully and to threaten her that if she did not give up her faith, he would torture and kill her.

But the saint did not change her mind, neither with the threats nor his bullying. He therefore captured her and brought her to the Muslim judge in Thessaloniki, where before the judge he lied by saying that Kyranna cheated him by promising him that she would become Muslim in order to marry him, but at the end she refused to do so. When the Saint was asked to defend herself, she confessed before all who were present her faith in Christ, and right after, the Turks imprisoned her.

Inside the prison, the Saint went through daily torture from the janissary and the prison guards. One would hit her with a stick, another with the flat of his sword, and another would kick or punch her. Then when they left, the jailer would come and hang her by her arms and beat her until he was tired out, despite the cries of outrage and rebukes of the common prisoners. Despite these torments, Kyranna would remain strong and courageous, and seemed unaffected by the pain as if someone else were suffering, and she refused the food offered her.

One night, after seven days of such torment, on the 28th of February 1751, Kyranna was severely beaten by the jailer with a piece of wood and he left her hanging dead. This was done because the jailer had illegally allowed others in to beat Kyranna, and one Christian prisoner threatened to reveal this to the pasha. In the morning the body of the Saint was covered by Holy Light and gave off a celestial fragrance, as her soul was delivered to God, and the Christian prisoners upon seeing that, started to glorify the Lord, but the Muslims and Jews were afraid because they thought it was fire. When the Christian prisoner went to bring down the body of the Saint and found out that she was dead, he took care of it, and the next day it was given to the Christians who buried it. This Christian reprimanded the jailer, who came to repent of his evil deed.

Today, in the village of Ossa, a great church exists dedicated to the New Martyr, Saint Kyranna, who is also the patron Saint of the community, and for this reason it is dedicated to her memory, since she was born and lived in Ossa. According to the historian Asterios Thilikos, the church was built in 1840, or according to its foundation date, it was built in 1868. The miraculous icon of Saint Kyranna is kept inside the church, which was painted around 1870, by Christodoulos Ioannou Zografos from the village of Siatista.

The church is a center of reverence for the villagers of Ossa, a place of worship throughout the region and her memory there is celebrated on January 8. In a Codex of Great Lavra her memory is listed for celebration on January 1. Generally her memory is celebrated on February 28th. The reason why her feast is celebrated in January is because it often happens that February 28th lands during the somber season of Great Lent when celebrations are discouraged.

(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/02/saint-kyranna-new-martyr-1751.html)

St. Kyranna the New Virgin Martyr (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8rEfulUPVLs/TwxVUv64huI/AAAAAAAAHAM/l8bqoT5DGQQ/s1600/28.%2B%25CE%259A%25CE%25A5%25CE%25A1%25CE%2591%25CE%259D%25CE%259D%25CE%2591%2B%25CE%259D%25CE%2595%25CE%2591%2B%25CE%259F%25CE%25A3%25CE%2599%25CE%259F%25CE%259C%25CE%2591%25CE%25A1%25CE%25A4%25CE%25A5%25CE%25A3%2B%25281%2529.jpg)

The Uncovering of the Holy Relics of St. Kyranna
Following the heroic and martyric death of the young Saint Kyranna on 28 February 1751, the faithful took her precious relics and had her buried outside the city of Thessaloniki. At the same time portions of her clothes were cut into pieces and given to the faithful as relics for a blessing. The people of the village of Ossa had a church built in the village in her honor a few decades after this event and Christoforos Prodromitis had a Service of Praise written to be chanted on the annual commemoration of her martyrdom. Her life was recorded by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite in his New Martyrology.

Because St. Kyranna was martyred during the time of Turkish occupation, the only thing that was known about the location of her relics was that they were buried "outside the walls" of Thessaloniki. 260 years later St. Kyranna allowed the location of her relics to be discovered to the people who have honored her memory all this time. This all began when Metropolitan John of Lagada inaugurated 2011 as the year of Saint Kyranna, and he began to research her life in various sources. Thus on 12 September 2011, with the help of a monk from Mount Athos and the assistance of specialists and forensic experts, they confirmed that in the Holy Altar of the Church of the Archangels in Ossa, where St. Kyranna herself attended the Divine Liturgy, beneath the floor slabs a large portion of her relics were discovered.

The area in the Holy Altar of the Church of the Archangels, Ossa where the relics of St. Kyranna were found (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-65YqwoP9-l4/To8ema1_ZiI/AAAAAAAASRM/pH9seTvHzuw/s1600/kyrannag)

Any questions generated by the investigation of the remains of the Saint were quickly put aside when a beautiful fragrance filled the church when the relics of the Saint were uncovered. With her bones there were also the leather shoes of the Saint, and forensic experts were able to determine the height, sex, age and year of burial of the Saint. Following this great discovery, Metropolitan John notified Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, then proceeded to have the public informed through a formal statement.

On Friday 23 September 2011 in an atmosphere of emotion and piety, the faithful of Ossa and the surrounding area gathered in the Church of the Archangels to celebrate the first all-night vigil with the presence of the relics of their patron saint. Metropolitan John was the officiant together with Bishop Demetrios of Thermes and a large number of priests from the Metropolis. The celebration will continue until October 10th with daily Supplication Services and all-night vigils, and will culminate on October 11th when Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will visit the village and venerate the relics of St. Kyranna. At that time also the relics of St. Kyranna will be translated from the Church of the Archangels to the newer church dedicated to her honorable memory.

On 11 October 2011 Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the Church of the Archangels in the village of Ossa in Lagada to venerate the recently discovered holy relics of the Holy New Martyr Kyranna. He was met by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, Metropolitan John of Lagada, many more bishops and priests, and a multitude of people who gathered for the Doxology.

The Reliquary with the newly discovered Holy Relics of St. Kyranna the New Martyr (http://www.orthodoxienstasi.com/images/agia_kyranna/lipsano_agias_kyrannas_01.jpg)

After Metropolitan John spoke about the life and martyrdom of St. Kyranna, as well as the miraculous discovery of her holy relics in recent days, the Ecumenical Patriarch spoke about the mindset of St. Kyranna, and noted that she should be an example and model for our times. He supported this by quoting St. John Chrysostom, who said: "Those who honor the martyrs, should imitate the martyrs."

After this priests bore the relics of St. Kyranna in a larnax and began a procession to transfer the relics from the old church to the new church built in honor of the Saint. Women threw flowers before the relics on the way, while children ran to venerate the relics of the Saint or grab a blessing from a priest. When the relics arrived inside the church, they were placed in front of the Holy Altar where Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew venerated them, followed by the Archbishop of Athens, the Bishops and all the people. Shortly afterwards the Ecumenical Patriarch was presented the manuscript of the Service to Saint Kyranna by Tryphon Tsombani, a professor of the Theological School of Aristotle University.
(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/09/recent-discovery-of-relics-of-saint.html, http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/10/on-11-october-2011-ecumenical-patriarch.html)

St. Kyranna the New Martyr of Thessaloniki (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/0005_11.jpg)

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the First Tone (amateur translations below)

Hail, offspring and divine root of Ossa, O Virgin-martyr Kyranna, Bride of God, who struggled steadfastly in these latter days, and deposed the enemy through your firm endurance. And now you ceaselessly intercede on behalf of those who faithfully honor your blessed struggle.

Kontakion in the Second Tone

O Virgin-martyr Kyranna who suffered greatly, and true and virginal bride of Christ, those who hasten to your fervant intercessions, deliver from every sickness and trouble, and grant us endless joy.

Megalynarion

Hail, O sacred root of Ossa, O godly Kyranna, spotless bride of Christ, to Whom you offered the struggles of martyrdom, and thus you were shown a partaker in martyrical glory.

(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/02/saint-kyranna-new-martyr-1751.html, http://voutsinasilias.blogspot.com/2012/01/8-28.html)

For the Paraklesis to St. Kyranna in Greek, see: http://voutsinasilias.blogspot.com/2012/01/8-28.html.

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

Akathist to St. John the Forerunner

2012-01-07T11:46:00.000-08:00

St. John the Forerunner, with scenes from his life (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0966/s0966002.jpg)

Akathist to Saint John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord

Kontakion I

Chosen from days of old to be the Forerunner and Baptist of Christ God, the Saviour of the world, Divinely-praised John, while glorifying the Lord Who glorified thee, we sing thee hymns of praise as to the greatest of those born of woman, as to an angel in the flesh and preacher of repentance. For as thou hast great boldness before the Lord, free us from dangers of all kinds and move us to repentance, as we cry to thee with love: Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord!

Ikos I

Archangel Gabriel, who stands before God, was sent to the priest Zachariah, when he, serving according to his rank, entered with incense into the Sanctuary of the Lord. Standing to the right of the Altar of Incense, the angel announced to him the good news of thy birth, great John, proclaiming to

Zachariah joy and gladness, as many would rejoice at God’s awesome good will concerning thee, reverently crying out in praise of thee:

Rejoice, ineffable confidant of the counsel of God!

Rejoice, fulfillment of His marvelous dispensation!

Rejoice, thou who wast revealed many years before by the prophecy of Isaiah!

Rejoice, messenger before the face of the Lord, prophesied of old!

Rejoice, thou who wast foreordained to be a great prophet of the Most High!

Rejoice, thou who wast born according to the promise of an angel!

Rejoice, thou who wast filled with the Holy Spirit even in thy mother’s womb!

Rejoice, thou who wast consecrated for a great ministry before thy birth!

Rejoice, release of parents’ barrenness!

Rejoice, joy and gladness of a priest of God!

Rejoice, offspring of a daughter of Aaron!

Rejoice, God-given fruit of prayer!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion II

When Zachariah saw the angel appearing to him, he was disturbed and fear fell upon him, and he did not believe the words of his announcement concerning thy birth; but when he was stricken with dumbness for his disbelief, he marveled at this most glorious wonder, crying to God with all his heart: Alleluia!

Ikos II

Seeking to understand the unfathomable Mind, the people awaited Zachariah, wondering at his tarrying in the Sanctuary; but when he came out and could not speak to them, but only made signs, they all understood that he had beheld a vision in the Sanctuary. And we, glorifying God, the marvelous Creator of miracles, cry unto thee:

Rejoice, good source of thy father’s silence!

Rejoice, change of thy mother’s tears into joy!

Rejoice, removal of her reproach among the people!

Rejoice, great consolation for those who gave thee birth!

Rejoice, for in the sixth month after thy conception, the Most Holy Virgin Mary was visited by an angel in Nazareth!

Rejoice, for many rejoiced over thy birth!

Rejoice, for thou didst receive a Grace-filled name, given by an angel!

Rejoice, for by thy name the silence of thy father Zachariah was ended!

Rejoice, for the name of God was blessed by thy father on account of thee!

Rejoice, for fear and wonder over thy miraculous birth came upon those living round about!

Rejoice, for the news of thy miraculous birth spread over the entire land of Judea!

Rejoice, for by thee salvation appeared to many in this world!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion III

The power of the Most High ended the barrenness of the righteous Elizabeth, who was beyond the natural age for bearing children, for she conceived thee, the glorious Forerunner of the Lord, and keeping this secret for five months, she said: For thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He looked on me to take away my reproach among men. But when she received Her Who bore Christ in Her Womb, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried with a loud voice: Whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?, and rejoicing with Her, she cried unto God: Alleluia!

Ikos III

Thou who wast to go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah wast filled with the Holy Spirit while still in thy mother’s womb, whence thou didst appear as a marvelous prophet, when thou didst leap with rejoicing at the coming of the Mother of the Lord; for thou didst recognize God borne in the womb of Her Who is full of Grace, and by thy mother’s voice didst preach Him; for it was proper for the beginning of Divine things to be most glorious. Wherefore, reverently marveling at this, with joy we cry to thee:

Rejoice, while still in thy mother’s womb proclaiming with miraculous gladness the Lord Who glorified thee!

Rejoice, for because of thee and thy mother Elizabeth the incarnation of Christ was revealed!

Rejoice, for she also was filled with the Holy Spirit!

Rejoice, for she appeared as a most marvelous prophetess!

Rejoice, for by her the Most Holy Virgin Mary was called blessed among women!

Rejoice, for by her She was also named the Mother of the Lord!

Rejoice, for Her seedless fruit was declared most blessed!

Rejoice, manifestation of divine wisdom!

Rejoice, blessing of a holy marriage!

Rejoice, wonderful offspring of a barren womb!

Rejoice, thou who astonished men by thy birth!

Rejoice, radiant voice of the Word!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

St. John the Forerunner, with scenes from his life (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0966/s0966009.jpg)

Kontakion IV

Disturbed by a storm of doubt, the priest Zachariah was unable to speak, according to the angel’s word. But when after thy birth, O Forerunner of the Lord, he wrote thy Grace-filled name, immediately his lips and tongue were loosened, and he spake, blessing God and prophesying, saying: Blessed by the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, singing unto Him: Alleluia!

Ikos IV

On hearing of thy most glorious and miraculous birth, the people who lived round about said among themselves with amazement: What will this child become? But we unworthily honoring thee, most glorious Forerunner of the Lord, as the greatest of those born of women, glorify thee thus:

Rejoice, thou who wast filled with manifestations of Grace from thy conception!

Rejoice, thou who wast glorified by God in thy birth!

Rejoice, thou who wast in thine infancy called a prophet of the Most High by the father!

Rejoice, thou who wast in thy childhood enlightened and strengthened by the Holy Spirit!

Rejoice, thou who wast a blood relative of God incarnate!

Rejoice, thou who didst receive from God the lofty calling of Forerunner and Baptist!

Rejoice, ray proclaiming New Light to the World!

Rejoice, star illumining the path that leadeth to Christ!

Rejoice, morning star of the unsetting sun!

Rejoice, lamp of the Never-waning Light!

Rejoice, thou who preparest the way for the approaching Christ!

Rejoice, thou who appearest as both angel and man!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion V

The ungodly command of the lawless murderer of children, Herod, drove thee out of thy father’s house into the trackless wilderness, carried by thy mother, O Forerunner of the Lord, and there thou didst abide until the day of thy appearance unto Israel, eating akrida and wild honey, and calling to God: Alleluia!

Ikos V

Beholding God’s wonderful providence concerning thee, O John praised by God, thou didst appear as a lover of a life of fasting from infancy’s swaddling clothes, whence by the will of the Most High thou wast sent to preach the approaching salvation in Christ. For this reason with amazement and love we cry out to thee:

Rejoice, for, while yet an infant, thou didst terrify King Herod!

Rejoice, thou who wast preserved from his vain murdering by the right hand of the Most High!

Rejoice, fragrant rose of the desert!

Rejoice, thou who amazed all by the height of thine ascetic labors!

Rejoice, faithful indicator of the true way!

Rejoice, most wonderful preserver of purity and chastity!

Rejoice, perfect example of the self-denial of the Gospel!

Rejoice, monastics’ protection and security!

Rejoice, enlightenment of theologians’ minds!

Rejoice, thou who dost open the doors of God’s compassion to the sinful!

Rejoice, thou who dost help to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion VI

A glorious preacher, a Divine Forerunner, wast thou shown to be in the desert of Jordan on the day of the appearance of Christ God to the world, for upon His approaching thee, thou didst show Him to the people, saying: Behold, the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world! And we, having known Him through faith, sing unto Him: Alleluia!

Ikos VI

Thou didst shine as a light of truth, O John, enlightened by God, manifesting unto all the effulgence of the Glory of the Father, appearing in the flesh for our sake. For thou didst cry out to the people in the wilderness: Repent ye; for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand; bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. For behold, there cometh after me, One Who shall baptize you with water and the Spirit. Therefore we cry out to thee with praises:

Rejoice, herald of the coming of the Messiah!

Rejoice, preparer of the paths of the Lord!

Rejoice, intercessor of the old and new Grace!

Rejoice, end of the prophets and beginning of the apostles!

Rejoice, renowned voice of the Word!

Rejoice, thundering preacher of repentance!

Rejoice, thou who didst convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord!

Rejoice, thou who didst make people perfect for the Lord!

Rejoice, thou who boldly didst expose the Pharisees and Sadducees!

Rejoice, teaching to bear fruit worthy of repentance!

Rejoice, indicator of spiritual enlightenment!

Rejoice, untiring intercessor for those seeking thy protection!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

St. John the Forerunner (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0966/s0966027.jpg)

Kontakion VII

When the Lord Jesus wanted to be baptized, O Divinely blessed John, thou didst say: I have need to be baptized of Thee; however, submitting to Him Who said, Let it be so now! Thou didst raise thy right hand upon His head and having baptized Him Who did not need purification, thou didst cry out: Alleluia!

Ikos VII

Giving thee new Grace, the Lord willed to be baptized by thee, granting thee to behold the coming of the Spirit and to hear the Father’s voice from the heavens testifying to His Sonship. Whenceforth thou didst teach us to worship one God in Three Persons; Whom glorifying with lips of clay, we offer these praises to thee:

Rejoice, first preacher of the Trinity’s Theophany!

Rejoice, true worshipper of the one God in Three Persons!

Rejoice, clear beholder of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove!

Rejoice, witness to His descent from the Father upon the Son!

Rejoice, hearer of the voice of God the Father from Heaven!

Rejoice, beholder of the revelation of the Father’s love for the Son!

Rejoice, chosen baptist of the Son of God!

Rejoice, fulfiller of His holy will!

Rejoice, zealous struggler in the glorious service for the salvation of the human race!

Rejoice, first celebrant of the great Mystery of Baptism!

Rejoice, herald of divine joy!

Rejoice, first teacher of the New Testament!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion VIII

Having beheld the strange and ineffable humility of the Incarnate God the Word, O Divinely-blessed Baptist, when He bowed His Divine Head to thee and received a servile baptism, thou thyself wast wholly filled with great humility. Entreat therefore this Divinely-loved virtue for us also, who are possessed by pride, that we may cry to Him from a humble heart: Alleluia!

Ikos VIII

Wholly filled with the gifts of Grace, in finishing the course of earthly life, John the Divinely-chosen, thou didst teach all to please God well through fulfillment of the Law and repentance. Therefore, we sing out thankful praises to thee, the great teacher of truth:

Rejoice, planter of the law and statutes of the Lord!

Rejoice, exposer of Herod’s lawlessness!

Rejoice, zealot for his correction!

Rejoice, thou who didst suffer imprisonment and bonds for the sake of righteousness!

Rejoice, thou who wast beheaded for the truth!

Rejoice, for thy body was given an honorable burial by thy disciples!

Rejoice, for by God’s providence thy head was preserved incorrupt!

Rejoice, for it has granted consolation, sanctification, and healing to Christians!

Rejoice, for the faithful piously bow down also before thy right hand which baptized the Lord!

Rejoice, for many miracles are thereby accomplished even to the present day!

Rejoice, for by thee the faithful are delivered from the dishonor of passions!

Rejoice, for by thee the sinful are moved to repentance!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion IX

The angelic realm was amazed at the loftiness of thy ministry, and the Church reverently praiseth thee as the friend of Christ God, coming before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah. For, zealous for truth, thou didst boldly expose the Pharisees and lawless Herod, from whom thou didst receive a martyr’s end. Therefore, we bow down before thy holy head, and pray to thee: deliver us from the dishonor of passions, that with a pure heart and lips we may chant: Alleluia!

Ikos IX

No rhetoric of the earthly-born can suffice worthily to praise thee, John the Divinely-praised; for the lips of Christ praised thee, calling thee higher than the prophets and the greatest of all those born of woman. Wherefore, not knowing how to offer thee worthy praise, we cry to thee such things as these:

Rejoice, great glory of the Church of Christ!

Rejoice, most marvelous wonder of the angels!

Rejoice, joy and glorification of the forefathers!

Rejoice, lofty praise of the prophets!

Rejoice, divinely-illumined crown of the apostles!

Rejoice, magnificent beauty of hierarchs!

Rejoice, beginning of martyrs in the new Grace!

Rejoice, perfection of holy monastics!

Rejoice, adornment of the righteous!

Rejoice, foundation of virgins and fasters!

Rejoice, great consolation of all Christians!

Rejoice, for thy name is glorified by all Christian generations!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

St. John the Forerunner, with scenes from his life (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0966/s0966042.jpg)

Kontakion X

Thou didst proclaim to those in Hades the good news of Christ, come in the flesh to save the world; for like the morning star preceding the sun, thou didst illumine those sitting in the darkness and shadow of death, whence thou wast soon lead forth by the Lord with all the righteous from the beginning of the age, chanting to Him as the Deliverer and Conqueror of death: Alleluia!

Ikos X

Thou art a wall and saving refuge to all who hasten to thee in prayer, Divine John; therefore, we bless thee with hymns of praise thus:

Rejoice, our mighty intercessor and faithful preserver from harm!

Rejoice, quick helper and deliverer of those suffering from the spirits of malice!

Rejoice, thou who dost send down the blessing from God on the barren!

Rejoice, thou who dost deliver those who run to thee with faith from great disturbance of passions!

Rejoice, thou who dost quickly reconcile those who are at enmity!

Rejoice, thou who dost grant speedy help to those who fervently hasten to thee in every need and sorrow!

Rejoice, thou who dost rescue those who are running the good race from self deception and prelest!

Rejoice, thou who dost help those who entrust themselves to thine intercession at the hour of death!

Rejoice, thou who by thine intercession dost deliver those who love thee from the toll-houses of the air!

Rejoice, thou who dost vouchsafe eternal life to those who honor thy glorious memory!

Rejoice, defense of the poor and widows and orphans!

Rejoice, after God and the Theotokos, the refuge and hope of Christians!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion XI

No hymn is sufficient to praise thee according to the legacy of thy great deeds, O Baptist of the Lord. But we, compelled by love, dare to hymn thy greatness. Do thou mercifully accept this from us, O intercessor before the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, and pray to free us from every sinful corruption, that with pure heart and lips we may chant to God: Alleluia!

Ikos XI

Knowing thee to be a lamp of the Unapproachable Light and entirely filled with the all-radiant gifts of Grace, John the Divinely-enlightened, joyfully we offer thee such words as these:

Rejoice, eyewitness of the Divine Light shining from on high!

Rejoice, thou who dost praise God by the light of thy virtues!

Rejoice, thou who dost reveal the majestic glory of the Most Holy Trinity!

Rejoice, thou who dost point out the correct and marvelous path to Heaven!

Rejoice, harbinger of the good news of God Incarnate for those in Hades!

Rejoice, bearer of glad tidings for the righteous held in the nether regions from the beginning of the age!

Rejoice, sincere friend of the Master, Christ God!

Rejoice, thou who dost reveal to the world the True Light!

Rejoice, radiance of the shining light of the Gospel!

Rejoice, glorification of the Christian race!

Rejoice, fulfillment of the Counsel of God!

Rejoice, for from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same thy name is to be praised!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion XII

Bearing the name of Grace, O Baptist of the Lord, and enriched thereby, thou didst appear as a most glorious bearer of victory; for thou didst conquer enemies and every malice, and thou didst seal thy ministry with martyrdom. And now, standing before the throne of the King of kings, entreat Him to grant to all the faithful victory over their enemies and Godspeed in all things, and the strengthening of Grace in virtues, as they chant to Him: Alleluia!

Ikos XII

Hymning God, Who was wondrously glorified in thee, we praise thee, Divinely-blessed Baptist, as the sincere friend of Christ; we praise thy great ascetic struggles, we bless thy martyr’s death, and joyfully we cry to thee such things as these:

Rejoice, universal apostle and first martyr of the New Testament!

Rejoice, first preacher of the Kingdom of Heaven manifested by the appearance of Christ on the earth!

Rejoice, foreteller of the divine calling of the gentiles!

Rejoice, thou who didst manifest unto the world the hidden and secret things of the wisdom of God!

Rejoice, thou who wast shown to be more fruitful than others in divine deeds!

Rejoice, for by the light of thy deeds the Heavenly Father was glorified!

Rejoice, for thou dost unspeakably gladden the Church of Christ concerning thy memory!

Rejoice, for now thou dost eternally enjoy abundant gladness!

Rejoice, illuminated by the divine rays of the Light of the Three-sunned Light!

Rejoice, for thou dost unceasingly chant with the bodiless ones the thrice-holy hymn to God!

Rejoice, for now with the mirror removed, thou dost directly behold the Holy Trinity!

Rejoice, great John, Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord!

Kontakion XIII

O great and most glorious John, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord! Receive from us now this supplication offered to thee, and by thy prayers, which are pleasing to God, deliver us from evil of all kind, and rescue us from eternal torment, and make us heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, that throughout the ages we may chant unto God: Alleluia!

This Kontakion is recited thrice, whereupon Ikos 1 and Kontakion 1 are repeated.

St. John the Forerunner (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0966/s0966003.jpg)

Prayer to Saint John the Baptist

O Baptist of Christ, Holy Forerunner, last of the prophets, first of the martyrs, instructor of fasters and desert-dwellers, teacher of purity and close friend of Christ! I pray thee; I run to thee. Do not reject me from thy protection, but lift me up who am fallen in many sins; renew my soul by repentance, as by a second Baptism. Purify me, corrupted by sins, and compel me to enter therein where no corruption can enter: into the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.
(http://www.osjknights.com/3%20Prayers/Akathist%20to%20Saint%20John%20the%20Baptist.pdf)

St. John the Forerunner (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0966/s0966041.jpg)

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

"When Augustus reigned alone on the earth..."

2012-01-06T22:19:00.000-08:00

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

Icon depicting the enrollment of Caesar Augustus, with the Theotokos and the Righteous Joseph (http://www.cirota.ru/forum/view.php?subj=32581&order=&pg=1)

Glory. Both now.

The same Tone. By Kasia.

When Augustus reigned alone on the earth, the many kingdoms of mankind came to an end; and when you became man from the pure Virgin, the many gods of idolatry were destroyed; the cities of the world passed under one single rule; and the nations came to believe in one single Godhead; the peoples were enrolled by decree of Caesar; we the faithful were enrolled in the name of the Godhead, when you became man, O our God. Great is your mercy, Lord; glory to you!

(http://anastasis.org.uk/25decves.htm)

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

Hymn I on Theophany, by St. Ephraim the Syrian

2012-01-05T04:05:00.000-08:00

Icon of Theophany (http://www.holytrinitybutte.org/images/theophany.jpg)

Hymn I on Theophany, by St. Ephraim the Syrian

1. The heavens He has renewed, for that fools worshipped all the luminaries:-He has renewed the earth, for that in Adam it was wasted.1 -That which He fashioned has become new by His spittle:-and the All-Sufficing has restored bodies with souls.

2. Gather yourselves again ye-sheep and without labour receive cleansing!-for one needs not as Elisha-to bathe seven times in the river, nor again to be wearied as the priests are wearied with sprinklings.

3. Seven times Elisha purified himself in a mystery of the seven spirits;-and the hyssop and blood are a mighty symbol.-There is no room for division;-He is not divided from the Lord of all Who is Son of the Lord of all.

4. Moses sweetened in Marah the waters that were bitter,-because the People complained and murmured:-Thus he gave a sign of baptism,-wherein the Lord of life makes sweet them that were bitter.

5. The cloud overshadowed and kept off the burning heat from the camp;-it showed a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which overshadows you in baptism-tempering the flaming fire that it harm not your bodies.

6. Through the sea the People then passed, and showed a symbol-of the baptism wherein ye were washed. The People passed through that and believed not:-the Gentiles were baptized in this and believed and received the Holy [Spirit].

7. The Word sent the Voice [St. John the Forerunner] to proclaim before His Coming,-to prepare for Him the way by which He came,-and to betroth the Bride till He should come,-that she might be ready when He should come and take her from the water.

8. The voice of prophecy stirred the son of the barren woman,-and he went forth wandering in the desert and crying,-"Lo! the Son of the Kingdom comes!-prepare ye the way that He may enter and abide in your dwellings!"

9. John cried, "Who comes after me, He is before me:-I am the Voice but not the Word;-I am the torch but not the Light;-the Star that rises before the Sun of Righteousness."

10. In the wilderness this John had cried and had said,-"Repent ye sinners of your evils,-and offer the fruits of repentance;-for lo! He comes that winnows the wheat from the tares."

11. The Lightgiver has prevailed and marked a mystery, by the degrees he ascended:-Lo! there are twelve days since he ascended,-and to-day this is the thirteenth:-a perfect mystery of Him, the Son, and His twelve!

12. Darkness was overcome to make it manifest that Satan was overcome;-and the Light prevailed that he should proclaim-that the Firstborn triumphs: darkness was overcome-with the Dark Spirit, and our Light prevailed with the Lightgiver.

13. In the Height and the Depth the Son had two heralds.-The star of light proclaimed Him from above;-John likewise preached Him from beneath:-two heralds, the earthly and the heavenly.

14. The star of light, contrary to nature, shone forth of a sudden;-less than the sun yet greater than the sun.-Less was it than he in manifest light;-and greater than he in secret might because of its mystery.

15. The star of light shed its rays among them that were in darkness,-and guided them as though they were blind;-so that they came and met the great Light:-they gave offerings and received life and adored and departed.

16. The herald from above showed His Nature to be from the Most High;-likewise he that was from beneath showed His Body to be from humankind, mighty marvel!-that His Godhead and His Manhood by them were proclaimed!

17. Thus whoso reckons Him as of earth, the star of light-will convince him that He is of Heaven: and whoso reckons Him as of spirit,-this John will convince him that He is also bodily.

18. John drew near with his parents and worshipped the Sun,-and brightness rested on His Face.-He was not moved as when in the womb.-Mighty marvel! that here he worships and there he leaped!

19. The whole creation became for Him as one mouth and cried out concerning Him.-The Magi cry out in their gifts;-the barren cry out with their children;-the star of light, lo! it cries out in the air, "Behold the Son of the King!"

20. The heavens are opened, the waters break forth, the dove is in glory!-The voice of the Father is stronger than thunder,-as it utters the word, "This is My Beloved";-the Watchers brought the tidings, the children acclaimed Him in their Hosannas.

(See the following link for 15 Hymns of St. Ephraim the Syrian on Theophany: http://orthodoxchurchfathers.com/fathers/npnf213/npnf2129.htm#P3137_1066538)

The Baptism of Christ, and the clear Revelation of God the Trinity to the world (Theophany) (http://www.orthodoxchurchinphilippines.omhksea.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ceb5e1bcb0ceba-ceb8ceb5cebfcf86.jpg)

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

St. Seraphim of Sarov, the Righteous Wonderworker

2012-01-01T21:48:00.000-08:00

St. Seraphim of Sarov, the Righteous Wonderworker - Commemorated on January 2 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1857/s1857009.jpg)

Saint Seraphim of Sarov, a great ascetic of the Russian Church, was born on July 19, 1754. His parents, Isidore and Agathia Moshnin, were inhabitants of Kursk. Isidore was a merchant. Toward the end of his life, he began construction of a cathedral in Kursk, but he died before the completion of the work. His little son Prochorus, the future Seraphim, remained in the care of his widowed mother, who raised her son in piety.

After the death of her husband, Agathia Moshnina continued with the construction of the cathedral. Once she took the seven-year-old Prochorus there with her, and he fell from the scaffolding around the seven-storey bell tower. He should have been killed, but the Lord preserved the life of the future luminary of the Church. The terrified mother ran to him and found her son unharmed.

Young Prochorus, endowed with an excellent memory, soon mastered reading and writing. From his childhood he loved to attend church services, and to read both the Holy Scripture and the Lives of the Saints with his fellow students. Most of all, he loved to pray or to read the Holy Gospel in private.

At one point Prochorus fell grievously ill, and his life was in danger. In a dream the boy saw the Mother of God, promising to visit and heal him. Soon past the courtyard of the Moshnin home came a church procession with the Kursk Root Icon of the Sign (November 27). His mother carried Prochorus in her arms, and he kissed the holy icon, after which he speedily recovered.

St. Seraphim being healed through the Wonderworking Kursk-Root icon of the Theotokos (http://www.stnicholas-oxford.org/parish/images/stories/images/kursk_visit_account/180px-Snp_kursk_prochor.gif)

While still in his youth Prochorus made his plans to devote his life entirely to God and to go to a monastery. His devout mother did not object to this and she blessed him on his monastic path with a copper cross, which he wore on his chest for the rest of his life. Prochorus set off on foot with pilgrims going from Kursk to Kiev to venerate the Saints of the Caves.

The Elder Dositheus (actually a woman, Daria Tyapkina), whom Prochorus visited, blessed him to go to the Sarov wilderness monastery, and there seek his salvation. Returning briefly to his parental home, Prohkor bid a final farewell to his mother and family. On November 20, 1778 he arrived at Sarov, where the monastery then was headed by a wise Elder, Father Pachomius. He accepted him and put him under the spiritual guidance of the Elder Joseph. Under his direction Prochorus passed through many obediences at the monastery: he was the Elder's cell-attendant, he toiled at making bread and prosphora, and at carpentry. He fulfilled all his obediences with zeal and fervor, as though serving the Lord Himself. By constant work he guarded himself against despondency (accidie), this being, as he later said, "the most dangerous temptation for new monks. It is treated by prayer, by abstaining from idle chatter, by strenuous work, by reading the Word of God and by patience, since it is engendered by pettiness of soul, negligence, and idle talk."

With the blessing of Igumen Pachomius, Prochorus abstained from all food on Wednesdays and Fridays, and went into the forest, where in complete isolation he practiced the Jesus Prayer. After two years as a novice, Prochorus fell ill with dropsy, his body became swollen, and he was beset with suffering. His instructor Father Joseph and the other Elders were fond of Prochorus, and they provided him care. The illness dragged on for about three years, and not once did anyone hear from him a word of complaint. The Elders, fearing for his very life, wanted to call a doctor for him, but Prochorus asked that this not be done, saying to Father Pachomius: "I have entrusted myself, holy Father, to the True Physician of soul and body, our Lord Jesus Christ and His All-Pure Mother."

He asked that a Molieben be offered for his health. While the others were praying in church, Prochorus had a vision. The Mother of God appeared to him accompanied by the holy Apostles Peter and John the Theologian. Pointing with Her hand towards the sick monk, the Most Holy Virgin said to St John, "He is one of our kind." Then She touched the side of the sick man with Her staff, and immediately the fluid that had swelled up his body began to flow through the incision that She made. After the Molieben, the brethren found that Prochorus had been healed, and only a scar remained as evidence of the miracle.

Soon, at the place of the appearance of the Mother of God, an infirmary church was built for the sick. One of the side chapels was dedicated to Sts Zosimas and Sabbatius of Solovki (April 17). With his own hands, St Seraphim made an altar table for the chapel out of cypress wood, and he always received the Holy Mysteries in this church.

After eight years as a novice at the Sarov monastery, Prochorus was tonsured with the name Seraphim, a name reflecting his fiery love for the Lord and his zealous desire to serve Him. After a year, Seraphim was ordained as hierodeacon.

Earnest in spirit, he served in the temple each day, incessantly praying even after the service. The Lord granted him visions during the church services: he often saw holy angels serving with the priests. During the Divine Liturgy on Great and Holy Thursday, which was celebrated by the igumen Father Pachomius and by Father Joseph, St Seraphim had another vision. After the Little Entrance with the Gospel, the hierodeacon Seraphim pronounced the words "O Lord, save the God-fearing, and hear us." Then, he lifted his orarion saying, "And unto ages of ages." Suddenly, he was blinded by a bright ray of light.

Looking up, St Seraphim beheld the Lord Jesus Christ, coming through the western doors of the temple, surrounded by the Bodiless Powers of Heaven. Reaching the ambo, the Lord blessed all those praying and entered into His Icon to the right of the royal doors. St Seraphim, in spiritual rapture after this miraculous vision, was unable to utter a word, nor to move from the spot. They led him by the hand into the altar, where he just stood for another three hours, his face having changed color from the great grace that shone upon him. After the vision the saint intensified his efforts. He toiled at the monastery by day, and he spent his nights praying in his forest cell.

St. Seraphim with his priestly stole (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1857/s1857001.jpg)

In 1793, Hierodeacon Seraphim was ordained to the priesthood, and he served the Divine Liturgy every day. After the death of the igumen Father Pachomius, St Seraphim received the blessing of the new Superior Father Isaiah, to live alone in a remote part of the forest three and a half miles from the monastery. He named his new home "Mount Athos," and devoted himself to solitary prayer. He went to the monastery only on Saturday before the all-night Vigil, and returned to his forest cell after Sunday's Liturgy, at which he partook of the Divine Mysteries.

Fr Seraphim spent his time in ascetical struggles. His cell rule of prayer was based on the rule of St Pachomius for the ancient desert monasteries. He always carried the Holy Gospels with him, reading the entire New Testament in the course of a week. He also read the holy Fathers and the service books. The saint learned many of the Church hymns by heart, and sang them while working in the forest. Around his cell he cultivated a garden and set up a beehive. He kept a very strict fast, eating only once during the entire day, and on Wednesdays and Fridays he completely abstained from food. On the first Sunday of the Great Fast he did not partake of food at all until Saturday, when he received the Holy Mysteries.

St. Seraphim of Sarov (http://www.symeon-anthony.info/StSeraphimSarov/StSeraphimSarov_files/i001_043.jpg)

The holy Elder was sometimes so absorbed by the unceasing prayer of the heart that he remained without stirring, neither hearing nor seeing anything around him. The schemamonk Mark the Silent and the hierodeacon Alexander, also wilderness-dwellers, would visit him every now and then. Finding the saint immersed in prayer, they would leave quietly, so they would not disturb his contemplation.

In the heat of summer the righteous one gathered moss from a swamp as fertilizer for his garden. Gnats and mosquitoes bit him relentlessly, but he endured this saying, "The passions are destroyed by suffering and by afflictions."

His solitude was often disturbed by visits from monks and laymen, who sought his advice and blessing. With the blessing of the igumen, Fr Seraphim prohibited women from visiting him, then receiving a sign that the Lord approved of his desire for complete silence, he banned all visitors. Through the prayers of the saint, the pathway to his wilderness cell was blocked by huge branches blown down from ancient pine trees. Now only the birds and the wild beasts visited him, and he dwelt with them as Adam did in Paradise. They came at midnight and waited for him to complete his Rule of prayer. Then he would feed bears, lynxes, foxes, rabbits, and even wolves with bread from his hand. St Seraphim also had a bear which would obey him and run errands for him.

St. Seraphim feeding a bear in the forest (http://fdathanasiou.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sarof-1.jpg)

In order to repulse the onslaughts of the Enemy, St Seraphim intensified his toil and began a new ascetical struggle in imitation of St Simeon the Stylite (September 1). Each night he climbed up on an immense rock in the forest, or a smaller one in his cell, resting only for short periods. He stood or knelt, praying with upraised hands, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." He prayed this way for 1,000 days and nights.

St. Seraphim praying on a rock in asceticism (http://fdathanasiou.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sarof-8.jpg)

Three robbers in search of money or valuables once came upon him while he was working in his garden. The robbers demanded money from him. Though he had an axe in his hands, and could have put up a fight, but he did not want to do this, recalling the words of the Lord: "Those who take up the sword will perish by the sword" (Mt. 26: 52). Dropping his axe to the ground, he said, "Do what you intend." The robbers beat him severely and left him for dead. They wanted to throw him in the river, but first they searched the cell for money. They tore the place apart, but found nothing but icons and a few potatoes, so they left. The monk, regained consciousness, crawled to his cell, and lay there all night.

In the morning he reached the monastery with great difficulty. The brethren were horrified, seeing the ascetic with several wounds to his head, chest, ribs and back. For eight days he lay there suffering from his wounds. Doctors called to treat him were amazed that he was still alive after such a beating.

Fr Seraphim was not cured by any earthly physician: the Queen of Heaven appeared to him in a vision with the Apostles Peter and John. Touching the saint's head, the Most Holy Virgin healed him. However, he was unable to straighten up, and for the rest of his life he had to walk bent over with the aid of a stick or a small axe. St Seraphim had to spend about five months at the monastery, and then he returned to the forest. He forgave his abusers and asked that they not be punished.

St. Seraphim of Sarov, bent over from the injuries he incurred from the robbers (http://www.saintinnocent.org/images/OCO/Seraphim_Sarov_04.JPG)

In 1807 the abbot, Father Isaiah, fell asleep in the Lord. St Seraphim was asked to take his place, but he declined. He lived in silence for three years, completely cut off from the world except for the monk who came once a week to bring him food. If the saint encountered a man in the forest, he fell face down and did not get up until the passerby had moved on. St Seraphim acquired peace of soul and joy in the Holy Spirit. The great ascetic once said, "Acquire the spirit of peace, and a thousand souls will be saved around you."

The new Superior of the monastery, Father Niphon, and the older brethren of the monastery told Father Seraphim either to come to the monastery on Sundays for divine services as before, or to move back into the monastery. He chose the latter course, since it had become too difficult for him to walk from his forest cell to the monastery. In the spring of 1810, he returned to the monastery after fifteen years of living in the wilderness.

Continuing his silence, he shut himself up in his cell, occupying himself with prayer and reading. He was also permitted to eat meals and to receive Communion in his cell. There St Seraphim attained the height of spiritual purity and was granted special gifts of grace by God: clairvoyance and wonderworking. After five years of solitude, he opened his door and allowed the monks to enter. He continued his silence, however, teaching them only by example.

On November 25, 1825 the Mother of God, accompanied by the two holy hierarchs commemorated on that day (Hieromartyr Clement of Rome, and St Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria), appeared to the Elder in a vision and told him to end his seclusion and to devote himself to others. He received the igumen's blessing to divide his time between life in the forest, and at the monastery. He did not return to his Far Hermitage, but went to a cell closer to the monastery. This he called his Near Hermitage. At that time, he opened the doors of his cell to pilgrims as well as his fellow-monks.

St. Seraphim of Sarov (http://fdathanasiou.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sarof-11.jpg)

The Elder saw into the hearts of people, and as a spiritual physician, he healed their infirmities of soul and body through prayer and by his grace-filled words. Those coming to St Seraphim felt his great love and tenderness. No matter what time of the year it was, he would greet everyone with the words, "Christ is Risen, my joy!" He especially loved children. Once, a young girl said to her friends, "Father Seraphim only looks like an old man. He is really a child like us."

The Elder was often seen leaning on his stick and carrying a knapsack filled with stones. When asked why he did this, the saint humbly replied,"I am troubling him who troubles me."

In the final period of his earthly life St Seraphim devoted himself to his spiritual children, the Diveyevo women's monastery. While still a hierodeacon he had accompanied the late Father Pachomius to the Diveyevo community to its monastic leader, Mother Alexandra, a great woman ascetic, and then Father Pachomius blessed St Seraphim to care always for the "Diveyevo orphans." He was a genuine father for the sisters, who turned to him with all their spiritual and material difficulties.

St Seraphim also devoted much effort to the women's monastic community at Diveyevo. He himself said that he gave them no instructions of his own, but it was the Queen of Heaven who guided him in matters pertaining to the monastery. His disciples and spiritual friends helped the saint to feed and nourish the Diveyevo community. Michael V. Manturov, healed by the monk from grievous illness, was one of Diveyvo's benefactors. On the advice of the Elder he took upon himself the exploit of voluntary poverty. Elena Vasilievna Manturova, one of the Diveyevo sisters, out of obedience to the Elder, voluntarily consented to die in place of her brother, who was still needed in this life.

Nicholas Alexandrovich Motovilov, was also healed by the monk. In 1903, shortly before the glorification of the saint, the remarkable "Conversation of St Seraphim of Sarov with N. A. Motovilov" was found and printed. Written by Motovilov after their conversation at the end of November 1831, the manuscript was hidden in an attic in a heap of rubbish for almost seventy years. It was found by the author S. A. Nilus, who was looking for information about St Seraphim's life. This conversation is a very precious contribution to the spiritual literature of the Orthodox Church. It grew out of Nicholas Motovilov's desire to know the aim of the Christian life. It was revealed to St Seraphim that Motovilov had been seeking an answer to this question since childhood, without receiving a satisfactory answer. The holy Elder told him that the aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, and went on to explain the great benefits of prayer and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit.

Motovilov asked the saint how we can know if the Holy Spirit is with us or not. St Seraphim spoke at length about how people come to be in the Spirit of God, and how we can recognize His presence in us, but Motovilov wanted to understand this better. Then Father Seraphim took him by the shoulders and said, "We are both in the Spirit of God now, my son. Why don't you look at me?"

Motovilov replied, "I cannot look, Father, for your eyes are flashing like lightning, and your face is brighter than the sun."

St. Seraphim, surrounded with the Uncreated Light, before Nicholas Motovilov (http://fdathanasiou.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/sarof-4.jpg)

St Seraphim told him, "Don't be alarmed, friend of God. Now you yourself have become as bright as I am. You are in the fulness of the Spirit of God yourself, otherwise you would not be able to see me like this."

Then St Seraphim promised Motovilov that God would allow him to retain this experience in his memory all his life. "It is not given for you alone to understand," he said, "but through you it is for the whole world."

Everyone knew and esteemed St Seraphim as a great ascetic and wonderworker. A year and ten months before his end, on the Feast of the Annunciation, St Seraphim was granted to behold the Queen of Heaven once more in the company of St John the Baptist, the Apostle John the Theologian and twelve Virgin Martyrs (Sts Barbara, Katherine, Thekla, Marina, Irene, Eupraxia, Pelagia, Dorothea, Makrina, Justina, Juliana, and Anysia). The Most Holy Virgin conversed at length with the monk, entrusting the Diveyevo sisters to him. Concluding the conversation, She said to him: "Soon, My dear one, you shall be with us." The Diveyevo nun Eupraxia was present during this visit of the Mother of God, because the saint had invited her.

The Most-holy Theotokos appearing to St. Seraphim, along with Sts. John and twelve Virgin Martyrs (http://fdathanasiou.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/cf83ceb5cf81ceb1cf86ceb5ceafcebc-cf84cebfcf85-cf83ceaccf81cf89cf86-ceb5cf80ceafcf83cebaceb5cf88ceb9cf82-ceb8ceb5cebfcf84cf8ccebacebf.jpg)

In the last year of St Seraphim's life, one of those healed by him saw him standing in the air during prayer. The saint strictly forbade this to be mentioned until after his death.

St Seraphim became noticeably weaker and he spoke much about his approaching end. During this time they often saw him sitting by his coffin, which he had placed in the ante-room of his cell, and which he had prepared for himself.

The saint himself had marked the place where finally they would bury him, near the altar of the Dormition cathedral. On January 1, 1833 Father Seraphim came to the church of Sts Zosimas and Sabbatius one last time for Liturgy and he received the Holy Mysteries, after which he blessed the brethren and bid them farewell, saying: "Save your souls. Do not be despondent, but watchful. Today crowns are being prepared for us."

On January 2, Father Paul, the saint's cell-attendant, left his own cell at six in the morning to attend the early Liturgy. He noticed the smell of smoke coming from the Elder's cell. St Seraphim would often leave candles burning in his cell, and Father Paul was concerned that they could start a fire.

The repose of St. Seraphim (http://www.istok.net/images/D/ic-ma173-icon-holy-seraphim-sarov-death.jpg)

"While I am alive," he once said, "there will be no fire, but when I die, my death shall be revealed by a fire." When they opened the door, it appeared that books and other things were smoldering. St Seraphim was found kneeling before an icon of the Mother of God with his arms crossed on his chest. His pure soul was taken by the angels at the time of prayer, and had flown off to the Throne of the Almighty God, Whose faithful servant St Seraphim had been all his life.

St Seraphim has promised to intercede for those who remember his parents, Isidore and Agathia.
(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100008)

St. Seraphim of Sarov with scenes from his life (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1857/s1857030.jpg)

Troparion - Tone 4

You loved Christ from your youth, O blessed one, and longing to work for Him alone you struggled in the wilderness in constant prayer and labor. With penitent heart and great love for Christ you were favored by the Mother of God. Therefore we cry to you: "Save us by your prayers, venerable Seraphim, our father."

Kontakion - Tone 2

Forsaking the beauty as well as the corruption of this world, you settled in the monastery of Sarov, O Saint. There you lived an angelic life, becoming for many the way to salvation. Therefore, Christ has glorified you, Father Seraphim, enriching you with abundant healing and miracles. So we cry to you: "Save us by your prayers, venerable Seraphim, our father."
(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=100008)

St. Seraphim of Sarov the Wonderworker (https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-fEa9f8P_ie8/ThzTB-9QgdI/AAAAAAAAAE0/vB_ATcNuzic/01.02.Serafim-Sarovski1.JPG)

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

Excerpt from the Homily on the Circumcision of Christ and St. Basil the Great, by St. Andrew of Crete

2011-12-31T06:17:00.000-08:00

The Circumcision of Christ - Commemorated January 1 (http://pravicon.com/images/icon/0462/0462001.jpg)

Excerpt from the Homily on the Circumcision of Christ and St. Basil the Great, by St. Andrew of Crete (amateur translation)

And what else does the eighth-day circumcision tell us? The eighth day is the completion of the week, and the beginning of the new. The child completes the week, and is perfected on the eighth day, being granted his name and being numbered with the perfect. The eighth day is the beginning of infancy, while through the period of the week he was a baby, now the child begins to learn. The eighth day leads on to the things of infancy: to crawl and to stand, and to speak, and to think. The week comes to completion, and the eighth day signifies perfection. Circumcision again signifies the name-giving, which the child undergoes on the eighth day.

And not without reason. For Abraham dwelt among the idols of his father, Thara, being part of his creation, until the Creator gave him a sign of a people set aside until His coming, that renewal may be granted to men. Circumcision removes a covering of flesh, and grants an eighth-day sign to the members. Circumcision declared that the presence of Christ was coming, and that He would grant rebirth through the Spirit. By the seal of circumcision, the people were granted divine correction from idolatry, and the ceasing of destruction through idol-mania.

The former things were a symbol of the new. For Christ was the eighth law-giver from Adam. Because Adam first received a law, and secondly Noah, and Abraham third, and Moses fourth, and David, regarding the Kingdom and the Tent of Glory, was the fifth law-giver. And Esthra, following the captivity of Babylon, for a second time gave the law to the nations that had transgressed it, and was the sixth. John the Baptist, who preached a baptism of repentance to the people, and purification through the water, was the seventh law-giver. Jesus Christ was the eighth.

Regarding this great Law-giver, Moses says: “The Lord God will raise a Prophet from among our bretheren like me; listen to Him. Every soul that does not hear that Prophet will be condemned.” Being the only one able to fulfill this, I perceive that he is referring to the Lord and Creator, Who worked divine and noetic works among us. And passing the Sabbath in His flesh through the law, on the eighth day of Resurrection, became the Law-giver for the whole world. I behold God, not only of the Jews, but of all nations, Who is born, anointed and perfecting all things in the Holy Spirit, and calling His own anointed people. And He cuts off our fleshly desires and passions, and turns them to a burnt sacrifice through good works, and actions of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He is truly the “Angel of Great Council of His Father, God almighty, Councilor, Prince of Peace, Father of the Age to come.”

And do you understand this well, why we rejoice at this feast, and take from this the glad tidings, and move from feast to feast, and come to know the servant of God? As if speaking of him, the scriptures say: “The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God”, Who is the God of all. And those who approach him to clearly see his divine icon, are able. Who is this who we praise? It is Basil: the foundation of virtue, the longing of the Cappadocians, and the prided boast of the whole world, he who taught the Church in most magnificent words and deeds, through whom the Churches of the faithful take boast. For though there are many lawful and mystagogical ones before and after him, however, under his state, all ranks are united to see a new wonder. Thus the man's feast is received with worthy honor. And if we speak regarding him, those before us, who were men of greater theology, also take part in praising words of him.

And let us offer a word for this feast, its honor of which is among the greatest of feasts, and travel the road of the word, being strengthened by God, Who strengthens us in every good work, and say the following: “O man of God and faithful healer, and steward of the mysteries of God”, and “man of desires of the spirit.” Thus the Scriptures calls those dedicated to exalted and uplifted and lawful ways. I call you a god to Pharaoh, who overcame all the opposing power of the Egyptians, and pillar and foundation of the Church, and will of the Lord, and light shining in the world the word of life and the desire of the faith, and dwelling-place of the Spirit...

But with these divine praises, O Father Basil, you take part in the mansions of the patriarchs, and the mystagogy of the apostles of the prophets, and of the crowning of the martyrs, and of the choirs of monastics, and of the rewards of the divine hierarchs and all the righteous. Remember us, who are of like nature as you, who are in trouble; and ever intercede for us to the common Master for the salvation of all Christians.

Kings therefore bring forth righteousness and reverence of God, bearing in mind your words, that the eternal King rules above. Rulers and governors in piety become obedient, along with those who fight in war, and the rest of the people turn towards the divine faith in harmony, and are peaceful towards each other. The archpriests are anointed in theology, and govern well the Church of God that has been entrusted to them through your diving teaching. Priests keep piety, that they might live in a God-pleasing manner, and offer up hymns, and be crowned along with the whole city of the faithful, as a shepherd, by Him Who made Himself poor, though He is rich, and took on flesh in the womb [of the Theotokos], Who is seated above with the Father, and is laid in a cave and is wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger, Who is hymned by the angels, and wondered at by the shepherds, Who was circumcised on the eighth day, and is named Jesus, Who offers cleansing, and is praised by Symeon and Anna, and escorted by the Magi, Who flees to Egypt, and “rents the handiwork of Egyptians”, Who, at the human age of perfection, was baptized by a servant, and drowns the sins of the world in the waters, Who is revealed to the world but is hated by the Judeans, and works strange wonders, Who ultimately was delivered to be crucified, and was then buried, that He might grant resurrection to those in slavery in hades, Who rose on the third day, making this second eighth day truly the day of rest, and in the coming eighth day at the end of the world, will come again, Who appears to His apostles, and Who was seen to ascend into the heavens, to raise me the humble one, Who is known in two natures, and Who is worshiped with the Father and the Spirit, Who has two wills and energies, Who remains touchable and untouchable, written and unwritten, depicted in places and icons, and through them, as through flesh and spirit is worshipped, Who is the archetype of His theologians and of all the Saints, Who shares all things with us, and is the archetype of the glory that is offered to you, O most-divine Father Basil, who wrote: “For the honor of the icon ascends to the prototype”. Therefore with orthodoxy, the nations are struck with fear, and islands of redemption are opened for the Church. Through sickness of men, the other-worldly icons are left to suffer, and we are endangered by the Hagarenes. These islands of the Church were seen beforehand by Isaiah, who said: “Be renewed, O islands, towards God”. For to Him, Christ our God, belong honor and glory and worship, together with the all-good Father and the all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and to the endless ages. Amen.

(http://books.google.com/books?id=qiERAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false)

St. Basil the Great - Commemorated January 1 (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/agios-vasilios.jpg)

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

The 14,000 Holy Innocents slain by Herod at Bethlehem

2011-12-28T16:24:00.000-08:00

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

The 14,000 Holy Innocents slain by Herod at Bethlehem - Commemorated on December 29 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0444/s0444002.jpg)

When the time came for the Incarnation of the Son of God and His Birth of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Magi in the East beheld a new star in the heavens, foretelling the Nativity of the King of the Jews. They journeyed immediately to Jerusalem to worship the Child, and the star showed them the way. Having worshipped the divine Infant, they did not return to Jerusalem to Herod, as he had ordered them, but being warned by God in a dream, they went back to their country by another way. Herod finally realized that his scheme to find the Child would not be successful, and he ordered that all the male children two years old and younger at Bethlehem and its surroundings be killed. He thought that the divine Infant, Whom he considered a rival, would be among the dead children.

The Slaughter of the Holy Innocents (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0444/s0444003.jpg)

The murdered infants thus became the first martyrs for Christ. The rage of Herod fell also on Simeon the God-Receiver (February 3), who declared before everyone in the Temple that the Messiah had been born. When the holy Elder died, Herod would not give permission for him to be properly buried. On the orders of King Herod, the holy prophet and priest Zachariah was also killed. He was murdered in Jerusalem between the Temple and the altar (Mt. 23:35) because he would not tell the whereabouts of his son John, the future Baptist of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Cave with the Holy Relics of the 14,000 Innocents, Bethlehem (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3e3cpW-xGCXN1eAz3YUZxw)

The wrath of God soon fell upon Herod himself: a horrid condition struck him down and he died, eaten by worms while still alive. Before his death, the impious king murdered the chief priests and scribes of the Jews, and also his brother, and his sister and her husband, and also his own wife Mariam, and three of his sons, and seventy men of wisdom who were members of the Sanhedrin. He initiated this bloodbath so that the day of his death would not be one of rejoicing, but one of mourning.

(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103682)

The Holy Innocents (http://vatopaidi.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/agianipia.jpg?w=359&h=461)

Troparion - Tone 1

As acceptable victims and freshly plucked flowers, as divine first-fruits and newborn lambs, you were offered to Christ who was born as a child, holy innocents. You mocked Herod's wickedness; now we beseech you: "Unceasingly pray for our souls."

Kontakion - Tone 6

When the King was born in Bethlehem, the Magi came from the east. Having been guided by the star on high, they brought Him gifts. But in his exceeding wrath, Herod mowed down the infants as wheat; lamenting that the rule of his kingdom had come to an end.
(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=103682)

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

The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia

2011-12-28T05:57:00.000-08:00

The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia - Commemorated on December 28 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1570/s1570005.jpg)

The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia: At the beginning of the fourth century the emperor Maximian (284-305) gave orders to destroy Christian churches, to burn service books, and to deprive all Christians of rights and privileges of citizenship. At this time the bishop of the city of Nicomedia was St Cyril, who by his preaching and life contributed to the spread of Christianity, so that many members of the emperor's court were also secret Christians.

The pagan priestess Domna was living in the palace at that time. Providentially, she obtained a copy of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles of St Paul. Her heart burned with the desire to learn more about the Christian teaching. With the help of a young Christian girl, Domna went secretly to Bishop Anthimus (Cyril's successor) with her faithful servant, the eunuch Indes. St Anthimus catechized them, and both received holy Baptism.

Domna began to help the poor: she gave away her valuables with the assistance of Indes, and she also distributed food from the imperial kitchen. The chief eunuch, who was in charge of provisions for the imperial household, found out that Domna and Indes were not eating the food sent them from the emperor's table. He had them beaten in order to find out why they did not partake of the food, but they remained silent. Another eunuch informed him that the saints were distributing all the emperor's gifts to the poor. He locked them up in prison to exhaust them with hunger, but they received support from an angel and did not suffer. St Domna feigned insanity so she wouldn't have to live among the pagans. Then she and Indes managed to leave the court, and she went to a women's monastery. Abbess Agatha quickly dressed her in men's clothing, cut her hair and sent her off from the monastery.

During this time the emperor returned from battle and ordered that a search be made for the former pagan priestess Domna. The soldiers sent for this purpose found the monastery and destroyed it. The sisters were thrown into prison, subjected to torture and abuse, but not one of them suffered defilement. Sent to a house of iniquity, St Theophila was able to preserve her virginity with the help of an angel of the Lord. The angel led her from the brothel and brought her to the cathedral.

At this time the emperor cleared the city square to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. When they began sprinkling the crowd with the blood of the sacrificial animals, Christians started to leave the square. Seeing this, the emperor became enraged, but in the middle of his rantings a great thunderstorm sprang up. People fled in panic, and the emperor had to retreat to the palace for his own safety.

Later Maximian went to the church with soldiers and told them they could escape punishment if they renounced Christ. Otherwise, he promised to burn the church and those in it. The Christian presbyter Glycerius told him that Christians would never renounce their faith, even under the threat of torture. Hiding his anger, the emperor exited the church, and a short time later commanded the presbyter Glycerius be arrested for trial. The executioners tortured the martyr, who did not cease to pray and to call on the Name of the Lord. Unable to force St Glycerius stop confessing Christ, Maximian ordered him to be burned to death.

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ in the year 302, when about 20,000 Christians had assembled at the cathedral in Nicomedia, the emperor sent a herald into the church. He told the Christians that soldiers were surrounding the building, and that anyone who wished to leave had to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Anyone who defied the emperor would perish when the soldiers set fire to the church. All those present refused to worship the idols.

As the pagans prepared to set fire to the church, Bishop Anthimus, baptized all the catechumens and communed everyone with the Holy Mysteries. All 20,000 of those praying died in the fire. Among them were the abbess Agatha and St Theophila who had been saved from the den of iniquity by a miracle. Bishop Anthimus, however, managed to escape the fire [while later he was martyred for Christ, and he is celebrated September 3].

Maximian thought that he had exterminated all the Christians of Nicomedia. He soon learned that there were many more, and that they would confess their faith and were prepared to die for Christ. The emperor wondered how to deal with them. At his command they arrested the regimental commander Zeno, who was openly criticizing the emperor for his impiety and cruelty. Zeno was fiercely beaten and finally beheaded. They jailed the eunuch Indes, formerly a priest of the idols, for refusing to participate in a pagan festival.

The persecution against Christians continued. Dorotheus, Mardonius, Migdonius the deacon and others were thrown into prison. Bishop Anthimus encouraged them by sending letters to them. One of the messengers, the Deacon Theophilus, was captured. They subjected him to torture, trying to learn where the bishop was hiding. The holy martyr endured everything, while revealing nothing. Then they executed him and also those whom the bishop had addressed in his letter. Though they were executed in different ways, they all showed the same courage and received their crowns from God.

For weeks, St Domna concealed herself within a cave and sustained herself by eating plants. When she returned to the city, she wept for a long time at the ruins of the church, regretting that she was not found worthy to die with the others. That night she went the sea shore. At that moment fishermen pulled the bodies of the martyrs Indes, Gorgonius and Peter from the water in their nets.

St Domna was still dressed in men's clothing, and she helped the fishermen to draw in their nets. They left her the bodies of the martyrs. With reverence she looked after the holy relics and wept over them, especially over the body of her spiritual friend, the Martyr Indes.

After giving them an honorable burial, she did not depart from these graves so dear to her heart. Each day she burned incense before them, sprinkling them with fragrant oils. When the emperor was told of an unknown youth who offered incense at the graves of executed Christians, he gave orders to behead the youth. The Martyr Euthymius was also executed along with Domna.

(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103664)

The Holy 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1570/s1570003.jpg)

Apolytikion in the Third Tone (amateur translation)

A divine army, a holy city, a people surrounded by the Lord, you were shown, O 20,000 martyrs, for being refreshed with His love, you completed your struggle by fire. But entreat the Lord, O wise ones, that mercifully, we be granted the great mercy.

Kontakion - Tone 1
Their souls strengthened by faith, the twenty thousand martyrs accepted their suffering by fire, and cried out to You, the One born of the Virgin: "Like gold, myrrh, and frankincense, the gifts of the Persian kings, receive our whole burnt offering, O Eternal God."
(http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=103664)

Megalynarion (amateur translation)

Trophy-bearing phanalnx of athletes, and holy lot, O 20,000 Champions, gathered from every generation and every age, you were shown by God.

(http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1550/sxsaintinfo.aspx)

The 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1570/s1570004.jpg)

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

St. Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon

2011-12-27T09:50:00.000-08:00

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

St. Stephen the Apostle, Protomartyr and Archdeacon - Commemorated on December 27 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1949/s1949011.jpg)

The Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen was the eldest of the seven deacons, appointed by the Apostles themselves, and therefore he is called "archdeacon." He was the first Christian martyr, and he suffered for Christ when he was about thirty. In the words of Asterias, he was "the starting point of the martyrs, the instructor of suffering for Christ, the foundation of righteous confession, since Stephen was the first to shed his blood for the Gospel."

Filled with the Holy Spirit, St Stephen preached Christianity and defeated Jewish teachers of the Law in debate. The Jews maligned St Stephen, saying that he had uttered blasphemy against God and against Moses. St Stephen came before the Sanhedrin and the High Priest to answer these charges. He gave a fiery speech, in which he recounted the history of the Jewish nation, and denounced the Jews for persecuting the prophets, and also for executing the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ (Acts ch. 7).

During his speech, St Stephen suddenly saw the heavens opened and Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God. The Jews shouted and covered their ears, and rushed at him. They dragged him out of the city and stoned him, but the holy martyr prayed for his murderers. Far off on the heights stood the Mother of God with the holy Apostle John the Theologian, and She prayed fervently for the martyr. Before his death St Stephen said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." Then he joyfully gave up his pure soul to Christ.

The Martyrdom of St. Stephen the Protomartyr (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1949/s1949002.jpg)

The body of the holy Protomartyr Stephen, left to be eaten by beasts, was secretly taken up by the Jewish teacher Gamaliel and his son Habib, who buried Stephen on his estate. They both believed in Christ, and later received holy Baptism.

St Stephen is also commemorated on August 2 (Translation of his relics) and on September 15 (Uncovering of his relics in the year 415).
(http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103659)

Part of the Holy Skull of St. Stephen the Protomartyr, treasured by the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi, Mount Athos (http://www.agiooros.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=11347&start=10)

Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe on the feast of St. Stephen (circa 500 AD)
Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the triumphant suffering of his soldier.

Yesterday our king, clothed in his robe of flesh, left his place in the Virgin’s womb and graciously visited the world. Today his soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.

Our king, despite his exalted majesty, came in humility for our sake; yet he did not come empty-handed. He brought his soldiers a great gift that not only enriched them but also made them unconquerable in battle, for it was the gift of love, which was to bring men to share in his divinity. He gave of his bounty, yet without any loss to himself. In a marvellous way he changed into wealth the poverty of his faithful followers while remaining in full possession of his own inexhaustible riches.

And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the king, it later shone forth in his soldier. Love was Stephen’s weapon by which he gained every battle, and so won the crown signified by his name. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment. Strengthened by the power of his love, he overcame the raging cruelty of Saul and won his persecutor on earth as his companion in heaven. In his holy and tireless love he longed to gain by prayer those whom he could not convert by admonition.

Now at last, Paul rejoices with Stephen, with Stephen he delights in the glory of Christ, with Stephen he exalts, with Stephen he reigns. Stephen went first, slain by the stones thrown by Paul, but Paul followed after, helped by the prayer of Stephen. This, surely, is the true life, my brothers, a life in which Paul feels no shame because of Stephen’s death, and Stephen delights in Paul’s companionship, for love fills them both with joy. It was Stephen’s love that prevailed over the cruelty of the mob, and it was Paul’s love that covered the multitude of his sins; it was love that won for both of them the kingdom of heaven.

Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense,- and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey’s end.

My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.
(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/12/saint-fulgentius-of-ruspe-homily-on-st.html)

The Martyrdom of St. Stephen the Protomartyr (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1949/s1949008.jpg)

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
For the struggles you endured for Christ God, a royal diadem crowns your head, O First Champion of Martyrs. For you refuted the folly of the Jews and beheld your Savior on the right of the Father. Ever beseech Him, therefore, for our souls.

Kontakion in the Third Tone
Yesterday the Master arrived in the flesh, today the servant departs from the flesh. Yesterday He who reigns was born. Today the servant dies for Him by stoning, the Protomartyr, the divine Stephen.

(http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/12/saint-fulgentius-of-ruspe-homily-on-st.html)

St. Stephen the Protomartyr (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s1949/s1949005.jpg)

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

Hymn I on the Nativity of Christ, by St. Ephraim the Syrian

2011-12-24T14:21:00.000-08:00

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

The Nativity of Christ (http://www.pemptousiaonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/241-2011.jpg)

Hymn I on the Nativity of Christ, by St. Ephraim the Syrian

This is the day that gladdened them, the Prophets, Kings, and Priests, for in it were their words fulfilled, and thus were the whole of them indeed performed! For the Virgin this day brought forth Immanuel in Bethlehem. The voice that of old Isaiah spake,1 to-day became reality. He was born there who in writing should tell the Gentiles' number! The Psalm that David once sang, by its fulfilment came to-day!2 The word that Micah once spake,3 to-day was come indeed to pass! For there came from Ephrata a Shepherd, and His staff swayed over souls. Lo! from Jacob shone the Star,4 and from Israel rose the Head.5 The prophecy that Balaam spake had its interpreting to-day! Down also came the hidden Light, and from the Body rose His beauty! The light that spake in Zachary, to-day shined in Bethlehem!

Risen is the Light of the kingdom, in Ephrata the city of the King. The blessing wherewith Jacob blessed, to its fulfilment came to-day! That tree likewise, [the tree] of life, brings hope to mortal men! Solomon's hidden proverb6 had to-day its explanation! To-day was born the Child, and His name was called Wonder!7 For a wonder it is that God as a Babe should show Himself. By the word Worm did the Spirit foreshow Him in parable,8 because His generation was without marriage. The type that the Holy Ghost figured to-day its meaning was [explained.] He came up as a root before Him, as a root of parched ground.9 Aught that covertly was said, openly to-day was done! The King that in Judah was hidden, Thamar stole Him from his thigh; to-day arose His conquering beauty, which in hidden estate she loved. Ruth at Boaz' side lay down, because the Medicine of Life hidden in him she perceived. To-day was fulfilled her vow, since from her seed arose the Quickener of all. Travail Adam on the woman brought, that from him had come forth. She to-day her travail ransomed, who to her a Saviour bare! To Eve our mother a man gave birth, who himself had had no birth. How much more should Eve's daughter be believed to have borne a Child without a man! The virgin earth, she bare that Adam that was head over the earth! The Virgin bare to-day the Adam that was Head over the Heavens. The staff of Aaron, it budded, and the dry wood yielded fruit! Its mystery is cleared up to-day, for the virgin womb a Child hath borne!10

Shamed is that people which holds the prophets as true; for unless our Saviour has come, their words have been falsified! Blessed be the True One Who came from the Father of the Truth and fulfilled the true seers' words, which were accomplished in their truth. From thy treasure-house put forth, Lord, from the coffers of Thy Scriptures, names of righteous men of old, who looked to see Thy coming! Seth who was in Abel's stead shadowed out the Son as slain, by Whose death was dulled the envy Cain had brought into the world! Noah saw the sons of God, saints that sudden waxed wanton, and the Holy Son he looked for, by whom lewd men were turned to holiness. The brothers twain, that covered Noah,11 saw the only Son of God who should come to hide the nakedness of Adam, who was drunk with pride. Shem and Japhet, being gracious, looked for the gracious Son, Who should come anti set free Canaan from the servitude of sin.

Melchizedek expected Him; as His vicegerent, looked that he might see the Priesthood's Lord whose hyssop12 purifies the world. Lot beheld the Sodomites how they perverted nature: for nature's Lord he looked who gave a holiness not natural. Him Aaron looked for, for he saw that if his rod ate serpents up,13 His cross would eat the Serpent up that had eaten Adam and Eve. Moses saw the uplifted serpent that had cured the bites of asps, and he looked to see Him who would heal the ancient Serpent's wound. Moses saw that he himself alone retained the brightness from God, and he looked for Him who came and multiplied gods by His teaching:14

Caleb the spy bore the cluster on the staff, and came and longed to see the Cluster, Whose wine should comfort the world. Him did Jesus son of Nun long for, that he might conceive the force of his own surname: for if by His name he waxed so mighty,15 how much more would He by His Birth? This Jesus that gathered and carried, and brought with him of the fruit, was longing for the Tree of Life to taste the Fruit that quickens all. For Him Rahab too was looking; for when the scarlet thread in type redeemed her from wrath, in type she tasted of the Truth. For Him Elijah longed, and when Him on earth he saw not, he, through faith most throughly cleansed, mounted up in heaven to see Him. Moses saw Him and Elijah; the meek man from the depth ascended, the zealous from on high descended, and in the midst beheld the Son. They figured the mystery of His Advent: Moses was a type of the dead, and Elijah a type of the living, that fly to meet Him at His coming.16 For the dead that have tasted death, them He makes to be first: and the rest that are not buried, are last caught up to meet Him.

Who is there that can count me up the just that looked for the Son, whose number cannot be determined by the mouth of us weak creatures? Pray ye for me, O beloved, that another time with strength endued, I in another legend may so set forth their foretaste, as I am able. Who is adequate to the praising of the Son of the Truth that has risen to us? For it was for Him the righteous longed, that in their generation they might see Him. Adam looked for Him, for He is the Cherub's Lord, and could minister an entrance and a residence hard by the branches of the Tree of life. Abel longed after Him, that in his days He might come; that instead of that lamb that he offered, the Lamb of God he might behold. For Him Eve also looked; for woman's nakedness was sore, and He capable to clothe them; not with leaves, but with that same glory that they had exchanged away. The tower that the many builded, in mystery looked for One, who coming down would build on earth a tower that lifts up to Heaven. Yea the ark of living creatures looked in a type for our Lord; for He should build the Holy Church, wherein souls find a refuge. In Peleg's days earth was divided into tongues, threescore and ten.17 For Him Who by the tongues, to His Apostles divided earth. Earth which the flood had swallowed up, in silence cried to her Lord. He came down and opened Baptism, and men were drawn by it to Heaven. Seth and Enos, Cainan too, were surnamed sons of God; for the Son of God they looked, that they by grace might be His brethren. But little short of a thousand years did Methuselah live: He looked for the Son Who makes heirs of life that never ends! Grace itself in hidden mystery was beseeching on their behalf that their Lord might come in their age and fill up their shortcomings. For the Holy Spirit in them, in their stead, besought with meditation:18 He stirred them up, and in Him did they look on that Redeemer, after whom they longed.19

The soul of just men perceive in the Son a Medicine of life; and so it felt desires that He might come in its own days, and then would it taste His sweetness. Enoch was longing for Him, and since on earth the Son he saw not, he was justified by great faith, and mounted up in Heaven to see Him. Who is there that will spurn at grace, when the Gift that they of old gained not by much labour, freely comes to men now? For Him Lamech also looked who might come and lovingly give Him quiet from his labour and the toiling of his hands, and from the earth the Just One had cursed.20 Lamech then beheld his son, Noah,-him, in whom were figured types relating to the Son. In the stead of the Lord afar off, the type at hand afforded quiet. Yea Noah also longed to see Him, the taste of whose assisting graces he had tasted. For if the type of Him preserved living things, Himself how sure to bestow life upon souls! Noah longed for Him, by trial knowing Him, for through Him had the ark been established. For if the type of Him thus saved life, assuredly much more would He in person. Abraham perceived in Spirit that the Son's Birth was far of; instead of Him in person he rejoiced to see even His day.21 To see Him Isaac longed, as having tasted the taste of His redemption;22 for if the sign of Him so gave life, much more would He by the reality.

Joyous23 were to-day the Watchers,24 that the Wakeful came to wake us! Who would pass this night in slumber, in which all the world was watching? Since Adam brought into the world the sleep of death by sins, the Wakeful came down that He might awake us from the deep sleep of sin. Watch not we as usurers, who thinking on money put to interest, watch at night so oft, to reckon up their capital, and interest. Wakeful and cautious is the thief, who in the earth hath buried and concealed his sleep. His wakefulness all [comes to] this, that he may cause much wakefulness to them that be asleep. Wakeful likewise is the glutton, who hath eaten much and is restless; his watching is to him his torment, because he was impatient of stint. Wakeful likewise is the merchant; of a night he works his fingers telling over what pounds are coming, and if his wealth doubles or trebles. Wakeful likewise is the rich man, whose sleep his riches chase away: his dogs sleep; he guards his treasures from the thieves. Wakeful also is the careful, by his care his sleep is swallowed: though his end stands by his pillow, yet he wakes with cares for years to come. Satan teaches, O my brethren, one watching instead of another; to good deeds to be sleepy, and to ill awake and watchful. Even Judas Iscariot, for the whole night through was wakeful; and he sold the righteous Blood, that purchased the whole world. The son of the dark one put on darkness, having stripped the Light from off him: and Him who created silver, for silver the thief sold. Yea, Pharisees, the dark one's sons, all the night through kept awake: the dark ones watched that they might veil the Light which is unlimited. Ye then watch as [heaven's] lights in this night of starry light. For though so dark be its colour yet in virtue it is clear.

For whoever is like this clear One, wakeful and prayerful in darkness, him in this darkness visible a light unseen surrounds! The bad man that in daylight stands, yet as a son of darkness deals; though with light clad outwardly, inly is with darkness girt. Be we not deceived, beloved, by the fact that we are watching! For whoso does not rightly watch, his watch is an unrighteous watch. Whoso watches not cheerfully, his watching is but a sleeping: whoso also watches not innocently, even his waking is his foe. This is the waking of the envious one! a solid mass, compact with harm. That watch is but a trafficking, with scorn and mockery compact. The wrathful man if he wakes, fretful with wrath his wake will be, and his watching proves to him full of rage and of cursings. If the babbler be waking, then his mouth becomes a passage which for sins is ready but for prayers shows hindrance.

The wise man, if so be he that watches, one of two things chooseth him; either takes sweet, moderate, sleep, or a holy vigil keeps.25 That night is fair, wherein He Who is Fair26 rose to come and make us fair. Let not aught that may disturb it enter into our watch! Fair be kept the ear's approach,27 chaste the seeing of the eye! hallowed the musing of the heart! the speaking of the mouth be cleared. Mary hid in us to-day leaven that came from Abraham. Let us then so pity beggars as did Abraham the needy. To-day the rennet fell on us from the gentle David's house. Let a man show mercy to his persecutors, as did Jesse's son to Saul.28 The prophets' sweet salt29 is to-day sprinkled among the Gentiles. Let us gain a new savour30 by that whereby the ancient people lost their savour. Let us speak the speech of wisdom; speak we not of things outside it, lest we ourselves be outside it!

In this night of reconcilement let no man be wroth or gloomy! in this night that stills all, none that threatens or disturbs! This night belongs to the sweet One; bitter or harsh be in it none! In this night that is the meek One's, high or haughty be in it none! In this day of pardoning let us not exact trespasses! In this day of gladnesses let us not spread sadnesses! In this day so sweet, let us not be harsh! In this day of peaceful rest, let us not be wrathful in it! In this day when God came to sinners, let not the righteous be in his mind uplifted over sinner! In this day in which there came the Lord of all unto the servants, let masters too condescend to their servants lovingly! In this day in which the Rich became poor for our sakes, let the rich man make the poor man share with him at his table. On this day to us came forth the Gift, although we asked it not! Let us therefore bestow alms on them that cry and beg of us. This is the day that opened for us a gate on high to our prayers. Let us open also gates to supplicants that have transgressed, and of us have asked [forgiveness.] To-day the Lord of nature was against His nature changed; let it not to us be irksome to turn our evil wills. Fixed in nature is the body; great or less it cannot become: but the will has such dominion, it can grow to any measure. To-day Godhead sealed itself upon Manhood, that so with the Godhead's stamp Manhood might be adorned.

(See the following link for Nineteen Hymns of St. Ephraim the Syrian on the Nativity of Christ: http://orthodoxchurchfathers.com/fathers/npnf213/npnf2114.htm#TopOfPage)

The Nativity of Christ (http://ocawonder.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/the_nativity_of_jesus_christ_by_logicon.jpg)

⁴Judg. vii. 18-22.

⁵I.e. though boldness is matter of free will, it becomes a second nature.

¹Is. x. 19.

²Ps. lxxxvii. 6.

³Mic. v.2.

⁴Num. xxiv. 17.

⁵Hos. 1.II.

⁶Prov. iii. 18.

⁷Isa. ix. 6.

⁸Ps. xxii. 6.

⁹Is. liii. 2.

¹⁰Notice here, how St. Ephraim (in common with others) speaks of the celebration of the day as if it was the day itself, partly in exhibiting his intense realization through faith of the mystery and the re-presentation of it, to use the word in its ancient sense partly as evincing, perhaps, a belief in the unabidingness of our conceptions of time-a belief resulting, it may be, from the mystical union with God in Christ which the saints enjoy. For to God time is as nothing, and those who through grace are one with Him, begin to view things as He views them.

¹¹Gen. ix 23.

¹²Lev. xiv. 52.

¹³Exod vii. 12.

¹⁴St. E. refers here to St. John x, 34, where the Word Himself teaches us that it was by His coming to them that Saints of old were called Gods.

¹⁵Heb. iv. 8.

¹⁶I Thess iv 17.

¹⁷This in round numbers is the received account of the number of languages at the dispersion.

¹⁸Rom. viii. 26.

¹⁹I Pet. i. II.

²⁰Gen. v.29.

²¹John viii. 56.

²²Heb. xi. 19.

²³Dan. iv. 23.

²⁴I. e. the Angels; as usually in St. E.'s writings.

²⁵Ps. xlv. 5.

²⁶Cant. I.15.

²⁷St. E. here alludes to the early days of David ; he brought cheeses to his brethren ; these were made by separating the curd from the whey with rennet, a small quantity of which will curdle much milk, as a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

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

Homily on the Nativity of Christ, by St. Gregory of Nyssa

2011-12-23T19:08:00.000-08:00

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

The Nativity of Christ (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dtdRSL_XQj0/TutOF64Se-I/AAAAAAAABrU/yiqoe-BOFI0/s1600/a+%25282%2529.jpg)

Homily on the Nativity of Christ by our Father among the Saints Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa

“SOUND THE TRUMPET at the new moon,” says David, “even in the notable day of your feast.” The commandments of Divinely-inspired teaching are assuredly a law for those who hear them. Therefore, since the notable day of our feast is at hand, let us, too, fulfill the law and become heralds of the solemnity. The trumpet of the law, as the Apostle bids us understand, is the word. For the sound of the trumpet, he says, should not be uncertain, but its notes should be distinct so that the hearers may clearly perceive it. So let us produce a clear and audible sound, brethren, one that is no less noble than that of the trumpet. For the Law, prefiguring the truth in the shadowy types, enjoined the sounding of the trumpet at the Feast of Tabernacles. Now, the theme of the present Feast is the mystery of the true Tabernacle. For on this day did He Who vested Himself with humanity for our sake pitch His human tabernacle; on this day our tabernacles, which had disintegrated through death, are reconstituted by Him Who constructed our habitation from the very beginning. Let us utter the words of the Psalm, joining in chorus with the loud-voiced David: “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” How does He come? He crosses over into human life, not by boat or by chariot, but through the incorruption of a Virgin. This is our God, this is our Lord, Who appeared to us to ordain a Feast with thick branches, even unto the horns of the altar.

We are assuredly not unaware, brethren, of the mystery contained in these words: that all of creation is a single temple of the Master of creation. But since, when sin intervened, the mouths of those overcome by evil were stopped, the voice of rejoicing fell silent and the harmony of those who keep festival was interrupted, as human creation no longer celebrated with celestial Angel-kind, for this reason there came the trumpets of the Prophets and the Apostles, whom the Law calls horns, because they are formed from the true Unicorn (Numbers 23:22). By the power of the Spirit they made the word of truth resound with piercing clarity, so that the ears of those who had been made deaf by sin might be opened up and so that there might be one harmonious celebration, echoing in unison through the thick covering of the tabernacle of the lower creation with the sublime and preëminent Hosts that stand around the Heavenly Altar. For the horns of the noetic Altar are the sublime and preëminent Powers of the noetic nature, the Principalities, Authorities, Thrones, and Dominions, to which human nature is joined by participation in the Feast through its resurrected tabernacle, which is “thickly covered” by the renewal of our bodies. For “to be thickly covered” means the same as “to be adorned” and “to be encompassed,” as those who understand these matters interpret it. Come, then, let us rouse our souls to spiritual rejoicing, and let us appoint David the head and leader of our chorus; and let us say with him that sweet verse which we have just chanted.

Let us repeat it yet again: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” On this day darkness begins to diminish, and the duration of the night is contracted by the waxing of the sun’s rays. Not fortuitously or arbitrarily did God ordain, in connection with this Feast, that the Divine life should now be made manifest in human life. For those who are more discerning, the creation describes a certain mystery through natural phenomena, well nigh giving utterance and teaching those capable of hearing what is meant by the waxing of the day and the waning of the night at the advent of the Master. For it seems to me that I hear the creation setting forth an explanation of this kind: “When you see these phenomena, O man, understand that hidden mysteries are disclosed to you through things that are apparent. Do you see the night advancing to its greatest length, stopping in its course, and again receding? Reflect that the evil night of sin, having increased as much as it could and having reached the utmost magnitude of wickedness through the contrivance of every kind of vice, is today prevented from spreading any further, and is henceforth driven to eclipse and extinction.

Do you see how the light shines more clearly and how the sun sits higher in the sky than usual? Ponder on the Advent of the true Light, Who illumines the entire inhabited earth with the rays of the Gospel. One might perhaps reasonably suppose that the reason why the Lord did not manifest Himself at the outset of creation, but bestowed the revelation of His Divinity upon human life in the latter times, is that He Who was going to unite Himself to human life in order to cleanse it of evil was bound to await the blossoming of all the sin planted by the enemy. Thus, it was then that He laid the axe to the root, as the Gospel says. For those physicians who are eminent in their art, while the fever is still consuming the body from within and gradually being aggravated by those factors that cause the disease, yield to the malady, until the suffering has reached its acme, giving no relief to the sufferer by way of food. But when the evil comes to a halt, when the entire disease has been exposed, then they bring their skill to bear. Thus, He Who heals those who are ill in soul waited for the evil from the disease which held the human race in its grip to become manifest in its entirety, lest any hidden evil remain unhealed, which would be the case if the doctor cured only what was visible. For this reason neither in the times of Noah, when all flesh had become corrupted by unrighteousness, did He apply the remedy of His own appearing, because the shoot of Sodomite vice had not yet budded, nor did the Lord reveal Himself in the time of the destruction of Sodom, for many other evils were still lurking in human nature. Indeed, where was the God-fighting Pharaoh? Where was the indomitable wickedness of the Egyptians?

Not even then—in the era of the Egyptian wickedness, I mean—was it opportune for the Corrector of all things to associate with our life. No, for it was necessary for the iniquity of the Israelites to be exposed. It was still necessary for both the kingdom of the Assyrians and the smouldering arrogance of Nabucodonosor to be made manifest in human life. It was necessary for the foul murder of the righteous ones to spring up like some wicked and thorny plant from the Devil’s evil root. It was necessary for the raging fury of the Jews against the Saints of God to be revealed: they slew the Prophets and stoned those sent by God, and finally perpetrated the murder of Zacharias between the Temple and the altar. Add to this list of enormities the slaughter of the children by Herod. When, therefore, the full force of evil had emerged from its wicked root and had proliferated, running riot in a variety of ways in the behavior of those in every generation notorious for their depravity, it was then, as Paul says to the Athenians, that God, overlooking the times of ignorance, came in the latter days, when there was no one who understood Him or sought after Him, when all had gone astray and had alike become good for nothing, when all things had been enveloped in sin; when iniquity had multiplied, and when the darkness of evil had increased to the highest degree. Then did Grace appear, then did the radiance of the true Light dawn. Then did the Sun of righteousness appear to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death; then did He crush the many heads of the dragon, stepping on him with His foot, through His human flesh, dashing him to the earth and trampling on him. Let no one, looking at the present state of the world, suppose that we are speaking falsely when we say that the Lord has shone upon our life in the latter times.

Perhaps someone will say, by way of objection, that it is natural for one who waits some years for evil to manifest itself, so that he can pull it up by the roots once it is fully developed, to destroy it completely, so that no remnant of it will survive. Now, however, people dare to commit murders, thefts, adulteries, and all manner of villainy. But let him who observes this state of affairs dispel his doubt with a familiar example. For, just as when we kill a snake, we can see that the hinder part of its coil is not immediately deadened along with its head, but whereas the head is dead, the tail still pulsates with its own life and is not deprived of vital movement, so also He Who slew the dragon, when the beast had become large enough, increasing in size with each generation of mankind, destroyed its head, that is, its power to ruin what is good—which itself possesses many heads—, but took no account of the rest of its body, allowing the motion that lingered in the dead beast to serve as a means of training for future generations. What, then, is the head that is crushed? The head that brought death into the world by an evil counsel, injecting deadly venom into man through its bite.

Therefore, He Who destroyed the might of death, crushed the power contained in the serpent’s head, as the Prophet says. The rest of the beast’s body, dispersed in human life, as long as mankind is motivated by evil, always roughens life with the scales of sin. The serpent’s power is now dead, since its head has been rendered useless, but as time passes and things endowed with motion come a standstill at the awaited consummation of this life, then the tail, the enemy’s last remaining part, that is, death, is annulled. In this way evil will completely disappear, when all are recalled to life through the resurrection: the righteous will immediately be transported to celestial bliss, while those held in the grip of sins will be consigned to the fire of Gehenna.

But let us return to the present joy, which the Angels proclaim to the shepherds, which the heavens declare to the Magi, which the spirit of prophecy announces through many and sundry utterances, so that the Magi become heralds of Grace. For He Who makes the sun rise on the just and on the unjust, Who sends rain on the evil and on the good, has brought the ray of knowledge and the dew of the Spirit even to the mouths of foreigners, so that the truth is confirmed all the more for us by the testimony of our adversaries. You hear the soothsayer Balaam declaring to the foreigners by a higher inspiration that “a Star shall rise out of Jacob.” You see the Magi, who derive their ancestry from him, observing, according to the prediction of their forefather, the rising of the novel star, which, contrary to the nature of all other stars, alone partook of motion and rest, proceeding according as it had need of either of these states. For whereas, among the other stars, some stand fast once and for all in the sphere of the fixed stars, having obtained an immovable position, while others never cease from moving, this one both moved, preceding the Magi, and stood still, indicating the place.

You hear Esaias exclaiming that “unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given.” Learn from the Prophet himself how the Child was born, how the Son was given. Now, was it in accordance with the law of nature? No, says the Prophet. The Master of nature is not a slave to the laws of nature. But how was the Child born? Tell us. “Behold,” says the Prophet, “a Virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” O the wonder! The Virgin becomes a mother, and yet remains a virgin. You see the innovation in nature. Among other women, as long as one is a virgin, she is not a mother. But when she becomes a mother, she no longer possesses virginity. But in this case, the two names coincide. For the same woman is both a mother and a virgin; and neither did her virginity prevent her childbirth nor did her maternity annul her virginity. For it behooved Him Who was to enter human life in order to make all things incorrupt that He should receive His beginning from the incorruption that served His birth. Men are in the habit of calling one who has no experience of wedlock incorrupt. It seems to me that the great Moses understood this in advance through the light wherein God appeared to him, when the fire touched the bush and the bush was not consumed: “I will pass over and see this great sight.” By “pass over,” he means, I think, not a local movement, but the passage of time; for that which was then prefigured in the flame and the bush was, with the passage of intervening time, clearly revealed in the mystery of the Virgin. For, just as there was a bush there, and the fire touched it and it was not burned, so here, too, there is a Virgin, who gives birth to the Light and suffers no corruption. If a bush prefigures the God-bearing body of the Virgin, do not be ashamed of the type. For all flesh, on account of our acceptance of sin, by the very fact that it is only flesh, is sin; and sin in Scripture is called by the name “thorn.” Now, provided we do not digress too far from our subject, it is perhaps not inopportune to adduce Zacharias, who was slain between the temple and the altar, as a witness to the incorruption of the Mother of God. This Zacharias was a priest; and not only was he a priest, but he was also endowed with the gift of prophecy, his power of prophecy being declared expressly in the Book of the Gospel. When the Grace of God was preparing the way for men not to think that birth from a Virgin is incredible, it set the stage for the assent of unbelievers by means of lesser miracles: a child was born of a barren woman advanced in years. This was a prelude to the miracle of the Virgin Birth. For, just as Elizabeth became a mother not by the power of nature—for she had grown old in barrenness—but the birth of her child is ascribed to the Will of God; so also, the incredibility of a virginal parturition gains credibility with reference to the Divine.

Since, therefore, he who was born of the barren woman preceded Him Who was born of the Virgin, and, in response to the salutation of her who was carrying the Lord, leaped in his mother’s womb before he saw the light of day, as soon as the Forerunner of the Word was born, the silence of Zacharias was thereupon loosed by prophetic inspiration. All that Zacharias recounted was a prophecy of the future. Therefore, guided to the knowledge of hidden things by the spirit of prophecy, and perceiving the mystery of virginity in the incorrupt birth, he did not exclude the unwedded Mother from that place in the Temple allotted by the Law to virgins, thereby teaching the Jews that the Creator of existing things and King of all creation has human nature subject to Himself, along with everything else, guiding it by His own Will as He sees fit, not being Himself mastered by it, so that it is in His power to create a new birth, which will not prevent her who has become a mother from remaining a virgin. For this reason, he did not exclude her, in the Temple, from the place of the virgins; this place was the space between the Temple and the altar. When the Jews heard that the King of creation, by Divine OEconomy, was about to undergo human birth, fearing lest they become subject to a king, they murdered the priest who bore witness to this birth as he was serving at the altar itself.

We have, however, wandered far from our subject, and must return to Bethlehem in the Gospel account. For if we are truly shepherds and keeping watch over our flocks, the voice of the Angels which proclaims these good tidings of great joy is assuredly directed to us. Let us, therefore, look up to the heavenly host, behold the choir of Angels, and hear their Divine hymnody. What is the sound of these who keep feast? “Glory to God in the highest,” they cry. Why do the Angelic voices glorify the Divinity beheld in the highest? Because they say “and on earth peace.” The Angels have become exceedingly joyful at the spectacle: “and on earth peace.” That which was previously accursed, which brought forth thorns and thistles, the place of conflict, the exile of the condemned, has received peace. Oh, the wonder! “Truth is sprung out of the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.” Such is the fruit that the earth of men yielded. And these things come to pass for the sake of God’s good will towards men. God is mingled with human nature, in order that humanity might be raised up to the height of God. Having heard these tidings, let us go to Bethlehem and behold the new spectacle, how the Virgin exults in childbirth, how she who knew not wedlock suckles her infant. But let us first hear from the stories related about her who she was and whence she came.

I have heard a certain apocryphal account, which presents the following narratives concerning her. Her father was distinguished for his scrupulous observance of the Law and was well known for his virtues. However, he had reached old age without having sired any offspring, for his wife was unable to bear children. Now, there was a certain honor ascribed to mothers on the basis of the Law, an honor in which barren women had no share. His wife replicated the story of the mother of Samuel. Having entered the Holy of Holies, she besought God that she not be deprived of the blessing that comes from the laws, since she not sinned against the Law in any way, but that she become a mother and dedicate to God the child that she would bear. Strengthened by Divine assent to the favor that she requested, she conceived. When she brought forth the child, she named her “Mary,” so that through the similarity of the name it might be indicated that the favor was granted by God. When the little girl was sufficiently mature, so that she no longer needed to cling to the breast, her mother made haste to give her back to God, in fulfillment of her promise, and conduct her to the Temple. The priests brought up the child in the Holy place for some time, just like Samuel, but when she was grown up, they took counsel as to what they could do about that holy body without sinning against God. To subjugate her to the law of nature and enslave her through marriage to one who would take her to wife was utterly unacceptable. Indeed, it was regarded as absolute sacrilege for a man to be master of something consecrated to God, for it was decreed by the law that a man should be master of his spouse. However, it was not lawful for a woman to consort with priests in the Temple or to be seen in the Holy place, and besides, such a thing was improper.

As they were deliberating on these matters, they received advice from God that they should betroth her nominally to such a man as would be apt to guard her virginity. Joseph, the kind of man they were looking for, since he was of the same tribe and family as the Virgin, was found, and on the advice of the priests he was betrothed to the girl. Their affinity extended only as far as betrothal. The Virgin was then initiated into the mystery of the Divine Will by Gabriel, the words of his mystagogy being themselves a blessing. “Rejoice, thou that art full of Grace,” he said, “the Lord is with thee.” The words now addressed to the Virgin are the antithesis of those addressed to the first woman. The latter was condemned to the pangs of childbirth on account of sin; in the case of the former, sorrow is expelled through joy. In the latter case, sorrows precede parturition; in the former case, joy is the midwife of parturition. “Fear not,” says Gabriel. Since the expectation of travail arouses fear in every woman, that fear is banished by the promise of an agreeable childbirth. “Thou shalt conceive in thy womb,” he says, “and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. For He shall save His people from their sins.” What does Mary say? Hear the voice of a pure Virgin. The Angel proclaims the glad tidings of the birth; but she cleaves to virginity, judging incorruption to be preferable to the appearance of the Angel, and neither does she disbelieve the Angel nor will she relinquish her resolve. “I have refrained from knowing any man,” she says: “How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” This utterance of Mary is proof of the narrative that I have drawn from the aforementioned apocryphal work. For if she had been taken in marriage by Joseph, how would she have been surprised by him who announced that she was to bear a child, for in that case she would surely have expected to become a mother according the law of nature? “Since it behooved me to preserve inviolate, as a holy offering, the flesh that I have consecrated to God, for this reason,” she says, “although thou art an Angel, although thou hast come from Heaven, and although this phenomenon surpasseth human nature, it is nonetheless impossible for me to know a man. How am I to be a mother without a man? For I know Joseph as my betrothed, but do not know him as a husband.” Now, what does the bridal escort Gabriel say to this? What manner of bridal chamber does he present for a pure and undefiled marriage? “The Holy Spirit,” he says, “shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.”

Oh, that blessed womb, which on account of its exceeding purity attracted to itself the good things of the soul! For in the case of all other human beings, a pure soul would with difficulty receive the presence of the Holy Spirit; but in this case, the flesh becomes a vessel of the Spirit. “And the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee.” Now, what do these ineffable words mean? “Christ” is “the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” Thus, the Wisdom of the Most High God, which is Christ, takes form in her virginity through the coming of the Holy Spirit. For, just as a shadow assumes the same shape as the body that precedes it, so also the character and the traits of the Divinity of the Son will be manifested in the power of Him Who is to be born, the image, seal, adumbration, and effulgence of the Prototype being shown through His display of miracle-working.

But the glad tidings of the Angels exhort us to bring our discourse back to Bethlehem and to behold the mysteries in the cave. What is this? A Child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger; and she who remains a Virgin after giving birth, the incorrupt Mother, cares for her offspring. Let us, the shepherds, utter the cry of the Prophet: “As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God.” Surely these things that are related about Christ did not happen fortuitously or accidentally, and surely there is some reason behind this story. What does it mean for the Master that He dwells in a cave and lies in a manger? That He became involved with our life at the time of the whole world was being registered for taxation? Is it not clear that, just as He delivers us from the curse of the Law, becoming a curse for our sake, and transfers our stripes to Himself, so that by His stripes we might be healed, so also He submits to taxation in order to free us from the evil fetters of the tax which death has been exacting from humanity? When you see the cave in which the Master is born, understand the lightless and subterraneous life of mankind, into which He enters, appearing to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death. He is bound in swaddling clothes Who wraps Himself in the bands of our sins. The manger is the abode of irrational animals, in which the Word is born, that the ox may know his Owner and the ass his Master’s crib; the ox stands for him who is subject to the Law, while the ass, that beast of burden, stands for him who is weighed down with the sin of idolatry. But whereas the food and sustenance suitable for irrational animals is grass—“He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,” as the Prophet says—the rational animal is nourished with bread. For this reason, therefore, the Bread of Life, which descended from Heaven, is set forth in the manger, which is the dwelling- place of irrational animals, so that those irrational animals might partake of rational food and become rational. Thus, the Lord of both mediates, in the manger, between the ox and the ass, in order that, having “broken down the middle wall of partition,” He might “make in Himself of twain one new man,” both removing the heavy yoke of the Law from the former and relieving the latter of the burden of idolatry.

But let us now gaze upon the celestial wonders. For behold, not only do Prophets and Angels announce the glad tidings of this joy to us; the heavens, too, proclaim the glory of the Gospel through their own marvels. Christ “sprang out of Juda” for us, as the Apostle says, but the Jews are not illumined by Him Who thus sprang forth. The Magi were strangers to the promise of the Covenants and without a share in the blessing of the Fathers; yet they surpass the people of Israel in knowledge, for they recognized the heavenly luminary and were not ignorant of the King in the cave. The Magi bring Him gifts, but the Jews plot against Him. The former worship Him, but the latter persecute Him. The former rejoice at finding Him Whom they were seeking. The latter are perturbed at the birth of Him Who was announced. For, when the Magi “saw the star” over the place where the Child was,” “they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.” “When Herod...had heard” the report, “he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” The Magi offer frankincense to Him as God, honor His regal dignity with gold, and through myrrh, by prophetic Grace, allude to the OEconomy of His suffering. The Jews [Herod and his soldiers], however, condemn the entire infant population to slaughter, which, it seems to me, convicts them not only of cruelty, but also of the utmost folly. For what did they intend by this act of infanticide? And to what end did the murderers dare to perpetrate such a heinous crime? A certain new and marvellous celestial sign, it says, indicated to the Magi the appearance of the King.

What, then? Do you believe in the truth of the sign that announces Him, or do you suspect that what is rumored about Him is groundless? For if He is such a nature as to have the heavens under His control, is He not obviously above your control? But if He makes His living or dying dependent on you, in vain do you fear such a one. For what purpose do you plot against one who acts in such a way as to be under your control? Why do you issue that dire mandate, your wicked decree against the infants, that hapless babes be slaughtered? What wrong did they do? What cause of punishment and death did they bring upon themselves? Their sole crime is that they were born and saw the light of day. Because of this it was necessary that the city be filled with executioners and that a throng of mothers and infants be assembled, with people accompanying them and parents and all their kinsfolk gathering together, as one might expect, to witness their plight. Who could describe this calamity in words? Who could bring before our eyes through narratives their torments? their mingled lamentation? the mournful dirge of children, mothers, relatives, and fathers crying out piteously at the threats of the executioners? How could one portray the executioner standing beside the infant with bared sword, with a grim and murderous look on his face, uttering words to match his expression, dragging the infant towards him with one hand, and stretching out his sword with the other, and the mother on the other side pulling the child towards herself and holding out her own neck under the edge of the sword, so as not to see with her own eyes the hapless child being destroyed by the hands of the executioner? How could one recount the reactions of the fathers? their exclamations, their lamentations, their final embraces of their sons, and many other such things that occurred at the same time as these? Who could set forth the various kinds of torment, the twofold pangs of the mothers who have recently given birth? The bitter searing of their feminine nature? how the hapless babe clave to its mother’s breast and at the same time received the mortal blow through its vitals? how the unfortunate mother held out her breast to the mouth of the infant and received the blood of her child on her bosom? At times, with the swing of his hand, by a single stroke of his sword, the executioner would thrust through both mother and child, and a single stream of blood would flow, mingled together from the wound of the mother and the mortal blow dealt to the child. And since, by Herod’s abominable decree, not only was the death sentence to be meted out to newborn infants, but also any child who had reached his second year was to be carried off and slain (as Scripture says, “from two years old and under”), the account quite naturally foresees yet another predicament: that the intervening time had made the same woman mother of two children. What a spectacle it was in such situations, with two executioners busying themselves with one mother! The one would be dragging towards him the child that was running back to his mother, while the other would be tearing the suckling away from his mother’s bosom. What suffering the poor mother must have undergone in these cases! Her instincts are split between two children, each of whom kindles the flames of maternal affection in equal measure, for she does not know which of the wicked executioners to follow: the one dragging her infant off to slaughter from one side, or the other doing the same thing from the other side. Is she to run to her newborn, who is emitting what are as yet indistinct and inarticulate laments? But she hears the other, who is already able to speak, tearfully calling out to his mother in a faltering voice. What is she to do? Who is it to be? To whose cry will she respond? In response to whose lamentation will she lament in turn? Which death will she mourn, being stung by the goads of her maternal nature equally for each?

But let us avert our hearing from threnodies for the children and direct our minds to themes more cheerful and more suitable for the Feast, even though Rachel, in accordance with the prophecy, bewails the slaughter of the children with loud cries. For on a day of celebration, as the wise Solomon says, it is fitting to forget evils. What could be more auspicious for us than this Feast, whereon the Sun of Righteousness, having scattered the evil darkness of the Devil, shines upon creation through this our nature, whereon that which was fallen is raised up, that which had become hostile is brought to reconciliation, that which had been outlawed is recalled, that which had fallen away from life returns to life, that which had become enslaved to captivity is restored to the dignity of the Kingdom, and that which had been bound by the fetters of death and runs back, liberated, to the land of the living? Now, according to the prophecy, the brazen gates of death are crushed and the iron bars are shattered, whereby the human race was formerly confined in the dungeon of death. Now, as David says, the gate of righteousness is opened. Now the sound of those who keep festival is heard in unanimity throughout the inhabited earth. Through man came death, and through man salvation. The first man fell into sin, but the second raised up him who was fallen. A woman came to the defense of a woman: the former afforded an entrance to sin; the latter ministered to the entrance of righteousness. The former accepted the counsel of the serpent; the latter brought forth the Destroyer of the serpent and gave birth to the Author of light. The former introduced sin through a tree; through a tree the latter introduced good in its place. By “tree” I mean the Cross; the fruit of this tree is evergreen and amaranthine life for those who taste thereof. And let no one suppose that such thanksgiving belongs only to the mystery of Pascha. Let him reflect that Pascha is the end of the Divine OEconomy. How could the end come about if the beginning had not preceded it? Which is prior to the other? The Nativity of Christ, of course, is prior to the OEconomy of His Passion.

The glories of Pascha, therefore, belong to the laudations of His Nativity. If one enumerates the benefactions recorded in the Gospels and reviews the miraculous healings, the provision of food amid scarcity, the return of the dead from the tombs, the extemporaneous production of wine, the expulsion of demons, the transmutation of various illnesses into health, the saltations of the lame, the fashioning of eyes from clay, the Divine teachings, the ordinances of the new Law, the mystagogy, through parables, towards higher things—all of these are a gift of the present day. Therefore, “let us rejoice and be glad in it,” not fearing the reproach of men, as the prophet exhorts, nor being overcome by the contempt of those who deride the rationale of the OEconomy, saying that it is not seemly that the Lord should assume bodily nature and mingle with human life through birth, ignorant, it seems, of the mystery involved in this matter, how the Wisdom of God wrought our salvation. We had voluntarily sold ourselves to our sins and were in bondage to the enemy of our life like bought slaves. What, indeed, would you like the Master to have done? Is it not to have delivered you from calamity? Why do you quibble about the manner of your deliverance? Why do you lay down the law for your Benefactor, as if you receive no benefit from Him? It is as if one were to spurn his doctor and reprove him for doing good, because he effected the cure not in this way, but in another way. If you inquire, out of curiosity, into the magnitude of the Divine OEconomy, it is sufficient for you to realize that the Divinity is not just one good thing among others, but is whatever good we can conceive: powerful, just, good, and wise, whatever names and concepts possess a meaning that befits God. Consider, therefore, whether all the attributes that I have mentioned—goodness, wisdom, power, and justice—coincide in the benefaction wrought for us. As good, He loved the apostate; as wise, He devised a means for the return of those in bondage. As just, He did not coerce him who had enslaved mankind, who had justly acquired him by purchase; rather, He gave Himself in exchange for those held fast, in order that, transferring the debt to Himself like a guarantor, He might set the detainee free from those detaining him. As powerful, He was not held fast by Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. For it was not possible that the Author of life should be held fast by corruption. But was it not disgraceful for Him to undergo human birth and undergo the experience of sufferings in the flesh? You are speaking of His exceeding beneficence. For since it was not possible for humanity to be delivered from so many evils in any other way, the King of all dispassion suffered to exchange His own glory for our life. His purity descended to our filth; but our filth had no effect on His purity, as the Gospel says: “And the light shone in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” Darkness is disappeared by the presence of light; the sun is not dimmed by darkness. Mortality is swallowed up by life, as the Apostle says; life is not consumed by death. That which is corrupted is saved along with what is incorrupt. Corruption does not affect incorruption. For this reason, there is a common symphony of all creation, all things sending up unanimous doxology to the Master of creation, every tongue of those in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth crying that the Lord Jesus Christ, in the glory of God the Father, is blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.

(Note: hosted by an old calendar site: http://www.saintedwardbrotherhood.org/1211.pdf)

The Nativity of Christ (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GYiEvmlmBLU/TvO8Y1ZjHWI/AAAAAAAAMIM/gaOQKw7tWiY/s1600/PC230111.JPG)

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

Elder Paisios on spiritually celebrating the Feasts

2011-12-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B95DCqNt3u8/TbhAJrajTbI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/y-qoXkPWCLU/s1600/easter_week_22.jpg)

Elder Paisios on spiritually celebrating the Feasts (amateur translation)
For us to experience the feasts, we must have our minds on the holy days, and not on the work that we have to do for the holy days. We should think about the events of every holy day (Christmas, Theophany, Pascha, etc.) and we should say the [Jesus] prayer, glorifying God. Thus we will celebrate each feast with great reverence. Wordly people associate Christmas with pork, Pascha with lamb, Meatfare with confetti. But true monks experience the divine events every day, and rejoice continually. Every week they experience Holy Week. Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, they experience Holy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Holy Friday, in other words, the Passion of Christ, and every Sunday, Pascha, the Resurrection.
(http://ahdoni.blogspot.com/2011/12/blog-post_3183.html)

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

Homily on the Nativity of Christ, by St. John Chrysostom

2011-12-21T15:31:00.000-08:00

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

The Nativity of Christ (http://www.holytrinitybutte.org/images/nativity.jpg)

Homily on the Nativity of Christ, by St. John Chrysostom
The following is one of several sermons by the great Hierarch and Teacher of the world, St. John Chrysostom, on the Nativity of Christ. It is a beautiful and deep work in which the Saint praises the newborn Christ, discusses the deep theology of Christ's incarnation, and tries to urge us all to deeper faith in Him and to follow His commandments. The first portion has been translated and posted numerous places online, while I have yet to find the rest of this moving homily translated. Thus the remainder is also posted below, as an amateur translation of mine.

It should be noted that some mistakenly interpret some of the Blessed Chrysostom's words as "anti-semitic". This is not the time for a full examination of this error, but I will say the following: St. John, having been purified of his passions through love of God and his fellow man, and following the Lord's commandments, truly became a great vessel of the Holy Spirit. As such, the Saint did not bear any hate towards anyone in his life, neither does he after his death. He did not rejoice in hate or persecution of anyone, but ever preached love and forgiveness. He does not judge any person, but is only critical of false beliefs and of sin against God. The admonishments that he uses (whether addressed towards Jews, Gentiles, idolaters, sinners, or the faithful) are dispassionate, loving urgings to come to understand the Truth that is Christ. He urges all on this great feast of Christmas, both believers and unbelievers throughout the world: "Come, let us rejoice together! Come, let us celebrate!" Let us all worship Christ: God Who became man for our salvation! May He be born also within our cold and unbelieving hearts! Amen!

I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the Shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn.
The Angels sing!
The Archangels blend their voices in harmony!
The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise!
The Seraphim exalt His glory!

All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised.

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side the Sun of Justice.

And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, he had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things move in obedience to God.

This day He Who Is, is Born; and He Who Is becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became he God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassibility, remaining unchanged.

And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb.

Yet He has not forsaken His angels, nor left them deprived of His care, nor because of His Incarnation has he departed from the Godhead.

And behold,
Kings have come, that they might adore the heavenly King of glory;
Soldiers, that they might serve the Leader of the Hosts of Heaven;
Women, that they might adore Him Who was born of a woman so that He might change the pains of child-birth into joy;
Virgins, to the Son of the Virgin, beholding with joy, that He Who is the Giver of milk, Who has decreed that the fountains of the breast pour forth in ready streams, receives from a Virgin Mother the food of infancy;
Infants, that they may adore Him Who became a little child, so that out of the mouth of infants and sucklings, He might perfect praise;
Children, to the Child Who raised up martyrs through the rage of Herod;
Men, to Him Who became man, that He might heal the miseries of His servants;
Shepherds, to the Good Shepherd Who has laid down His life for His sheep;
Priests, to Him Who has become a High Priest according to the order of Melchisedech;
Servants, to Him Who took upon Himself the form of a servant that He might bless our servitude with the reward of freedom;
Fishermen, to Him Who from amongst fishermen chose catchers of men;
Publicans, to Him Who from amongst them named a chosen Evangelist;
Sinful women, to Him Who exposed His feet to the tears of the repentant;

And that I may embrace them all together, all sinners have come, that they may look upon the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sins of the world.
[The Magi to worship Him.
The Shepherds to glorify Him.
The tax collectors to preach Him.
The harlots to offer myrrh to Him.
The Samaritan Woman to quench His thirst.
The Canaanite Woman to be benefited by Him.]
(amateur translation of missing portion)

Since therefore all rejoice, I too desire to rejoice. I too wish to share the choral dance, to celebrate the festival. But I take my part, not plucking the harp, not shaking the Thyrsian staff, not with the music of pipes, nor holding a torch, but holding in my arms the cradle of Christ. For this is all my hope, this my life, this my salvation, this my pipe, my harp. And bearing it I come, and having from its power received the gift of speech, I too, with the angels, sing: Glory to God in the Highest;
and with the shepherds: and on earth peace to men of good will.

We only can say this: that as His heavenly birth is true, thus also His earthly birth is irrefutable. It is true that God was begotten from God, it is true that He was born a man from a virgin. In heaven, He alone was born from the Father, His only-begotten Son. And on earth, He alone was born from the Virgin, her only Son.

As with His heavenly birth, it is impious to think of a mother, thus in His earthly birth, it is blasphemy to propose a father.

God gave birth to Him in a divine manner; the Virgin have birth to Him in a supernatural manner. Thus neither His heavenly birth can be fully explained, nor can His incarnation be studied.

I know that the Virgin today gave birth to Him. I believe that He was begotten of God the Father before the ages.

And I have learned to silently honor His birth, without curious investigations and unnecessary discussions. Because, whatever relates to God cannot be held to the natural course of events, but it is belief in His power that orders all things.

What is more natural than for a married woman to give birth? However, what is more paradoxical than for a virgin to give birth to a child, without a man, and to remain a virgin?

What can we study, therefore? That which occurrs according to the natural laws. However, whatever occurs supernaturally, we must honor silently. Not because it is dangerous, but because it is inscrutable.

I ponder in fear before the divine mystery.

What can I say, and what shall I speak? I see her who gave birth. I see Him Who was born. But the manner of birth, I cannot understand.

Do you see how, where God wills, the laws of nature are overcome? The same occurred here: the natural order is put aside, and the divine will works.

How inexplicable is the compassion of God!

The Son of God before the ages, the incorruptible and invisible and bodiless, came to inhabit our corruptible and visible body. For what reason? That, as you know, we men might believe beyond that which we see, beyond that which we hear. We [sinners] believe in the visible, but not the invisible. Thus we do not believe in the true God, but we worship visible idols in the form of men. Therefore, God appeared before us in the visible form of man, to dissolve in this manner every doubt as to His existence. And later, having taught the certainty of His presence through the senses, in order to easily lead us to the true faith, to the invisible and supernatural.

The wonder fills me with astonishment!

I see God before the ages as a child!

He rests in the manger, He Whose throne is heaven!
Human hands hold Him Who is unapproachable and bodiless!
He is wrapped in swaddling clothes, He Who breaks apart the bonds of sin!

However, this is His will: to transform dishonor into honor, to array worthlessness in glory, to recreate assault into virtue.

He took my body, He offers me His Spirit. He grants me the treasure of eternal life, taking but also giving me. He takes my flesh to sanctify me, He give me His Spirit to save me.

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive.” (Isaiah 7:14).

The words are from the synagogue, but has been acquired by the Church.
The synagogue buried the thread; the Church wears the royal robe.
Judea gave birth to Him; the world received Him.
The synagogue nursed Him and raised Him; the Church received Him and was benefited by Him.
In the synagogue the root sprouted; we however partake of the grapes of truth.
The synagogue trampled upon the grapes; the idolaters, however, drink of the mystical drink.
He offered the seed to Judea; the idolaters, however, reaped the sheaves with the sickle of faith. They cut the rose with honor, and left the Judeans with the thorn of faithlessness.
The little bird has flown away, and they still senselessly wait and guard the nest.
The Judeans struggle to study the scriptures, and the idolaters eat of the fruit of the Spirit.

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive.” (Isaiah 7:14).

Tell me, O Judaean, tell me, who was born?
I entreat you, show boldness as that which you showed before Herod. But you do not have boldness. And I know why. Because you are insidious. You spoke to Herod to cast Him out, and to me you do not speak that I might not worship Him.

Who, therefore, was born? Who? The Creator of creation. And if you are silent, nature will cry out like thunder. He was born, therefore, in the manner in which He willed to be born. In nature, there is no possibility for a birth like this. He, however, as the Lord of creation, created a paradoxical way of birth. And He thus showed that, though He became man, He was not born like other men, but in a way that suits God.

Adam, therefore, without a woman, acquired a woman. The Virgin now, without a man, gave birth to a man.

And why did this occur? Behold why:

Women had an ancient debt towards men, because Adam had sprouted a woman without the intervention of another woman. For this reason, today the Virgin fulfills the debt of Eve towards men, and gives birth without a man, showing thus the equal honor of nature.

Adam remained whole after parting with his rib; the Virgin remained incorrupt after giving birth to her Child.

But note something further:

The Lord did not create another body to be seen on earth. He took the body of man, that He not appear to disdain the matter with which he created Adam. He came thus, God and man, in a mystical union. And the devil, who had enslaved man, ran to flee.

God becomes man, but is born as God. If He came like I did, from a common marriage, many would doubt His birth. This is why He was born from a virgin. For this reason he kept her womb untouched. For this reason he preserves her virginity unspotted: that the manner of His birth might be paradoxical, a cause of unshakable faith.

Therefore, to those who doubt the seedless birth of the Word of God, I call upon the spotless seal of virginity as a witness.

Tell me, therefore, O Judean, did the Virgin give birth or not?

And if she gave birth, why do you not confess the supernatural birth?
And again if she did not give birth, why did you deceive Herod?

For he sought to learn where the Christ would be born, and you told him: “In Bethlehem of Judea” (Matthew 2:4).

Perhaps I knew the city or the place?
Perhaps I knew the worth of the Child Who had come into the world?
Did not Isaiah and the Prophets speak to you of Him?
And you thankless enemies, did you not study the truth? You, the scribes and Pharisees, the strict keepers of the law, why don't you teach us about Christ?
Haven't you searched the Scriptures? Perhaps, do you not understand your own language?
And when the Virgin gave birth, did you not present the witness of the Prophet Michah to Herod: “But you, O Bethlehem of the land of Ephratha, though you are among the least of the cities of Judea, you will receive the leader of Israel” (Michah 5:1)?

Very well did the Prophet say: “from you”. From you He came, and appeared to the whole world. He appeared as a man, to lead men. He appeared as God to save the world.

O how beneficial enemies you are! What philanthropic condemners!

You by mistake showed how the newborn of Bethlehem is God.
You preached Him without wishing it.
You revealed Him, while trying to hide Him.
You were good to Him, while you wished to harm Him.
Truly, what illiterate teachers you are.
You hunger, and you run to others to be fed.
You thirst, and you are watered by others. You are utterly poor, and enrich others.

Come, let us rejoice together! Come, let us celebrate! The manner of the feast is strange—as is also the word on the birth of Christ.
Today are dissolved the ancient bonds.
The devil is disgraced.
The demons flee.
Death is dispoiled.
Paradise is opened.
The curse disappears.
Sin is cast out.
Error is driven away.
Truth is revealed.
The message of piety is poured forth and is given everywhere.
The kingdom of the heavens is transplanted to earth.
Angels speak with men.
All have been united.
Why?
Because God has descended to earth, and man has ascended to the heavens.

God descended to earth, and again is found in heaven. He is wholly in heaven and wholly on earth. He became man and is God. He is God and took on flesh. He is held in virginal arms, and with His hands holds the world.

The Magi hasten to Him; let us also hasten.
The star hastens to reveal the Lord of heaven, and He Himself hastens.

He hastens towards Egypt. And of course it appears that he is going to flee the command of Herod. However, this came about to fulfill the prophetic words: “On that day, the people of Israel will take third, along with the Assyrians and the Egyptians, of the blessing of God upon the earth” (Isaiah 19:24).

What do you say, O Judean? You who were first have become third? The Egyptians have moved ahead, and the first-born of Israel has moved behind? Yes, this occurred. The Assyrians will be first, because through the Magi, they were the first to worship the Lord. Behind them, the Egyptians received Him, when they fled to their lands to flee the command of Herod. Third and last is the Israelite people, who knew the Lord through the apostles, after His baptism in the Jordan.

What else remains for me to say?

I behold the Creator and the manger, Child and swaddling clothes, Virgin and Mother arrayed in much poverty. You see, however, what riches there are in great poverty. The Rich One became poor as a gift to us. He does not have even a bed nor mattress. He is placed in His humble crib.

O poverty, spring of riches!

O uncountable riches, hid amidst poverty!

In the manger He is laid, and the world he preserves.

In swaddling clothes He is wrapped, and He breaks the bonds of sin.
You have not spoken a word yet, and you teach the Magi about God.

What can I say, and what should I speak?
There the Child is wrapped!
There is Mary, His Mother and Virgin, with Him!
There is Joseph, the supposed father of the Child!
She is the wife, he is the husband. The names are legal, but without meaning. Joseph only betrothed Mary, when the Holy Spirit came upon her. Thus, full of wonder, he did not know what to think about this Child:
He would not dare to say that He was the fruit of adultery.
He could not offer a blasphemous word against the Virgin.
He also could not receive the Child as his, because it was unknown to him who He was born from.

But above his confusion, he receives an answer from heaven, with the voice of the angel: “Joseph, do not hesitate to take Mary into your house, for the child which will come from her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20).

And he revealed the same to us, that the Holy Spirit came upon the Virgin.

Why, however, did Christ wish to be born from a virgin, leaving her virginity intact?

Behold the reason:

Once, the devil deceived the virgin Eve. Now, the angel brings the saving message to the Virgin Mary.
Once, Eve poured forth a word, which became the cause of death. Now, Mary gives birth to the Word, Who became the cause of eternal life.

The word of Eve revealed the tree which took Adam from Paradise. The Word of Mary revealed the Cross, which placed Adam again in Paradise.

To Him, therefore, the Word of God and Son of the Virgin, Who opened the road in an impassible manner, let us offer glory, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit unto the ages of ages. Amen.

(Bibliography, Voice of the Fathers. Holy Monastery of the Paraclete. Amateur translation of the later portion (http://oparadeisos.wordpress.com/2011/01/01/%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%BF%CF%85-%CE%B9%CF%89%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%85-%CF%84%CE%BF%CF%8D-%CF%87%CF%81%CF%85%CF%83%CE%BF%CF%83%CF%84%CF%8C%CE%BC%CE%BF%CF%85-%CF%87%CF%81%CE%B9%CF%83%CF%84%CF%8C/))

The Nativity of Christ (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DAMs68hf4ns/TRRGDnPAjyI/AAAAAAAACWg/r2P6pfplEx0/s1600/bjorgen+Mural_-_Birth_of_Christ+++jordan+river.jpg)

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

Homily on St. Ignatios the God-bearer, by St. John Chrysostom

2011-12-19T17:42:00.000-08:00

St. Ignatios the God-bearer of Antioch - Commemorated December 20, January 29 (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0868/s0868004.jpg)

Homily on St. Ignatios the God-bearer, by St. John Chrysostom

1. Sumptuous and splendid entertainers give frequent and constant entertainments, alike to display their own wealth, and to show good-will to their acquaintance. So also the grace of the Spirit, affording us a proof of his own power, and displaying much good-will towards the friends of God, sets before us successively and constantly the tables of the martyrs. Lately, for instance, a maiden quite young, and unmarried, the blessed martyr Pelagia, entertained us, with much joy. Today again, this blessed and noble martyr Ignatius has succeeded to her feast. The persons are different: The table is one. The wrestlings are varied: The crown is one. The contests are manifold: The prize is the same. For in the case of the heathen contests, since the tasks are bodily, men alone are, with reason, admitted. But here, since the contest is wholly concerning the soul, the lists are open to each sex, for each kind the theatre is arranged. Neither do men alone disrobe, in order that the women may not take refuge in the weakness of their nature, and seem to have a plausible excuse, nor have women only quitted themselves like men, lest the race of men be put to shame; but on this side and on that many are proclaimed conquerors, and are crowned, in order that you may learn by means of the exploits themselves that in Christ Jesus neither male nor female, (Galatians 3:28) neither sex, nor weakness of body, nor age, nor any such thing could be a hindrance to those who run in the course of religion; if there be a noble readiness, and an eager mind, and a fear of God, fervent and kindling, be established in our souls. On this account both maidens and women, and men, both young and old, and slaves, and freemen, and every rank, and every age, and each sex, disrobe for those contests, and in no respect suffer harm, since they have brought a noble purpose to these wrestlings. The season then already calls us to discourse of the mighty works of this saint. But our reckoning is disturbed and confused, not knowing what to say first, what second, what third, so great a multitude of things calling for eulogy surrounds us, on every side; and we experience the same thing as if any one went into a meadow, and seeing many a rosebush and many a violet, and an abundance of lilies, and other spring flowers manifold and varied, should be in doubt what he should look at first, what second, since each of those he saw invites him to bestow his glances on itself. For we too, coming to this spiritual meadow of the mighty works of Ignatius, and beholding not the flowers of spring, but the manifold and varied fruit of the spirit in the soul of this man, are confused and in perplexity, not knowing to which we are first to give our consideration, as each of the things we see draws us away from its neighbours, and entices the eye of the soul to the sight of its own beauty. For see, he presided over the Church among us nobly, and with such carefulness as Christ desires. For that which Christ declared to be the highest standard and rule of the Episcopal office, did this man display by his deeds. For having heard Christ saying, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, (John 10:11) with all courage he did lay it down for the sheep.

He held true converse with the apostles and drank of spiritual fountains. What kind of person then is it likely that he was who had been reared, and who had everywhere held converse with them, and had shared with them truths both lawful and unlawful to utter, and who seemed to them worthy of so great a dignity? The time again came on, which demanded courage; and a soul which despised all things present, glowed with Divine love, and valued things unseen before the things which are seen; and he lay aside the flesh with as much ease as one would put off a garment. What then shall we speak of first? The teaching of the apostles which he gave proof of throughout, or his indifference to this present life, or the strictness of his virtue, with which he administered his rule over the Church; which shall we first call to mind? The martyr or the bishop or the apostle. For the grace of the spirit having woven a threefold crown, thus bound it on his holy head, yea rather a manifold crown. For if any one will consider them carefully, he will find each of the crowns, blossoming with other crowns for us.

2. And if you will, let us come first to the praise of his episcopate. Does this seem to be one crown alone? Come, then, let us unfold it in speech, and you will see both two, and three, and more produced from it. For I do not wonder at the man alone that he seemed to be worthy of so great an office, but that he obtained this office from those saints, and that the hands of the blessed apostles touched his sacred head. For not even is this a slight thing to be said in his praise, nor because he won greater grace from above, nor only because they caused more abundant energy of the Spirit to come upon him, but because they bore witness that every virtue possessed by man was in him. Now how this is, I tell you. Paul writing to Titus once on a time— and when I say Paul, I do not speak of him alone, but also of Peter and James and John, and the whole band of them; for as in one lyre, the strings are different strings, but the harmony is one, so also in the band of the apostles the persons are different, but the teaching is one, since the artificer is one, I mean the Holy Spirit, who moves their souls, and Paul showing this said, “Whether therefore they, or I, so we preach.” (1 Corinthians 15:11) This man, then, writing to Titus, and showing what kind of man the bishop ought to be, says, “For the bishop must be blameless as God's steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, temperate, holding to the faithful word, which is according to the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers;” Titus 1:7-9 and to Timothy again, when writing upon this subject, he says somewhat like this: If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. The bishop, therefore, must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach, no brawler, no striker, but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money. Do you see what strictness of virtue he demands from the bishop? For as some most excellent painter from life, having mixed many colors, if he be about to furnish an original likeness of the royal form, works with all accuracy, so that all who are copying it, and painting from it, may have a likeness accurately drawn, so accordingly the blessed Paul, as though painting some royal likeness, and furnishing an original sketch of it, having mixed the different colors of virtue, has painted in the features of the office of bishop complete, in order that each of those who mount to that dignity, looking thereupon, may administer their own affairs with just such strictness.

Boldly, therefore, would I say that Ignatius took an accurate impression of the whole of this, in his own soul; and was blameless and without reproach, and neither self-willed, nor soon angry, nor given to wine, nor a striker, but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money, just, holy, temperate, holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, sober, sober-minded, orderly, and all the rest which Paul demanded. “And what is the proof of this?” says one. They who said these things ordained him, and they who suggest to others with so great strictness to make proof of those who are about to mount to the throne of this office, would not themselves have done this negligently. But had they not seen all this virtue planted in the soul of this martyr would not have entrusted him with this office. For they knew accurately how great danger besets those who bring about such ordinations, carelessly and hap-hazard. And Paul again, when showing this very thing to the same Timothy wrote and says, “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins.” (1 Timothy 5:22) What do you say? Has another sinned, and do I share his blame and his punishment? Yes, says he, the man who authorizes evil; and just as in the case of any one entrusting into the hands of a raging and insane person a sharply pointed sword, with which the madman commits murder, that man who gave the sword incurs the blame; so any one who gives the authority which arises from this office to a man living in evil, draws down on his own head all the fire of that man's sins and audacity. For he who provides the root, this man is the cause of all that springs from it on every side. Do you see how in the meanwhile a double crown of the episcopate has appeared, and how the dignity of those who ordained him has made the office more illustrious, bearing witness to every exhibition of virtue in him?

3. Do you wish that I should also reveal to you another crown springing from this very matter? Let us consider the time at which he obtained this dignity. For it is not the same thing to administer the Church now as then, just as it is not the same thing to travel along a road well trodden, and prepared, after many wayfarers; and along one about to be cut for the first time, and containing ruts, and stones, and full of wild beasts, and which has never yet, received any traveller. For now, by the grace of God, there is no danger for bishops, but deep peace on all sides, and we all enjoy a calm, since the Word of piety has been extended to the ends of the world, and our rulers keep the faith with strictness. But then there was nothing of this, but wherever any one might look, precipices and pitfalls, and wars, and fightings, and dangers; both rulers, and kings, and people and cities and nations, and men at home and abroad, laid snares for the faithful. And this was not the only serious thing, but also the fact that many of the believers themselves, inasmuch as they tasted for the first time strange doctrines, stood in need of great indulgence, and were still in a somewhat feeble condition and were often upset. And this was a thing which used to grieve the teachers, no less than the fightings without, nay rather much more. For the fightings without, and the plottings, afforded much pleasure to them on account of the hope of the rewards awaiting them. On this account the apostles returned from the presence of the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been beaten; (Acts 5:41) and Paul cries out, saying: “I rejoice in my sufferings,” (Colossians 1:24) and he glories in his afflictions everywhere. But the wounds of those at home, and the falls of the brethren, do not suffer them to breathe again, but always, like some most heavy yoke, continually oppress and afflict the neck of their soul. Hear at least how Paul, thus rejoicing in sufferings, is bitterly pained about these. “For who, says he, is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?” (2 Corinthians 11:29) and again, “I fear lest when I come I shall find you not such as I would, and I be found of you such as you would not,” (2 Corinthians 12:20) and a little afterwards, “Lest when I come again to you, God humble me, and I shall mourn many of those who have sinned before, and have not repented of their uncleanness, and wantonness, and fornication which they have committed.” (2 Corinthians 12:21) And throughout you see that he is in tears and lamentations on account of members of the household, and evermore fearing and trembling for the believers. Just as then we admire the pilot, not when he is able to bring those who are on board safe to shore when the sea is calm, and the ship is borne along by favourable winds, but when the deep is raging and the waves contending, and the passengers themselves within in revolt, and a great storm within and without besets those who are on board, and he is able to steer the ship with all security; so we ought to wonder at, and admire those who then had the Church committed to their hands, much more than those who now have the management of it; when there was a great war without and within, when the plant of the faith was more tender, and needed much care, when, as a newly-born babe, the multitude in the church required much forethought, and the greatest wisdom in any soul destined to nurse it; and in order that you may more clearly learn, how great crowns they were worthy of, who then had the Church entrusted to them, and how great work and danger there was in undertaking the matter on the threshold and at the beginning, and in being the first to enter upon it, I bring forward for you the testimony of Christ, who pronounces a verdict on these things, and confirms the opinion which has been expressed by me. For when he saw many coming to him, and was wishing to show the apostles that the prophets toiled more than they, he says: “Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.” (John 4:38) And yet the apostles toiled much more than the prophets. But since they first sowed the word of piety, and won over the untaught souls of men to the truth, the greater part of the work is credited to them. For it is by no means the same thing for one to come and teach after many teachers, and himself to be the first to sow seeds. For that which has been already practised, and has become customary with many, would be easily accepted; but that which is now for the first time heard, agitates the mind of the hearers, and gives the teacher a great deal to do. This at least it was which disturbed the audience at Athens, and on this account they turned away from Paul, reproaching him with, “You bring certain strange things to our ears.” (Acts 17:20) For if the oversight of the Church now furnishes much weariness and work to those who govern it, consider how double and treble and manifold was the work then, when there were dangers and fighting and snares, and fear continually. It is not possible to set forth in words the difficulty which those saints then encountered, but he alone will know it who comes to it by experience.

4. And I will speak of a fourth crown, arising for us out of this episcopate. What then is this? The fact that he was entrusted with our own native city. For it is a laborious thing indeed to have the oversight of a hundred men, and of fifty alone. But to have on one's hands so great a city, and a population extending to two hundred thousand, of how great virtue and wisdom do you think there is a proof? For as in the care of armies, the wiser of the generals have on their hands the more leading and more numerous regiments, so, accordingly, in the care of cities. The more able of the rulers are entrusted with the larger and more populous. And at any rate this city was of much account to God, as indeed He manifested by the very deeds which He did. At all events the master of the whole world, Peter, to whose hands He committed the keys of heaven, whom He commanded to do and to bear all, He bade tarry here for a long period. Thus in His sight our city was equivalent to the whole world. But since I have mentioned Peter, I have perceived a fifth crown woven from him, and this is that this man succeeded to the office after him. For just as any one taking a great stone from a foundation hastens by all means to introduce an equivalent to it, lest he should shake the whole building, and make it more unsound, so, accordingly, when Peter was about to depart from here, the grace of the Spirit introduced another teacher equivalent to Peter, so that the building already completed should not be made more unsound by the insignificance of the successor. We have reckoned up then five crowns, from the importance of the office, from the dignity of those who ordained to it, from the difficulty of the time, from the size of the city, from the virtue of him who transmitted the episcopate to him. Having woven all these, it was lawful to speak of a sixth, and seventh, and more than these; but in order that we may not, by spending the whole time on the consideration of the episcopate, miss the details about the martyr, come from this point, let us pass to that conflict. At one time a grievous warfare was rekindled against the Church, and as though a most grievous tyranny overspread the earth, all were carried off from the midst of the market-place. Not indeed charged with anything monstrous, but because being freed from error, they hastened to piety; because they abstained from the service of demons, because they recognized the true God, and worshipped his only begotten Son, and for things for which they ought to have been crowned, and admired and honoured, for these they were punished and encountered countless tortures, all who embraced the faith, and much more they who had the oversight of the churches. For the devil, being crafty, and apt to contrive plots of this kind, expected that if he took away the shepherds, he would easily be able to scatter the flocks. But He who takes the wise in their craftiness, wishing to show him that men do not govern His church, but that it is He himself who everywhere tends those who believe in Him, agreed that this should be, that he might see, when they were taken away, that the cause of piety was not defeated, nor the word of preaching quenched, but rather increased; that by these very works he might learn both himself, and all those who minister to him, that our affairs are not of men, but that the subject of our teaching has its root on high, from the heavens; and that it is God who everywhere leads the Church, and that it is not possible for him who fights against God, ever to win the day. But the Devil did not only work this evil, but another also not less than this. For not only in the cities over which they presided, did he suffer the Bishops to be slaughtered; but he took them into foreign territory and slew them; and he did this, in anxiety at once to take them when destitute of friends, and hoping to render them weaker with the toil of their journey, which accordingly he did with this saint. For he called him away from our city to Rome, making the course twice as long, expecting to depress his mind both by the length of the way and the number of the days, and not knowing that having Jesus with him, as a fellow traveller, and fellow exile on so long a journey, he rather became the stronger, and afforded more proof of the power that was with him, and to a greater degree knit the Churches together. For the cities which were on the road running together from all sides, encouraged the athlete, and sped him on his way with many supplies, sharing in his conflict by their prayers, and intercessions. And they derived no little comfort when they saw the martyr hastening to death with so much readiness, as is consistent in one called to the realms which are in the heaven, and by means of the works themselves, by the readiness and by the joyousness of that noble man, that it was not death to which he was hastening, but a kind of long journey and migration from this world, and ascension to heaven; and he departed teaching these things in every city, both by his words, and by his deeds, and as happened in the case of the Jews, when they bound Paul, and sent him to Rome, and thought that they were sending him to death, they were sending a teacher to the Jews who dwelt there. This indeed accordingly happened in the case of Ignatius in larger measure. For not to those alone who dwell in Rome, but to all the cities lying in the intervening space, he went forth as a wonderful teacher, persuading them to despise the present life, and to think naught of the things which are seen, and to love those which are to come, to look towards heaven, and to pay no regard to any of the terrors of this present life. For on this and on more than this, by means of his works, he went on his way instructing them, as a sun rising from the east, and hastening to the west. But rather more brilliant than this, for this is wont to run on high, bringing material light, but Ignatius shone below, imparting to men's souls the intellectual light of doctrine. And that light on departing into the regions of the west, is hidden and straightway causes the night to come on. But this on departing to the regions of the west, shone there more brilliantly, conferring the greatest benefits to all along the road. And when he arrived at the city, even that he instructed in Christian wisdom. For on this account God permitted him there to end his life, so that this man's death might be instructive to all who dwell in Rome. For we by the grace of God need henceforward no evidence, being rooted in the faith. But they who dwelt in Rome, inasmuch as there was great impiety there, required more help. On this account both Peter and Paul, and this man after them, were all slain there, partly, indeed, in order that they might purify with their own blood, the city which had been defiled with blood of idols, and partly in order that they might by their works afford a proof of the resurrection of the crucified Christ, persuading those who dwell in Rome, that they would not with so much pleasure disdain this present life, did they not firmly persuade themselves that they were about to ascend to the crucified Jesus, and to see him in the heavens. For in reality it is the greatest proof of the resurrection that the slain Christ should show forth so great power after death, as to persuade living men to despise both country and home and friends, and acquaintance and life itself, for the sake of confessing him, and to choose in place of present pleasures, both stripes and dangers and death. For these are not the achievements of any dead man, nor of one remaining in the tomb but of one risen and living. Since how couldest thou account, when he was alive, for all the Apostles who companied with him becoming weaker through fear to betray their teachers and to flee and depart; but when he died, for not only Peter and Paul, but even Ignatius, who had not even seen him, nor enjoyed his companionship, showing such earnestness as to lay down life itself for his sake?

5. In order then that all who dwell in Rome might learn that these things are a reality, God allowed that there the saint should be perfected, and that this was the reason I will guarantee from the very manner of his death. For not outside the walls, in a dungeon, nor even in a court of justice, nor in some corner, did he receive the sentence which condemned him, but in the midst of the theatre, while the whole city was seated above him, he underwent this form of martyrdom, wild beasts being let loose upon him, in order that he might plant his trophy against the Devil, beneath the eyes of all, and make all spectators emulous of his own conflicts. Not dying thus nobly only, but dying even with pleasure. For not as though about to be severed from life, but as called to a better and more spiritual life, so he beheld the wild beasts gladly. Whence is this manifest? From the words which he uttered when about to die, for when he heard that this manner of punishment awaited him, “may I have joy,” said he, “of these wild beasts.” For such are the loving. For they receive with pleasure whatever they may suffer for the sake of those who are beloved, and they seem to have their desire satisfied when what happens to them is more than usually grievous. Which happened, therefore, in this man's case. For not by his death alone, but also by his readiness he studied to emulate the apostles, and hearing that they, after they had been scourged retired with joy, himself too wished to imitate his teachers, not only by his death, but by his joy. On this account he said, “may I have joy of your wild beasts,” and much milder than the tongue of the tyrant did he consider the mouths of these; and very reasonably. For while that invited him to Gehenna, their mouths escorted him to a kingdom. When, therefore, he made an end of life there, yea rather, when he ascended to heaven, he departed henceforward crowned. For this also happened through the dispensation of God, that he restored him again to us, and distributed the martyr to the cities. For that city received his blood as it dropped, but you were honoured with his remains, you enjoyed his episcopate, they enjoyed his martyrdom. They saw him in conflict, and victorious, and crowned, but you have him continually. For a little time God removed him from you, and with greater glory granted him again to you. And as those who borrow money, return with interest what they receive, so also God, using this valued treasure of yours, for a little while, and having shown it to that city, with greater brilliancy gave it back to you. You sent forth a Bishop, and received a martyr; ye sent him forth with prayers, and you received him with crowns; and not only ye, but all the cities which intervene. For how do ye think that they behaved when they saw his remains being brought back? What pleasure was produced! How they rejoiced! With what applause on all sides they beset the crowned one! For as with a noble athlete, who has wrestled down all his antagonists, and who comes forth with radiant glory from the arena, the spectators receive him, and do not suffer him to tread the earth, bringing him home on their shoulders, and besetting him with countless praises: so also the cities in order receiving this saint then from Rome, and bearing him upon their shoulders as far as this city, escorted the crowned one with praises, celebrating the champion, in song; laughing the Devil to scorn, because his artifice was turned against him, and what he thought to do against the martyr, this turned out for his behoof. Then, indeed, he profited, and encouraged all the cities; and from that time to this day he enriches this city, and as some perpetual treasure, drawn upon every day, yet not failing, makes all who partake of it more prosperous, so also this blessed Ignatius fills those who come to him with blessings, with boldness, nobleness of spirit, and much courage, and so sends them home.

Not only today, therefore, but every day let us go forth to him, plucking spiritual fruits from him. For it is, it is possible for him who comes hither with faith to gather the fruit of many good things. For not the bodies only, but the very sepulchres of the saints have been filled with spiritual grace. For if in the case of Elisha this happened, and a corpse when it touched the sepulchre, burst the bands of death and returned to life again, (2 Kings 13:21) much rather now, when grace is more abundant, when the energy of the spirit is greater, is it possible that one touching a sepulchre, with faith, should win great power; thence on this account God allowed us the remains of the saints, wishing to lead by them us to the same emulation, and to afford us a kind of haven, and a secure consolation for the evils which are ever overtaking us. Wherefore I beseech you all, if any is in despondency, if in disease, if under insult, if in any other circumstance of this life, if in the depth of sins, let him come hither with faith, and he will lay aside all those things, and will return with much joy, having procured a lighter conscience from the sight alone. But more, it is not only necessary that those who are in affliction should come hither, but if any one be in cheerfulness, in glory, in power, in much assurance towards God, let not this man despise the benefit. For coming hither and beholding this saint, he will keep these noble possessions unmoved, persuading his own soul to be moderate by the recollection of this man's mighty deeds, and not suffering his conscience by the mighty deeds to be lifted up to any self conceit. And it is no slight thing for those in prosperity not to be puffed up at their good fortune, but to know how to bear their prosperity with moderation, so that the treasure is serviceable to all, the resting place is suitable, for the fallen, in order that they may escape from their temptations, for the fortunate, that their success may remain secure, for those in weakness indeed, that they may return to health, and for the healthy, that they may not fall into weakness. Considering all which things, let us prefer this way of spending our time, to all delight, all pleasure, in order that rejoicing at once, and profiting, we may be able to become partakers with these saints, both of their dwelling and of their home, through the prayers of the saints themselves, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father with the Holy Spirit, now and always forever and ever amen.

(Note: hosted by a non-Orthodox site: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/1905.htm)

St. Ignatios the God-bearer of Antioch (http://pravicon.com/images/sv/s0868/s0868013.jpg)

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