These Saints were from Aegae in Cilicia, brought up in
piety by their parents. Zenobius was a physician, and healed many freely
by the power of God; because of his virtue he was consecrated Bishop of
Aegae. With his sister he was taken by Lysias the Governor, and after
many tortures they were beheaded, about the year 290, during the reign
of Diocletian.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee
received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our
immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down
the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O
Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
With songs inspired by God, let us now render honour, as is due
unto Zenobius and wise Zenobia, the pair of siblings in the flesh, who
proclaimed true religion; those two martyrs of truth, who, passing their
lives as one, also received together through martyrdom crowns that
shall not fade.
Both the country and the time of the martyrdom of these
holy Martyrs are unknown. All were beheaded, after having endured many
bitter torments.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee
received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our
immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down
the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O
Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
The solemn memory of the Martyrs, wise Terrence and Eunice his
spouse, is come today, gladdening all. Let us hasten with fervour,
therefore, that we may obtain healing; for they received this grace from
the Holy Spirit, to heal the infirmities and sicknesses of our souls.
In 740, at the time of the iconoclast emperor Leo the Isaurian, there
was a terrible earthquake at Constantinople. Seeing this as God’s just
punishment for their sins, the people repented and prayed to the Most
Holy Theotokos and to St Demetrius to help them. God had mercy on them,
and the earthquake stopped.
TROPARION - TONE 8
Christ our God, You shook the earth and it trembles; / deliver us from
the terrible threat of earthquakes; / and through the prayers of the
Theotokos, send down upon us / Your abundant mercy and save us. KONTAKION - TONE 6
Deliver us all from upheavals, and from terrible afflictions caused by
our sins, O Lord, / and spare Your people whom You have purchased
with Your blood, O Master. / Do not deliver Your city to destruction by
terrible earthquakes, / for we know no other God than You; / and to
those who cry out You respond: / “I am with you and no one will be
against you.”
These Martyrs were disciples of Saint Paul the Confessor
(see Nov. 6). Martyrius was a subdeacon, Marcian a chanter and reader.
They were beheaded by the Arians in the year 346. Miracles were wrought
at their tomb, and demons were cast out; Saint John Chrysostom began the
building of the church in their honour in Constantinople, and it was
completed by patriarch Sisinius.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyrs, O Lord, in their courageous contest for Thee
received as the prize the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our
immortal God. For since they possessed Thy strength, they cast down
the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O
Christ God, by their prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Ye struggled well even from earliest childhood, O wise Martyrius
and all-blessed Marcian, and kept unchanged the Faith held by the
Orthodox; for ye cast down Arius, the blaspheming apostate, as ye
followed after Paul, your divinely-wise teacher. Wherefore with him ye
also have found life, as God the Trinity's excellent champions.
The Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters suffered under
the Arabian king Dunaan. St Syncletica was a descendant of an
illustrious family. Left widowed while still quite young, she devoted
herself to the Christian upbringing of her daughters, and she herself
led a life both chaste and virtuous.
Dunaan in the meantime had
begun a persecution, intending to eliminate Christians from his realm.
He summoned St Syncletica and her daughters before him, and in urging
her to forsake her “folly,” he promised as reward to take her into the
retinue of his wife.
“How can you not be afraid, O King, to speak evil of Him Who has given you both royal crown and life?” replied the holy martyr.
Dunaan
gave orders to lead St Syncletica and her daughters through the city as
though they were criminals. Women, looking on at the disgrace of the
saint, started crying, but she told them that this “shame” for her was
dearer than any earthly honor.
Again they brought the martyr before Dunaan, and he said, “If you wish to remain alive, you must renounce Christ.”
“If
I do, then who will deliver me from eternal death?” the saint asked. In
a rage, the tormentor ordered that St Syncletica’s daughters be killed
first, and then for the mother to be beheaded with a sword.
Holy Apostle James, the Brother of God (Adelphotheos) was the son of
Righteous Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 26).
From his early years James was a Nazarene, a man especially dedicated
to God. The Nazarenes vowed to preserve their virginity, to abstain from
wine, to refrain from eating meat, and not to cut their hair. The vow
of the Nazarenes symbolized a life of holiness and purity, commanded
formerly by the Lord for all Israel. When the Savior began to teach the
nation about the Kingdom of God, St James believed in Christ and became
His apostle. He was chosen as the first Bishop of Jerusalem.
St
James presided over the Council of Jerusalem and his word was decisive
(Acts 15). In his thirty years as bishop, St James converted many of the
Jews to Christianity. Annoyed by this, the Pharisees and the Scribes
plotted together to kill St James. They led the saint up on the pinnacle
of the Jerusalem Temple and asked what he thought of Jesus. The holy
Apostle began to bear witness that Christ is the Messiah, which was not
the response the Pharisees were expecting. Greatly angered, the Jewish
teachers threw him off the roof. The saint did not die immediately, but
gathering his final strength, he prayed to the Lord for his enemies
while they were stoning him. St James’ martyrdom occurred about 63 A.D.
The
holy Apostle James composed a Divine Liturgy, which formed the basis of
the Liturgies of Sts Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. The Church
has preserved an Epistle of St James, one of the books of the New
Testament.
In 1853, Patriarch Hierotheus of Alexandria sent to
Moscow a portion of the relics of St James. The Church distinguishes
between the holy Apostle James the Brother of God, and St James the son
of Zebedee (April 30) and St James the son of Alphaeus (October 9).
TROPARION - TONE 4
As the Lord’s disciple you received the Gospel, O righteous James; / as a
martyr you have unfailing courage; / as God’s brother, you have
boldness; / as a hierarch, you have the power to intercede. / Pray to
Christ God that our souls may be saved.
KONTAKION - TONE 4
When God the Word, the Only-begotten of the Father, / came to live among
us in these last days, / He declared you, venerable James, to be the
first shepherd and teacher of Jerusalem / and a faithful steward of the
spiritual Mysteries. / Therefore, we all honor you, O Apostle.
The Seven Youths of Ephesus: Maximilian, Iamblicus, Martinian, John,
Dionysius, Exacustodianus (Constantine) and Antoninus, lived in the
third century. St Maximilian was the son of the Ephesus city
administrator, and the other six youths were sons of illustrious
citizens of Ephesus. The youths were friends from childhood, and all
were in military service together.
When the emperor Decius
(249-251) arrived in Ephesus, he commanded all the citizens to offer
sacrifice to the pagan gods. Torture and death awaited anyone who
disobeyed. The seven youths were denounced by informants, and were
summoned to reply to the charges. Appearing before the emperor, the
young men confessed their faith in Christ.
Their military belts
and insignia were quickly taken from them. Decius permitted them to go
free, however, hoping that they would change their minds while he was
off on a military campaign. The youths fled from the city and hid in a
cave on Mount Ochlon, where they passed their time in prayer, preparing
for martyrdom.
The youngest of them, St Iamblicus, dressed as a
beggar and went into the city to buy bread. On one of his excursions
into the city, he heard that the emperor had returned and was looking
for them. St Maximilian urged his companions to come out of the cave and
present themselves for trial.
Learning where the young men were
hidden, the emperor ordered that the entrance of the cave be sealed with
stones so that the saints would perish from hunger and thirst. Two of
the dignitaries at the blocked entrance to the cave were secret
Christians. Desiring to preserve the memory of the saints, they placed
in the cave a sealed container containing two metal plaques. On them
were inscribed the names of the seven youths and the details of their
suffering and death.
The Lord placed the youths into a miraculous
sleep lasting almost two centuries. In the meantime, the persecutions
against Christians had ceased. During the reign of the holy emperor
Theodosius the Younger (408-450) there were heretics who denied that
there would be a general resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Some of them said, “How can there be a
resurrection of the dead when there will be neither soul nor body, since
they are disintegrated?” Others affirmed, “The souls alone will have a
restoration, since it would be impossible for bodies to arise and live
after a thousand years, when even their dust would not remain.”
Therefore, the Lord revealed the mystery of the Resurrection of the Dead
and of the future life through His seven saints.
The owner of the
land on which Mount Ochlon was situated, discovered the stone
construction, and his workers opened up the entrance to the cave. The
Lord had kept the youths alive, and they awoke from their sleep, unaware
that almost two hundred years had passed. Their bodies and clothing
were completely undecayed.
Preparing to accept torture, the
youths once again asked St Iamblicus to buy bread for them in the city.
Going toward the city, the youth was astonished to see a cross on the
gates. Hearing the name of Jesus Christ freely spoken, he began to doubt
that he was approaching his own city.
When he paid for the bread,
Iamblicus gave the merchant coins with the image of the emperor Decius
on it. He was detained, as someone who might be concealing a horde of
old money. They took St Iamblicus to the city administrator, who also
happened to be the Bishop of Ephesus. Hearing the bewildering answers of
the young man, the bishop perceived that God was revealing some sort of
mystery through him, and went with other people to the cave.
At
the entrance to the cave the bishop found the sealed container and
opened it. He read upon the metal plaques the names of the seven youths
and the details of the sealing of the cave on the orders of the emperor
Decius. Going into the cave and seeing the saints alive, everyone
rejoiced and perceived that the Lord, by waking them from their long
sleep, was demonstrating to the Church the mystery of the Resurrection
of the Dead.
Soon the emperor himself arrived in Ephesus and
spoke with the young men in the cave. Then the holy youths, in sight of
everyone, lay their heads upon the ground and fell asleep again, this
time until the General Resurrection.
The emperor wanted to place
each of the youths into a jeweled coffin, but they appeared to him in a
dream and said that their bodies were to be left upon the ground in the
cave. In the twelfth century the Russian pilgrim Igumen Daniel saw the
holy relics of the seven youths in the cave.
There is a second
commemoration of the seven youths on October 22. According to one
tradition, which entered into the Russian PROLOGUE (of Saints’ Lives),
the youths fell asleep for the second time on this day. The Greek
MENAION of 1870 says that they first fell asleep on August 4, and woke
up on October 22.
There is a prayer of the Seven Sleepers of
Ephesus in the GREAT BOOK OF NEEDS (Trebnik) for those who are ill and
cannot sleep. The Seven Sleepers are also mentioned in the service for
the Church New Year, September 1.
TROPARION - TONE 4
The Seven Holy Youths renounced the perishing comforts of this world, /
preferring the eternal things of Heaven. / They were incorrupt after
death and rose from the dead and buried the snares of the devils! / O
Faithful, let us then honor them, singing a hymn of praise to Christ!
KONTAKION - TONE 4
Your seven holy martyrs, O Lord, / through their sufferings 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!
Saint John of Galesh was a priest who was consecrated bishop at
Bucharest, since there was no bishop for Transylvania. He resisted the
plans of the Hapsburg authorities to persuade Orthodox Christians to
convert to Catholicism. He was arrested and thrown into prison at Sibiu
in 1756, then Empress Maria Theresa ordered him confined in the prison
of Deva Castle until he died.
St John was transferred to a prison
in Graz, Austria at the end of 1757. Later, he was brought to the
notorious Kufstein Prison, where many Orthodox from Transylvania ended
their lives.
In 1780, Gennady Vassie, a Serb who was incarcerated
there, was able to send a letter to Empress Catherine II of Russia
asking her to intervene on behalf of the Orthodox prisoners. In his
letter he mentioned a Romanian priest named John, who had been kept
there for twenty-four years because of his Orthodox faith.
St John of Galesh died in prison, and was glorified as a martyr by the Orthodox Church of Romania in 1992.
Holy Great Martyr Artemius of Antioch was a prominent military leader
during the reigns of the emperor Constantine the Great (May 21), and
his son and successor Constantius (337-361). Artemius received many
awards for distinguished service and courage. He was appointed viceroy
of Egypt. In this official position he did much for the spreading and
strengthening of Christianity in Egypt.
St Artemius was sent by the
emperor Constantius to bring the relics of the holy Apostle Andrew from
Patras, and the relics of the holy Apostle Luke from Thebes of Boeotia,
to Constantinople. The holy relics were placed in the Church of the Holy
Apostles beneath the table of oblation. The emperor rewarded him by
making him ruler of Egypt.
The emperor Constantius was succeeded
on the throne by Julian the Apostate (361-363). Julian in his desire to
restore paganism was extremely antagonistic towards Christians, sending
hundreds to their death. At Antioch he ordered the torture of two
bishops unwilling to forsake the Christian Faith.
During this
time, St Artemius arrived in Antioch and publicly denounced Julian for
his impiety. The enraged Julian subjected the saint to terrible tortures
and threw the Great Martyr Artemius into prison. While Artemius was
praying, Christ, surrounded by angels, appeared to him and said, “Take
courage, Artemius! I am with you and will preserve you from every hurt
which is inflicted upon you, and I already have prepared your crown of
glory. Since you have confessed Me before the people on earth, so shall I
confess you before My Heavenly Father. Therefore, take courage and
rejoice, you shall be with Me in My Kingdom.” Hearing this, Artemius
rejoiced and offered up glory and thanksgiving to Him.
On the
following day, Julian demanded that St Artemius honor the pagan gods.
Meeting with steadfast refusal, the emperor resorted to further
tortures. The saint endured all without a single moan. The saint told
Julian that he would be justly recompensed for his persecution of
Christians. Julian became furious and resorted to even more savage
tortures, but they did not break the will of the saint. Finally the
Great Martyr Artemius was beheaded.
His relics were buried by
Christians. After the death of St Artemius, his prophecy about Julian
the Apostate’s impending death came true.
Julian left Antioch for
a war with the Persians. Near the Persian city of Ctesiphon, Julian
came upon an elderly Persian, who agreed to betray his countrymen and
guide Julian’s army. The old man deceived Julian and led his army into
the Karmanite wilderness, where there was neither food nor water. Tired
from hunger and thirst, Julian’s army battled against fresh Persian
forces.
Divine retribution caught up with Julian the Apostate.
During the battle he was mortally wounded by an unseen hand and an
unseen weapon. Julian groaned deeply said, “You have conquered,
Galilean!” After the death of the apostate emperor, the relics of the
Great Martyr Artemius were transferred with honor from Antioch to
Constantinople.
St Artemius is invoked by those suffering from hernias.
TROPARION - TONE 4
Your holy martyr Artemios, O Lord, / Through his sufferings has received
an incorruptible crown from You, our God. / For having Your strength,
he laid low his adversaries, / And shattered the powerless boldness of
demons. / Through his intercessions, save our souls!
KONTAKION - TONE 2
Let us gather to sing worthy hymns in honor of Artemios, / The pious and
victorious martyr who defeated his enemies: / He is great among martyrs
and generous in performing miracles, / And he intercedes with the Lord
on behalf of us all!
Saint Cleopatra and her son John came from the village of
Edra near Mount Tabor in Palestine. She was a contemporary of the holy
Martyr Varus and witnessed his voluntary suffering. After the execution,
St Cleopatra brought the body of the holy martyr to her own country and
buried him with reverence. Cleopatra had one beloved son, John, who had
attained the honorable rank of officer. To the great sorrow of his
mother, John suddenly died. Cleopatra with tears of grief turned to the
relics of the holy Martyr Varus, begging him for the return of her son.
Varus
and her son appeared to Cleopatra in a dream, radiant in bright attire
with crowns upon their heads. She realized that the Lord had received
her son into the heavenly Kingdom, and was comforted. After this vision
blessed Cleopatra started to live by a church she built over the relics
of the holy martyr Varus and her son John, and performed many good
deeds. She distributed her property to the poor and spent her time in
prayer and fasting. After seven years she fell asleep in the Lord.
Saint James lived in the seventh century, and assisted St Paulinus of York (October 10) in evangelizing the north of England.
Following
the death of St Edwin (October 12) in 633, the northern kingdom
experienced many trials, including military defeats, famine, and plague.
The year 633-634 was so fraught with misfortune that it became known as
“The Hateful Year.” St Paulinus accompanied St Ethelburga (April 5)
back to her native Kent after the death of her husband King Edwin,
leaving St James behind to care for the new converts in northern
England.
St James has been described as “faithful and undismayed,”
even though the secular power which supported the Church had been
overthrown. Even so, he would not abandon the people in his care, nor
would he cease his missionary labors.
This faithful servant of
the Lord established himself near the village of Catterick in Yorkshire,
teaching, comforting, and encouraging his flock. Even in such difficult
times, St James was able to win many converts to Christ. He had a
talent for music, and was skilled in the Roman chants composed by St
Gregory Dialogus (March 12) which were being used in Kent. James taught
these chants to the Christians of the north. When peace returned and the
churches reopened, their services were beautified with the chants which
St James had given them.
We do not know exactly when St James
died, but it is believed that he survived for at least thirty years
after “The Hateful Year,” and participated in the Synod of Whitby in
664.
St James does not appear to have been ordained to the holy
priesthood, but through his tireless labors he built up the Church in
the north. St Bede (May 27) calls him “a man of great energy and repute
in Christ’s Church” HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH AND PEOPLE, Book II,
chapter 16).
Saint Andrew was from the island of Crete, where he lived
the monastic life. During the reign of Constantine Copronymus, he came
to Constantinople and suffered many things in defence of the veneration
of the holy icons. Finally, he was dragged through the market, bound by
the feet, one of which was severed by a fishmonger wielding a cleaver,
and thus the Saint surrendered his spirit unto God in the year 761. His
sacred relics were buried at a certain place called "The Judgment."
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Trained on the mountain in ascetical labours, with the whole
armour of the Cross thou didst vanquish the spiritual arrays of unseen
enemies; and when thou hadst stripped thyself with great courage for
contest, thou didst slay Copronymus with the sword of the true Faith.
For both these things hast thou been crowned by God, O righteous Martyr,
blest Andrew of great renown.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
On this day the Church of Christ with great rejoicing observeth
the resplendent festival of thine illustrious mem'ry summoning all of
the faithful to come together. She is glad, for she possesseth the
precious treasure of thy much-afflicted body, O Martyr Andrew, light of
the Orthodox Faith.
The
Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, a Roman soldier, served in Judea
under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus
Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the
command of Longinus which stood watch on Golgotha, at the very foot of
the holy Cross. Longinus and his soldiers were eyewitnesses of the final
moments of the earthly life of the Lord, and of the great and awesome
portents that appeared at His death. These events shook the centurion's
soul. Longinus believed in Christ and confessed before everyone, "Truly
this was the Son of God" (Mt. 27:54).
According to Church
Tradition, Longinus was the soldier who pierced the side of the
Crucified Savior with a spear, and received healing from an eye
affliction when blood and water poured forth from the wound.
After
the Crucifixion and Burial of the Savior, Longinus stood watch with his
company at the Sepulchre of the Lord. These soldiers were present at
the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ. The Jews bribed them to lie and
say that His disciples had stolen away the Body of Christ, but Longinus
and two of his comrades refused to be seduced by the Jewish gold. They
also refused to remain silent about the miracle of the Resurrection.
Having
come to believe in the Savior, the soldiers received Baptism from the
apostles and decided to leave military service. St Longinus left Judea
to preach about Jesus Christ the Son of God in his native land
(Cappadocia), and his two comrades followed him.
The fiery words
of those who had actually participated in the great events in Judea
swayed the hearts and minds of the Cappadocians; Christianity began
quickly to spread throughout the city and the surrounding villages. When
they learned of this, the Jewish elders persuaded Pilate to send a
company of soldiers to Cappadocia to kill Longinus and his comrades.
When the soldiers arrived at Longinus's village, the former centurion
himself came out to meet the soldiers and took them to his home. After a
meal, the soldiers revealed the purpose of their visit, not knowing
that the master of the house was the very man whom they were seeking.
Then Longinus and his friends identified themselves and told the
startled soldiers to carry out their duty.
The soldiers wanted to
let the saints go and advised them to flee, but they refused to do
this, showing their firm intention to suffer for Christ. The holy
martyrs were beheaded, and their bodies were buried at the place where
the saints were martyred. The head of St Longinus, however, was sent to
Pilate.
Pilate gave orders to cast the martyr's head on a
trash-heap outside the city walls. After a while a certain blind widow
from Cappadocia arrived in Jerusalem with her son to pray at the holy
places, and to ask that her sight be restored. After becoming blind, she
had sought the help of physicians to cure her, but all their efforts
were in vain.
The woman's son became ill shortly after reaching
Jerusalem, and he died a few days later. The widow grieved for the loss
of her son, who had served as her guide.
St Longinus appeared to
her in a dream and comforted her. He told her that she would see her son
in heavenly glory, and also receive her sight. He told her to go
outside the city walls and there she would find his head in a great pile
of refuse. Guides led the blind woman to the rubbish heap, and she
began to dig with her hands. As soon as she touched the martyr's head,
the woman received her sight, and she glorified God and St Longinus.
Taking
up the head, she brought it to the place she was staying and washed it.
The next night, St Longinus appeared to her again, this time with her
son. They were surrounded by a bright light, and St Longinus said,
Woman, behold the son for whom you grieve. See what glory and honor are
his now, and be consoled. God has numbered him with those in His
heavenly Kingdom. Now take my head and your son's body, and bury them in
the same casket. Do not weep for your son, for he will rejoice forever
in great glory and happiness."
The woman carried out the saint's
instructions and returned to her home in Cappadocia. There she buried
her son and the head of St Longinus. Once she had been overcome by
grief for her son, but her weeping was transformed into joy when she saw
him with St Longinus. She had sought healing for her eyes, and also
received healing of her soul.
Troparion - Tone 1
Longinus,
you beheld the King of Glory who was nailed to the Cross, yet shone on
those in darkness.You were enlightened by His rays and became a martyr
and save those who cry: Glory to Him who gave you strength! Glory to Him
who granted you a crown! Glory to Him who through you grants healing to
all!
Kontakion - Tone 4
The Church rejoices
in gladness on the day of the commemoration of the ever-memorable
athlete Longinus! She cries out: "You are my strength and support, O
Christ!"
Saint Sabinus, Bishop of Catania in Sicily, fervently
desiring to serve the Lord, withdrew into the wilderness. Here he led a
strict ascetic life and received from the Lord gifts of wonderworking
and discernment.
The
Yakhrom Icon of the Mother of God appeared to the holy youth Cosmas
(February 18), while he was accompanying his master, a sick landowner.
Cosmas had stopped at the bank of the Yakhrom River, not far from
Vladimir, and the sick man fell asleep. Cosmas suddenly saw a bright
light coming from a nearby tree, and heard a voice, “Attend and
understand the words of life. Live a God-pleasing life and seek the joy
of the righteous, and then you will delight in eternal blessings.” The
light had come from an icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.
St Cosmas (February 18) took the icon and placed it on his
master, who was immediately healed. After this, Cosmas’s term of
servitude expired, so he went to the Kiev Caves monastery. After he was
tonsured, he amazed even the experienced monks by his own spiritual
efforts.
Years later, St Cosmas was told by an angel to return to
the place where he had found the icon. He took the wonderworking icon
with him to the bank of the Yakhrom River where he had found the icon.
At once, the place was again filled with light. St Cosmas built a
monastery in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God, and placed the
Yakhrom Icon within it.
Saint Martin the Merciful, Bishop of Tours, was born at Sabaria in
Pannonia (modern Hungary) in 316. Since his father was a Roman officer,
he also was obliged to serve in the army. Martin did so unwillingly, for
he considered himself a soldier of Christ, though he was still a
catechumen.
At the gates of Amiens, he saw a beggar shivering in
the severe winter cold, so he cut his cloak in two and gave half to the
beggar. That night, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the saint wearing
Martin’s cloak. He heard the Savior say to the angels surrounding Him,
“Martin is only a catechumen, but he has clothed Me with this garment.”
The saint was baptized soon after this, and reluctantly remained in the
army.
Two years later, the barbarians invaded Gaul and Martin
asked permission to resign his commission for religious reasons. The
commander charged him with cowardice. St Martin demonstrated his courage
by offering to stand unarmed in the front line of battle, trusting in
the power of the Cross to protect him. The next day, the barbarians
surrendered without a fight, and Martin was allowed to leave the army.
He
traveled to various places during the next few years, spending some
time as a hermit on an island off Italy. He became friendly with St
Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers (January 14), who made Matrin an exorcist.
After several years of the ascetic life, St Martin was chosen to be
Bishop of Tours in 371. As bishop, St Martin did not give up his
monastic life, and the place where he settled outside Tours became a
monastery. In fact, he is regarded as the founder of monasticism in
France. He conversed with angels, and had visions of Sts Peter and Paul
(June 29) and of other saints. He is called the Merciful because of his
generosity and care for the poor, and he received the grace to work
miracles.
After a life of devoted service to Christ and His
Church, the saint fell ill at Candes, a village in his diocese, where he
died on November 8, 397. He was buried three days later (his present
Feast) at Tours. During the Middle Ages, many Western churches were
dedicated to St Martin, including St Martin’s in Canterbury, and St
Martin-in-the-Fields in London.
In 1008, a cathedral was built at
Tours over the relics of St Martin. This cathedral was destroyed in 1793
during the French Revolution, together with the relics of St Martin and
St Gregory of Tours (November 17). A new cathedral was built on the
site many years later. Some fragments of the relics of St Martin were
recovered and placed in the cathedral, but nothing remains of St
Gregory’s relics.
St Martin’s name appears on many Greek and
Russian calendars. His commemoration on October 12 in the Russian
calendar appears to be an error, since ancient sources give the November
date.
Holy Apostle Philip of the Seventy, one of the 7 Deacons is not to be
confused with St Philip one of the Twelve Apostles (November 14). This
Philip was born in Palestine, was married and had children.
After
the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Twelve Apostles made Philip a
deacon in the Church of Jerusalem. Along with the other six deacons,
they appointed him to deal with the offerings of the faithful and attend
to the concerns of the widowed, the orphaned and the needy. The eldest
among the seven deacons was the holy Archdeacon Stephen. When the
persecution of Christians began, the Jews stoned the Protomartyr
Stephen. The Apostle Philip left Jerusalem and settled in Samaria. There
he successfully preached Christianity. Among the disciple’s converts
was the noted magician Simon, who “after being baptized, continued with
Philip.” (Acts 8:9-13)
At the command of an angel of the Lord, St
Philip set out upon the road connecting Jerusalem with Gaza. There he
met an official of the empress of Ethiopia, whom also he converted to
Christianity (Acts 8:26-39). The holy disciple Philip tirelessly
preached the Word of God in many of the lands of the Near East adjoining
Palestine. At Jerusalem the Apostles made him a bishop and sent him to
Tralles in Asia Minor, where he also baptized many. St Philip died in
old age.
TROPARION - TONE 3
Filled with divine grace, / you served God the Word as a deacon of the
Church, O Apostle Philip. / By the working of miracles and by signs from
God / you enlightened the multitudes of Samaria. / O blessed one,
entreat Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.
KONTAKION- TONE 4
Podoben: “Today You have shown forth...” / Inspired by the All-Holy
Spirit, / you enlightened the entire world by your teachings and
resplendent miracles, / Apostle Philip, sacred initiate.
Saint Theophilus the Confessor of Bulgaria came from the area
surrounding Tiberiada. When he was thirteen, the saint secretly left his
home to go off to the monastery on Mount Selenteia. There he matured
spiritually under the guidance of the Elder, St Stephen. After three
years St Theophilus was tonsured into monasticism. When the parents of
the saint learned where their son was, they went to the monastery and
asked the igumen to send Theophilus and several of the brethren to
establish a new monastery closer to the their home. The igumen bade all
the monks to fast and to pray, so that a sign might be received. On the
third day a voice was heard in the church giving the blessing for
Theophilus to start a new monastery, since he would become renowned for
his many spiritual exploits.
During the period of the iconoclast
controversy culminating in the reign of the iniquitous iconoclast
emperor, Leo the Isaurian (717-741), St Theophilus openly revolted
against the iconoclast folly. In accord with the emperor’s orders, the
saint was subjected to beatings and led through the city tied up like a
criminal. The emperor then gave Theophilus over into the charge of the
official, Hypatius who tried repeatedly to compel the confessor to
renounce holy icons. Theophilus remained steadfast. Instead, he
succeeded in converting Hypatius.
As proof of the validity of
icons, Theophilus cited the brass serpent set up by Moses (Num 21:9),
the corroboration of the Cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant, and
finally how the Savior Himself had given to Abgar, the Prince of Edessa,
His Icon Not Made by Hands (August 16). Persuaded by this evidence,
Hypatius gained the emperor’s permission to set the saint free. The
confessor returned to his monastery. He lived only a short time longer,
and in the year 716 St Theophilus fell asleep peacefully in the Lord.
Today we commemorate a copy of the “Assuage My Sorrows” Icon (January
25) which is treasured in the St Nicholas Odrino Monastery in the Orel
Diocese, Karachev district.
Until 1784, this icon belonged to
Count Nicholas Borisovitch Samoilov, who regarded it as a holy icon. At
first, it was at the Count’s home in Moscow, where it was renowned for
many miraculous healings. Later, N.B. Samoilov moved it to his estate
adjoining the St Nicholas Odrino Monastery. He constructed, at his own
expense, a heated chapel in honor of the “Assuage My Sorrows” Icon as
part of the St Nicholas katholikon (main church).The Count later donated
the icon to the monastery.
This wonderworking icon is celebrated
locally twice a year: on January 25, and on October 9. Many people visit
the St Nicholas Odrino Monastery on both days.
The holy New Martyr Ignatius was born in the village of Eski
Zagora in the Trnovo region of Bulgaria, and was named John in Baptism.
While he was still a young child, his parents George and Maria moved to
the city of Philippopolis and enrolled him in a school there.
Although
he did well at school, he had a strong desire for the monastic life.
Upon reaching adulthood, he entered the Rila monastery in western
Bulgaria. There he was assigned to an Elder, with whom he lived in
obedience for six years. When the Elder’s strictness became unbearable,
John returned home.
About that time the Serbs rose in revolt
against the Moslem government. John’s father was asked to take command
of an Ottoman brigade, but he refused to fight against other Orthodox
Christians.
The Moslems attacked George with furious anger. He was
stabbed and then beheaded. John’s mother and sisters were also taken by
the Hagarenes, and they ultimately agreed to convert to Islam.
John
fled and hid in the home of an elderly Orthodox woman. His mother and
sisters learned where he was hiding, and they told the Moslems. Those
sent to capture him did not know what he looked like, so the old woman
told them she did not know him. The woman helped him escape to
Bucharest, Romania, where he became acquainted with St Euthymius, who
would also endure martyrdom.
John did not wish to stay in
Bucharest, however, and so he left for Mt. Athos. On the way he visited
the village of Soumla, where he ran into his friend Fr Euthymius again.
Learning that Euthymius had denied Christ and beome a Moslem, John
became very sad and left the village.
He had not gotten very far
when Turkish soldiers stopped him and took all his possessions. They
demanded that he convert to Islam, and in his fright he told them that
he would do so. Satisfied with this reply, they let him go.
John
reached the village of Eski Zagora, where he met an Athonite monk from
the monastery of Grigoriou. They journeyed to the Holy Mountain
together, and John settled in the Skete of St Anna. There he met Fr
Basil.
One day John and Fr Basil traveled to Thessalonica on
monastery business. While they were there the monks David and Euthymius
of Demetsana suffered martyrdom because they were Christians. John was
inflamed with the desire for martyrdom. Fr Basil, however, urged him to
postpone his intention, and so they returned to the Holy Mountain. A
short time after this, Fr Basil died.
When a monk from the Skete
of St Anna told him of the martyrdom of the New Martyr Euthymius (March
22), John was once more filled with zeal for martyrdom. He was placed
under the spiritual direction of the Elder Acacius, who prescribed for
him prayer, prostrations, and reading the Gospel.
In time, John
was found worthy of monastic tonsure, and was given the new name
Ignatius. The Elder Acacius blessed him to travel to Constantinople with
the monk Gregory in order to bear witness to Christ. After receiving
the Holy Mysteries in Constantinople, Ignatius felt he was ready for his
ordeal.
Dressed in Moslem garb, Ignatius went before the kadi and
proclaimed his faith in Christ. He told him how he had promised to
become a Moslem when he was younger, but now he threw his turban at the
kadi’s feet and said that he would never deny Christ.
Thinking
that Ignatius was insane, the kadi warned him that if he did not come to
his senses he would endure horrible torments before being put to death.
On the other hand, if he embraced Islam, he would receive rich gifts
and great honor from them.
The courageous martyr told the kadi to
keep his gifts, for they were merely temporal gifts. “Your threats of
torture and death are nothing new,” he said, “and I knew of them before I
came here. In fact, I came here because of them, so that I might die
for my Christ.”
St Ignatius went on to call Mohammed “a false
prophet, a teacher of perdition, and a friend of the devil.” Then he
invited the Moslems to believe in Christ, the only true God.
The
kadi then became so angry he could not speak, so he motioned for a
servant to lead St Ignatius out of the room. Ignatius turned and struck
the servant, then knelt before the kadi and bent his neck, as if
inviting him to behead him then and there. Other servants entered the
room, however, and dragged him off to prison.
Later, Ignatius was
brought before the kadi for questioning. When asked who had brought him
to Constantinople, he replied, “My Lord Jesus Christ brought me here.”
Again
the kadi urged him to reconsider, for he was about to experience
unimaginable tortures. “Do not expect to be beheaded so that the
Christians can collect your blood as a blessing,” he said, “for I
intend to hang you.”
Ignatius replied, “You will be doing me a
great service whether you hang me or put me to the sword. I accept
everything for the love of Christ.”
Seeing that he could not turn
Ignatius from his Christian Faith, the kadi ordered him to be hanged. He
was taken to a place called Daktyloporta, where the sentence was
carried out. The martyr’s body remained hanging there for three days,
then some pious Christians paid a ransom for it and took it to the
island of Prote for burial.
St Ignatius gave his life for Christ on October 8, 1814. He is also commemorated on May 1 with Sts Acacius and Euthymius.
The head of St Ignatius is in the Monastery of St Panteleimon on Mt Athos.
The name Thomas means, "twin." He was one of the Twelve, a
Galilean by birth. Sophroneus (not the famous Patriarch of Jerusalem
[7th Century, celebrated March 11], but a friend of Jerome's), quoted
also by Jerome, says that Saint Thomas preached to the Parthians,
Pesians, Medes, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and neighbouring nations.
According to Heracleon, the Apostle died a natural death; according to
other accounts, he was martyred at Meliapur His tomb was known by Saint
John Chrysostom to be at Edessa in Syria, to which city his holy relics
may have been translated from India in the fourth century.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostle Thomas, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
Christ's Apostle, who was filled with God's divine grace, he who
was His genuine and faithful servant in all truth, all-lauded Thomas
exclaimed aloud in deep repentance: Thou art both my God and Lord.
The feast of the Hierarchs of Moscow was established
during the reign of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich and Patriarch Job in the
year 1596. Their individual feasts are: Saint Peter (+1326), December
21, and August 24, translation of holy relics; Saint Alexis (+14th
cent.), February 12, and May 20, recovery of holy relics; Saint Jonah
(+1461), March 31 and June 15, with the recovery of his holy relics
celebrated on May 27. In 1875, at the proposal of Metropolitan Innocent
of Moscow, to this feast was joined the commemoration of Saint Philip
of Moscow (+1569), whose feast is kept on January 9, and the recovery of
his holy relics on July 3. In more recent times, the holy Patriarchs
Hermogenes (+1612) and Tikhon (+1925) have been added to the Synaxis.
Saint Hermogenes, who was starved to death by the Poles, is also
celebrated on February 17 and May 12, and Saint Tikhon, a confessor
under the atheist yoke, on March 25. the Menaion service itself makes
reference only to Saints Peter, Alexis, Jonah, and Philip.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Prelates of Russia, true keepers of the apostolic traditions,
unshakable pillars, teachers of Orthodoxy, O Peter, Alexis, Jonah,
Philip, Hermogenes, and Tikhon, pray to the Lord of all to grant peace
to the world and to our souls great mercy.
Kontakion in the Third Tone
Ye lived piously among bishops; ye led the peoples to the
knowledge of God, and ye pleased God well. Wherefore, ye were glorified
by Him with incorruption and miracles, as disciples of the grace of
God.
The Hieromartyr Hierotheus, the first Bishop of Athens, was a member
of the Athenian Areopagos and was converted to Christ by the Apostle
Paul together with St Dionysius the Areopagite (October 3).
The
saint was consecrated by the Apostle Paul to the rank of bishop.
According to Tradition, Bishop Hierotheus was present with St Dionysius
at the funeral of the Most Holy Theotokos.
St Hierotheus died a martyr’s death in the first century.
TROPARION - TONE 1
We the faithful all praise Hierótheus, the disciple of Paul, / Hierarch
of Athens, / the world’s teacher and a preacher of the Faith, / who
revealed to us Christ’s Mysteries / and poured forth streams of godly
doctrine. / His life was well-pleasing to God, who is greatly greatly
merciful.
KONTAKION - TONE 8
Hierarch of Athens, we praise you for you have instructed us in awesome
and ineffable things, / and you were revealed to be a divinely-inspired
writer of hymns. / Pray that we be delivered from every kind of sin, so
that we may cry to you: / “Rejoice, divinely-wise Father Hierótheus.”
This Saint was from Athens, a learned man, and a member of
the famous judicial court of Mars Hill (in Greek Aeros Pagos, hence the
name Areopagite (see Acts 17:19-34). When Saint Paul preached in
Athens, he was one of the first there to believe in Christ, and,
according to some, became the first bishop of that city. Others say --
and this may be more probable--that he was the second Bishop of Athens,
after Saint Hierotheus, whom Dionysios calls his friend and teacher
"after Paul" (On the Divine Names, 3:2). With Saint Hierotheus he was
also present at the Dormition of the most holy Theotokos; the Doxasticon
of the Aposticha for the service of the Dormition is partly taken from a
passage in Chapter III of On the Divine Names. According to ancient
tradition, he received a martyr's end (according to some, in Athens
itself) about the year 96.
Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Since thou hadst been instructed in uprightness thoroughly and
wast vigilant in all things, thou wast clothed with a good conscience as
befitteth one holy. Thou didst draw from the Chosen Vessel ineffable
mysteries; and having kept the Faith, thou didst finish a like course, O
Hieromartyr Dionysios. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be
saved.
Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone
In spirit, thou dist pass through Heaven's gates, instructed by
the great Apostle who attained to the third Heaven's heights, and wast
made rich in all knowledge of things beyond speech; and then thou, O
Dionysios, didst illuminate them that slumbered in the darkness of their
ignorance. Hence we all cry out: Rejoice, O universal Father.
St Theodore, one of Russia’s greatest naval heroes of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, was born in 1745.
The
unvanquished Admiral was the terror of his country’s enemies, and the
deliverer of those whom the barbarians had taken captive. He served
during the Russo-Turkish War (1787—1791), and also fought against the
French. Although he fought many naval battles in the Black Sea and in
the Mediterranean, he never lost a single one, and he was never wounded.
St
Theodore once visited the Greek island of Kerkyra (Corfu), where he
venerated the relics of St Spyridon of Tremithus (December 12), and gave
support and encouragement to the Orthodox Christians in that place.
Since
his naval reforms were unpopular with his superiors, St Theodore was
forced to retire in 1807 by Tsar Alexander I. Having neither wife nor
children, the admiral settled in the town of Alekseevo near the Sanaxar
Monastery, where he regularly attended services on Sundays and Feast
Days. During Great Lent he would stay in the monastery, fasting with the
monks and attending the services.
Igumen Nathaniel of Sanaxar
regarded St Theodore as “a neighbor and a significant patron” of the
monastery. In addition to his generous gifts to the monastery, the
admiral frequently gave alms to the poor and needy. He never sought
earthly glory or riches, but spent his life in serving God and his
neighbor.
St Theodore died in 1817 at the age of seventy-two.
After navigating the sea of life with all its storms and struggles, he
entered the calm harbor of eternal rest. He was buried at Sanaxar
Monastery beside the church. The monastery was returned to the Russian
Orthodox Church in 1991, and St Theodore’s grave was found in 1994.
St
Theodore was glorified by the Orthodox Church of Russia in 2004, and a
reliquary in the shape of a naval vessel was made to enshrine his holy
relics.
The holy Admiral Theodore should not be confused with his
relative St Theodore (Ushakov) of Sanaxar Monastery (February 19 and
April 21), a monastic saint who lived from 1719 to 1791.
St
Theodore is honored as a great military leader who defended Russia just
as St Alexander Nevsky (November 23) and St Demetrius of the Don (May
19) did before him. One of the Russian Navy’s atomic cruisers has been
named for him, and a movie has been made about his life and career. The
composer Khachaturian has also written a musical piece called “Admiral
Ushakov.”
TROPARION - TONE 1
You were an invincible supreme commander of the Russian realm, /
Destroying and setting at nought the malice of the Moslems / And seeking
neither worldly glory or riches, you served God and your neighbor. /
Pray, O holy Theodore, that victory over the enemy be granted our army, /
That our homeland may abide in unshakeable piety / And that the
children of Russia may be saved.
Saint Ananias, whose name means "God is gracious," was
from Damascus, where by divine revelation he was commanded to baptize
the Apostle Paul (Acts 9: 10-17). He completed the course of martyrdom
when he was stoned to death during the proconsulate of Lucian.
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostle Ananias, intercede to our merciful God, that He may grant our souls forgiveness of sins.
Kontakion in the Second Tone
Our most fervent advocate in intercession who dost hearken most
quickly to them that pray to thee, receive our supplication, O Ananias,
and implore Christ, Who alone is glorified in the Saints, to have mercy
on us.
Decoratiune de toamna cu frunze 1
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Din frunze galbene am făcut un fel de coroniță pentru ușă. A fost o joacă
frumoasă în care galbenul a strălucit în prim plan, alături de castane și
nuci ...
Romans Chapter 1 & 2
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We are currently doing a study of the Book of Romans via Google Meets,
which I intend to post to our parish channel on YouTube. Unfortunately, I
didn't ...
Does God Really Care About Me?
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Have you ever gotten the message that God doesn’t care about you? Logic
tells you this to be true; however, your heart seems unable to accept this
conclusi...
The Catacomb Church (1991)
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The text below is excerpted from the 2011 book "In the Catacombs" by S.V.
Shumilo:
"Remaining in a position without rights, the Catacomb Church – as in t...
The Four Horsemen of Palamism
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There are many interesting things taking place in academia right now
regarding Orthodox history and theology, beyond the usual faddish
expressions of “theo...
Εσύ ετοίμασες την Φάτνη σου;
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*Άκουε ουρανέ και ενωτίζου η γη· ιδού γαρ ο Υιός και Λόγος του Θεού και
Πατρός, πρόεισι τεχθήναι…*
*Ηλιαχτίδα..*
Αναρωτηθήκαμε ποτέ, γιατί άραγε ο...
Ascension and Judgment in the Triumphal Entry
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One of the key features of the Gospels is the many prophecies of Christ
regarding His own passion, death, resurrection, …
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England and Wales, 2019
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I am back and rested after spending 15 days in the U.K. While I
always enjoy coming home, the truth of the matter is that I was not quite
ready to ...
Exceptions
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There seems to be a common school of thought that and exception to a canon
permits more exceptions. However, the very nature of an exception is that
it doe...
My Branch of the Healy Family Tree
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Last night I worked through the Healy family genealogy I came across
yesterday. I was able to work out the direct line of descent from William
to me. A cal...
The circular firing squad on Pope Francis
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Introduction
I. The pastoral Magisterium
II. When truth functions as law
III. The fence and the circle of orthodoxy
IV. Criticizing Magisterial failures
V. ...
A Tale of Two Linguists
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The Second Vatican Council declared the Latin language to be one of the
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official lang...
Christmas: the Eternal embraces the Finite
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*The following is a Christmas-season meditation by Susan Anne, who will be
joining me on this blog as a co-author.*
Beginnings and endings, finite measur...
King Charles Attends Advent Service for Christians
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King Charles attended a special Advent service on Dec. 17 that was held to
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Learning geography and ballistics
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The IRBM Russia launched yesterday from way far from the border with
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Service Interruption notice
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You may have noticed rigorousintuition.ca is currently down. We're moving
servers. Drew informs me it shouldn't take too long. Perhaps tonight or
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The truth drew hatred…
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“Seest Thou what suffer those who censure, O Word of God, the faults of
the unclean. Not being able to bear censure, lo, Herod cut off my head, O
Savior....
The Dynamism of Holy Tradition
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I. How & Why Traditions Are Created “Be imitators of me, just as I also am
of Christ. Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold
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Apostleship - A Family Affair?
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Sometimes I amuse myself by imagining Jesus and the Apostles in situations
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Moving Day
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I’m beginning to copy some of the articles on ecumenism over to a new blog
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