[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Jul 27 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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1 Corinthians 14:26-40
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you
has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an
interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most
three, each in turn, and let one interpret.
28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and
let him speak to himself and to God.
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.
30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first
keep silent.
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may
be encouraged.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the
churches of the saints.
34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not
permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also
says.
35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own
husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only
that it reached?
37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him
acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments
of the Lord.
38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not
forbid to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
Scripture Reading 1 of 4


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2 Timothy 2:1-10   (St. Panteleimon)
1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus.
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses,
commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus
Christ.
4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this
life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless
he competes according to the rules.
6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.
7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all
things.
8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from
the dead according to my gospel,
9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of
chains; but the word of God is not chained.
10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they
also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory.
Scripture Reading 2 of 4


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Matthew 21:12-14, 17-20
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who
bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money
changers and the seats of those who sold doves.
13 And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a
house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.' "
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He
healed them.
17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He
lodged there.
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.
19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing
on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever
again." Immediately the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the
fig tree wither away so soon?"
Scripture Reading 3 of 4


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John 15:17-16:2  (St. Panteleimon)
17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
18 If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated
you.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because
you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore
the world hates you.
20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater
than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.
If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake,
because they do not know Him who sent Me.
22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but
now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.
24 If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they
would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and
My Father.
25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written
in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'
26 But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will
testify of Me.
27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from
the beginning.
1 These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to
stumble.
2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming
that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
Scripture Reading 4 of 4



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Greatmartyr and Healer Panteleimon
The Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon was born in the city of
Nicomedia into the family of the illustrious pagan Eustorgius, and he
was named Pantoleon. His mother St Euboula (March 30) was a Christian.
She wanted to raise her son in the Christian Faith, but she died when
the future martyr was just a young child. His father sent Pantoleon to
a pagan school, after which the young man studied medicine at
Nicomedia under the renowned physician Euphrosynus. Pantoleon came to
the attention of the emperor Maximian (284-305), who wished to appoint
him as royal physician when he finished his schooling.
The hieromartyrs Hermolaus, Hermippus and Hermocrates, survivors of
the massacre of 20,000 Christians in 303 (December 28), were living
secretly in Nicomedia at that time. St Hermolaus saw Pantoleon time
and again when he came to the house where they were hiding. Once, the
priest invited the youth to the house and spoke about the Christian
Faith. After this Pantoleon visited St Hermolaus every day.
One day the saint found a dead child on the street. He had been bitten
by a great snake, which was still beside the child's body. Pantoleon
began to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ to revive the dead child and to
destroy the venomous reptile. He firmly resolved that if his prayer
were fulfilled, he would become a follower of Christ and receive
Baptism. The child rose up alive, and the snake died before
Pantoleon's eyes.
After this miracle, Pantoleon was baptized by St Hermolaus with the
name Panteleimon (meaning "all-merciful"). Speaking with Eustorgius,
St Panteleimon prepared him to accept Christianity. When the father
saw how his son healed a blind man by invoking Jesus Christ, he then
believed in Christ and was baptized by St Hermolaus together with the
man whose sight was restored.
After the death of his father, St Panteleimon dedicated his life to
the suffering, the sick, the unfortunate and the needy. He treated all
those who turned to him without charge, healing them in the name of
Jesus Christ. He visited those held captive in prison. These were
usually Christians, and he healed them of their wounds. In a short
time, reports of the charitable physician spread throughout the city.
Forsaking the other doctors, the inhabitants began to turn only to St
Panteleimon.
The envious doctors told the emperor that St Panteleimon was healing
Christian prisoners. Maximian urged the saint to refute the charge by
offering sacrifice to idols. St Panteleimon confessed himself a
Christian, and suggested that a sick person, for whom the doctors held
out no hope, should be brought before the emperor. Then the doctors
could invoke their gods, and Panteleimon would pray to his God to heal
the man. A man paralyzed for many years was brought in, and pagan
priests who knew the art of medicine invoked their gods without
success. Then, before the very eyes of the emperor, the saint healed
the paralytic by calling on the name of Jesus Christ. The ferocious
Maximian executed the healed man, and gave St Panteleimon over to
fierce torture.
The Lord appeared to the saint and strengthened him before his
sufferings. They suspended the Great Martyr Panteleimon from a tree
and scraped him with iron hooks, burned him with fire and then
stretched him on the rack, threw him into a cauldron of boiling tar,
and cast him into the sea with a stone around his neck. Throughout
these tortures the martyr remained unhurt, and denounced the emperor.
At this time the priests Hermolaus, Hermippus and Hermocrates were
brought before the court of the pagans. All three confessed their
faith in the Savior and were beheaded (July 26).
By order of the emperor they brought the Great Martyr Panteleimon to
the circus to be devoured by wild beasts. The animals, however, came
up to him and licked his feet. The spectators began to shout, "Great
is the God of the Christians!" The enraged Maximian ordered the
soldiers to stab with the sword anyone who glorified Christ, and to
cut off the head of the Great Martyr Panteleimon.
They led the saint to the place of execution and tied him to an olive
tree. While the martyr prayed, one of the soldiers struck him with a
sword, but the sword became soft like wax and inflicted no wound. The
saint completed his prayer, and a Voice was heard from Heaven, calling
the passion-bearer by his new name and summoning him to the heavenly
Kingdom.
Hearing the Voice, the soldiers fell down on their knees before the
holy martyr and begged forgiveness. They refused to continue with the
execution, but St Panteleimon told them to fulfill the emperor's
command, because otherwise they would have no share with him in the
future life. The soldiers tearfully took their leave of the saint with
a kiss.
When the saint was beheaded, the olive tree to which the saint was
tied became covered with fruit. Many who were present at the execution
believed in Christ. The saint's body was thrown into a fire, but
remained unharmed, and was buried by Christians . St Panteleimon's
servants Laurence, Bassos and Probus witnessed his execution and heard
the Voice from Heaven. They recorded the life, the sufferings and
death of the saint.
Portions of the holy relics of the Great Martyr Panteleimon were
distributed throughout all the Christian world. His venerable head is
now located at the Russian monastery of St Panteleimon on Mt. Athos.
The veneration of the holy martyr in the Russian Orthodox Church was
already known in the twelfth century. Prince Izyaslav ( in Baptism
Panteleimon), the son of St Mstislav the Great, had an image of St
Panteleimon on his helmet. Through the intercession of the saint he
remained alive during a battle in the year 1151. On the Feast of the
Great Martyr Panteleimon, Russian forces won two naval victories over
the Swedes (in 1714 near Hanhauze and in 1720 near Grenham).
St Panteleimon is venerated in the Orthodox Church as a mighty saint,
and the protector of soldiers. This aspect of his veneration is
derived from his first name Pantoleon, which means "a lion in
everything". His second name, Panteleimon, given him at Baptism, which
means "all-merciful", is manifest in the veneration of the martyr as a
healer. The connection between these two aspects of the saint is
readily apparent in that soldiers, receiving wounds more frequently
than others, are more in need of a physician-healer. Christians waging
spiritual warfare also have recourse to this saint, asking him to heal
their spiritual wounds.
The holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon is invoked in the Mystery
of Anointing the Sick, at the Blessing of Water, and in the Prayers
for the Sick.
The Feast of the holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon is the
patronal Feast of the Russian monastery on Athos. The forefeast starts
eight days before the Feast. Each day after Vespers, Moliebens are
sung with Canons in each of the eight tones. Thus, each day has its
own particular Canon. The second day of the Feast is the monastery
feastday. On this day a general Panikhida is served after Vespers in
memory of the founders and benefactors of the monastery, and kollyva
(kutia: wheat or rice boiled with honey) is blessed and distributed.
The verses of the Ninth Ode of the Canon of the Great Martyr and
Healer Panteleimon from the manuscript of the Athonite service are
reprinted in the "Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate" (1975, No.3, pp.
45-47).
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Blessed Nicholas Kochanov the Fool-For-Christ at Novgorod
Blessed Nicholas Konchanov, Novgorod Fool-for-Christ (+ 1392), was
born at Novgorod into a rich and illustrious family. From his youthful
years he loved piety, he went to church faithfully, and loved fasting
and prayer. Seeing his virtuous life, people began to praise him.
Blessed Nicholas, disdaining glory from men, began the difficult
exploit of folly for the Lord's sake. He ran about the city in the
bitter cold dressed in rags, enduring beatings, insults and mockery.
Blessed Nicholas and another Novgorod fool, Blessed Theodore (January
19), pretended to be irreconcilable foes, and graphically demonstrated
to the people of Novgorod the pernicious character of their
internecine strife.
Once, having overcome his sham opponent, Blessed Nicholas went along
the Volkhov as if on dry land, and threw a head of cabbage at Blessed
Theodore, therefore he was called "Konchanov" (i.e. "cabbage-head").
The Lord glorified Blessed Nicholas with the gift of miracles and
clairvoyance.
Once, after being turned away by servants from a feast to which he had
been invited, he left. Immediately, the wine disappeared from the
barrel. Only upon the return of the fool, and through his prayer, did
it reappear again. When he died, Blessed Nicholas was buried at the
end of the cemetery by the Yakovlev cathedral.
The relics of Blessed Nicholas rest under a crypt in the church of the
Great Martyr Panteleimon which was built over his grave.
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Venerable Anthusa the Abbess of Mantinea in Asia Minor
Saint Anthusa the Confessor lived at Mantinea, Paphlygonia in Asia
Minor during the eighth century. Leaving the world at a young age, St
Anthusa lived in asceticism in the mountains in complete solitude. She
received monastic tonsure from the hieromonk Sisinius, and became
abbess of a monastery of ninety nuns.
St Anthusa suffered during the reign of the emperor Constantine
Copronymos, who demanded that the saint renounce the veneration of
holy icons. St Anthusa was subjected to torture, since she disobeyed
the emperor's order.
Among those who witnessed the torture was the emperor's wife, for whom
the saint predicted the birth of a son and daughter. When St Anthusa's
prediction was fulfilled, she was allowed to return to her convent,
where she died in great old age. The daughter born to the emperor's
wife was named Anthusa (April 12).
Having lived a life pleasing to God, she reposed in 759 and now lives
with Him forever. She was buried in her cell.
_________________________________________________________________
90 Venerable Sisters of Mantinea in Asia Minor
When St Anthusa built a women's monastery and a church dedicated to St
Anna (July 25), ninety nuns gathered around her. The nuns were known
for their obedience to their abbess and for their spiritual
discipline.
During the iconoclastic controversy, Emperor Constantine Copronymus
persecuted monks and nuns, who defended the veneration of icons. He
sent soldiers to the monasteries in order to persuade monastics to
agree with his heretical views, and to punish those who would not
submit to his authority. St Anthusa and her nuns were among those who
were interrogated and tortured.
_________________________________________________________________
Equal of the Apostles Clement of Ochrid the Bishop of Greater
Macedonia
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Naum, Sava,
Gorazd and Angelar were Slavs, disciples of Sts Cyril and Methodius
(May 11). At first they lived as ascetics in Moravia, where St Gorazd
succeded St Methodius as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and
Latin. Sts Clement, Naum, Angelar and Sava were priests.
The Enlighteners of the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries, who
had the support of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian prince
Svyatopolk. The struggle centered around the questions of the need for
divine services in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday fasting. Pope
Stephen VI prohibited the use of Slavonic in church.
The proponents of the three-tongued heresy (who wanted to use only
Hebrew, Greek, or Latin for Church purposes), after setting aside the
ancestral language of the Slavic peoples, brought the disciples of St
Methodius to trial, including St Clement. They subjected them to
fierce torture: dragging them through thorns, and holding them in
prison for a long time, just as they had done with their spiritual
Father, St Methodius.
In 886, some of the prisoners were sold to slave-traders, and ended up
in the Venice marketplace. The ambassador of the Byzantine Emperor
Basil the Macedonian went to Venice, ransomed the saints and brought
them to Constantinople. The older confessors were banished. It is not
known where St Gorazd went, nor where St Sava found shelter. Naum and
Angelar went to Bulgaria.
In 907 Moravia collapsed under the onslaught of the Magyars, and
Moravian refugees escaped along those same paths followed earlier by
the saints they had exiled.
The Bulgarians received the Slavonic confessors with respect and
requested them to conduct divine services in the Slavonic language.
The Bulgarian prince Boris sought out such people as the disciples of
St Methodius, who labored for the enlightenment of his nation. The
saints immediately began to study Slavonic books collected by the
Bulgarian nobles.
St Angelar soon died, and St Clement received the appointment to teach
at Kutmichivitsa, a region in southwest Macedonia. In the Eastern
Church a worthy man was chosen to be a teacher, someone known for his
devout life, and possessed with a gift of words. St Clement was a
teacher while he was still in Moravia. In Bulgaria, St Clement worked
as an instructor until 893. He organized a school at the princely
court, which attained high esteem during the reign of Simeon. In
southwest Macedonia he created separate schools for adults and for
children.
St Clement instructed the children in reading and in writing. The
total number of his students was enormous. Those chosen and accepted
for the clergy amounted to 3500 men. In the year 893, St Clement
became Bishop of Dremvitsa, or Velitsa, and St Naum took his place.
St Clement was the first Bulgarian hierarch to serve, preach and write
in the Slavonic language. To this end he systematically prepared
clergy from among the Slavic people. The holy bishop labored for the
glory of God into his old age. When his strength failed, and he was
unable to fulfill his responsibilities in the cathedral, he asked Tsar
Simeon to let him retire.
The Tsar urged the saint not to forsake the cathedral, and St Clement
agreed to continue his episcopal service. After this he went to
Ochrid, to a monastery he founded. There the saint continued with his
translation activities and translated important parts of the
PENTEKOSTARION.
Soon the saint became seriously ill and departed to the Lord in the
year 916. The saint's body was placed in a coffin he made with his own
hands, and was buried in Ochrid's St Panteleimon monastery.
St Clement is considered the first Slavonic author. He not only
continued the translation work begun by Sts Cyril and Methodius, but
also left behind works of his own composition, the first samples of
Slavonic spiritual literature.
Many of the lessons and sermons of St Clement were brought to Russia,
where they were read and lovingly copied by pious Russian Christians.
The relics of Sts Gorazd and Angelar rest near Berat in Albania, and
St Naum's relics are in the monastery bearing his name, near Lake
Ochrid. St Clement is also commemorated on November 25.
_________________________________________________________________
St Angelar the Disciple of Sts Cyril and Methodius
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Naum, Sava,
Gorazd and Angelar were Slavs, disciples of Sts Cyril and Methodius
(May 11). They at first pursued asceticism in Moravia, where St Gorazd
succeded St Methodius as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and
Latin. Sts Clement, Naum, Angelar and Sava were priests.
The Enlighteners of the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries, who
had the support of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian prince
Svyatopolk. The struggle centered around the questions of the need for
divine services in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday fasting. Pope
Stephen VI prohibited the use of Slavonic in church.
The proponents of the three-tongued heresy (who wanted to use only
Hebrew, Greek, or Latin for Church purposes), after setting aside the
ancestral language of the Slavic peoples, brought the disciples of St
Methodius to trial, including St Clement. They subjected them to
fierce torture: dragging them through thorns, and holding them in
prison for a long time, just as they had done with their spiritual
Father, St Methodius.
In 886, some of the prisoners were sold to slave-traders, and ended up
in the Venice marketplace. The ambassador of the Byzantine Emperor
Basil the Macedonian went to Venice, ransomed the saints and brought
them to Constantinople. The older confessors were banished. It is not
known where St Gorazd went, nor where St Sava found shelter. Naum and
Angelar went to Bulgaria.
In 907 Moravia collapsed under the onslaught of the Magyars, and
Moravian refugees escaped along those same paths followed earlier by
the saints they had exiled.
The Bulgarians received the Slavonic confessors with respect and
requested them to conduct divine services in the Slavonic language.
The Bulgarian prince Boris sought out such people as the disciples of
St Methodius, who labored for the enlightenment of his nation. The
saints immediately began to study Slavonic books collected by the
Bulgarian nobles.
St Angelar soon died, and St Clement received the appointment to teach
at Kutmichivitsa, a region in southwest Macedonia. In the Eastern
Church a worthy man was chosen to be a teacher, someone known for his
devout life, and possessed with a gift of words. St Clement was a
teacher while he was still in Moravia. In Bulgaria, St Clement worked
as an instructor until 893. He organized a school at the princely
court, which attained high esteem during the reign of Simeon. In
southwest Macedonia he created separate schools for adults and for
children.
St Clement instructed the children in reading and in writing. The
total number of his students was enormous. Those chosen and accepted
for the clergy amounted to 3500 men. In the year 893, St Clement
became Bishop of Dremvitsa, or Velitsa, and St Naum took his place.
St Clement was the first Bulgarian hierarch to serve, preach and write
in the Slavonic language. To this end he systematically prepared
clergy from among the Slavic people. The holy bishop labored for the
glory of God into his old age. When his strength failed, and he was
unable to fulfill his responsibilities in the cathedral, he asked Tsar
Simeon to let him retire.
The Tsar urged the saint not to forsake the cathedral, and St Clement
agreed to continue his episcopal service. After this he went to
Ochrid, to a monastery he founded. There the saint continued with his
translation activities and translated important parts of the
PENTEKOSTARION.
Soon the saint became seriously ill and departed to the Lord in the
year 916. The saint's body was placed in a coffin he made with his own
hands, and was buried in Ochrid's Panteleimon monastery.
St Clement is considered the first Slavonic author. He not only
continued the translation work begun by Sts Cyril and Methodius, but
also left behind works of his own composition, the first samples of
Slavonic spiritual literature.
Many of the lessons and sermons of St Clement were brought to Russia,
where they were read and lovingly copied by pious Russian Christians.
The relics of Sts Gorazd and Angelar rest near Berat in Albania, and
St Naum's relics are in the monastery bearing his name, near Lake
Ochrid. St Clement is also commemorated on November 25.
_________________________________________________________________
St Gorazd the Disciple of Sts Cyril and Methodius
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Naum, Sava,
Gorazd and Angelar were Slavs, disciples of Sts Cyril and Methodius
(May 11). They at first pursued asceticism in Moravia, where St Gorazd
succeded St Methodius as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and
Latin. Sts Clement, Naum, Angelar and Sava were priests.
The Enlighteners of the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries, who
had the support of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian prince
Svyatopolk. The struggle centered around the questions of the need for
divine services in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday fasting. Pope
Stephen VI prohibited the use of Slavonic in church.
The proponents of the three-tongued heresy (who wanted to use only
Hebrew, Greek, or Latin for Church purposes), after setting aside the
ancestral language of the Slavic peoples, brought the disciples of St
Methodius to trial, including St Clement. They subjected them to
fierce torture: dragging them through thorns, and holding them in
prison for a long time, just as they had done with their spiritual
Father, St Methodius.
In 886, some of the prisoners were sold to slave-traders, and ended up
in the Venice marketplace. The ambassador of the Byzantine Emperor
Basil the Macedonian went to Venice, ransomed the saints and brought
them to Constantinople. The older confessors were banished. It is not
known where St Gorazd went, nor where St Sava found shelter. Naum and
Angelar went to Bulgaria.
In 907 Moravia collapsed under the onslaught of the Magyars, and
Moravian refugees escaped along those same paths followed earlier by
the saints they had exiled.
The Bulgarians received the Slavonic confessors with respect and
requested them to conduct divine services in the Slavonic language.
The Bulgarian prince Boris sought out such people as the disciples of
St Methodius, who labored for the enlightenment of his nation. The
saints immediately began to study Slavonic books collected by the
Bulgarian nobles.
St Angelar soon died, and St Clement received the appointment to teach
at Kutmichivitsa, a region in southwest Macedonia. In the Eastern
Church a worthy man was chosen to be a teacher, someone known for his
devout life, and possessed with a gift of words. St Clement was a
teacher while he was still in Moravia. In Bulgaria, St Clement worked
as an instructor until 893. He organized a school at the princely
court, which attained high esteem during the reign of Simeon. In
southwest Macedonia he created separate schools for adults and for
children.
St Clement instructed the children in reading and in writing. The
total number of his students was enormous. Those chosen and accepted
for the clergy amounted to 3500 men. In the year 893, St Clement
became Bishop of Dremvitsa, or Velitsa, and St Naum took his place.
St Clement was the first Bulgarian hierarch to serve, preach and write
in the Slavonic language. To this end he systematically prepared
clergy from among the Slavic people. The holy bishop labored for the
glory of God into his old age. When his strength failed, and he was
unable to fulfill his responsibilities in the cathedral, he asked Tsar
Simeon to let him retire.
The Tsar urged the saint not to forsake the cathedral, and St Clement
agreed to continue his episcopal service. After this he went to
Ochrid, to a monastery he founded. There the saint continued with his
translation activities and translated important parts of the
PENTEKOSTARION.
Soon the saint became seriously ill and departed to the Lord in the
year 916. The saint's body was placed in a coffin he made with his own
hands, and was buried in Ochrid's Panteleimon monastery.
St Clement is considered the first Slavonic author. He not only
continued the translation work begun by Sts Cyril and Methodius, but
also left behind works of his own composition, the first samples of
Slavonic spiritual literature.
Many of the lessons and sermons of St Clement were brought to Russia,
where they were read and lovingly copied by pious Russian Christians.
The relics of Sts Gorazd and Angelar rest near Berat in Albania, and
St Naum's relics are in the monastery bearing his name, near Lake
Ochrid. St Clement is also commemorated on November 25.
_________________________________________________________________
St Nahum of Ochrid, the Disciple of Sts Cyril and Methodius,
Equal of the Apostles
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Naum, Sava,
Gorazd and Angelar were Slavs, disciples of Sts Cyril and Methodius
(May 11). They at first pursued asceticism in Moravia, where St Gorazd
succeded St Methodius as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and
Latin. Sts Clement, Naum, Angelar and Sava were priests.
The Enlighteners of the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries, who
had the support of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian prince
Svyatopolk. The struggle centered around the questions of the need for
divine services in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday fasting. Pope
Stephen VI prohibited the use of Slavonic in church.
The proponents of the three-tongued heresy (who wanted to use only
Hebrew, Greek, or Latin for Church purposes), after setting aside the
ancestral language of the Slavic peoples, brought the disciples of St
Methodius to trial, including St Clement. They subjected them to
fierce torture: dragging them through thorns, and holding them in
prison for a long time, just as they had done with their spiritual
Father, St Methodius.
In 886, some of the prisoners were sold to slave-traders, and ended up
in the Venice marketplace. The ambassador of the Byzantine Emperor
Basil the Macedonian went to Venice, ransomed the saints and brought
them to Constantinople. The older confessors were banished. It is not
known where St Gorazd went, nor where St Sava found shelter. Naum and
Angelar went to Bulgaria.
In 907 Moravia collapsed under the onslaught of the Magyars, and
Moravian refugees escaped along those same paths followed earlier by
the saints they had exiled.
The Bulgarians received the Slavonic confessors with respect and
requested them to conduct divine services in the Slavonic language.
The Bulgarian prince Boris sought out such people as the disciples of
St Methodius, who labored for the enlightenment of his nation. The
saints immediately began to study Slavonic books collected by the
Bulgarian nobles.
St Angelar soon died, and St Clement received the appointment to teach
at Kutmichivitsa, a region in southwest Macedonia. In the Eastern
Church a worthy man was chosen to be a teacher, someone known for his
devout life, and possessed with a gift of words. St Clement was a
teacher while he was still in Moravia. In Bulgaria, St Clement worked
as an instructor until 893. He organized a school at the princely
court, which attained high esteem during the reign of Simeon. In
southwest Macedonia he created separate schools for adults and for
children.
St Clement instructed the children in reading and in writing. The
total number of his students was enormous. Those chosen and accepted
for the clergy amounted to 3500 men. In the year 893, St Clement
became Bishop of Dremvitsa, or Velitsa, and St Naum took his place.
St Clement was the first Bulgarian hierarch to serve, preach and write
in the Slavonic language. To this end he systematically prepared
clergy from among the Slavic people. The holy bishop labored for the
glory of God into his old age. When his strength failed, and he was
unable to fulfill his responsibilities in the cathedral, he asked Tsar
Simeon to let him retire.
The Tsar urged the saint not to forsake the cathedral, and St Clement
agreed to continue his episcopal service. After this he went to
Ochrid, to a monastery he founded. There the saint continued with his
translation activities and translated important parts of the
PENTEKOSTARION.
Soon the saint became seriously ill and departed to the Lord in the
year 916. The saint's body was placed in a coffin he made with his own
hands, and was buried in Ochrid's Panteleimon monastery.
St Clement is considered the first Slavonic author. He not only
continued the translation work begun by Sts Cyril and Methodius, but
also left behind works of his own composition, the first samples of
Slavonic spiritual literature.
Many of the lessons and sermons of St Clement were brought to Russia,
where they were read and lovingly copied by pious Russian Christians.
The relics of Sts Gorazd and Angelar rest near Berat in Albania, and
St Naum's relics are in the monastery bearing his name, near Lake
Ochrid. St Clement is also commemorated on November 25.
_________________________________________________________________
St Sava the Disciple of St Cyril and Methodius
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Naum, Sava,
Gorazd and Angelar were Slavs, disciples of Sts Cyril and Methodius
(May 11). They at first pursued asceticism in Moravia, where St Gorazd
succeded St Methodius as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and
Latin. Sts Clement, Naum, Angelar and Sava were priests.
The Enlighteners of the Slavs were opposed by German missionaries, who
had the support of the Pope and the patronage of the Moravian prince
Svyatopolk. The struggle centered around the questions of the need for
divine services in Slavonic, the Filioque and Saturday fasting. Pope
Stephen VI prohibited the use of Slavonic in church.
The proponents of the three-tongued heresy (who wanted to use only
Hebrew, Greek, or Latin for Church purposes), after setting aside the
ancestral language of the Slavic peoples, brought the disciples of St
Methodius to trial, including St Clement. They subjected them to
fierce torture: dragging them through thorns, and holding them in
prison for a long time, just as they had done with their spiritual
Father, St Methodius.
In 886, some of the prisoners were sold to slave-traders, and ended up
in the Venice marketplace. The ambassador of the Byzantine Emperor
Basil the Macedonian went to Venice, ransomed the saints and brought
them to Constantinople. The older confessors were banished. It is not
known where St Gorazd went, nor where St Sava found shelter. Naum and
Angelar went to Bulgaria.
In 907 Moravia collapsed under the onslaught of the Magyars, and
Moravian refugees escaped along those same paths followed earlier by
the saints they had exiled.
The Bulgarians received the Slavonic confessors with respect and
requested them to conduct divine services in the Slavonic language.
The Bulgarian prince Boris sought out such people as the disciples of
St Methodius, who labored for the enlightenment of his nation. The
saints immediately began to study Slavonic books collected by the
Bulgarian nobles.
St Angelar soon died, and St Clement received the appointment to teach
at Kutmichivitsa, a region in southwest Macedonia. In the Eastern
Church a worthy man was chosen to be a teacher, someone known for his
devout life, and possessed with a gift of words. St Clement was a
teacher while he was still in Moravia. In Bulgaria, St Clement worked
as an instructor until 893. He organized a school at the princely
court, which attained high esteem during the reign of Simeon. In
southwest Macedonia he created separate schools for adults and for
children.
St Clement instructed the children in reading and in writing. The
total number of his students was enormous. Those chosen and accepted
for the clergy amounted to 3500 men. In the year 893, St Clement
became Bishop of Dremvitsa, or Velitsa, and St Naum took his place.
St Clement was the first Bulgarian hierarch to serve, preach and write
in the Slavonic language. To this end he systematically prepared
clergy from among the Slavic people. The holy bishop labored for the
glory of God into his old age. When his strength failed, and he was
unable to fulfill his responsibilities in the cathedral, he asked Tsar
Simeon to let him retire.
The Tsar urged the saint not to forsake the cathedral, and St Clement
agreed to continue his episcopal service. After this he went to
Ochrid, to a monastery he founded. There the saint continued with his
translation activities and translated important parts of the
PENTEKOSTARION.
Soon the saint became seriously ill and departed to the Lord in the
year 916. The saint's body was placed in a coffin he made with his own
hands, and was buried in Ochrid's Panteleimon monastery.
St Clement is considered the first Slavonic author. He not only
continued the translation work begun by Sts Cyril and Methodius, but
also left behind works of his own composition, the first samples of
Slavonic spiritual literature.
Many of the lessons and sermons of St Clement were brought to Russia,
where they were read and lovingly copied by pious Russian Christians.
The relics of Sts Gorazd and Angelar rest near Berat in Albania, and
St Naum's relics are in the monastery bearing his name, near Lake
Ochrid. St Clement is also commemorated on November 25.
_________________________________________________________________