[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Tue Sep 18 05:00:13 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Tue Sep 18 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Ephesians 2:19-3:7
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a
holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of
God in the Spirit.
1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you
Gentiles-
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God
which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have
briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ),
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has
now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and
partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of
God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Luke 3:23-4:1
23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age,
being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of
Janna, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son
of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son
of Joseph, the son of Judah,
27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the
son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of
Elmodam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of
Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of
Jonan, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son
of Nathan, the son of David,
32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of
Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of
Perez, the son of Judah,
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of
Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of
Eber, the son of Shelah,
36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of
Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son
of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan,
38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
1 Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the
Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Afterfeast of the Elevation of the Cross
>From September 15 until the Leavetaking, we sing "O come, let us
worship and fall down before Christ. O son of God crucified in the
flesh, save us who sing to Thee: Alleluia" at weekday Liturgies
following the Little Entrance.
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St Eumenius the Bishop of Gortyna
Saint Eumenius from the time of his youth was noted for his virtuous
life. He strove to serve the One God and therefore he shunned worldly
temptations. Concerned for the salvation of his soul, he distributed
all his substance to the poor.
By the blessing of God St Eumenius was chosen as Bishop of Gortyna on
the island of Crete. The saint, like a compassionate father, comforted
his flock in their sorrows, and cared for the orphaned and indigent.
He prayers were so strong before God that once, during a drought, he
called forth abundant rain upon the earth.
St Eumenius wisely and zealously defended the Orthodox Faith against
the Monophysite heresy. For his opposition to the heresy the saint was
banished to the Thebaid, where he died in the seventh century. His
body was then transferred and buried in Gortyna.
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Martyr Ariadne of Phrygia
The Holy Martyr Ariadne was a servant of Tertillos, a city official of
Promyssia (Phrygia) during the reign of the emperor Hadrian (117-161).
Once, when on the occasion of the birth of a son, the master made a
sacrificial offering to the pagan gods, the Christian Ariadne refused
to participate in the impious ceremony.
They subjected her to beatings and lacerated her body with sharp iron
hooks. Then they threw the martyr into prison and for a long while
they exhausted her with hunger, demanding that she worship their gods.
When they released the saint from prison, she left the city, but
Tertillos sent pursuers after her. Seeing that they were chasing her,
she ran, calling out to God to defend her from her enemies. Suddenly,
through her prayers, a fissure opened in the mountain, and St Ariadne
hid in it. This miracles brought the pursuers into confusion and fear.
In their depravity of mind they began to strike one another with
spears.
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Martyr Sophia of Egypt
Saint Sophia endured martyrdom with Sts Castor and Irene in
Alexandria.
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Martyr Irene of Egypt
Saint Irene endured martyrdom with Sts Sophia and Castor in
Alexandria.
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Martyr Castor of Alexandria
Saint Castor endured martyrdom with Sts Sophia and Irene in
Alexandria.
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Greatmartyr and Prince Bidzina of Georgia
In the 17th century the Persian aggressors razed churches,
monasteries, and fortresses and drove out thousands of Georgian
families to resettle them in remote provinces of Persia. The deserted
territories were settled by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. In the
chronicle _The Life of Kartli_ it is written: The name of Christ was
not allowed to be uttered, except in a handful of mountainous regions:
Tusheti, Pshavi, and Khevsureti.
But the All-merciful Lord aroused a strong desire in the valiant
prince Bidzina Choloqashvili of Kakheti and, together with Shalva and
his uncle Elizbar, princes of Aragvi and Ksani provinces, he led a
struggle to liberate Kakheti from the Tatars. (The Persian governor of
Kakheti, Salim Khan (16561664), had been encouraging the Tatar
tribesmen to profane the Christian churches.)
Fearing that the enemy, who had already conquered Kakheti, would soon
move in and also dominate Kartli, the princes Bidzina, Shalva, and
Elizbar united the forces of those two regions in preparation for the
attack.
After much deliberation, Bidzina announced his intention to his
father-in-law, Prince Zaal of Aragvi. Zaals soul was spiritually
pained by the countless misfortunes and injustices his country had
suffered, and he quickly pledged his support for the effort. He agreed
to participate in the insurrection anonymously, while the Ksani rulers
Shalva and Elizbar would command the armies.
On the moonless night of September 15, 1659, the feast of the Alaverdi
Church (The feast of St. Joseph of Alaverdi) the united army of all
eastern Georgia assembled and crossed over the mountains, past the
village of Akhmeta, and launched a surprise attack on the Persians
from Bakhtrioni Fortress and Alaverdi Church. The invaders armies were
so utterly crushed that their leader, Salim Khan, the Persian governor
of Kakheti, barely succeeded in escaping from the avengers, after he
had abandoned his family and army.
The victorious Georgian army offered prayers of thanksgiving to the
Lord God and Great-martyr George, the protector of the Georgian
people, who had appeared visibly to all during the battle, riding his
white horse like a flash of lightning and leading the Georgians to
victory.
The joy was great but short lived. The furious Shah Abbas II
(16421667) ordered King Vakhtang V of Kartli (16581675) to deliver to
him those who had instigated the insurrection.
Certain that they would receive no mercy from the shah, Georgias
heroic liberators nevertheless set out for Persia without complaint.
The shah received them with respect and generously bestowed gifts upon
them, but then demanded that they renounce the Christian Faith.
Neither bribery nor flattery would break their will, so the shah
ordered his servants to arrest and torture them, strip off their
clothing, and cast them, bound, under the blazing sun. Tormented by
thirst and insect stings, the martyrs were periodically tempted to
renounce Christ, but with Gods help they resisted every temptation.
Finally the enraged Salim Khan, the vassal of Shah Abbas, ordered the
beheading of Elizbar and Shalva, hoping by this to break Bidzinas
resolve. But his efforts were in vain. There is nothing sweeter than
death for Christs sake! Bidzina proclaimed.
The Ksani princes calmly bowed their heads, but the undersized
executioners could not reach the stately princes with their swords. So
the shahs henchmen hacked each of the princes in two at the shins,
then decapitated them after they had fallen to an accessible height.
But even the murder of his companions would not cause St. Bidzinas
will to waver. So the enemies resolved to break his will by mockery.
They draped the bound prince in a chadar (the veil worn by Muslim
women), seated him on a donkey, and paraded him through the streets.
Then they began to butcher him alive. One by one they cut off his
fingers and toes, then they chopped off his hands and feet, then his
arms and legs, until only his head remained unharmed. It was clear
from the movement of his lips that the holy martyr was praying.
Then one of the persecutors pierced his heart with a spear. This
happened in the year 1661. The mutilated bodies of the holy martyrs
remained under the open sky for one day, and no one was permitted to
go near them. During the night they were illumined by a brilliant
light.
Then a group of Christians secretly buried the saints remains. Several
years later St. Shalvas wife Ketevan and son David sent several of the
faithful to Persia to bring back their relics. Crowds of believers
gathered at the Kartli border to meet the holy relics and accompany
them with hymns of rejoicing to their final resting place at the
Ikorta Church of the Archangels.
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Martyr Elizibar the Prince of Georgia
In the 17th century the Persian aggressors razed churches,
monasteries, and fortresses and drove out thousands of Georgian
families to resettle them in remote provinces of Persia. The deserted
territories were settled by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. In the
chronicle _The Life of Kartli_ it is written: The name of Christ was
not allowed to be uttered, except in a handful of mountainous regions:
Tusheti, Pshavi, and Khevsureti.
But the All-merciful Lord aroused a strong desire in the valiant
prince Bidzina Choloqashvili of Kakheti and, together with Shalva and
his uncle Elizbar, princes of Aragvi and Ksani provinces, he led a
struggle to liberate Kakheti from the Tatars. (The Persian governor of
Kakheti, Salim Khan (16561664), had been encouraging the Tatar
tribesmen to profane the Christian churches.)
Fearing that the enemy, who had already conquered Kakheti, would soon
move in and also dominate Kartli, the princes Bidzina, Shalva, and
Elizbar united the forces of those two regions in preparation for the
attack.
After much deliberation, Bidzina announced his intention to his
father-in-law, Prince Zaal of Aragvi. Zaals soul was spiritually
pained by the countless misfortunes and injustices his country had
suffered, and he quickly pledged his support for the effort. He agreed
to participate in the insurrection anonymously, while the Ksani rulers
Shalva and Elizbar would command the armies.
On the moonless night of September 15, 1659, the feast of the Alaverdi
Church (The feast of St. Joseph of Alaverdi) the united army of all
eastern Georgia assembled and crossed over the mountains, past the
village of Akhmeta, and launched a surprise attack on the Persians
from Bakhtrioni Fortress and Alaverdi Church. The invaders armies were
so utterly crushed that their leader, Salim Khan, the Persian governor
of Kakheti, barely succeeded in escaping from the avengers, after he
had abandoned his family and army.
The victorious Georgian army offered prayers of thanksgiving to the
Lord God and Great-martyr George, the protector of the Georgian
people, who had appeared visibly to all during the battle, riding his
white horse like a flash of lightning and leading the Georgians to
victory.
The joy was great but short lived. The furious Shah Abbas II
(16421667) ordered King Vakhtang V of Kartli (16581675) to deliver to
him those who had instigated the insurrection.
Certain that they would receive no mercy from the shah, Georgias
heroic liberators nevertheless set out for Persia without complaint.
The shah received them with respect and generously bestowed gifts upon
them, but then demanded that they renounce the Christian Faith.
Neither bribery nor flattery would break their will, so the shah
ordered his servants to arrest and torture them, strip off their
clothing, and cast them, bound, under the blazing sun. Tormented by
thirst and insect stings, the martyrs were periodically tempted to
renounce Christ, but with Gods help they resisted every temptation.
Finally the enraged Salim Khan, the vassal of Shah Abbas, ordered the
beheading of Elizbar and Shalva, hoping by this to break Bidzinas
resolve. But his efforts were in vain. There is nothing sweeter than
death for Christs sake! Bidzina proclaimed.
The Ksani princes calmly bowed their heads, but the undersized
executioners could not reach the stately princes with their swords. So
the shahs henchmen hacked each of the princes in two at the shins,
then decapitated them after they had fallen to an accessible height.
But even the murder of his companions would not cause St. Bidzinas
will to waver. So the enemies resolved to break his will by mockery.
They draped the bound prince in a chadar (the veil worn by Muslim
women), seated him on a donkey, and paraded him through the streets.
Then they began to butcher him alive. One by one they cut off his
fingers and toes, then they chopped off his hands and feet, then his
arms and legs, until only his head remained unharmed. It was clear
from the movement of his lips that the holy martyr was praying.
Then one of the persecutors pierced his heart with a spear. This
happened in the year 1661. The mutilated bodies of the holy martyrs
remained under the open sky for one day, and no one was permitted to
go near them. During the night they were illumined by a brilliant
light.
Then a group of Christians secretly buried the saints remains. Several
years later St. Shalvas wife Ketevan and son David sent several of the
faithful to Persia to bring back their relics. Crowds of believers
gathered at the Kartli border to meet the holy relics and accompany
them with hymns of rejoicing to their final resting place at the
Ikorta Church of the Archangels.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Shalva the Prince of Georgia
In the 17th century the Persian aggressors razed churches,
monasteries, and fortresses and drove out thousands of Georgian
families to resettle them in remote provinces of Persia. The deserted
territories were settled by Turkic tribes from Central Asia. In the
chronicle _The Life of Kartli_ it is written: The name of Christ was
not allowed to be uttered, except in a handful of mountainous regions:
Tusheti, Pshavi, and Khevsureti.
But the All-merciful Lord aroused a strong desire in the valiant
prince Bidzina Choloqashvili of Kakheti and, together with Shalva and
his uncle Elizbar, princes of Aragvi and Ksani provinces, he led a
struggle to liberate Kakheti from the Tatars. (The Persian governor of
Kakheti, Salim Khan (16561664), had been encouraging the Tatar
tribesmen to profane the Christian churches.)
Fearing that the enemy, who had already conquered Kakheti, would soon
move in and also dominate Kartli, the princes Bidzina, Shalva, and
Elizbar united the forces of those two regions in preparation for the
attack.
After much deliberation, Bidzina announced his intention to his
father-in-law, Prince Zaal of Aragvi. Zaals soul was spiritually
pained by the countless misfortunes and injustices his country had
suffered, and he quickly pledged his support for the effort. He agreed
to participate in the insurrection anonymously, while the Ksani rulers
Shalva and Elizbar would command the armies.
On the moonless night of September 15, 1659, the feast of the Alaverdi
Church (The feast of St. Joseph of Alaverdi) the united army of all
eastern Georgia assembled and crossed over the mountains, past the
village of Akhmeta, and launched a surprise attack on the Persians
from Bakhtrioni Fortress and Alaverdi Church. The invaders armies were
so utterly crushed that their leader, Salim Khan, the Persian governor
of Kakheti, barely succeeded in escaping from the avengers, after he
had abandoned his family and army.
The victorious Georgian army offered prayers of thanksgiving to the
Lord God and Great-martyr George, the protector of the Georgian
people, who had appeared visibly to all during the battle, riding his
white horse like a flash of lightning and leading the Georgians to
victory.
The joy was great but short lived. The furious Shah Abbas II
(16421667) ordered King Vakhtang V of Kartli (16581675) to deliver to
him those who had instigated the insurrection.
Certain that they would receive no mercy from the shah, Georgias
heroic liberators nevertheless set out for Persia without complaint.
The shah received them with respect and generously bestowed gifts upon
them, but then demanded that they renounce the Christian Faith.
Neither bribery nor flattery would break their will, so the shah
ordered his servants to arrest and torture them, strip off their
clothing, and cast them, bound, under the blazing sun. Tormented by
thirst and insect stings, the martyrs were periodically tempted to
renounce Christ, but with Gods help they resisted every temptation.
Finally the enraged Salim Khan, the vassal of Shah Abbas, ordered the
beheading of Elizbar and Shalva, hoping by this to break Bidzinas
resolve. But his efforts were in vain. There is nothing sweeter than
death for Christs sake! Bidzina proclaimed.
The Ksani princes calmly bowed their heads, but the undersized
executioners could not reach the stately princes with their swords. So
the shahs henchmen hacked each of the princes in two at the shins,
then decapitated them after they had fallen to an accessible height.
But even the murder of his companions would not cause St. Bidzinas
will to waver. So the enemies resolved to break his will by mockery.
They draped the bound prince in a chadar (the veil worn by Muslim
women), seated him on a donkey, and paraded him through the streets.
Then they began to butcher him alive. One by one they cut off his
fingers and toes, then they chopped off his hands and feet, then his
arms and legs, until only his head remained unharmed. It was clear
from the movement of his lips that the holy martyr was praying.
Then one of the persecutors pierced his heart with a spear. This
happened in the year 1661. The mutilated bodies of the holy martyrs
remained under the open sky for one day, and no one was permitted to
go near them. During the night they were illumined by a brilliant
light.
Then a group of Christians secretly buried the saints remains. Several
years later St. Shalvas wife Ketevan and son David sent several of the
faithful to Persia to bring back their relics. Crowds of believers
gathered at the Kartli border to meet the holy relics and accompany
them with hymns of rejoicing to their final resting place at the
Ikorta Church of the Archangels.
_________________________________________________________________
Translation of the Icon of the Mother of God in Triumph to
Russia
The Staro Rus Icon of the Mother of God was so named because for a
long time it was in Staro Rus, where it had been brought by the Greeks
from Olviopolis during the very first period of Christianity in
Russia. The icon was in Staro Rus until the seventeenth century. In
1655 during a plague it was revealed to a certain inhabitant of the
city of Tikhvin that the pestilence would cease if the wonderworking
Staro Rus Icon were transferred there, and the Tikhvin Icon sent to
Staro Rus.
After the transfer of the icons the plague ceased, but the people of
Tikhvin did not return the icon and only in the eighteenth century did
they give permission to make a copy of the Staro Rus Icon, which on
May 4, 1768 was sent to Stara Russa. A feast was established in honor
of this event. On September 17, 1888 the original was also returned to
Staro Rus and a second Feast day established.
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Icon of the Mother of God "the Healer"
The original icon known as "Tselitel'nitsa," or "The Healer" was from
the Tsilkan church in Kartali, Georgia. It was painted at the time of
St Nino (January 14).
There is another icon with the same name in the Alexeev women's
monastery in Moscow, and many miracles took place before it at the end
of the eightheenth century. St Demetrius of Rostov (September 21 and
October 28) relates a story about this icon in his book THE BEDEWED
FLEECE.
A cleric of the Navarninsky church, Vincent Bulvinensky, was in the
habit of venerating the icon of the Mother of God whenever he entered
the church. He would also recite the following prayer before the icon:
"Hail, Virgin Theotokos full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. Blessed
is the womb which bore Christ, and the breasts which nourished the
Lord God, our Savior."
In time, he found himself suffering from a dreadful affliction. His
tongue began to putrefy, and he passed out from the pain. When he came
to himself, he prayed his usual prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos.
As soon as he had finished his prayer, he saw a handsome young man at
the head of his bed. The sufferer realized at once that this was his
guardian angel. The angel looked at him with pity, calling on the
Mother of God to heal him. Suddenly, the Theotokos appeared and healed
the sick man who was so devoted to Her. He got out of bed and went to
church, taking his place on the cliros for the service. Those present
were astonished to see his recovery.
This miracle inspired the painting of "The Healer" icon depicting the
Mother of God standing at the bed of the sick man.
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Venerable Euphrosyne of Suzdal
Saint Euphrosyne of Suzdal was born in 1212. Although she was a
princess, she entered a women's monastery in Suzdal, where she was
tonsured with the name Euphrosyne, in honor of St Euphrosyne of
Alexandria (September 25).
After her death on September 25, 1250, many miracles took place at her
grave. Believers were healed of various infirmities, and their prayers
were answered.
On September 18, 1698, with the blessing of Patriarch Adrian,
Metropolitan Hilarion of Suzdal glorified the nun Euphrosyne as a
saint.
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Venerable Hilarion of Optina
Saint Hilarion (Ponamarov) was born in Kluch on the night of Pascha,
April 8-9, 1805. Nikita and Euphemia Ponamarov named their third son
Rodion in honor of St Herodion of the Seventy. He always considered
April 8, the day of his patron saint's commemoration, as his birthday.
After Rodion, a son and a daughter were born to the Ponamarovs. The
daughter, however, died as a baby.
Nikita Ponamarov worked in town as a tailor, and sometimes his
business took him to the homes of the local landowners. Consequently,
Rodion seldom saw his father until he was fifteen years old.
Rodion was a quiet, uncoordinated child who did not play much with
other children, since they made fun of his clumsiness. Even members of
his own family behaved in a rude manner toward him, and seldom showed
him any affection. The way he was treated made him thoughtful and
introspective.
One winter he was playing in the snow with some friends, using an old
board as a sled. The board broke and left Rodion with a permanent scar
on the finger of his left hand. Another time he injured himself on a
saddle-horn while riding. These injuries also had an effect on his
health, which was never robust.
The family moved to the Novopersk region of Voronezh in 1820, and
Rodion lived there until he was twenty. He helped his father in his
work, and gradually acquired skill as a tailor. His parents wanted him
to follow this trade, even though his mother once foretold that he
would be a monk. Rodion himself desired the monastic life even as a
young child, but now he applied himself to tailoring, for he knew that
this handicraft would be very useful in the monastery.
Rodion went to Moscow in December of 1825 in order to learn more about
being a tailor, arriving with very little money, and with nowhere to
stay. He worked with various tailors, but the work was difficult and
he became ill. His poor health, he said in later life, probably saved
him from falling into many vices. Having increased his proficiency as
a tailor, Rodion left Moscow and returned home.
The family moved again in 1829, this time to Saratov. Rodion was
engaged twice, but the Lord did not want him to follow this path. His
first fiancée died after a short illness, and Rodion simply lost
interest in the second.
Saratov was the home to many sectarians of all sorts, and the future
saint became involved with certain activists who tried to refute their
false teachings. Rodion's missionary labors may have influenced many
sectarians to return to the Orthodox Church. Because of some
misunderstanding, however, Rodion and his friends were put on trial.
As a result, the authorities kept Rodion under observation for the
next four years. This scrutiny was hard for him to endure, and made it
very difficult for him to conduct his affairs.
Through his study of the Holy Scripture and the writings of the holy
Fathers, Rodion's desire to become a monk was reawakened. Therefore,
he decided to find the monastery which was most suitable for him. In
1837 and 1838 Rodion visited monasteries at Sarov, Suzdal, Rostov,
Tikhvin, Moscow, Pochaev, and other places. Finally, he arrived before
the gates of Optina. He was thirty-four years old.
At first, Rodion was placed in a cell next to Fr Barlaam, a retired
igumen of Valaam Monastery. Fr Barlaam was a man of great spiritual
stature, who had a profound influence on the young man, and became his
first instructor in the Jesus Prayer. In later years, Elder Hilarion
recalled visiting Fr Barlaam to tell him of the various things he had
seen or heard. Fr Barlaam would ask, "Is that useful? It would be
better for you not to see or hear anything. Try to examine your
thoughts and your heart more often." With his wise counsel, Fr Barlaam
helped Rodion in his spiritual growth as a monk.
St Anthony (August 7), the Superior of the Skete, was transferred to
Maloyaroslavets on December 1, 1839. He was replaced by St Macarius
(September 7), the monastery's confessor. Rodion was assigned to be
his cell attendant, remaining in this obedience until the Elder's
death in 1860. Rodion went to Fr Macarius for Confession, and to St
Leonid (October 11) for the daily revelation of his thoughts. In an
effort to cleanse himself of the passions, Rodion renounced his own
will and obeyed Elder Macarius in all things.
Fr Macarius was very strict with the novices, and would not permit the
slightest disobedience. He was never the first to bring up a person's
failures and shortcomings, but waited for him to confess his own
negligence. He taught the novices to love their neighbor, and to bear
their afflictions with patience.
>From the time Rodion came to Optina, he had other obediences in
addition to serving as cell attendant to Fr Macarius. He also tended
the flower and vegetable gardens, and worked as a baker, and a
bee-keeper. He carried out every task assigned him without complaint.
While his spiritual progress was hidden from men, it was certainly
noticed by the all-seeing God. In due course, he received the monastic
tonsure and was given the name Hilarion. Fr Macarius recognized his
disciple's spiritual maturity, and predicted that he and St Ambrose
(October 10) would succeed him as Elders after his death. Elder
Macarius therefore entrusted Fr Hilarion and Fr Ambrose with giving
counsel to his many spiritual children.
As the closest disciple of St Macarius, Fr Hilarion was chosen to be
Superior of the Skete, and the monastery's Father Confessor. He
confessed all the brethren entrusted to him five times a year, once
during each of the Fasts, and twice during Great Lent. Each monk was
questioned about the details of his inner life, and was given advice
on how to conduct himself in future. Once he finished hearing the
Confession of the monks, Fr Hilarion began confessing the nuns, and
the men and women who came to him from various places. Although there
were many people, Fr Hilarion never refused anyone. He rarely gave his
own opinion, but quoted from the Scriptures or the writings of the
Fathers. Sometimes, he would tell people what Fr Macarius had said in
similar situations. He was very effective in giving advice, because he
always practiced what he preached, and he had already experienced the
things that were troubling his spiritual children.
The Elder led people to feel sorrow for their sins, and through his
questions he brought them to an awareness of their spiritual state.
Sometimes he would help them to remember sins which they had forgotten
to confess, sins which might lie at the root of their spiritual
infirmity. He gave penances according to a person's age, health, and
circumstances. He might require the penitent to read certain prayers,
do prostrations, give alms, and to avoid those habits and amusements
which are not fitting for a Christian. Many people received much
benefit from confessing to him, and continued to live according to the
advice he had given them. Not only were they cured of their spiritual
afflictions, but sometimes Fr Hilarion also healed them of their
physical or mental illness as well.
Fr Hilarion, by God's providence, became seriously ill for two years.
All during that time he did not ask God to let him recover. Instead,
he asked to be given the patience to help him bear the illness. He
received Holy Communion frequently, and twice he was given Holy
Unction.
During the last thirty-three days of his life, Fr Hilarion partook of
the life-giving Mysteries of Christ every day. In the last four weeks
of his life, the Elder was unable to lie down in bed because of water
in his lungs. Therefore, he remained seated on a couch in front of a
portrait of Fr Macarius. He experienced great discomfort, and was not
able to sleep very well.
Fr Hilarion observed the cell rule of prayer until the last moments of
his life. Early on the morning of September 18, 1873 he listened to
the morning rule being read, and received Holy Communion at 1:00 A.M.
Five hours later, he rested from his labors and gave his soul into the
hands of God.
It is said that during Fr Hilarion's final illness, St Macarius
appeared to him many times in his dreams. As he drew closer to death,
these appearances became more frequent. He died with his prayer rope
in his hands, and was buried next to his beloved Elder St Macarius.
The Moscow Patriarchate authorized local veneration of the Optina
Elders on June 13,1996. The work of uncovering the relics of Sts
Leonid, Macarius, Hilarion, Ambrose, Anatole I, Barsanuphius and
Anatole II began on June 24/July 7, 1998 and was concluded the next
day. However, because of the church Feasts (Nativity of St John the
Baptist, etc.) associated with the actual dates of the uncovering of
the relics, Patriarch Alexey II designated June 27/July 10 as the date
for commemorating this event. The relics of the holy Elders now rest
in the new church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
The Optina Elders were glorified by the Moscow Patriarchate for
universal veneration on August 7, 2000.
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