[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Tue Feb 12 05:00:23 CST 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Tue Feb 12 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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1 Peter 3:10-22  (Epistle)
10 For "He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his
tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and
pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are
open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who
do evil."
13 And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is
good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are
blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled."
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to
give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is
in you, with meekness and fear;
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers,
those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
17 For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing
good than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust,
that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but
made alive by the Spirit,
19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering
waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which
a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21 There is also an antitype which now saves us-baptism (not the
removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels
and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Mark 12:18-27  (Gospel)
18 Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him;
and they asked Him, saying:
19 Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves
his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his
wife and raise up offspring for his brother.
20 Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife; and dying, he
left no offspring.
21 And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any
offspring. And the third likewise.
22 So the seven had her and left no offspring. Last of all the woman
died also.
23 Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she
be? For all seven had her as wife.
24 Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken,
because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?
25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given
in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
26 But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the
book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him,
saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob'?
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living. You are
therefore greatly mistaken.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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St Meletius the Archbishop of Antioch
Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch, was Bishop of Sebaste in
Armenia (ca. 357), and afterwards he was summoned to Antioch by the
emperor Constantius to help combat the Arian heresy, and was appointed
to that See.
St Meletius struggled zealously against the Arian error, but through
the intrigues of the heretics he was thrice deposed from his cathedra.
Constantius had become surrounded by the Arians and had accepted their
position. In all this St Meletius was distinguished by an
extraordinary gentleness, and he constantly led his flock by the
example of his own virtue and kindly disposition, supposing that the
seeds of the true teaching sprout more readily on such soil.
St Meletius was the one who ordained the future hierarch St Basil the
Great as deacon. St Meletius also baptized and encouraged another of
the greatest luminaries of Orthodoxy, St John Chrysostom, who later
eulogized his former archpastor.
After Constantius, the throne was occupied by Julian the Apostate, and
the saint again was expelled, having to hide himself in secret places
for his safety. Returning under the emperor Jovian in the year 363, St
Meletius wrote his theological treatise, "Exposition of the Faith,"
which facilitated the conversion of many of the Arians to Orthodoxy.
In the year 381, under the emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), the
Second Ecumenical Council was convened. In the year 380 the saint had
set off on his way to the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople,
and came to preside over it.
Before the start of the Council, St Meletius raised his hand
displaying three fingers, and then withdrawing two fingers and leaving
one extended he blessed the people, proclaiming: "We understand three
hypostases, and we speak about a single nature." With this
declaration, a fire surrounded the saint like lightning. During the
Council St Meletius fell asleep in the Lord. St Gregory of Nyssa
honored the memory of the deceased with a eulogy.
St Meletius has left treatises on the consubstantiality of the Son of
God with the Father, and a letter to the emperor Jovian concerning the
Holy Trinity. The relics of St Meletius were transferred from
Constantinople to Antioch.
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St Alexis the Metropolitan of Moscow and Wonderworker of All
Russia
Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia the Wonderworker
(in the world Eleutherius), was born in the year 1292 (or according to
another source, 1304) at Moscow into the family of the noble Theodore
Byakont, a descendant of the Chernigov princely line.
The Lord revealed to the future saint his lofty destiny from early
childhood. At twelve years of age Eleutherius went to a field and set
nets to ensnare birds. He dozed off and suddenly he heard a voice:
"Alexis! Why do you toil in vain? You are to be a catcher of people."
>From this day on the boy abandoned childish games and spent much time
in solitude. He frequently visited church, and when he was fifteen he
decided to become a monk.
In 1320, he entered Moscow's Theophany monastery, where he spent more
than twelve years in strict monastic struggles. The renowned ascetics
of the monastery, the Elders Gerontius and St Stephen (July 14),
brother of St Sergius of Radonezh, were guides for him and his
companions.
Metropolitan Theognostus, who had taken notice of the virtuous life
and spiritual gifts of St Alexis, bade the future saint to leave the
monastery and manage the ecclesiastical courts. The saint fulfilled
this office for twelve years. Towards the end of 1350, Metropolitan
Theognostus had Alexis consecrated as Bishop of Vladimir. After the
death of the metropolitan, he became his successor in the year 1354.
During this period the Russian Church was torn by great rifts and
quarrels, in part because of the pretensions of Metropolitan Romanus
of Lithuania and Volhynia. In 1356, in order to put an end to the
troubles and disturbances, the saint went to Constantinople to the
Ecumenical Patriarch. Patriarch Callistus gave St Alexis the right to
both be called and to consider himself Archbishop of Kiev and Great
Russia with the title, "All-Venerable Metropolitan and Exarch."
On the return journey, during a storm at sea, the ship was in danger
of shipwreck. St Alexis prayed and vowed to build a temple to the
saint of that day on which the ship should come to shore. The storm
subsided, and the ship arrived on August 16. Moscow delightedly came
out to meet the saint.
In spite of problems on every side, St Alexis devoted himself to his
flock: he appointed bishops, he established cenobitic monasteries (on
the model of the Trinity Lavra, founded by St Sergius), and he brought
order to Russian relations with the Khans of the Horde. The saint
journeyed more than once to the Golden Horde. In 1357 the Khan told
the Great Prince that the saint should come to him and heal the
blindness of Taidulla, his wife.
"This is beyond my powers," said St Alexis, "but I believe that God,
Who gave sight to the blind, will also aid me." Through his prayer,
and after being sprinkled with holy water, the wife of the Khan was
healed.
When Great Prince Ioann died, his young son Demetrius (the future
saint), still a minor, was taken under the saint's guardianship. The
holy bishop had much toil in reconciling and appeasing princes
obstinatly refusing to accept the authority of Moscow. Nor did the
metropolitan neglect the work of organizing new monasteries.
In 1361 he founded the Icon of the Savior Not-Made-by-Hands monastery
at the Yauza in Moscow (Andronikov, the disciple of St Sergius, was
the first igumen of the monastery), fulfilling the vow he had made on
his return journey from Constantinople, when the ship was in danger.
He also founded the Chudov monastery in the Moscow Kremlin. Ancient
monasteries were restored: the Annunciation monastery at
Nizhni-Novgorod, and Sts Constantine and Helen at Vladimir. In 1361 a
women's cenobitic monastery was named for him (the Alekseev).
St Alexis reached the advanced age of seventy-eight, having spent
twenty-four years upon the metropolitan cathedra. He reposed on
February 12, 1378 and was buried in accord with his last wishes at the
Chudov monastery. His relics were uncovered in a miraculous manner
fifty years later, after which the memory of the great holy hierarch
and man of prayer began to be celebrated.
St Alexis is also commemorated on May 20 (Uncovering of his relics)
and on October 5.
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St Meletius the Archbishop of Kharkov
There is no information available about this saint at this time.
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Venerable Mary (who was called Marinus), and her father at
Alexandria
Saint Maria and her father Eugene lived at the beginning of the sixth
century in Bithynia (northwestern Asia Minor). After the death of his
wife, Eugene decided to withdraw to a monastery, but his daughter did
not want to be separated from him, and so she accompanied him, dressed
as a man. Together they entered a monastery not far from Alexandria,
and the daughter received the name Marinus.
Marinus becameaccomplished in virtue, and distinguished by humility
and obedience. After several years, when her father died, she
intensified her ascetical efforts and received from the Lord the gift
to heal those afflicted by unclean spirits.
One time the "monk" Marinus was sent with other monks to the monastery
gardens, and along the way they had to spend the night at an inn. The
inn-keeper's daughter, having sinned with one of the lodgers,
denounced the Marinus and named "him" as the father of her child. The
girl's father complained to the igumen of the monastery, who expelled
the "sinful brother." The saint spoke not a word in her defense and
began to live outside the monastery wall. When the hapless girl gave
birth to a boy, the inn-keeper brought it to Marinus. Without a word
he put his grandson down before her and left. The saint took the
infant and began to raise him.
After three years the brethren begged the igumen to take back the
"monk" Marinus into the monastery. The igumen, who very reluctantly
gave in to their requests, began to assign Marinus very difficult
obediences, which she fulfilled with the greatest of zeal, while also
raising her foster child.
Three years later the saint peacefully reposed in her cell. The
brethren saw the deceased "monk" and the boy crying over "him". As
they began to dress the saint for burial, her secret was revealed. The
igumen of the monastery tearfully asked forgiveness of the departed,
and the inn-keeper followed his example.
The body of St Maria was reverently buried in the monastery. The
inn-keeper's daughter came to the grave of the saint and openly
confessed her sin. Immediately, she was freed from the evil spirit
which had been tormenting her. The boy whom the saint was raising
later became a monk.
The relics of the saint were transferred to Constantinople, and were
carried off to Venice in 1113.
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Venerable Eugene and his daughter at Alexandria
Saint Eugene and his daughter Maria lived at the beginning of the
sixth century in Bithynia (northwestern Asia Minor). After the death
of his wife, Eugene decided to withdraw to a monastery, but his
daughter did not want to be separated from him, and so she accompanied
him, dressed as a man. Together they entered a monastery not far from
Alexandria, and the daughter received the name Marinus. Her father
fell asleep in the Lord several years later.
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St Anthony the Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint Anthony, Patriarch of Constantinople, was a native of Asia, but
lived in Constantinople from his youth. He was born around 829 of rich
and pious parents. After the death of his mother, he entered a
monastery at the age of twelve, where following the example of the
igumen, he spent his nights in prayer and led a strict monastic life.
With the passage of time, and against his will, he was ordained to the
holy priesthood. Later, at the insistence of the Patriarch, he was
made an igumen. Serving in this rank, he tonsured his own father into
monasticism. St Anthony was distinguished by his mercy, by his love
and concern for the destitute, and he provided generous help to them.
Elevated to the Patriarchal throne at Constantinople in 893, St
Anthony intensified his care for the destitute, and especially for
their spiritual condition. With the assistance of the emperor Leo the
Wise, Patriarch Anthony did much good for the Church, and encouraged
piety in the people. He also built a monastery over the relics of St
Kallia (February 12). Despite being stooped over with age, he went
around all the churches, fulfilling the command of the Savior to be
the servant of all the brethren.
In the year 895, advanced in age, St Anthony went peacefully to the
Lord.
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St Kristo the Gardener of Albania
The holy New Martyr Kristo was an Albanian who worked in a vegetable
garden. At the age of forty, he decided to go to Constantinople to
seek better business opportunities.
One day he was negotiating with a Turk who wished to purchase his
entire stock of apples, but they were unable to agree on a price. The
Turk became angry and accused Kristo of expressing a desire to become
a Moslem. Kristo was brought before the authorities, and false
witnesses were found to testify that he had indeed stated his
intention to convert.
Kristo declared that he never said that he wished to become a Moslem.
His testimony was discounted, however, because he was a Christian, and
Moslem witnesses had contradicted him.
The saint was beaten and tortured the next day, but remained steadfast
in his confession of Christ. Kaisarios Dapontes, a well known monk and
author, visited St Kristo and got him freed from the place where he
was chained. He brought food for him, but he refused to eat. "Why
should I eat?" he asked. "I do not expect to live, so I may as well
die hungering and thirsting for Christ."
Since he refused to abandon the Orthodox Faith, St Kristo was
sentenced to be beheaded. Before they led him away, Kristo gave
Dapontes a metal file and told him to sell it and use the money to
have memorial services offered for him.
On February 12, 1748 St Kristo the Gardener was beheaded, thereby
receiving an imperishable crown of glory from Christ.
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Icon of the Mother of God "Iveron"
During the reign of Emperor Theophilus (829842) the Byzantine Empire
raged with the heresy of iconoclasm. In accordance with the emperors
command, thousands of soldiers pillaged the empire, searching every
corner, city, and village for hidden icons.
Near the city of Nicaea there lived a certain pious widow who had
concealed an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Before long the soldiers
discovered it, and one of them thrust his spear into the image.
But by Gods grace his terrible deed was overshadowed by a miracle:
blood flowed forth from the wound on the face of the Mother of God.
The frightened soldiers quickly fled.
The widow spent the whole night in vigil, praying before the icon of
the Most Holy Theotokos. In the morning, according to Gods will, she
took the icon to the sea and cast it upon the water. The holy icon
stood upright on the waves and began to sail westward.
Time passed, and one evening the monks of the Iveron Monastery on Mt.
Athos beheld a pillar of light, shining upon the sea like the sun (ca.
1004). The miraculous image lasted several days, while the fathers of
the Holy Mountain gathered together, marveling. Finally they descended
to the edge of the sea, where they beheld the pillar of light standing
above the icon of the Theotokos. But when they approached it, the icon
moved farther out to sea.
At that time a Georgian monk named Gabriel was laboring at the Iveron
Monastery. The Theotokos appeared to the fathers of the Holy Mountain
and told them that Gabriel alone was worthy to retrieve the holy icon
from the sea. At the same time, she appeared to Gabriel and told him,
Enter the sea, and walk out upon the waves with faith, and all will
witness my love and mercy for your monastery.
The monks of Mt. Athos found Gabriel at the Georgian monastery and led
him down to the sea, chanting hymns, and censing with holy incense.
Gabriel walked out upon the water as though upon dry land, took the
icon in his arms, and obediently carried it back to shore.
This miracle occurred on Bright Tuesday.
While the monks were celebrating a paraklesis of thanksgiving, a cold,
sweet spring miraculously gushed forth from the ground where the icon
stood. Afterwards they took the icon to a church and set it down in
the sanctuary with great reverence.
But the next morning one of the monks came to light a lamp and
discovered that the icon was no longer where they had left it; now it
was hanging on a wall near the entrance gate. The disbelieving monks
took it down and returned it to the sanctuary, but the next day the
icon was again found at the monastery gate. This miracle recurred
several times, until the Most Holy Virgin appeared to Gabriel, saying,
Announce to the brothers that from this day they should not carry me
away. For what I desire is not to be protected by you; rather I will
overshadow you, both in this life and in the age to come. As long as
you see my icon in the monastery, the grace and mercy of my Son shall
never be lacking!
Filled with exceeding joy, the monks erected a small church near the
monastery gate to glorify the Most Holy Theotokos and placed the
wonder-working icon inside. The holy icon came to be known as the
Iveron Mother of God and, in Greek, Portaitissa. By the grace of the
miraculous Iveron Icon of the Theotokos, many miracles have taken
place and continue to take place throughout the world.
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St Prochorus of Georgia
Saint Prokhore the Georgian, a descendant of the noble Shavteli
family, was born at the end of the 10th century and grew up in a
monastery. When he reached manhood he was ordained a hieromonk and
labored for one year at the Lavra of St. Sabbas in Jerusalem. Then,
with the blessing of his spiritual father Ekvtime Grdzeli, he began
the reconstruction of the Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near
Jerusalem.
According to tradition, at this spot Abrahams nephew Lot planted three
treesa cypress, a pine, and a cedar. Eventually these three trees
miraculously grew into one large tree. When the Temple of Solomon was
being built, this tree was cut down but left unused. It is said that
the Cross on which Christ our Savior was crucified was constructed
from the wood of this tree.
In the 4th century, the land on which the miraculous tree had grown
was presented to Holy King Mirian, the first Christian king of
Georgia. Then in the 5th century, during the reign of Holy King
Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Holy Cross Monastery was founded on that land.
The monastery was destroyed several times between the 7th and 9th
centuries.
Finally, in the 11th century, King Bagrat Kuropalates offered much of
his wealth to Fr. Prokhore for the restoration of the monastery. St.
Prokhore beautified the monastery, then gathered eighty monks and
established the typicon (the monastic rule) for the community in
accordance with that of the St. Sabbas Lavra.
When St. Prokhore had labored long and lived to an advanced age, he
chose his disciple Giorgi to be the monasterys next abbot.
Then he departed for the wilderness with two of his disciples, and
after some time the righteous monk yielded up his spirit to God.
Beyond this, little is known about the life of St. Prokhore. According
to Georgian researchers and scholars, he was probably born sometime
between 985 and 990. He spent the years 1010 to 1015 in Jerusalem, and
labored at the Lavra of St. Sabbas until 1025. He reposed in the year
1066, between the ages of 76 and 81.
The holy martyr Luka of Jerusalem lived in the 13th century. He was
born to an honorable, pious Georgian family by the name of Mukhaisdze.
After the repose of Lukas father, his mother left her children and
went to labor at a monastery in Jerusalem.
When Luka reached the age of twenty, he traveled to Jerusalem to visit
his mother and venerate the holy places. After spending some time
there he decided to remain and be tonsured a monk. He was later
ordained a deacon and became fluent in Arabic. Soon the brothers of
the monastery recognized his wisdom and asked him to guide them as
abbot. For three years Luka directed the monastery in an exemplary
manner.
But the devil was envious of the holy father and provoked a certain
Shekh-Khidar, an influential Persian at the court of Sultan Penducht,
(Probably Sultan Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar of Egypt (12601277))
to take up arms against St. Luka. Sultan Penducht then transferred
possession of theHoly CrossMonastery to Shekh-Khidar, who treated the
Georgian monks in a beastly manner and finally ousted them from the
monastery altogether. Fulfilling his God-given duty, the blessed Luka
insisted on personally confronting Shekh-Khidar in defense of his
brotherhood.
Lukas Christian brothers and sisters warned him, saying, Shekh-Khidar
is threatening you. Flee and hide fromhim! But Luka paid no heed to
their admonitions, certain that it was more fitting to die for Christ
than to live for the world. As he had insisted, he himself approached
Shekh-Khidar and asked for the release of the imprisoned fathers.
Luka told him that he was prepared to accept any demands. The wicked
Persian leader demanded nothing from Luka except that he convert to
Islam, promising to make him emir if he consented. When he refused,
the furious Shekh-Khidar ordered St. Lukas beheading.
After the terrible deed had been performed, St. Lukas severed head
turned toward the east and gave thanks to God with an expression of
pure peace. Soon after, his precious body was set on fire at the
command of the bewildered Shekh-Khidar. This occurred in 1277. St.
Nikoloz Dvali the Martyr was born at the end of the 13th century to a
God-fearing couple who directed his path toward the spiritual life.
At the age of twelve Nikoloz traveled to the Klarjeti Wilderness and
was tonsured a monk. From there he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and
remained in the holy city, settling at the Holy Cross Monastery.
Burning with desire for the apostolic life, Monk Nikoloz was
determined to die a martyrs death.
In Jerusalem a group of godless men arrested and tormented St. Nikoloz
for publicly confessing the Christian Faith, but a group of Christians
succeeded in rescuing him from prison. Then, in accordance with his
abbots counsel, St. Nikoloz relocated to a Georgian monastery on
Cyprus. There the pious monk beseeched the Lord to make him worthy of
the crown of martyrdom. One day, while he was praying before the icon
of St. John the Baptist, he heard a voice saying, Nikoloz! Arise and
go to Jerusalem. There you will find a Georgian monk who will teach
you the way of righteousness and encourage you on the path of
martyrdom. He has been appointed to guide you.
Accordingly, St. Nikoloz returned to Jerusalem, met the monk whom God
had appointed, and informed him of what had been revealed. The Most
Holy Theotokos and St. John the Baptist appeared to St. Nikolozs
spiritual father, who had been praying intensely for guidance, and
told him that it was the Lords will for Nikoloz to journey to
Damascus.
While in Damascus, the holy father entered a mosque and openly
confessed Christ to be the Savior, reproving those present for their
folly. The angry Muslims seized St. Nikoloz, beat him, and cast him
into prison. After a great struggle, the metropolitan and local
Christians succeeded in recovering him from captivity, but he
immediately returned to the Muslims and began again to denounce their
ungodly ways. Again they beat him mercilessly, lashed him five hundred
times, and cast him in prison for a second time. But the holy martyrs
wounds were healed through the miraculous intercession of St. John the
Baptist, and after two months he was released from prison.
By chance the emir of the city caught a glimpse of St. Nikoloz as he
was preparing to return to Jerusalem. The emir recognized him and sent
him to Dengiz, the emir of emirs. Dengiz flattered him and offered to
convert him to Islam, but St. Nikoloz bravely defended his faith in
Christ. In response, Dengiz ordered his execution.
At the hour appointed by Dengiz, the blessed martyr turned to the
east, joyfully bowed his neck to the sword, and prayed, Glory to Thee,
O Christ God, Who hast accounted me worthy to die for Thy names sake.
The sword pierced his neck, but the severed head glorified God seven
times, crying out, Glory to Thee, O Christ our God!
The Persians burned the saints body, and for three days a pillar of
light shone at the place where it lay.
When St.Nikolozs spiritual father heard about his martyrdom, he prayed
to God to reveal to him whether Nikoloz would be numbered among the
saints. Then one day while he was reading, he saw a vision of a host
of saints standing atop a mountain, illumined and surrounded by a
cloud of incense. Among them the Great-martyr George shone especially
brightly, and he called St. Nikoloz, saying, Nikoloz! Come and see the
monk, your spiritual father. He has shed many tears for you.
Nikoloz greeted his spiritual father, saying, Behold me and the place
where I am, and from this day cease your sorrowing for me.
St. Nikoloz Dvali was tortured to death on Tuesday, October 19, in the
year 1314. The Georgian Church continues to commemorate him on that
date.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Nicholas Dvali in Jerusalem
Saint Prokhore the Georgian, a descendant of the noble Shavteli
family, was born at the end of the 10th century and grew up in a
monastery. When he reached manhood he was ordained a hieromonk and
labored for one year at the Lavra of St. Sabbas in Jerusalem. Then,
with the blessing of his spiritual father Ekvtime Grdzeli, he began
the reconstruction of the Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near
Jerusalem.
According to tradition, at this spot Abrahams nephew Lot planted three
treesa cypress, a pine, and a cedar. Eventually these three trees
miraculously grew into one large tree. When the Temple of Solomon was
being built, this tree was cut down but left unused. It is said that
the Cross on which Christ our Savior was crucified was constructed
from the wood of this tree.
In the 4th century, the land on which the miraculous tree had grown
was presented to Holy King Mirian, the first Christian king of
Georgia. Then in the 5th century, during the reign of Holy King
Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Holy Cross Monastery was founded on that land.
The monastery was destroyed several times between the 7th and 9th
centuries.
Finally, in the 11th century, King Bagrat Kuropalates offered much of
his wealth to Fr. Prokhore for the restoration of the monastery. St.
Prokhore beautified the monastery, then gathered eighty monks and
established the typicon (the monastic rule) for the community in
accordance with that of the St. Sabbas Lavra.
When St. Prokhore had labored long and lived to an advanced age, he
chose his disciple Giorgi to be the monasterys next abbot.
Then he departed for the wilderness with two of his disciples, and
after some time the righteous monk yielded up his spirit to God.
Beyond this, little is known about the life of St. Prokhore. According
to Georgian researchers and scholars, he was probably born sometime
between 985 and 990. He spent the years 1010 to 1015 in Jerusalem, and
labored at the Lavra of St. Sabbas until 1025. He reposed in the year
1066, between the ages of 76 and 81.
The holy martyr Luka of Jerusalem lived in the 13th century. He was
born to an honorable, pious Georgian family by the name of Mukhaisdze.
After the repose of Lukas father, his mother left her children and
went to labor at a monastery in Jerusalem.
When Luka reached the age of twenty, he traveled to Jerusalem to visit
his mother and venerate the holy places. After spending some time
there he decided to remain and be tonsured a monk. He was later
ordained a deacon and became fluent in Arabic. Soon the brothers of
the monastery recognized his wisdom and asked him to guide them as
abbot. For three years Luka directed the monastery in an exemplary
manner.
But the devil was envious of the holy father and provoked a certain
Shekh-Khidar, an influential Persian at the court of Sultan Penducht,
(Probably Sultan Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar of Egypt (12601277))
to take up arms against St. Luka. Sultan Penducht then transferred
possession of theHoly CrossMonastery to Shekh-Khidar, who treated the
Georgian monks in a beastly manner and finally ousted them from the
monastery altogether. Fulfilling his God-given duty, the blessed Luka
insisted on personally confronting Shekh-Khidar in defense of his
brotherhood.
Lukas Christian brothers and sisters warned him, saying, Shekh-Khidar
is threatening you. Flee and hide fromhim! But Luka paid no heed to
their admonitions, certain that it was more fitting to die for Christ
than to live for the world. As he had insisted, he himself approached
Shekh-Khidar and asked for the release of the imprisoned fathers.
Luka told him that he was prepared to accept any demands. The wicked
Persian leader demanded nothing from Luka except that he convert to
Islam, promising to make him emir if he consented. When he refused,
the furious Shekh-Khidar ordered St. Lukas beheading.
After the terrible deed had been performed, St. Lukas severed head
turned toward the east and gave thanks to God with an expression of
pure peace. Soon after, his precious body was set on fire at the
command of the bewildered Shekh-Khidar. This occurred in 1277. St.
Nikoloz Dvali the Martyr was born at the end of the 13th century to a
God-fearing couple who directed his path toward the spiritual life.
At the age of twelve Nikoloz traveled to the Klarjeti Wilderness and
was tonsured a monk. From there he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and
remained in the holy city, settling at the Holy Cross Monastery.
Burning with desire for the apostolic life, Monk Nikoloz was
determined to die a martyrs death.
In Jerusalem a group of godless men arrested and tormented St. Nikoloz
for publicly confessing the Christian Faith, but a group of Christians
succeeded in rescuing him from prison. Then, in accordance with his
abbots counsel, St. Nikoloz relocated to a Georgian monastery on
Cyprus. There the pious monk beseeched the Lord to make him worthy of
the crown of martyrdom. One day, while he was praying before the icon
of St. John the Baptist, he heard a voice saying, Nikoloz! Arise and
go to Jerusalem. There you will find a Georgian monk who will teach
you the way of righteousness and encourage you on the path of
martyrdom. He has been appointed to guide you.
Accordingly, St. Nikoloz returned to Jerusalem, met the monk whom God
had appointed, and informed him of what had been revealed. The Most
Holy Theotokos and St. John the Baptist appeared to St. Nikolozs
spiritual father, who had been praying intensely for guidance, and
told him that it was the Lords will for Nikoloz to journey to
Damascus.
While in Damascus, the holy father entered a mosque and openly
confessed Christ to be the Savior, reproving those present for their
folly. The angry Muslims seized St. Nikoloz, beat him, and cast him
into prison. After a great struggle, the metropolitan and local
Christians succeeded in recovering him from captivity, but he
immediately returned to the Muslims and began again to denounce their
ungodly ways. Again they beat him mercilessly, lashed him five hundred
times, and cast him in prison for a second time. But the holy martyrs
wounds were healed through the miraculous intercession of St. John the
Baptist, and after two months he was released from prison.
By chance the emir of the city caught a glimpse of St. Nikoloz as he
was preparing to return to Jerusalem. The emir recognized him and sent
him to Dengiz, the emir of emirs. Dengiz flattered him and offered to
convert him to Islam, but St. Nikoloz bravely defended his faith in
Christ. In response, Dengiz ordered his execution.
At the hour appointed by Dengiz, the blessed martyr turned to the
east, joyfully bowed his neck to the sword, and prayed, Glory to Thee,
O Christ God, Who hast accounted me worthy to die for Thy names sake.
The sword pierced his neck, but the severed head glorified God seven
times, crying out, Glory to Thee, O Christ our God!
The Persians burned the saints body, and for three days a pillar of
light shone at the place where it lay.
When St.Nikolozs spiritual father heard about his martyrdom, he prayed
to God to reveal to him whether Nikoloz would be numbered among the
saints. Then one day while he was reading, he saw a vision of a host
of saints standing atop a mountain, illumined and surrounded by a
cloud of incense. Among them the Great-martyr George shone especially
brightly, and he called St. Nikoloz, saying, Nikoloz! Come and see the
monk, your spiritual father. He has shed many tears for you.
Nikoloz greeted his spiritual father, saying, Behold me and the place
where I am, and from this day cease your sorrowing for me.
St. Nikoloz Dvali was tortured to death on Tuesday, October 19, in the
year 1314. The Georgian Church continues to commemorate him on that
date.
_________________________________________________________________
St Bassian of Uglich
Saint Bassian of Uglich was a disciple of St Paisius of Uglich (June
6). He was born in the village of Rozhalov, in the Kesov district of
the city of Bezhetsk Verkha. He was descended from the Shestikhin
princes, whose ancestor was the prince St Theodore of Smolensk
(September 19).
St Bassian came to the Protection monastery when he was thirty-three
years of age, and was soon tonsured by St Paisius. He fulfilled his
obediences without complaint and lived in great abstinence. In 1482,
St Bassian discovered the Protection Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Having spent twenty years at the monastery of St Paisius, St Bassian
then asked a blessing to live in silence. His teacher blessed him
saying, "Go my child, be guided by Christ with the blessed yoke of the
Lord as it pleases Him. Soon you yourself shall form your own
monastery and gather a monastic flock to the glory of the the Most
Holy Trinity."
In 1492 St Bassian left the monastery and, after spending time at the
Nikolo-Uleimsk monastery, he went to a remote place thirty versts
south of Uglich and began to live as a hermit. Soon people learned of
his solitary habitation and began to come for advice and guidance.
In 1492, the saint built a wooden church dedicated to the Most Holy
Trinity, and soon those wishing to live the monastic life came to be
guided by him. St Bassian did not cease his relationship with his
teacher until the latter's death, at which he was present together
with other disciples.
Having dwelt at the Trinity monastery for seventeen years, St Bassian
died on February 12, 1509. Three years later, a man named Gerasimus
received healing from unclean spirits at his grave, and another fellow
named Valerian was healed of palsy.
St Bassian was glorified in 1548 at the uncovering of his incorrupt
relics, over which a stone crypt was built. St Bassian is commemorated
twice during the year: on the day of his repose, February 12, and on
June 6 with his spiritual teacher St Paisius of Uglich.
_________________________________________________________________
Fathers and Martyrs of the Georgian Monasteries in Jerusalem
Saint Prokhore the Georgian, a descendant of the noble Shavteli
family, was born at the end of the 10th century and grew up in a
monastery. When he reached manhood he was ordained a hieromonk and
labored for one year at the Lavra of St. Sabbas in Jerusalem. Then,
with the blessing of his spiritual father Ekvtime Grdzeli, he began
the reconstruction of the Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near
Jerusalem.
According to tradition, at this spot Abrahams nephew Lot planted three
treesa cypress, a pine, and a cedar. Eventually these three trees
miraculously grew into one large tree. When the Temple of Solomon was
being built, this tree was cut down but left unused. It is said that
the Cross on which Christ our Savior was crucified was constructed
from the wood of this tree.
In the 4th century, the land on which the miraculous tree had grown
was presented to Holy King Mirian, the first Christian king of
Georgia. Then in the 5th century, during the reign of Holy King
Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Holy Cross Monastery was founded on that land.
The monastery was destroyed several times between the 7th and 9th
centuries.
Finally, in the 11th century, King Bagrat Kuropalates offered much of
his wealth to Fr. Prokhore for the restoration of the monastery. St.
Prokhore beautified the monastery, then gathered eighty monks and
established the typicon (the monastic rule) for the community in
accordance with that of the St. Sabbas Lavra.
When St. Prokhore had labored long and lived to an advanced age, he
chose his disciple Giorgi to be the monasterys next abbot.
Then he departed for the wilderness with two of his disciples, and
after some time the righteous monk yielded up his spirit to God.
Beyond this, little is known about the life of St. Prokhore. According
to Georgian researchers and scholars, he was probably born sometime
between 985 and 990. He spent the years 1010 to 1015 in Jerusalem, and
labored at the Lavra of St. Sabbas until 1025. He reposed in the year
1066, between the ages of 76 and 81.
The holy martyr Luka of Jerusalem lived in the 13th century. He was
born to an honorable, pious Georgian family by the name of Mukhaisdze.
After the repose of Lukas father, his mother left her children and
went to labor at a monastery in Jerusalem.
When Luka reached the age of twenty, he traveled to Jerusalem to visit
his mother and venerate the holy places. After spending some time
there he decided to remain and be tonsured a monk. He was later
ordained a deacon and became fluent in Arabic. Soon the brothers of
the monastery recognized his wisdom and asked him to guide them as
abbot. For three years Luka directed the monastery in an exemplary
manner.
But the devil was envious of the holy father and provoked a certain
Shekh-Khidar, an influential Persian at the court of Sultan Penducht,
(Probably Sultan Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar of Egypt (12601277))
to take up arms against St. Luka. Sultan Penducht then transferred
possession of theHoly CrossMonastery to Shekh-Khidar, who treated the
Georgian monks in a beastly manner and finally ousted them from the
monastery altogether. Fulfilling his God-given duty, the blessed Luka
insisted on personally confronting Shekh-Khidar in defense of his
brotherhood.
Lukas Christian brothers and sisters warned him, saying, Shekh-Khidar
is threatening you. Flee and hide fromhim! But Luka paid no heed to
their admonitions, certain that it was more fitting to die for Christ
than to live for the world. As he had insisted, he himself approached
Shekh-Khidar and asked for the release of the imprisoned fathers.
Luka told him that he was prepared to accept any demands. The wicked
Persian leader demanded nothing from Luka except that he convert to
Islam, promising to make him emir if he consented. When he refused,
the furious Shekh-Khidar ordered St. Lukas beheading.
After the terrible deed had been performed, St. Lukas severed head
turned toward the east and gave thanks to God with an expression of
pure peace. Soon after, his precious body was set on fire at the
command of the bewildered Shekh-Khidar. This occurred in 1277. St.
Nikoloz Dvali the Martyr was born at the end of the 13th century to a
God-fearing couple who directed his path toward the spiritual life.
At the age of twelve Nikoloz traveled to the Klarjeti Wilderness and
was tonsured a monk. From there he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and
remained in the holy city, settling at the Holy Cross Monastery.
Burning with desire for the apostolic life, Monk Nikoloz was
determined to die a martyrs death.
In Jerusalem a group of godless men arrested and tormented St. Nikoloz
for publicly confessing the Christian Faith, but a group of Christians
succeeded in rescuing him from prison. Then, in accordance with his
abbots counsel, St. Nikoloz relocated to a Georgian monastery on
Cyprus. There the pious monk beseeched the Lord to make him worthy of
the crown of martyrdom. One day, while he was praying before the icon
of St. John the Baptist, he heard a voice saying, Nikoloz! Arise and
go to Jerusalem. There you will find a Georgian monk who will teach
you the way of righteousness and encourage you on the path of
martyrdom. He has been appointed to guide you.
Accordingly, St. Nikoloz returned to Jerusalem, met the monk whom God
had appointed, and informed him of what had been revealed. The Most
Holy Theotokos and St. John the Baptist appeared to St. Nikolozs
spiritual father, who had been praying intensely for guidance, and
told him that it was the Lords will for Nikoloz to journey to
Damascus.
While in Damascus, the holy father entered a mosque and openly
confessed Christ to be the Savior, reproving those present for their
folly. The angry Muslims seized St. Nikoloz, beat him, and cast him
into prison. After a great struggle, the metropolitan and local
Christians succeeded in recovering him from captivity, but he
immediately returned to the Muslims and began again to denounce their
ungodly ways. Again they beat him mercilessly, lashed him five hundred
times, and cast him in prison for a second time. But the holy martyrs
wounds were healed through the miraculous intercession of St. John the
Baptist, and after two months he was released from prison.
By chance the emir of the city caught a glimpse of St. Nikoloz as he
was preparing to return to Jerusalem. The emir recognized him and sent
him to Dengiz, the emir of emirs. Dengiz flattered him and offered to
convert him to Islam, but St. Nikoloz bravely defended his faith in
Christ. In response, Dengiz ordered his execution.
At the hour appointed by Dengiz, the blessed martyr turned to the
east, joyfully bowed his neck to the sword, and prayed, Glory to Thee,
O Christ God, Who hast accounted me worthy to die for Thy names sake.
The sword pierced his neck, but the severed head glorified God seven
times, crying out, Glory to Thee, O Christ our God!
The Persians burned the saints body, and for three days a pillar of
light shone at the place where it lay.
When St.Nikolozs spiritual father heard about his martyrdom, he prayed
to God to reveal to him whether Nikoloz would be numbered among the
saints. Then one day while he was reading, he saw a vision of a host
of saints standing atop a mountain, illumined and surrounded by a
cloud of incense. Among them the Great-martyr George shone especially
brightly, and he called St. Nikoloz, saying, Nikoloz! Come and see the
monk, your spiritual father. He has shed many tears for you.
Nikoloz greeted his spiritual father, saying, Behold me and the place
where I am, and from this day cease your sorrowing for me.
St. Nikoloz Dvali was tortured to death on Tuesday, October 19, in the
year 1314. The Georgian Church continues to commemorate him on that
date.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Luke of Jerusalem, the Georgian
Saint Prokhore the Georgian, a descendant of the noble Shavteli
family, was born at the end of the 10th century and grew up in a
monastery. When he reached manhood he was ordained a hieromonk and
labored for one year at the Lavra of St. Sabbas in Jerusalem. Then,
with the blessing of his spiritual father Ekvtime Grdzeli, he began
the reconstruction of the Holy Cross Georgian Monastery near
Jerusalem.
According to tradition, at this spot Abrahams nephew Lot planted three
treesa cypress, a pine, and a cedar. Eventually these three trees
miraculously grew into one large tree. When the Temple of Solomon was
being built, this tree was cut down but left unused. It is said that
the Cross on which Christ our Savior was crucified was constructed
from the wood of this tree.
In the 4th century, the land on which the miraculous tree had grown
was presented to Holy King Mirian, the first Christian king of
Georgia. Then in the 5th century, during the reign of Holy King
Vakhtang Gorgasali, the Holy Cross Monastery was founded on that land.
The monastery was destroyed several times between the 7th and 9th
centuries.
Finally, in the 11th century, King Bagrat Kuropalates offered much of
his wealth to Fr. Prokhore for the restoration of the monastery. St.
Prokhore beautified the monastery, then gathered eighty monks and
established the typicon (the monastic rule) for the community in
accordance with that of the St. Sabbas Lavra.
When St. Prokhore had labored long and lived to an advanced age, he
chose his disciple Giorgi to be the monasterys next abbot.
Then he departed for the wilderness with two of his disciples, and
after some time the righteous monk yielded up his spirit to God.
Beyond this, little is known about the life of St. Prokhore. According
to Georgian researchers and scholars, he was probably born sometime
between 985 and 990. He spent the years 1010 to 1015 in Jerusalem, and
labored at the Lavra of St. Sabbas until 1025. He reposed in the year
1066, between the ages of 76 and 81.
The holy martyr Luka of Jerusalem lived in the 13th century. He was
born to an honorable, pious Georgian family by the name of Mukhaisdze.
After the repose of Lukas father, his mother left her children and
went to labor at a monastery in Jerusalem.
When Luka reached the age of twenty, he traveled to Jerusalem to visit
his mother and venerate the holy places. After spending some time
there he decided to remain and be tonsured a monk. He was later
ordained a deacon and became fluent in Arabic. Soon the brothers of
the monastery recognized his wisdom and asked him to guide them as
abbot. For three years Luka directed the monastery in an exemplary
manner.
But the devil was envious of the holy father and provoked a certain
Shekh-Khidar, an influential Persian at the court of Sultan Penducht,
(Probably Sultan Zakhir-Rukedin-Baibars-Bundukdar of Egypt (12601277))
to take up arms against St. Luka. Sultan Penducht then transferred
possession of theHoly CrossMonastery to Shekh-Khidar, who treated the
Georgian monks in a beastly manner and finally ousted them from the
monastery altogether. Fulfilling his God-given duty, the blessed Luka
insisted on personally confronting Shekh-Khidar in defense of his
brotherhood.
Lukas Christian brothers and sisters warned him, saying, Shekh-Khidar
is threatening you. Flee and hide fromhim! But Luka paid no heed to
their admonitions, certain that it was more fitting to die for Christ
than to live for the world. As he had insisted, he himself approached
Shekh-Khidar and asked for the release of the imprisoned fathers.
Luka told him that he was prepared to accept any demands. The wicked
Persian leader demanded nothing from Luka except that he convert to
Islam, promising to make him emir if he consented. When he refused,
the furious Shekh-Khidar ordered St. Lukas beheading.
After the terrible deed had been performed, St. Lukas severed head
turned toward the east and gave thanks to God with an expression of
pure peace. Soon after, his precious body was set on fire at the
command of the bewildered Shekh-Khidar. This occurred in 1277. St.
Nikoloz Dvali the Martyr was born at the end of the 13th century to a
God-fearing couple who directed his path toward the spiritual life.
At the age of twelve Nikoloz traveled to the Klarjeti Wilderness and
was tonsured a monk. From there he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and
remained in the holy city, settling at the Holy Cross Monastery.
Burning with desire for the apostolic life, Monk Nikoloz was
determined to die a martyrs death.
In Jerusalem a group of godless men arrested and tormented St. Nikoloz
for publicly confessing the Christian Faith, but a group of Christians
succeeded in rescuing him from prison. Then, in accordance with his
abbots counsel, St. Nikoloz relocated to a Georgian monastery on
Cyprus. There the pious monk beseeched the Lord to make him worthy of
the crown of martyrdom. One day, while he was praying before the icon
of St. John the Baptist, he heard a voice saying, Nikoloz! Arise and
go to Jerusalem. There you will find a Georgian monk who will teach
you the way of righteousness and encourage you on the path of
martyrdom. He has been appointed to guide you.
Accordingly, St. Nikoloz returned to Jerusalem, met the monk whom God
had appointed, and informed him of what had been revealed. The Most
Holy Theotokos and St. John the Baptist appeared to St. Nikolozs
spiritual father, who had been praying intensely for guidance, and
told him that it was the Lords will for Nikoloz to journey to
Damascus.
While in Damascus, the holy father entered a mosque and openly
confessed Christ to be the Savior, reproving those present for their
folly. The angry Muslims seized St. Nikoloz, beat him, and cast him
into prison. After a great struggle, the metropolitan and local
Christians succeeded in recovering him from captivity, but he
immediately returned to the Muslims and began again to denounce their
ungodly ways. Again they beat him mercilessly, lashed him five hundred
times, and cast him in prison for a second time. But the holy martyrs
wounds were healed through the miraculous intercession of St. John the
Baptist, and after two months he was released from prison.
By chance the emir of the city caught a glimpse of St. Nikoloz as he
was preparing to return to Jerusalem. The emir recognized him and sent
him to Dengiz, the emir of emirs. Dengiz flattered him and offered to
convert him to Islam, but St. Nikoloz bravely defended his faith in
Christ. In response, Dengiz ordered his execution.
At the hour appointed by Dengiz, the blessed martyr turned to the
east, joyfully bowed his neck to the sword, and prayed, Glory to Thee,
O Christ God, Who hast accounted me worthy to die for Thy names sake.
The sword pierced his neck, but the severed head glorified God seven
times, crying out, Glory to Thee, O Christ our God!
The Persians burned the saints body, and for three days a pillar of
light shone at the place where it lay.
When St.Nikolozs spiritual father heard about his martyrdom, he prayed
to God to reveal to him whether Nikoloz would be numbered among the
saints. Then one day while he was reading, he saw a vision of a host
of saints standing atop a mountain, illumined and surrounded by a
cloud of incense. Among them the Great-martyr George shone especially
brightly, and he called St. Nikoloz, saying, Nikoloz! Come and see the
monk, your spiritual father. He has shed many tears for you.
Nikoloz greeted his spiritual father, saying, Behold me and the place
where I am, and from this day cease your sorrowing for me.
St. Nikoloz Dvali was tortured to death on Tuesday, October 19, in the
year 1314. The Georgian Church continues to commemorate him on that
date.
_________________________________________________________________