[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Mon Jan 21 2008

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Hebrews 8:7-13  (Epistle)
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would
have been sought for a second.
8 Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are
coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house
of Israel and with the house of Judah-
9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of
Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded
them, says the LORD.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and
write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be
My people.
11 None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother,
saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them
to the greatest of them.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and
their lawless deeds I will remember no more.
13 In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete.
Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2


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Mark 8:11-21  (Gospel)
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking
from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this
generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be
given to this generation."
13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the
other side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not
have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
15 Then He charged them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "It is because we have
no bread."
17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, "Why do you reason
because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is
your heart still hardened?
18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And
do you not remember?
19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many
baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to Him, "Twelve."
20 Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large
baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said, "Seven."
21 So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"
Scripture Reading 2 of 2



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Sunday of Zacchaeus
The paschal season of the Church is preceded by the season of Great
Lent, which is also preceded by its own liturgical preparation. The
first sign of the approach of Great Lent comes five Sundays before its
beginning. On this Sunday the Gospel reading is about Zacchaeus the
tax-collector. It tells how Christ brought salvation to the sinful
man, and how his life was changed simply because he "sought to see who
Jesus was" (Luke 19:3). The desire and effort to see Jesus begins the
entire movement through Lent towards Pascha. It is the first movement
of salvation.
Our lenten journey begins with a recognition of our own sinfulness,
just as Zacchaeus recognized his. He promised to make restitution by
giving half of his wealth to the poor, and by paying to those he had
falsely accused four times as much as they had lost. In this, he went
beyond the requirements of the Law (Ex. 22:3-12).
The example of Zacchaeus teaches us that we should turn away from our
sins, and atone for them. The real proof of our sorrow and repentance
is not just a verbal apology, but when we correct ourselves and try to
make amends for the consequences of our evil actions.
We are also assured of God's mercy and compassion by Christ's words to
Zacchaeus, "Today salvation is come to this house" (Luke 19:9). After
the Great Doxology at Sunday Matins (when the Tone of the week is Tone
1, 3, 5, 7) we sing the Dismissal Hymn of the Resurrection "Today
salvation has come to the world," which echoes the Lord's words to
Zacchaeus.
Zacchaeus was short, so he climbed a tree in order to see the Lord.
All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).
We are also short in our spiritual stature, therefore we must climb
the ladder of the virtues. In other words, we must prepare for
spiritual effort and growth.
St Zacchaeus is also commemorated on April 20.
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St Maximus the Confessor
Saint Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople around 580 and
raised in a pious Christian family. He received an excellent
education, studying philosophy, grammar, and rhetoric. He was
well-read in the authors of antiquity and he also mastered philosophy
and theology. When St Maximus entered into government service, he
became first secretary (asekretis) and chief counselor to the emperor
Heraclius (611-641), who was impressed by his knowledge and virtuous
life.
St Maximus soon realized that the emperor and many others had been
corrupted by the Monothelite heresy, which was spreading rapidly
through the East. He resigned from his duties at court, and went to
the Chrysopolis monastery (at Skutari on the opposite shore of the
Bosphorus), where he received monastic tonsure. Because of his
humility and wisdom, he soon won the love of the brethren and was
chosen igumen of the monastery after a few years. Even in this
position, he remained a simple monk.
In 638, the emperor Heraclius and Patriarch Sergius tried to minimize
the importance of differences in belief, and they issued an edict, the
"Ekthesis" ("Ekthesis tes pisteos" or "Exposition of Faith), which
decreed that everyone must accept the teaching of one will in the two
natures of the Savior. In defending Orthodoxy against the "Ekthesis,"
St Maximus spoke to people in various occupations and positions, and
these conversations were successful. Not only the clergy and the
bishops, but also the people and the secular officials felt some sort
of invisible attraction to him, as we read in his Life.
When St Maximus saw what turmoil this heresy caused in Constantinople
and in the East, he decided to leave his monstery and seek refuge in
the West, where Monothelitism had been completely rejected. On the
way, he visited the bishops of Africa, strengthening them in
Orthodoxy, and encouraging them not to be deceived by the cunning
arguments of the heretics.
The Fourth Ecumenical Council had condemned the Monophysite heresy,
which falsely taught that in the Lord Jesus Christ there was only one
nature (the divine). Influenced by this erroneous opinion, the
Monothelite heretics said that in Christ there was only one divine
will ("thelema") and only one divine energy ("energia"). Adherents of
Monothelitism sought to return by another path to the repudiated
Monophysite heresy. Monothelitism found numerous adherents in Armenia,
Syria, Egypt. The heresy, fanned also by nationalistic animosities,
became a serious threat to Church unity in the East. The struggle of
Orthodoxy with heresy was particularly difficult because in the year
630, three of the patriarchal thrones in the Orthodox East were
occupied by Monothelites: Constantinople by Sergius, Antioch by
Athanasius, and Alexandria by Cyrus.
St Maximus traveled from Alexandria to Crete, where he began his
preaching activity. He clashed there with a bishop, who adhered to the
heretical opinions of Severus and Nestorius. The saint spent six years
in Alexandria and the surrounding area.
Patriarch Sergius died at the end of 638, and the emperor Heraclius
also died in 641. The imperial throne was eventually occupied by his
grandson Constans II (642-668), an open adherent of the Monothelite
heresy. The assaults of the heretics against Orthodoxy intensified. St
Maximus went to Carthage and he preached there for about five years.
When the Monothelite Pyrrhus, the successor of Patriarch Sergius,
arrived there after fleeing from Constantinople because of court
intrigues, he and St Maximus spent many hours in debate. As a result,
Pyrrhus publicly acknowledged his error, and was permitted to retain
the title of "Patriarch." He even wrote a book confessing the Orthodox
Faith. St Maximus and Pyrrhus traveled to Rome to visit Pope Theodore,
who received Pyrrhus as the Patriarch of Constantinople.
In the year 647 St Maximus returned to Africa. There, at a council of
bishops Monotheletism was condemned as a heresy. In 648, a new edict
was issued, commissioned by Constans and compiled by Patriarch Paul of
Constantinople: the "Typos" ("Typos tes pisteos" or "Pattern of the
Faith"), which forbade any further disputes about one will or two
wills in the Lord Jesus Christ. St Maximus then asked St Martin the
Confessor (April 14), the successor of Pope Theodore, to examine the
question of Monothelitism at a Church Council. The Lateran Council was
convened in October of 649. One hundred and fifty Western bishops and
thirty-seven representatives from the Orthodox East were present,
among them St Maximus the Confessor. The Council condemned
Monothelitism, and the Typos. The false teachings of Patriarchs
Sergius, Paul and Pyrrhus of Constantinople, were also anathematized.
When Constans II received the decisions of the Council, he gave orders
to arrest both Pope Martin and St Maximus. The emperor's order was
fulfilled only in the year 654.St Maximus was accused of treason and
locked up in prison. In 656 he was sent to Thrace, and was later
brought back to a Constantinople prison.
The saint and two of his disciples were subjected to the cruelest
torments. Each one's tongue was cut out, and his right hand was cut
off. Then they were exiled to Skemarum in Scythia, enduring many
sufferings and difficulties on the journey.
After three years, the Lord revaled to St Maximus the time of his
death (August 13, 662). Three candles appeared over the grave of St
Maximus and burned miraculously. This was a sign that St Maximus was a
beacon of Orthodoxy during his lifetime, and continues to shine forth
as an example of virtue for all. Many healings occurred at his tomb.
In the Greek Prologue, August 13 commemorates the Transfer of the
Relics of St Maximus to Constantinople, but it could also be the date
of the saint's death. It may be that his memory is celebrated on
January 21 because August 13 is the Leavetaking of the Feast of the
Transfiguration of the Lord.
St Maximus has left to the Church a great theological legacy. His
exegetical works contain explanations of difficult passages of Holy
Scripture, and include a Commentary on the Lord's Prayer and on Psalm
59, various "scholia" or "marginalia" (commentaries written in the
margin of manuscripts), on treatises of the Hieromartyr Dionysius the
Areopagite (October 3) and St Gregory the Theologian (January 25).
Among the exegetical works of St Maximus are his explanation of divine
services, entitled "Mystagogia" ("Introduction Concerning the
Mystery").
The dogmatic works of St Maximus include the Exposition of his dispute
with Pyrrhus, and several tracts and letters to various people. In
them are contained explanations of the Orthodox teaching on the Divine
Essence and the Persons of the Holy Trinity, on the Incarnation of the
Word of God, and on "theosis" ("deification") of human nature.
"Nothing in theosis is the product of human nature," St Maximus writes
in a letter to his friend Thalassius, "for nature cannot comprehend
God. It is only the mercy of God that has the capacity to endow
theosis unto the existing... In theosis man (the image of God) becomes
likened to God, he rejoices in all the plenitude that does not belong
to him by nature, because the grace of the Spirit triumphs within him,
and because God acts in him" (Letter 22).
St Maximus also wrote anthropological works (i.e. concerning man). He
deliberates on the nature of the soul and its conscious existence
after death. Among his moral compositions, especially important is his
"Chapters on Love." St Maximus the Confessor also wrote three hymns in
the finest traditions of church hymnography, following the example of
St Gregory the Theologian.
The theology of St Maximus the Confessor, based on the spiritual
experience of the knowledge of the great Desert Fathers, and utilizing
the skilled art of dialectics worked out by pre-Christian philosophy,
was continued and developed in the works of St Simeon the New
Theologian (March 12), and St Gregory Palamas (November 14).
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Martyr Neophytus of Nicea
The Holy Martyr Neophytus, a native of the city of Nicea in Bithynia,
was raised by his parents in strict Christian piety. For his virtue,
temperance and unceasing prayer, it pleased God to glorify St
Neophytus with the gift of wonderworking, while the saint was still
just a child!
Like Moses, the holy youth brought forth water from a stone of the
city wall and gave this water to those who were thirsty. In answer to
the prayer of St Neophytus' mother, asking that God's will concerning
her son might be revealed to her, a white dove miraculously appeared
and told of the path he would follow. The saint was led forth from his
parental home by this dove and brought to a cave on Mt. Olympus, which
served as a lion's den. It is said that he chased the lion from the
cave so that he could live there himself. The saint remained there
from the age of nine until he was fifteen, leaving it only once to
bury his parents and distribute their substance to the poor.
During the persecution by Diocletian (284-305), he went to Nicea and
boldly began to denounce the impiety of the pagan faith. The enraged
persecutors suspended the saint from a tree, they whipped him with ox
thongs, and scraped his body with iron claws. Then they threw him into
a red-hot oven, but the holy martyr remained unharmed, spending three
days and three nights in it. The torturers, not knowing what else to
do with him, decided to kill him. One of the pagans ran him through
with a sword (some say it was a spear), and the saint departed to the
Lord at the age of sixteen.
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Martyr Eugene at Trebizond
The Holy Martyrs Eugene, Candidus, Valerian and Aquila suffered for
their faith in Christ during the reign of Diocletian (284-305) and
Maximian (305-311), under the regimental commander Lycius. Valerian,
Candidus and Aquila had hidden themselves in the hills near Trebizond,
preferring life among the wild beasts to living with the pagans. They
were soon found, however, and brought to Trebizond.
For their bold and steadfast confession of faith in Christ the holy
martyrs were whipped with ox thongs, scraped with iron claws, then
were burned with fire. Several days later St Eugene was also arrested,
and subjected to the same tortures. Later, they poured vinegar laced
with salt into his wounds. After these torments, they threw the four
martyrs into a red-hot oven. When they emerged from it unharmed, they
were beheaded, receiving their incorruptible crowns from God.
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Martyr Candidus at Trebizond
The Holy Martyrs Candidus, Eugene, Valerian and Aquila suffered for
their faith in Christ during the reign of Diocletian (284-305) and
Maximian (305-311), under the regimental commander Lycius. Valerian,
Candidus and Aquila had hidden themselves in the hills near Trebizond,
preferring life among the wild beasts to living with the pagans. They
were soon found, however, and brought to Trebizond.
For their bold and steadfast confession of faith in Christ the holy
martyrs were whipped with ox thongs, scraped with iron claws, then
were burned with fire. Several days later St Eugene was also arrested,
and subjected to the same tortures. Later, they poured vinegar laced
with salt into his wounds. After these torments, they threw the four
martyrs into a red-hot oven. When they emerged from it unharmed, they
were beheaded, receiving their incorruptible crowns from God.
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Martyr Valerian at Trebizond
The Holy Martyrs Valerian, Eugene, Candidus, and Aquila suffered for
their faith in Christ during the reign of Diocletian (284-305) and
Maximian (305-311), under the regimental commander Lycius. Valerian,
Candidus and Aquila had hidden themselves in the hills near Trebizond,
preferring life among the wild beasts to living with the pagans. They
were soon found, however, and brought to Trebizond.
For their bold and steadfast confession of faith in Christ the holy
martyrs were whipped with ox thongs, scraped with iron claws, then
were burned with fire. Several days later St Eugene was also arrested,
and subjected to the same tortures. Later, they poured vinegar laced
with salt into his wounds. After these torments, they threw the four
martyrs into a red-hot oven. When they emerged from it unharmed, they
were beheaded, receiving their incorruptible crowns from God.
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Martyr Aquila at Trebizond
The Holy Martyrs Aquila, Eugene, Candidus, Valerian and suffered for
their faith in Christ during the reign of Diocletian (284-305) and
Maximian (305-311), under the regimental commander Lycius. Valerian,
Candidus and Aquila had hidden themselves in the hills near Trebizond,
preferring life among the wild beasts to living with the pagans. They
were soon found, however, and brought to Trebizond.
For their bold and steadfast confession of faith in Christ the holy
martyrs were whipped with ox thongs, scraped with iron claws, then
were burned with fire. Several days later St Eugene was also arrested,
and subjected to the same tortures. Later, they poured vinegar laced
with salt into his wounds. After these torments, they threw the four
martyrs into a red-hot oven. When they emerged from it unharmed, they
were beheaded, receiving their incorruptible crowns from God.
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Virginmartyr Agnes of Rome
The holy Virgin Martyr Agnes was born at Rome during the third
century. Her parents were Christians and they raised her in the
Christian Faith. From her youth she devoted herself to God, and
dedicated herself to a life of virginity, refusing all other suitors.
When she refused to enter into marriage with the son of the city
official Symphronius, one of his associates revealed to him that Agnes
was a Christian. The wicked Eparch decided to subject the holy virgin
to shame and he ordered that she be stripped and and sent to a brothel
for disdaining the pagan gods. But the Lord would not permit the saint
to suffer shame. As soon as she was disrobed, long thick hair grew
from her head covering her body. An angel was also appointed to guard
her. Standing at the door of the brothel, he shone with a heavenly
light which blinded anyone who came near her.
The son of the Eparch also came to defile the virgin, but fell down
dead before he could touch her. Through the fervent prayer of St
Agnes, he was restored to life. Before his father and many other
people he proclaimed, "There is one God in the heavens and on earth:
the Christian God, and the other gods are but dust and ashes!" After
seeing this miracle, 160 men believed in God and were baptized, and
then suffered martyrdom.
St Agnes, at the demand of the pagan priests, was given over to
torture. They tried to burn her as a witch, but the saint remained
unharmed in the fire, praying to God. After this they killed her by
stabbing her in the throat. Through her death at the age of thirteen,
St Agnes escaped everlasting death and inherited eternal life. The
holy virgin martyr was buried by her parents in a field they owned
outside of Rome.
Many miracles occurred at the grave of St Agnes. Her holy and
grace-filled relics rest in the church built in her honor, along the
Via Nomentana.
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Martyr Anastasius the Disciple of the Venerable Maximus the
Confessor
The Holy Martyr Anastasius was a disciple of St Maximus the Confessor,
and with him suffered persecution under the Monothelites. St Maximus
and two of his disciples were subjected to the cruelest torments. Each
one's tongue was cut out, and his right hand was cut off. Then they
were exiled to Skemarum in Scythia, enduring many sufferings and
difficulties on the journey.
St Anastasius wrote the Life of his teacher, and died in the year 662.
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Venerable Neophytus of Vatopedi, Mt Athos
Saint Neophytus of Vatopedi was a church warden at the Vatopedi
monastery at Athos. He was sent to the monastery's metochion
(representation church) in Euboea to serve. Falling grievously ill, he
turned with intense prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, asking to be
allowed to die in his own monastery. He heard a voice from the icon of
the Mother of God saying, "Go to your monastery, Neophytus. You will
be ready in a year." The miraculously healed Neophytus intensified his
spiritual efforts in preparation for his departure from this life.
A year later, after he had received the Holy Mysteries of Christ, he
again heard the voice from the icon of the Mother of God saying that
it was time for him to depart. He returned to his cell and fell ill.
After asking forgiveness from the brethren, he surrendered his soul to
the Lord.
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Venerable Maximus the Greek
Saint Maximus the Greek was the son of a rich Greek dignitary in the
city of Arta (Epiros), and he received a splendid education. In his
youth he travelled widely and he studied languages and sciences (i.e.
intellectual disciplines) in Europe, spending time in Paris, Florence,
and Venice.
Upon returning to his native land, he went to Athos and became a monk
at the Vatopedi monastery. And with enthusiasm he studied ancient
manuscripts left on Athos by the Byzantine Emperors Andronicus
Paleologos and John Kantakuzenos (who became monks).
During this period the Moscow Great Prince Basil III (1505-1533)
wanted to make an inventory of the Greek manuscripts and books of his
mother, Sophia Paleologina, and he asked the Protos of the Holy
Mountain, Igumen Simeon, to send him a translator. St Maximus was
chosen to go to Moscow, for he had been brought up on secular and
ecclesiastical books from his youth. Upon his arrival, he was asked to
translate patristic and liturgical books into Slavonic, starting with
the Annotated Psalter.
St Maximus tried to fulfill his task, but since Slavonic was not his
native language, there were certain imprecisions in the translations.
Metropolitan Barlaam of Moscow highly valued the work of St Maximus,
but when the See of Moscow was occupied by Metropolitan Daniel, the
situation changed.
The new Metropolitan ordered St Maximus to translate the Church
History of Theodoritus of Cyrrhus into Slavonic. St Maximus absolutely
refused this commission, pointing out that "in this history are
included letters of the heretic Arius, and this might present danger
for the semi-literate." This refusal caused a rift between Maximus and
the Metropolitan. Despite their differences, St Maximus continued to
labor for the spiritual enlightenment of Rus. He wrote letters against
Moslems, Roman Catholics, and pagans. He translated St John
Chrysostom's Commentaries on the Gospels of Matthew and John, and he
also wrote several works of his own.
When the Great Prince wished to divorce his wife Solomonia because of
her infertility, the dauntless confessor Maximus sent the Prince his
"Instructive Chapters on Initiating Right Belief," in which he
persuasively demonstrated that the Prince was obliged not to yield to
bestial passions. The Prine never forgave Maximus for his audacity,
and locked St Maximus in prison. From that moment a new period began
in the life of the monk, filled with much suffering.
Mistakes in his translations were regarded as deliberate and
intentional corruptions of the text by St Maximus. It was difficult
for him in prison, but in his sufferings the saint also gained the
great mercy of God. An angel appeared to him and said, "Endure, Abba!
Through this temporary pain you will be delivered from eternal
torments."
In prison the Elder wrote a Canon to the Holy Spirit in charcoal upon
a wall, which even at present is read in the Church: "Just as Israel
was nourished with manna in the wilderness of old, so Master, fill my
soul with the All-Holy Spirit, that through Him I may serve Thee
always...."
After six years, St Maximus was set free from prison and sent to Tver.
There he lived under the supervision of the good-natured Bishop
Acacius, who dealt kindly with guiltless sufferer. The saint then
wrote in his autobiography: "While I was locked in prison and
grieving, I consoled and strengthened myself with patience." Here are
some more words from this vivid text: "Neither grieve, nor be sad,
beloved soul, that you have suffered unjustly, for it behooves you to
accept all for your benefit."
Only after twenty years at Tver did they decide to let Maximus live
freely, and remove the church excommunication. St Maximus, now about
seventy years of age, spent the final years of his life at the
Trinity-Sergiev Lavra. Oppression and work took their toil on his
health, but his spirit remained vigorous, and he continued with his
work. Together with his cell-attendant and disciple Nilus, the saint
translated the Psalter from Greek into Slavonic.
St Maximus reposed on January 21, 1556. He was buried at the northwest
wall of the Holy Spirit church of the Trinity-Sergiev Lavra. Many
manifestations of grace took place at the grave of St Maximus, and a
Troparion and Kontakion were composed in his honor. St Maximus is
depicted on the icon of the Synaxis of the Saints of Radonezh (July
6).
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Icon of the Mother of God "Comfort" or "Consolation"
The Vatopedi "Comfort" or "Consolation" Icon of the Mother of God is
in the old Vatopedi monastery on Athos, in the church of the
Annunciation. It was called "Vatopedi" because near this monastery
Arcadius, the son of Empreor Theodosius the Great, fell off a ship
into the sea, and by the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God
he was carried to shore safe and unharmed. He was found sleeping by a
bush, not far from the monastery. From this event the name "Vatopedi"
("batos paidion," the bush of the child") is derived. The holy Emperor
Theodosius the Great (January 17), in gratitude for the miraculous
deliverance of his son, embellished and generously endowed the
Vatopedi monastery.
On the Vatopedi Icon, the Mother of God is depicted with Her face
turned towards Her right shoulder. This is because on January 21, 807
She turned Her face towards the igumen of the monastery, who was
standing near the holy icon, about to hand the keys of the monastery
to the porter. A voice came from the icon and warned him not to open
the monastery gates, because pirates intended to pillage the
monastery. Then the Holy Child placed His hand over His Mother's lips,
saying, "Do not watch over this sinful flock, Mother, but let them
fall under the sword of the pirates." The Holy Virgin took the hand of
Her Son and said again, "Do not open the gates today, but go to the
walls and drive off the pirates." The igumen took precautionary
measures, and the monastery was saved.
In memory of this miraculous event a perpetual lamp burns in front of
the wonderworking icon. Every day a Canon of Supplication is chanted
in honor of the icon, and on Fridays the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.
On Mt. Athos this icon is called "Paramythia," "Consolation"
("Otrada"), or "Comfort" ("Uteshenie").
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Icon of the Mother of God "Stabbed"
The "Stabbed" Icon of the Mother of God, (Greek: "Esphagmeni."
Slavonic: "Zaklannaya") dates from the fourteenth century, and is in
the Vatopedi monastery on Mt. Athos, in a chapel dedicated to St
Demetrius of Thessalonica. The icon was painted on canvas, and
received its name of "The Stabbed" from the following event:
A certain ecclesiarch, a deacon of the Vatopedi monastery, was
occupied with overseeing the order of a long service. Delayed by his
duties, he was late for the meal in the trapeza. The annoyed cook
refused to give him any food, and reminded him that he should come on
time if he wished to eat. Offended, the deacon flew into a rage and he
went to the church again. Standing before the icon of the Mother of
God, he said, "How long must I go on serving You? I have toiled, but I
have nothing to show for it. You don't even care whether or not I have
anything to eat!"
Then he struck Her on the cheek with a knife and pierced right through
the canvas. Blood flowed from the wound, and the deacon was struck
blind. The terrified transgressor fell down right in front of the
icon, trembling all over, like Cain, the murderer of old.
The igumen, served the all-night Vigil praying for mercy and the
salvation of the hapless one. After three years the All-Holy Virgin
appeared to the igumen and said that she had forgiven the deacon, and
would restore his health, but his hand which committed the sacrilege
would be condemned at the Lord's Second Coming.
The deacon recovered his sight, and deeply repented of his
transgression. Settling himself in a stall opposite the icon he
stabbed, he spent the rest of his life in repentance before it.
Three years after the deacon's death, his bones were uncovered,
according to the Athonite custom. His body had decomposed, but his
right hand remained intact and was all black. This hand is preserved
at the monastery in memory of the unfathomable love of the Mother of
God. It is in rather poor condition, however, because Russian pilgrims
would take pieces of it, believing it to be a relic.
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Icon of the Mother of God "Xenophon Hodigitria"
The "Xenophon Hodigitria" Icon of the Mother of God according to
tradition, this wonderworking icon was for many years at the Vatopedi
monastery on Mt. Athos, in the katholikon in front of a column on the
left cliros.
In 1730, it mysteriously disappeared not only from the church, but
also from the monastery. Since the doors were locked, the monks
assumed that thieves had stolen it. Soon they heard that the icon was
at the Xenophon monastery, a three hour journey from Vatopedi.
Several monks were sent to return their spiritual treasure to the
Vatopedi monastery. The icon was restored to its former place, and the
Fathers of the monastery took precautions to prevent the icon from
being stolen again. However, the icon of the Mother of God left the
Vatopedi monastery and appeared at Xenophon a second and third time.
Persuaded that this was actually a miraculous occurrence, the brethren
of the monastery decided not to oppose the will of the Mother of God,
and left the icon at Xenophon. As a sign of their blessing, the
brethren provided candles and oil for the icon.
The "Hodigitria" Icon at Xenophon is in the katholikon, before a
column on the left cliros, the very same place it occupied at the
Vatopedi monastery.
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St Fructuosis of Tarragona, Spain
Saint Fructuosis lived during the persecution of Valerian and
Gallienus in the third century, during the consulship of Amelianus and
Bassus.
On Sunday, January 21, 259 Bishop Fructuosis of Tarragona, Spain was
arrested with his deacons Augurius and Eulogius. He had already
retired to his chamber when soldiers of the VII Gemina Legion came for
him. Hearing them approach, he went to meet them.
"Come with us," they told him, "the proconsul summons you and your
deacons."
When they arrived, they were thrown into a prison where other
Christians were also being held. They comforted the bishop and asked
him to remember them. The next day, Bishop Fructuosis baptized
Rogatianus in the prison.
On Friday, January 21, Bishop Fructuosis and his deacons were brought
out for their hearing. When the proconsul Aemelianus asked to have the
bishop and his deacons brought before him, he was told that they were
present. The proconsul asked St Fructuosis whether he was aware of the
emperors' orders.
"I do not know their orders," he replied, "I am a Christian."
Aemelianus said, "They have ordered that you worship the gods."
Bishop Fructuosis answered, "I worship the one God Who made heaven and
earth, and all that is in them" (Acts 4:24).
Then the proconsul asked, "Do you know that the gods exist?"
"No," said the bishop, "I do not."
"You will know later."
Bishop Fructuosis raised his eyes to heaven and began to pray. The
proconsul said, "The gods are to be obeyed, feared, and adored. If the
gods are not worshiped, then the images of the emperors are not
adored."
Aemilianus the proconsul said to Augurius, "Do not listen to the words
of Fructuosis."
Deacon Augurius replied, "I worship almighty God."
Turning to Deacon Eulogius, the proconsul Aemilianus asked, "Don't you
also worship Fructuosis?
"No," said the deacon, "I do not worship Fructuosis, but I do worship
Him Whom he worships."
Aemilianus inquired of St Fructuosis, "Are you a bishop?"
The holy bishop replied, "Yes, I am."
"You were," said Aemilianus, then he ordered them to be burned alive.
As St Fructuosis and his deacons were being taken to the amphitheatre,
many people felt sympathy for them, for the bishop was loved by both
Christians and pagans. The Christians were not sad, but happy, because
they knew that through martyrdom the saints would inherit everlasting
life.
When offered a cup of drugged wine, St Fructuosis refused saying, "It
is not yet time to break the fast." In those days, Christians did not
eat or drink anything on Wednesdays and Fridays until after sundown
(Didache 8:1).
As they entered the amphitheatre, the Reader Augustalis asked the
bishop to permit him to remove his sandals. St Fructuosis replied,
"No, my son. I shall remove my own sandals."
A Christian by the name of Felix took the bishop's hand and asked him
to remember him. The martyr said that he would remember the entire
catholic Church throughout the world from East to West.
Now the time was at hand for the martyrs to receive their crowns of
unfading glory. The officers who arrested them were standing nearby as
Bishop Fructuosis addressed the crowd in a loud voice. He told them
that they would not remain long without a shepherd, and that the
Lord's promises would not fail them in this life or in the next. He
added that what they were about to witness represented the weakness of
a single hour.
The three martyrs were tied to posts and a fire was lit. When the
flames burned through their bonds, they knelt down and extended their
arms in the form of a cross. They continued to pray in the midst of
the fire until their souls were separated from their bodies.
Several people saw the heavens opened and beheld the three martyrs
wearing crowns and ascending to heaven. They told Aemilianus to see
how the martyrs had been glorified, but he was not worthy to behold
them.
That night Christians went to the amphitheatre to put out the fire and
gather the relics of the martyrs. Each one took a portion for himself.
St Fructuosis later appeared to these Christians and admonished them
for dividing their relics, saying that they had not done well. He
ordered them to bring all of the relics together without delay. The
holy relics were brought to the church with reverence, and were buried
beneath the altar.
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St Augurius the deacon
The holy deacon Augurius was burned alive with St Fructuosis and St
Eulogius the deacon at Tarragona, Spain in 259.
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St Eulogius the deacon
The holy deacon Eulogius was burned alive with St Fructuosis and St
Augurius the deacon at Tarragona, Spain in 259.
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St George (John) of Georgia
Archimandrite John (Basil Maisuradze in the world) was born in the
town of Tskhinvali in Samachablo around 1882. He was raised in a
peasant family and taught to perform all kinds of handiwork. Basil was
barely in his teens when he helped Fr. Spiridon (Ketiladze), the main
priest at Betania Monastery, to restore the monastery between 1894 and
1896.
>From his youth Basil was eager to enter the monastic life, and in
1903, according to Gods will, he moved to the Skete of St. John the
Theologian at Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos. Among the brothers he was
distinguished for his simplicity and obedience. He was tonsured a monk
and named John in honor of St. John the Theologian, whom he revered
deeply and sought to emulate.
The monk John was soon ordained to the priesthood. Throughout his life
the holy father dedicated himself to serving God and his brothers in
Christ in hopes that his own life might be fruitful for them.
Fr. John remained on Mt. Athos for seventeen years. Then, due to the
increasingly troubling circumstances there, he left the Holy Mountain
with the other Georgian monks sometime between 1920 and 1921. He
settled at Armazi Monastery outside of Mtskheta, where the Bolsheviks
had left just one monk to labor in solitude. Once a band of armed
Chekists broke into the monastery, led both Fr. John and the other
monk away, and shot them in the back.
Believing them to be dead, they tossed them in a nearby gorge. A group
of people later discovered Fr. Johns nearly lifeless body and brought
it to Samtavro Monastery in Mtskheta. The other monk suffered only
minor injuries and returned to the monastery on his own.
When his health had been restored, Fr. John went to Betania Monastery,
where his first spiritual father was still laboring. He was appointed
abbot shortly thereafter. Accustomed to hard work from his childhood,
he skillfully administered the agricultural labors of the monastery.
When visitors came to the monastery seeking advice or solace, Fr. John
welcomed them warmly, spreading a festal meal before them. He enjoyed
spending time with his guests, especially with children.
It is said that he always had candy or a special treat to give to the
little ones. The children loved him so much that on the feast of St.
John the Theologian, while he was sprinkling the church with holy
water, they skipped around him and tried to tousle his hair. The
childrens parents were ashamed, but Fr. John cheerfully assured them
that it was fitting to be so joyous on a feast day.
Truly Fr. John was endowed with a deep love for young people, and he
was also blessed with the divine gifts of prophecy and wonder-working.
Once a certain Irakli Ghudushauri, a student at Moscow Theological
Seminary, visited him at the monastery. Fr. John received him with
exceptional warmth, blessing him with tears of rejoicing. This student
would later become Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, the beloved shepherd
who continues to lead the flock of the Georgian faithful to this very
day.
Fr. John disciplined himself severely. He worked hard all day and
slept on a single piece of wood. He would spend entire nights praying.
Many wondered when he rested and where he had acquired such a
seemingly infinite supply of energy.
Occasionally thieves would steal food or domestic animals from the
monastery. But the monastery also had many protectors, even within the
Soviet government. A group of Christians who worked for the government
while secretly practicing their faith supported Fr. John and Fr.
George (Mkheidze) (see below), explaining and justifying them to the
government as guardians of a national cultural monument.
Many of the miracles performed by Fr. John are known to us today,
though he was wary of receiving honor for his deeds. Frs. John and
George healed the deaf, and many of the terminally ill were brought to
them for healing. After spending several days in the monastery, the
infirm would miraculously be cleansed of their diseases. Fr. John bore
the heaviest workload in the monastery. He sympathized deeply with Fr.
George, who was ailing physically and unfit for strenuous labor. But
Fr. John departed this life before Fr. George. Fr. John became ill and
reposed in 1957, at the age of seventy-five. He was buried at Betania
Monastery.
Fr. George (Mkheidze) was born in the village of Skhvava in the Racha
region around 1877. He received a military educationa highly esteemed
commodity among the Georgian aristocracybut instead of pursuing a
military career in defense of the Russian empire, he dedicated himself
to Georgias national liberation movement. At one point the pious and
learned George worked for St. Ilia the Righteous as his personal
secretary. He often met St. Ilias spiritual father, the holy hierarch
Alexandre (Okropiridze), and the holy hieromartyr Nazar (Lezhava), and
he was acquainted with other important spiritual leaders of the time
as well.
Desiring to sacrifice his life to God, George was tonsured into
monasticism by the holy hieromartyr Nazar. His rare character combined
a noblemans deportment with a monks humble asceticism. Fr. George was
ordained a priest and soon after elevated to the rank of
archimandrite.
Filled with divine love and patriotic sentiment, the holy father
willingly endured the heavy burdens and spiritual tribulations
afflicting his country at that time.
In 1924, while Fr. George was laboring at Khirsa Monastery in Kakheti
in eastern Georgia, an armed Chekist mob broke into the monastery. The
perpetrators beat him, cut off his hair, shaved his beard, and
threatened to take his life. He sought refuge with his family, but to
no availhis brothers, who were atheists, shaved off his beard while he
was sleeping. (One of Fr. Georges brothers later committed suicide,
and the other, together with his wife, was shot to death by the
Chekists.) In the same year, Fr. George visited Betania Monastery and
was introduced to Fr. John (Maisuradze), with whom he would labor for
the remainder of his life.
Fr. Georges health was poor, and he was able to perform only the
lightest of tasks around the monastery. He tended the vegetable garden
and took responsibility for raising the bees. He was extremely
generous. At times he would give all the monasterys food to the needy,
assuring Fr. John that God Himself would provide their daily bread.
Tall, thin, and with an upright posture, Fr. George was strict in both
appearance and demeanor. He spoke very little with other people, and
children did not play with him as they did with Fr. John. Knowing his
character, they tried to please him by reciting prayers and behaving
themselves. Fr. George did not like to leave the monastery, but it was
often necessary for him to travel to Tbilisi to visit his spiritual
children among whom were many secret Christians who worked for the
government.
Fr. George was endowed with the gifts of prophecy and healing, but he
was careful to hide them. When constrained to reveal them, he would
pass them off as though they were nothing extraordinary. Once a
certain pilgrim arrived at the monastery and was surprised to discover
that Fr. George knew him by name. Sensing his great amazement, Fr.
George told the pilgrim that he had attended his baptism some thirty
years earlier, thus concealing his God-given gift. Fr. George knew in
advance when his nephew was bringing his sisters, whom he had not seen
in forty-eight years, to visit him at the monastery during Great Lent.
Enlightened with this foreknowledge, Fr. George prepared fish and a
festal meal in honor of the occasion.
The prayers of Fr. George and Fr. John healed the formers nephew, who
was afflicted by a deadly strain of meningitis. They restored hearing
to a deaf child and healed many others of their bodily infirmities.
In 1957, when Fr. John reposed in the Lord, Fr. George was tonsured
into the great schema. He was given the name John in honor of his
newly departed spiritual brother. Fr. George-John now bore full
responsibility for the affairs of the monastery. His health
deteriorated further under the weight of this heavy yoke. His
spiritual children began to come from the city to care for him.
Once a twenty-year-old girl arrived at the monastery, complaining of
incessant headaches. She had been told that the water from Betania
Monastery would heal her. She remained there for one week and was
miraculously healed. When she left to return home, Fr. George-John
walked five miles to see her off, in spite of his physical frailty.
The Theotokos appeared to Fr. George-John in a vision and relieved his
terrible physical pain. The protomartyr Thekla also appeared to him,
presenting him with a bunch of grapes. Several days before his repose,
the holy father was in the city when an angel appeared to him and
announced his imminent repose. The angel told him to return to the
monastery to prepare for his departure from this world.
St. George-John (Mkheidze) reposed in 1960. He was buried at Betania
Monastery, next to Fr. John (Maisuradze). These venerable fathers were
canonized on September 18, 2003, at a council of the Holy Synod under
the spiritual leadership of His Holiness Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch
of All Georgia. Frs. John and George-John have been lovingly deemed
one soul in two bodies.
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