[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sat May 3 05:00:26 CDT 2008

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat May 3 2008

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Wisdom of Solomon 5:15-6:3  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
15 But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord;
the Most High takes care of them.
16 Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem
from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover
them, and with his arm he will shield them.
17 The Lord will take his zeal as his whole armor, and will arm all
creation to repel his enemies;
18 he will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and wear impartial
justice as a helmet;
19 he will take holiness as a invincible shield,
20 and sharpen stern wrath for a sword, and creation will join with
him to fight against the madmen.
21 Shafts of lightening will fly with true aim, and will leap to the
target as a from a well-drawn bow of clouds,
22 and hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult; the
water of the sea will rage against them, and rivers will relentlessly
overwhelm them;
23 a mighty wind will rise against them, and like a tempest it will
winnow them away. Lawlessness will lay waste the whole earth, and
evil-doing will overturn the thrones of rulers.
1 Listen therefore, O kings, and understand; learn, O judges of the
ends of the earth.
2 Give ear, you that rule over multitudes, and boast of many nations.
3 For your dominion was given you from the Lord, and your sovereignty
from the Most High, who will search out your works and inquire into
your plans.
Scripture Reading 1 of 8

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Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no
torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their
departure was thought to be affliction,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at
peace.
4 For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is
full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt
offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run
like sparks through the stubble.
8 They will govern nations and rule other peoples, and the Lord will
reign over them for ever.
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will
abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.
Scripture Reading 2 of 8

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Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
7 But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.
8 For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by
number of years;
9 but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe
old age.
10 There was one who pleased God and was loved by him,
11 He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile
deceive his soul.
12 For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving
desire perverts the innocent mind.
13 Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;
14 for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him
quickly from the midst of wickedness.
15 Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing
to heart, that God's grace and mercy are his elect, and he watches
over his holy ones.
Scripture Reading 3 of 8

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Luke 6:17-23  (Matins Gospel)
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd
of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and
Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear
Him and be healed of their diseases,
18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they
were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out
from Him and healed them all.
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: Blessed
are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed
are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And
revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is
great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
Scripture Reading 4 of 8

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Acts 3:11-16  (Epistle)
11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all
the people ran together to them in the porch which is called
Solomon's, greatly amazed.
12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel,
why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by
our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers,
glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the
presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.
14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer
to be granted to you,
15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of
which we are witnesses.
16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong,
whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has
given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Scripture Reading 5 of 8

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Hebrews 13:7-16  (Epistle, St. Theodosius)
7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to
you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it
is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which
have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no
right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His
own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His
reproach.
14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise
to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased.
Scripture Reading 6 of 8

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John 3:22-33  (Gospel)
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of
Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.
23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was
much water there. And they came and were baptized.
24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the
Jews about purification.
26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you
beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified-behold, He is baptizing,
and all are coming to Him!"
27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has
been given to him from heaven.
28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,'
but, 'I have been sent before Him.'
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the
bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the
bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is
earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above
all.
32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one
receives His testimony.
33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true.
Scripture Reading 7 of 8

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Matthew 11:27-30  (Gospel, St. Theodosius)
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows
the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the
Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly
in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Scripture Reading 8 of 8

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Bright Saturday
The artos, which was blessed after the Liturgy of Pascha, is cut and
distributed after Liturgy on Bright Saturday. The prayer read today
speaks of Christ as the Bread of Life.
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Martyr Timothy the Reader and his wife in Egypt
Saints Timothy and Maura suffered for the faith during the persecution
under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). St Timothy came from the
village of Perapa (Egyptian Thebaid), and was the son of a priest
named Pikolpossos. He was made a reader among the church clergy, and
also a keeper and copyist of divine service books. St Timothy was
denounced as a keeper of Christian books, which the emperor ordered to
be confiscated and burned. They brought St Timothy before the governor
Arian, who demanded that he hand over the sacred books. They subjected
the saint to horrible tortures for his refusal to obey the command.
They shoved two red-hot iron rods into his ears, from which the
sufferer lost his eyesight and became blind.
St Timothy bravely endured the pain and he gave thanks to God, for
granting him to suffer for Him. The torturers hung the saint head
downwards, putting a piece of wood in his mouth, and they tied a heavy
stone to his neck. St Timothy's suffering was so extreme, that even
those who tortured him implored the governor to ease up on the
torture.
About this time they informed Arian that Timothy had a young wife
named Maura, whom he had married only twenty days before. Arian
ordered Maura to be brought, hoping that with her present, they could
break St Timothy's will. St Timothy urged his wife not to fear the
tortures, but to follow his path. St Maura answered, "I am prepared to
die with you," and she boldly confessed herself a Christian. Arian
commanded that the hair be torn from her head, and to cut the fingers
off her hands.
St Maura underwent the torment with joy and even thanked the governor
for the torture, which she endured so that her sins might be forgiven.
Then Arian gave orders to throw St Maura into a boiling cauldron, but
she did not feel any pain, and she remained unharmed. Suspecting that
the servants had filled the cauldron with cold water out of sympathy
for the martyr, Arian went up and ordered the saint to splash him on
the hand with water from the cauldron. When the martyr did this, Arian
screamed with pain and drew back his scalded hand. Then, momentarily
admitting the power of the miracle, Arian confessed God in Whom Maura
believed as the True God, and he ordered her to be released. But the
devil still held great power over the governor, and soon he again
began to urge St Maura to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Having
gotten nowhere, Arian was overcome all the more by a satanic rage and
he came up with new tortures. Then the people began to murmur and
demand a stop to the abuse of this innocent woman. But St Maura,
turning to the people, said, "Let no one defend me. I have one
Defender, God, in Whom I trust."
Finally, after torturing them for a long time, Arian ordered the
martyrs to be crucified. For ten days they hung on crosses facing each
other.
On the tenth day of martyrdom the saints offered up their souls to the
Lord. This occurred in the year 286. Later, a solemn celebration of
the holy martyrs Timothy and Maura was instituted at Constantinople,
and a church was built in their honor.
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Martyr Maura of Antinoe in Egypt
Saint Maura and her husband St Timothy suffered for the faith during
the persecution under the emperor Diocletian (284-305).
The governor Arian was informed that Timothy had a young wife named
Maura, whom he had married only twenty days before. Arian ordered
Maura to be brought, hoping that with her present, they could break St
Timothy's will. St Timothy urged his wife not to fear the tortures,
but to follow his path. St Maura answered, "I am prepared to die with
you," and she boldly confessed herself a Christian. Arian commanded
that the hair be torn from her head, and to cut the fingers off her
hands.
St Maura underwent the torment with joy and even thanked the governor
for the torture, which she endured so that her sins might be forgiven.
Then Arian gave orders to throw St Maura into a boiling cauldron, but
she did not feel any pain, and she remained unharmed. Suspecting that
the servants had filled the cauldron with cold water out of sympathy
for the martyr, Arian went up and ordered the saint to splash him on
the hand with water from the cauldron. When the martyr did this, Arian
screamed with pain and drew back his scalded hand. Then, momentarily
admitting the power of the miracle, Arian confessed God in Whom Maura
believed as the True God, and he ordered her to be released. But the
devil still held great power over the governor, and soon he again
began to urge St Maura to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Having
gotten nowhere, Arian was overcome all the more by a satanic rage and
he came up with new tortures. Then the people began to murmur and
demand a stop to the abuse of this innocent woman. But St Maura,
turning to the people, said, "Let no one defend me. I have one
Defender, God, in Whom I trust."
Finally, after torturing them for a long time, Arian ordered the
martyrs to be crucified. For ten days they hung on crosses facing each
other.
On the tenth day of martyrdom the saints offered up their souls to the
Lord. This occurred in the year 286. Later, a solemn celebration of
the holy martyrs Timothy and Maura was instituted at Constantinople,
and a church was built in their honor.
On the first Sunday of July, we commemorate the discovery of a
wonderworking icon of St Maura in the town of Machairado on the island
of Zakynthos.
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Venerable Theodosius the Abbot of the Kiev Far Caves
Monastery, and Founder of Coenobitic Monasticism in Russia
Saint Theodosius of the Caves, was the Father of monasticism in
Russia. He was born at Vasilevo, not far from Kiev. From his youth he
felt an irresistible attraction for the ascetic life, and led an
ascetic lifestyle while still in his parental home. He disdained
childish games and attractions, and constantly went to church. He
asked his parents to let him study the holy books, and through his
ability and rare zeal, he quickly learned to read the books, so that
everyone was amazed at his intellect.
When he was fourteen, he lost his father and remained under the
supervision of his mother, a strict and domineering woman who loved
her son very much. Many times she chastised her son for his yearning
for asceticism, but he remained firmly committed to his path.
At the age of twenty-four, he secretly left his parents' home and St
Anthony at the Kiev Caves monastery blessed him to receive monastic
tonsure with the name Theodosius. After four years his mother found
him and with tearfully begged him to return home, but the saint
persuaded her to remain in Kiev and to become a nun in the monastery
of St Nicholas at the Askold cemetery.
St Theodosius toiled at the monastery more than others, and he often
took upon himself some of the work of the other brethren. He carried
water, chopped wood, ground up the grain, and carried the flour to
each monk. On cold nights he uncovered his body and let it serve as
food for gnats and mosquitoes. His blood flowed, but the saint
occupied himself with handicrafts, and sang Psalms. He came to church
before anyone else and, standing in one place, he did not leave it
until the end of services. He also listened to the readings with
particular attention.
In 1054 St Theodosius was ordained a hieromonk, and in 1057 he was
chosen igumen. The fame of his deeds attracted a number of monks to
the monastery, at which he built a new church and cells, and he
introduced cenobitic rule of the Studion monastery, a copy of which he
commissioned at Constantinople.
As igumen, St Theodosius continued his arduous duties at the
monastery. He usually ate only dry bread and cooked greens without
oil, and spent his nights in prayer without sleep. The brethren often
noticed this, although the saint tried to conceal his efforts from
others.
No one saw when St Theodosius dozed lightly, and usually he rested
while sitting. During Great Lent the saint withdrew into a cave near
the monastery, where he struggled unseen by anyone. His attire was a
coarse hairshirt worn next to his body. He looked so much like a
beggar that it was impossible to recognize in this old man the
renowned igumen, deeply respected by all who knew him.
Once, St Theodosius was returning from visiting the Great Prince
Izyaslav. The coachman, not recognizing him, said gruffly, "You, monk,
are always on holiday, but I am constantly at work. Take my place, and
let me ride in the carriage." The holy Elder meekly complied and drove
the servant. Seeing how nobles along the way bowed to the monk driving
the horses, the servant took fright, but the holy ascetic calmed him,
and gave him a meal at the monastery. Trusting in God's help, the
saint did not keep a large supply of food at the monastery, and
therefore the brethren were in want of their daily bread. Through his
prayers, however, unknown benefactors appeared at the monastery and
furnished the necessities for the brethren.
The Great Princes, especially Izyaslav, loved to listen to the
spiritual discourses of St Theodosius. The saint was not afraid to
denounce the mighty of this world. Those unjustly condemned always
found a defender in him, and judges would review matters at the
request of the igumen. He was particularly concerned for the
destitute. He built a special courtyard for them at the monastery
where anyone in need could receive food and drink. Sensing the
approach of death, St Theodosius peacefully fell asleep in the Lord in
the year 1074. He was buried in a cave which he dug, where he secluded
himself during fasting periods.
The relics of the ascetic were found incorrupt in the year 109, and St
Theodosius was glorified as a saint in 1108. Of the written works of
St Theodosius six discourses, two letters to Great Prince Izyaslav,
and a prayer for all Christians have survived to our time.
The Life of St Theodosius was written by St Nestor the Chronicler
(October 27), a disciple of the great Abba, only thirty years after
his repose, and it was always one of the favorite readings of the
Russian nation. St Theodosius is also commemorated on September 2 and
28.
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St Peter the Wonderworker and Bishop of Argos
St Peter the Wonderworker, Bishop of Argos in the Peloponnesos, lived
during the ninth and early tenth centuries, and was raised by pious
parents. St Peter's parents, and later his brothers Paul, Dionysius,
Platon and St Peter himself, all became monks. St Peter zealously
devoted himself to monastic labors, and he excelled all his fellows.
This came to the attention of the Italian bishop Nicholas (who from
895 was Patriarch of Constantinople), who wanted to elevate him to the
rank of bishop. St Peter declined, accounting himself unworthy of such
honor.
Bishop Nicholas consecrated Paul, St Peter's brother, as Bishop of
Corinth, and St Peter went to his brother and lived with him, taking
upon himself the spiritual struggle of silence. After a year
emissaries came to Bishop Paul from the city of Argos, where the
bishop had died, and they asked for St Peter as their bishop. After
long and intense entreaties, St Peter finally gave his consent. As
bishop, St Peter toiled zealously in guiding his flock. He was
extraordinarily compassionate, concerning himself with those in need,
especially orphans and widows.
The saint fed the hungry in years of crop failure. Through his prayers
the food set aside for the hungry never ran out. The saint also
ransomed captives, healed the sick and the afflicted, and possessed
the gift of insight. The saint predicted the day of his death, and
departed to the Lord at the age of seventy. His relics were
transferred from Argos to Nauplos in 1421, exuding myrrh, and working
miracles and healings.
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Icon of the Mother of God of Sven
The Sven Caves Icon of the Mother of God was painted by St Alypius of
the Caves (August 17). On the icon the Mother of God is depicted
sitting upon a throne, and with the Divine Infant on Her knees. St
Theodosius is on the right side of the throne, and St Anthony of the
Caves on the left. Until the year 1288 it was in the Kiev Caves
monastery, where it was glorified by miracles. In 1288 it was
transferred to the Briansk-Svensk monastery, which is dedicated to the
Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Prince Roman of Chernigov, then at Briansk, became blind. Hearing
about the miracles worked by the icon of St Alypius, the prince sent a
courier to the monastery requesting that the icon be sent to him at
Briansk. They sent a priest with the icon along the River Desna. After
the voyage the boat landed on the right bank of the River Svena. After
lodging for the night they went to the boat to pray before the icon,
but they did not find it there. They saw it on a hill on the opposite
bank, resting in the branches of an oak tree. News of this reached
Prince Roman, and they led him to the icon on foot.
The prince prayed fervently before the icon and vowed to build a
monastery on that spot, donating all the land which could be seen from
the hill. After the prayer the prince regained his sight. First he saw
the footpath, then nearby objects, and finally all the surroundings.
After making a shrine for the icon, the prince had a Molieben served,
and then they laid the foundations for a wooden church in honor of the
Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. The tree on which the icon
rested was cut up and used as wood for other icons. The Feast day of
the Sven Icon of the Mother of God was set for May 3. It is also
commemorated on August 17 (the day of the repose of St Alypius the
Iconographer).
The icon was glorified by healings of the blind and of the possessed,
and has long been regarded as a protector from enemies.
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Translation of the Dormition Icon of the Mother of God from
Constantinople to the Kiev Caves, Far Caves
The Kiev Caves Icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is one
of the most ancient icons in the Russian Orthodox Church. The Mother
of God entrusted it to four Byzantine architects, who in 1073 brought
the icon to Sts Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. The architects
arrived at the monks' cave and asked, "Where do you want to build the
church?" The saints answered, "Go, the Lord will point out the place."
"How is it that you, who are about to die, have still not designated
the place?" the architects wondered. "And they gave us much gold."
Then the monks summoned all the brethren and they began to question
the Greeks, saying, "Tell us the truth. Who sent you, and how did you
end up here?"
The architects answered, "One day, when each of us was asleep in his
own home, handsome youths came to us at sunrise, and said, 'The Queen
summons you to Blachernae.' We all arrived at the same time and,
questioning one another we learned that each of us had heard this
command of the Queen, and that the youths had come to each of us.
Finally, we beheld the Queen of Heaven with a multitude of warriors.
We bowed down to Her, and She said, 'I want to build Myself a Church
in Rus, at Kiev, and so I ask you to do this. Take enough gold for
three years.'"
"We bowed down and asked, 'Lady Queen! You are sending us to a foreign
land. To whom are we sent?' She answered, 'I send you to the monks
Anthony and Theodosius.'"
"We wondered, 'Why then, Lady, do You give us gold for three years?
Tell us that which concerns us, what we shall eat and what we shall
drink, and tell us also what You know about it.'"
"The Queen replied, 'Anthony will merely give the blessing, then
depart from this world to eternal repose. The other one, Theodosius,
will follow him after two years. Therefore, take enough gold.
Moreover, no one can do what I shall do to honor you. I shall give you
what eye has not seen, what ear has not heard, and what has not
entered into the heart of man (1 Cor.2:9). I, Myself, shall come to
look upon the church and I shall dwell within it.'"
"She also gave us relics of the holy martyrs Menignus, Polyeuctus,
Leontius, Acacius, Arethas, James, and Theodore, saying, 'Place these
within the foundation.' We took more than enough gold, and She said,
'Come out and see the resplendant church.' We went out and saw a
church in the air. Coming inside again, we bowed down and said, 'Lady
Queen, what will be the name of the church?'"
"She answered, 'I wish to call it by My own name.' We did not dare to
ask what Her name was, but She said again, 'It will be the church of
the Mother of God.' After giving us this icon, She said, 'This will be
placed within.' We bowed down to Her and went to our own homes, taking
with us the icon we received from the hands of the Queen."
Having heard this account, all glorified God, and St Anthony said, "My
children, we never left this place. Those handsome youths summoning
you were holy angels, and the Queen in Blachernae was the Most Holy
Theotokos. As for those who appeared to be us, and the gold they gave
you, the Lord only knows how He deigned to do this with His servants.
Blessed be your arrival! You are in good company: the venerable icon
of the Lady." For three days St Anthony prayed that the Lord would
show him the place for the church.
After the first night there was a dew throughout all the land, but it
was dry on the holy spot. On the second morning throughout all the
land it was dry, but on the holy spot it was wet with dew. On the
third morning, they prayed and blessed the place, and measured the
width and length of the church with a golden sash. (This sash had been
brought long ago by the Varangian Shimon, who had a vision about the
building of a church.) A bolt of lightning, falling from heaven by the
prayer of St Anthony, indicated that this spot was pleasing to God. So
the foundation of the church was laid.
The icon of the Mother of God was glorified by numerous miracles. Two
friends, John and Sergius, sealed their friendship before it. After
many years John fell mortally ill. He gave part of his wealth to the
the Caves monastery, and he gave Sergius the portion for his
five-year-old son for safekeeping. He also entrusted his son Zachariah
to his guardianship. When Zachariah turned fifteen, he asked for his
inheritance, but Sergius persisted in saying that John had distributed
everything to the poor. He even went into the Dormition church and
swore before the wonderworking icon that he had taken nothing.
When he attempted to kiss the icon, he was not able to come near it.
He went to the doors and suddenly shouted, "Sts Anthony and
Theodosius! Let me not be struck down for my dishonesty. Entreat the
Most Holy Theotokos to drive away the multitude of demons which
torment me. Let the gold and silver be taken away. It is sealed up in
my granary." Zachariah gave away all his inheritance to the Caves
monastery, where he also himself was tonsured a monk. From that time,
no one would take oaths before the wonderworking icon (March 24).
More than once the icon defended the land from enemy invasion. In
1677, when the Turks laid siege to Chigirin and danger threatened
Kiev, they carried the icon around the city for almost the entire day
of August 27. The Mother of God blessed Russian armies going to the
Battle of Poltava (1709). In 1812 they carried the icon around Kiev
again. The icon is commemorated twice during the year: May 3 and
August 15 .
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St Mamai the Catholicos of Georgia
Saint Mamai served as chief shepherd of the Georgian faithful from 731
to 744.
The information we have about his life is scarce, but it is known that
St.Mamai was abbot of Zedazeni Monastery and died a martyr for Christ.
Outstanding in his achievements and endowed with profound spiritual
wisdom, St. Mamai was enthroned as Catholicos of Georgia at a time
when the catholicos and the Georgian king were frequently the first
victims of invading armies.
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St Michael of Ulompo, Georgia
The biographies of Sts. Michael and Arsenius the Georgians have
unfortunately not been preserved.
It is known that they were contemporaries of Patriarch Sergius of
Jerusalem (843859). The following entry is recorded in the synodicon
of Jerusalems Holy Cross Monastery: Our Holy Fathers Michael and
Arsenius, founders of Olympus. The record indicates that Sts. Arsenius
and Michael established Georgian monasticism on Mt. Olympus. (located
in Bythinia of Asia Minor, southeast of Prousa, was an important
monastic center from the 5th to the 14th centuries. The monasteries of
Olympus came to include the monastic communities on the plain of
Prousa. The number of monasteries in the region is numbered at around
fifty, their apogee occurring between the 8th and 10th centuries, when
Olympus occupied the first place in the list of holy mountains.
Monasteries in the region included Atroa, Chenolakkos, Medikion, and
Pelekete.)
According to Paul Ingorokva, a scholar of the Georgian Middle Ages,
Arsenius was probably a disciple of St. Grigol of Khandzta. Ingorokva
calls Arsenius a handsome gentleman, a kind monk full of wisdom, the
son of a great nobleman, and a relative of St. Ephraim, bishop of
Atsquri.
It is believed that at some point Arsenius moved from Khandzta
Monastery to Palestine and labored there with a certain Macarius of
Leteti. Afterward, St. Arsenius founded a Georgian monastery on Mt.
Olympus in Asia Minor. Twenty years later, Venerable Ilarion the
Georgian arrived on Mt. Olympus and found three Georgian monks who
were almost certainly disciples of Michael and Arsenius.
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St Arsenius of Georgia
The biographies of Sts. Michael and Arsenius the Georgians have
unfortunately not been preserved.
It is known that they were contemporaries of Patriarch Sergius of
Jerusalem (843859). The following entry is recorded in the synodicon
of Jerusalems Holy Cross Monastery: Our Holy Fathers Michael and
Arsenius, founders of Olympus. The record indicates that Sts. Arsenius
and Michael established Georgian monasticism on Mt. Olympus. (located
in Bythinia of Asia Minor, southeast of Prousa, was an important
monastic center from the 5th to the 14th centuries. The monasteries of
Olympus came to include the monastic communities on the plain of
Prousa. The number of monasteries in the region is numbered at around
fifty, their apogee occurring between the 8th and 10th centuries, when
Olympus occupied the first place in the list of holy mountains.
Monasteries in the region included Atroa, Chenolakkos, Medikion, and
Pelekete.)
According to Paul Ingorokva, a scholar of the Georgian Middle Ages,
Arsenius was probably a disciple of St. Grigol of Khandzta. Ingorokva
calls Arsenius a handsome gentleman, a kind monk full of wisdom, the
son of a great nobleman, and a relative of St. Ephraim, bishop of
Atsquri.
It is believed that at some point Arsenius moved from Khandzta
Monastery to Palestine and labored there with a certain Macarius of
Leteti. Afterward, St. Arsenius founded a Georgian monastery on Mt.
Olympus in Asia Minor. Twenty years later, Venerable Ilarion the
Georgian arrived on Mt. Olympus and found three Georgian monks who
were almost certainly disciples of Michael and Arsenius.
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St Ecumenius of Trikala, the Wonder-worker
No information available at this time.
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