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June 7

1. THE HOLY MARTYR THEODOTUS OF ANCYRA

This martyr of Christ was secretly a Christian and, as such, helped the Church and honorably buried the bodies of the holy martyrs. Thus, he buried the bodies of seven maidens who suffered for Christ. When the pagans found out about him, they subjected him to tortures and killed him (for more about St. Theodotus see May 18).

2. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYRS CYRIACA, VALERIA AND MARIA

All three of these female martyrs were from Caesarea in Palestine. When a persecution of Christians began, they withdrew from the city to a hut and there they prayed unceasingly to God, fasting and weeping that the Faith of Christ might be spread throughout the entire world and that the persecution of the Church cease. As a result of slander, they were brought to trial, tortured and in their torments were put to death in the year 304 A.D. Thus, these glorious virgins were crowned with the wreaths of martyrdom.

3. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR MARCELLUS, POPE OF ROME

During the reign of Maximian, Marcellus was condemned to tend cattle in a designated place. In order to please Diocletian, who had taken him as co-emperor, Maximian began to construct public baths in Rome, the so-called Thermae, and forced the Christians to work on this project, as the one-time pharaoh did to the Hebrews in Egypt. Many Christians perished at this time. Also martyred was the Deacon Cyriacus who possessed great power over demons and who healed Artemia, the demonical daughter of Diocletian, as well as Jovia, the daughter of the Persian emperor, and baptized both of them. Also martyred was Artemia, the deacons Sisinius, Smaragdus and Largius, companions of Cyriacus, the deacon Aphronianus, two newly-baptized Roman soldiers, Papius and Maurus, and the elder Saturninus, Crescentianus and the blessed virgins Priscilla and Lucina who, from their wealth, built a cemetery for the slain Christian martyrs. St. Marcellus, the Pope, tended cattle for a long time and finally from starvation, humiliations and the fury of the soldiers gave up his soul to God and died.

4. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR MARCELLINUS, POPE OF ROME

Marcellinus was the predecessor of Pope Marcellus on the Roman throne. When Emperor Diocletian summoned him and threatened him with torture, Marcellinus offered sacrifice to the idols for which the emperor presented him with a precious garment. But Marcellinus bitterly repented and began to lament day and night because of his denial of Christ as Peter the Apostle once did. At that time, an assembly of bishops was held in Campania. The pope dressed in sackcloth poured ashes over his head and entered the assembly and, before all, confessed his sin begging them (the bishops) to judge him. The fathers said that he should judge himself. Then Marcellinus said: "I deprive myself of my priestly rank, for which I am not worthy, and even more, do not allow my body to be buried after death but let it be thrown to the dogs!" Having said this, he pronounced a curse on the one who would dare bury him. After that, Marcellinus went to the Emperor Diocletian, threw down the precious garment before him and confessed his faith in Jesus Christ and scorned the idols. The enraged emperor ordered Marcellinus to be tortured and afterwards they killed him outside the city together with three good men: Claudius, Cyrinus and Antoninus. The bodies of these three men were buried immediately but the body of the pope lay there for thirty-six days. Then, St. Peter appeared to the new pope Marcellus and ordered that the body of Marcellinus be buried saying: "He who humbles himself shall be exalted" (St. Luke 18:14).

5. THE VENERABLE DANIEL OF SCETIS

Daniel was the abbot of the famous Egyptian Scete. He was a disciple of St. Arsenius and a teacher of many. Many of his words and teachings are as guiding stars for monks. Once, when the barbarians attacked the Scete, the brethren called him to flee together with them. He answered them: "If God does not care about me, what is the purpose of living?" Daniel also said: "Insomuch as your body becomes obese, in the same manner your soul becomes emaciated." He lived a communal life of asceticism for forty years and after that withdrew to the wilderness in the year 420 A.D. He happened to be in Alexandria when a wicked father-in-law killed his daughter-in-law, St. Thomais (April 13), because of her chastity and Daniel, with his disciple, buried this martyr.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT MARCELLINUS

O sinner, cast out despair,

And to God, offer repentance,

Despair to the devil, rejoicing.

Behold, Marcellinus, a hierarch was,

And to torture, they led him

He, before the emperor, betrayed the Lord,

But to despair, himself did not give,

But the terrible sin openly confessed

And by his blood gloriously washed it away.

O sinner, do not despondent become

And as a serpent, sins do not conceal,

Sin concealed, serpent in the bosom!

The heart of furtive sinners, it eats.

Peter sinned and quickly cast away sin.

That is how true sinners do,

When an apostle and pope sinned

And were forgiven by God,

How then for you, can there not be forgiveness,

Only repent, but without being late.

Bitter death can make you late

And from God, separate you forever.

Quickly, quickly, cast out despair,

And quickly offer repentance!

REFLECTION

Among the saints exists a very sharp [acute] conscience. That which average people consider a minor sin, the saints consider to be a great transgression. It is said of the Abba Daniel that on three occasions robbers captured him and took him into the forest. Fortunately, on two occasions he saved himself from slavery but the third time when he wanted to escape, he struck one of them with a stone, killed him and fled. This murder preyed on his conscience as heavy as lead. Perplexed as to what he should do, he went to the Alexandrian Patriarch Timothy, confessed to him and sought advice. The patriarch consoled him and absolved him from any epitimija [penance]. But his conscience still worried him and he went to the pope in Rome. The pope told him the same thing as did Patriarch Timothy. Still dissatisfied, Daniel visited in succession the other patriarchs in Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem confessing to all of them and seeking advice. But, he remained unsatisfied. Then he returned to Alexandria and declared himself to the authorities as a murderer. The authorities arrested him. When the trial was held before the prince, Daniel related everything that had happened and begged to be killed in order to save his soul from eternal fire. The prince was amazed at all of this and said to him: "Go, Father, and pray to God for me even though you kill seven more!" Dissatisfied with this, Daniel then decided to take a leperous man into his cell and to serve him until his death and when this one dies to take another. Thus he did and so, in this manner, quieted his conscience.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of the woman with the issue of blood:

"And, behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him and touched the hem of His garment. For she said within herself, if I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned around and when He saw her, He said, daughter, be a good comfort; your faith has made you whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour" (St. Matthew 9:20-22):

1. How, with great faith, the woman with the issue of blood touched the hem of the garment of the Lord Jesus and was made whole;

2. How my soul is also like a woman with the issue of blood as long as it is a slave to the flesh and blood;

3. How, with one touch by Christ the Lord, my soul can be healed and spiritualized.

HOMILY

About emulating the ant

"Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom" (Proverbs 6:6).

It is the will of the Creator who sent us into this world that we work as long as we are in this world. The Lord Jesus Himself commanded: "Work; Keep Watch!" He praises those who multiply their given talents and condemns the slothful who bury their talents. He calls His time on earth, service and says that He did not come to be served but to serve. He uses as an example His Heavenly Father and says: "My Father works even until now, and I work" (St. John 5:17). He commands His disciples: "Work while you still have light."

O what a terrible shame for man when an ant, an irrational creature, is used to emphasize an example of diligence. But when man does not know how to look up to the diligence of God, it is necessary to direct him, at least, to emulate the ant. An ant works all summer and prepares food for itself for winter. Brethren, do we also prepare winter stores that we will open and display after death? O, may we not come with empty hands before Him Who, with full hands, gives to us as long as we are in this life.

Slothfulness is one of the deadly sins for it deadens the soul in man. A slothful soul is the nest of vices; the slothful soul is the habitation of the devils.

O Lord Almighty, You Who are, at the same time, all peace and all work, deliver us from destructive slothfulness and move us by Your Holy Spirit toward all good works for the sake of the salvation of our souls.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen

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1. THE VENERABLE BESSARION

Bessarion was born and educated in Egypt. He dedicated himself to the spiritual life at an early age and "did not stain his spiritual garment in which he was clothed at baptism." He visited St. Gerasimus by the Jordan and learned from St. Isidore of Pelusium. He subdued his body through extreme fasting and vigils but he concealed his life of mortification from men as much as possible. At one time, he stood for forty days at prayer, neither eating nor sleeping. He wore one garment both in summer and winter. He possessed the great gift of miracle-working. He did not have a permanent dwelling place but lived in the mountains and forests until a ripe old age. He healed the sick and worked many other miracles for the benefit of the people and to the glory of God. He died peacefully in the year 466 A.D.

2. VENERABLE HILARION, THE NEW

Hilarion was the abbot of the Dalmatus monastery in Constantinople. He was a disciple of Gregory of Decapolis and an imitator of the life of Hilarion the Great whose name he took. Hilarion was powerful in prayer, persevering and courageous in suffering. He suffered much for the sake of icons at the time of the evil iconoclastic emperors, Leo the Armenian and others. Later, the Emperor Leo was slain by his own soldiers in the same church and on the same spot where he first ridiculed holy icons and from which he removed the first icon. St. Hilarion was then released from prison but only for a short time. Again, he was tortured and detained in prison until the reign of the right-believing Empress Theodora. Hilarion was clairvoyant and a discerner. He saw the angels of God as they were taking the soul of St. Theodore the Studite to heaven. Pleasing God, he fell asleep and entered the Kingdom of God in the year 845 A.D. in his seventieth year.

3. THE VENERABLE FEMALE MARTYRS ARCHELAIS, THECLA AND SUSANNA

As pure and virginal nuns, Archelais, Thecla and Susanna lived a life of asceticism in an unknown monastery near Rome. When the persecution of Christians began under the evil Emperor Diocletian, they fled to Campania and settled near the town of Nola. They could not conceal their holy lives from the people and the people began to come to them from the surrounding settlements seeking advice, instruction and assistance for various difficulties and infirmities. They were finally captured by the pagans and brought to trial. They openly and freely confessed their faith in Christ. When Leontius, the judge, asked St. Archelais about the Faith of Christ she replied: "By the power of Christ I trample on the power of the devil, I teach the people with understanding that they may know the One True God and by the Name of the Lord, my Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, through me, His handmaid, is given restoration of health to all who are sick." All three virgins were flogged, had boiling pitch poured over them, were exhausted by hunger in prison and finally beheaded. When they were led to the scaffold, an angel appeared to them whom some of the executioners saw and were so frightened that they could not raise their swords against the holy virgins. However, the holy virgins encouraged the executioners to carry out their duty. And thus as lambs, they were slain in the year 293 A.D. and entered the Kingdom of Christ that they may rest and receive delight in gazing upon the face of God in eternity.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT BESSARION

Bessarion holy, without roof and bread,

From childhood to the grave, his chastity preserved:

Bodily purity and purity of mind,

Therefore, with power and wisdom, was he overly-filled,

Divine wisdom and power divine,

Joyful in the spirit, without profound sorrow,

Without profound sorrow and without darkened thoughts

A pure and discerning mind as a crystal luminous.

When Divine Love in his heart, he rekindled,

He, many and glorious miracles performed:

Over the water walked as on dry land,

And a terrible whip was he, to every darkened spirit,

He stopped the sun and delayed evening,

And what he said by mouth, everything became a deed.

In him, the power of God worked

For he, to God in everything, was obedient.

Miraculous saint, help even us

By your prayers, before the throne of God!

REFLECTION

Malicious joy is a sordid garment which our spirit sometimes dons with great satisfaction. The very moment that you rejoice in the sinful fall of your brother you have also fallen to the joy of the devil who, with one hook, snared two fish. Brotherhood, according to the flesh, is a great bond but brotherhood, according to the spirit, is even greater. When you are grieved by the sin of a brother according to the flesh, why then would not the sin of a brother according to the spirit grieve you? When you conceal the sin of a brother according to the flesh why do you, with malevolent joy proclaim the sin of your brother according to the spirit? Who are your brothers according to the spirit? All Christians - all those who communicate with you from the one and the same Chalice, the one and the same life. O, how great were the saints in their brotherly love! O, how far away from them was malevolent joy! The following is said about St. Bessarion: on one occasion all the monks were gathered in church for prayer. The abbot approached a monk who had committed a sin and ordered him to leave the church. The monk started to leave and Bessarion followed him saying: "And I, also, am the same kind of sinner!"

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous resurrection of Jarius' daughter: "While He was saying these things to them, an official came forward, knelt down before Him, and said, 'My daughter has just died. But come, lay Your hand on her, and she will live.' Jesus rose and followed him, and so did His disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the tassel on His cloak. She said to herself, 'If only I can touch His cloak, I shall be cured.' Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, 'Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.' And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, He said, 'Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.' And they ridiculed Him. When the crowd was put out, He came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land" (St. Matthew 9:18-26):

1. How the Lord assures the people that the maiden is not dead but that she is sleeping;

2. How He took her by the hand and the maiden arose alive;

3. How the Lord can resurrect my soul, dead from sin, by one touch of His Holy Life-giving Spirit.

HOMILY

About guarding of the heart

"With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life" (Proverbs 4:23).

In the heart is the will, in the heart is love, in the heart is understanding, in the heart is the face of the All-holy and Divine Trinity. The heart is the home of the Father, the altar of the Son and the workshop of the Holy Spirit. God wants the heart: "My Son, give me your heart" (Proverbs: 23:26). Let the mountains be overturned, let the seas dry up, let your friends abandon you, let your wealth fail you, let your body be consumed by worms, let the world pour upon you all the ridicule which it has but be not afraid; only guard your heart, guard and affix it to the Lord and give it to the Lord. From the heart comes life; from where does life in the heart come if the breath of the Lord and Source of Life, God, does not dwell in it?

"A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things" (St. Matthew 12:35). These are the words of the Lord Who fills the treasury of your heart with His riches. What is that "good man?" That is the good treasure of the heart. What is that "evil man?" That is the evil treasure of the heart. "For out of the heart [of an evil man] proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies" (St. Matthew 15:19) and from the good heart proceeds "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). Do you see how great a warehouse is the heart of man? Do you see what all can fit in the heart of man? O brother, God the Holy Spirit Himself, when it pleases Him, can fit in the heart of man. Not only can He, but He will. He only waits for you to prepare your heart for Him. To convert it into a temple, for God the Holy Spirit only dwells in a temple. Just as a serpent protects its head so you, also son, guard your heart. Above everything that is guarded, son, guard your heart! For in the heart enters life and from it proceeds life, life which is from the Living God.

O Life-giving Lord, help us to guard our heart for You, for You the Lord!

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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Today Forty days after the celebration of Holy Pascha (The Lords Resurrection.) Orthodox Christendom celebrates the Lords Ascension to Heaven.  When he visibly ascended to Heaven to prepare a place for His Faithful and clearing away for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  The Holy Spirit or Comforter Who will care for the Lords flock until the Lords Second Coming.

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1. SAINT METROPHANES ,THE FIRST PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE

His father Dometius, the brother of the Roman Emperor Probus, fled from Rome as a Christian during the persecution of Christians and arrived at Byzantium. Titus, the Byzantine bishop, ordained him a presbyter. Following the death of Titus, Dometius became the bishop of Byzantium. After the death of Dometius, his eldest son Probus occupied the episcopal throne and after the death of Probus, Metrophanes assumed the episcopal throne. When Emperor Constantine first saw Metrophanes, he liked him as his own father. At the time of the First Ecumenical Council [325 A.D.], Metrophanes was already a man of one-hundred seventeen years and unable to participate in the work of the Council, so he appointed Alexander his Choriepiscopus as his representative. The emperor, by his intervention at the Council, conferred upon him the title of patriarch. Thus, he was the first patriarch of Constantinople. Further, the emperor invited the entire Council to visit the ailing and aged arch-pastor. When the emperor asked him whom he wished to name as successor to the patriarchal throne, Metrophanes named Alexander. Following that he said to Alexander of Alexandria: "O brother, you will remain my most worthy successor." He then took the hand of Archdeacon Athanasius (later Athanasius the Great and Patriarch of Alexandria) and praised him before all. After this prophecy of his successor Metrophanes sought forgiveness from all and within ten days gave up his soul to God in the year 325 A.D.

2. THE HOLY MARTYR CONCORDIUS

During his life on earth Concordius was an ascetic and a miracle-worker. During the reign of Emperor Antoninus he was arrested because of his faith in Christ. Following imprisonment and tortures, he was led to the stone idol of Zeus in order to worship it. Concordius spat on the idol and because of that was immediately beheaded.

3. THE HOLY MARTYRS FRONTASIUS, SEVERINUS, SEVERIAN AND SILANUS

They were martyred in France during the reign of Emperor Claudius. After they were beheaded, they rose to their feet, took their heads into their hands, crossed over the river Ile, and arrived at the church of the Holy Birth-giver of God where Bishop Frontanius was praying. Entering the Church, they laid their heads before the feet of the bishop and lay down crossing their hands over their chests. They were honorably buried there. During their burial, an invisible host of angels was heard singing.

4. THE VENERABLE ZOSIMUS, BISHOP OF NEW BABYLON [A TOWN IN EGYPT]

Zosimus lived a life of asceticism on Mt. Sinai. He came to Alexandria on business and was consecrated as bishop of New Babylon by the Blessed Patriarch Apollinarius. He was a worthy shepherd of the flock of Christ but when he was overcome by old age and fatigue he, again, withdrew to Mt. Sinai where he rendered his soul to God and received the wreath of glory among the great hierarchs. He lived and died in the sixth century.

5. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR ASTIUS, BISHOP OF DYRRACHIUM

Astius suffered during the reign of Trajan. At first he was beaten with lead rods and after that stripped naked and crucified on a tree. His naked body was rubbed with honey so that wasps and hornets may sting him. In his greatest torment, St. Astius glorified God, died and received two wreaths both as a martyr and as a hierarch.

6. SAINT MARTHA AND SAINT MARY, THE SISTERS OF LAZARUS

Following the Ascension of the Lord, Lazarus set out to preach the Gospel. His two sisters assisted him in this. It is not known where they died.

HYMN OF PRAISE

HOSPITALITY

Hospitality, a virtue which by God is commanded,

Until now, by it, many souls were drawn to Paradise.

Abraham the Wonderful showed infinite hospitality,

Immeasurable and cordial and not hypocritical.

And King David greatly respected hospitality,

That is why, the life of King Saul, he strictly guarded.

And when the Ancient One [Christ] appeared, older than the aged Abraham,

From the Lineage of David, when darkness hid,

Then, Martha and Mary, sisters of Lazarus,

Showed hospitality these hospitable virgins:

Hosted the Greatest One since the sun flows,

With Hospitality, each one of them heavenly paradise attained.

With hospitality, perfect in heart and food,

Hospitality most worthy in word and in deed.

And the Lord Most-rich, abundantly repaid,

And, this hospitable home, when death saddened

Jesus, the deceased brother to the sisters, resurrected,

And, to them, eternal glory spread throughout the entire world.

This is the reward of hospitality from God Himself,

The Lord loves the Hospitality of a sincere heart.

Holy Church boasts of Martha and Mary,

Teaching that we are also guests at the table of the Lord.

REFLECTION

It is a horrible thing to kill a man. There are no words to describe the horror which lays hold on the murderer. While a man is preparing to kill another man, he thinks that to kill a man is the same as killing an ox. When he carries out his preconceived crime then, all at once, he realizes that he has declared war on heaven and earth and that he has become an exile and cut off from both heaven and earth. The victim does not give him peace neither day nor night. A known criminal came to Zosimus on Sinai and begged him to tonsure him a monk. Zosimus clothed him in the monastic habit and sent him to the monastery of Venerable Dorotheus near Gaza to lead a life of asceticism in the Cenobia. After nine years the tonsured criminal returned to St. Zosimus, returned his monastic habit and sought his secular clothes. To the question why are you doing this, the criminal replied that for nine years he has fervently prayed to God, fasted, kept vigil and fulfilled all acts of obedience and that he feels that many of his sins were forgiven but that one of his sins torments him continually. At one time, he killed an innocent child and that child appears to him day and night and asks him: "Why did you kill me?" Because of that he decided to leave and to turn himself in to the authorities that they may execute him and thus to repay blood for blood. Dressing in his former clothes, he went to the town of Diospolis where he acknowledged his crime and was beheaded. Thus, by his blood, he washed away his bloody sin.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of the possessed ones [madmen]of Gergesene [Gadarene]: "Now when He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gerasenes, there met Him two men who were possessed, coming from the tombs, so exceedingly fierce that no one could pass by that way" (St. Matthew 8:28):

1. How the Lord cast out the demons from the ones possessed and the possessed ones became calm and meek;

2. How the Lord stands beside me and waits to be called to help me and to cleanse me from every evil spirit which lays hold of me and separates me from God.

HOMILY

About trust in the Lord and not in your own understanding

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; on your own understanding rely not" [Proverbs 3:5).

If all the mountains would move toward you, would you be able to push them back with your hands? You could not. If darkness after darkness of all the mysteries in the heavens and on the earth rushed to the small taper of your understanding would you, with your understanding, be able to illuminate the darkness? Even less! Do not rely on your understanding for, from the perishable matter which you call intellect, a greater portion of it is nothing more than dead ashes. O man, do not rely on your understanding for it is a road over which a mob rushes a hungry, thirsty, motley and curious mob of sensual impressions.

O man, trust in the Lord with all your heart. In Him is understanding without end and all-discerning. The Lord says: "I am understanding; mine is strength" (Proverbs 8:14). He looks on the paths on which your blood flows and all the crossroads on which your thoughts wander. With compassion and love He offers Himself to you as a leader and you rely on your darkened and perishable understanding. Where was your understanding before your birth? Where was your understanding when your body was taking form, when your heart began to beat and flow with blood, when your eyes began to open and when your voice began to flow from your throat? Whose understanding was all this while your mind was still sleeping as charcoal in a coal mine? Even when your understanding awoke, can you enumerate all the illusions which it has delivered to you, all the lies in which it has entangled you, all the dangers which it did not foresee? O my brother, trust only in the Lord with all your heart! Until now, He has rescued you numerous times from your own understanding, from illusions and its lies and from danger in which it has pushed you. A blind man is compared to the man who can see, so is your understanding compared to the understanding of God. O blind one, trust in the Leader. O brother, trust only in the Lord with all your heart.

O Lord, All-seeing, Eternal and Infallible Understanding, deeper than the universe and more radiant than the sun, deliver us, even now from the errors of our understanding.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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1. THE HOLY MARTYR LUCILLIAN AND THOSE WITH HIM: CLAUDIUS, HYPATIUS, PAUL, DIONYSIUS AND THE VIRGIN PAULA

Lucillian grew old as a pagan priest and, as a graying elder, recognized the truth of Christianity and was baptized. His conversion to Christianity provoked great anxiety among the heathens in Nicomedia and he was brought to trial. Because he did not want to deny his new Faith Lucillian was violently beaten and, completely bruised, was thrown into prison. In prison he met four young men: Claudius, Hypatius, Paul and Dionysius who, because of their faith in Christ, were also imprisoned. The elder greatly rejoiced in the young men and they in him and together spent all their time in pious conversations, prayers and the chanting of psalms. When they were led out of prison they were tortured by various means and finally sent to Byzantium where the soldiers beheaded Claudius, Hypatius, Paul, Dionysius and Lucillian was crucified by the Jews. The nefarious Jews pierced Lucillian's entire body with nails. A virgin named Paula openly took the martyr's bodies and honorably buried them. For this, she was accused and, after having been tortured, was beheaded receiving two wreaths from the Lord: the wreath of virginity and the wreath of martyrdom. Their martyrdom occurred during the reign of Emperor Aurelian between the years 270-275 A.D.

2. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR LUCIAN

Lucian was a Roman renowned for his noble birth, wealth and learning. For a period of time he was a disciple of the Apostle Peter. Later, Pope Clement sent him, together with Dionysius the Areopagite, to Gaul to preach the Gospel consecrating him bishop beforehand. With great zeal Lucian sowed the teachings of Christ at first in Gaul and, afterward, throughout Belgium. When the evil Emperor Domitian began his persecution of Christians, a cadre of men were sent by him from Rome to Gaul to seek out and to capture the Christian missionaries. They first captured St. Dionysius and, after that, they went in pursuit of Lucian. Finding Lucian in Belgium together with his assistants, the presbyter Maxianus and the deacon Julian, the soldier killed these two in one place and in another place, beheaded Lucian. After Lucian had been beheaded, his lifeless body rose up from the ground, took his head in his hands (similar to St. Dionysius and St. John Vladimir) and then walked to the place where he desired to be buried. There he fell and there he was buried. Later, a church was built over his relics.

3. THE HOLY MARTYR DIMITRI, CROWN-PRINCE OF RUSSIA

The ambitious Boris Godunov treacherously murdered Dimitri at the age of eight in the town of Uglich in the year 1591 A.D. After his death, Dimitri appeared to a monk and prophesied that a false Dimitri will appear and will cause the death of the murderer Boris Godunov which afterward actually happened. A countless number of miracles occurred at the grave of the slain Crown-Prince. After fifteen years his relics were discovered to be whole and incorrupt. They were translated solemnly to Moscow and interred in the church of the Holy Archangel Michael.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE HOLY MARTYR DIMITRI, CROWN-PRINCE

Dimitri, a small child, a great saint became,

And bloody Godunov the great, forever remained cursed.

Craving for power, the ambitious one can never be satisfied,

In both worlds, that is fire; fire unquenchable.

From Boris' goblet, men are poisoned,

But, from the goblet, Boris drank and himself judged.

Down the river of blood, to the throne, Boris sails,

But into the sea of maggots, that river flows.

As from an earthquake, the crown on the criminal trembles,

Of everything frightened, of everything afraid, looks toward the heavens.

Whoever innocent blood sheds, his own let him prepare,

From this, may there not be an exception and there is none.

Craving for power winged horse, wings of wax

While to the height of authority it soars the wings melted!

Then, from the heights to the bottom falls: lower than a vagabond,

And Satan to his own speaks: Behold the hundredth madman!

Dimitri, the young crown-prince innocently suffered,

He, a crown-prince was then and a crown-prince now.

REFLECTION

O, if only we could enter into the mystery of God's Providence in the lives of men! We would be filled with fear and trembling before every evil deed and before every sin of men. "I understood Your works O Lord and I am amazed." In certain great events, the mystery of God's Providence is obvious even to men of lesser spirituality, for example in the fate of the Crown-Prince Dimitri and the bloodthirsty and power-loving Boris Godunov. In order to arrive at the first place among the noblemen in the court of Tsar Theodore, Godunov poisoned many of the nobles. When he reached the position of being first to the Tsar, he even planned to poison the brother of the Tsar, the eight-year old Dimitri. On several occasions, through hired mercenaries, he administered the most bitter poison to the young Crown-Prince but the poison had no affect. Providence permitted that the criminal murder his victim, not secretly and quietly, but openly. Godunov dispatched the murderers who, openly in the middle of the day, murdered the Crown-Prince. Thus did Dimitri become an open martyr and Godunov became an open criminal for all of Russia. After that, Dimitri surfaced and proclaimed that he was the Crown Prince (as though he was the rightful Crown-prince Dimitri and that someone else was murdered) and set out with an army against Godunov. He defeated Godunov and drove him to such dispair that Boris prepared poison and took the poison himself. He, who poisoned others, poisoned himself! He who murdered the innocent Dimitri was himself defeated by a man with the name of Dimitri! He, who has spiritual eyes to see, let him see the mystery of God's Providence.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous calming of the tempest on the lake: "And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with waves: but He was asleep" (St. Matthew 8:24):

1. How the disciples cried out: "Lord, save us: we perish!" (St. Matthew 8:25) and how the Lord, with one word, calmed the tempest and there was a great calm;

2. How the Lord awaits that I cry out to Him in fear to calm the tempest of passions, of men and of demons on the sea of my life.

HOMILY

About the peace of the simple and the prosperity of the fools

"For the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them" (Proverbs 1:32).

Does peace kill? Yes, godless peace kills. Does prosperity destroy? Yes, prosperity without God and contrary to the laws of God can destroy. Simple are they who seek such a peace and they who run after such prosperity are fools. For, in essence, they do not seek peace but rather the sword and are not running after prosperity but rather after destruction. What is the peace of the simple and what is the prosperity of fools? The peace of the simple is physical peace and the prosperity of fools is physical feasting. King Herod wanted such a peace and he was consumed by worms. Jezebel wanted such a prosperity and dogs consumed her.

By what name would we call a man who, in deciding to build a house, thinks that he will place the roof in the air first and afterward erect walls and then lay the foundation of the house? We would call him a simpleton and a fool. Much the same are all those who are attempting to establish peace in the world without interior peace and to establish exterior prosperity for men without interior prosperity. The Christian Faith is the only one which builds from the foundation and the foundation is Christ, a firm and indestructible rock. Thus, the Christian Faith for the peace and prosperity of men builds on Christ. An internal, blessed and joyful peace is built on Christ the Lord and on this peace, external peace is built. So also is true and lasting prosperity. It is still better to say that true peace and true prosperity is like a well-built house and external peace and prosperity are like the external adornments of the house. However, if the adornments fall, the house will stand but if the house is destroyed, will the adornments then hang in the air?

O my brethren, the Christian teaching is the only reasonable teaching about peace and prosperity. All else is madness and foolishness. For, how could the servants build a mansion on the estate of the Master without permission of the Master and without His help?

O Lord, the source of eternal true peace and true prosperity, save us from the peace of the simple and the prosperity of fools.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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1. SAINT NICEPHORUS, CONFESSOR AND PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINIOPLE

Nicephorus was a nobleman of Constantinople. His father Theodore, a high- ranking official of the imperial court, was wealthy and pious. Nicephorus served at the court for several years in the same profession as his father. Seeing all the vanity of the world, he withdrew to the shores of the Bosphorus and founded a monastery. The monastery was quickly filled with monks and he governed it but was not willing to receive the monastic tonsure under the pretext that he was not worthy, even though, in all things he served as a model to all. Before that, he participated in the Seventh Ecumenical Council [Nicea, 783 A.D.] as a layman at the wishes of the emperor and the patriarch and the Council benefited greatly by his superior knowledge of Sacred Scripture. When Patriarch Tarasius died, Nicephorus was elected patriarch against his will. Immediately following his election in the year 806 A.D., he received the monastic tonsure and in succession all other ecclesiastical ranks. He was enthroned as patriarch in the Church of the Divine Wisdom of God [Hagia Sophia]. This took place during the reign of Emperor Nicephorus who immediately, after that, went to war against the Bulgarians and was slain. His son, Stauracius, reigned only two months and died. After him, the good Emperor Michael, surnamed Rangabe, ruled but he reigned for only two years until he was overthrown by Leo the Armenian and banished into exile. When Leo was crowned, the patriarch sent him a book of the Orthodox Confession of Faith to sign (according to the custom of all Byzantine emperors which was considered an oath that they will uphold and defend the True Faith). The emperor did not sign it but rather postponed it until after the coronation. When the patriarch crowned him, Leo refused to sign the book and quickly proved himself to be a heretic; an iconoclast. The patriarch attempted to advise him and to restore him to the True Faith, but in vain. The emperor forcibly banished Nicephorus into exile to the island of Proconnesus where he remained for thirteen years enduring every kind of misery and privation and entered eternity in the year 827 A.D. As patriarch he governed the Church of Christ for nine years.

2. THE NEO-MARTYR CONSTANTINE

Constantine was born of Muslim parents on the island of Mitylene. Having been healed of a grave illness with the help of holy water in the church and witnessing other miracles of the Faith of Christ, he was baptized on Mt. Athos in the Scete of Kapsokalyvia. Later on Constantine fell into the hands of the Turks who hanged him in Constantinople on June 2, 1819 A.D. after forty days of cruel tortures.

3. THE HOLY NEO-MARTYR JOHN OF SOCHAVA

John was a nobleman from Trebizond. He was accused by an envious Latin and suffered for Christ in the city of Akerman in the year 1492 A.D. After being tortured for refusing to embrace the Persian religion (for the mayor of this town was an adherent of that faith), St. John was tied to the legs of a horse and dragged throughout the town. An evil Jew, upon seeing him, ran up to John and slaughtered him. That night, many saw a fiery pillar over his body and three light-bearing men around it. Later, the Moldavian commander, Joalexander, with great homage translated his honorable body to the town of Sochava and buried it in the metropolitan church where it reposes even today and miraculously saves men from various pains and illnesses. John suffered honorably and was glorified on June 2, 1492 A.D.

4. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR ERASMUS OF OHRID

This saint was born in Antioch and lived during the reign of Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. He lived a strict life of asceticism on Mt. Lebanon and was endowed by God with the great gift of working miracles. As an bishop, he went out to preach the Good News. Arriving at the town of Ohrid, Erasmus, by his prayers, resurrected the son of a man named Anastasius and baptized him. At this time, Erasmus baptized many other pagans and destroyed the altars of the idols in Ohrid. For that he was denounced before Emperor Maximian who, at that time, was residing in Illyria. The emperor brought him before a copper idol of Zeus and ordered him to offer sacrifice and to worship the idol. St. Erasmus manifested so great a power that a horrible dragon came out from the idol, which frightened the people. Again the saint manifested great power and the dragon died. The saint then preached Christ and baptized twenty thousand souls. The embittered emperor ordered that all twenty thousand be beheaded and subjected Erasmus to severe tortures and then cast him into prison. An angel of God appeared to Erasmus as once to the Apostle Peter and led Erasmus out of the prison. After that, this servant of God departed for Campania where he preached the Gospel to the people and then again returned to the town of Hermelia where he retreated to a cave and desired to live a life of asceticism until his death. Before his death, he bowed down three times toward the east and with uplifted arms prayed to God that He forgive sins and to grant eternal life to all those who, with faith, would invoke his name. At the completion of his prayer a voice from heaven was heard: "So let it be as you prayed, my little healer Erasmus!" Completely joyful, the saint gazed up at the heavens once more and saw a wreath of glory as it was descending upon him and saw the choirs of angels, prophets, apostles and martyrs who came toward him to receive his holy soul. Finally he cried out: "O Lord, receive my spirit!" and died about the year 303 A.D. The cave with a small church dedicated to St. Erasmus, exists today not far from Ohrid and, from it, even today the great power of the chosen one of God, Erasmus the priestly-martyr, is manifested.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT NICEPHORUS

Great was Nicephorus, great among the saints,

Great was Nicephorus, as a giant among men.

And [Leo] the emperor with the name of a lion, was too small,

In spite and malice was his [Leo's] entire glory.

To lead the affairs of the State, the emperor is there,

And not the dogmas of the Orthodox Faith, to judge.

The dogmas to him, Patriarch Nicephorus interpreted,

But the arrogant little emperor pretended to be wise.

Even though emperor he became, a simple shudra he remained,

Not wanting to hear the counsels of the servant wise

The emperor banished the patriarch to a desolate distance

And himself, divine truth, began to interpret.

Great was Nicephorus, great in exile,

As on the throne in his dignity.

From within, was all of his greatness

And not false and accidental from today until tomorrow.

Nicephorus, by faith and purity, a saint became,

With a strong faith, fasting and humble simplicity.

And Emperor Leo they terribly slew,

Perhaps he would have repented but it was too late.

REFLECTION

The veneration of icons is an integral part of Orthodoxy from which it cannot be separated. That the veneration of icons appears to some people the same as idolatry is no proof against icons. To the Jews, it seemed that Christ worked miracles by the power of Satan and not God and to the Romans, it seemed that Christian martyrs were ordinary sorcerers and magicians. Saint Nicephorus said to Leo the Armenian the iconoclastic emperor: "The icon is a divine thing and not to be worshipped." Following this, he explained "how God commanded Moses to make a serpent of brass and to raise it in the wilderness even though, just before this, He had commanded: "Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image" (Exodus 20:4). He commanded this in order to save the chosen people from the idolatry of the Egyptians and He commanded that He, the One and Most High God, would manifest His power through a visible thing. In the same manner He manifests His power through icons. That is His holy will and our aid for salvation. If icons are things of little significance or even idolatry, why would many of the holiest and most spiritual men and women in the history of the Church have suffered to the death for icons?

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of the leper: "And behold, there came a leper and worshipped him saying, Lord, if You will, You can make me clean" (St. Matthew 8:2):

1. How the leper implored the Lord to heal him and how the Lord touched him with His hand and he was healed;

2. How I, too, am leperous from sin and how the Lord can touch my soul and heal it if I pray to Him.

HOMILY

About how wisdom proclaims itself everywhere

"Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the open squares she raises her voice; down the crowded ways she calls out, at the city gates she utters her words" (Proverbs 1:20-21).

The Wisdom of God is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, through Whom all that was created, was created. All that was created manifests its Omniscient Creator, both that which is in the field as well as that which is in the city. In a field is a pure and bright nature but in the city is man with his trades and skills. The Wisdom of God cries out and does not whisper throughout all of nature and through all beneficial trades and skills of man. She [Wisdom] covered all the fields, she filled the entire city and she is above the earth and under the earth, in the heights of the stars and in the depths of the seas. He who wants to hear her can hear her in every place; he who wants to learn from her and to be delighted by her can be taught and delighted in every place; he who wants to be corrected and built up by her can be corrected and built up by her in every place.

Thus, the Wisdom of God is obvious and evident in all created things in the world from its very beginning. But, the Wisdom of God is more obvious and more evident in the prophets and in other men of God who were made worthy to approach her [Wisdom] outside created nature. Through their mouths, the Wisdom of God was proclaimed in the fields, in the cities, on the streets of the cities and at the doors of men.

But, the Wisdom of God is most audible and most obvious in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God was manifested in the flesh and demonstrated to men in its miraculous power and beauty. This Wisdom of God does not speak through things nor through men, but speaks of itself and from itself alone, personally and directly. By His wisdom the Lord filled the entire world through His Holy Church, so that it can be said that just as twenty centuries ago in Palestine so, He today, through the servants of the Word cries out in the fields, on the streets, to the greatest throngs in the world, throughout all the cities and before all doors.

O my brethren, let us open the doors of our souls to the Wisdom of God Incarnate in the Lord Jesus Christ!

O Lord Jesus, Wisdom and Power of God, open our souls and abide in them.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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1. THE HOLY MARTYR JUSTIN THE PHILOSOPHER

Justin was born of Greek parents in the Samaritan town of Shechem, later called Nablus one hundred-five years after Christ. He zealously sought wisdom among philosophers, at first with the Stoics and after that with the Peripatetics, the Pythagorians and finally with the Platonists. Even though Plato's philosophy did not satisfy him, nevertheless, he adhered to it the longest time not having anything else that would attract him more. By God's Providence an honorable elder encountered Justin who confused him concerning the philosophy of Plato and persuaded him that men cannot know the truth about God unless God reveals it and God revealed the truth about Himself in the books of Holy Scripture. Justin began to read Holy Scripture and became a thoroughly convinced Christian. However, he did not want to be baptized nor to be called a Christian until he was personally convinced of the falseness of all those accusations which the pagans raised against the Christians. Coming to Rome in a philosopher's dolman [cape], he quickly achieved great respect there as well as many followers. He was present at the martyrdom of St. Ptolemy and St. Lucian. Witnessing the tortures of innocent Christians, Justin wrote an Apologia (Defense) of Christians and Christian teachings and presented it to the Emperor Antoninus and to the Senate. The emperor read the Apologia with care and ordered the persecution of Christians to cease. Justin took a copy of the emperor's decree and, with it, journeyed to Asia where, with the help of this decree, saved many persecuted Christians. After that he again returned to Rome. When a persecution began under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, he wrote another Apologia and sent it to the emperor. A disreputable philosopher Crescens, a Cynic, out of envy accused him of being a Christian because Justin had always overcome him in all debates and Justin found himself in prison. Desiring the death of Justin and fearing that he [Justin] would somehow justify himself before the court, Crescens seized the opportunity and somehow poisoned Justin in prison. So ended the earthly life of this great defender of the Christian Faith who took up habitation in blessed eternity in the year 166 A.D.

2. THE HOLY MARTYRS JUSTIN, CHARITON, CHARITA, EUELPISTUS, HIERAX, PAEON, VALERIAN [LIBERIANUS] AND JUST

They all suffered martyrdom in Rome during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and the Roman prefect [eparch] Rusticus. When Rusticus asked: "Do you think that if you die for Christ you will receive a reward in heaven?" St. Justin replied: "We do not think, we know!" Following that, they were all beheaded in the year 163 A.D. and took up habitation in the eternal kingdom of Christ the God.

3. THE VENERABLE AGAPITUS OF THE CAVES IN KIEV

Agapitus was a doctor who practiced medicine by using natural remedies. He was a disciple of St. Anthony of the Caves. He cured people through prayer and by giving them vegetables from which he prepared bread for himself. In this manner he cured Prince Vladimir Monomachus for which Agapitus became known throughout. Being envious of this the prince's physician, an Armenian, began to slander Agapitus. When Agapitus became ill, the Armenian came to him and looking at him said that he [Agapitus] would die within three days and that if he [Agapitus] did not die, he [the Armenian physician] would become a monk. Agapitus said that it had been revealed to him by the Lord that he would not die within three days but within three months. And so it happened. After the death of Agapitus, the Armenian came to the Abbot of the Caves and begged him to tonsure him a monk for, he said, Agapitus appeared to him from the other world and reminded him of his promise. Thus, the once envious one became a humble monk by the Providence of God Who wishes that all men be saved. St. Agapitus died about the year 1095 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

ST. JUSTIN THE PHILOSOPHER

Whoever belongs to Christ, that one dies for Christ,

Saint Justin, defender of the truth,

Recognized the power of Christ and expressed it,

Fearlessly turned around the entire empire

Defending the righteous; the heathens admonishing,

To the entire world, with truth shining.

He was from the city of the unbaptized where once ten lepers,

To Christ the Savior, bitterly cried out

By His word, they were healed,

And now, Justin, the leprosy of falsehood

By the power of Christ's Faith, alleviated,

As a father, he protected Christians,

The foolishness of paganism he unmasked,

To the emperors, he speaks the truth -

He was a light until the candle burned down,

Until the evil ones, his body took,

His soul to Paradise, the angels raised

That in heaven, it shines like the sun

To whom his Apologia shines,

Glorifying the name of the immortal Justin

Teaching the world, what is the truth.

REFLECTION

No one has ever spread as much shameful slander about Christ the Lord as the Jews. Their Talmud boils over with evil and malice toward the Lord. But all of those worthless calumnies are refuted by the most prominent historian of the Jews, Josephus Flavius, rabbi and scholar who lived toward the end of the first century after Christ. Josephus writes: "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for He appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning Him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day." [Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 2, Page 45 1845 Edition]. Thus wrote a man not believing in Christ but a scholar free of prejudice and malice.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the miraculous healing of Peter's mother-in-law:

1. How the Lord took the feverish woman by the hand and the fever left her and she served them;

2. How the Lord can cure even me of the fever of passion so that I could immediately straighten up and serve Him with my whole spirit.

HOMILY

About what is the beginning of wisdom

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 1:7).

If someone were to know the number of stars in the heavens and the names of the fish in the sea and the amount of the grass in the field and the habits of the beasts in the forest and would not have the fear of God, his knowledge is as water in a sieve. And before death, his knowledge [of God] makes him a greater coward than the completely ignorant.

If someone were able to conjecture all the thoughts of mankind and to foretell the fate of mankind and to manifest every mystery that the earth conceals in its depths and not have the fear of God, his knowledge is as milk poured into an unclean container from which all the milk is spoiled. And in his hour of death, his wisdom will not shine even as much as a piece of charcoal without a flame, but his night of death will make his death even darker.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." How can he who has not begun correctly, finish correctly? Whoever started out on a wrong path from the beginning must turn back and must take-up the correct beginning, i.e., he must tread with his feet on the correct path. He who does not have the fear of God cannot have the love for God. What are we talking about? He who has no fear of God has no faith in God. The greatest ascetics, those who mortified themselves and who for a period of forty or fifty years daily and nightly lived a life of mortification until death, were filled with the fear of God and these, the most sinless among mortals, cried out in their hour of death: "O God, have mercy on me a sinner!"

The fear of God is the salt of total piety. If there is not that salt then all of our piety is inspid and lax. The fear of God girds the loins, girdles the stomach and makes the heart sober, restrains the mind and flogs self-will. Where is repentance without the fear of God? Where is humility? Where is restraint? Where is total chastity? Where is patience? Where is service and obedience?

O my brethren, let us embrace this word as the holy truth: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." O Lord Almighty, implant Your fear in our hearts.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

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