Monk
Theophanes the Confessor, of Sygrianeia (+ 818).
Righteous Phinhas (+ c. 1500 B.C.). Saint
Gregory Dialogos, Pope of Rome (+ 604).
Monk Simeon the New Theologian (+ 1021).
Holy Nobleborn Emperor Demetrios the Self-Sacrificed
(+ 1289, Georgia).
Lydda
Not-Wrought-by-Hand (on Pillar) Icon of the Mother of God (I).
The
Monk Theophanes the Confessor was born at Constantinople into
a pious and reknown family. the father of Theophanes was a kinsman
of the Byzantine emperor Leo the Isaurian (717-741). Three years
after Theophanes was born, his father died, leaving his family
under the care of the emperor himself. Theophanes grew up at the
court and became a dignitary under the emperor Leo the Khozar
(775-780). His position obliged him to enter into marriage. With
the consent of his bride, Theophanes preserved his chastity, since
in his soul matured the desire to assume the monastic form. Visiting
upon a time with his spouse at monasteries in the Sygreian district
(Asia Minor), Theophanes met the perspicacious elder Gregory Stratitios,
who predicted to Theophanes' wife, that her husband would merit
the crown of martyrdom. Awhile later the spouse of Theophanes
was tonsured a nun in one of the monasteries in Bithynia, and
Theophanes accepted monastic tonsure under the monastic elder
Gregory. With the blessing of the elder, Theophanes built a monastery
on the Island of Kalon in the Sea of Marmara and secluded himself
in his cell, being occupied with the transcription of books. And
in this occupation Theophanes attained an high degree of mastery.
Later on the Monk Theophanes founded yet another monastery in
the Sygreian district, at a place called the "Big Settlement",
and became its hegumen. The monk himself took part in all the
monastic tasks and for everyone he gave example by his love for
work and effort. He was granted by the Lord the gift of wonderworking:
he healed the sick and cast out devils. In the year 787 at Nicea
was convened the Seventh OEcumenical Council, which condemned
the heresy of the Iconoclasts. The Monk Theophanes was also invited
to the Council. He arrived dressed in his patch-tattered attire,
but he shone forth by his God-inspired wisdom in affirming the
dogmas of the true Orthodoxy.
At
age 50 the Monk Theophanes fell grievously ill and right up to
his very end he suffered terribly. Situated on his sick-bed, the
monk toiled incessantly: he wrote his work, "The Chronographia",
-- an history of the Christian Church covering the years 285-813.
This work even up into the present has remained an invaluable
source in the history of the Church.
During
the reign of the emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820), when the
saint was already well up into age, the Iconoclast heresy made
a comeback. They demanded of Saint Theophanes that he accept the
heresy, but he firmly refused and was locked up in prison. His
"Big Settlement" monastery was put to the torch. In
prison for 23 days, the holy confessor died (+ 818). After the
death of the impious emperor Leo the Armenian, the "Big Settlement"
monastery was restored and the relics of the holy confessor were
transferred there.
Righteous
Saint Phinehas, grandson of the High-Priest Aaron and son
of the High-Priest Eleazar, was also a priest and zealous in his
service.
When
the Israelites, having been led out from Egypt by the holy Prophet
Moses (Comm.
4 September), were already near to the Promised Land, their
neighbours the Moabites and Midianites were overcome by fear and
envy. Not trusting in their own strength, they decided to resort
to sorcery and they summoned the magician Balaam to put a curse
on the Israelites. But the Lord in a revelation to Balaam announced
His will, and Balaam filled with the Spirit thrice blessed the
People of God (Num. 23-24). Then the Moabites with prodigality
drew the Israelites into the idol-worship of Baal-Peor. God punished
the Jews for their apostasy, and they died by the thousands from
a pestilential plague. Many, beholding the wrath of God, came
to their senses and turned to repentance. At this time a certain
fellow named Zimri, a chief man of the tribe of the Simeonites,
"brought to his brethren a Midianite woman in the sight of
Moses and in the sight of all the community of the sons of the
Israelites, whilst they did weep at the entrance of the tabernacle
of the gathering" (Num. 25: 6). Phinehas, filled with wrath
at the insult to the people, went into Zimri's tent and with a
spear ran through both him and the Midianite woman. "And
said the Lord to Moses: Phinehas... hath averted Mine anger away
from the sons of the Israelites, wherein amongst them having been
zealous for Me; wherefore, I do give unto him Mine covenant of
peace, and it shalt be for him and his descendants a covenant
of eternal priesthood, for that he hath shewn fervour for his
God and made propitiation for the sons of the Israelites"
(Num. 25: 10-13). After this, at the command of God, Righteous
Phinehas went at the head of the Israelite army against the Moabites
and brought chastisement upon them for their impiety and treachery.
After the death of the High-Priest Eleazar, Saint Phinehas was
unanimously chosen as high-priest. The high-priesthood, in accord
with the Divine promise, continued also with his posterity. Saint
Phinehas died well up in age (+ c. 1500 B.C.).
Saintd
Gregory Dialogos, Pope of Rome, was born in Rome in about
the year 540. His grandfather was Pope Felix, and his mother Sylvia
and aunts Tarsilla and Emiliana were likewise enumerated by the
Roman Church to the rank of saints. Having received a most excellent
secular education, he attained to high governmental positions.
And leading a God-pleasing life, he yearned with all his soul
for monasticism. After the death of his father, Saint Gregory
used up all his inheritance on the establishing of six monasteries.
At Rome he founded a monastery in the name of the holy Apostle
Andrew the First-Called, and having exchanged his capacious chambers
for a narrow cell, he accepted there monastic tonsure. Afterwards,
on a commission entrusted to him by Pope Pelagius II, Saint Gregory
lived for a long while in Byzantium. And there he wrote his "Exposition
on the Book of Job". After the demise of Pope Pelagius, Saint
Gregory was chosen to the Roman cathedra-see. But reckoning himself
unworthy, over the course of seven months he would not consent
to accept so responsible a service, and having acceded only through
the entreaties of the clergy and flock, he finally accepted the
consecration.
Wisely
leading the Church, Sainted Gregory worked tirelessly at propagating
the Word of God. Saint Gregory compiled in the Latin language
the rite of the "Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts",
which before him was known of only in the verbal tradition. Affirmed
by the Sixth OEcumenical Council, this liturgical rite was accepted
by all the Orthodox Church.
He
zealously struggled against the Donatist heresy; he likewise converted
to the True Faith the inhabitants of Brittany -- pagans and Goths,
adhering to the Arian heresy.
Saint
Gregory left after him numerous works of writing. And after the
appearance of his book, "Dialogues concerning the Life and
Miracles of the Italian Fathers" ("Dialogi de vita et
miraculis patrum Italiorum"), the saint became called "Dialogus",
i.e. "teaching by dialogue conversations". Particular
reknown was enjoyed by his "Pastoral Rule" (or "Concerning
Pastoral Service" -- "Liber regulae pastoralis").
In this work Saint Gregory describes from every side the model
of the true pastor. There have likewise reached us his letters
(848), comprised of moral guidances.
Sainted
Gregory headed the Church over the course of 13 years, concerning
himself over all the needs of his flock. He was characterised
by an extraordinary love of poverty, for which he was vouchsafed
a vision of the Lord Himself.
Pope
Saint Gregory I the Great, as he is otherwise known, died in the
year 604, and his relics rest in the cathedral of the holy Apostle
Peter in the Vatican.
The
Monk Simeon the New Theologian was born in the year 946 in
the city of Galata (Paphlagonia), and he received the basic secular
education at Constantinople. His father prepared him for a career
at court, and for a certain while the youth occupied an high position
at the imperial court. But at age 25 he felt the draw towards
monastic life, and he fled his house and withdrew to the Studite
monastery, where he entered into obedience under the then reknown
elder Simeon the Reverent. The basic ascetic deed of the monk
was the unceasing Jesus Prayer in its short form: "Lord,
have mercy!" For greater prayerful concentration he constantly
sought out solitude, and even at liturgy he stood separately from
the brethren, and he often remained alone at night in the church;
in order to accustom himself to mindfulness concerning death,
he would spend nights in the graveyard. The fruit of his fervour
was a special condition of ecstasy: in these moments the Holy
Spirit in the form of a luminous cloud descended upon him and
made oblivious to his sight everything surrounding. With time
he attained to a constant high spiritual enlightened awareness,
which was especially evident when he served the Liturgy.
In
roughly the year 980 the Monk Simeon was made hegumen of the monastery
of Saint Mamant and continued in this dignity for 25 years. He
set in order the neglected management of the monastery and restored
order to its church.
The
Monk Simeon combined kindliness with strictness and steadfast
observance of the Gospel commands. Thus, for example, when his
favourite disciple Arsenios killed ravens which were pecking away
at moist bread, the hegumen made him tie the dead birds to a rope,
and wear this "necklace" on his neck and stand in the
courtyard. In the monastery of Saint Mamant for the atoning of
his sin was a certain bishop from Rome, unrepentingly having murdered
his young nephew, and the Monk Simeon assiduously brought him
around to good and spiritual attentiveness.
The
strict monastic discipline, which the Monk Simeon constantly strove
for, led to a strong dissatisfaction amongst the monastic brethren.
One time after liturgy, the particularly irked among the brethren
pounced on him and nearly killed him. When the Constantinople
patriarch expelled them from the monastery and wanted to hand
them over to the city authorities, the monk obtained pardon for
them and aided them to live in the world.
In
about the year 1005, the Monk Simeon handed over the hegumen position
to Arsenios, while he himself settled nearby the monastery in
peace. He composed there his theological works, fragments of which
entered into the 5 volumed "Philokalia" ("Dobrotoliubie").
The chief theme of his works -- is the hidden activity of a spiritual
perfecting, with struggle against the passions and sinful thoughts.
He wrote discursive instructions for monks, -- "Practical
Theological Chapters", "A Tract on Three Forms of Prayers",
and "A Tract on Faith". Moreover, the Monk Simeon was
an outstanding churchly poet. To him belong the "Hymns of
Divine Love" -- about 70 poems, filled with profound prayerful
ponderings.
The
teachings of the Monk Simeon about the new man, about the "divinisation
of the flesh", with which he wanted to replace the teachings
concerning the "mortification of the flesh" (for which
also they termed him the New Theologian), -- were difficult for
his contemporaries to assimilate. Many of his teachings sounded
for them unacceptable and strange. This led to conflict with Constantinople
church authorities, and the Monk Simeon was subjected to banishment.
He withdrew to the coasts of the Bosphorus and founded there a
monastery of Saint Marina.
The
saint reposed peacefully to God in the year 1021. While still
during his life he received a gift of wonderworking. Numerous
miracles occurred also after his death; one of them -- was a miraculous
discovery of his image. His Life (Vita) was written by his cell-attendant
and disciple, the Monk Nikita Stethatos.
The
Holy Nobleborn Georgian Emperor Demetrios the Second, called the
Self-Sacrificed by the people, was descended from the Bagratid
dynasty and was the son of the emperor David V (+ 1269). The Emperor
Demetrios exerted much effort in the enlightening and peaceful
prospering of his land. During his reign were annexed the Armenian
provinces adjacent to it, which roused the displeasure of neighbouring
Persia. But thanks to the wise actions of Saint Demetrios II,
rendered in a series of services to the Persian sultan Akhmed,
a clash with Persia was successfully averted over the course of
some several years.
The
new Persian sultan Argun, however, heeding the complaints of his
court Jewish physician, conceived a strong hatred within him towards
the Orthodox Emperor Demetrios, and he set out with a large army
to the borders of Georgia. Sultan Argun set up his encampment
on the Mugan plain. Holy Emperor Demetrios, wanting to save his
land from being overrun with devastation, came himself into the
camp of the enemy and attempted to assure him of his peaceful
intentions.
The
sultan in an uncontrollable rage offered the saint a choice --
death or the despoiling of Iveria. Saint Demetrios answered the
tyrant: "I shalt sacrifice my life for the welfare of my
subjects". Saint Demetrios was executed (+ 1289). The Georgian
and Armenian historians relate, that several hours after the martyr's
end of Saint Demetrios the sun suddenly darkened and terror overcame
sultan Argun and his army. The Persians in fear quit Georgia,
without wreaking ruin upon it. "The memory of holy emperor
Demetrios, named the Self-Sacrificed by the Iverians, is revered
as holy in the land, which he did save from the tyrant by the
sacrifice of his own life".
The
Lydda Not-Wrought-by-Hand Icon of the Mother of God (in Lydda
on a Pillar): When the holy Apostles Peter (Comm.
29 June and 16
January) and John the Theologian (Comm.
8 May and 26 September) preached about
the Lord Jesus Christ in the city of Lydda (afterwards Diospolis),
not far from Jerusalem, a church in the name of the MostHoly Mother
of God were made there for the newly-converted. Having journeyed
to Jerusalem, the apostles besought the Mother of God to visit
it and by Her presence to consecrate and bless the church. The
All-Pure Virgin replied: "Go in peace, I shalt there be with
ye". Entering into the church, they beheld the beautiful
and wondrous Not-Wrought-by-Hand Image of the MostHoly Mother
of God. Later on, the Mother of God Herself visited the Lydda
church and bestowed upon the image Her especial grace and power.
During
the time of the rule of the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363)
there occurred at Lydda a new miracle. Stone-masons were despatched
into the church to destroy the wonderworking image. However, as
they attempted to chip away at the image, it would not disappear,
but rather receded more and more within the column. News of the
graced image spread throughout all the world. A copy was made
from it, which was conveyed to Rome and which likewise received
miraculous power (Comm. 26 June).
There
existed also another Lydda Not-Wrought-by-Hand Image of the Mother
of God. It was situated in a church built at Lydda by Aeneas,
who had been healed by the Apostle Peter (Acts 9: 32-35). When
the pagans and the Jews wanted to take this church away from the
Christians, the governor gave orders that the church be locked
up for three days, until some sign should appear for resolving
the dispute. And when they opened the church three days later,
they saw within it the Not-Wrought-by-Hand Image of the Mother of
God.
Three
of the Eastern Patriarchs (from Jerusalem, Antrioch and Alexandria)
wrote about both of the Not-Wrought-by-Hand Lydda icons in a Letter
to the Iconoclast emperor Theophilos (829-842). The emperor Constantine
Porphyrogenitos (912-959) spoke about the Letter in an historical
account about the Not-Wrought-by-Hand Image of the Saviour at
Edessa (Comm.
16 August).
The
Memory of 9 Martyrs Perishing in a Fire, and Martyrs Killed by
Soldiers, is likewise to be noted under this day. The date
and place of their martyr's deed is unknown.