From
this time, all the further life of Saint Dimitri was devoted
to the fulfilling of this ascetic work, grandiose in its scope.
The work demanded an enormous exertion of strength, since it
necessitated the gathering and analysing of a multitude of various
sources and to expound them in a fluent language, worthy of
the lofty subject of exposition and at the same time accessible
to all believers. Divine assist did not abandon the saint over
the course of his twenty year labour. According to the testimony
of Saint Dimitri himself, his soul was filled with impressions
of the saints, which strengthened him both in spirit and body,
and they encouraged faith in the felicitous completion of his
noble task. And at the same time as this, the Monk Dimitri was
head of several monasteries (in succession). The
works of he ascetic brought him to the attention of Patriarch
Adrian. In 1701, by ukaz-decree of tsar Peter I, Archimandrite
Dimitri was summoned to Moscow, where on 23 March at the Uspensky-Dormition
cathedral of the Kremlin he was ordained Metropolitan to the
Siberian cathedra-seat of the city of Tobol'sk. But after a
certain while, because of the importance of his scientific work
and the frailty of his health, the saint received a new appointment
to Rostov-Yaroslavl', whither on 1 March 1702 he arrived in
the capacity of Metropolitan of Rostov. Just
as before, he continued to be concerned about the strengthening
of the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church, weakened by the
Old Ritualist schism. In
his inspired works and preachings many a generation of Russian
theologians drew spiritual strength for creativity and prayer.
For all Orthodox Christians he remains an example of a saintly,
ascetic, non-covetous life. At his death, 28 October 1709, they
found with him but few possessions, except for books and manuscripts. The
enumeration of Saint Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov, to the
ranks of the Saints was made on 22 April 1757. Celebration to
him is made likewise on 21 September, on the day of the uncovering
of relics. The
Monk Job, Hegumen of Pochaev and Wonderworker (in the world
named Ivan Zhelezo), was born in the mid 15th Century in Pokut'a
in Galicia. At age 10 he came to the Transfiguration Ugornitsk
monastery, and at age 12 he accepted monasticism. The Monk Job
from his youth was known for his great piety and strict ascetic
life, and early he was accounted worthy of the priestly dignity.
In around the year 1580, at the request of the reknown champion
of Orthodoxy prince Konstantin of Ostrozhsk, the Monk Job headed
the Cross-Exaltation monastery near the city of Dubno, and for
more than 20 years he governed the monastery amidst the setting
of the growing persecution of Orthodoxy on the part of the Catholics
and Uniates. At the beginning of the XVII Century the Monk Job
withdrew to Pochaev hill and settled in a cave not far from
the ancient Uspenie-Dormition monastery, famed for its wonderworking
Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. The holy hermit, beloved
by the brethren of the monastery, was chosen as their hegumen.
The Monk Job zealously fulfilled his duty as head of the monastery,
kind and gentle with the brethren, he himself did much of the
work, planting trees in the garden, and strengthening the waterworks
at the monastery. And in taking an active part in the defense
of Orthodoxy and the Russian people, the Monk Job was present
at the 1628 Kiev Sobor-Council, convened against the Unia. After
1642, the Monk Job accepted the great schema with the name Ioann. Sometimes
he completely secluded himself within the cave for three days
or even a whole week. The Jesus Prayer was an unceasing doing
of his gentle heart. According to the testimony of his student
and author of the Vita-Life of the Monk Job, Dosithei, once
during the time of prayer the cave of the monk was illumined
by an heavenly light. The Monk Job reposed in the year 1651,
at over age 100, having directed the Pochaev monastery for more
than fifty years. On 8 August 1659 occurred the glorification
of the Monk Job. The
Holy Martyress Paraskeva, lived during the 3rd Century
at Iconeum in a rich and pious family. The parents of the saint
reverenced especially the day of the Passion of the Lord --
Friday, and therefore they called their daughter Paraskeva this
name, since she had been born on a Friday-Piatnitsa, and the
name Paraskeva in Slavic translation from the Greek means also
-- Piatnitsa-Friday. Young
Paraskeva with all her heart loved purity and the lofty morality
of the virginal life, and she took a vow of celibacy. She wanted
to devote all her life to God and to the enlightenment of pagans
with the light of the faith of Christ. Upon this righteous path
Saint Paraskeva was brought to judgement, bearing in her own
name the memory of the day of the terrible Sufferings of Jesus,
and she shared in the Passion of Christ also in her own life
through her bodily torments. Because of her confession of the
Orthodox faith, the pagans in a frenzy seized hold of her and
brought her to the city governor. Here they demanded that she
offer unholy sacrifice to the pagan idol. With a steady heart,
and trusting on God, the saint refused this demand. For this
she underwent great torments: having tied her to a tree, the
torturers tore at her pure body with iron nails, and then exhausted
by the torture, they threw her into prison, all lacerated to
the bone. But God did not forsake the holy sufferer, and miraculously
healed her torn body. Not heeding this Divine miracle, the executioners
continued with their torture of Saint Paraskeva, and finally,
they cut off her head. Saint
Paraskeva-Piatnitsa has always enjoyed an especial love and
veneration amongst the Orthodox people. With her memory is associated
many a pious custom and observance. In the ancient Russian mesyatseslovs
with Saints-Lives, the name of the martyress is inscribed thus:
"Saint Paraskeva, also called Piatnitsa". Churches
in the name of Saint Paraskeva in antiquity were given the name
Piatnitsa. Small wayside chapels received of old in Rus' the
name-form Piatnitsa. The simple Russian people called the Martyress
Paraskeva variously Piatnitsa, Piatina, Petka. The icons of
Saint Paraskeva were especially venerated and embellished by
our forefathers. Russian iconographers usually depicted the
martyress as an austhere ascetic, tall of stature, with a radiant
crown upon her head. Icons of the saint guard over pious and
happy households. By Church belief, Saint Paraskeva -- is protectress
of fields and cattle. Therefore on the day of her memory it
was the custom to bring fruit to church for blessing, which
as a blest object was kept until the following year. Moreover,
Saint Paraskeva is prayed to for protection of cattle from disease.
Saint Paraskeva is likewise an healer of people from grievous
illness of both body and soul. Saint
Arsenius, Archbishop of Serbia, spent a large part of his
life as a monk at the Zhich monastery. Because of his strict
ascetic life, in 1223 he was ordained Archbishop of Serbia.
After thirty-three years of wisely guiding his flock Saint Arsenius
expired to the Lord in the year 1266. His relics rest at the
Pech monastery. The
Monk Stephanos Savvaites, Composer of Church Canons, asceticised
at the Laura of Saint Sava in Palestine in the IX Century. His
memory is celebrated also on 13
July. The
Priestmartyr Neophytes, Bishop of Urbnissa, was formerly
a Persian military commander named Omar, and he participated
in the invasion of Georgia by sultan Akhmet. Having made his
way with an advance company to the Shiomgvim monastery, Omar
saw there through Divine Providence a multitude of Angels over
the monastery, and in the midst of them a monastic elder --
Saint Zhio. Struck by the beauty of the Shiomgvim monastery,
Omar did not touch the monastery, but he carried away with himself
the desire to become a monk there. After some while he actually
did return to the Shiomgvim monastery, accepted holy Baptism
and was tonsured with the name Neophytes, which means "neophyte,
newly-converted". Saint
Neophytes began from this time a fervent ascetic life and acquired
many a gift of God. He even became head of the monastery, and
the fame of his like-angelic life spread throughout all Georgia.
Katholikos Samuel IV (582-591) summoned him from the monastery
and elevated him to the Urbnissa cathedra-seat. The
pagans and fire-worshippers, whose false teachings Saint Neophytes
was zealous in uprooting, decided to kill him. Bursting into
the bishop's residence, where there came upon Saint Neophytes
at prayer, the pagans seized hold of him, dragged him out and
gave him a martyr's death by stoning, similar to how at one
time pagans had murdered the FirstMartyr Stephen by stoning.
This happened in the year 587. The body of the saint a certain
while later was conveyed to Shiomgvim monastery and put beneathe
the altar-table of the cathedral church. The
Georgian Church celebrates the memory of the Priestmartyr Neophytes,
Bishop of Urbnissa, likewise on 28 October. The
Monk John Khozebites, Bishop of Caesarea: The account about
him is located under 3
October. The
Holy Martyrs Terence and Neonilla and their children: Sarbilus,
Fotus, Theodulus, Hierax, Nitus, Vilus and Eunicius suffered
a martyr's end during a persecution of Christianity under the
emperor Decius (249-250). They zealously confessed Christ and
denounced idolatry. For this the pagans subjected the entire
Christian family to terrible tortures and torments, but failed
to get them to renounce the true faith. The holy martyrs finally
were beheaded. The
Priestmartyr Kyriakos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, was that
selfsame Jew, who pointed out to the holy Empress Helen the
place where the Life-Creating Cross of Christ lay buried (Comm
14 September). Being present at the discovery of the Cross,
Kyriakos (before Baptism he had the name Jude) sincerely came
to believe in Christ -- the True God, and he became a Christian.
Kyriakos later because of his pure and virtuous life was chosen
and elevated to be Patriarch of Jerusalem. During
the time of the cruel persecution under Julian the Apostate,
in the year 363, Saint Kyriakos accepted suffering for the faith.
After prolonged tortures he was killed. Saint
Athanasias, Patriarch of Constantinople: The account about
him is located under 24
October.
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