ON THIS DATE: From the Prologue to Ohrid/Ochrid

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE THIRD FINDING OF THE HEAD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

In the eighth century, during the bitter violence of iconoclasm, the head of St. John was brought to Comana, the place of exile of St. John Chrysostom. When iconoclasm ended in the year 850 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Michael and the Patriarch Ignatius, the honorable head of St. John was translated to Constantinople and there was placed in the chapel of the imperial court.

1. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR THERAPONTUS, BISHOP OF CYPRUS

Therapontus was a monk and an ascetic on the island of Cyprus. He was found worthy of the episcopal rank, but during the time of the persecution of Christians, he was found worthy of an even greater wreath, the crown of martyrdom. His body reposed in a church on Cyprus. When, during the reign of Emperor Nicephorus in the year 806 A.D., the island of Cyprus was attacked by the Hagarenes, the saint appeared to the sexton of that church and told him that the infidels will attack Cyprus and ordered him to remove his relics to Constantinople. The sexton did this immediately. While the boat was traveling on the sea with the reliquary, a great storm arose but the sea was calm around the boat and a sweet-smelling fragrance emitted around the entire boat in all directions. The sexton opened the reliquary and everyone witnessed that it was filled with myrrh [oil] which flowed from the saint's relics. By rubbing themselves with this oil, many of the sick were healed. A church was built in Constantinople over the relics of this miracle-worker, who continued to grant healing to all those who with faith touched them. By the Grace of God, the gravest illness of possession, of cancer, of hemorrhaging, of insanity, of blindness, of barrenness and of various other maladies were cured by the relics of St. Therapontus.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS PASICRATES, VALENTIAN, JULIUS AND OTHERS

They were all Roman soldiers. They all suffered for Christ in Macedonian Dorostol about the year 302 A.D. When Pansicrates' brother Papian, who apostatized from Christ because of fear, began to persuade him to deny Christ and remain alive, St. Pansicrates answered him: "Depart from me, you are not my brother!" Pansicrates and Valentian were beheaded together. At the trial, St. Julius said: "I am a veteran; for twenty-six years I have faithfully served the emperor and since I was faithful to a lesser one, how can I not be faithful to a greater one?" i.e., to the Heavenly King. After that, Nicander was brought before Maximus the Perfect. Nicander's wife encouraged her husband to die for Christ. "Foolish old woman" Maximus said to her angrily, "You just want a better husband." The woman answered him: "If you think that of me, give the order and let them kill me now before my husband!" Marcian was also slain with Nicander. Marcian's wife approached the scaffold carrying her son in her arms. Marcian kissed his son and prayed to God: "O All-powerful Lord, You take care of him!" Following that, they were beheaded and were translated into the kingdom of Christ.(*)

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT THERAPONTUS

Blessed Therapontus , for Christ suffered,

Two heavenly wreaths, for that he received:

As a hierarch of the Church and courageous martyr;

Still, as a flower unfaded, his body remained,

The sick to heal, and the world to aromatize,

The unfortunate to comfort, the faithful to rejoice.

That, the Lord glorified His glorifier,

Of his rational flock, wonderful shepherd.

And that, the Lord made, that it be known and voiced about,

That a forceful death, does not the saint kill,

But with a wreath crowned him and his name proclaimed

Eternally glorified in both churches.

God's glorifier, Therapontus holy,

And wonderful martyr for Holy Faith,

Help us also for the love of God

By your prayers, before the throne most high!

REFLECTION

Some misguided men think more about the end of the world than the end of their lives even though it is obvious that for him to whom the end of his life comes the end of the world has come. A brother standing before St. Seraphim of Sarov continually kept in his mind how he was going to ask the saint about the end of the world. St. Seraphim discerned his thought and said to him: "My joy! You think highly of the wretched Seraphim. How could I know when the end of the world will be and that great day when the Lord will judge the living and the dead and render to each one according to his deeds will be? No, no, this is impossible for me to know!" And when the saints did not know how will the sinners know? Why should we know, that which the Savior Himself did not find beneficial to reveal to us? It is much better to think that our death will come sooner than the end of the world rather than the end of the world before our death.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of Repentance and Confession:

1. How that Grace, when it touches the heart of the penitent, the penitent sees all the ugliness of his sin and, through tears, washes them away;

2. How that Grace, when the penitent confesses, enters into man as joy into the sorrowful one, as hope into the hopeless one.

HOMILY

About the nearness of the Judge

"Behold, the Judge stands before the door " ( St. James 5:9 ).

Brethren, in one day, you can gain all eternity. And in one day, brethren, you can lose all eternity. You are given thousands of days on earth to determine your own personal eternal salvation or for your own personal eternal damnation. But blessed be a hundred-fold that day in which you repent of all your unclean deeds, unclean thoughts and return to God crying out for mercy! That day will be worth more to you than a thousand other days.

What kind of day is that blessed day? That is a day of self-condemnation. When that day dawns a man who, thus far, judged the entire world, looks all at once and sees himself as the greatest stain on God's world. He becomes ashamed before God, becomes ashamed before every man and becomes ashamed before every created thing of God in the world. Shame begins to burn him as fire. Then he recognizes and confesses: truly, I am the greatest blot in God's world! Truly, all men are better than I! Truly, all things are more pure than I! I am blacker than burned wood and I, until now, thought that I was white! I am uglier than the frogs and, until now, I thought that I was as beautiful as an angel! Lord, Lord, Lord, have mercy on me a sinner and wash me from the mud of sin, so that I can, as much as possible, begin to resemble Your creation!

Brother, do not wait, do not wait for that blessed day of repentance comes by itself. You alone brother, seize firmly the first day that comes to meet you and say: "You are that, my blessed day, by which I will purchase life eternal!" Do not wait, brethren do not wait for " Behold, the Judge stands before the door !" That Judge is the Living Lord Who also created you and, until now, has seen and numbered all of your transgressions. In a day or two, He can draw you to the judgment where you will not have, not even a word of justification. Seize the day! Seize the day of repentance! Seize the day before death has seized you! " Behold, the Judge stands before the door !"

O Lord, awesome and just, prolong the days of the sinner until he repents.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

(*) Philaret thinks that all of these martyrs were Slavs. Refer to: " The Saints of the Southern Slavs ."

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE CARPUS

Carpus was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was a follower and companion of the Apostle Paul by whom he was appointed as bishop of Varna in Thrace. He also preached the Gospel on Crete where he received St. Dionysius the Areopagite in his home. St. Dionysius testifies that Carpus was a man with an exceptionally pure mind, meekness and innocence and that the Lord Jesus, with His angels, appeared to him in a vision and that he never began the Divine Liturgy that he did not have a heavenly vision beforehand. Enduring many assaults for the Name of Christ, he finally suffered at the hands of the unbelieving Jews and was killed and, with his soul, took up habitation in the kingdom of God to delight eternally gazing upon the Lord in glory.

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE ALPHAEUS

Alphaeus was the father of two apostles from among the Twelve: James, the son of Alphaeus and Matthew, the Evangelist. He ended his earthly life peacefully.

1. THE VENERABLE JOHN OF PSYCHAITA

At an early age, he withdrew from the world to the Lavra [monastery] of Psychaita in Constantinople. Here he lived a life of asceticism for many years for the sake of the love of Christ. Because of the veneration of icons, he endured banishment in the eighth century.

1. THE NEO-MARTYR ALEXANDER OF THESSALONICA

This martyr of Christ was born in Thessalonica at the time of the great tyranny of the Turks over this city. As a young man, he was deceived by the Turks and became a Muslim. In the beginning, he did not have any pangs of conscience for such an act and he departed on a pilgrimage with other Muslims and became a dervish. But, as a dervish in Thessalonica, he began to repent bitterly. During his repentance, the thought came to him that he, in no way, can wash away the horrible sin of apostasy from Christ except through his own blood. Therefore, when he repented and decided in favor of martyrdom, he declared himself a Christian before the Turks. The Turks cast him into prison and subjected him to various tortures. But, Alexander only cried out: "I was born a Christian and as a Christian I want to die." Finally, the Turks condemned him to death for which the repentant Alexander greatly rejoiced, recognizing from this condemnation that his sins were forgiven and that God accepted his sacrifice. Alexander was beheaded in Smyrna in the year 1794 A.D., and was glorified in both the heavenly and the earthly Church.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE HOLY APOSTLES

The Holy Apostles , a company small,

With heavenly light, illumined the world.

On the wings of the Spirit, covered the world,

That with the same wings, they would gift to the world.

To palaces, shacks and mountains, they went,

Crossed the sea and on the road [they] perspired;

For them each day, a new battle and suffering was,

Wrestling with the world, battle without moaning.

Each day different, but the thought the same,

Thought on Christ and the vision of Christ.

What sort of day it will be, to them it was all the same,

Either in a palace or in prison to spend the night

Just to uphold Christ, in themselves,

And with Him to quickly cover the earth.

Whatever kind of lunch or dinner, it was all the same,

Only that the Faith, throughout the world shines.

Honors or blows, to them it is all the same,

Only that Christ, over the world reigns.

Over them, winged angels hover

And, as to their own brothers, they rejoiced in them.

Apostles holy , sons of God

Pillars of the Church on the foundation of Christ,

Even now, they labor and build up the Church

Although as suns, in heaven they shine.

REFLECTION

We should not desire the death of a sinner, but his repentance. Nothing grieves the Lord more, Who suffered on the Cross for sinners, then when we pray to Him for the death of a sinner and thereby to remove him from our path. It happened that the Apostle Carpus lost his patience and began to pray that God send down death upon two sinful men; one a pagan and the other an apostate from the Faith. Then the Lord Christ Himself appeared to Carpus and said: "Strike me; I am prepared to be crucified again for the salvation of mankind." St. Carpus related this event to St. Dionysius the Areopagite and he wrote it down and gave it to the Church as a lesson to all, that prayers are needed for sinners to be saved and not for them to be destroyed, " for the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance " ( 2 Peter 3:9) .

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of Holy Communion:

1. How that Grace enlivens the bread and wine;

2. How It changes them into the Body and Blood of Christ.

HOMILY

About the Grace of God

"My Grace is sufficient for you " ( 2 Corinthians 12:9 ).

The Lord did not even spare His apostles from temptations. That is why He gave them Grace! When Satan himself began to malign the Apostle Paul, Paul prayed to God that Satan depart from him. To that, the Lord replied: " My Grace is sufficient for you !" That is, if you need to withstand Satan, for your endurance " My Grace is sufficient for you !" If you need to struggle with Satan, again " My Grace is sufficient for you !" If you wish to defeat Satan, again " My Grace is sufficient for you !" Grace is an all-inclusive weapon. Grace is stronger than all opposition, than all assaults, than all the powers of darkness. Grace is invincible and victorious.

Brethren, that is why we should pray to the Lord to give us His All-powerful Grace. Grace is God within us. Grace is the kingdom of God within us. When the Grace of God is within us, then day is within our souls. And day signifies light, knowledge and fearlessness.

Brethren, we cannot here on earth implore a greater good from God than the Grace of God. If we were to receive the entire universe as a gift, that gift would be less than the Grace of God.

O most abundant Lord, the inexhaustible source of the omnipotent Grace, sprinkle our hardened hearts with Your Grace that we might weep before Your most great goodness and our horrendous ingratitude.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR THERAPONTUS, BISHOP OF SARDIS

Therapontus converted many Hellenes [Greeks] to the Faith of Christ and for that he was cruelly tortured by the pagans through starvation, imprisonment and flogging. Naked, they placed him on the ground and tied him to four dry stumps and whipped him unmercifully until his flesh was ripped from his bones. But the martyr remained alive and those four stumps turned green and grew into tall trees from which many who were ill received healing. Finally, St. Therapontus was slaughtered like a lamb during the reign of Valerian about 259 A.D. and with his soul took up habitation in the kingdom to behold the glory of God in eternity. He suffered honorably in the year 259 A.D.

1. THE HOLY MARTYRS THEODORA AND DIDYMUS

During the reign of the nefarious Emperor Maximilian there lived in Alexandria a virgin Theodora, of noble descent and upbringing. As a Christian, Theodora was brought to trial before the pagans. After a prolonged period of torture for the Faith of Christ, the prince-torturer ordered that she be brought to a place of ill repute and permitted the soldiers to enter and to approach her for the satisfaction of their carnal passions. St. Theodora fervently prayed to God to save her from defilement and while she was praying, a soldier by the name of Didymus came to her and told her that he also is a servant of Christ, dressed her in his military attire and he, in her female attire. Then, he permitted her to leave and he remained in the house of ill repute. Later, he was arrested, brought to trial, admitted that he is a Christian, that he saved Theodora and that he is ready to die for Christ. Didymus was sentenced to death and led to the scaffold. Theodora ran up to him and cried out: "Even though you saved my honor, I did not ask you to save me from death. Yield to me, a martyr's death!"

St. Didymus said to her: "My beloved sister, do not prevent me to die for Christ and, by my blood, to wash away my sins!" Hearing this discussion, the pagans sentenced them both to death and both were beheaded and their bodies incinerated. They honorably suffered and both obtained the wreath of eternal glory in the year 304 A.D. at Alexandria.

1. SAINT DAVID OF GARESJA

David was one of the thirteen fathers of Georgia commemorated on May 7. He was called Garesja because of the wilderness near Tiflis where he lived the ascetical life [from the Georgian gare, outside' and jdoma,to sit']. In his old age, David decided to visit the Holy Land with a few of his disciples. He entrusted the care of the monastery to the Elders Lucian and Dodo and began his journey. When they arrived at a hill from which Jerusalem was visible, David began to weep and said: "How can I be so bold as to walk in the footsteps of the God-man with my sinful feet?" David then told his disciples that they, being more worthy, go to worship at the holy shrines, and he took three stones and began to return. But the Lord would not allow such humility to be hidden from the world and an angel appeared to Elijah the Patriarch of Jerusalem and said to him: "Immediately send for the elder who is returning to Syria. In his possession are three stones. He took with him all the grace of the Holy Land: for him one stone is sufficient for a blessing and the other two should be returned to Jerusalem. That elder is Abba David of Garesja." The patriarch immediately sent men who caught up with the Elder David, took the two stones and released him. That third stone remains, even today, on his tomb and possesses the miraculous power of healing.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT DIDYMUS AND SAINT THEODORA
Didymus beautiful, to his death went

And joyfully chanted psalms.

When the young Theodora , this heard,

From the city, hurried after Didymus ,

With Didymus she debated

And about death, with him was vying:

ODidymus , O my benefactor,

Let them first kill me!

You, my virgin's honor saved

But from me, took the martyr's wreath.

ODidymus , yours the honor and glory,

But this death, let it be mine!

Remove yourself, let me the sword behead!

To that, Didymus to Theodora said:

Theodora virgin, sister of mine,

Here is the fortune about which I have always dreamed!

Here the opportunity for Christ to die,

For you it is enough that a virgin pure you are,

You the Lord serve in purity,

Give to Didymus , God to repay!

His counsel, Theodora does not accept,

Before Didymus , hurries ahead to death.

And a head for beheading, have I,

And I, a soul in need of salvation!

This debate, O most beautiful!

About death, O blessed competition!

But both, one sword can behead:

Twice like lightning, beheaded both

With the heavenly hosts, now numbered

With their prayers, helping us.

REFLECTION

Bodily health is undoubtedly a gift from God. But bodily health is, by no means, the greatest good of this world as many people speak and write about. For whatever kind of bodily health it is, it is transitory; and that which is transitory cannot be called the greatest blessing for man. Intransient values are more precious than transient values, as eternity is more precious than time. Intransient values enter into the framework of the health of the soul. Father John of Cronstadt writes: "Oh, I myself feel, that when I am completely healthy and, when by labor do not exhaust myself, then I am dying in the spirit and there is no kingdom of God within me, then my body controls me and the devil controls the body."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of Holy Communion:

1. How that Grace makes the consecrated bread and wine a living sacrifice of Christ;

2. How It acts within the bread and wine in the same way as It acted within the body of the All-pure One [The Theotokos] at the time of the Incarnation of the Lord.

HOMILY

About the Grace of God revealed throughout the ages

"That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His Grace " ( Ephesians 2:7 ).

With the prophetic gift, the Apostle Paul prophesied about the riches of the Grace which, throughout the ages, will be poured out on the generations of mankind. We who live nearly twenty centuries separated from the apostle can attest to that which the apostle prophesied in ages past. Just as beehives are filled with valuable and honey-bearing bees, so all the centuries from Christ until today are filled with praiseworthy men, virgins and women.

O how abundantly the richness of the Grace of God manifested itself on countless souls who, at first, were sinful and later became holy!

O how abundantly the richness of the Grace of God manifested itself on men and women who were, at first, weak and fearful and after that heroically confessed Christ the Lord and joyfully suffered for Him!

O how abundantly the richness of the Grace of God manifested itself throughout the centuries on the simple and illiterate who, after that, became true wisemen and spiritual generals of the faithful armies of Christ!

Brethren, just think how much more hidden holiness, unrevealed sacrificing, unrecorded heroism, unsung virtues lay hidden in the depths of twenty centuries of Christianity! When all of that is made known, all that which was in the past centuries and in those centuries which will come until the end of time, then will the angels and men be astonished before the unspeakable riches of the Grace of God. Then the Apostle Paul himself will have to cry out: "Even though I was an apostle, nevertheless, my word was too weak to express all the immeasurable richness of the Grace of God which, out of love for man, was proclaimed in the world."

O Most Holy Trinity, our mankind-loving God, uplift our hearts that we continually glorify and praise the exceeding great richness of Your Grace.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. SAINT NICETAS, CONFESSOR AND BISHOP OF CHALCEDON

In his youth, he renounced the world and withdrew to a life of monastic asceticism. Shining with virtues as the sun, he was noticed by the elders of the Church and was elevated to the episcopal throne of Chalcedon. As a bishop, he was especially merciful toward the less fortunate and greatly concerned himself about orphans, widows and the poor. When the evil Leo the Armenian rose up against icons Nicetas courageously stood up in defense of icons denouncing the emperor and explaining the meaning of icons. Consequently, he endured great humiliation, calumny and imprisonment. Finally, he was banished into exile for his confession of faith and in his labors and sufferings presented himself to the Lord to receive the wreath of glory in the kingdom of God.

1. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR HELICONIS

Heliconis was born in Thessalonica and was educated in Christian piety. During the reign of Gordian and Philip, she moved to Corinth where she openly denounced all those who offered sacrifices to the idols. When Perinus the mayor counseled her to offer a sacrifice to the idol Aesculapius, this martyr of Christ said to him: "Hear me, I am a handmaiden of Christ and who Aesculapius is, I do not know. Do with me what you will." For this, she was brought to trial and endured terrible tortures. She was cast into fire and much blood poured from her body which extinguished the fire and she remained alive. She was cast before lions but the lions did not touch her but fawned around her. Admitted into the temple, allegedly to offer sacrifices to the idols, she destroyed the idols, and by this, embittered the torturer even more. Lying wounded in prison, the Lord Himself appeared to her with the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. He healed her wounds, comforted and strengthened her. After that she was led to the scaffold to be beheaded. Before her beheading, Heliconis raised her arms high and prayed that God receive her and unite her with His lambs in the heavenly enclosure. When she completed her prayer, a voice was heard from heaven: "Come daughter, a wreath and a throne is prepared for you!" Finally, she was beheaded and received the wreath of glory from God to Whom, out of love, she sacrificed herself as an innocent and pure lamb.

1. SAINT IGNATIUS OF ROSTOV

As a hierarch, he governed the flock of Christ for twenty-six years with great love and compassion. When he died and as his body was being placed in church, some of those who were present witnessed as his body rose from the coffin into the air above the church and from the heights, he blessed the people and the town. Afterward his body returned to his coffin. Many other miracles appeared over his grave. He presented himself to the Lord on May 28, 1288 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT HELICONIS

Heliconis , courageous martyr,

Pure of soul, most beautiful countenance,

In Corinth, the city of idols

Proclaimed the word about the only God

Corinthians, by darkness deceived,

In demonical bonds, tied

You worship all and all things

But, not the One God Most High!

God is One, the idols are many,

God is One, the devils are many.

One God is the Creator, the Omnipotent,

Of all creation, the good Provider,

He created all, He sustains all

To everything living, He gave the breath of life,

He moves everything with power and wisdom,

Caresses all with divine mercy.

He is the Lord of earth and heaven,

Him only we should worship.

Corinthians wealthy and glorious

Why, in the faith, are you such a nothing?

REFLECTION

Only a proud man is always prepared to equate Christ with other great men. Even though it is obvious at first glance, that great men are one thing and the Lord Christ another, just as creation is one thing and the Creator is another. Christ is not only great but He is the Creator and Source and Inspirer of every true greatness in the history of mankind. Napoleon, one of the transient great men in exile and misery on the island of St. Helena, uttered these words: "Alexander, Caesar, Hannibal, Louis XIV, with all their genius, are nothing. They have conquered the world and were unable to gain one friend. And behold, Christ calls and instantly entire generations are united in a bond closer and stronger than the bond of blood. Christ ignites the fire of love which consumes all egoism and surpasses whatever kind of love you desire."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of Holy Matrimony:

1. How that Grace, during marriage, lawfully sanctifies the physical bond of two human beings for the sake of the procreation of children;

2. How It unites, illumines and strengthens, through love, the union of two souls: husband and wife.

HOMILY

About the power of the Mystery [Sacrament] of Matrimony

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cling to his wife and they shall be one flesh " ( Genesis 2:24 ).

It is God's will that the human race multiply; it is God's artful manner how the human race is being multiplied. It is God's mystery how man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife. To leave your parents does not mean to abandon your parents but rather to become parents yourself. When children become parents, they are no longer only children, but are companions of their parents. When wedded sons learn of the mystery and pain of childbirth, they then respect their parents even more. The marital union can never free a man from having respect and obedience toward his parents. The original commandment of God to honor your parents must be fulfilled. But, according to the natural cycle of things, a man leaves his parents and becomes a parent himself; he becomes a founder of a new future while his parents depart, having completed their role in the world. However, everything is not in "leaving" the parents. By a certain incomprehensible mystery, man clings to his wife and detaches himself from his parents. St. Theodoretus writes: "Christ Himself left his Father on high and united Himself to the Church."

My brethren, matrimony is a great and miraculous mystery, one of the greatest mysteries of God's plan. A pure and honorable marriage is overly replete with sublimeless. A pure and honorable marriage, in the fear of God, is a vessel of the Grace of the Holy Spirit. Whoever disdains marriage disdains the Spirit of God. Whoever defiles marriage with impurity, blasphemes against the Spirit of God. Whoever abstains from marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God must, in a different manner, prepare himself as a vessel of the Holy Spirit and, in the spiritual realm, make himself fruitful in order not to be cut down as the barren fig tree.

O God, Holy Spirit Almighty, assist those who are in the state of matrimony, that in purity, fear and mutual love be as the Church of God in which You joyfully abide and govern all things for good.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. COMMEMORATION OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

The commemoration and praise of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council is held on the Sunday before Pentecost or on the Seventh Sunday after Easter. This Council was held in Nicaea in the year 325 A.D. during the reign of the saintly Emperor Constantine the Great. This Council was convened to eliminate the confusion which Arius, a priest of Alexandria, had created by his false teaching. Namely, he spread the teaching that Christ was created in time by God and that He is not the pre-eternal Son of God, equal in being [essence] with God the Father. Three hundred and eighteen Holy Fathers participated in this Council. The Council condemned the teaching of Arius and Arius, since he refused to repent, was anathematized. The Council finally confirmed the Symbol of Faith [The Creed], which was later augmented at the Second Ecumenical Council [381 A.D.]. Many distinguished saints were present at the First Ecumenical Council among whom the most notable were: St. Nicholas of Myra in Lycia, St. Spyridon, St. Athanasius,

St. Acillus, St. Paphnutius, St. James of Nisibis, Macarius of Jerusalem, Alexander of Alexandria, Eustathius of Antioch, Eusebius of Caesarea, Metrophanes of Constantinople, John of Persia, Aristarchus of Armenia and many others from the East. From the West, the following were present: Hosius of Cordova, Theophilus the Goth, Cecilianus of Carthage and others. The most important work of this Council was the confirmation of the Symbol of Faith [The Creed]. The Council also established the time of the celebration of the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ [Pascha] and issued twenty various canons.

1. THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR THEODOSIA OF TYRE

Once, during the reign of Emperor Maximian, many Christians stood bound before the praetor(*) in Palestinian Caesarea. The pious virgin Theodosia approached, comforted and encouraged them in their martyrdom. Upon hearing what she was saying, the soldiers also led her before the judge. The enraged judge ordered that a stone be hung around her neck and tossed her into the depths of the sea. But angels of God carried her to the shore alive. When she, again, appeared before the judge, he ordered her beheaded. The following night, Theodosia appeared to her parents completely encompassed in a great heavenly light, surrounded by many other virgins who were also saved and said: "Do you see how great is the glory and grace of my Christ which you wanted to deprive me of?" She said that to her parents because they tried to persuade her from confessing Christ and martyrdom. Theodosia suffered honorably and was glorified in the year 308 A.D.

1. THE VENERABLE FEMALE MARTYR THEODOSIA

Theodosia was born as the result of the prayers of her mother to the holy martyr Anastasia who appeared to her and said that she will give birth. Her parents dedicated her to God and at an early age presented her to a convent. After the death of her parents, Thedosia inherited a vast estate, and from that estate, she ordered three icons from a goldsmith: The Savior, The Mother of God [The Theotokos] and St. Anastasia. The rest she distributed to the poor. She suffered in the year 730 A.D. during the reign of the evil Emperor Leo the Isaurian, the iconoclast, and received a two-fold wreath: virginity and martyrdom.

1. SAINT ALEXANDER, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA

Alexander was the first to take up the fight against Arius. He died in the year 326 A.D.

1. SAINT JOHN USTJUZSKI, FOOL FOR CHRIST AND MIRACLE-WORKER

2. THE HOLY MARTYR JOHN [NAN] OF THESSALONICA

John suffered for the Faith at the hands of the Turks in Smyrna in 1802 A.D.

1. THE HOLY MARTYR ANDREW OF CHIOS

Andrew suffered for the Faith at the hands of the Turks in Constantinople in the year 1465 A.D.

1. THE FALL OF THE CITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE

Because of the sins of men, God permitted a bitter calamity to fall upon the capital of Christianity. On May 29, 1453 A.D., Sultan Muhammed II conquered Constantinople and executed Emperor Constantine XI.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE FALL OF THE CITY CONSTANTINOPLE [MAY 29, 1453]

EMPEROR CONSTANTINE XI

Constantine the Emperor, Constantinople bravely defends,

And to God quietly prays, within himself:

O Most-high God Who, from the heavens is looking

And injustice, you do not allow to defeat justice

Christians, against You, greatly sinned

And Your laws, have trampled greatly

Without Your permission, this battle is not

Because of men's sins, this blood sheds.

That this city falls, is it Your will

That they do not surrender, encourage my people,

That the Cross do not trample and to Islam go

But to endure bondage, until a freedom new

Let them servants be, let them even be slaves

Upon them, let hatred and ridicule befall,

But, with hope and repentance, let them endure

And, with bitter sighing, for former sins,

Until their sins, they wash away and every sin, they repay,

And until to You, they completely return.

If they have You, they will be rich,

All plundered treasures, You will replace.

Constantinople on earth, be or not be -

Constantintople in heaven, You established,

Where, with Your servants, you gloriously reign.

Before this Constantinople , behold, even I stand.

O Blessed One, on our sinful soul, have mercy,

When it is built anew, let the old one be razed!

REFLECTION

O how great was the fearlessness of the holy men and holy women! When we read about their lives, both shame and pride is awakened in us unwillingly - shame that we have lagged so far behind them and pride that they are of our Christian race. Neither sickness, nor prison, nor exile, nor suffering, nor humiliation, nor the sword, nor the abyss, nor fire, nor the gallows were able to shake the exalted peace of their souls, firmly attached to Christ, the Helmsman of the universe and human history. When Emperor Julian apostasized from the Faith and began to make waste of Christianity throughout the entire empire, St. Athanasius the Great quietly spoke of him to the faithful: "The cloud will pass!" (Nibiculaest, Transibit). And indeed, that dark cloud quickly passed and Christianity lowered its roots even deeper and spread its branches all the more throughout the world. The weakened wickedness of Julian against Christ was ended after several passing years with Julian's cry: "O Nazarene, You have conquered!" O sons of God, why then should we be afraid of anything from which God our Father is not afraid?

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of Marriage:

1. How that Grace gives a certain dignity to the manner of the procreating of the human race;

2. How It makes matrimony honorable by comparing it to the bonds of Christ with the Church.

HOMILY

About the two-fold mystery of marriage

"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church "( Ephesians 5:32 ).

Great is the mystery when a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife. The apostle himself, who was raised to the third heaven and who saw many mysteries of heaven, calls the physical union of men and women in marriage on earth " a great mystery ." That is the mystery of love and life and only the mystery of Christ's bond with His Church is greater. Christ is called the Bridegroom and the Church, the Bride. Christ loves His Church so much that, because of Her, He left His heavenly Father - remaining with Him, of course, in unity of substance and divinity - and descended to earth and attached Himself to His Church and suffered for Her so that, by His Blood cleanse Her from every sin and spot and make Her worthy to be called His Bride. With His love He warms the Church, with His Blood He feeds the Church, and by His Holy Spirit He causes the Church to live and sanctifies and adorns Her. What a husband is to a wife, so Christ is to the Church. Man is the head of a woman and Christ is the Head of the Church. A husband loves his wife as his own body. A woman listens to her husband and the Church listens to Christ. A husband loves his wife as he loves his own body and Christ loves the Church as His own Body. A husband loves his wife as he loves himself and a wife reveres her husband, and Christ loves the Church as He loves Himself and the Church reveres Christ. Since no one hates his own flesh but rather warms and nourishes it so also Christ warms and feeds the Church as His own Body. And every individual human soul is the bride of Christ the Bridegroom and the assembly of all the faithful is the bride of Christ the Bridegroom. The kind of relationship of a believing man toward Christ so also is the relationship of the entire Church toward Christ. Christ is the Head of that great Body which is called the Church, and which is in part visible and in part invisible.

O my brethren, this is a great mystery! It is revealed to us according to the measure of our love toward Christ and of our fear of Christ's judgment.

O Lord, Gentle Savior cleanse us, save us and adorn our souls that we may be worthy of the immortal and indescribable unity with You in time and in eternity.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

(*) An elected magistrate in ancient Rome ranking below a consul charged with the administration of civil justice.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. VENERABLE ISAAC, THE CONFESSOR

During the reign of Emperor Valens there was a great persecution against Orthodoxy on the part of the Arians which the emperor assisted. Hearing about this persecution a hermit Isaac, somewhere from the east, left the wilderness and came to Constantinople to encourage the right-believers and to denounce the heretics. Precisely at that time, the Emperor Valens departed to the north with his army against the Goths, who had come down from the Danube toward Thrace. Isaac came before the emperor and said to him: "O Emperor, open the churches of the right-believers and God will bless your path." The emperor ignored the elder and proceeded on his way. The following day, Isaac ran out again before the emperor and again he repeated his warning and the emperor almost heeded the elder were it not that a certain advisor of his, a follower of the Arian heresy, prevented him. Isaac ran out before the emperor on the third day, grabbed the emperor's horse by the reins and begged the emperor to grant freedom to the Church of God and threatened him with the punishment of God if he acts contrary to his petition. The enraged emperor ordered that the elder be thrown into a chasm of mud and thorns. But three angels appeared and pulled the elder out of the chasm. The fourth day Isaac came before the emperor and prophesied a terrible death for him if he does not grant freedom to the Orthodox: "I am speaking to you O emperor, you will lead the army against the barbarians but you will not be able to sustain their attack. You will flee from them but you will be captured and burned alive." Thus, it happened. The barbarians cut down the Greek army as grass but the emperor, with his Arianite advisor, fled and hid in a basket. The barbarians arrived at that place and learning where the emperor was, surrounded the basket and set it afire and both the emperor and his advisor were burned alive. Following this, Theodosius the Great was crowned emperor. Theodosius, who heard about the prophecy of Isaac and its fulfillment, summoned Isaac and prostrated himself before him. Since peace reigned in the Church and the Arians banished into exile, Isaac wanted to return to his wilderness but was persuaded and remained in Constantinople. An aristocrat, Saturninus by name, built a monastery for the Elder Issac where he lived a life of asceticism until his death, working many miracles. The monastery overflowed with monks and became a great monastery. Before his death, Isaac appointed Dalmatus, his disciple, as abbot after whom this monastery was later called. The god-pleasing Elder Isaac entered into eternity in the year 383 A.D., to find pleasure in gazing at the face of God.

1. SAINT MACRINA

Macrina was the grandmother of St. Basil the Great. She was wonderful in mind and in her piety. She was a disciple of St. Gregory Neo-Caesarea the miracle worker. During the reign of Diocletian, Macrina abandoned her home and, with her husband Basil, hid themselves in the forests and wilderness. Their property was confiscated but they did not grieve over it. Deprived of everything except their love for God, they settled in a primeval forest where they spent seven years. By God' providence, goats descended from the mountains and offered themselves to them and so they were nourished. They both died peacefully in the fourth century following great suffering for the Faith of Christ.

HYMN OF PRAISE

VENERABLE ISAAC, THE CONFESSOR

Isaac , as the Prophet Isaiah

By virtue shines, similar to the sun,

The emperor he begs, the evil emperor he threatens,

Because, the great God he defies:

Against whom did you rise up O my emperor

Desolate, your kingdom will remain,

Because, against the Most-high God, you do wage war,

Under his feet, dust and ashes!

With an army, against the cruel barbarians, you set out

In your power, O emperor you hope!

To a little ant, your power is similar,

Whoever is with God, the true power has.

Your foot started out in two wars:

Against God and against men.

With poor men, everything will be easy,

But, make peace with the invincible God.

To Orthodoxy adhere, heresy reject,

For the cruel fire will fry you.

Fire here and over there fire,

Shamefully, both worlds you will forfeit.

The warning of the saint, the emperor does not heed,

Into battle entered; God he did not mention.

Into battle entered; from battle did not return -

As an odius smell, Valens was and passed.

And God, His Church freed,

And Isaac , of Paradise was made worthy.

REFLECTION

The Word of God is food for the soul. The Word of God is both power and light for the soul. He who reads the Word of God gives food, power and light to his soul. He who can, should read the Word of God in Holy Scripture and he who cannot should listen to him who reads Holy Scripture. All the saints emphasized the benefit of reading Holy Scripture. St. Seraphim of Sarov says: "The soul should be provided with the Word of God for the Word of God, as Gregory the Theologian says, is the bread of angels which feeds the soul that is hungry for God. But, above all, one should read the New Testament and the Psalter. From this proceeds illumination of the mind... It is very beneficial to read the Word of God in solitude and to read the entire Bible with understanding. For such a practice, above other good deeds, the Lord gives His mercy to man and fills him with the gift of understanding. When man provides his soul with the Word of God then he is filled with understanding of what is good and what is evil."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of the Priesthood [Holy Orders - Ordination]:

1. How that Grace sanctifies, illumines and enables a man for the service of shepherd and teacher;

2. How It empowers and fully empowers the priest for the performing of the other Mysteries.

HOMILY

About the Mystery of Ordination

"And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them " ( Acts of the Apostles 6:6 ).

By laying their hands on the chosen faithful, the apostles consecrated bishops, priests and deacons. It is apparent from this that the Christian Faith is not only a teaching, but also a power. It is not only necessary to know but also to have power. It is not only necessary to be chosen by men but you should be confirmed by God. If power were not necessary for the priestly vocation, neither would the laying on of hands be necessary, but only the teaching from mouth to ear. The laying on of hands, therefore, signifies the transferring of authority and bringing down power on the chosen one. The power is in the Grace of God Who strengthens man, sanctifies and illumines him. Truly, the Grace of God is that which teaches, leads, shepherds and through the Mysteries [Sacraments] strengthens the flock of Christ. A priest is the vessel of this inexpressible, awesome and all sufficient power of Grace. Blessed is that priest who understands what kind of precious treasury he has become! Blessed is he if the fear of God does not leave him day and night until his last breathe! There is no greater honor on earth, no greater responsibility than the calling of the priestly service. By the laying on of hands by the bishop, the priest has come into contact with the heavenly and eternal source of Grace and with the authority of the apostles. By that, the priest has become a companion in Grace and co-celebrant with all the Orthodox priests from apostolic times until today with the great hierarchs, with the countless number of saints, confessors, miracle-workers, ascetics and martyrs. He is gently adorned by their dignity but he is burdened by their merits, their examples and their reproaches.

O my brethren, great and most great is the shepherd over Christ's spiritual flock. He is responsible to pray to God for all and all the faithful are required to pray to God for him.

O Lord, Supreme Hierarch, sustain the Orthodox priests in strength, in wisdom, in purity, in zeal, in meekness and in every apostolic virtue by the Grace of Your Holy Spirit.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

[尼古拉前执事]

1. THE HOLY APOSTLE HERMAS

Hermas was one of the Seventy Apostles. He is mentioned in the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. " Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes and the brethren which are with them " ( Romans 16:14) . Hermas was a Greek by birth but lived in Rome for a long time. He was a bishop in Philippoupolis and ended his life as a martyr. He compiled a very instructive book called "The Shepherd" according to revelations from an angel of God. Hermas was a wealthy man but because of his sins and the sins of his sons, he fell into extreme poverty. Once while in prayer, a man appeared to him in white raiment with a staff in his hand and told him that he is an angel of repentance who was sent to be with him until the end of his life. The angel gave him twelve mandates:

1. Believe in God;

2. To live in simplicity and innocence; do not speak evil and give alms to all who beg;

3. Love truth and avoid falsehood;

4. Preserve chastity in your thoughts;

5. Learn patience and generosity;

6. To know that with every man, there is a good and an evil spirit;

7. To fear God and not to fear the devil;

8. To do every good and to refrain from every evil deed;

9. To pray to God from the depth of the soul with faith that our prayer will be fulfilled;

10. To guard against melancholy as the sister of doubt and anger;

11. To question true and false prophecies;

12. To guard against every evil desire.

13. THE HOLY MARTYR HERMEAS

Hermeas grew old as an imperial soldier and in his old age suffered for Christ the King. Since the evil judge tried in vain to dissuade him from the Faith of Christ and counseling him to offer sacrifices to the idols, the judge then gave orders that his teeth be knocked out with a stone and the skin peeled from his face with a knife. After that they threw him into a fiery furnace but, by the Grace of God, he was saved and stood up. Following that, by order of the judge he drank a bitter poison which was given to him by a magician, but the poison did him no harm. Witnessing this, the magician was so amazed that he openly confessed Christ for which he was immediately beheaded. Afterwards, they gouged out both of Hermeas' eyes but he did not grieve and cried out to the judge: "Take for yourself these bodily eyes that gaze upon the vanity of the world. I have eyes of the heart by which I clearly see the light of the truth." He was hung then by the feet upside down and those who did this to him were blinded and staggered around him. St. Hermeas beckoned them to come to him, laid his hands on them and, by prayer to the Lord, restored their sight. Witnessing all of this, the judge became as enraged as a lion, drew a knife and severed the head of this godly-man. Christians secretly removed the body of Hermeas and honorably buried it. His relics gave healing to all the sick and to the afflicted. St. Hermeas suffered in the year 166 A.D., during the reign of Emperor Antoninus.

1. THE HOLY MARTYR PHILOSOPHUS

This martyr of Christ was born in the vicinity of Alexandria. During the time of the persecution of Christians, St. Philosophus did not want to deny Christ the Lord before the pagan princes and judges. For that, the pagans subjected him to violent tortures. Since he was tortured in various ways, they finally placed him on a soft bed, tied his legs and hands and permitted an immoral woman to come to him and to lure him into sin. When St. Philosophus sensed that the sin of passion was being aroused in him from the touch of the woman's hand, he placed his tongue between his teeth, bit if off and spit it in the face of the depraved one. Because of that, the passion subsided in him and the immoral woman was so horrified that she immediately fled from him. He was beheaded after that about the year 252 A.D. in his youth and took up habitation in the kingdom of eternal youth.(*)

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT HERMEAS AND THE MAGICIAN

The old and evil magician, poisoner and liar,

In everything very small, but great in fear,

Bitter poison, to the holy Hermeas , he gave,

From this poison, even the serpents would hide!

Hermeas , the poison drank: death did not claim him,

And the old magician, saw and trembled all over,

O that wonderful miracle, aloud he cried out,

Over the soldier of God, the poison has no power!

Let be hidden, the darkened days of my life,

Let be erased, the years of my shameful life!

To dumb deceits, my entire life I dedicated,

My entire life, in the service of these idols dumb.

And just today, in great fear, I see:

The One and the True God, the God of Hermeas is.

Crucified as Christ, the Lord from the heavens

His only, are the miracles truthful.

From now on, Christ's I am: O Christ, forgive me

For the least servant, You, O Good One, receive me.

Forgive me my all too many sins, forgive me,

For You, I will sacrifice, body and lifeless bones!

Bitterly repentant, that, the elder uttered,

At once cleansed, of falsehood and fears,

Among Christians, himself, he openly numbered

The sword over him flashed and with blood, baptized him.

REFLECTION

This life is a spiritual struggle. To conquer or to be defeated! If we conquer, we will enjoy the fruits of victory throughout all eternity; if we are defeated, we will endure the horrors of destruction throughout all eternity. This life is a duel between man and all that is contrary to the Divine. God is an Almighty ally to all who sincerely call upon Him for help. "This life is not a joke or a play thing," says Father John of Cronstadt, "but men turn it into a joke and plaything. But the capricious play around with time given to us for preparing for eternity, play around with empty words. They gather together as guests, they sit and chatter and after that they sit and play in this way or the other way; they gather in theatres and there they entertain themselves. All life for them is an amusement. But, woe unto them who are only entertaining themselves."

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Grace of God the Holy Spirit in the Mystery [Sacrament] of Holy Unction [Anointing with Oil]:

1. How that Grace works through sanctified oil;

2. How according to prayer and faith, It heals every illness and every infirmity.

HOMILY

About the Mystery [Sacrament] of Holy Unction [Anointing with Holy Oil]

"...And anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them " ( St. Mark 6:13 ).

The holy apostles did this and it is commanded that we do the same. The Apostle James writes to us: " Is there any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him " ( St. James 5: 14-15 ). You need not call anyone except the priests, the elders of the church; you need not anoint him in any other name except the Name of the Lord, so that it will not appear as witchcraft. No one will be able to raise him except the Lord Himself nor can any other forgive his sins except the One Lord. Why oil and not something else? Because it is commanded and so that we may show obedience and faith. Why is it commanded that we baptize with water and anoint [Chrismate] with oil [myrrh] and communicate with bread and wine? That is God's choice and God's prudence and ours is to believe and to obey. Various elements are used in the different Mysteries [Sacraments], but the Grace of God is one as our Lord is one and everything is from the Lord. Why does our Lord need some materials in order to pour out His Grace upon us? The Lord does not need the material but we do as long as we are material, we need material. Condescending to our weakness, the Lord uses matter. To the incorporeal angels, He gives Grace in an incorporeal manner.

Oil alone is helpless of itself as every other material is helpless of itself, but the Grace of God is All-powerful. Through oil, the Lord gives the Grace of His Holy Spirit and that Grace heals the sick, raises the infirm and restores sanity to the insane.

O my brethren, how inexpressible is God's goodness! What did not God do for us? And what more could we possibly desire? He knew all of our needs beforehand and, for all of them, He foresaw the cures in advance. He only seeks from us that we believe in Him and fulfill His prescriptions. Is it not insolent and shameful that we more often conscientiously follow the instructions of physicians, mortal men such as we are, and neglect the prescriptions of the Immortal God?

O All-good Lord, melt our stony hearts by the power of Your Grace so that before the hour of our death, we may show indebted thanksgiving toward You: toward You O our All-good and our All-wise God!

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

(*) In the Greek Prologue, Philosophus is commemorated on May 1.