The Hieromartyr Hermogenes Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus,\u2019 was descended from the Don Cossacks. In the testimony of the Patriarch himself, he was priest in the city of Kazan at a church, near the Kazan bazaar, in the name of Saint Nicholas (Comm. 6 December and 9 May). Soon he became a monk and from 1582 was archimandrite of the Saviour-Transfiguration monastery at Kazan. On 13 May 1589 he was ordained bishop and became the first Kazan metropolitan.
During the service of His Holiness the Patriarch at Kazan there occurred the appearance and discovery of the Wonder-Working Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the year 1579. Being then still only a priest, but with the blessing of the then Kazan archbishop Jeremii, he carried the newly-appeared icon from the place of its discovery to the Church of Saint Nicholas. Having remarkable literary talent, the saint himself in 1594 compiled an account about the appearance of the wonderworking icon and the miracles accomplished through it. In 1591 the saint gathered newly-baptised Tatars into the cathedral church and during the course of several days instructed them in the faith.
In 1592 there was the transfer of relics of Saint German, the second archbishop of Kazan (Comm. 25 September, 6 November, and 23 June), who had died at Moscow on 6 November 1567 during the time of a pestilential plague, and buried in Saint Nicholas Church. With the blessing of Patriarch Job (1589-1605), Saint Ermogen made the re-burial at the Sviyazhsk Uspenie monastery. On 9 January 1592 Saint Ermogen directed a letter to Patriarch Job, in which he stated that at Kazan there was celebrated no particular remembrance of the Orthodox soldiers, who gave their life for the Faith and Fatherland beneath Kazan, and he petitioned to establish an assigned day of memory. At the same time he reported about three martyrs who had suffered at Kazan for their faith in Christ,\u2014one of which was a Russian by the name of John (Comm. 24 January) born at Nizhny Novgorod and captured by the Tatars, while the other two,\u2014Stephen and Peter (Comm. 24 March) were newly-converted Tatars. The saint expressed regret that these martyrs were not inserted into the synodikon read on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, and that memory eternal was not sung for them. In answer to Saint Ermogen, the Patriarch issued an ukaz (decree) of 25 February, which decreed:\u2014\u201dfor all the Orthodox soldiers, killed at Kazan and the Kazan surroundings, to celebrate at Kazan and throughout all the Kazan metropolitanate a panikhida on the Saturday following the (1 October) feastday of Pokrov * Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God, and to inscribe them in the great synodikon read on the Sunday of Orthodoxy,\u201d and ordered to inscribe in the synodikon also the three Kazan martyrs, entrusting to Saint Ermogen to set the day of their memory. Saint Ermogen circulated the Patriarchal ukaz throughout his diocese, adding, that in all the churches and monasteries they should celebrate liturgy and panikhida for the three Kazan martyrs and should remember them also at litya and liturgy on 24 January. Saint Ermogen displayed zeal in the faith and firmness in the observance of church traditions, and he concerned himself with the enlightening of Kazan Tatars by the faith of Christ.
In 1595, with the active participation of the saint there occurred the discovery and opening of the relics of the Kazan Wonderworkers: Saint Gurii, the first archbishop of Kazan (Comm. 4 October, 5 December, 20 June), and Saint Varsonophii bishop of Tver\u2019 (Comm. 4 October, 11 April). Tsar Feodor Ioannovich (1584-1598) had given orders to erect at the Kazan Saviour-Transfiguration monastery a new stone church on the place of the first one, wherein the saints were buried. When the graves of the saints were discovered, Saint Ermogen came with a gathering of clergy, he commanded the graves to be opened and, having beheld the undecayed relics and garb of the saints, he notified the Patriarch and the tsar. With the blessing of Patriarch Job and by order of the tsar, the relics of the newly-appeared wonderworkers were placed in the new church. Saint Ermogen himself compiled the lives of Saint-hierarchs Gurii and Varsonophii.
Having been deigned the arch-pastoral position\u2014metropolitan Ermogen was chosen to the arch-hierarchical cathedra (chair), and on 3 July 1606 he was elevated to the assemblage * sobor of sainted-hierarchs upon the Patriarchal throne at Moscow Uspensky (Dormition) cathedral. Metropolitan Isidor handed the Patriarch the staff of Saint-hierarch Peter, Moscow WonderWorker (Comm. 5 October, 21 December, 24 August), and the tsar gave as a gift to the new Patriarch a panagia, embellished with precious stones, a white klobuk and staff. In the ancient manner Patriarch Ermogen made his entrance upon a donkey.
The activity of Patriarch Ermogen co-incided with a difficult period for the Russian state\u2014the incursion of the imposter the False-Dimitrii and the Polish king Sigismund III. The arch-hierarch devoted all his powers to the service of the Church and the Fatherland. Patriarch Ermogen was not alone in this exploit: his self-sacrificing fellow-countrymen copied his example and assisted him. With an especial inspiration His Holiness the Patriarch stood up against the traitors and enemies of the Fatherland, who wanted to install Uniatism and Western Catholicism in Russia and to wipe out Orthodoxy, while enslaving the Russian nation. When the imposter arrived at Moscow and settled himself at Tushino, Patriarch Ermogen dispatched two missives to the Russian traitors. In one of them he wrote: \u201c\u2026You have forgotten the vows of our Orthodox faith, in which we are born, baptised, nourished and raised, ye have violated the oath and the kissing of the cross to stand to the death for the house of the Most Holy Mother of God and for the Moscow realm, but have fallen for your false would-be tsarlet\u2026 My soul aches, my heart is sickened, all within me agonises, and all my frame doth shudder; I weep and with sobbing I lament: have mercy, have mercy, brethren and children, on your own souls and your parents departed and living\u2026 Consider, how our Fatherland is devastated and plundered by foreigners, who offer insult to the holy icons and churches, and how innocent blood is spilled, crying out to God. Think, against whom do ye take up arms: is it not against God, Who hath created you? Is it not against your own brothers? Do ye not devastate your own Fatherland?\u2026 I adjure you in the Name of God, give up your undertaking, there is yet time, that ye perish not at the end.\u201d In the second gramota * document the Arch-hierarch appeals: \u201cFor the sake of God, come to your senses and turn round, gladden your parents, your wifes and children; and we stand to pray God for you\u2026\u201d
Soon the righteous judgement of God was realised upon the Tushino thief: a sad and inglorious fate befell him just as it did his predecessor [another false-Dimitrii];\u2014he was killed by his own close associates on 11 December 1610. But Moscow continued to remain in peril, since in it were situated the Poles and traitor-boyars, having made betrayal to Sigismund III. The gramoti * documents, dispatched by Patriarch Ermogen throughout the cities and villages, exhorted the Russian nation to liberate Moscow from the enemies and to choose a lawful Russian tsar. The Muscovites raised up a rebellion, in answer to which the Poles burned the city, and shut themselves up within the Kremlin. Together with Russian traitors they forcefully seized hold of Patriarch Ermogen from the patriarchal throne and imprisoned him in the Chudov monastery under guard. On Bright Monday in 1611 the Russian militia approached Moscow and began the seige of the Kremlin, which continued for several months. Besieged within the Kremlin, the Poles many a time sent messengers to the Patriarch with the demand that he order the Russian militia to leave the city, threatening for refusal a death by execution. The saint firmly replied: \u201cWhat are your threats to me? Only God do I fear. If all of you, Lithuanian people, go from the Moscow realm , I shall bless the Russian militia to go from Moscow, but if ye remain here, I shall bless all to stand against you and to die for the Orthodox faith.\u201d While still in prison, the Priest-martyr Ermogen turned with a final missive to the Russian nation, blessing the liberating army against the invaders. The Russian commanders could not come to an agreement over a way to take the Kremlin and free their Arch-hierarch. He languished more than nine months in dreadful confinement, and on 17 February 1612 he died a martyr\u2019s death from starvation.
The liberation of Russia, for which Saint Ermogen stood with such indestructible valour, was successfully concluded by the Russian nation. The body of the Priest-martyr Ermogen was buried in the Chudov monastery, but in 1654 was transferred to the Moscow Uspenie cathedral. The glorification of Patriarch Ermogen into the rank of Saint-hierarchs occurred on 12 May 1913.
"}, "rank": 4, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "O foremost hierarch of the Russian land and tireless advocate for it before God, laying down thy life for the Faith of Christ and thy flock, thou didst deliver thy land from ungodliness. Wherefore, we cry aloud unto thee: Save us by thy supplications, O hieromartyr Hermogenes our father!
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "4"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "Wasting away in imprisonment and starvation, thou didst remain faithful even unto death, O blessed Hermogenes, driving faintheartedness from the hearts of thy people and calling all to the common struggle. Wherefore, thou didst set at nought the rebellion of the ungodly and make our land steadfast, that all might cry out to thee: Rejoice, O helper of the Russian land!
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "6"}}}}, "805": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable George the Confessor, Metropolitan of Mitylene (\u2020 after 820)", "short": "Venerable George"}, "rank": 1}, "807": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Calliopius at Pompeiopolis in Cilicia (\u2020 304)", "short": "Martyr Calliopius"}}, "808": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Rufinus the Deacon, the Martyr Aquilina and 200 Soldiers with them (\u2020 c. 310)", "short": "Martyr Rufinus"}}, "811": {"name": {"nominative": "Apostles of the Seventy Herodion (Rodion), Agabus, Asyncritus, Rufus, Phlegon and Hermes (1st C)", "short": "Apostles of"}, "rank": 1}, "812": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch Celestine, Pope of Rome (\u2020 432)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}}, "813": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Ephraim, Abbot and Wonderworker of Torzhok (Novy Torg) (\u2020 1053)", "short": "Venerable Ephraim"}}, "814": {"name": {"nominative": "Translation of the relics of the Venerable Ephraim, Abbot of Perekop, Novgorod (1545)", "short": "Translation of"}, "rank": 3}, "815": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Ephraim of the Kiev Caves, Bishop of Pereyaslavl (\u2020 c. 1098)", "short": "Venerable Ephraim"}}, "817": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Ephraim the Syrian (\u2020 c. 373-379)", "short": "Venerable Ephraim"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk Ephraim the Syrian, a teacher of repentance, was born at the beginning of the IV Century (his precise year of birth is unknown) in the city of Ninevah (Mesopotamia) into the family of impoverished toilers of the soil. His parents raised their son in piety. But from the time of his childhood he was known for his quick temper and irascible character, and in his youth he often had fights, he acted thoughtlessly, and even doubted of God\u2019s Providence, until he finally recovered his senses from the Lord\u2019s doing, guiding him on the path of repentance and salvation. One time he was unjustly accused of the theft of a sheep and was thrown into prison. And there in a dream he heard a voice, calling him to repentance and rectifying his life. After this, he was acquitted of the charges and set free.
Within Ephraim there took place a deep repentance. The youth withdrew outside the city and became an hermit. This form of Christian asceticism had been introduced at Ninevah by a disciple of the Monk Anthony the Great,\u2014the Egyptian Wilderness-Dweller Eugenios (Eugene).
Among the hermits especially prominent was the noted ascetic, a preacher of Christianity and denouncer of the Arians, the bishop of the Ninevah Church, Saint James (Comm. 13 January). The Monk Ephraim became one of his disciples. Under the graced guidance of the holy hierarch, the Monk Ephraim attained to Christian meekness, humility, submission to the Will of God, and the strength without murmur to undergo various temptations. Saint James knew the high qualities of his student and he used them for the good of the Ninevah Church\u2014he entrusted him to read sermons, to instruct children in the school, and he took Ephraim along with him to the First \u0152cumenical Council at Nic\u00e6a (in the year 325). The Monk Ephraim was in obedience to Saint James for 14 years, until the bishop\u2019s death.
After the capture of Ninevah by the Persians in the year 363, the Monk Ephraim abandoned the wilderness and settled in a monastery near the city of Edessa. Here he saw many a great ascetic, passing their lives in prayer and psalmody. Their caves were solitary shelters, and they fed themselves off a certain plant. He became especially close with the ascetic Julian (Comm. 18 October), who was one with him in a spirit of repentance. The Monk Ephraim combined with his ascetic works an incessant study of the Word of God, gathering within it for his soul both solace and wisdom. The Lord gave him a gift of teaching, and people began to come to him, wanting to hear his guidances, which produced a particular effect upon the soul, since he began with self-accusation. The monk both verbally and in writing instructed everyone in repentance, faith and piety, and he denounced the Arian heresy, which during those times was disrupting Christian society. And pagans likewise, listening to the preaching of the monk, were converted to Christianity.
He also toiled no little at the interpretation of Holy Scripture\u2014with an explication of the Pentateuch (i.e. \u201cFive Books\u201d) of Moses. He wrote many a prayer and church-song, thereby enriching the Church\u2019s Divine-services. Famed prayers of Saint Ephraim are to the Most Holy Trinity, to the Son of God, and to the Most Holy Mother of God. He wrote for his Church song for the Twelve Great Feastdays of the Lord (the Nativity of Christ, the Baptism, the Resurrection), and funereal song. Saint Emphrem\u2019s Prayer of Repentance, \u201cO Lord and Master of my life\u2026,\u201d is said during Great Lent, and it summons Christians to spiritual renewal. The Church since times ancient valued highly the works of the Monk Ephraim: his works were read in certain churches, at gatherings of the faithful, after the Holy Scripture. And now at present in accord with the Church Ustav (Rule), certain of his instructions are prescribed to be read on the days of Lent. Amidst the prophets, Saint David is pre-eminently the psalmodist; amidst the holy fathers of the Church the Monk Ephraim the Syrian\u2014is pre-eminently a man of prayer. His spiritual experience made him a guide to monks and an help to the pastors of Edessa. The Monk Ephraim wrote in Syrian, but his works were very early translated into the Greek and Armenian languages, and from the Greek\u2014into the Latin and Slavonic languages.
In numerous of the works of the Monk Ephraim are encountered glimpses of the life of the Syrian ascetics, the centre of which involved prayer and with it thereupon the toiling for the common good of the brethren, in the obediences. The outlook of the meaning of life among all the Syrian ascetics was the same. The end purpose of their efforts was considered by the monks to be communality with God and the diffusion of Divine grace within the soul of the ascetic; the present life for them was a time of tears, fasting and toil.
\u201dIf the Son of God be within thee, then also His Kingdom is within thee. Here then is the Kingdom of God\u2014within thee, a sinner. Go inwards into thine self, search diligently and without toil thou shalt find it. Outside of thee\u2014is death, and the door to it\u2014is sin. Go inwards into thine self, dwell within thine heart, for since there\u2014is God.\u201d Constant spiritual sobriety, the developing of good within the soul of man gives unto him the possibility to take upon himself a task like blessedness, and a self-constraint like sanctity. The requital is presupposed in the earthly life of man, it is an undertaking by degrees of its spiritual perfection. Whoso grows himself wings upon the earth, says the Monk Ephraim, is one who soars up into the heights; whoso down here purifies his mind\u2014there glimpses the Glory of God; in what measure each one loveth God\u2014is that measure wherein is satiated to fullness by the love of God. Man, cleansing himself and attaining the grace of the Holy Spirit while still here, down upon the earth, has a foretaste therein of the Kingdom of Heaven. To attain to life eternal, in the teachings of the Monk Ephraim, does not mean to pass over from one sphere of being into another, but means rather to discover \u201cthe Heavenly\u201d spiritual condition of being. Eternal life is not bestown man as a one-sided working by God, but rather like a seed, it constantly grows within him through effort, toil and struggle.
The pledge within us of \u201ctheosis\u201d (\u201cobozhenie\u201d or \u201cdeification\u201d)\u2014is the Baptism of Christ, and the primal propulsion for the Christian life\u2014is repentance. The Monk Ephraim was a great teacher of repentance. The forgiveness of sins in the sacramental-mystery of Repentance, according to his teaching, is not an external exoneration, not a forgetting of the sins, but rather their complete undoing, their annihilation. The tears of repentance wash away and burn away the sin. And moreover\u2014they (i.e. the tears) vivify, they transfigure sinful nature, they give the strength \u201cto walk in the way of the commandments of the Lord,\u201d encouraging the hope on God. In the fiery font of Repentance, wrote the Monk, \u201cthou dost sail thyself across, O sinner, thou dost resuscitate thyself from the dead.\u201d
The Monk Ephraim, in his humility reckoning himself the least and worst of all, at the end of his life set out to Egypt, to see the efforts of the great ascetics. He was accepted there as a welcome guest and received for himself great solace in his associating with them. On the return journey he visited at C\u00e6sarea Cappadocia with Saint Basil the Great (Comm. 1 January), who wanted to ordain him a priest, but the monk considered himself unworthy of priesthood, and at the insistence of Saint Basil, he accepted only the dignity of deacon, in which he remained until death. Even later on, Saint Basil the Great invited the Monk Ephraim to accept the cathedra-chair of a bishop, but the saint feigned folly to avoid for himself this honour, in humility reckoning himself unworthy of it.
Upon his return to his own Edessa wilderness, the Monk Ephraim intended to spend the rest of his life in solitude. But Divine Providence again summoned him to service of neighbour. The inhabitants of Edessa were suffering from a devastating famine. By the influence of his word, the monk induced the wealthy to render aid to those that lacked. From the offerings of believers he built a poor-house for the destitute and sick. The Monk Ephraim then withdrew to a cave nigh to Edessa, where he remained to the end of his days.
"}, "rank": 2, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "With the streams of thy tears thou didst irrigate the barren desert, * and with sighs from the depths of thy soul thou didst render thy labors fruitful an hundredfold. * Thou wast a beacon for the whole world, radiating miracles. ** O our father Ephraim, entreat Christ God that our souls be saved.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "Ever looking forth toward the hour of judgement, * thou didst bitterly lament, O Ephraim; * and though a lover of stillness * thou wast also a teacher of activity, O venerable one, * Wherefore, O universal father, ** thou movest the slothful to repentance.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "2"}}}}, "818": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Eupsychius of C\u00e6sarea in Cappadocia (\u2020 362)", "short": "Martyr Eupsychius"}, "rank": 1}, "819": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Martyrs Bishop Desan, Presbyter Mariabus, Abdiesus, and 270 Others (\u2020 362-364)", "short": "Holy Martyrs"}}, "820": {"name": {"nominative": "Monk Martyr Archimandrite Bademus (Vadim) and 7 of his disciples of Persia (\u2020 376)", "short": "Monk Martyr"}}, "822": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Zachariah the Ascetic of the Kiev Caves (13th-14th C)", "short": "Venerable Zachariah"}}, "823": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyrs James the Presbyter and the deacons Azadanes and Abdikius of Persia (\u2020 c. 380)", "short": "Martyrs James"}}, "826": {"name": {"nominative": "New Hieromartyr Gregory V, Patriarch of Constantinople (\u2020 1821)", "short": "New Hieromartyr"}}, "829": {"name": {"nominative": "Hieromartyr Antipas, Bishop of Pergamum and Disciple of St John the Theologian (\u2020 c. 68)", "short": "Hieromartyr Antipas"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Hieromartyr Antipas\u2014a disciple of the holy Apostle John the Theologian (Comm. 26 September), was bishop of the Church of Pergamum during the reign of the emperor Nero (54-68).
During these times by order of the emperor, everyone who would not offer sacrifice to the idols lived under threat of either exile or execution. And then too on the island of Patmos (in the Aegean Sea) was imprisoned the holy Apostle John the Theologian\u2014he to whom the Lord revealed the future judgements of the world and of Holy Church.
-- \u201cAnd to the Angel of the Pergamum Church write: thus sayeth He having the sword sharp of both edges: I do know thine deeds, and that thou dost live there, where doth be the throne of Satan, and that thou dost cleave unto My Name nor didst renounce My faith even in those days, in which My slain faithful witness Antipas was amongst ye, where Satan dwelleth\u201d (Rev. 2: 12-13).
By his personal example, firm faith and constant preaching about Christ, Saint Antipas began to sway the people of Pergamum from offering sacrifice to idols. The pagan priests reproached the bishop for turning the people away from their ancestral gods, and they demanded that he stop preaching about Christ and instead offer sacrifice to the idols.
Saint Antipas calmly answered, that he was not about to serve the demon-gods, which flee before him who was but a mortal man; rather, it is the Lord Almighty that he worships and would continue to worship\u2014the Creator of all, together with His OnlyBegotten and One-in-Essence Son and Holy Spirit. The pagan priests retorted, that their gods existed from of old, whereas Christ was not from of old and was crucified under Pontius Pilate as a criminal. The saint answered, that the pagan gods were the work of human hands and that everything said about them was filled with iniquities and vices. He steadfastly confessed his faith in the Son of God, incarnated of the Most Holy Virgin.
The enraged pagan priests dragged the Hieromartyr Antipas to the temple of Artemis and threw him into a red-hot copper bullock, wherein usually they cast the sacrifices to the idols. In the red-hot furnace the priest-martyr prayed loudly to God, imploring to accept his soul and to fortify Christians in the faith. He expired to the Lord peacefully, as though asleep (\u2020 c. 68).
Christians by night took the body of the Hieromartyr Antipas, untouched by the fire, and with reverence they buried him at Pergamum. The tomb of the priest-martyr became a font of miracles and of healings from manifold sicknesses. Particular recourse to the Hieromartyr Antipas is made during times of tooth-ache.
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles * and didst occupy their throne, * thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to division vision, * O divinely inspired one. * Wherefore, ordering the word of truth, thou didst suffer for the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood. ** O hieromartyr Antypas, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "4"}, "TROPARION/2": {"text": "Thou didst demolish the false idols, O Antypas, * and, trampling the power of the devil underfoot, * didst boldly confess Christ * in the face of those who fought against God. * Wherefore, dwelling in the highest * with the ranks of the angels, * sending up glorification to the Master of all, * thou offerest supplication of thanksgiving for us, * granting us the grace of healing: * wherefore, we honor thee. * O hieromartyr Antypas, ** entreat Christ god, that He save our souls.", "Type": "2", "Tone": "4"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "
Thou didst occupy the throne of the apostles and wast the adornment of holy hierarchs, O blessed and sacred Antypas, and having been glorified in martyrdom thou hast shone forth like the sun, illumining all; and thou didst destroy the deep night of ungodliness. Wherefore, we honor as a godly hieromartyr and giver of healings.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "4"}}}}, "831": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable James the Abbot of Zheleznoborov and James, his disciple (\u2020 1442)", "short": "Venerable James"}}, "833": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyrs Processus and Martinian (\u2020 c. 67)", "short": "Martyrs Processus"}}, "834": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Pharmuthius the Anchorite of Egypt (4th C)", "short": "Venerable Pharmuthius"}}, "837": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Basil the Confessor, Bishop of Parium (\u2020 after 754)", "short": "Venerable Basil"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk Basil the Confessor, Bishop of Para, lived during the VIII Century. He was chosen to the bishop\u2019s chair by the inhabitants of Para, who venerated the saint as a true pastor of the flock of Christ.
When the Iconoclast heresy broke out, Saint Basil resolutely came out on the side of icon veneration and refused to sign the directives for their abolition (the \u201cIniquitousScroll\u201d of the Council of 754 which had convened under the emperor Constantine V Copronymos (741-775). The saint shunned any contact with the heretics and did not permit them into his diocese. For his zeal he suffered much persecution, hunger and deprivation.
To the very end of his life Saint Basil was faithful to the Orthodox confession.
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "Illumined by the light of the Most High, O blessed father, thou dost enlighten all who with love venerate thine honored suffering. O sacred athlete Basil, entreat Christ God unceasingly in behalf of us all!
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "2"}}}}, "838": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Athanasia the Abbess of Aegina (\u2020 860)", "short": "Venerable Athanasia"}}, "839": {"name": {"nominative": "Hieromartyr Xeno, Bishop of Verona (\u2020 c. 260)", "short": "Hieromartyr Xeno"}}, "841": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Martyrs Menas, David and John of Palestine (\u2020 after 636)", "short": "Venerable Martyrs"}}, "842": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Anthusa the Virgin of Constantinople (\u2020 801)", "short": "Venerable Anthusa"}}, "845": {"name": {"nominative": "Icons of the Mother of God of Murom (12th C) and Belinich (13th C)", "short": "Icons of"}}, "848": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Zosimas the Abbot of Vorbozomsk (\u2020 c. 1550)", "short": "Venerable Zosimas"}}, "849": {"name": {"nominative": "Hieromartyr Artemon the Presbyter of Laodicea in Syria (\u2020 303)", "short": "Hieromartyr Artemon"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Hieromartyr Artemon was born of Christian parents in Syrian Laodiceia in the first half of the III Century. From the time of his youthful years he dedicated himself to the service of the Church. At 16 years of age the saint was made a reader and in this position he laboured during the course of 12 years. For his zealousness in Divine Services, Saint-bishop Sisinios ordained him to the dignity of deacon. Saint Artemon did also this service with fervour and diligence for 28 years, after which he was ordained to the priesthood. And in this dignity Saint Artemon served the Church of God for 33 years, preaching the Christian faith amongst pagans. When the emperor Diocletian (284-305) began a fierce persecution against christians, Saint Artemon was already old. The emperor issued an edict, that all christians were to offer sacrifice to idols.
Saint Sisinios, knowing about the impending arrival in the Laodiceian district of the military-commander Patricius, went together with the priest Artemon into the pagan-temple of the goddess Artemis. There they smashed and burnt the idols.
Afterwards, Saint Sisinios and Saint Artemon gathered the flock into the church and heatedly exhorted the christians to remain firm in the faith and not fear the threats of torturers.
Having arrived in Laodiceia, Patricius made a five-day celebration in honour of the pagan gods, and then went off to the temple of Artemis to offer sacrifice. He learnt who it was that had destroyed the temple, and set off with a detachment of soldiers to the church where the christians were praying. Not yet having gotten in front of the church, Patricius suddenly felt a chill, and afterwards heat, such that it left him hardly alive, and they entered into the first house they found along the way. \u201cThe Christians have put a curse on me, and this their God tormenteth me,\u201d\u2014he said to those about him. The prayers of Patricius to the idols did not relieve his sufferings. He dispatched a messenger to Saint Sisinios and asked for his help, promising by way of thanks to make a gold statue of the bishop. The Saint answered: \u201cThy gold keep to thyself, but if thou wishest to be healed, believe in Christ.\u201d
Patricius was afraid of dying and he declared that he believed in Christ. Through the prayer of Saint Sisinios the affliction left him. But even a miracle having been worked did not alter the obdurate soul of the pagan. Although he did not touch Saint Sisinios, he however set off to enforce the imperial edict against other christians in the city of C\u00e6sarea. Along the way he encountered an old man, for whom there went in pairs six wild donkeys and two deer. This man was the priest Artemon.
To Patricius\u2019 query, how he was able to lead after him these wild beasts, Saint Artemon answered, that everything in the world confesses the Name of Christ and with true faith in Christ nothing is impossible.
Patricius learned from the pagans that the old man he met along the way\u2014was the same Artemon, who had destroyed the pagan temple of Artemis. He gave orders to seize him and take him to the city of C\u00e6sarea.
Saint Artemon went along with the soldiers without fear, but he ordered the animals to go to Saint Sisinios.
One of the donkeys received the gift of speech from God and told the sainted-bishop that he had come from Saint Artemon. The sainted-bishop sent him in C\u00e6sarea a blessing and prosphora by deacon.
In C\u00e6sarea Patricius summoned Saint Artemon to trial and began to try to force him to offer sacrifice in the pagan temple of Asclepios. In this pagan temple there lived many poisonous vipers. The pagan priest never opened up the doors, nor previously carried in the sacrifice to the idol. But Saint Artemon, calling on the Name of Jesus Christ, went into the temple and let out from there the plethora of snakes. The pagans turned in flight, but the saint stopped them and by his breath killed the snakes. One of the pagan priests, Bitalios, believed in Christ and asked Saint Artemon to baptise him.
Patricius thought that Saint Artemon killed the snakes by means of sorcery, and he again started to interrogate and torture him. At this point in time there arrived in C\u00e6sarea the donkey which had spoken with Saint Sisinios. The donkey lay down at the feet of the martyr, and afterwards again having received from God the gift of speech, it denounced Patricius, predicting for him an impending death in a boiling cauldron. Patricius was scared, that the miracles done by Saint Artemon would draw still more people to him, and he gave orders to execute him.
The filled an enormous cauldron with boiling tar. Soldiers were needed to throw Saint Artemon therein. But when Patricius rode up on horseback to the kettle, wanting to be sure that the tar was indeed boiling, two Angels in the guise of eagles seized and threw him into the cauldron, but Saint Artemon remained alive. Through the prayer of the saint there issued from the ground a spring of water, in which he baptised the pagan priest Bitalios and many pagans, who had come to believe in Christ. On the following morning Saint Artemon communed the newly-baptised with the Holy Mysteries.
The bishop of C\u00e6sarea went to visit with Saint Artemon. He cleared off the place where the martyr suffered, and afterwards was built a church there. Many of the baptised were ordained to the deaconate and priesthood, and Bitalios was made bishop of Palestine. The Priestmartyr Artemon, through a calling by the Divine Voice, went preaching the Gospel into Asia, to the settlement of Bulos. Along the way an Angel appeared to him and transported him openly in view of the villagers. He converted many there to faith in Christ. Pagans seized the saint and beheaded him (\u2020 303).
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}}}}, "850": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Crescens of Myra in Lycia", "short": "Martyr Crescens"}}, "851": {"name": {"nominative": "Womanmartyr Thomais of Alexandria (5th C)", "short": "Womanmartyr Thomais"}}, "853": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome (\u2020 655)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "Saint Martin the Confessor, Pope of Rome, was a native of the Tuscany region of Italy. He received a fine education and entered into the clergy of the Roman Church. After the death of Pope Theodore I (642-649), presbyter Martin was chosen to the throne.
At this time the peace of the Church was disturbed by the Monothelite heresy, which had become widespread.
The endless disputes of the Monothelites with the Orthodox took place in all levels of the population. Even the emperor Constans (641-668) and the Constantinople Patriarch PaulII (641-654) were adherents of the Monothelite heresy. The emperor Constans published the heretical \u201cPattern of Faith\u201d (Tupos), obligatory for all the population. In it was forbidden all further disputes.
The heretical \u201cPattern of Faith\u201d was received at Rome in the year 649. Holy Pope Martin, a firm supporter of Orthodoxy, convened at Rome the local (Lateran) Council, which condemned the Monothelite heresy. At the same time Saint Martin sent a letter to the Constantinople Patriarch Paul with an exhortation to return to the Orthodox confession. The enraged emperor ordered the military commander Olympios to bring Saint Martin to trial. But Olympios, being at Rome, feared the clergy and the people who had descended upon the Council, and he dispatched a soldier to secretly murder the holy Pope. When the assassin approached Saint Martin, he was unexpectedly blinded. The terrified Olympios hastily journeyed to Sicily and was soon killed in battle.
In 654 the emperor with his former aim sent to Rome another military commander, Theodore, who accused Saint Martin of the serious charges of being in secret correspondence with the enemies of the empire\u2014the Saracens, and of blaspheming the Most Holy Mother of God, and of uncanonically entering upon the papal throne. Despite the presenting by Roman clergy and laity of proof of full innocence of the holy Pope, the military commander Theodore with a detachment of soldiers seized hold of Saint Martin by night and took him to one of the Cycladian islands,\u2014Naxos, in the Aegean Sea. Saint Martin spent an entire year on this almost unpopulated island, suffering deprivation and abuse from the guards. Then they sent the exhausted confessor for trial to Constantinople.
They brought the sick elder on a stretcher, but the judges callously ordered him to raise himself up and give answer standing. Again there came an interrogation, and soldiers propped up the saint weakened by illness. At the trial false-witnesses came forward, slandering the saint and imputing treasonous relations with the Saracens. The biased judges did not even bother to hear the defence of the saint. In profound grief he said: \u201cTo the Lord is known, what great kindliness ye would show me, if quickly ye would deliver me over to death.\u201d
After suchlike trial they brought forth the saint in tattered garb to the jeering of a crowd, which they forced to shout: \u201cAnathema to Pope Martin!\u201d But those who knew the holy Pope was suffering innocently, withdrew in tears. Finally the sakellarios (shieldbearer), sent by the emperor, approached the military commander and declared the sentence\u2014to deprive the Pope of his dignity and deliver him to death by execution. They put the half-naked saint into chains and dragged him to prison, where they locked him up with thieves. These were more merciful to the saint than the heretics.
Amidst this the emperor went to the dying Patriarch of Constantinople Paul and told him about the trial over Saint Martin. That one turned away from the emperor and said: \u201cW\u0153 is me! Yet another deed towards my judgement,\u201d\u2014and he besought that the tortures of Saint Martin be stopped. The emperor again sent a notary and other persons to the saint in prison for continued interrogation. The saint answered them: \u201cIf even they smash me up, I wilt not have relations with the Constantinople Church while it dwelleth in bad-faith.\u201d The torturers were astonished at the boldness of the confessor and they commuted his death by execution with exile in the faraway Tauridian Chersonesus.
There also the saint died, exhausted by sickness, want, hunger and deprivations (\u2020 16 September 655). He was buried outside the city in the Blachern\u00e6 church in the name of the Most Holy Mother of God.
The Monothelite heresy was condemned at the VI \u0152cumenical Council in the year 680. The relics of the holy confessor Pope Martin were transferred to Constantinople, and thence to Rome.
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}}}}, "854": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Zosimas the Abbot of Solovki (\u2020 1478)", "short": "Venerable Zosimas"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk Zosima, Hegumen of Solovetsk,\u2014a great luminary of the RussianNorth, was the founder of monastic common-life on Solovetsk Island. He was born in Novgorod diocese, in the village of Tolvui near Lake Onega. From his early years he was raised in piety, and after the death of his parents Gavriil and Varvara he gave away his possessions and accepted monastic tonsure.In search of a solitary place the monk set off to the shores of the White Sea and at the mouth of the Suma he met the Monk German (Comm. 30 July), who told him about a desolate sea island, where formerly he had spent six years with the Monk Savvatii (Comm. 27 September).
In about the year 1436 the hermits, felicitously having made the sea voyage, landed at the Solovetsk islands. God blessed the place of their settlement with a vision to the Monk Zosima of a beautiful church in the sky. The monks with their own hands built cells and an enclosure, and they began to cultivate and sow the land. One time in late Autumn the Monk German set off to the mainland for necessary provisions. Because of the Autumn weather he was not able to return. The Monk Zosima remained all Winter alone on the island. He suffered many a temptation in struggle with the devils. Death by starvation threatened him, but miraculously two strangers having appeared left him a supply of bread, flour and oil. In Spring the Monk German returned to Solovetsk together with the fisherman Mark, and he brought supplies of food and rigging-tackle for fish nets.
When several hermits had gathered on the island, the Monk Zosima constructed for them a small wooden church in honour of the Transfiguration (Preobrazhenie) of the Lord, together with a refectory. At the request of the Monk Zosima, an hegumen was sent from Novgorod to the newly formed monastery with antimins for the church. Thus occurred the start of the reknown Solovetsk monastery. In the severe conditions of the remote island the monks knew how to arrange their economy. But the hegumens, sent from Novgorod to Solovetsk, could not withstand life in the unwontedly harsh conditions, and so the brethren chose as hegumen the Monk Zosima.
The Monk Zosima concerned himself with the building up of the inner life of the monastery, and he introduced a strict life-in-common. In 1465 he transferred to Solovetsk from the River Vyg the relics of the Monk Savvatii. The monastery suffered vexation from the Novgorod boyars (nobles), who confiscated catches of fish from the monks. The monk was obliged to set off for Novgorod and seek the protection of the archbishop. On the advice of the archbishop, he made the rounds of homes of the boyars and requested them not to allow the ruin of the monastery. The influential and rich boyarina Martha Boretskaya impiously gave orders to throw out the Monk Zosima, but then repented her action and invited him to a meal, during the time of which he suddenly beheld, that six of the illustrious boyars sat without their heads. The Monk Zosima told about this vision to his disciple Daniel and predicted for the boyars an immanent death. The prediction was fulfilled in the year 1478, when during the taking of Novgorod by Ivan III (1462-1505) the boyars were executed.
Shortly before death the monk prepared himself a grave, in which he was buried beyond the altar of the Transfiguration church (\u2020 17 April 1478). Later on, over his relics was built a chapel. His relics together with the relics of the Monk Savvatii were transferred on 8 August 1566 into a chapel consecrated in their memory at the Transfiguration cathedral.
Many a miracle was witnessed to, when the Monk Zosima with the Monk Savvatii appeared to fishermen perishing in the depths of the sea. The Monk Zosima is likewise a patron of bee-keeping and preserver of bee-hives, and to him is even bestown the title \u201cBee-keeper\u201d (\u201cPchel\u2032nik\u201d). To the Monk Zosima often hasten those in sickness. The many hospital churches dedicated to him testify to the great curative power of his prayer before God."}, "rank": 3, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "
No english translation
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "4"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "No English translation
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "0"}}}}, "855": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Ardalion the Actor (\u2020 305-311)", "short": "Martyr Ardalion"}}, "857": {"name": {"nominative": "Dalmatovo Icon of the Mother of God (1646)", "short": "Dalmatovo Icon"}}, "861": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Martyr Suchias and his 16 Georgian Companions: Andrew, Anastasius, Talale, Theodoret, Euchirion, Jordan, Quadratus, Lucian, Mimnenosus, Nerangiosus, Polyeuctus, James, Phocas, Domentian, Victor, and Zosimus (\u2020 100-130)", "short": "Holy Martyr"}}, "862": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Sava the Goth of Wallachia (\u2020 372)", "short": "Martyr Sava"}}, "867": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Leonidas and the Holy Martyrs Charissa, Nike, Galina, Kalisa (Kalida), Nunekhia, Basilissa, and Theodora, and others at Corinth (\u2020 258)", "short": "Martyr Leonidas"}}, "868": {"name": {"nominative": "Righteous James of Borovichi, Novgorod miracle worker (\u2020 c. 1540)", "short": "Righteous James"}}, "869": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord (\u2020 ca.63)", "short": "Holy Apostle"}, "rank": 3}, "870": {"name": {"nominative": "Icons of the Mother of God of Tambov (1692), of Ilyinsk-Chernigov (1658)", "short": "Icons of"}}, "871": {"name": {"nominative": "Uncovering the relics of Venerable James the Abbot of Zhelezny Bor (\u2020 1442)", "short": "Uncovering the"}}, "872": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Apostle James Zebedee, brother of John the Theologian (\u2020 44)", "short": "Apostle"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Holy Apostle James, Son of Zebedee, one of the 12 Apostles, was called by our Lord Jesus Christ for apostolic service together with his brother, the Apostle John the Theologian. It was to them and to the holy Apostle Peter pre-eminently over the other Apostles that Jesus Christ revealed His Divine Mysteries: at the Resuscitation of the Daughter of Jairus, on Mount Tabor (at the Transfiguration), and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Saint James, after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, preached in Spain and in other lands, and then he returned to Jerusalem. He openly and boldly taught about Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world, and with the words of Holy Scripture he denounced the Pharisees and the Scribes [scholars], reproaching them with malice of heart and unbelief. The Jews had not the ability to refute the apostolic discourse and for money they hired the pseudo-philosopher and sorcerer Hermogenes, so that he would enter into a disputation with the apostle and confute his arguments about Christ as the Promised Messiah having come into the world. The sorcerer sent to the apostle his student Philip, who was converted to belief in Christ. Then Hermogenes himself became persuaded of the power of God, he burnt his books on magic, accepted holy Baptism and became a true follower of Christ.
The unbelieving among the Jews persuaded Herod Agrippa (40-44) to arrest the Apostle James and sentence him to death. Saint James calmly heard out the death sentence and continued to bear witness about Christ. One of the false-witnesses against the apostle by the name of Josiah was struck by the courage of Saint James. He came to believe in the truth of the words about the coming of Christ the Messiah. When they led forth the apostle for execution, Josiah fell at his feet, repenting his sin and asking forgiveness. The apostle hugged him, gave him a kiss and said: \u201cPeace and forgiveness be unto thee.\u201d Then Josiah confessed before everyone his faith in Christ, and he was beheaded together with Saint James in the year 44 at Jerusalem.
"}, "rank": 4, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "O holy apostle James * entreat the merciful God ** that He grant to our souls remission of transgressions.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "3"}, "TROPARION/2": {"text": "Thou wast a chosen apostle of Christ * and the only brother of the beloved Theologian, * O most lauded James. * Ask thou remission of sins for those who hymn thee, ** and great mercy for our souls.", "Type": "2", "Tone": "3"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "
Hearing the voice of God calling thee, * thou didst disdain the love of thy father, * and with thy kinsman thou didst hasten after Christ, O glorious James. * And with him thou wast counted worthy to behold ** the divine transfiguration of the Lord.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "2"}}}}, "873": {"name": {"nominative": "Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop in Persia, Priests Abdechalas and Ananias, and Martyrs Usthazanes, Phusicus, Askitrea, Azades, and others (\u2020 344)", "short": "Hieromartyr Simeon"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Hieromartyr Simeon, Bishop of Persia, suffered during the time of a persecution against Christians under the Persian emperor Sapor II (310-381). He was the bishop of Seleucia\u2014Xeziphon. They accused the saint of being in collaboration with the Greek realm and of subversive activities against the Persian emperor.
In the year 344 the emperor issued an edict, which imposed a grievous tax upon Christians. When certain of them refused to pay it (this was fancied to be a rebellion), the emperor started a fierce persecution against Christians. They brought Saint Simeon to trial in iron fetters as a supposed enemy of the Persian realm, together with the two Presbyter-Martyrs Habdelai and Ananios. The holy bishop would not even bow to the emperor, who asked, why he would not show him the obligatory respect. The saint answered: \u201cEarlier I did bow to thy dignity, but now, when I am led forth for this, to renounce my God and quit my faith, it doth not become me to bow to thee.\u201d
The emperor urged him to worship the sun, and in case of refusal he threatened to wipe out Christianity in the land. But neither urgings nor threats could shake the bravely steadfast saint, and they led him off to prison. Along the way the eunuch Usphazanes, a counsellor of the emperor, caught sight of the saint. He rose up and bowed to the bishop, but the saint turned away from him in reproach that he, a former Christian, out of fear of the emperor, now worshipped the sun. The eunuch repented with all his heart, he replaced his fine attire for coarse garb, and sitting at the doors of the court, he cried out bitterly: \u201cW\u0153 to me, when I stand before my God, from Whom I am cut off. Here\u2014was Simeon, and he hath turned his back on me!\u201d The emperor Sapor learned about the grief of his beloved tutor and asked him what had happened. That one said openly to the emperor, that he bitterly regretted his apostasy and would no more worship the sun, but only the One True God. The emperor was surprised at such sudden decisiveness in the old man and he flatteringly urged him not to abjure the gods, whom their fathers had reverenced. But Usphazanes was unyielding, and they condemned him to death by execution. The only request of the Martyr Usphazanes was that the city heralds report, that he died not for crimes against the emperor, but for being a Christian. The emperor granted his request.
Saint Simeon also learned about the end of the Martyr Usphazanes and with tears he offered up thanks to the Lord. When they brought him a second time before the emperor, Saint Simeon again refused to worship the pagan gods and he confessed his faith in Christ. The enraged emperor gave orders, in front of the eyes of the saint, to behead all the Christians in the prison. Without fear the Christians went to execution, blessed by the sainted-hierarch, and they themselves put their heads beneath the sword. Thus also was beheaded the companion of Saint Simeon, the Priest Habdelai. When the line reached down to the Priest Ananios, he suddenly trembled. Then one of the dignitaries, SaintPhusikos, a secret Christian, became frightened that Ananios would renounce Christ, and he cried out loudly: \u201cFear not, elder, the sight of the cutting, and thou immediately wilt see the Divine Light of our Lord Jesus Christ.\u201d By this outburst he betrayed himself. The emperor gave orders to pluck out the tongue of Saint Phusikos and to flay the skin from him. Together with Saint Phusikos was martyred his daughter, the Martyress Askitrea. Saint Simeon went last to the executioner and with a prayer he placed his head on the chopping-block (\u2020 13 April 344). The whole of the Paschal Week until 23 April executions continued. Also to accept a martyr\u2019s death was Saint Azates the Eunuch, a close official to the emperor. The sources indicate, that 1,000 Martyrs accepted suffering, and then still another 100 or 150 more.
"}, "rank": 1}, "874": {"name": {"nominative": "St. Acacius the Bishop of Melitene (\u2020 c. 435)", "short": "St. Acacius"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"0": {}, "1": {"LITURGY/0": {"text": ""}}, "2": {"LITURGY/0": {"text": ""}}}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk Akakios, Bishop of Melitinea, was born into a pious family in the Armenian city of Melitinea. His parents for a long time were childless, and in praying for a son, they vowed to dedicate him to God. Therefore the lad Akakios was given over to the Melitinea bishop Ostrios for the service of the Church. Saint Ostrios was a firm supporter of Orthodoxy. When the heresy of Macedonias arose, it was Saint Ostrios at the Second \u0152cumenical Council (381) that set forth the Orthodox teaching about the HolySpirit as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity One-in-Essence and Undivided.
The sainted-hierarch with love raised Akakios, made him a reader, and then ordained him to the dignity of deacon and then to priest. Saint Akakios devoutly served the Church. He instructed both adults and children in the Holy Scripture, and in the Orthodox Confession of faith.
Among his students was such a luminary of the Church as the Monk Euthymios the Great (Comm. 20 January).
After the death of Saint Ostrios, by general acclamation Saint Akakios was elevated to the bishop\u2019s throne of Melitinea. He wisely governed his diocese. By his firm faith, humility and deeds, the saint acquired the gift of wonderworking. One time, when during a dry Summer the saint made Liturgy in an open field, the wine in the Holy Chalice was mixed suddenly by the falling rain, which fell throughout all the land. Through his prayer during a time of flooding an advancing river flowed off and did not come higher than the stone which he had placed at the riverbank. On one of the islands of the River Azar, despite the opposition of the pagans, the saint built a temple in honour of the Most Holy Mother of God. The builders of the church either through carelessness or through malice defectively built the dome. During the time of Liturgy the dome gave way and was ready to collapse. The people in terror rushed out of the church. But the saint halted the fleeing with the exclamation: \u201cThe Lord is Defender of my life, of what shalt I be afraid?\u201d (Ps. 26 [27]: 1). The dome remained as though suspended in the air. Only when the Divine-services were ended, and the saint was the last one to emerge from the church, did the dome collapse, causing harm to no one. After this the church was rebuilt again.
Saint Akakios was a participant in the Third \u0152cumenical Council (431) and he defended the Orthodox Confession of the Two Natures (Divine and Human) of the Saviour, and of His Birth without seed from the Most Holy Virgin Mother of God. Saint Akakios peacefully expired to the Lord in about the year 435.
"}}, "878": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch Agapitus, Pope of Rome (\u2020 536)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}}, "880": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable John the Disciple of the Venerable Gregory of Decapolis (9th C)", "short": "Venerable John"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk John was born at the end of the VIII Century. At a young age he became a disciple of the Monk Gregory Dekapolites (\u2020 c. 820, Comm. November 20) and accepted monastic tonsure from him at the Thessalonica (Soluneia) monastery. Under the guidance of this experienced teacher, the Monk John attained to high spiritual accomplishment.
When the emperor Leo the Armenian (813-820) renewed the persecution against Orthodox Christians because of their veneration of holy icons, the Monk Gregory Decapolites together with the Monk Joseph the Writer of Church-Song (\u2020 c. 863, Comm. April 4) and his student the Monk John set off from Thessalonica to Constantinople, to muster opposition to the Iconoclast heresy. In spite of persecution, for several years Saints Gregory and John fearlessly defended Orthodoxy, and preached veneration of holy icons. After many hardships the Monk Gregory died (in about the year 820), and soon after him his faithful student John also expired to the Lord. The Monk Joseph the Song-Writer transferred the relics of Saints Gregory and John and placed them in a church of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker.
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"0": {"LITURGY/0": {"text": ""}}, "1": {}, "2": {}}}, "881": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyrs Victor, Zoticus, Acindynus, Xeno, Severian and C\u00e6sarius (\u2020 303)", "short": "Martyrs Victor"}}, "882": {"name": {"nominative": "Saint Cosmas, Bishop of Chalcedon, and his companion St. Auxentius (\u2020 815-820)", "short": "Saint Cosmas"}}, "883": {"name": {"nominative": "New Martyr John Culicus the New of Epirus (\u2020 1526)", "short": "New Martyr"}}, "885": {"name": {"nominative": "Icon of the Mother of God of Maximov (1299)", "short": "Icon of"}}, "887": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable John of the Ancient Caves in Palestine (8th C)", "short": "Venerable John"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk John of the Old-Cave is called such because he asceticised during the VIII Century in the Laura of the Monk Chariton (\u2020 450, Comm. 28 September). This was called the \u201cOld,\u201d or ancient one, as among the oldest of Palestinian monasteries. The Laura was situated not far from Bethlehem, near the Dead Sea. Saint John in his early years left the world, went to venerate at the holy places of Jerusalem and settled at the Laura, where he attained high spiritual accomplishment. He was ordained to the dignity of presbyter and glorified by his ascetic life.
"}, "rank": 1}, "888": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Martyrs Christopher, Theonas, and Anthony (\u2020 303)", "short": "Holy Martyrs"}}, "889": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Nicephorus the Abbot of Catabad", "short": "Venerable Nicephorus"}}, "891": {"name": {"nominative": "Hieromartyr Paphnutius, Bishop of Jerusalem (3rd C)", "short": "Hieromartyr Paphnutius"}}, "892": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch George the Confessor, Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia (\u2020 813-820)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}}, "893": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch Tryphon, Patriarch of Constantinople (\u2020 933)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}}, "896": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Theodore Trichinas \u201cthe Hair-Shirt Wearer\u201d, hermit near Constantinople", "short": "Venerable Theodore"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "The Clergyman\u2019s Handbook. Moscow. 1978. English translation Copyright 1997 Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Monk Theodore the Trikhinian was born into a rich Constantinople family. In his youth he withdrew into a wilderness monastery in Thrace and accepted monasticism. The monk was strict in fasting, and he wore only a coarse prickly hairshirt, which was called a \u201ctrikhinia\u201d (\u201cvlasyanitsa\u201d). This name also was given to the monastery in which he pursued asceticism. During his life the monk worked many miracles and healings. After his death there flowed from his holy relics a salubrious myrh, which healed many of the sick and cast out impure spirits.
The years during which the monk Theodore lived is unknown.
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "Thou hast been shown to be all-wondrous in life, O wise father Theodore, and changing thy rags of haircloth, which are more precious than royal treasure on earth, in their place thou didst receive heavenly vesture. Pray thou ever in our behalf, O venerable one.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "4"}}}}, "897": {"name": {"nominative": "Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer, Bishop of Antioch (\u2020 107)", "short": "Hieromartyr Ignatius"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1999-2008 Archpriest Eugene D. Tarris.", "text": "As the \u201cbrightly shining lamp of the church,\u201d \u201cthe pillar of patience and the rule of courage and the confirmation of faith,\u201d he was the disciple of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian and the second (after St. Evodius) Bishop of Antioch. He ruled his own flock for 40 years, showing himself an example of a highly virtuous life. He was the first to establish antiphonal singing in the church. During the Dometian persecution, the holy shepherd \u201cwith the rudder of prayer and fasting, with indefatigableness in doctrine and zealousness of spirit, counteracted the turmoil in order that none would sink from lack of courage or inexperience,\u201d and from his side he expressed full readiness to accept the crown of martyrdom. This was his desire, and to his sincere joy it was soon fulfilled. During the reign of Trajan, St. Ignatius for his confession and propagation of the Christian faith was sent to Rome in fetters where for the entertainment of the people he was given to be torn apart by wild beasts in the Coliseum in the year 107. On the way to Rome, St. Ignatius wrote seven epistles. He was called God-bearer because in his childhood, according to tradition, he was taken into the hands of Jesus Christ Himself. But also because he became so used to feeding his heart with the memory of the sweet name of Jesus Christ, that this deep spiritual seal with sensitive images was stamped on this bodily organ and when, after his martyr\u2019s death, when his heart was cut asunder, the name of Jesus Christ was seen alphabetically represented in it. See Jan. 29.
"}, "rank": 2, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "As thou didst share in the ways of the apostles * and didst occupy their throne, * thou didst find thine activity to be a passage to divine vision, * O divinely inspired one. * Wherefore, ordering the word of truth, * thou didst suffer for the Faith even to the shedding of thy blood. ** O hieromartyr Ignatius, entreat Christ God, that our souls be saved.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "4"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "The luminous day of thy radiant struggles * proclaimeth beforehand to all Him Who hath been Born in the cave; * for thirsting to delight in His love, * thou didst hasten to be devoured by the wild beasts. ** Wherefore, thou hast been called the God-bearer, O most wise Ignatius.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "3"}}}}, "898": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch Ignatius (Brianchaninov), Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea (\u2020 1867)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}, "rank": 4}, "899": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Hierarch Gregory, Patriarch of Antioch (\u2020 593)", "short": "Holy Hierarch"}}, "80401": {"name": {"nominative": "Glorification (1913) of Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia", "short": "Glorification"}}, "81301": {"name": {"nominative": "Translation of the relics (1572) of Venerable Ephraim, abbot of New Torzhok", "short": "Translation"}}, "81401": {"name": {"nominative": "Venerable Ephraim of Perekop, Wonderworker of Novgorod (\u2020 1492)", "short": "Venerable Ephraim"}}, "81501": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Pausilippus of Heraclea in Thrace (\u2020 117-138)", "short": "Martyr Pausilippus"}}, "82201": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyrs Terence, Pompius, and with them Africanus, Macarius, Xeno, Alexander and the other 33 beheaded at Carthage (\u2020 c.249-251)", "short": "Martyrs"}, "life": {"id": "", "copyright": "Bulgakov Handbook. Copyright 1997 by translator Fr. S. Janos.", "text": "The Holy Martyr Terence and his companions suffered under the emperor Decius (249-251). The emperor issued an edict, which commanded all subjects to offer sacrifice to the pagan idols.
When the governor of Africa Fortunatian received this edict, he gathered the people into the city-square, set out cruel instruments of torture and declared, that everyone without exception had to offer the sacrifice to the idols. Many, afraid of torture, complied, but forty Christians with Saint Terence at their head bravely stood forth for their faith in the Saviour. Fortunatian was amazed at their boldness and he asked, how they as rational people, could confess as God, One Who was crucified by the Jews as a malefactor. In answer to this, Saint Terence boldly answered, that their belief was in the Saviour, Who voluntarily endured death on the Cross and on the third day was resurrected. Fortunatian perceived, that Terence by his example inspired the others, and so he gave orders to isolate him in prison together with his three closest companions\u2014Africanus, Maximus and Pompius. The remainder of the martyrs\u2014which included Xenon, Alexander and Theodore, Fortunatian resolved to force into renouncing Christ. But neither threats nor terrible tortures could sway the holy martyrs: they burned at them with red-hot iron, they poured vinegar on the wounds, they sprinkled on salt, they tore at them with iron claws. In spite of their sufferings, the saints did not weaken in their confession of Christ, and the Lord gave them strength.
Forunatian gave orders to lead the martyrs into the pagan temple and still yet another time he urged them to offer sacrifice to the idols. The valiant warriors of Christ cried out to God: \u201cO God All-Powerful, having once poured out fire on Sodom for its iniquity, destroy now this impious temple of idolatry, on account of Thine Truth.\u201d The idols fell down with a crash and a smash, and then all the temple was in ruins. The enraged governor gave orders to execute them; and the martyrs, glorifying God, put their necks beneath the sword of the executioner.
After the execution of the 36 martyrs, Fortunatian summoned before him Terence, Maximus, Africanus and Pompius, pointed out to them the executed and again urged them to offer sacrifice to the idols. The martyrs refused. The governor put heavy chains on them and gave orders to starve them to death in prison. By night an Angel of the Lord took the chains off the martyrs and fed them. In the morning the guards found the saints cheerful and strong. Then Fortunatian ordered sorcerers and conjurers to carry into the prison snakes and all kinds of viperous creatures. The guards through an opening in the prison ceiling glanced down into the jail-cell and saw the martyrs unharmed, praying, and the snakes crawling at their feet. When the snake-charmers in obeying the order opened the door of the prison-cell, the snakes disregarded the charms and struck and began to bite them. The furious Fortunatian gave orders to behead the holy martyrs. Christians took up their holy bodies and buried them with reverence outside the city.
"}, "rank": 1, "services": {"LITURGY": {"TROPARION/1": {"text": "", "Type": "1", "Tone": "1"}, "KONTAKION/1": {"text": "Today the honored memorial * of the martyrs Terence and his companions * hath arrived, gladdening all things. Wherefore, let us hasten, that we may receive healing; * for they have received from God the grace of the Holy Spirit, ** for healing the infirmities of our souls.
", "Type": "1", "Tone": "2"}}}}, "85001": {"name": {"nominative": "Martyr Zosimas the Hermit of Cilicia (4th C)", "short": "Martyr Zosimas"}}, "85401": {"name": {"nominative": "First (1566) and Second (1992) Translation of the relics of the Venerable Zosima and Sabbatius of Solovki", "short": "Zosima and Sabbatius"}, "rank": 4}, "85701": {"name": {"nominative": "Icons of the Mother of God \u201cHodigitria of Vilna\u201d and \u201cVilenskaya-Ostrobramskaya\u201d", "short": "Icons"}}, "86701": {"name": {"nominative": "Holy Apostle James the son of Alph\u00e6us (1st C)", "short": "Holy Apostle"}, "rank": 4}}