Thursday Oct. 24/Nov. 7 ns 2024 • Holy Martyrs Márcian and Martyrios, St. Tabitha the Almsgiver - Phil. 3:1-8; St. Luke 11:14-23 - A Visit to Mount Athos, November 1944 A rare piece of WWII Athonite History

SAINT TABITHA
THE ALMSGIVER

THESE saints of God, the holy martyrs Marcian and Martyrios, were clergymen under Paul, the Patriarch of Constantinople, during the reign of Emperor Constantius. With the death of the great Emperor Constantine, the Arian heresy, which until then had been suppressed, revived and gained momentum. Even Emperor Constantius himself leaned toward this heresy. There were two influential noblemen at the emperor's court, Eusebius and Philip, both of whom were ardent Arians. Under their influence, Patriarch Paul was ousted from the patriarchal throne and banished to Armenia, where the Arians strangled him. Then the dishonorable Macedonius seized the patriarchal throne. 

At that time Orthodoxy had two bitter struggles: against the pagans and against the heretics. Marcian and Martyrios interceded with all their strength and determination on the side of Orthodoxy. Marcian was a reader and Martyrios was a subdeacon at the cathedral church of Hagia Sophia; under Patriarch Paul they had been patriarchal notaries (secretaries). The Arians at first tried to bribe them, but when these holy men rejected this with scorn, the heretics condemned them to death. When they were brought to the executioner, they raised their hands and prayed to God, giving Him thanks for a martyr's end to their lives: "Lord, we rejoice that we depart from this life by such a death. Make us worthy to be partakers of eternal life. Thou art our life!'' They placed their necks beneath the sword and were beheaded in the year 355. Later, St. John Chrysostomos built a church in their name over their miracle-working relics.

Philippians 3:1-8
King James Version

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

Saint Luke 11:14-23
King James Version

14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

VIDEO

In English with closed captions

A Visit to Mount Athos, November 1944
A rare piece of WWII Athonite History

November 1944. Three New Zealand servicemen went to Mount Athos, a peninsular in the northern part of Greece, to present citations to various Monasteries which, in spite of serious risks to their own lives and safety, had been instrumental in caring for New Zealanders and other allied troops, during the Second World War. A collection of 83 photographs, taken by the team on this visit, and a talk for Radio New Zealand on 1.1.1945, were discovered recently in the National Library of New Zealand. The talk and photographs give an extraordinary insight into both Mount Athos, the kindness and generosity of its inhabitants, and their active participation against the Nazis. This is an indicative video containing the talk and relevant photos. The actual book is published by Athos Press, NY (www.athospress.com)

Wednesday Oct.24/Nov. 6 ns 2024 • Holy Martyr Aréthas and those with him; St. Elesbaán, King of Ethiopia - Fast day - Phil. 2:24-30; St. Luke 11:9-13 - DISCOURSES OF ST DOROTHEOS OF GAZA on CONSCIENCE

Holy Martyr Aréthas and those with him;

St. Elesbaán, King of Ethiopia

ARETHAS suffered for the Christian Faith with over four thousand Christians-priests, monks and nuns, men, women and children. Aréthas was the eparch in the town of Nagran, in the southern Arabian land of Omir. He was ninety-five years old when he suffered.

Dunaan, a cruel Jewish persecutor of Christians, then governed Omir. Determined to eradicate all Christians from his land, he surrounded the Christian town of Nagran, and sent a message to the people saying he would put them all to death unless they renounced Christ. The citizens closed the gates, and Dunaan attacked the city wall for a long time without success. Then the iniquitous governor swore to the citizens that he would do nothing to them, if only they would open the gate for him to enter and receive the tribute that they owed him-and that he would take it and immediately withdraw. The Christians believed him and opened the gate. Then the oath-breaking Jew summoned the aged Aréthas, the clergy and other distinguished citizens and beheaded them all with the sword. He then perpetrated a horrible slaughter in the town. Learning of this, the Byzantine Emperor Justin was greatly grieved, and wrote a letter to the Ethiopian Emperor, Elesbaán, requesting him to set out with an army against Dunaan to avenge the innocent blood of the Christians. Elesbaán obeyed Justin, attacked the governor of Omir with his army, defeated him, slew his entire army, and beheaded him.

By a revelation from God, a certain devout man named Abramios was installed as governor of Omir, and again by God's revelation, St. Gregory of Omir (December 19) was installed as archbishop. Christians rebuilt the Church of the Holy Trinity in Nagran that Dunaan had burned, and also built a church to the Holy Martyr Aréthas and the other martyrs of Nagran. St. Aréthas and the others suffered and received martyr's wreaths from the Lord in the year 523.

Philippians 2:24-30
King James Version

24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.

27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation:

30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

Saint Luke 11:9-13
King James Version

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

DISCOURSES OF ST DOROTHEOS OF GAZA

CONSCIENCE

Brothers, may we be zealous to guard our conscience as long as we are in this world and to not disregard its promptings in anything. And may we not trample it underfoot even in the smallest thing, for you can see that from the least things, which by their nature are accounted for little, we come to detest the greater things. When we start to say, "What is it if I say only these few words? What does it matter if I consume this morsel? What difference if I should look in here or there? From this manner of speaking, "What does this or that really matter?" a man takes harsh nourishment and starts to detest the greater and more weighty matters and even to tread them down in his own conscience and so, finally to destroy them, little by little. He falls into danger and finally is completely impervious to the light of the conscience. 

So brother, see to it that we do not disregard small things. See to it that we do not detest them, treating them as nothing. There are no "small things," because when it is an issue of bad habits, it is really an issue of a malignant tumor. May we live with caution. May we take care to heed small matters when they are small for fear they become worse. Doing what is right and what is wrong, both start from trivial matters and progress to what is great, good or bad. So Our Lord warns us to listen to our conscience as one providing evidence of his own doings and saying, "Take heed fool, see what you are doing, agree with your adversary while you are still on the road." And he reveals the danger to be feared, "For fear he hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the executioner and he cast you into the innermost prison." And what more? "Amen, I say to you, he will not depart from there until he has paid the last penny." The conscience then forewarns us, as I said, as to what is good and what is evil and shows us what we should do and not do. For in the coming world it will indict us. So it says, "For fear he deliver you over to the judge..." While taking heed to our conscience, we must consider many different issues. A man must satisfy his conscience toward God, toward his neighbor, and toward material things. In terms of God, he must not detest God's laws, even those things which are not visible to men or those things for which one is not liable to others. 

One should listen to his conscience in regard to God. For example, did he disregard his prayer? If a bad thought entered his heart, was he alert and did he maintain control over himself or did he entertain it? He regards his neighbor saying something or doing something. Does he think it evil and judge him? To lay it out plainly, all the concealed things that happen within us, things which are visible to God alone, and our conscience, we must regard. This is what I mean when I speak of the conscience to God. To regard our conscience with regard to our neighbor means not doing anything that we think will trouble or hurt our neighbor in deed, word, gesture or look. Because there are gestures, as I often tell you, which harm our neighbors and there are looks which can wound him and to speak openly, whatever a man does quickly, knowing it provides his neighbor a bad thought, pollutes his own conscience because it means that he is prepared to hurt or disturb his neighbor, and this is the type of thing I mean when I speak about maintaining a good conscience toward our neighbor.

Tuesday Oct. 23/Nov. 5 ns 2024 • Holy Apostle James, the Brother of God; St. Ignátios, Patriarch of Constantinople; St. Makários the Roman - Apostle: Gal. 1:11-19; St. Matt. 13:54-58 - ATHEIST OR AGNOSTIC

Never-silent Mouth of the Apostles

Holy Apostle James, the Brother of God

St. Ignátios, Patriarch of Constantinople;

St. Makários the Roman

The Holy Apostle James, the Brother of God (Adelphótheos) was the son of the Righteous Joseph before he was betrothed to the Most Holy Theotokos. Tradition says that Joseph had other sons with his first wife. Thus, James was called the Lord's brother. Saint James had been a Nazirite, a man or woman consecrated to God for a limited time. During the period of consecration the Nazirites vowed to to abstain from wine and other intoxicating beverages, they could not cut their hair, and all contact with a corpse was forbidden (Numbers 6:1-21).

When the Savior began to proclaim the Kingdom of God, Saint James believed in Christ and became His Apostle. Later, he was chosen as the first Bishop of Jerusalem.

Saint James presided over the Council of Jerusalem and his word was decisive (Acts 15). In his thirty years as bishop, Saint James converted many Jews to Christianity. Angered by this, the Pharisees and the Scribes plotted together to kill the holy bishop. They led him up on the pinnacle of the Jerusalem Temple and asked him what he thought of Jesus. The holy Apostle bore witness that Christ is the Messiah, which was not the response the Pharisees were expecting.  Enraged, the Jewish leaders threw him off the roof. He did not die at once, but gathering his final strength, he prayed to the Lord for his enemies while they were stoning him. Saint James’ martyrdom occurred about 63 A.D.

The holy Apostle James composed a Divine Liturgy, which formed the basis of the Liturgies of Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostomos. The Church has preserved an Epistle of Saint James, one of the books of the New Testament. In it Saint James advises: "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath" St. James 1:19) and "Be doers of the word, and not just hearers, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22).

In 1853, Patriarch Hierótheos of Alexandria sent a portion of the relics of Saint James to Moscow.

The Church distinguishes between the Holy Apostle James the Brother of God, Saint James the son of Zebedee (April 30), and Saint James the son of Alphaeus (October 9).

Saint James the Apostle is also commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, with the Prophet-King David and Saint Joseph the Betrothed.

Galatians 1:11-19
King James Version

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Saint Matthew 13:54-58
King James Version

54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Monday Oct. 22/Nov. 4 ns 2024 • St. Avérkios, Bishop of Hierápolis, Equal-to-the-Apostles; The Seven holy Youths of Ephesus • Phil. 2:12-16; St. Luke 10:22-24 - TO THE CATECHUMEN by St. John Chrysostomos

Saint Avérkios, Bishop of Hierápolis,
Equal-to-the-Apostles;

The Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus

During the reigns of Emperor Antoninus and his son, Marcus Aurelius, St. Avérkios was the bishop of the city of Hierapolis in Phrygia. The great majority in this city were pagans, and St. Avérkios governed his sparse flock, sorrowing in his heart because of the great number of pagans and idolaters, and diligently praying to God that He would bring them to the light of truth. 

During a boisterous idolatrous festival, Avérkios became inflamed with God's zeal and entered the idolatrous temple, smashing all the idols. When the enraged pagans sought to kill him, three young madmen, foaming at the mouth and howling, fell down before this man of God, and he drove the demons from them. The young men became sane and calm. This turned the pagans' anger into amazement at the wonderworker of Christ, and five hundred of them immediately desired baptism. Little by little, all of Hierapolis came to believe in Christ and were baptized. The proconsul of the province, Publius, had a mother who was blind. Avérkios restored her sight by prayer, and Publius, his mother and many others believed in Christ.

In old age, Avérkios was summoned to Rome, where he healed the emperor's daughter of insanity. The Lord Jesus Christ appeared several times to His faithful follower Avérkios. People from near and far came to him for miraculous help when they suffered from incurable illnesses. The demons not only feared him, but also served him at his command. At the guidance of the Lord Himself, Avérkios preached the Gospel throughout Syria and Mesopotamia. 

In great old age, St. Avérkios presented himself to his beloved Lord in Hierapolis, at the end of the second century.

Philippians 2:12-16
King James Version

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Saint Luke 10:22-24
King James Version

22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

TO THE CATECHUMEN

St. John Chrysostomos

When you are about to pass over the threshold of the gateway, say this word first: I leave your ranks, Satan, and your pomp, and your service, and I join the ranks of Christ. Never go forth without this word. This shall be a staff to you, this your armor, this an impregnable fortress, and accompany this word with the sign of the cross on your forehead. For thus not only a man who meets you, but even the devil himself, will be unable to hurt you at all, when he sees you everywhere appearing with these weapons; and discipline yourself by these means henceforth, in order that when you receive the seal you may be a well-equipped soldier, and planting your trophy against the devil, may receive the crown of righteousness, which may it be the lot of us all to obtain, through the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father and to the Holy Spirit for ever and ever— Amen.