Friday July1/14 ns 2023 • Holy Unmercenaries Cosmás & Damian of Rome > Wine and olive oil are permitted > I Cor. 12:27–13:7; St. Matt. 10:1, 5–8 > Saint Palladius The Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers > PAGE LINK: On Death and Life After Death by Saint John of Kronstadt

 Holy Unmercenaries Cosmás and Damian of Rome

Friday July1/14 ns 2023

a fast day but....

Cosmas and Damian were unmercenary physicians and miracle-workers. These two saints were brothers, were born in Rome and as children were baptized and brought up in the Christian spirit. They possessed abundant grace from God to heal men and livestock from every disease and suffering, usually by the laying on of hands. They sought no reward for their efforts. They only required of the infirm to believe in Christ the Lord. Inheriting a large estate, they charitably distributed it to the needy and to those in want.

At that time, Emperor Galerius reigned in Rome. As a persecutor of Christianity, he summoned these two holy brothers before him shackled in chains. After a prolonged interrogation the emperor ordered them to deny Christ and to offer sacrifices to the idols. Cosmas and Damian not only did not heed the emperor but also counseled him to abandon the dead idols and to recognize the One True God. "Our God is not created but He is the Creator of all, but your gods are the imaginations of man and the work of the hands of artists. If you did not have artists to make your gods, you would have no one to worship." After working a miracle upon the emperor himself-for they miraculously cured him from a grave infirmity - the emperor proclaimed his faith in Christ and released the holy brothers in peace.

Cosmas and Damian continued to glorify God and to heal the sick and were themselves, glorified by the people on all sides. Envious of their glory, a certain doctor who, at one time was their teacher, and with the pretext to gather healing herbs, led them into the mountain and stoned them to death. They suffered honorably for the Faith of Christ in the year 284 A.D. Their memory remains eternal in the Church on earth and their souls took up habitation in the Kingdom of the Lord to live eternally in glory and in joy.

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:7 KJV

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.


Saint Matthew 10:1, 5-8 KJV

10 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Hymn of Praise
Holy Unmercenaries Cosmás & Damian 

The Church glorifies the miracle-working physicians,

Shining stars that shine with the Lord,

Saint Cosmás and Saint Damian,

Two Christians, wondrous giants.

Theodotia was the mother of these sons;

She nourished these giants.

The glorious brothers fulfilled the law,

And by their mercy pleased Christ.

They pleased Christ, the Merciful One,

The greatest Unmercenary Physician.

They received the gift, and became physicians;

They received the gift, but did not sell it.

They gave the gifts of God to the poor,

And in the name of Christ healed them.

Time has not covered God's saints with darkness;

Thus it has always been, and thus it is now.

Nor has it covered the wonderworking physicians;

They shine today as they once did,

And help the infirm and the unfortunate

By mighty and willing prayers

Before Christ's heavenly throne.

Honor and glory to the wondrous physicians!

Saint Palladius

The Sayings of the Holy Desert Fathers

There was a certain old man who lived a life of such strict self-denial that he never drank wine.  And when I arrived at his cell we sat down to eat, and one brought dates and he ate, and he took water and drank; and I said to him laughingly,  'So you are angry with absinthe (alcoholic spirit), O father? Since you have eaten dates and have drunk water, why do you not drink wine?' And he answered and said to me, 'If you take a handful of dust and throw it on a man will it hurt him?' and I said to him, 'No.' And he said to me, 'If you take a handful of water and throw it over a man, peradventure he will feel pain?' and I said to him, 'No.' And he said to me, 'And again, if you take a handful of chopped straw and throw it over a man, peradventure it will cause him pain? and I said to him, 'No.' Then he said to me, 'But if you bring [them all] and do mix them together, and do knead them well, and do dry them, you may throw and hurl the mass on the skull of a man and you will not break it'; and I said to him, 'Yes, father, [that is true].' And he said to me, 'The monks do not abstain from certain things without good reason, and you must not listen to the men who are in the world who say, 'Why do they not eat this, and why do they not drink that?' Is there not sin in them? Such people know not. Now we abstain from certain things not because the things themselves are bad, but because the passions are mighty, and when they have waxed strong they kill us.'

Question to an Atheist:   'Are we creations, or are we things'.

After a short period, the response:  'We are just things'.

If one possesses a genuine concern and desires to know of his or her inheritance, it may be revealed by the grace of God and the selfless love of Saint John of Kronstadt.

On Death and Life After Death

by Saint John of Kronstadt

P A G E   L I N K

Employers like to know well ahead if they can allow a day off