Tuesday September 27 / October 10 ns 2023 • Holy Martyr Callístratos and those with him; Holy Virgin-Martyr Aquilína the New ~ NO ONE TAKES A SINGLE CRUMB by St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Thou didst ascend the cross O Jesus

Thou Who didst descend from heaven

Thou camest unto death O Life Immortal

Thou camest unto those in darkness

Thou Who are the True Light

Thou camest unto the fallen O Resurrection of us all

Our Light and Savior Glory to TheeGlory to Thee O Our God, Glory to Thee.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO ALL PAGES AND SERVICES

or simply scroll down

Holy Martyr Callístratos and those with him

Callístratos was born in Carthage. He was a Christian from birth, for his father and grandfather were Christians. One of Callistratos ancestors, Neochorus by name, was a soldier in Jerusalem under Pontius Pilate, at the time of the Crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Witnessing the many miracles at the time of Christ's death, Neochorus believed in Him, and was instructed in the Faith and baptized by an apostle. Returning home to Carthage, Neochorus brought his Christian Faith with him as a precious pearl. So it was that in time Callistratos was born, baptized and raised a Christian. 

While Callistratos was in the army there were no other Christians in his regiment besides him. One of his companions, seeing how St. Callistratos arose at night and prayed to God, reported him as a Christian to the commander, Persentinian. Persentinian was a cruel torturer of Christians. In order to confirm that Callistratos was indeed a Christian, the commander ordered him to offer sacrifice to the idols, which Callistratos straightway refused to do. He was then severely beaten and thrown into the sea. However, the power of God saved him, and he emerged from the sea in sound health. Seeing Callistratos endurance and miracles, forty-nine other soldiers came to believe in Christ. They were beaten and thrown into prison with Callistratos . In prison Callistratos taught his companions the Faith, and strengthened them. They displayed great bravery in suffering, and the Lord manifested great power through them. Then the evil torturer sent soldiers to the prison by night, and they slew St. Callistratos and his forty-nine companions. They suffered for the truth in the year 304. A church was later built over their relics.

Holy Virgin Martyr Aquilína the New

From the village of Zaklivera in the diocese of Jedrene, Aquilína was a girl of eighteen. Her father embraced Islam and put pressure on his daughter to do the same, but her mother inclined her to the Christian faith. After much torture, all wounded and bloodied, she breathed her last in her mother's arms and received the wreath of martyrdom on September 27th, 1764.

Philippians 1:8-14 KJV

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ.

11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

14 And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

Saint Luke 5:12-16 KJV

12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

NO ONE TAKES A SINGLE CRUMB

by St. Nikolai Velimirovich

All our riches, glory and honor are as a brief repast that ends at death. No one takes a single crumb of this meal into the other world. Blessed is the one who understands that the soul is his only possession that is not diminished by anything, not even by death.

Such a one thinks only of three realities: death, the soul, and God the Judge. 

Abba Evagrios teaches: "Hold your approaching death and the Judgment constantly in your mind, and you will preserve your soul from sin." 

All our bodily cares in this life are like cares about a meal which must soon be cut short. 

St. Isaiah the Solitary says: "Have death before your eyes every day: think constantly about how you will separate from the body, how you will pass through the region of the powers of darkness who will meet you in the air, and how you will present yourself before God. Prepare yourself for the Dread Day of answering to the Judgment of God, as though you already behold it now." 

One day, John, a rich merchant, came to St. Sabbátios of Solovki and brought him many alms. Sabbátios did not accept any of it, but rather told the donor to distribute all of it to the needy. John became very sad at this, and the saint, in order to comfort him and make everything clear to him said: "John, my son, stay here and rest until tomorrow, and then you will see the grace of God." John obeyed. The next day, John entered the cell of Sabbátios and saw the elder in final repose, and sensed a wonderful fragrance in the cell. He who foresees the end of his life does not think of worldly goods.