Synaxis of the Recovery of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Miasenae: The Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos of Miasenae is celebrated today because of the wonder that was wrought when her holy icon, which was cast into the lake call Zaguru in order to prevent it from being desecrated by the Iconoclast, miraculously arose intact from the depths of the lake after many years. Jesus (Joshua) of Navi: Jesus (Joshua) of Navi was born of the tribe of Ephraim in Egypt, in the seventeenth century before Christ. When he was eighty-five years of age, he became Moses successor. He restrained the River Jordans flow and allowed the Israelites to cross on foot. He caused the sun to stop in its course when he was waging war against the Amorites. He divided the Promised Land among the Twelve Tribes of Israel and governed them for twenty-five years. He wrote the Old Testament book that bears his name, and having lived 110 years in all, he reposed in the sixteenth century before Christ. His name means God saves. Symeon the Stylite: Our righteous Father Symeon was born about the year 390 in a certain village named Sis, in the mountain region of Cilicia and Syria. Having first been a shepherd, he entered the monastic discipline at a young age. After trying various kinds of ascetical practices, both in the monastery and then in the wilderness, he began standing on pillars of progressively greater height, and heroically persevered in this for more than forty years; the greater part of this time he spent standing upright, even when one of his feet became gangrenous, and other parts of his body gave way under the strain. He did not adopt this strange way of life out of vainglory, a charge that some of his contemporaries made against him at the first: because he was already famous for his asceticism and holiness before ascending his first pillar (in Greek, style, whence he is called Stylite), many pious people came to him wishing to touch his garments, either for healing or for a blessing; to escape the continual vexation they caused, he made a pillar about ten feet high, and then higher and higher, until the fourth and last was about fifty feet high. The Church historian Theodoret of Cyrrhus, an eyewitness of his exploits who wrote of him while Symeon was yet alive, called him the great wonder of the world. God gave him the grace to persevere in such an astonishing form of asceticism that multitudes came to see him from Persia, Armenia, South Arabia, Georgia, Thrace, Spain, Italy, Gaul, and the British Isles. Theodoret says that he became so famous in Rome that the Nomadic Arabs by the thousands believed in Christ and were baptized because of him; the King of Persia sent envoys to inquire into his way of life, and the Queen asked to be sent oil that he had blessed. He also was a great defender of sound doctrine, and confirmed the Orthodoxy of the Holy Council of Chalcedon for many who had been beguiled by the teachings of the Monophysites, including the Empress Eudocia, widow of Theodosius the Younger. After a life of unheard-of achievements and struggles, he reposed in peace at the age of sixty-nine, in the year 459. 40 Holy Women Martyrs of Thrace: The 40 Holy Virgins and Saint Ammoun the Deacon, were from Adrianopolis in Macedonia. Deacon Ammoun was their guide in Christian Faith. They were captured by Baudos the governor, and were tortured because they would not offer sacrifice to idols. The holy martyrs endured many cruel torments, which were intended to force them to renounce Christ and worship idols. Later, they were sent to Heraklea in Thrace to appear before the tyrant Licinius. The valiant martyrs remained unshakeable, however. St Ammoun and eight of the virgins were beheaded, ten virgins were burned, six of them died after heated metal balls were put into their mouths, six were stabbed with knives, and the rest were struck in the mouth and stabbed in the heart with swords. Holy Martyrs Calliste and Siblings: Euodus and Hermogenes: The Holy Martyrs Callista and her brothers Evodus and Hermogenes, with other Christians of Nicomedia, were brought to trial before the pagan governor for confessing their faith in Christ. Refusing to offer sacrifice to idols, they were cut down by the sword. Meletius the New: Saint Meletius was born in Cappadocia in 1035. Many people regarded him as an imbecile, but God “hath made foolish the wisdom of this world” (I Cor. 1:20), and it has also pleased Him “by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (I Cor. 1:21). So the Lord used the saint to draw many souls to Himself. St Meletius was given the gift of prophecy, and performed many miracles. He built a monastery on Mt. Cytheron in Boeotia in central Greece, which was named for him. After living as a hermit for many years, St Meletius fell asleep in the Lord on Mt. Cytheron in 1105.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 11:14:42 +0000
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