Tuesday {Holy John the Baptist} January 14th 7523 {Ecumenical / Church Calendar} January 27th 2015 [World Calendar] Apodosis of the Theophany Commemoration of Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, Enlightener of Georgia {335} 34th Week after Pentecost. Tone Eight Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, Enlightener of Gruzia was born in about the year 280 in the city of Kolastra in Cappadocia, where many of the Gruzian people had gathered. Her father Zabulon happened to be a kinsman to the Holy Great-Martyr George. He was descended of illustrious lineage and of pious parentage, and he stood in good favour with the emperor Maximian. Zabulon, a Christian, served in the military under the emperor and took part in the setting free of Christian captives from Gaul. His wife Susanna was a sister of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. At twelve years of age Holy Nino went to Jerusalem together with her parents, who had but only this one daughter. By their mutual consent and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Zabulon devoted his life to the service of God at the Jordan and Susanna was made Deaconness in the Church of the Sepulcher of the Lord. The upbringing of Holy Nina was entrusted to the pious woman-elder, Nianphora. Holy Nina displayed diligence and obedience over two years: with the help of the Grace of God, she got into the firm habit of fulfilling the Rule of Faith and she read the Holy Scripture zealously. One time, while in tears reliving the experience of the Gospel passages describing the Crucifixion of Christ the Saviour, the thought would not leave her mind over the fate of the Chiton or Tunic of the Lord. To the questioning of Holy Nina as to where the Chiton of the Lord had gone, the Eldress Nianphora declared that the undecayed Chiton of the Lord, by tradition, had been carried off by the Mtskheta rabbi Eleazar and taken with him back to a place named Iveria called the Appanage of the Mother of God. The All-Pure Virgin Herself during her earthly lifetime had received the Apostolic Allotment for the enlightening of Gruzia, but an Angel of the Lord in appearing to her foretold, that Gruzia would become her earthly Appenage only afterwards upon her Repose, and that the Providence of God had prepared for her Apostolic service too at Athos which is likewise called the Appanage of the Mother of God. And learning further from the Eldress Nianphora that Gruzia had not then yet been enlightened by the Light of Christianity, Holy Nino both day and night in prayer besought the Most-Holy Mother of God, that she might grant her to see Gruzia converted to Christ and indeed too might enable her to find the Chiton of the Lord. The Queen of Heaven heard the prayer of the young righteous one. One time, when Holy Nino was taking rest after long prayer, the All-Pure Virgin appeared to her in a dream, and entrusting her a Cross plaited together of vineyard sprigs, she said: Take thou this Cross, for it wilt be for thee a shield and protection against all enemies both visible and invisible. Go thou to the land of Iveria, proclaim there the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and spread forth His Grace: and I wilt be thine Protectress. Awakening, Holy Nina saw in her hand the Cross. Rejoicing in spirit, she went to her uncle Patriarch of Jerusalem and told him about her vision. The Patriarch thereupon blessed the young virgin in her deed of Apostolic Service. On the way to Gruzia, Holy Nina in miraculous manner escaped a Martyrs death under the Armenian emperor Tiridates, which however befell her companions the emperors daughter Ripsimia, her guide Gaiania and thirty-five Virgins who had fled to Armenia from Rome to escape persecution under emperor Diocletian. Bolstered in spirit by visions of an Angel of the Lord, appearing the first time holding a Censer, and the second time a Scroll in hand, Holy Nino continued on her way and appeared in Gruzia in the year 319. News about her soon spread through the surroundings of Mtskheta where she asceticised, with numerous signs accompanying her preaching. Thus on the day of the Most-Glorious Transfiguration of the Lord, during the time of a pagan sacrificial offering made by pagan priests in the presence of the emperor Mirian and a multitude of the people, through the prayers of Holy Nino were toppled down from an high mountain the idols Armaz, Gatsi and Gaim. This apparition was accompanied by a strong storm. Having entered Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Gruzia, Holy Nino found shelter in the household of a childless imperial official, whose wife Anastasia, was delivered from her infertility through the prayers of Holy Nino, and she came to believe in Christ. Holy Nino healed from grievous infirmity the Gruzinian empress Nana who upon accepting Holy Baptism ceased with her idol-worship and became instead a zealous Christian. In spite of the miraculous healing of his wife, emperor Mirian in heeding the complaints of the pagans made ready to subject Holy Nino to fierce tortures. At that very moment, when they did contrive execution for the Holy Righteous one, the sun darkened and an impenetrable mist covered the place where the emperor was. The emperor suddenly fell blind, and seized by terror his retainers began to beseech their pagan idols for a return of the light of day. But Armaz, Gaim and Gatsi were deaf, and the darkness did intensify. Then with one voice the terrified cried out to God, Whom Nino did preach. Instantly the darkness dissipated, and the sun shone in all its radiance. This event occurred on the 6th of May in the year 319. Emperor Mirian, healed from his blindness by Holy Nino, accepted Holy Baptism together with all his retainers. Over the course of several years, by 324 Christianity had ultimately consolidated itself in Gruzia. The chronicles relate that through prayers it was revealed to Holy Nino, where the Chiton of the Lord was hid. And at this place was built the first Christian Temple in Gruzia. During this period at the request of the emperor Mirian with the help of the Byzantine Holy Emperor Constantine was dispatched to Gruzia the Antioch Bishop Eustathios, with two Priests and three Deacons. Christianity took an definite hold upon the land. The mountain regions of Gruzia however remained without enlightenment. In the company of the Presbyter James and one of the Deacons, Holy Nino set off to the upper regions of the Aragva and Iori Rivers where she preached the Holy Gospel to the pagan hill-people. Many of them came to believe in Christ and accepted Holy Baptism. From thence Holy Nino proceeded to Kakhetia and settled in the village of Bodbe in a small tent aside a mountain. Here she led an ascetic life, dwelling in constant prayer, and converting to Christ the surrounding inhabitants. Amidst all these was the empress of Kakhetia named Sodzha who accepted Holy Baptism with all her court and a multitude of the people. Having completed her Apostolic service in Gruzia, Holy Nino perceived from Above about her impending end. In a letter to the emperor Mirian she requested him to send Bishop John so that he might prepare her for her final journey. It was not only Bishop John that came but also the Emperor together with all the Clergy set off to Bodbe where at the deathbed of Holy Nino were occurrences of many an healing. For the edification of the people that had come, and at the request of her disciples, Holy Nino told about her origin and life. This narration, written down by Solomia of Udzharm, has served as the basis of the Life of Holy Nino. Reverently having communed the Holy Mysteries, Holy Nino gave final instructions that her body be buried at Bodbe and then she peacefully expired to the Lord in the year 335. The Emperor together with the Clergy and the people grieving over the death of Holy Nino wanted to transfer her remains to the Mtskheta Cathedral, but they were not able to remove the coffin of the ascetic from her chosen place of rest. And on this place in the year 342 emperor Mirian started with the foundations, and his son the emperor Bakur completed and dedicated the Church in the name of Holy Ninos kinsman, the Holy Great-Martyr George. Later on at this place was founded a womens monastery in the name of Holy Nino. The Relics of the Saint, at her command concealed beneath a crypt, were glorified by many Miracles and healings. The Gruzian or Georgian Orthodox Church, with the assent of the Patriarchate of Antioch, designated Holy Nino the Enlightener of Gruzia as Equal-to-the-Apostles, and having enumerated her to the Rank of the Saints, established her memory under the 14th of January on the day of her blessed repose. The Scripture Readings Matthew 10:1-8 {Orthros} 1 Peter 3:10-22 Mark 12:18-27 1 Corinthians 4:9-16 {Holy Nino} Matthew 25:1-13 {Holy Nino}
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 10:07:02 +0000
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