Selected Miracles of St Haralambos The Blessed Hieromartyr

 (The Saint is commemorated on February 10)

Miracle of St Haralambos in Filiatra (1943)

A modern miracle took place in the small Peloponnesian town of Filiatra in 1943, during the dark days of the occupation of Greece by the Germans. This miracle has moved and continues to move, to this today, not only the people of Filiatra but also the people of all Greece.
From the German Headquarters in Tripoli, orders were issued to Officer Kondau, in charge in Filiatra, to burn the town, because of a sabotage that the rebels had instigated. The Commander was ordered to kill a certain number of notable Filiatrians, to take as prisoners the 1,500 other citizens, and to send them to Germany, after which it is was obvious they would never return.
Officer Kondau, feeling no pity, in turn, gave the orders to his soldiers to follow through with implementing the destruction, on the following day at 6:00 in the morning.
In Tripoli, the priest, Archimandrite Theodore Kotsakis, who was originally from Filiatra, learned of this plan. Grief and worry overcame everyone; no one knew what to do to save Filiatra and its people. So, the priest Theodore found someone who knew German, and together they went to the house of the German Officer in Tripoli. But while they waited outside his office, loud voices, cursing and a great upheaval were heard. A Greek woman pulled on the priest’s cassock, urging him to leave, so that they might not be killed there, right on the spot!
Thereby, upon leaving, the Priest notified all the people from Filiatra who were living in Tripoli, to pray that night to Saint Haralambos, who was Patron Saint of Filiatra, asking him to intercede for the town and its people. Then the Priest Theodore closed himself in his room and prayed with much pain and sorrow. And the citizens of Filiatra did the same, as they had caught wind of something going on, themselves.
Saint Haralambos heard their prayers and performed the miracle! The Saint then appeared that night to Officer Kondau while he was sleeping. He appeared to him as a serious, old and dignified man of holy countenance, dressed in priestly robes and having a long white beard. This German conqueror, who was a Protestant, had never seen such a face or such an appearance ever before in his life. The solemn Elder then said to him with such sweetness: “Listen, my son, do not carry out the orders you were given.”
The dream was so real that it created a great impression on him. He awakened suddenly and then went back to sleep, but, with determination, however, to carry out the order he was given. Then once again the Saint appeared to him in his sleep and said: “That which I have told you to do, do it. Do not execute the order. Do not be afraid. I will make sure that you are not punished.” Again, he awakened, and the words spoken to him were whirling around in his mind. But it was impossible for him not to carry out the order, after all the Germans would execute him if he didn’t. Once again he fell asleep. And once again the solemn Elder appeared to him for a third time, saying: “I told you not to be afraid. I will see to it that you are not punished. I will protect you and all your men. You will all return to your homes and nothing will happen to you.”
At first, the Commander wanted to ignore the order of Saint Haralambos, in order to appear independent. But despite all his intransigence, he yielded, because afterwards, as this German Officer himself related, he heard in his sleep shouts and cries, as if coming from people being tortured right in his own courtyard. Then, real life figures appeared like women, many women, who were beating themselves on the heads and chests out of unbearable misfortune and pain.
They were mourning, showing desperation, and cursing out of agony in anticipation of the slaughter of their children and grandchildren that was to take place. All of these voices then became like a big cloud that ascended on high, into the heavens, without anything falling to the earth.
And furthermore, as he slept, the German Officer saw long black clouds that were coming out of his room, ascending, and casting a shadow upon the sun, with the sun trying to hide from the clouds as if it were a person who in turn was casting shadows on the faces of his soldiers. Some of soldiers were afraid, while others were asking for help as they made the sign of the cross. And still others were running and hiding behind the olive groves.
From his fright he woke up. He tried to speak but couldn’t, rather his mouth was agape as he looked at the image in his dream, the old man that he saw three times in his dream who had the appearance of a Saint of the Orthodox church. When he came to his senses, he began thinking of the evil that was about to happen: the slaughter of human beings, like dogs to remain on the streets without burial and of houses burning in seconds which had taken centuries to be built!
These reflections stirred him. But still he said to himself: “I said I was going to burn this town and burn it I will!”
Then he closed his eyes. And the old man, Saint Haralambos, appeared once again before him, in a threatening and persistent manner. In a loud and emphatic voice, the Saint said to him: “Be careful! This town is not going to burn and its people are not going to be captured. They are innocent. Do you hear me?”
The German Officer stood up, steadied himself, as his knees were shaking from fright and he picked up the telephone. With a trembling voice, he called Tripoli to speak to the German Commander of all Peloponesos. And when this commander tried to respond to give orders, he faltered. He tried to get fierce so that his orders would be carried out, but he wasn’t able to! So what was going on? That same night he also had seen Saint Haralambos in his sleep, just as the Officer Kondau from Filiatra had described him on the telephone. And finally, the Commander resolutely told the Officer in Filiatra: “Write this down. I am suspending the destruction of the town. Come immediately to see me tomorrow at noon!”
At daybreak, the decision by the Germans to revoke the order was announced.
Everywhere there were shouts of joy to be heard by the townspeople, in the cafes, in the square, in the streets….
One battalion, then, of German soldiers with Officer Kondau and two Orthodox priests in the middle, walked down the street going from Church to Church. They started at Saint John’s, then Saint Nicholas’, then Saint Athanasios’ and finally headed for the Church of the Panagia (The All holy one).
Officer Kondau was searching for the icon of the Saint that he saw in his dream. When they opened for him the door of the Church of the Panagia, he recognized among the icons, Saint Haralambos, whom he had seen in his dream, who had commanded him. His voice broke. He became ashamed of his pride. He hid his face with his hands. Shortly, he lowered them. And this Protestant, on bended knee, made the sign of the cross. He uttered a few prayers in his own language, of which the priests present were unable to interpret.
Afterward, he asked the priests to tell him who this geronda (elder) depicted in the icon was. They related to him that it was Saint Haralambos who bore many torments for Christ. Then they told him of the many miracles that the Saint had performed, and still does to this day.
There are no words to describe the joy felt by the people of Filiatra and their gratitude toward the Saint. They glorified God and they thanked Saint Haralambos for the miracle. And just as the Saint had told Officer Kondau, the leader of the garrison, and all his men, after the war was over, they returned safely to Germany and to their homes, without anyone being harmed. The German Officer, thus, preserved vividly the memory of this miracle and showed gratitude to the Saint. He hoped to return from Germany to venerate him. And in fact, after two years, he came with his wife to the town of Filiatra. But, on his first pilgrimage, he didn’t quite make it for the Feast Day of the Saint. He came one day later, on February 11th.
When, however, the people of Filiatra saw him, they were so overjoyed that they celebrated the Feast Day all over again. They chanted the doxology; they held receptions and dinners and other festivities. And up until recent times this German Officer with wife and family and other countrymen have come on the 10th of February to the town of Filiatra to venerate and pay homage with faith to this Saint. In their hearts Orthodoxy had blossomed.
 

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

O wise Haralambos, you were proven an unshakable pillar of the Church of Christ; an evershining lamp of the universe. You shone in the world by your martyrdom. You delivered us from the moonless night of idolatry, O blessed One. Wherefore, boldly intercede to Christ that we may be saved.

St Haralambos & the Demon Possessed

Many of the weighty difficulties which befall man have their cause, known or unknown, in his past. However, the causes of these weighty difficulties, let us say mental disorder, are nothing else than the transgression of the moral law of God.
When St. Haralambos was being tortured, the persecuting emperor found out about his miracle-working power and ordered an insane man to be brought to Haralambos so that the emperor could be convinced that Haralambos could heal him. The devil tormented this man for thirty-five years driving him into the wilderness and hills and hurling him into mud or into gorges. When this deranged person approached Haralambos, the demon sensed a sweet-smelling fragrance emanating from this holy man and shouted: "I beg you, O servant of God, do not torment me before my time, rather command me and I will depart and, if you wish, I will tell you how it came about that I entered into this man." The saint commanded the demon to relate the story. The demon said: "This man wanted to steal from his neighbor and thought to himself: `If I don't kill the man first, I will not be able to seize his goods.' He proceeded and killed his neighbor. Having caught him in the act, I entered him and behold for thirty-four years I dwelt in him." Upon hearing this, the saint of God commanded the demon to depart from the man immediately and to leave him in peace. The demon departed and the demented man was restored to health and became tranquil.
 

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

O Priest-martyr, athlete, champion Haralambos, your relics are a priceless treasure of the Church. Wherefore she rejoices, glorifying the Creator.

St Haralambos & the Sacrifice of the Bull

The Municipality of Agia Paraskevi is situated in the center of the island of Lesvos, among the hills and close to the plain of Kalloni. Agriculture and cattle raising are the main income sources of the Municipality.

The Municipality of Agia Paraskevi is famous for the "Religious Festival of Tavros". This festival is the most important popular activity of the village of Agia Paraskevi and it combines a variety of happenings that regard the ritual of the bull's (tavros) sacrifice. An agricultural group called "Το Ισνάφι των Ζευγάδων" (Agricultural Association "The Progress") revived this ancient custom in 1774. It was established as a reverence to St Haralambos, the protector of this agricultural group (Το Ισνάφι) that organises this festival (St. Haralambos os the patron saint of ploughmen).

The festival is linked to an old story: "During the period of Turkish occupation, a Turk stole a bull. Each time he tried to kill it, a bright light shone in his eyes, until eventually, he gave the bull back."

The incomes of this celebration are used for the inhabitants' common profit. The activities that take place during the celebration of this festival are the following:

The inhabitants gather the necessary materials (wheat etc.) for the preparation of the traditional meal ("kiskek"). The carrying of the decorated bull around the village takes place with the participation of the local orchestra. The pilgrims ride decorated horses accompanied by the local traditional orchestra. Sacrifice of the bull takes place at the chapel of St Haralambos situated at the evergreen mountain of Tavros that rests nearly 30 minutes outside of the village in a remote location.

Throughout the night, preparation of the traditional meal is accompanied by popular dances. The inhabitants return to the village, where a parade of horses and horse races take place. Amusement at the central square of the village takes place with the visitors' participation. On the last night of the festival, local inhabitants have fun until the next morning.

These festivals that take place at the village of Agia Paraskevi last for several days; they start from Friday and last until Monday, usually in the middle of June. The dances and the songs as well as the popular orchestras that play traditional music from Lesvos and from the village of Agia Paraskevi and Asia Minor are of a great importance at those festivals. The Religious Festival of Tavros takes place at the end of the spring and coincides with the preparation of the harvest. 

Source-Mystagogy

The life of Saint John Kronstadt(Dec 20)

On October 19, 1829, in the far north of Russia, a weak and sickly child, named John (Ioann), was born in the family of Ilia Sergiyev, church reader in the village of Sura in the Archangelsk province. This child was the future luminary of Christ’s Church.

From his earliest years Vanya went with his father to their poor and humble church, served in the altar, loved the service books, became very pious. His favorite book was the Holy Gospel. All of this became a firm religious foundation for the boy in his later long and glorious life in Christ.

Learning came very hard to Vanya in his childhood, which sorrowed him greatly, but also served to spur him on to especially fervent prayers to God for help. And a miracle occurred! Once, during his sojourn in his religious school, after a fervent prayer during the night, the boy experienced a sudden shiver all over his body, and it was as though a curtain fell from his eyes, as though his mental sight opened up, and he experienced lightness and joy in his soul. After that night the boy immediately began reading with great ease, began to comprehend and memorize everything with the greatest facility. He finished his school at the top of his class, graduated from the Archangelsk Seminary in first place, and entered the St. Petersburg Religious Academy.

St. Lucy the Virgin Martyr of Syracuse(Dec 13)

St. Lucy the Virgin Martyr of Syracuse - Commemorated December 13 

Saint Lucy the Virgin-Martyr (283-304), also known as Saint Lucia, was born in Syracuse, Sicily and was martyred for the Christian faith in the persecution of Emperor Diocletian around the year 304 AD. Her feast day is celebrated on December 13.
There is no doubt of the great veneration that was shown to St. Lucy by the early church. She is one of those few female saints whose names occur in the canon of Pope Gregory the Great, and there are special prayers and antiphons for her in his Sacramentary. She is also commemorated in the ancient Roman Martyrology. At the beginning of the 8th century the Bishop Aldhelm of Sherborne included a brief account of her life among the virgins praised in De Laude Virginitatis, and following him, the Venerable Bede inserted the story in his Martyrology.
Lucy was born of rich and noble parents about the year 283. Her father was of Roman origin, but his early death left her dependent upon her mother, whose name, Eutychia, seems to indicate that she came of Greek stock.

Her mother, Eutychia, had suffered four years with dysentery but Lucy had heard the renown of Saint Agatha of Palermo, the patroness of Catania; when they were at a Liturgy, the gospel was read that made mention of a woman who was healed of the dysentery by touching of the hem of the garment of Jesus Christ, which convinced her mother to pray together at Saint Agatha's tomb. They stayed up all night praying, until they fell asleep, exhausted. Saint Agatha then appeared in a vision to Lucy and said, "Soon you shall be the glory of Syracuse, as I am of Catania." At that instant Eutychia was cured.

Lucy secretly consecrated her virginity to God, and distributed her wealth to the poor. Since she refused to marry a pagan, the rejected suitor denounced her to the prefect Paschasius as a Christian, and she was arrested.

St. Lucy before the Governor Paschasius

   

She was first of all condemned to suffer the shame of prostitution; but in the strength of God she stood immovable, so that they could not drag her away to the place of shame, and thus she preserved her purity. Then the pagans attempted to burn her alive, and heaped bundles of wood about her and set them on fire, and again God saved her. Finally, she was killed by a sword thrust to the throat, and so she gave her spirit up to God. Holy Martyr Lucy, pray to God for us!

St. Lucy, unharmed amidst the flames

 

Lucy's name is derived from the Latin word lux or lucis meaning "light", and since there is a late tradition that she was blinded by her torturers, she is regarded as the patron saint of eyesight, of the blind, and of lucidity.[note 1] She should not be confused with St Lucy of Campania (July 6).
With regard to her relics, Sigebert (1030-1112), a monk of Gembloux, wrote that the body lay undisturbed in Sicily for around 400 years. But in 878, as marauding Islamic Saracens threatened Syracuse, the relics were transfered to a secret place. 

  The empty tomb of St. Lucy in Syracuse, Sicily 

   

In 1039 the Byzantine general George Maniakes took them and removed them to Constantinople. On their capture of Constantinople in 1204, the French found some of the relics in that city, and the Doge of Venice secured them for the monastery of San Giorgio at Venice. In 1313 they were moved within Venice to the city church named in her honour. In 1513 the Venetians presented to Louis XII of France the head of the saint, which he deposited in the cathedral church of Bourges.

The incorrupt relics of St. Lucy, in the church of San Geremia, Venice 

   

Until 1861 the remainder of her relics were venerated in the church dedicated to her in Venice. After its demolition to make way for the new railway terminus, they were transferred to the church of San Geremia (Venice). 

   

St. Lucy the Virgin Martyr 

Troparion (Tone 5)
Wearing the radiant cloak of virginity, and being betrothed to the Lifegiver Christ, you forsook the love of your earthly betrothed, O Lucy Virgin-Martyr, therefore as a bridal gift, you have brought to Christ the outpouring of your blood. You also intercede to Him for us all!


(http://orthodoxwiki.org/Lucy_of_Syracuse)

Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!

 

Source-full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.ca

The Life and Passion of the Holy Great-martyr Saint Barbara (Dec 4)

THE FOURTH DAY
OF THE MONTH OF DECEMBER
The Life and Passion of the
Holy Great-martyr Barbara
From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 4: December,
compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

 

During the reign of the impious Roman Emperor Maximian, there lived in the East, near Heliopolis, a wealthy, renowned nobleman named Dioscorus, by ancestry and faith a Hellene. He had a daughter named Barbara, his only child, over whom he kept watch as the apple of his eye. The maiden was exceedingly beautiful, and no girl or woman in the country could compare with her. Thinking baseborn, common folk unworthy to behold his daughter’s fair countenance, Dioscorus built a lofty tower in which were lovely rooms. There Barbara remained, with well-bred governesses and maidservants. By that time her mother was already dead. While living in the tower, the maiden found consolation in looking out over the hills and valleys created by God, at the splendor of the heavens, and the majesty of the earth. One day, while gazing into the sky, she began to reflect on the brilliance of the sun, the moon in its course, and the luster of the stars. Suddenly she asked the governesses and servants living with her, "Who made these things?" Then, regarding the beauty of the earth, its green fields, gardens, and vineyards, the hills and streams, she asked again, "Whose hand created all this?"

"All things were made by the gods," the women replied.

"Which gods?" asked the maiden.

The servants answered, "The gold, silver, and wooden gods that your father keeps in his palace and worships. These are the gods that made everything you see."

Doubting the truth of this, Barbara said to herself, "The gods my father reveres were made by the hands of men: those of gold and silver by smiths, those of stone by sculptors, and the ones of wood by carvers. How can gods which have themselves been fashioned, that can neither walk nor move their hands, have created the luminous expanse of the sky and this beautiful earth?"

The Life and Passion of the Holy Great-martyr Saint Catherine, the Wise Virgin(Nov 25)

THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY
OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER
The Life and Passion of the
Holy Great-martyr Catherine,
the Wise Virgin
From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 3: November,
compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

During the reign of the impious Emperor Maxentius, there lived in the city of Alexandria a maiden named Catherine. She was of royal lineage, very beautiful and tall, and had reached the age of eighteen. She was also most learned, having studied all the writings of the Hellenes, and had acquainted herself with the authors of antiquity: Homer, Virgil, Aristotle, Plato, and others. It was not, however, only the philosophers that she had read: she knew well the books of the physicians Asclepius, Hippocrates, and Galen. Moreover, she had entirely mastered the arts of rhetoric and dialectic and knew many languages, so that all were amazed at her learning. Numerous rich men of noble birth came to ask her hand of her mother, who held the Christian faith secretly because of the great persecution raised up against the faithful at that time by Maxentius. Catherine’s mother and relatives often counselled the maiden to marry so that the royal inheritance passed down from her father would not fall into the hands of strangers and thus be lost to her family, but the wise Catherine loved virginity greatly and did not wish to be married. She answered those who urged her, "If you wish me to enter into wedlock, find me a youth who possesses the four things which I have (as you well know) in greater measure than all other maidens, not one that is inferior to me and unworthy of my hand. Look about for a young man who is of noble lineage, wealthy, handsome, and learned; if he is lacking in one of these things, he is not worthy of me."

Unable to find such a youth, Catherine’s relatives said, "Although the sons of emperors and great princes are highborn and wealthier than she, not one is as handsome or as wise."

Said Catherine, "1 do not desire a bridegroom who is uneducated."

Saint David the Righteous of Evia(Nov1)

Saint David was born between 1470 and 1480, in the village of Gardinitsa in the province of Locrida. The name of this village is nowadays Kyparissi. His father, Christodoulos, was a priest. He and his pious wife Theodora had four children, whom they raised "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord".

When little David was three years old, one evening he saw Saint John the Baptist in a vision. Saint John took his hand and they went together to a chapel dedicated to his memory. There, Saint John went into his icon, while the child got down on his knees in front of it. Little Davids parents, as well as the whole village, were looking for him for six days and nights.
 On the sixth day, which was Saturday, David's father went with some villagers to that chapel to serve the Vespers and pray to the Saint for his child.

When they arrived, they were surprised to see little David on his knees in front of the icon of Saint John. His face was glowing with a celestial light and he didn't look at all haggard. They then all understood that this child was not like the other children, he was special.

When Saint David was fifteen years old, he left his village with the blessing of his parents and followed the hieromonk Akakios, a virtuous and experienced spiritual father, whom he met due to the Providence of the Lord.

In the monastery of Elder Akakios Saint David lived as member of the brotherhood for five years.

His asceticism, obedience and humility were sterling. The prudence and the wisdom of the young novice were the reason his brothers in the monastery called him "David the Elder".

The Life of Our Holy Monastic Father Hilarion the Great(Oct 21)

The Twenty-Ninth Day
of the Month of October
The Life of Our Holy Monastic Father
Hilarion the Great
From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 2: October,
compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

The venerable Hilarion was born in the village of Tabatha, which is in Palestine near the city of Gaza. Hilarion was like a rose blossoming among thorns, for although his parents were pagans, he emitted the fragrance which is Christ. His father and mother sent him to study in Alexandria, and there he acquired not only the knowledge which the Hellenes seek and which is easily mastered, but spiritual wisdom as well. He believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, received Holy Baptism, and went frequently to church where he gave heed to teaching that served to instruct and to enlighten him. As he exercised himself in the virtues, his heart began to burn with love for God, and he considered how he might serve the Lord.

Hilarion soon learned of Saint Anthony the Great, for the fame of Anthony’s virtuous life had spread everywhere at that time. Wishing to see Anthony, Hilarion hastened to where the saint lived. When he reached Anthony’s dwelling place in the desert, he beheld his countenance, comely with virtue, and hearkened unto his sweet discourse. The godly one indicated to him the path that leads a man to perfection, and Hilarion remained with Anthony for some time. He beheld Anthony’s fervent and frequent prayers, his handiwork and constant labor, his fasting and abstinence, hospitality and freedom from avarice, and his perfect fulfillment of the statutes of monasticism, and saw how Anthony’s life thereby rivalled that of the angels. But since many visitors came to the venerable Anthony, some to be healed of their infirmities, others to receive his blessing, and yet others to hear his divinely inspired and edifying words, Hilarion did not wish to remain there permanently. He could not have perfect solitude and quiet there, and so he considered how he might find a place where he could dwell alone with the one God without any distraction. Taking the venerable one’s blessing, he returned to his homeland where he learned that his parents had died. He divided his inheritance into two parts: one portion he gave to his kindred, the other to the poor, leaving nothing for himself. Counting all things as dung, he renounced himself and the whole world, that he might become Christ’s disciple and an emulator of His poverty.

Metropolitan Avgoustinos Kantiotes On St. Luke the Evangelist (Homily)

 

The Beloved Physician

“Embrace Luke, the beloved physician” (Col. 4:14)

Today, my beloved, is a feast and celebration. St. Luke celebrates, one of the stars which enlightens the heaven of our holy Church.
  

Who was St. Luke? It is not sufficient to hear the name and to celebrate the memory of a Saint. We must know his life, and above all, imitate his virtues. As the holy Chrysostom said: “To celebrate a Saint is to imitate the Saint.” Because of this, let us say a few words about this Saint.
 

Luke! And his name alone reveals something, it has meaning. The word “Luke”, as philologists say, comes from the Latin root (lux) which means “light”. From this are derived other words as well. For example, “Lyceum” [corresponding to high school in modern Greece], meaning the school that enlightens, and woe if this school does not enlighten but darkens. Lyceum=the school that enlightens, and Luke=enlightened, radiant. He, of course, was not enlightened from the start, for initially he was an idolater. He was born when everyone worshiped idols and made them gods. He was a Greek by lineage. His homeland was Antioch, that great center of Hellenism in the East. That was his life before Christ, until he believed.
  

His calling was to be a physician (there was at that time a great medical school in Tyre). Furthermore, according to tradition, he had the talent of drawing pictures. Studying medicine, he found himself in Thebes of Viotia, and heard the Apostle Paul, came to know him, believed in Christ, was baptized a Christian, and therefore named Luke—enlightened.
  

From then on he followed the Apostle Paul. The life of Paul, however, was not like the life of today's priests and bishops, as we partake of silence and general comfort. It was a hard life, with poverty, trials, persecutions, shipwrecks, martyrdom, the cross. How many times was he not cast out, seized, flogged, imprisoned, and stoned (by Judeans and idolaters and Roman emperors)? And ultimately he was beheaded in Rome.
 

Throughout all of these situations, Luke did not abandon Paul. He remained near him, near him through these events, near him through his afflictions, near him through all the trials, until the end of his life. Among the fellow workers of Paul, Luke takes the greatest place, of whom he writes: “Luke, the beloved physician” (Col. 4:14). He names him “physician”, because he must have been useful to him many times, when the Apostle Paul was sick and had need of medical care.
  

Luke did not see Christ with his eyes, but he heard of the Lord from those who were “witnesses and servants” of the apostolic preaching (Luke 1:2), and especially from the Apostle Paul. This made a great impression on him, such that he could give a faithful representation of the Lord, and of the apostles and the life of the first Church. He believed deeply, and that which he believed, he preached. And as the Apostle Paul completed his path, Luke fled from Rome. He began to travel and to preach the Gospel of Christ. He circled throughout all of Greece, and finally, he returned to Thebes, where, according to a tradition, he became bishop, and there peacefully gave up his holy soul at the age of 80.
  

He preached with his tongue, he preached with his life and his example, he preached with his miracles. He will forever preach, however, with his God-inspired writings, and especially his Gospel. Whoever reads the Gospel according to Luke, thinks that he is watching the life of Jesus Christ like a movie. The Gospel of Luke is the sweetest Gospel. It is characterized as the Gospel of love, of forgiveness, of mercy, the Gospel of the compassion of God. One of these is the following:

In the Gospel of Luke is found the story of a sinful woman. She had worked orgies. She knew many men and was corrupted. The supposedly holy people in Israel, the Scribes and Pharisees, cut off communion with her, did not approach her, nor even told her a good morning. This woman one day went to Christ. He did not cast her out. He let her be, and she approached Him, knelt, sprinkled His feet with her tears and with her myrrh, and using her hair has a towel, wiped the spotless feet of the Lord. But because Christ accepted her actions, the others were scandalized. “Oh my, what is she doing?!” they said, “If he were a prophet, he would know who is touching him...” And then Christ said a great saying, which is impossible to measure, and which strikes me so deeply. Listen to what He says: “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.” (Luke 7:47) In other words, the Scribes and Pharisees did not love Him, the “Learned” of that age did not love Him, the Romans did not love Him. This wretched woman loved Him, and she shed bitter tears of repentance. She sensed the redemption which Christ grants.
  

The Gospel of Luke is the Gospel of Joy. It begins from the Annunciation of the Theotokos, with the greeting of Gabriel: “Rejoice, O Full-of-Grace...” (Luke 1:28), and proceeds with the Nativity of Christ, and the joyous angelic message: “Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy...” (Luke 2:10), and ends again with the joy of the Apostles when they saw Christ ascending to the heavens: “And they, having worshiped Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). The Gospel is joy. There is no other true joy anywhere. Joy is Christ. Whoever is tried, approaches, and believes like Luke did, he will see that his sorrow becomes joy, and his darkness, light.
  

All of us, beloved, are sick—not as much bodily as spiritually—and all of us have need of healing. Because of this, Christ founded His Church, for it to be a hospital for all men. He Himself is “The Physician of our Souls and Bodies” (Divine Liturgy), and He offers healing, medicine and therapy. His fellow workers in this healing work are the chosen men that He called, the Holy Apostles, the Holy Fathers, and the Clergy of today.
  

Luke was a physician of bodies, who placed his scientific knowledge towards the service of every sick person in pain. However, he himself had need of a physician, the Physician of the Soul. And he found the Physician. He found him in the person of the Apostle Paul, who led him to the hospital of the Church. But the Apostle Paul, before he could offer spiritual healing to Luke, he himself had needed this, which he received walking on the road to Damascus, from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who is the Physician of physicians. In other words, the Apostle Paul and the Evangelist Luke, in the Church of Christ, approached as sick men, and having been healed, with the grace of the Lord, became physicians of the others.
  

On the feast of the holy physician Luke, I now direct this  towards those who share his art.

My beloved physicians, nurses, and all those who serve the sick in any way! No one dishonors the worth of your sacrifice. Everyone knows this and confesses this. But I want to remind you that man is not only a body, he is also a soul. And when you offer healing and therapy to others' bodies, know that you also need healing of your souls. You have a soul that is immortal and beyond all worth; take care of it. You behold the reality daily that this life ends. Work towards your eternal healing. Imitate in this way your protector, St. Luke. Approach with faith the Physician of physicians, and the healer of the whole human existence.
  

I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercessions of the Evangelist Luke, may always be with you. Amen.
  

+Bishop Avgoustinos (Metropolitan Augustine Kantiotes of Florina, of blessed memory)
  

Recorded homily which took place in the Church of the Evangelist Luke in the Hospital of Florina (10/18/1985). (amateur translation of text from source)

 

Source- full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.ca

The Life of Holy Saint Pelagia The Nun

 

The Eighth Day
of the Month of October
The Life of Our Holy Mother Pelagia
the Nun, Who Was Once a Harlot,
Written by James, a Deacon of the Church of Heliopolis
From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 2: October,
compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

We ought ever to offer abundant thanks to our Lord, Who desires not the death of sinners but patiently awaits their return to life through repentance. Therefore I, James the sinner, write to you, holy brethren, of a wondrous thing which has come to pass in our day, that hearing or reading of it, you may be much edified.

Once, the most pious Archbishop of Antioch summoned eight bishops from the surrounding cities to confer with him concerning certain matters pertaining to the Church. Among them was my own Bishop, the holy man of God Nonnus, who came from Heliopolis, taking me with him. He was a very great man, a perfect monk, who, by reason of his virtuous life, was taken from his Monastery of Tabenna and made a bishop. When the bishops had assembled in the Church of the Holy Martyr Julian, they wished to hear a word of edification from Nonnus, and all sat down before the doors of the church. Nonnus began to speak of such things as would serve for the benefit and salvation of his hearers, and all marveled at his holy teaching. And lo, a woman, an unbeliever, who was the most notorious harlot in all of Antioch, passed before the doors of the church. She was very haughty and was adorned in costly robes and gold, precious stones, and pearls, and she was accompanied by a multitude of youths and maidens, splendidly clad, who wore necklaces of gold. Such was the beauty of her face, that carnal men could not grow weary of the sight of it. As she passed by us, the air was entirely filled with fragrance, and seeing that her head was uncovered and her shoulders naked, the bishops lowered their eyes and sighed, turning away their faces as if from great sin. But the blessed Nonnus stared at her long and intently until she passed out of sight. Then he turned toward the bishops and said, "Did not the wonderful beauty of that woman delight you?"

But they did not answer him. And Nonnus lowered his head and wept, and his tears fell upon his handkerchief and his breast. He sighed from the depths of his heart and again asked the bishops, "Did not her beauty delight you?"

The Life and Passion of the Holy Apostle Thomas

 

The Sixth Day
of the Month of October
The Life and Passion of the
Holy Apostle Thomas
From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 2: October,
compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

The holy Apostle Thomas, who was called "The Twin," was from the city of Paneada in Galilee. When our Lord Jesus Christ, during His sojourn on earth with men, passed through cities and villages, teaching the people and healing all manner of disease, Thomas hearkened unto His preaching and saw His miracles. Cleaving unto the Lord fervently, he followed Him, filling himself with the Lord’s words and with the sight of His most holy countenance. Thomas was vouchsafed by Him to be numbered in the choir of the twelve apostles, with whom he followed Christ even until the time of the saving Passion.

After the Lord’s Resurrection, the faith of the Church in Christ was increased through Saint Thomas’ unbelief. When the other apostles told him that they had seen the Lord, Thomas would not believe them until he himself had beheld and touched Christ’s wounds. Eight days after the Resurrection, the disciples gathered together and Thomas was with them; and the Lord appeared and said, Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing.

When Thomas had beheld and touched the life-giving side of Christ, he exclaimed, My Lord and my God!

Thus did Thomas confirm for all that the risen Lord was no specter and that He had not assumed another body, but that He arose and appeared to the disciples in the same flesh which suffered for our salvation.

After the Ascension of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit, the holy apostles cast lots to determine where each would preach the word of God. To Saint Thomas fell the lot to go to India, that he might enlighten that benighted land and teach its various peoples: the Parthians, Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and the Brahmans, who lived in the most distant parts of the country of India. He was grieved to be sent to such barbarous peoples, but the Lord appeared unto him in a vision and strengthened him, commanding him not to fear. He promised to abide with Thomas and showed him the way to those lands in the following manner:

St.Justin Popovich-An Introduction to the Lives of the Saints

 Saint Justin Popovich

Until the coming of the Lord Christ into our terrestrial world, we men really knew only about death and death knew about us. Everything human was penetrated, captured, and conquered by death. Death was closer to us than we ourselves and more real than we ourselves, and more powerful, incomparably more powerful than every man individually and all men together. Earth was a dreadful prison of death, and we people were the helpless slaves of death. [1] Only with the God-man Christ "life was manifested"; "eternal life" appeared to us hopeless mortals, the wretched slaves of death. [2] And that "eternal life" we men have "seen with our eyes and handled with our hands," [3] and we Christians "make manifest eternal life" to all. [4] For living in union with the Lord Christ, we live eternal life even here on earth. [5] We know from personal experience that Jesus Christ is the true God and eternal life. [6] And for this did He come into the world: to show us the true God and eternal life in Him. [7] Genuine and true love for man consists of this, only of this: that God sent His Only-Begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him (1 John 4: 9) and through Him live eternal life. Therefore, he who has the Son of God has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life (1 John 5: 12)—he is completely in death. Life in the one true God and Lord Jesus Christ is really our only true life because it is wholly eternal and completely stronger than death. Can a life which is infected by death and which ends in death really be called life? just as honey is not honey when it is mixed with a poison which gradually turns all the honey into poison, so a life which ends in death is not life.

There is no end to the love of the Lord Christ for man: because for us men to acquire the life eternal which is in Him, and to live by Him, nothing is required of us—not learning, nor glory, nor wealth, nor anything else that one of us does not have, but rather only that which each of us can have. And that is? Faith in the Lord Christ. For this reason did He, the Only Friend of Man, reveal to the human race this wondrous good tiding: God so loved the world that He gave His Only-Begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He that believes in the Son has eternal life (John 3: 16-36). As the one true God giving people what no angel or man can give them, the Lord Christ alone in the human race had the boldness and right to declare: verily, verily I say unto you: he that believes in me has eternal life (John 6: 47), and he has already passed from death unto life (John 5: 24).

The Life and Passion of the Holy Great-martyr Eustathius

The Twentieth Day
of the Month of September
The Life and Passion of the Holy Great-martyr
Eustathius [Eustace] Placidas,
and of His Wife and Children
From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 1: September,
compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

During the reign of the Emperor Trajan, there lived in Rome a general named Placidas who was of noble birth, renowned, and possessed of great wealth. So valiant was he in battle that his very name was feared by every foe. At the time when the Roman Emperor Titus conquered the land of Judea, Placidas distinguished himself as the most eminent of the Roman officers, and he displayed much bravery in combat.

Even though by faith Placidas was an idolater, he showed himself to be a Christian in his manner of life: he fed the hungry, clothed the naked, helped those who had fallen into misfortune, and freed many who were fettered or imprisoned. He rejoiced more when he had occasion to do good to someone or to extend a helping hand to someone in distress than when he triumphed over his adversaries. He was like another Cornelius, of whom mention is made in the Acts of the Apostles.He was lacking only in the holy faith which is in our Lord Jesus Christ, without which every good work is dead. His virtuous wife, who had borne him two sons, was like him in all things. Placidas and his wife were kind and merciful to all, and they only lacked the knowledge of the one true God, Whom they honored unknowingly by their good deeds. God, however, Who loves mankind and desires that all be saved and Who looks upon those who do good, did not disregard this virtuous man and did not allow him to perish in the darkness of the deception of idolatry. Inasmuch as in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him, the Lord was pleased to accept Placidas and to reveal to him the path to salvation. This occurred in the following manner. One day, as Placidas was hunting together with his servants, as was his custom, he came upon a herd of deer. Having pointed them out to the horsemen accompanying him, he set out in pursuit. Picking out the largest deer in the group, he chased after it, and the deer became separated from the herd. The servants followed Placidas, but their horses became exhausted, and they were left behind. Placidas, whose horse was the fastest, pursued the deer alone far into the wilderness. After he chased the deer for a long time, it climbed atop a great rock and stood there. Placidas drew near and looked at it, considering how he might take the deer. But the compassionate God, Who in various ways effects a man’s salvation and by means which He alone knows sets him upon the true path, ensnared the hunter. He manifested Himself, not through the agency of another as He did to Cornelius through Peter, but directly, as He did to Paul. Placidas remained for a long time gazing at the deer, and Christ the Lord appeared to him in a vision. A most radiant cross appeared between the deer’s antlers, and as Placidas gazed upon it, he beheld the likeness of Jesus Christ, Who was crucified for us. He was astonished by this strange vision, and he heard a voice saying to him, "Why do you pursue Me, 0 Placidas?"

Martyr Sophia and her 3 Daughters: Faith, Hope and Love

 

 Holy Martyr Sophia with her daughters, Russian icon

The holy martyr Sophia and her three daughters, Elpis (Faith), Pistis (Hope) and Agapi (Love) [Sophia, here is taken to be a woman’s name rather than “Wisdom”, as in the church of Holy Wisdom (Agia Sophia) in Constantinople; similarly, the third daughter is Love, in accordance with Saint Paul, who calls her Love (which was translated, correctly, into Latin as “caritas” and then, wrongly, into English as “charity”)], lived at the time of the Roman emperor Hadrian, (117-138) and belonged to fine, exalted stock. They inherited the Christian faith from their forebears and lived their lives in accordance with the will of God.

It happened that once, when these holy woman went to Rome, the fame of their family followed them there, as did the information about their faith in Christ. So the ruler [it is not clear from the text whether this was Hadrian himself or a more local high official] commanded that they be brought before him. When this had happened, he was struck by their beauty and comeliness and, once he had separated the mother from her three daughters, he discussed the faith with her, in an attempt, at times with blandishments and promises and at others with threats, to wean her away from her faith in Christ. Sophia, however, remained adamant in her faith, defended it, fended off the insults of the emperor and so these could not be realized.

When he’d been defeated by the mother, the emperor ordered that her three daughters be brought before him. When this had been done, he looked at them charmingly and with enticing flattery and promises attempted to exploit the fact that they were so young in order to find out whether, because of their tender years, they had accepted the teaching of scorning the material goods which were offered to them. The tyrant was defeated again because he realized that, despite their age, the young girls believed, with total awareness, in Christ.

After this, the ruler wished to examine each of them separately. First they brought n Faith, who was then twelve years old. After she had boldly confessed, she bravely criticised and rejected the tyrant’s machinations. He then ordered that she be subjected to terrible, unheard of tortures. First the executioners stripped her, and having tied her hands behind her back, beat her mercilessly with rods. Then they cut off her breasts with a knife, though, -what a miracle!- milk flowed from them instead of blood, which caused awe and astonishment among the impious and criminal executioners. Thereafter they laid her on a red-hot grill. The girl didn’t suffer anything at all and remained unburned by the fire, to the frustration of the tyrant and the glory of Christ. Then they smeared her with pitch and asphalt and again laid her on the red-hot grill. But she remained unharmed even after his torture and raised thanks to God.

The tyrant had now been well and truly shamed by the young great martyr. He literally became frenzied and ordered that she be decapitated by the sword. Immediately the executioners took her away to the place where her beheading was to take place. Her mother, Sophia, went before her and encouraged her to accept her death for Christ with joy. As soon as they reached the spot, the executioners decapitated her with swords. And so the great martyr Faith gained the crown of martyrdom from Christ and humbly elevated herself to sainthood, since she became an example of faith in Christ to the death.

When this had happened, impiously on the part of the tyrant and in a Godly manner on the part of the first young girl, the second daughter, Hope, who was ten years old, was brought before him.  But she, too, despite her young age, was unshakeable in her faith in Christ and categorically rejected the flattery and enticements of the tyrant. Utterly put to shame by a little girl, he ordered them to lash her with cowhides and then to throw her into a red-hot furnace. The orders of the tyrant were carried out, but the girl, with the power of God and the invisible presence of Christ, remained completely unharmed.

After this, the tyrant ordered that Hope be subjected to new tortures. They hung her up on a piece of wood and scoured her whole body with iron nails. Thereafter, drenched with her own blood as she was, they threw her into a boiling cauldron full of pitch and resin. But although Hope suffered not in the least from this hellish torture, the boiling liquids spilt out over the cauldron and dropped onto quite a few of the idolaters who were there and some of them died from the unexpected burns. This completely enraged the executioners and they immediately beheaded the tender Great Martyr. And so this ten-year-old angel of Christ, Hope, was murdered- but entered the heavenly kingdom of God wearing a crown.

After this the third and youngest of the sisters, Love, was brought before the insatiable tyrant. She was a mere nine years old, but with an unusually strong mind of her own for such a young girl, and so with indescribable boldness she declared that Christ is the only true God and with child-like glee derided the religion of the idols. This declaration astonished and goaded the tyrant to such a pitch that he ordered the executioners to hang her up and beat her. They did so brutally, with such heavy lashes that her limbs were ripped to bits and her joints were dislocated. But, by the grace of God, her health was immediately restored and, at first the tyrant was astonished and speechless. Later, however, overcome with furious rage, he ordered that she be cast into a furnace too, this one full of every type of combustible material. But Love was saved miraculously by the intervention of a protecting divine angel, whereas the flames, which had left her untouched, half-burned the tyrant and the other pagans who were there. The most brutish and inhumane tyrant then ordered the executioners to pierce her body right through with an iron pin. But she withstood this torture, too, and was unharmed. The tyrant then ordered her decapitation by the sword. And so this nine-year-old little angel, Love,  was murdered, but endowed by the Lord with  the everlasting garland of martyrdom, as her two sisters had been before her.

 The Martyrdom of Saint Sophia and her 3 daughters, Byzantine illumination, 11th Century

Their mother, Sophia, rejoiced greatly that she had nurtured this trinity of her offspring, so blessed by God, and extended her praise and thanks to the Lord for her angelic little mites. She then buried, with all maternal honours, the precious relics of her much-beloved daughters. Afterwards she remained at the gravesides for three days, then begged God to take her from this fleeting life. And, indeed, God heard her prayer and called her overjoyed soul to Himself. Her precious relics were buried next to the graves of her three daughters, as an eternal testimony of the unified love of all four of them for Christ in the heavens, Who crowned them and to Whom belongs glory unto the ages of ages, Amen.

Source: Georgios Papadimitropoulos, Με τους Αγίους μας, Συναξαριστής Σεπτεμβρίου, pubd. by Apostoliki Diakonia pp. 113-8.

Note: Although we in the West are accustomed to accounts of martyrdoms such as those suffered by the three children-saints, the last paragraph, describing Saint Sophia’s sentiments is something with which were are perhaps not so comfortable today. We should remember, however, that not long ago, i.e. only twice the life-time of someone now in their 70s or 80s, the Victorians would have understood Saint Sophia very well and applauded both her feelings and the manner of her demise. Any of Charles Dickens’ novels will confirm this – Dombey and Son especially so. And, of course, somewhat earlier, in Hamlet, Horatio meets his friend’s death with the words: “Goodnight sweet prince and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”. So it may be that our present attitude, influenced as it is by the materialistic society in which we live, is out of tune with that of earlier generations. (WJL)

Source-Pemptousia.com

Saint Phanourios the Great Martyr and Newly-Revealed of Rhodes

Prologue.

Saint Fanourios is without doubt an important and holy youthful figure, who stands out in a par-ticular way among the other Saints of Christianity, as he is not only honoured on a single date, but the faithful often make use of the well-known “fanouropita” (Fanourios cake).

Saint Fanourios, who lived during Roman times, went up bravely against the idolatric world, for the Christian spirit of this man of God did not allow him to deny his unquestionably virtuous prin-ciples. Thus, the 12 tortures that the Saint suffered constitute for us a strong motivation for per-severance and adherence to the moral values of Christianity, to come out victors from the in-cessant struggle of unbelief and injustice of our time. This Saint teaches us with his real sacrifice that even though we do not struggle against Roman soldiers and vile Hagarenes, still we have to confront the more skillfully set traps of materialism and atheism, that attempt en masse to overwhelm the Christian order.

Saint Fanourios also taught us that the crown of a virtuous life is not easily won but only through continuous tests – with boldness, patience and perseverance. Therefore, as true fighters of the faith let us imitate the exemplary and irreproachable life of the Saint, so that we too may be found worthy to honour the Christian name we bear, as he so fittingly did.

Saint Fanourios

1. General overview of his life.

Nothing certain is known concerning the lineage and the life of Saint Fanourios because all the information about his life was lost during turbulent times.

The only information we have concerning the Saint is the discovery of his icon, around 1500 AD according to the Synaxarion, or according to other sources around 1355-1369 AD. Some main-tain that the icon of the Saint was found in Rhodes but others say in Cyprus.

2. The discovery of the icon

Let us return to the past, when the Hagarenes (i.e. Muslims) ruled Rhodes and had decided to rebuild the wall of the city, which they so barbarically demolished and leveled a few years pre-viously.

They started to send workers outside the south part of the citadel to gather stones from the semi-ruined houses of the inhabitants, to rebuild the new and strong walls of the city. Among the ruins they discovered a most beautiful church which was partially destroyed on one side. Inside they discovered a multitude of icons, which over the course of time the faces of the Saints as well as the inscriptions on them were indistinguishable.

Only one magnificent icon stood apart from the rest, one that time did not affect, which depicted a youth dressed as a soldier. The Metropolitan of Rhodes, Nilus, went immediately to the site and clearly read the name of the Saint, Fanourios. The Metropolitan, moved by the appearance of the saint, saw that he was dressed as a Roman Soldier, holding a cross in his left hand and a lit candle in his right. Around the icon the iconographer had also painted the twelve depictions of the martyrdom that the saint had suffered, clearly telling his life.

These depictions are as follows:

1. The Saint is present in front of the Roman magistrate, standing and looking like he is boldly testifying and defending his Christian faith.

2. Here the soldiers are intervening and striking Fanourios’ head and the mouth with stones to force him to succumb and deny the Lord.

3. The soldiers have thus far become enraged by the persistence of Fanourios, throwing him to the ground and beating him mercilessly with sticks and clubs to break his steadfast resistance.

4. Fanourios is in jail and is being tortured in a most abominable way. He appears totally naked and the surrounding soldiers are tearing his flesh with sharp metal instruments. The Saint is silently enduring his frightful martyrdom.

5. Fanourios is back in jail praying to God to strengthen him to the end of his tortures.

6. The Saint is again brought before the Roman magistrate to give a defense for his posi-tion. By the peaceful expression on his face it appears that neither the tortures he suf-fered nor the future threats of the tyrant can shake his faith, and thus being undeterred he is waiting for further tortures.

7. The torturers of Fanourios with rage and cruelty are burning his naked body with lit torches, thus showing his insuperable sacrifice for the Crucified One. The Saint wins again with his indomitable will and fortitude for the Lord.

8. Here his savage torturers are making use of mechanical means to achieve the worse of his tortures. They have tied the Saint on a press which crushes his bones when rotated. He is suffering without grumbling, but on his beautiful face there is an inexpressible exul-tation since he is suffering for the sake of the Lord.

9. Fanourios is cast into a pit to become prey to wild beasts and his torturers are watching from above to witness his end. The beasts, however, are totally docile through the grace of God and silently surround him like lambs to enjoy his magnificent company.

10. The torturers were not satisfied by the latest result so they removed him from the hole and are crushing him under a huge rock, convinced that they will finish him off. However, even this time they do not succeed.

11. The scene presents the Saint in front of an altar, where the torturers are urging him to sacrifice, placing burning coal in his hands. Fanourios also passes this test victoriously and a devil in the form of a dragon is shown flying in the air and crying over its failure.

12. The last scene is the end of his martyrdom, with Fanourios being cast into a large furnace standing on a stool and surrounded by flames and smoke. The Saint seems to be praying intently to God, without complaining or grumbling, and thus unwavering and without giving in, he flew to heaven, full of contentment for all the tortures he had suffered for the sake of the Lord.

3. The Erection of the Church.

The then Metropolitan of the island, Nilus, after carefully studying the icon that was found, pronounced that Fanourios was one of the most significant great martyrs of our Faith. He immediately dispatched a delegation to the ruler of the island and to ask him for a permit to erect a church. However, when the ruler refused the Metropolitan himself went to Constanti-nople and managed to obtain from the Sultan the permit he sought. He soon returned to Rhodes and built the church exactly on its old spot, outside the walls. The Church survives to this day and is a sacred shrine for all Christians.

4. Information from the discovery of the icon.

Observing the icon of Saint Fanourios that was found in Rhodes we can conclude many sig-nificant points which are as follows:

1. When we read the name of the Saint on the icon we conclude immediately that he was of Greek ancestry.

2. We also conclude that his parents were pious to give him such a Christian name (which means “Revealer”).

3. The youth would have been very educated to become a military officer.

4. We also reckon that the martyrdom of Saint Fanourios occurred during the second or third century when the persecutions of the Christians were at their peak.

5. Fanourios has obviously proven to be a great martyr from the many horrible tortures he suffered.

6. For there to be such a church found in Rhodes, we are also certain that he was honoured in churches by the pious Christians from the time of his martyrdom.

7. From the depiction of the Saint on the icon it appears that Saint Fanourios martyred at a young age.

5. Miracles of the Saint

Saint Fanourios worked many miracles for the pious who called upon his name and one of them was the following:

At one point in its history, Crete was occupied by the Latins (1204-1669 AD) who had their own Archbishop and for this reason they tried by all means to lead the inhabitants of the isl-and to Catholicism (Papism).

The Latins took an oppressive measure against Orthodoxy by banning the ordination of priests in Crete, forcing the Cretans to go over to the island of Tsirigo (Kethyra) to be or-dained by an Orthodox hierarch who served there.

At some point, three deacons set off from Crete for Tsirigo and having been ordained priests there, they were joyously returning to their tormented enslaved island. To their bad luck, Hagarene pirates captured them at sea and transported them to Rhodes, where they were sold to three different Hagarene masters.

The lot of the three priests was lamentable but a sweet occurrence came to sweeten their lot. They learned that in Rhodes Saint Fanourios worked miracles and they set their hopes in him, incessantly praying, each one separately invoking him to free them from the harsh captivity to the vile Hagarenes.

Each priest asked their master, without previously having communicated between them-selves, to allow them to go to church to venerate the icon of Saint Fanourios. They all re-ceived permission easily and so reverently venerated the icon of the Saint, wetting the earth with their tears and kneeling and praying with all their soul begging Saint Fanourios to inter-cede so that they may be relieved from the hands of the Hagarenes.

After the priests departed, having been consoled of their pain, Saint Fanourios appeared that night to all the masters and ordered them to free their captive priests, otherwise he would punish them severely. However, the Hagarene masters believed the intervention of the Saint to be some sort of magic and they chained their captives and started to torture them in the worst possible way.

However, the next night Saint Fanourios intervened more effectively. He loosed the three priests from their bonds and promised them that they would be freed from the Hagarenes the next day. He then appeared again to the Hagarenes and threatened them this time that if they did not free the priests in the morning he would use harsh measures against them.

The next morning the Hagarenes felt the punishment because they all lost their sight and their bodies became paralyzed. They were thus forced to seek the advice of their relatives and discuss the evil that had befallen them. All the masters then decided to invite the three priests in case they could help them. The only answer the priests gave them was that they would pray to God and He would decide.

The third night Saint Fanourios again appeared to the Hagarenes and informed them that if the three masters did not send in writing to his church their agreement for the release of the priests, they would never recover their health. The Hagarenes, whether they wanted to or not, wrote the letter the Saint asked for and declared straight out that they granted freedom to the three priests. These submissions were sent to the holy church of the Saint.

Even before the messengers of the Hagarenes returned from the church, the blind and para-lyzed faithless ones were completely healed according to the will of the Saint. The rich Ha-garenes gave the priests all the expenses for their journey and the priests before leaving went to the church, thanked the Saint for their release, and carefully copied the icon of Saint Fanourios, which they took to Crete where they honoured it every year with doxologies and litanies (processions).

6. The Pita (cake) of Saint Fanourios.

The great honour the Christians have for Saint Fanourios became the reason for the adoption of the customary tradition of the pita (cake) of the Saint, better known as “Fa-nouropita”.

The pita is usually small and round and is made of pure flour, sugar, cinnamon, and oil. After all these ingredients are mixed together, they are kneaded, put in a round cake form and the pita is baked under medium temperature in the oven.

The pita is prepared so that the Saint may reveal to someone a lost item, find a job for someone unemployed, deal on a lost cause, restore the health of someone sick, etc.

Our Church commemorates Saint Fanourios on August 27.

*****

Apolytikion (Troparion) – Tone 4. 

A heavenly song of praise is chanted radiantly upon the earth; the company of Angels now joyfully celebrates an earthly festival and from on high with hymns they praise your contests and from below the Church proclaims the Heavenly glory which you have founded by your labours and struggles, O glorious Fanourios.

Kontakion – Tone 3.

You did save the Priests from the ungodly captivity and did break their bonds by Divine Power, O godly minded one; you did bravely shame the audacity of the tyrants and did gladden the orders of the Angels, O Great Martyr. Wherefore, we honour you, divine warrior, glorious Fanourios.

Megalynarion

To those who embrace your sacred icon with faith and asking your assistance, Martyr, heirs of the Heavenly Kingdom, Fanourios, to all your entreaties provide.