October: Day 31: Teaching 1: Venerables Spyridon and Nikodemos

October: Day 31: Teaching 1:
Venerables Spyridon and Nikodemos
 
(Lessons From Their Lives:
a. One Must Combine Work With Prayer;
b. Avoid Idleness; and
c. Fold Three Fingers When Making the Sign of the Cross)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Venerables Spyridon and Nikodemos, whose memory is celebrated today, were prosphora makers at the Kiev Caves Lavra and lived in the 12th century. Both of them came from the common people and were illiterate. In his youth, Spyridon entered the monastery. For his highly virtuous life, the abbot appointed him to work in the prosphora bakery to prepare prosphora. Spyridon liked this obedience very much, because the prosphora he prepared were used for the great Mystery of Holy Communion. Saint Spyridon always combined his work with prayer and reading or singing Psalms from the Psalter. Saint Nikodemos was Spyridon’s co-worker and was distinguished by the same piety as Spyridon. The Saints spent 30 years together. Their relics rest in the Cave of Saint Anthony. Regarding Saint Spyridon, the fingers of the right hand are folded as they are folded during prayer: the first three fingers are joined together, and the middle and little fingers are placed on the palm. This is a lesson for our Old Believers, who usually advocate so much for the two-fingered fold!

October: Day 30: Teaching 1: Holy Hieromartyr Zenobios and his sister Zenobia

 

 

October: Day 30: Teaching 1:
Holy Hieromartyr Zenobios and his sister Zenobia
 
(Are we Christians?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Zenobios and his sister Zenobia, whose memory is celebrated today, were born in the city of Aegae in Cilicia and received a Christian upbringing from their pious parents. Having reached adulthood, the brother and sister distributed all their property to the poor and led a truly God-pleasing life. The local inhabitants respected them so much that they wished to have Zenobios as their bishop, and this election took place.

Meanwhile, the persecution of Christians by Diocletian began. A royal official named Lysias was also sent to Cilicia with orders to turn the people away from the Christian faith and with the authority to mercilessly punish and exterminate Christians.

October: Day 29: Teaching 4: Venerable Abramius of Rostov

October: Day 29: Teaching 4:
Venerable Abramius of Rostov
 
(On the Necessity and Benefits of Asceticism)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Abramius of Rostov (12th century), now commemorated by the Church, was from the Kostroma region and before baptism was called Iverik. His parents were rich pagans. Until the age of 18, Iverik lay paralyzed. One day, some of the Novgorod Christians were in his father's house on business and discussed faith in Christ, who healed the sick and raised the dead. Iverik heard this conversation and decided to believe in Jesus Christ if he received healing. From that time on, he gradually began to recover and became well. Leaving his parents' home, he went to the outskirts of Novgorod; on the way he met other believers who instructed him in the truths of Christianity. Initially, Iverik entered a monastery on the island of Valaam and took the name Abramius (Abraham). Abramius spent the rest of his life in the monastery he founded near Rostov and actively spread Christianity among the pagans of the Rostov region. He destroyed the idol of Veles in Rostov and converted the idolaters living there to Christianity; on the site where the idol stood, Abramius subsequently founded the Church of the Theophany of the Lord and a monastery of the same name, which exists to this day. The pagans more than once intended to burn down Abramius's monastery, but the meekness and at the same time the firmness of the spirit of the Saint disarmed them each time. Preaching the word of God, Abramius tried to act primarily on the youth, being the more receptive; he taught children to read and write, baptized them and instructed them in the faith. Abramius's life served as an example of diligence for the other monks; the Saint participated in all the labors of the brethren, worked in the bakery, chopped wood, washed hair shirts and performed all sorts of other work. For his labors, Abramius was the first in Russia to be honored with the rank of archimandrite.

October: Day 29: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Anastasia the Roman

October: Day 29: Teaching 1:
Holy Martyr Anastasia the Roman
 
(Lessons From Her Life:
a. The Vanity of Caring About Women's Clothes and
b. Singing Psalms as a Prayerful Activity)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Anastasia the Roman, who is now being blessed, was the pupil of the pious woman Sophia, the head of the society of holy women, founded as a women's monastery not far from Rome. Shining with beauty and virtue, Anastasia, raised by Sophia, rejected noble suitors and, being 20 years old, decided to dedicate herself to God. When the ruler of Rome, Probus, learned of her beauty and piety, he ordered her to be brought to him. The holy women, seeing the Roman soldiers, fled in fear, but Sophia held Anastasia back, saying to her: "My child, do not be afraid: the time for your feat has come." Then Sophia, having learned from the soldiers why they had come, asked them for two hours "to dress the maiden," and they began to wait, thinking that she would adorn her daughter with rich attire. Sophia called her daughter to the church and began to admonish her: “Now the time has come for you,” she said, “to show your love for the Lord. You must prove through suffering that you are worthy of your Bridegroom. Do not listen to flattering words, do not be seduced by wealth and glory. Go with joy to the chamber of the heavenly Bridegroom and adorn yourself with clothing stained with blood, as with a wedding garment. Remember my cares and prayers for you. I prayed that you would be united with the Lord. Do not spare your beauty, do not fear torture and death. The Lord will be with you and will ease your torment.” Anastasia answered: “I am ready to lay down my life for the Lord. I will go to the tormentor and confess my faith before him. Do not be afraid for me, but pray to God that He does not abandon me.” The servants, having learned that she “does not dress in rich clothes, but prays to God,” took her and, having chained her, led her to the governor. To the governor’s question of what lineage, what faith and what her name was, the Saint answered: “I am the daughter of a Roman citizen, raised in Christian piety; my name is Anastasia. It means 'resurrection.' The Lord will resurrect me to tell you the truth and overcome Satan, who inspires evil in you.” “Do not irritate me,” said the governor, “I do not wish your destruction; but listen: why were you seduced by Christian teaching? You are ruining your youth, depriving yourself of the pleasures that the gods have given us. Worship the gods and choose a husband for yourself from a noble and rich family; live with us in joy and honor.” Anastasia, raising her eyes to the governor, calmly said to him: “My bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ. I would like to die not just once, but, if possible, a hundred times for His name." When the Saint was subjected to scourging, she glorified God by singing Psalms: "The Lord is my refuge and my protector, in Him is my trust," she sang. One Christian in the crowd, named Cyril, gave water to the exhausted martyr and was punished with death. The tortures of Saint Anastasia were so cruel that even the people, accustomed to such spectacles, began to reproach the ruler with horror. Then the mutilated body of the martyr was beheaded and thrown outside the city. Sophia, having learned of this, took it and buried it.

October: Day 28: Teaching 3: Saint Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov

October: Day 28: Teaching 3:
Saint Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov
 
(On the Benefits of Reading the Lives of Saints)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov, whose blessed repose is now celebrated, was born in 1651 in the town of Makarov, near Kiev, and was named Daniel. His father, Savvas, nicknamed Tuptalo, was a regimental centurion. From his youth, Daniel showed both ability and zeal for learning. Having completed his studies at the Kiev school, at the age of 17 he entered the Monastery of Saint Cyril in Kiev as a monk and was named Dimitri. Distinguished by his gift of speech and zeal for pastoral service, Dimitri served as a preacher in various cities and was abbot in various monasteries. His lot fell to him to accomplish a great deed for the enlightenment of the Russian people – to compile the lives of the saints. The collection of the lives of the saints, known as the Chetiikh-Minei, was begun by Makarios, the Metropolitan of Moscow, who lived in the sixteenth century. Then the Metropolitan Peter Mogila of Kiev wanted to publish the lives of the saints in a more understandable language, but he died without fulfilling his intention. After his death, this work was entrusted to Saint Dimitri, who was then the abbot of the Baturinsky Monastery. He was engaged in this work for 20 years, in the rank of Archimandrite in Chernigov and Novgorod-Seversky and Metropolitan of Rostov. The lives of the saints he collected, in 12 large volumes, represent a great edifying reading for the Orthodox Russian people. Peter the Great appointed Dimitri the Metropolitan of Rostov and Yaroslavl. In the rank of Metropolitan, Dimitri showed great zeal as an archshepherd. He founded a school in Rostov, supported it with his own income, zealously preached the word of God, set an example of holy life and helped those in need. Since there were many schismatics in his diocese, Saint Dimitri wrote "Investigation of the Schismatic Brynsk (Old Believer) Faith" to denounce them. The Saint died at the age of 58. Before his death, he called the singers to him and listened to the singing of the hymns he had composed. Then, having dismissed the singers, he kept one who had been a copyist of his works, talked with him for a long time, and, dismissing him, humbly bowed to the ground to him. The singer, touched by the Saint's humility, said: "Are you bowing so low to me, the least servant, holy master?" The Metropolitan bowed again and then, kneeling, began to pray. The next day they found him, already dead, in a prayerful position. This was in Rostov, in 1709. 43 years after the death of Dimitri, his honorable relics were found incorrupt and in 1763 Empress Catherine II transferred them to a new reliquary.

October: Day 28: Teaching 1: Holy Great Martyr Paraskevi of Iconium

 

October: Day 28: Teaching 1:
Holy Great Martyr Paraskevi of Iconium
 
(Consolations For Those Persecuted For the Sake of Righteousness)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Paraskevi (3rd century), whose memory is celebrated today, was the daughter of pious parents who lived in the city of Iconium (in Asia Minor). They died when Paraskevi was still very young. Paraskevi used the rich inheritance left by her parents for charitable works, helped the poor and took in strangers. She also tried to spread the word of God among the pagans. At that time, the Emperor Diocletian was cruelly persecuting Christians. An imperial dignitary, having arrived in Iconium and having learned that Paraskevi professed Christianity, threw her into prison and then demanded her to stand trial. When the Saint courageously rejected the offer to sacrifice to idols and denounced the judges, the governor became angry and ordered that she be tortured. Wounded and barely breathing, Paraskevi was thrown into prison. But the tormentors were greatly surprised when, on entering the prison the next day, they found Paraskevi calmly praying, and her body bore no traces of suffering. God had healed her through her prayer. But the governor thought otherwise. “You see,” he said, “our gods have had mercy on you and returned you to life; give them thanks.” They led the Saint into the temple; but as soon as she entered, the idols fell from their places with a loud noise. The embittered pagans then began to ask the governor to punish Paraskevi even more severely than the day before for insulting the idols: to burn her over a slow fire. “Lord God,” the Saint prayed during her torture, “You cooled the hot furnace for the three youths, You delivered the martyr Thekla from the fire; save me also from the hands of my tormentors.” Paraskevi’s prayer was heard: the fire did her no harm. Many pagans, seeing this miracle, believed in God and exclaimed: "Great is the God of the Christians." The unrest among the people frightened the ruler and he ordered that Paraskevi's torture be stopped by killing her with a sword. Thus did the holy confessor suffer for the faith of Christ.

October: Day 1: Teaching 2: Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos

October: Day 1: Teaching 2:
Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
 
(Lessons from the Celebrated Event)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Once upon a time on this day in the Blachernae Church in Constantinople, on the eve of the Sunday, the usual all-night vigil was being celebrated, at which, among others, was Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ. Amidst the hymns and prayers, this man of God, at the fourth hour of the night, suddenly saw in the air the Mother of God among the Forerunner of Christ and John the Theologian, with a multitude of angels and saints praying for the human race, and covering the people who were in the church with her most pure omophorion. Full of spiritual joy, the seer turned to his friend and disciple in spirit, Saint Epiphanios, and asked him: "Do you see the miracle?" "I see, father," answered Epiphanios, "and I am terrified." When this miracle was learned of by the others who were in the church, then a joyful tremor seized everyone; in tenderness of heart they began to thank God and glorify the universal intercessor. And the pious Emperor Leo and the Holy Patriarch Tarasios decided to annually commemorate this comforting event.

October: Day 27: Teaching 2: Venerable Nestor the Chronicler

October: Day 27: Teaching 2:
Venerable Nestor the Chronicler

(Faith is the Foundation of Love for the Fatherland)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today the Holy Church commemorates Saint Nestor, our first chronicler. A native of Kiev, he entered the Kiev Caves Monastery at the age of 17, when the great ascetic, Saint Theodosius, was still alive. Under his successor, Nestor was already famous for his holy life. Few details have been preserved about this life, devoted entirely to prayer and work, but the chronicle that has come down to us gives us a clear idea of Nestor himself. “It breathes with deep faith, ardent love for the fatherland and humility.” In a simple, entertaining story, Saint Nestor tells of the beginning of Rus, of the tribes that inhabited Russia, of the calling of the Varangian princes, of the prophetic Oleg, the hero Svyatoslav, of the wise Olga, of Saint Vladimir the enlightener of the Russian land, of his successors up to Vladimir Monomakh. He vividly depicts the disasters that Russia suffered from the internecine strife of the princes and the raids of the harsh Polovtsians; but his narrative of the baptism of the Russian land and the spread of the Christian faith and Christian enlightenment, of the exploits of the holy saints of God, breathes with special love and ardent inspiration.

October: Day 27: Teaching 1: Holy Martyr Capitolina

October: Day 27: Teaching 1:
Holy Martyr Capitolina

(Wealth and Poverty in Relation to Human Salvation)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Capitolina, whose memory is celebrated today, was from Cappadocia and came from a rich and noble family. Having accepted the Christian faith and heard a sermon about “it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” she gave away all her property and set her slaves free. When the governor of Cappadocia, Zilikinthus, learned of this, he imprisoned her, then, bringing her out of prison, demanded that she offer a sacrifice to the Cappadocian idol Serapis. Capitolina refused, and her head was cut off. The Holy Martyr died in 304 A.D.

We have seen, brethren, that the Holy Martyr Capitolina, having heard the Gospel sermon on how difficult it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, possessing great wealth, gave away all her property and set her slaves free, in order to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ with greater convenience. Thus, she found that in poverty, or at least in the absence of great earthly acquisitions, it was easier for her to enter the Kingdom of God, which she actually inherited, having been crowned with the crown of martyrdom. Considering the life of rich people, which often very strongly disposes them to go the broad path that leads to destruction, we must truly say that it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, because of the many temptations to sin, although, on the other hand, we cannot call poverty, leading to destitution, always and for everyone favorable to our salvation, since it often gives rise to envy, complaining against God and other sins.

Homily on the Seventh Sunday of Luke: On the Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter and the Healing of the Woman with an Issue of Blood (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily on the Seventh Sunday of Luke
(24th Sunday After Pentecost)

On the Resurrection of Jairus' Daughter 

and the Healing of the Woman with an Issue of Blood

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1962)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in today's Gospel we heard about the Lord's resurrection of the dead daughter of Jairus, the leader of the Jewish synagogue, and about the healing of the bleeding woman who had suffered from her illness for twelve years. And since this Gospel reading is very profound and has great instructive and edifying significance for each of us, let us read it again in order to remember it better.

At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!"

Homily One on the Seventh Sunday of Luke (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily One on the Seventh Sunday of Luke
(24th Sunday After Pentecost)

By St. John of Kronstadt

Today's Gospel, beloved brothers and sisters, preaches to us about the omnipotence of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Giver of Life, Who gives life and breath to all, as well as health to the incurably ill and all natural and grace-filled, or natural and supernatural gifts: namely, in today's Gospel that it is said about the Lord's resurrection from the dead of the daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, and about the healing of a bleeding woman who had been suffering from her illness for twelve years, and who could not be cured by any doctors. I will not repeat the details of the story about these miracles, because you have heard them from the Gospel you have read, but I will only try to deduce from it instruction and edification for myself and for you.

The Holy Well of Saint Demetrios, Which Served as His First Tomb After His Martyrdom

 

 

When Saint Demetrios was martyred by being pierced with Roman spears in the dungeon of Thessaloniki, his friends and disciples quickly took his body and by necessity threw it down a nearby well of water which was then used to supply water for a Roman bath, since there was a danger that the pagans would have taken the pierced body and either destroyed it or made it disappear. By doing this, the well became the first tomb to contain the body of the Saint.

Today, to the left of the Sanctuary in the Church of Saint Demetrios in Thessaloniki, this well still exists, having been preserved for centuries. Later, a marble ciborium was suitably shaped to cover it and keep it as a shrine.

Homily on the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios, the Wonderworker of Thessaloniki (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily on the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios, the Wonderworker of Thessaloniki

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1960)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Today, dear brothers and sisters, we honor the memory of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki and ask for his prayers for us before the Throne of God, the right to stand before which he was granted for his valiant deeds in confessing the Christian faith.

This marvelous Passion-bearer of Christ labored at the end of the 3rd century, when a terrible persecution was raised against Christians. He came from noble and distinguished parents. His father, the governor of the city of Thessaloniki, was a secret Christian, who had in his prayer room icons of Christ the Savior and the Mother of God. He taught the Christian faith to his only son, Saint Demetrios, who preserved this faith until the very end of his life and sealed it with a martyr's death.

October: Day 26: Teaching 1: Holy Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki

 

October: Day 26: Teaching 1:
Holy Great Martyr Demetrios of Thessaloniki

(On the Attitude of Christians Towards Pleasures)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. A native of the city of Thessaloniki, Saint Demetrios, who is commemorated today, was the ruler of his native city. He cared for the welfare of the citizens of his city - not only the present, but also the future - teaching them the faith of Christ. Emperor Maximian, who arrived in Thessaloniki, imprisoned him for this. After that, the emperor indulged in one unworthy amusement: he watched as a certain strongman, named Lyaios, threw people from an elevated place down onto spears. But a Christian youth was found who deprived the emperor of his unworthy amusement. Nestor, that was the name of this youth, planned to destroy Lyaios; he went to Saint Demetrios and asked for his blessing to enter the competition with the strongman. Saint Demetrios praised the intention of the youth, encouraged him and predicted both victory over Lyaios and a martyr's death. Indeed, Nestor, with God's help, threw Lyaios onto spears. The Emperor became angry and ordered Nestor and Demetrios to be pierced with spears. After some time, while digging ditches, the relics of Saint Demetrios were found, which exuded healing myrrh.

"Saint Peter Raises Tabitha in Joppa" (one of the last works of Photios Kontoglou)

 

 

"Saint Peter Raises Tabitha in Joppa", ink on paper 1965 

(one of the last works of Photis Kontoglou)

October: Day 25: Holy Martyrs Markianos and Martyrios

October: Day 25:
Holy Martyrs Markianos and Martyrios

(Why Are Some People So Afraid of Death?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyrs Markianos and Martyrios, whose memory is celebrated today, were a Reader and a Subdeacon, and at the same time both were Notaries, i.e. special officials for ecclesiastical and civil affairs, under the Patriarch of Constantinople Paul. They suffered in the fourth century under the Emperor Constantius, son of Constantine the Great, who was drawn into the heresy of Arius. The Patriarch was exiled to Armenia and tortured there because he did not accept Arianism. They tried to persuade Markianos and Martyrios to accept the heresy, offering them bishoprics and large estates; but the Saints did not dare to betray the true faith under any circumstances. Then they were condemned to death.

October: Day 24: Teaching 3: Feast of the Joy of All Who Sorrow Icon of the Mother of God

October: Day 24: Teaching 3:
Feast of the Joy of All Who Sorrow Icon of the Mother of God

(In All Cases of Life, Resort With Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today is the feast day of the miraculous Joy of All Who Sorrow icon of the Holy Mother of God, established in 1688 for the following reason. Euphemia, the sister of Patriarch Joachim, suffered greatly from a wound in her side and had almost no hope of recovery. One day, waking up early, she began to recite the prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me," then she ordered herself to be raised and began to call upon the Mother of God, praying to Her. During the prayer she heard a voice: "Euphemia, you have suffered for so long, why do you not resort to the common healer of all?" In the Church of the Transfiguration there is My icon of the Joy of All Who Sorrow. Call the priest of that church with this icon and let him serve a prayer service; then your illness will pass." Euphemia learned from her relatives that there was such an icon in the Church of the Transfiguration on Ordynka, and she acted in accordance with what she heard, after which she received healing.

October: Day 24: Teaching 1: Venerable Arethas the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

October: Day 24: Teaching 1:
Venerable Arethas the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

(On the Attitude Towards Wealth)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Arethas, whose memory is celebrated today, labored in the Kiev Caves Monastery. At first he was possessed by the sin of stinginess. Having a lot of money, he not only did not give alms, but even denied himself in extreme needs. Once thieves stole money from Arethas, and he almost took his own life. But the Lord Himself, during his illness, enlightened him with a vision. Venerable Arethas told about this vision: “When I was lying sick, angels came to me in my cell and demons behind them. The demons said that I did not glorify, but blasphemed God for the loss of money, and therefore should belong to them. Then the angels turned to me and said: 'If you had thanked God for the property stolen from you, then it would have been counted as alms to you, as it once was to Job, because patiently enduring a loss is equivalent to the voluntary giving of alms.' When the angels told me this, I repented, saying: 'Lord have mercy! That which I lost was yours, and I do not regret it.'" After that, Arethas completely changed, so that everyone was amazed at his change, and he became a recluse. He died in seclusion around 1220. His incorruptible relics rest in the Kiev Caves Monastery.

An Unforgettable Vigil for Saint James the Brother of God in Kefallonia

Metropolitan Gerasimos (Fokas) of Kefallonia

One year, at the vigil in honor of Saint James the Brother of God (October 23) which was held at the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos in Kefallonia, Father (later Metropolitan) Gerasimos Fokas (+ 2015) was serving. The following incidents happened that night, as reported by witnesses.

A sick woman had come to this service, who heard a voice say to her after she was anointed once with the oil of Holy Unction: "Go and let Father Gerasimos cross your neck one more time with the oil of Holy Unction." It was observed by the people in attendance that she got back in line and returned to be anointed for a second time. The next day, as she later reported, she went to the hospital and the scheduled pre-operative medical tests were done, but they showed that there was nothing and no surgery was needed.

October: Day 23: Teaching 1: Holy Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord

 

October: Day 23: Teaching 1:
Holy Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord

(Traits of a True Righteous Man)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. On October 23, the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the holy Apostle James, the brother of the Lord. Saint James was the son of the Betrothed of the Most Holy Virgin Mary - Saint Joseph, from his late wife. From his youth he loved the strict life: he ate only bread and water, did not drink wine or oil; he wore a sharp hair shirt on his body, spent the whole night in prayer and preserved the purity of virginity. And when the Lord taught the people about the kingdom of God and revealed Himself as the Messiah, then Saint James believed in Him and, listening to His divine words, began to live even more strictly. Everyone called Saint James righteous, for everyone saw his righteous life and he was numbered among the Seventy Apostles. From the Lord Jesus Christ he was appointed bishop and taught the sacred rite. He was the first hierarch and shepherd of the Jerusalem Church. He was the first to set forth and write the Liturgy, which Saint Basil the Great and John Chrysostom later shortened due to human weakness. Saint James set many Jews and pagans on the true path and wrote a General Epistle to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Everyone revered him, not only the faithful, but also the unbelievers. The Jewish high priests and priests did not forbid him to enter the Holy of Holies, and he prayed there for the whole world. The people loved him for his holiness and many of the Jewish elders believed his teaching. But the scribes and Pharisees with the high priest were angry with him for this, and decided to kill him.

October: Day 22: Teaching 6: Saint Abercius, Equal to the Apostles

October: Day 22: Teaching 6:
Saint Abercius, Equal to the Apostles
 
(Serving Others Should Be the First Goal of Our Life)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Abercius, now remembered by the Church, lived in the 2nd century and was bishop of the city of Hierapolis in Phrygia. At that time, the Christian faith was just beginning to spread throughout the Roman Empire, and there were many cities whose population was almost exclusively pagan. Hierapolis was one of these cities. One day, Saint Abercius witnessed a pagan festival in the city and looked on with sorrow as the people worshiped idols. Abercius was filled with zeal for the glory of God, took a staff in his hands and went to the pagan temple where the sacrifices had just ended. Entering the temple, Abercius began to smash the idols standing there. When the priests noticed this, they immediately reported what had happened to the city leaders; the people also learned of this and everyone hurried to the temple. The idolaters became very angry and were about to set fire to Abercius’s house. The bishop's friends and neighbors, seeing the crowd approaching, wanted to save him from danger and advised him to hide somewhere for a while until the commotion died down, but the Saint was not afraid of the crowd, went out to the assembled people and began to speak about the vanity of idols, trying to turn the people away from idolatry and attract them to the true God. The pagans were already ready to rush at the Saint and kill him, when suddenly an event occurred that gave a different turn to the matter. Suddenly, confusion arose in the crowd of people: three possessed youths raised a terrible cry, tore their clothes and fell to the ground foaming at the mouth. "Abercius," they shouted, "we implore you by the one true God, Whom you preach, do not torment us!" The people fell silent at these cries: everyone was waiting to see what Abercius would do. The Saint took pity on the possessed and began to pray to God for the healing of the youths, after which they felt completely healthy and began to thank the Saint with tears. This miraculous healing softened the rage of the people, who saw in Abercius not an enemy, but a healer and benefactor. Instead of cries of anger and hatred, exclamations began to be heard in the crowd: "There is only one true God, Whom Abercius preaches." Many began to turn to Abercius with the words: "Tell us, man of God, will your God accept us if we turn to Him?" The next day, even more people gathered, wanting to receive instruction in the faith and be baptized, and Abercius baptized 500 people that day. Thus began the apostolic activity of Saint Abercius. Soon all of Hierapolis converted to Christianity.

Homily One on the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily One on the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

By St. John of Kronstadt

"O fervent Intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High,  

pray for all to Your Son, Christ our God, 

and grant salvation to all who flee to Your sovereign protection." 

(Troparion to the Kazan Mother of God)

Do you all, beloved brethren, always pray earnestly to the Mother of God? If any of you do not pray to Her, or do not pray with all your heart, I beseech you to begin to pray to Her with all zeal from this very day, for our Lady is a quick Intercessor for all Christians who resort with faith to Her protection and intercession - She does not shun anyone, She does not neglect anyone.

In order to be worthy of Her intercession, you only need firm faith in the power of Her prayer and humble sincere prayer. Whatever misfortune has befallen you, or sorrow of the soul: hurry quickly to pray to our Lady, and do not seek consolation for yourself in any earthly consolations - in theaters, circuses, evenings out - all the more do not resort, to ease your grief, to forget the misfortune with wine, as many do. Theaters, circuses, entertainment with wine or something else - new misfortunes, only not noticeable at first, because they are seductive.

October: Day 22: Teaching 1: Celebration in Honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

 

October: Day 22: Teaching 1:
Celebration in Honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
 
(What Should We Pray to the Mother of God For?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Russia has seen over itself, throughout its entire existence, the unceasing care of the Mother of God. From the very first times of the illumination of our fatherland by the Orthodox faith, the Queen of Heaven was pleased to choose it as the place of the habitation of Her glory, and since then, as the faith of Christ spread within the borders of our kingdom, the miraculous protection of our Lady also spread, and finally embraced the entire face of the Russian land, so that now, one can say, there is not a single city, in the least remarkable in the annals of our country, where there would not be a visible sign of Her grace-filled help. What do the numerous miraculous icons of the Mother of God mean, throughout the vast expanse of the Russian land, pouring out saving grace to all who come to them with faith, if not obvious signs of the special favor of the Mother of God to us, the unworthy? And it is not in vain that the faithful sons of Russia, in all the needs of the fatherland, flowing into churches with warm prayer, glorify the Queen of Heaven as their fervent Intercessor.

Saint Hilarion the Great Resource Page

St. Hilarion the Great (Feast Day - October 21)

Verses

Sowing with tears and pain below,

Hilarion reaps rejoicing above.

On the twenty-first Hilarion entered his final sleep.

 

Saint Hilarion the Great (+ 372) 

 

The Life of Saint Hilarion the Great (St. Jerome)

 

The Life of Saint Hilarion the Great (Sozomen)

 

The Life of Saint Hilarion the Great (St. Dimitri of Rostov)

 

Saint Hilarion the Great as an Exorcist

 

October: Day 21: Teaching 5: Venerable Hilarion the Great

 

The Life of Saint Hilarion the Great (Sozomen)

By Sozomen
 

Ecclesiastical History (Bk. 3, Ch. 14)

The same species of philosophy was about this time cultivated in Palestine, after being learned in Egypt, and Hilarion the divine then acquired great celebrity. He was a native of Thabatha, a village situated near the town of Gaza, towards the south, and hard by a torrent which falls into the sea, and received the same name as the village, from the people of that country.

When he was studying grammar at Alexandria, he went out into the desert to see the monk Anthony the Great, and in his company he learned to adopt a like philosophy. After spending a short time there, he returned to his own country, because he was not allowed to be as quiet as he wished, on account of the multitudes who flocked around Anthony. On finding his parents dead, he distributed his patrimony among his brethren and the poor, and without reserving anything whatever for himself, he went to dwell in a desert situated near the sea, and about twenty stadia from his native village.

October: Day 21: Teaching 5: Venerable Hilarion the Great

October: Day 21: Teaching 5:
Venerable Hilarion the Great
 
(The Kingdom of Heaven is Achieved Through Great Efforts and Labors)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Hilarion the Great, whose memory is celebrated today, was born in Palestine in 291. While studying in Alexandria, he learned the Christian faith and was baptized. Hearing about the famous ascetic Anthony the Great, he went to him and became his disciple. At that time, Saint Hilarion was 15 years old. With the blessing of Anthony, he returned to his homeland. Not finding his parents alive, he gave one part of his estate to his relatives, the other to the poor, and settled in the desert, near the Palestinian city of Maiuma. The Saint struggled much with impure thoughts that troubled his mind and inflamed his body; but he exhausted his body with strict fasting and labor and drove away thoughts with prayer and divine contemplation. He also suffered much from demons: more than once, while standing at prayer, he heard the weeping of children, the sobbing of women, the roar of lions and other wild animals, terrible noise and confusion, imagined by demons. But the holy hermit was not afraid, but prayed even more fervently. Once robbers attacked him, but he convinced them by the power of his words to leave vice and lead a good life. Soon the rumor about the ascetic spread throughout Palestine, and many began to come to him for healing of body and soul, and others wished to save their souls under his guidance. And many disciples gathered around Saint Hilarion, so that he became the same kind of teacher in Palestine as Anthony the Great was in Egypt. With his blessing, many monasteries were founded in Palestine, and he, going around the monasteries, established in them a strict ascetic way of life. Saint Hilarion lived in the desert for more than 60 years, enduring all kinds of hardships for the sake of attaining the kingdom of heaven. Towards the end of his life, Saint Hilarion wandered through monasteries in various places. Everywhere he appeared as a teacher of Christian wisdom and holiness, as a miracle worker and benefactor of all those who suffered. He died at the age of 80 on the island of Cyprus. He left his poor clothes and the Gospel, written in his own hand, as a keepsake for his beloved disciple. Later, his disciple Hesychios transferred his relics to Palestine, to the Maiuma Monastery, where Hesychios himself was later buried.

October: Day 21: Teaching 1: The Day of the Accession to the Throne of His Majesty Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovich

October: Day 21: Teaching 1:
The Day of the Accession to the Throne of His Majesty Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovich
 
(God is with us!)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. "God is with us, understand, O nations, and submit" (Isaiah 8:9)! Blessed is God, who has justified the Most Pious, Most Autocratic, Great Sovereign Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovich to reign over us. Faithful to God and His Anointed, Tsar-loving Russia, if ever, then especially now, on this bright day of our national triumph, having formed from thousands and thousands of hearts into one loyal heart, will offer up a fervent prayerful song of praise and thanksgiving to the Most High King of kings, who has granted her a king after His own heart.

II. There is one, brethren, the supreme source of this and all other blessings, under the shadow of which our Orthodox fatherland stands unshakable; one source of our prosperity, power and glory - God is with us!

Let us pay reverent attention, for our edification and consolation, to this bright and desired truth for us.

October: Day 20: Holy Great Martyr Artemios

October: Day 20:
Holy Great Martyr Artemios

(Characteristics of Those Persecuted for the Truth of God)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Artemios, whose memory is celebrated today, was prefect in Egypt during the reign of Julian the Apostate. When Julian was in Antioch on his way to war against the Persians, Artemios, arriving there with the Egyptian army, was a witness to the outrageous persecution of Christians by Julian, who attributed to them the burning of the pagan temple in Daphne, a suburb of Antioch. In anger at the Christians, who were innocent in this matter, the apostate burned their church in Antioch and destroyed another, which was near the Temple of Apollo, and, in general, cruelly persecuted Christians, not sparing even children. Then the zealous Christian Artemios, who could not tolerate injustice, became indignant at the persecutor, and fearlessly and openly exposed his injustice. The ruler, irritated by Artemios's audacity, ordered that his military robes be taken off, that he be stripped naked and tortured until he offered sacrifice to the gods. But while he was pouring his blood on the ground, Artemios preached Jesus Christ and His great miracles. He also endured imprisonment, where he was tormented by hunger, and then was subjected to a special trial: he was placed on one half of a split stone, with the other half of which, having been lowered from a height, they crushed the limbs of the martyr. Finally, they cut off his head with a sword. This was about the year 361.

Homily One on the Sixth Sunday of Luke (St. John of Kronstadt)

Homily One on the Sixth Sunday of Luke  

By St. John of Kronstadt

“And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs” (Luke 8:27).

In today's Gospel, the Holy Evangelist Luke told us the story of the Savior casting out many demons from a possessed man. How pitiful this man was! He did not wear clothes and did not live in a house, but in tombs, i.e. in tomb caves. For a long time the demons tormented him so much that he beat himself against stones, and his neighbors, protecting him, "bound him with chains and bonds, but he broke the bonds, and was driven by the demon into the desert."

Speech at the Consecration of the Temple of the Prophet Joel and Saint Irene (Archimandrite Joel Yiannakopoulos)

 

 

By John P. Bougas, Theologian

Father Joel Yiannakopoulos, well-known to the Orthodox world, was an enlightened ascetic, neo-patristic figure of the Orthodox Church. His life has been successfully outlined by the theologian G. D. Kouvelas in his book: Archimandrite Joel Yiannakopoulos (1901-1966): An Enlightened Figure, 3rd Edition, Kalamata 2001.

Father Joel was the founder in 1962 of the women's Hesychasterion of the Prophet Joel, in Kalamata.

This article presents Father Joel's speech during the Consecration on May 31, 1964 of the Holy Temple of the Hesychasterion, named after the Prophet Joel.

This handwritten speech of Father Joel has remained unpublished until now (2016 - the 50th anniversary since his repose) and belongs to the archive of the Sacred Monastery of the Prophet Joel in Kalamata.

In this speech there is a personal confession of Father Joel, who describes his personal journey and his call to the Church of Christ. In general, this speech shows the philanthropic ethos of the Elder Joel, the simplicity of his words and his human speech, as he himself was full of humanity in life. He was honorable with human things, knowing from his own experience the problems, and all the experiences of human society as a full member of it, avoiding of course all sin. The simplicity of the Elder is demonstrated by his participation in gatherings and friendly meals as well as in excursions with his spiritual children.

October: Day 19: Holy Martyr Varus

October: Day 19:
Holy Martyr Varus

(On Devotion to God)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. When the Holy Martyr Varus, whose memory is celebrated today, who lived in Egypt during the reign of the Roman Emperor Maximian, was put to death amidst the most terrible tortures for confessing the name of Christ, and his body was thrown out of the city by his torturers to be devoured by dogs, then a certain pious Christian widow, named Cleopatra, with her devoted servants, secretly took the body of the Holy Martyr at night and buried it for a time in her house. This Cleopatra was a native of Palestine and had recently lost her husband, who was a military commander. She had such faith in the Holy Martyr that, returning to her homeland with her only son John, she decided to take with her the sacred relics of the Martyr in order to place them in her family cemetery. Cleopatra asked the government for permission to transfer the body of her husband, but under the guise of him she transported the body of the Holy Martyr Varus to her homeland. Such zeal and respect of blessed Cleopatra for the memory and sacred relics of the Passion-bearer attracted God's blessing upon her: her only-begotten son was safely coming of age, preparing to enter the royal service.

Mega Spelaion (Great Cave) Monastery Resource Page

Saints Symeon and Theodore, Founders of the Monastery of Mega Spelaion

 

Where the Apostle Luke Wrote His Gospel and Celebrated the Divine Liturgy 

 

The Holy Monastery of Mega Spelaion in Kalavryta (1) 

 

The Holy Monastery of Mega Spelaion in Kalavryta (2) 

 

The Dragon of Mega Spelaion

 

The Courageous Reply of the Monks of Mega Spelaion In 1827 

 

The Experience of an American Professor Who Visited the Monastery of Mega Spelaion in 1856 

 

The Mysterious Fire of the Monastery of Mega Spelaion in 1934

 

Panagia Plataniotissa in Kalavryta 

The Incorrupt Left Hand of Saint Haralambos

The Relics of Saint Parthenios of Lampsakos

Apostle Luke Resource Page

October: Day 18: Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke

October: Day 18:
Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke

(Refutation of Prejudices That Make People Not Want To Be Treated by Doctors)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Church now glorifies in its hymns Saint Luke, whose memory is celebrated today, as an Evangelist and writer of the Acts of the Apostles, and as a doctor. Saint Luke was born in Antioch and was considered one of the 70 apostles chosen by the Lord Himself. During the suffering of the Lord, after the defeat of the Shepherd, the sheep of the flock scattered and Saint Luke abandoned the Lord. When the news of the resurrection of the Savior reached Luke, he did not believe the joy and wondered. From such a confused state the Lord Himself brought him out, appearing to him on the road to Emmaus. The Savior walked with Luke and Cleopas to Emmaus unrecognized and convinced them of the truth of His resurrection with the words of Holy Scripture. Then He revealed Himself to them during the breaking of bread and became invisible. After the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles, Saint Luke, in the rank of bishop, was a co-worker of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in spreading the Christian faith.

October: Day 17: Teaching 3: Commemoration of the Miraculous Rescue of the Sovereign Emperor on October 17, 1888

October: Day 17: Teaching 3:
Commemoration of the Miraculous Rescue of the Sovereign Emperor on October 17, 1888
 
(Lessons From This Event:
a. It is Necessary to Thank God for the Miraculous Salvation of the Life of the Sovereign Emperor, and
b. It is our Duty to Nourish Feelings of the Most Selfless Devotion to the Sovereign)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. 1888 October 17, all of Russia, as one person, shuddered "with great horror" at the terrible news of that mortal danger from which the support, hope and happiness of the entire Russian land almost perished - the most pious and beloved Sovereign of Russia with his entire august family, but immediately afterwards was filled with feelings of the most ardent gratitude to Divine Providence and boundless joy when she learned that among the wreckage of the railway carriage crushed to pieces, among a thousand dangers from which many who were traveling with the royal train that had suffered a wreck perished and suffered, only the Sovereign Emperor with his royal family, saved by a miracle of the omnipotence and mercy of God, remained unharmed.

This great Tsar-Peacemaker, who reposed in God on October 20, 1894, mourned and lamented not only by Russia, but also by all the friends of peace in all countries, now - we firmly believe - dwells with his righteous soul, as his whole life was righteous, after a truly Christian death, in the heavenly chambers and intercedes before God for his beloved Russia together with his namesake, the holy faithful Prince Alexander Nevsky and other royal and God-glorified leaders of Russia.

October: Day 17: Teaching 1: Venerable Martyr Andrew the Cretan

 October: Day 17: Teaching 1:

Venerable Martyr Andrew the Cretan
 
(On the Beatitudes)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The now glorified Holy Martyr Andrew the Cretan lived in the 8th century during the time of the iconoclast Emperor Constantine Kopronymos, who persecuted holy icons. He lived on the island of Crete as a hermit, and was highly respected for his holy life. He heard rumors of the desecration of holy icons and the sufferings of the faithful servants of Jesus Christ, so he decided to go to Constantinople in order, if possible, to turn the emperor away from his impious actions. Everything he saw along the way inflamed his zeal even more: the most respected bishops were being imprisoned, the dungeons were full of prisoners, torture was everywhere, executions were daily. Andrew's heart was inflamed with indignation. Having arrived in Constantinople, he immediately went to the Church of Saint Mamas, where the emperor was then. Pushing his way through the crowd, he appeared before the emperor himself and began boldly to reproach him for his criminal actions. “Why do you call yourself a Christian,” he said, “and a servant of Christ, if you mock the images of Jesus Christ and oppress His servants?” The soldiers seized the hermit and began to beat him, but the emperor stopped them and ordered that Andrew be brought to his palace.

Saint Longinus the Centurion Resource Page

St. Longinus the Centurion (Feast Day - October 16)

Verses  

 

Prior to his beheading Longinus once again, 

Called on you O Christ as the Son of God. 

On the sixteenth Longinus was slaughtered with the sword.

 

Synaxarion of the Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion

 

Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion  

 

Saint Longinus the Centurion as a Model for our Lives

October: Day 16: Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion

 

The Chapel of Saint Longinus the Centurion in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

 

Hymns and Prayer Upon Entering the Chapel of Saint Longinus at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

 

Synaxis of All Saints of Cappadocia 

Saint Longinus the Centurion as a Model for our Lives

St. Longinus the Centurion (Feast Day - October 16)

Protopresbyter Father George Papavarnavas

Saint Longinos came from Cappadocia and lived in the years of Christ. He was a centurion under Pilate, the ruler of Judea, and received an order from him to be present at the crucifixion and burial of Christ. When he saw the way in which Christ "expired" on the Cross, as well as the earthquake, the change of the sun into darkness and the stones that split, because he was a good-willed man, the Grace of God overshadowed him, changed him, and then with faith he cried out: "Truly this was the Son of God." That is why he did not accept the silver given to him by the Jews, in order to lie about the Resurrection of Christ. He returned to his homeland, together with two of his soldiers who believed in Christ, and preached the gospel with pride. Pilate, when informed of this, reported him to Tiberius, who ordered his beheading, as well as his two soldiers.

October: Day 16: Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion

October: Day 16:
Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion

(About Honesty)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today the memory of Saint Longinus the Centurion is celebrated. Longinus, a pagan, was appointed as a centurion by order of Pilate, with the soldiers under him, to serve during the sufferings of Jesus Christ. And he was so struck by the extraordinary event that took place before his eyes, that although he had no idea until then of either the Holy Scriptures or the prophecies about Christ, he suddenly understood the truth, and with all his soul believed in the Divinity of the Savior (as the evangelists Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39 and Luke 23:47 testify about him):

“The centurion and those who were with him guarding Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and all that happened, were greatly afraid, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God.’”

“The centurion, seeing what had happened, glorified God and said: 'Truly, this was a righteous man.'”

October: Day 15: Holy Hieromartyr Lucian

October: Day 15:
Holy Hieromartyr Lucian

(On the Mystery of Holy Communion and our Duty to Partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Hieromartyr Lucian, glorified today by the Church, having become an orphan at the age of twelve, distributed his property to the poor, and began to study the Holy Scriptures under the guidance of Saint Makarios the Confessor. For his strict life and the spread of Christian enlightenment, Saint Lucian was ordained a priest. In this holy rank, Lucian redoubled his labors. He rendered a special service by correcting the text of the Holy Scriptures, having set out the Greek, Syriac, and Hebrew texts in three columns for comparison. Saint Lucian ended his difficult life with a martyr's death. By order of the Emperor Maximian, he was cruelly tortured, and then chained, imprisoned, and starved. Saint Lucian was unable to move from exhaustion, but nevertheless, wishing to be worthy of partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, he lay with his back on the sharp stones of the prison and performed a bloodless sacrifice on the feast of the Theophany on his chest, to prepare himself and other Christian prisoners for death; after which he died.

October: Day 14: Teaching 3: Venerable Nicholas Sviatosha

October: Day 14: Teaching 3:*
Venerable Nicholas Sviatosha
 
(Without Humility or Spiritual Poverty There Is No Salvation)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable One, now glorified, Nicholas Sviatosha, Prince of Chernigov, was the son of David and the grandson of Sviatoslav. He thought how deceptive everything is in this vain life, and that everything earthly flows by, passes by, but future blessings are imperishable and eternal, and the kingdom of heaven, prepared by God for those who love Him, is endless. And, leaving the princedom, and honor, and glory, and power, and counting all this as nothing, he came to the Kiev Caves Monastery and became a monk. This was in the year 1106. He spent three years in the kitchen, working for the brethren; with his own hands he chopped wood for cooking, often even carrying it from the shore on his shoulders, and with great difficulty his brothers, Izyaslav and Vsevolod, kept him from such a thing. However, this true novice asked and prayed that he might work for at least another year in the kitchen for the brethren; after that, they assigned him to the monastery gates, since he was skilled in everything. And he stayed there for three years, never leaving anywhere except the church. From there he was ordered to go and serve at the refectory. Finally, by the will of the abbot and all the brethren, he was forced to have his own cell, which he built himself. And to this day this cell is called Sviatosha, as is the vegetable garden, which he dug with his own hands. Blessed Prince Sviatosha was never idle: he always had needlework in his hands, which he used to earn money for his clothes. On his lips was constantly the Jesus Prayer: "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!" He always ate the monastery food, and what his brother princes and boyars brought him, he distributed to the poor and the strangers. Thus, the Saint spent more than thirty years in labor and deprivation, without leaving the monastery. When he died, almost all the inhabitants of Kiev flocked to the Kiev Caves Monastery to pay their last respects to the Saint. For the deep humility of the holy prince, the Lord endowed him with the gift of miracles: even the clothes left behind by him exuded healing. Thus, when the brother of the blessed one, Prince Izyaslav, became seriously ill, they put the hair shirt of the Venerable Nicholas on him, and the sick man immediately recovered. There were many other miraculous signs from the relics of the blessed one, which to this day rest in the Kiev Caves.