October: Day 14: Teaching 2: Holy Martyrs Nazarios, Gervasios, Protasios and Celsus

 

October: Day 14: Teaching 2:
Holy Martyrs Nazarios, Gervasios, Protasios and Celsus
 
(Qualities of the First Christians)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Martyrs Nazarios, Gervasios, Protasios and Celsus, remembered today by the Holy Church, suffered during the reign of Nero (in the first century). Nazarios was born in Rome and received a pious Christian upbringing under the guidance of his mother, then was baptized by Bishop Linus. Upon reaching adulthood, Nazarios received from his parents his share of the estate and retired to Milan. Here he began to engage in charitable work, distributing alms to the poor and rendering various services to imprisoned Christians. At that time, the Emperor Nero raised a persecution of Christians; among those persecuted were the holy brothers Gervasios and Protasios. The parents of Gervasios and Protasios were Christians and suffered for the faith; their sons struggled in fasting and prayer for ten years, fearlessly confessed the faith, were persecuted by the Roman government and were imprisoned in Milan. Nazarios, who often visited them in prison, loved them and consoled them with conversation. The prefect was informed that Nazarios was visiting Christian prisoners, access to whom was prohibited. Nazarios was placed under guard and brought to the prefect's court. For his resolute refusal to recognize the pagan gods and honor them with sacrifices and worship, Nazarios was subjected to cruel torture and was expelled from the city. The exile withdrew to Gaul (present-day France) and there preached the Christian faith. In the city of Chemilly, he baptized the son of a Christian woman, named Celsus, and supervised his upbringing. When Celsus came of age, he became Nazarios' companion in the work of preaching. The mayor of Chemilly, a zealous pagan, imprisoned Celsus and Nazarios and only at the request of his wife released them. From Chemilly, Nazarius and Celsius went to preach in the city of Trier and there converted many to Christianity. The pagan authorities, dissatisfied with the success of the Christian preaching, sent the holy preachers to Rome for the emperor's judgment. Celsus and Nazarios were given to be eaten by wild animals, but they did not touch them. The Saints were thrown into the sea, but they did not drown and walked on the waters of the sea as if on dry land. This miracle amazed the pagans, the Christian faith acquired new followers, and saved the holy confessors from further torture. Celsus and Nazarios were released and again withdrew to Milan. But in Milan, the pagan authorities again subjected them to torture and imprisoned them in the same dungeon where Gervasios and Protasios were imprisoned. The prefect wrote to Nero asking what he should do with the imprisoned Christians. The emperor, learning that they were still alive, became very angry and ordered their immediate execution. The relics of all four holy martyrs were kept under cover until Bishop Ambrose (fourth century) transferred them to the Church of the Holy Apostles. When their relics were taken out of the ground, many sick people were healed; thus the blind man Severus, having touched the garments of the Holy Martyrs, was immediately healed of his illness.

II. The life and deeds of the Holy Martyrs now glorified remind us of the life and deeds of all the first Christians in general. Let us clarify several qualities of their hearts, for they are very instructive.

a) The first, true Christians, all considered themselves children of God; because Jesus Christ taught all His disciples to pray to the Lord God like this:

"Our Father, Who art in heaven!" And so, as Jesus Christ taught all His disciples with these words to call God their Father, they without the slightest doubt considered God their Father, and themselves, therefore, His children. And how could they not consider themselves children of Him Whom they called their Father? But considering God their Father, and themselves His children, they, as they should, tried to love Him, to obey Him, to fulfill His holy will; for otherwise, what kind of children are they, if they do not love and obey their father? What kind of children are they, if they do not obey their father, and do not fulfill the will of their father! What kind of children are they, if they do not follow the order established by the father, and establish their own order?

b) All the first Christians considered themselves brothers of Jesus Christ , brothers of the eternal Son of God, because they all remembered the words of Christ: “Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother and my sister” (Matt. 12:49). But since they recognized Jesus Christ as their brother, they loved Him as a brother; and then they loved each other, helped each other, defended each other; for all true brothers love each other, help each other and defend each other; because to be called a brother and not to love a brother, not to help a brother, not to defend a brother is something completely unnatural, at least very reprehensible.

c) All ancient Christians considered themselves heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, because they firmly knew the word of the holy apostle: "If we are children of God, then we are heirs: heirs indeed of God, and heirs of Christ” (Rom. 8:17). But considering themselves heirs of God and heirs of Christ, they tried in every way to behave in such a way that they could inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, namely, they led a righteous life; because “the unrighteous,” says the apostle, “will not inherit the kingdom of heaven” (1 Cor. 6:9).

d) All the first Christians listened to and read one thing – the word of God, and they made the teaching contained in the word of God the only, indispensable rule of their lives. They all loved God more than anything else. For they all firmly remembered the commandment of the Lord: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30).

They all had one main goal: not honor, not wealth, not power in society, not scholarship, etc., but the salvation of the soul.

All the first Christians used the same means to salvation, and the most reliable ones at that: true repentance, heartfelt prayer, Holy Communion, and life according to Christ’s commandments.

d) Finally, all the first Christians considered themselves not at home on earth. “We are strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Heb. 11:13). “Our conversation is in heaven,” said the holy apostle (Phil. 3:20). And therefore the hearts of the first Christians also aspired to heaven. They lived on earth for heaven’s sake, and by no means attached themselves to earthly things with all their hearts; but they used earthly things and took care of earthly things as things that they would not need, perhaps, by the evening of that very day. They attached themselves with all their hearts to the blessings prepared for them in heaven; and most of all – to the One Who prepared those blessings for them. They tried to correct their hearts and lead a holy life, to live according to the will of God, not their own; and most of all they tried to perfect themselves in love. Because the holy apostle commanded “to acquire above all things” not honors, not property, not joy, not the sweetness of life, but “love” (Col. 3:14).

III. This is what true Christians were! This is what they did! This is what they strove for!

Now let everyone enter into the depths of his heart and ask: Am I like this? Am I doing what he is doing? Am I striving for what he is striving for? – Whoever finds himself like this is blessed, and all the promises of God, however many there are, are for him “yes and amen” (2 Cor. 1:20), i.e., they will certainly be fulfilled. But if anyone does not find himself like this, then he must strive to become a true Christian immediately, because the Wise One said: “You do not know what the day that comes will bring forth” (Prov. 3:28).

May the grace of the All-Holy Spirit make us all Christians such as the first Christians were – true Christians! Amen.

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.