The Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT SAVA, ARCHBISHOP OF SERBIA
Sava was the son of Stefan Nemanja, the Grand Prince of Serbia, born in the year 1169. As a young man he yearned for the spiritual life, because of which he fled to the Holy Mountain where he became a monk and with rare zeal passed through the entire ascetic rule. Nemanja followed the example of his son, and he himself came to the Holy Mountain, where he became a monk and died as the monk Simeon. Sava obtained from the emperor and patriarch the independence of the Serbian Church, and became the first Serbian Archbishop. He built, together with his father, the monastery of Hilandar, and afterward many other monasteries, churches and schools throughout the Serbian land. He traveled twice on pilgrimage to the holy places in the Holy Land. He made peace between his brothers, who were quarreling over power; he made peace between the Serbs and their neighbors, and creating the Serbian Church, he thereby created the Serbian state and culture. He brought peace among all the Balkan peoples and worked for the good of all, because of which he was honored and loved by all the Balkans. To the Serbian people he gave a Christian soul, which did not perish with the fall of the Serbian state. He ended his life in Trnovo in the time of Tsar Asen, having fallen ill after the Divine Liturgy on Theophany, January 12, 1236. His body was transferred by King Vladislav to the Mileševa monastery, whence Sinan Pasha exhumed it and burned it at Vračar in Belgrade, April 27, 1594 (see April 27).
2. VENERABLE MARTYR FATHERS OF SINAI AND RAITHU
The Venerable Martyr Fathers of Sinai and Raithu were slain by the Saracens, one in the fourth and the other in the fifth century.
3. SAINT HILARY, BISHOP OF POITIERS
Hilary was an ardent fighter against the heresy of Arius in the West. He suffered much because of his defense of Orthodoxy. He wrote several treatises, of which the most important is the treatise on the Holy Trinity. He reposed in the Lord in the year 362.
4. SAINT NINA, ENLIGHTENER OF GEORGIA
Nina was a relative of Saint George the Great Martyr and of Juvenal, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Since both her father and mother, Cappadocian nobles, became monastics, she was raised under the supervision of Patriarch Juvenal. Having heard about the Georgian people, the virgin Nina from childhood desired to go to Georgia and baptize the Georgians. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to her and promised to take her to that land. When the Lord opened the way, the young Nina indeed went to Georgia where in a short time she gained the great love of the people. She succeeded in baptizing the Georgian king Mirian, his wife Nana and their son Bakhar, who afterward zealously assisted Nina's missionary work. Nina succeeded during her lifetime in passing through all of Georgia and for the most part in converting all the people to the Christian faith, and this during the very time of the terrible persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian. She rested from her many labors and reposed in the Lord in the year 335. Her tomb is located in the Samtavro church. She worked many miracles both during her life and after her death.
Hymn of Praise
A virgin most beautiful, noble Nina,
Became by Providence an apostle of the Georgians.
Despite the persecution of Emperor Diocletian,
She with the cross baptized King Mirian
And his wife Nana and their son Bakhar,
Through them all the people and the flower of the leaders.
All of them she baptized with the cross of God's Son,
Saint Nina, the apostle of the Georgians.
From childhood Nina prayed to God
That she would baptize Georgia.
What she prayed to God, God graciously gave:
From Nina's hand the cross shone
To gentle Georgia, where it still shines,
Where Nina's hand still blesses.
There is Nina's tomb, above it a temple gleams
Glorifying holy Nina and the Lord Christ.
“What she prayed to God, God graciously gave: from Nina's hand the cross shone.”
Reflection
If the dogmas of faith sometimes seem to you like hard food, then make an effort to first fulfill the dogmas of Christian morality, and understanding of the dogmas of faith will be opened to you. Curious investigation of high things, without effort to improve one's life, brings no benefit. Once Egyptian monks were debating about Melchizedek, and being unable to come to any clarity about the mysterious person of this ancient king and high priest, they called Abba Coprius to their gathering and questioned him about Melchizedek. Hearing this, Coprius struck himself three times on the mouth and said: "Woe to you, Coprius! You have abandoned what God commanded you to do, and you investigate what God does not require of you." Hearing this, the monks were ashamed and dispersed. Chrysostom writes: "Even if we hold right dogmas but do not care about conduct, we will have no benefit; likewise if we care about conduct but neglect right dogmas, we will gain nothing useful for our salvation. If we want to be delivered from gehenna and obtain the kingdom, we must be adorned on both sides: with correctness of dogmas and with virtue of life."
“You have abandoned what God commanded you to do, and you investigate what God does not require of you.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the mercy of the Lord Jesus, namely:
1. Toward sinners and the sick;
2. Toward the people, who were confused like a flock without a shepherd;
3. Toward the human race in general, for whom He gave Himself to be crucified.
Homily
on the vision of the invisible world
We look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen (2 Corinthians 4:18)
We see this material and transient world, but we look at that spiritual and immortal world.
We see earthly joy, often interrupted by weeping and sighs, and in the end always finished by death, but we look at spiritual joy, among the angels and God's saints in the heavens, at joy uninterrupted and eternal.
We see the sufferings and failures of the righteous in this life, but we look at their glory and triumph in that world.
We see the many successes, and glory and honor of the unrighteous in this life, but we look at their defeat, condemnation and inexpressible torment in eternity.
We see God's Church often humiliated and persecuted in this world, but we look at her final victory over all opponents and adversaries, visible and invisible.
We see, brethren, tyrants and robbers often as rulers and rich men in this age, and saints as poor and oppressed and forgotten, but we look at another kingdom, in which the saints will reign, without a single, single tyrant or robber, the Kingdom of God, eternally sinless and immortal.
O Lord, long-suffering and most-merciful, open to us spiritual sight, that we might see what awaits us after this short-lived life, and that we might labor to fulfill Your law. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“We see the sufferings and failures of the righteous in this life, but we look at their glory and triumph in that world.”