Lives of the Saints
1. THE VENERABLE MARTYRS JOHN AND OTHERS
The Venerable Martyrs John and others, from the monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified near Jerusalem. This glorious monastery, visited also by Saint Sabbas of Serbia and endowed by several Serbian rulers, exists to this day. Many times it was attacked by wild Arabs, plundered and ravaged, but by God's Providence it was always renewed and has been preserved to this day. In the time of Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene it was attacked by Arabs and plundered. The monks refused to flee, but taking counsel with their Abbot Thomas, they said: "We fled from the world into this desert for love of Christ — it would be shameful now to flee from the desert out of fear of men. If we are slain here, we shall be slain for our love of Christ, for Whose sake we came here to live." Having resolved thus, they awaited the armed Arabs unarmed, as lambs await wolves. The Arabs killed some of them with arrows, and shut others in the cave of Saint Sabbas, then kindled a fire at the entrance and suffocated them with smoke. And so many of them ended their lives as martyrs for Christ's sake and departed to the kingdom of Him Whom they had loved and for love of Whom they perished. They suffered honorably before Pascha in the year 796, in the time of Emperor Constantine and Empress Irene and the Patriarch of Jerusalem Elias. But soon just punishment overtook the savage attackers. Returning to their tents, they quarreled among themselves and in mutual combat all perished. This occurred in the year 796.
2. HOLY MARTYR PHOTINA
She is that Samaritan woman who had the rare blessing of conversing with the Lord Christ Himself at Jacob's well near Sychar (John 4:1-42). Having believed in the Lord, she afterward went forth to preach His Gospel, together with her two sons Victor and Josias, and with five sisters named Anatolia, Photo, Photis, Parasceve, and Cyriacia. They had come to Carthage in Africa. But they were condemned and brought to Rome in the time of Emperor Nero, and cast into prison. By God's Providence, Nero's daughter Domnina came into contact with holy Photina and was converted by her to the faith of Christ. After their imprisonment, all suffered for Christ. Photina, who at the well had first been illumined by the light of truth, was cast into a well, where she ended her life, and departed to the immortal kingdom of Christ.
“We fled from the world into this desert for love of Christ — it would be shameful now to flee from the desert out of fear of men.”
Hymn of Praise
HOLY PHOTINA
At the well the Samaritan woman met Christ,
And was enlightened by the very light of Christ.
Under Nero she ended her life in another well,
And gave up her spirit to Christ God, her Master.
Her sons were glorious — Victor and Josias;
Their holy mother glorified them both with holiness.
Five sisters tormented for the name of Christ
Went with her to the heavens to receive their reward.
O Photina the penitent, wondrous martyr,
How now thy face gleams with eternal splendor!
Once thou didst not even give the Savior water to drink,
Yet in the end thou didst pour out thy very blood for Him.
Thy soul, once dark while thou wert a Samaritan,
Blazed with a ray surpassing the sun when thou becamest a Christian.
With fear thou didst proclaim Christ in Sychar,
By death thou didst bear witness to Him in the midst of Rome.
Love slays every fear and makes a hero,
Love, O Photina, has glorified thee forever.
Nero may burn two or three Romes to the ground,
But he cannot burn the soul of Christians.
Nero may shatter vessels of clay,
But he had no power whatsoever over the spirit of Photina.
O immortal holy one, help us now
Before the throne of Christ the Savior — by thy prayers.
“Nero may burn two or three Romes to the ground, but he cannot burn the soul of Christians.”
Reflection
God does not punish the sinner because it gives Him pleasure to destroy a person. For if it gave Him pleasure, He would not have created man from nothing. Rather, He punishes the sinner for several purposeful reasons of His economy, of which two are most obvious to us: first, to correct the sinner by punishment and lead him onto the right path of salvation; and second, to frighten others lest they sin. Saint Isaac thinks the same when he says: "A righteous wise man is like God, for he punishes a person not to take revenge for his sin, but either to correct the person, or to frighten others." A certain dissolute youth who blasphemed against God and his parents suddenly lost his mind. The whole city in which that youth lived saw in this the punishment of God and was seized with the fear of God. The youth was kept bound and confined for three years. And his mother wept bitterly and prayed to God for her son. One year at Pentecost, the mother brought her mad son to the monastery of Saint Basil in Ostrog. After the prayers, the deranged youth was healed and came to himself. After that he repented and became an exemplary man and a true Christian.
“A righteous wise man is like God, for he punishes a person not to take revenge for his sin, but either to correct the person, or to frighten others.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus crucified on the Cross, namely:
1. How blood flows from His hands and drips upon the ground;
2. How blood flows from His feet and pours down upon the ground;
3. How blood flows from beneath His rib and drips upon the ground.
Homily
on the battle of the Lamb with the beasts
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings (Rev. 17:14)
Who speaks these wondrous words? John the Theologian. Who is this Lamb? Christ the Lord. Who is this Lord of lords and King of kings? Christ the Lord. With whom will He do battle, and whom will He overcome? It is the seven-headed beast, and all those who receive from that unclean beast their power, and honor, and riches.
The Lamb amidst the beasts! Yet Saint John saw the Lamb as the victor over all the beasts. Christ amid the demons! One would say: they will devour Him! Yet the demons cry out to Him in terror for mercy and flee from Him without looking back. Christ among His torturers! One would say: they will slay Him forever. Yet He rises and conquers, while they flee in fear and perish. The Church of Christ among the pagans! One would say: they will overwhelm it as waves overwhelm a small island! Yet pagan kingdoms sink and perish, while the Church exists, grows, and advances. The faith of Christ amid harsh philosophers and theoreticians! One would say: they will outwit it and expel it from the world! Yet they drive one another into falsehood and mutual persecution, while the faith of Christ saves men. Piety amid blasphemers and God-deniers! One would say: they will defile it! Yet they drown in their own filth, while piety is borne in undefiled purity. Christian meekness and mourning amid the violent and the plunderers! One would say: it will die of hunger! Yet it lives and walks satisfied, while the violent and the plunderers perish of hunger. The Lamb amid the pack of beasts! Yet — the Lamb is the victor.
O Lord, meek and good, most gracious Lamb of God, fill us also with Thy meekness and goodness, that we too may be partakers of Thy victory! To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The Lamb amidst the beasts! Yet the Lamb is the victor.”