The Lives of the Saints
1. PRIEST-MARTYR NICON
Born in Naples of a pagan father and a Christian mother. Nicon was a Roman officer in Naples. He was not yet baptized, although his mother taught him the faith of Christ in secret from his father. Once when he set out with his unit into battle, his mother counseled him that if he found himself in dire straits, he should make the sign of the Cross and call on Christ for help. And indeed, when in battle Nicon's unit was surrounded and quite near final destruction, Nicon made the sign of the Cross and cried out to Christ in his heart. In that hour he was filled with extraordinary strength, rushed at his enemies, and killed some and routed others in flight. Returning home, Nicon kept crying out in wonder: "Great is the God of the Christians!" Having gladdened his mother with the news of his victory through the Cross of Christ, he secretly sailed to Asia, where Bishop Theodosius of Cyzicus baptized him. After his baptism he shut himself in a monastery, where he devoted himself to learning and ascetic labor. But before his death, Bishop Theodosius had a vision in which he was commanded to ordain Nicon as his successor. The elder Theodosius immediately summoned Nicon and ordained him deacon, then presbyter, and then bishop. But by God's Providence Nicon soon came to Naples where he found his mother still living. After his mother's death he withdrew with nine disciples — once his fellow soldiers — to Sicily, and there devoted himself to preaching the Gospel. But there was a terrible persecution of Christians at that time. And the prince Quintianus seized Nicon together with his companions and subjected them to great torments. His one hundred and ninety disciples and companions were beheaded. Nicon himself was bound to horses' tails by the torturer, hurled from a high cliff into a chasm, beaten, and scraped — yet Nicon survived all those torments. At last he was beheaded and departed to the Lord. His body was left in a field for birds to eat. But a certain young shepherd possessed by a demon stumbled and fell upon the dead body of Christ's martyr and was immediately healed. He spread the word about Nicon's body, and the Christians came and buried it honorably. Holy Nicon suffered in the time of Emperor Decius.
2. VENERABLE NICON OF THE CAVES
A companion of Saint Anthony of the Caves and spiritual father of the Venerable Theodosius. On account of his tonsuring of the boyar Varlaam and the eunuch Ephrem he was threatened by Prince Izyaslav, but the princess turned the prince's anger into the fear of God, and holy Nicon was left in peace. Wishing to adorn the church with icons, Nicon prayed to God for help. And because of his prayers, certain Greek icon-painters unexpectedly came to Kiev from Constantinople — to whom the holy Anthony and Theodosius had appeared in a vision and directed them to Kiev to Nicon. He was glorified by his bold ascetic labors and spiritual wisdom. In his old age he became Abbot of the Caves against his will. He departed to the Lord in the year 1066. His incorrupt relics are kept in the caves of Kiev.
“In battle Nicon made the sign of the Cross and cried out to Christ. He was filled with extraordinary strength, and kept crying out in wonder: Great is the God of the Christians!”
Hymn of Praise
PRIEST-MARTYR NICON
In prison Nicon languished,
And prayed to God day and night.
He did not pray God for defense,
Nor for vengeance on evil Quintianus,
But for strength to endure the torments.
God heard Nicon's sighs,
And once while Nicon was at prayer
There appeared to him in light the Virgin.
More beautiful and radiant than the sun,
Whiter and more gentle than a lamb.
On either side of her two archangels,
Their faces bright and joyful,
Rising to heaven in their height,
Showing each other a river:
"That is the Psimif, the turbulent river!"
Then one archangel asked the Virgin:
"We are sent to slay Quintianus
In the waves of the wild Psimif.
But we look up and down the river
And Quintianus we see nowhere!"
The Virgin spoke, honey flowing from her lips:
"He shall soon come to that river,
He shall attempt to cross through the waves,
But the horse shall go mad beneath him,
Disfiguring his face with its teeth.
That river shall drown him,
And you shall thus accomplish your task.
This is the end of the wicked torturer
For My holy one Nicon" —
All came to pass as the Virgin spoke,
All that Nicon dreamed was real.
Reflection
Saint Paphnutius prayed to God to reveal to him whom he (Paphnutius) resembled. And he heard a voice that said: thou art like a merchant who seeks good pearls — arise and do not be slothful! But God would not say to each of us that we are like a merchant seeking good pearls. For many of us do not seek pearls, but cover themselves in ever thicker layers of cheap dust. Not everything the net brings up from the bottom of the sea is pearl — there is also mud and sand. But the ignorant grasp at that mud and sand as if it were pearl. Only the merchant who knows true pearl casts the net into the sea countless times and draws it up, pouring out the mud and sand, until he finds one grain of pearl. Why does God liken Paphnutius to a merchant? Because Paphnutius had given away all his possessions, and invested all his labor and all his time in order somehow to come to one grain of true pearl. That grain of true pearl is a heart cleansed of passions and evil thoughts, and warmed by the flame of love for God. — Arise thou also, man, and be not slothful! Thy market day draws toward dusk.
“Only the merchant who knows true pearl casts the net into the sea countless times, pouring out the mud and sand, until he finds one grain of pearl.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus crucified on the Cross, namely:
1. How His compassionate love for men did not diminish in Him through His sufferings;
2. How with love He offers comfort to His Mother, pointing to John as a son in His stead;
3. How with love He prays to the Father for men: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!
“His compassionate love for men did not diminish in Him through His sufferings.”
Homily
on the powerlessness of man before the majesty of God
And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead (Rev. 1:17)
Thus holy John fell as dead when he saw the Lord Jesus in glory. Holy John — the beloved disciple of Jesus, the Evangelist, the virgin, the lover of the Lord, the zealot of holiness — he could not stand on his feet nor keep his composure when he saw his Teacher in heavenly glory and power! But he fell as dead. How then will those endure the presence of the Lord and His gaze — like a flame of fire — who transgressed against Him, rose up against Him, blasphemed His name, despised His love and sacrifice, mocked His Cross, trampled His commandments, persecuted His Church, shamed His priests, slew His faithful? What will happen to them before the face of the Lord, when holy John fell as dead? What will happen to the scribes who corrupt? to the educators who kill faith in young souls? to the skeptics who poison people with their doubt? to the robbers and thieves? to the dissolute and the child-killers? What will happen to the enemies of Christ — when the friend of Christ fell as dead before the ineffable brilliance of His glory?
Such is the glory, and power, and authority, and beauty, and dominion, and light, and majesty of the Lord Jesus, risen and ascended, that His closest companions — who for three years gazed without fear upon His face on earth — fall as dead when they behold His face in the heavens, after His suffering, death, and victory!
O Lord all-glorious and all-powerful, illumine us and enliven us with Thy power and glory. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. How then will those endure His gaze who transgressed against Him?”