The Lives of the Saints
1. THE PRIEST-MARTYR SIMEON, BISHOP OF PERSIA
In the time of the wicked King Shapur (Sapor), Simeon was tortured for Christ together with two of his presbyters, Abdelas and Ananias. Before them perished also the king's eunuch Ustazanes, who had at first denied Christ, but afterward, moved by the reproach of Saint Simeon, again confessed the true faith before the king. To the place of execution together with Simeon were led out a further one thousand Christians. Simeon deliberately stepped aside so that he might be the last to be beheaded, that he might encourage the Christians to the very end, so that not a single one would waver from fear of death. When the presbyter Ananias placed his head upon the block, he trembled with his whole body. And the king's official, Phusik, who was a secret Christian, began to encourage Ananias, saying: "Fear not, O elder, close thine eyes, and be courageous, that thou mayest behold the divine light!" As soon as he uttered this, he was denounced as a Christian and accused before the king. The king put him to death with great torments, and likewise his daughter, the virgin Askitrea. At last Saint Simeon too was beheaded, having first escorted his flock into the other world. The following year, on Great Friday, the king's beloved eunuch Azat was also slain for Christ, and with him a thousand other faithful. Then the king mourned for his eunuch and ceased the further killing of Christians. They all suffered honorably for Christ the King and Lord in 341 or 344.
2. SAINT ACACIUS, BISHOP OF MELITENE
He labored ascetically in the city in which he was born, that is, in Armenian Melitene. The blessed Otreius, bishop of that city, who had participated in the Second Ecumenical Council, ordained him as a presbyter. Upon the death of Otreius, Acacius became bishop. He participated in the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus, which condemned Nestorius's blasphemy against the Theotokos. There, together with Saint Cyril of Alexandria, he greatly labored for the purity of the Orthodox faith. Saint Acacius had great grace from God and performed many miracles. After a long and zealous service to God he reposed peacefully in the year 435.
3. SAINT AGAPITUS, POPE OF ROME
He was sent by Theodotus, King of the Goths, to Emperor Justinian in Constantinople, to dissuade the latter from a campaign against the Goths. Along the way he healed a mute and blind man. In Constantinople he helped to strengthen Orthodoxy, and he reposed in the year 536.
4. THE VENERABLE SABBATIUS AND ZOSIMAS
Founders of the ascetic monastery on the Solovetsky Island in the White Sea. In this Solovetsky monastery many great saints became renowned. Saint Sabbatius reposed in 1435, and Zosimas in 1478.
Hymn of Praise
THE VENERABLE ZOSIMAS OF SOLOVKI
Upon a desert island amid a stormy sea,
Beyond the world's vain bustle and beyond all company,
Zosimas feeds his soul upon the bread of prayer
And by the name of God repels the demons' snare.
The demons, filled with malice, against him grew enraged
And all their might and fury against him they engaged.
Zosimas speaks to them: your toil is all in vain
So long as God's almighty hand doth shield me and sustain.
If it be God's own will that you should put me down,
Then strike at once with speed, and do not stand around!
Why do you take the shape of beasts and serpents foul,
Of fierce wolves, tigers, scorpions with a threatening growl,
When you possess no strength, not even that of shade,
To cause me any harm or make me sore afraid?
You are fearsome only to the sons of sin
And to the lovers of delight and laughter's din.
But to the lovers of the yoke of Christ the Lord,
And of the Theotokos, and ascetic labor's sword,
You are as mist that by the wind is borne along,
Now hither, now brought thither, never staying long.
If mist can tear a boulder from its rooted place,
Then you can shake me, sinner, from my steadfast grace!
Away from me, depart — to you I shall not yield,
I am a servant of Christ, on Christ alone I'm sealed.
“You are fearsome only to the sons of sin and to the lovers of delight and laughter's din.”
Reflection
After the Council of Chalcedon, Emperor Anastasius, a heretic, sent into exile the Orthodox patriarchs Elias of Jerusalem and Flavian of Antioch. One day both of these saints foresaw the death of the heretical emperor, and at the same time sent word to each other, saying: "Anastasius has died; let us also go and settle accounts with him before God!" The emperor died, and two days later both patriarchs also died. What zeal for the truth of the faith! And what a meek placing of trust in the judgment of God! These saints were not concerned with prolonging their lives on earth, but with the truth of God. Nor did they say: "We have judged," but rather: "Let God judge!" Our sojourn on earth is not merely for the sake of sojourning, but for our personal determination toward good or toward evil, toward truth or toward falsehood. Blessed are we if in all things we place ourselves upon the will of God and the judgment of God. But for all of this one must have mighty faith. Mighty faith these Orthodox archpastors possessed. Mighty faith also had Saint Acacius. Once during a great drought, when the people were already in despair, this wondrous Acacius made a litia (procession) with the people through the city and outside the city. And he arranged that the Divine Liturgy be served outside the city, before the church of Saint Eustathius. While consecrating the holy gifts, Acacius refused to pour water into the wine, but prayed to God that He, the Most High, would send water into the chalice from the clouds. And God heard the prayer of His faithful servant, and sent down abundant rain, both upon the parched fields and into the holy chalice.
“Let God judge!”
Contemplation
To contemplate the risen Lord Jesus, namely:
1. How He still tarried forty days on earth after the Resurrection, appearing to the faithful and strengthening them in the faith;
2. How by this forty-day manifestation He shows that He did not rise for His own sake but for the sake of mankind.
Homily
on the wondrous promise of Christ
**To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me on My throne (Rev. 3:21). **
This, brethren, is the promise of Christ, the Conqueror of the devil, of sin, and of death. But the devil, and sin, and death are all mightier than man — who can overcome them? No one, save Christ and those who firmly stand with Christ and take up the battle with His weapons. The devil is as old as the world, and older still than the world. How can a man, whose lifespan is measured by a handspan, overcome him who has for many thousands of years been trained in warfare against men? How shall one mortal creature master all the devil's temptations, whose number equals the number of evils on earth? In no way, unless he knows that the Lord Jesus conquered the three chief kinds of the devil's temptations on the high mountain. And in no way, unless a man stands firmly with Christ, Who is older than time and mightier than all angels, both evil and good. Sin is as old as the devil. How can a man, whose lifespan is measured by a handspan, escape sin, which like an infectious disease and a foul odor is transmitted from generation to generation and from man to man since ever man has existed upon this and such an earth? In no way, unless he knows that there existed one Man, one and only, Who did not sin, neither in birth nor after birth — the God-Man Jesus Christ, Who by the humility of His humanity and the fire of His divinity crushed sin upon the Cross. And in no way, unless a man stands firmly with Christ, Who is older than sin and mightier than all sowers and bearers of sin.
Death is as old as man, the one expelled from Paradise. How can a man, whose lifespan is measured by a handspan, conquer death in this cemetery of the world? In no way, unless he acknowledges the power of the Cross and the suffering of Christ, and the truth of His Resurrection from the grave. In no way, unless he stands firmly with Christ, the almighty Conqueror of death.
O what a glorious reward for those who overcome! They shall sit crowned with crowns of glory upon the throne of the greatest Conqueror in heaven and on earth! To Him be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The devil is as old as the world. How can a man, whose lifespan is measured by a handspan, overcome him who has for many thousands of years been trained in warfare against men? In no way, unless he stands firmly with Christ.”