Lives of the Saints
1. VENERABLE CHARITON THE CONFESSOR
A distinguished and devout citizen of the city of Iconium. Imbued with the spirit of his fellow townswoman Saint Thekla, Chariton openly confessed the name of Christ. When a fierce persecution of Christians began in the time of Emperor Aurelian, Chariton was immediately brought to trial before the governor. The judge told him to bow down to the gods (that is, to the idols), to which Chariton replied: "All your gods are demons, who were once cast down from heaven into the nethermost hell because of their pride." And Chariton clearly proclaimed his faith in the one living God, the Creator of all, and in the Lord Jesus, the Savior of men. Then the governor ordered that Chariton's body be beaten and tortured to such an extent that his entire body was covered with wounds and was as one wound. After the evil death of Aurelian, which overtook the evildoer at that time, Chariton was freed from his torments and from prison. He set out for Jerusalem. On the way he was captured by robbers, from whom he was delivered by God's Providence. And he did not wish to return to Iconium, but withdrew to the desert of Pharan, where he founded a community and gathered monks. Having given a rule to that community and wishing to escape the praises of men, he withdrew to another desert toward Jericho, where again in time a second community was founded, called the Community of Chariton. Finally he founded a third community as well, the Souka — called in Greek the Old Lavra. He ended his life in deep old age and departed to the glory of his Lord on September 28, 350. His relics rest in his first community. To Saint Chariton is attributed the composition of the rite of monastic tonsure.
2. HOLY PROPHET BARUCH
A disciple and faithful friend of the great Prophet Jeremiah. He prophesied the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity, the fall of Babylon, and the coming of the Son of God to earth. It is held that he too was slain by the Jews in Egypt, as was the Prophet Jeremiah, in the seventh century before Christ.
3. HOLY MARTYR MARK THE SHEPHERD
In the time of Diocletian, a certain Magnus, the governor of Antioch, went hunting with his soldiers. While pursuing a certain beast, the soldiers saw the beast take refuge with Mark the shepherd, who was tending his flock there. And the beast began to nuzzle affectionately around Mark, the man of God. Seeing this, thirty soldiers, instructed by Saint Mark, believed in Christ, and were immediately beheaded. The governor bound Mark, brought him to the city, and summoned three brothers who were smiths — Alexander, Alpheus, and Zosimus — and ordered them to fashion instruments of torture for the torment of Mark. But all three of them, having spoken with Saint Mark, accepted the faith of Christ and refused the governor's order. The governor condemned them to death and ordered that molten lead be poured into their mouths. And then the head of holy Mark was cut off and placed in the temple of Artemis, which then, by the power of God, collapsed.
4. HOLY MARTYR WENCESLAUS, KING OF BOHEMIA
The grandson of Saint Ludmila. Even as a king he practiced asceticism in the faith like the great ascetics and strengthened the Orthodox faith among his people. He strictly ensured that no innocent person suffered in the courts. By his zeal for the faith of Christ and by his love for his neighbor, holy Wenceslaus would purchase pagan children who were sold as slaves, and immediately baptize them and raise them as Christians. He translated the Gospel of John into the Czech language. He transferred the relics of Saint Vitus and of Saint Ludmila, his grandmother, to Prague. His brother Boleslav invited him as a guest and murdered him in his court. Immediately afterward Boleslav began bringing in Germans as priests and introducing the Latin-language service. Holy Wenceslaus suffered in the year 935. His relics rest in Prague.
“He prophesied the return of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity, the fall of Babylon, and the coming of the Son of God to earth.”
Hymn of Praise
From a wicked mother a good fruit was born,
Holy Wenceslaus, who pleased God.
His wicked mother gave him only a body,
His grandmother — the light of faith and hope;
His renowned grandmother, the devout Ludmila,
Nurtured the soul of Wenceslaus.
He grew up like a white lily,
Clothed entirely in purity.
The king reigns, the people rejoice,
The people with the king honor God.
But the enemy of men neither sleeps nor slumbers,
He prepares sinful snares for every soul.
He raises Boleslav against Wenceslaus
— "Why, brother, do you want my head?" —
Wenceslaus said, but his brother cut him down!
Yet from God the evildoer did not escape.
The soul of holy Wenceslaus departed
Before the Most High and righteous God,
Before Him whom he always loved;
With Ludmila now Wenceslaus prays
For his people, that they be strengthened in faith —
Holy Wenceslaus, beautiful as an angel!
“From a wicked mother a good fruit was born, Holy Wenceslaus, who pleased God.”
Reflection
Guiding the economy of this world, and especially of His holy Church, God often makes unexpected turns and changes the evil fate of His servants to good. In the life of Saint Chariton this was shown more than once. After cruel torments Chariton was cast into prison and sentenced to certain death. But suddenly Emperor Aurelian perished, and under the new emperor the Christian prisoners were set free. Thus Chariton escaped death. And when he was traveling to Jerusalem, robbers seized him and took him to their cave; there they left him and went off to plunder, intending upon their return to put Chariton to death. In that cave there was a vessel of wine, into which a poisonous serpent crawled, drank of the wine, and vomited its venom back into the vessel. When the robbers returned, parched from their journey and the heat, they drank of the wine and fell dead one by one. And so once again, by an unexpected turn of events, Saint Chariton was delivered from death. The Lord heaped afflictions upon His servant that He might, through afflictions as gold through fire, temper and purify him and bind him more closely to Himself; and He delivered him from death because Chariton was needed to establish several monasteries and by his personal ascetic labors to guide many human souls onto the path of salvation.
“The Lord heaped afflictions upon His servant that He might, through afflictions as gold through fire, temper and purify him and bind him more closely to Himself.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the change of King Uzziah to evil (II Chronicles 26), namely:
1. How Uzziah became proud and corrupt when he had grown strong with God's help;
2. How he transgressed the law, taking the censer and attempting to serve in the Temple despite the protests of the priests.
“How Uzziah became proud and corrupt when he had grown strong with God's help.”
Homily
on the last prayer of Christ for the faithful
Behold the recompense for the laborers of God! Behold the glorious reward for the followers of Christ! What the Son of God wills, the Father wills also, and the Holy Spirit wills also. And what the Holy Trinity wills — that comes to pass. And what does the Lord, the Son of God, will? He wills that His disciples too should be with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven; and not only His twelve disciples, but all those, says the Lord, who shall believe on Me through their word (17:20). In this number we too are counted, my brethren, who were baptized and who received and have kept the apostolic faith — but only on condition that we ourselves do not renounce this great good by our evil deeds, by falling away from the faith, by the impurity of sin, and by blasphemous words and thoughts. Father, I will, says the Lord further, that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me. Let no one conclude from these words that the Son is less than the Father. For before this the Lord Himself says to His Father: I have glorified Thee (17:4). Do you see the equality of the Father and the Son, and what boundless love is theirs for one another? I have glorified Thee... and now, Father, glorify Thou Me. But that the glory of Christ does not begin on earth and in time is shown by the words of the Lord Christ: the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. This, then, is not an earthly or temporal glory, nor a worldly or human glory, but a heavenly, eternal, unfading, inexpressible glory. For how does the Son of God desire the Father to glorify Him? In this way: by showing that heavenly and eternal glory to all those who obeyed His Son, followed Him, and fulfilled His commandments. In this glory the Lover of mankind, the Lord, desires that we too should share — not only the Apostles, but all of us who bear His name. O mercy, O love of mankind! The doctrine of our immortality and eternal life and eternal glory is not from men, brethren, but from the Lord and Savior Himself. O that only bodily cares, laziness in prayer, and mutual hatred may not separate us from this glory of Christ, from life without end! O Lord, gracious and merciful, forgive us our sins and grant us Thy eternal Kingdom. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The doctrine of our immortality and eternal life and eternal glory is not from men, brethren, but from the Lord and Savior Himself.”