Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY MARTYR CHARITINA
As an orphan in childhood she was adopted by a certain distinguished man and Christian named Claudius, who raised her as his own daughter. Charitina was meek, humble, obedient, and silent. She studied the Law of God day and night and vowed to live her whole life in virginity as a true bride of Christ. But since Charitina also converted others to the faith of Christ, the governor of Emperor Diocletian, a certain Dometian, heard of her and sent soldiers who took her from her foster father and brought her before the court. The judge asked her: "Is it true, maiden, that you are a Christian, and that you deceive others by leading them to that impious faith?" Charitina answered boldly: "It is true that I am a Christian, and it is false that I deceive others; rather, I lead the wayward to the path of truth, bringing them to my Christ." The wicked judge ordered her hair to be shorn and burning coals to be poured upon her head. But by the power of God the virgin was preserved. They cast her into the sea, but God delivered her from the sea. They bound her to a wheel and began to turn it, but an angel of God stopped the wheel and Charitina remained unharmed. Then the malicious judge sent some dissolute young men to defile her. Fearing dishonor, Saint Charitina prayed to God to receive her soul before those depraved men could defile her virginal body. And while she knelt in prayer, her soul departed from her and was translated to the immortal Kingdom of Christ.
2. HIEROMARTYR DIONYSIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
Born in Alexandria of distinguished pagan parents and educated in Greek philosophy, and then under Origen. As a young man he read the epistles of the Apostle Paul, came to believe in Christ, and was baptized by Demetrius, then bishop of Alexandria. In the year 247 he became bishop of the same city and served God and the people of God as a true shepherd, and that under very difficult circumstances. From without, the Church was persecuted by the pagans, and from within it was torn asunder by heretics. In addition a plague struck, which decimated the people for several years. Three years he spent outside Alexandria, hidden by the faithful, so that he would not perish before his time. During those three years he wrote many epistles and other compositions to his flock, instructing it and strengthening it in holding to the Orthodox faith. Among his writings are also found several canons which the Church has accepted. Likewise his letter against Novatian is considered a canonical letter. He governed the Church for seventeen years and reposed in the year 265.
3. VENERABLE EUDOCIMUS OF VATOPEDI
In the year 1841, when workmen at Vatopedi were repairing the charnel house, they found the relics of a certain man in a kneeling posture and with an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos at his breast in his hands. An extraordinarily beautiful fragrance spread from those relics. Not knowing who the holy man had been or when he had lived, the monks gave him the name Eudocimus and translated his relics to the church, where they remain to this day. From those relics many miraculous healings have occurred. On the silver reliquary the following words are still engraved: "This reliquary was made for the honorable head of Saint Eudocimus by the monk Gabriel, whom this saint healed of a grave illness."
4. VENERABLE DAMIAN, JEREMIAH, AND MATTHEW
Clairvoyants and wonder-workers of the Caves of Kiev. All from the eleventh century.
“It is true that I am a Christian, and it is false that I deceive others; rather, I lead the wayward to the path of truth, bringing them to my Christ.”
Hymn of Praise
Tortured Charitina,
Drenched in blood,
On her knees to God Most High
Prayed and prayed:
— O Most High, Most Merciful,
My Creator,
Among Thy martyrs
Number me as well!
Thou on the Cross, O sweet Christ,
Didst suffer for me,
And I too desire to suffer
For Thee now.
Be near, O Savior,
To Thy bride;
Defend her, lest the villains
Dishonor her!
Better that with fierce fire
They burn my body,
Better that they drown it
In the blue sea,
Than that they mock me
With a deed of shame
Before the holy angels
Of heaven's righteous court.
After her prayer the Lord
Granted Charitina's plea
And straightway took her soul
And received her into Paradise.
“Be near, O Savior, to Thy bride; defend her, lest the villains dishonor her!”
Reflection
Whenever people invest great effort in seeking the truth, and when they prefer nothing else to the truth, God by His own easy ways comes to meet them. This is shown to us also by the life of Saint Dionysius of Alexandria. Even as a young man and a pagan, Dionysius read all of Greek literature in order to arrive at the truth. And when he was not satisfied with this, he began reading everything that came to hand. One day, by God's Providence, a certain poor woman met him and offered to sell him several epistles of the Apostle Paul, written by hand in booklets. Dionysius gladly purchased them and read them. This so captivated him that he found that woman again and asked her whether there were more such writings to be obtained. The woman directed him to a Christian priest, and this priest gave him all the epistles of Paul. Having read them all carefully, Dionysius came to believe in Christ and was baptized without any hesitation. — A second case. In the town of Arsinoe a heresy of the Chiliasts spread, who falsely taught that Christ would soon come and establish an earthly kingdom on earth, which would last a thousand years. At the head of this heresy was a certain Coracion. Saint Dionysius took the trouble to go to Arsinoe, to dissuade the Chiliasts and to prevent the spread of that heresy among the faithful. At a great assembly of both Chiliasts and Orthodox, Dionysius debated with Coracion and the other leaders of Chiliasm. For three full days that debate lasted. Such zeal did the early Christians show in the investigation of the truth! And God blessed their labor and their zeal because of the prayers of Saint Dionysius. At the end of the debate, Coracion with all the Chiliasts renounced his false teaching and accepted the Orthodox teaching of Saint Dionysius.
“Whenever people invest great effort in seeking the truth, and when they prefer nothing else to the truth, God by His own easy ways comes to meet them.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the repentance of King Manasseh and the forgiveness of God (II Chronicles 33), namely:
1. How Manasseh, living as a slave in a foreign land, recognized his sin and repented, and prayed to God for forgiveness;
2. How God forgave him and freed him from bondage;
3. How after that Manasseh did that which was right before the Lord until his death, and reigned in peace.
Homily
on the good that has been revealed
How good God is, my brethren. What word can express that good? Great is the good of the Kingdom of Heaven, with its flaming angels, its wondrous saints, its sweet Paradise. Who can describe that good? Great is the good of immortal life in the nearness of God and the angels of God, in the company of saints and the righteous. Great is the good of meeting one's relatives and friends in the heavenly world — one's parents, one's children, one's dearest, whose departure has left us in sorrow and grief. Who will show us all those good things? many asked in the time of King David, and they ask even today. Who will show us, that we may believe and hope? To us Christians those good things have been revealed, and we no longer expect anyone else to reveal them to us except the Lord Christ, the true witness of all those good things, the true witness and Master, brethren, of all those good things. The merciful Lord revealed those good things even before His coming to earth through His chosen prophets. Therefore the Prophet David speaks to God: the light of Thy countenance, O Lord, hath been signed upon us. This is the answer to those who ask: who will show us good things? God Himself has shown those good things. The light of the Lord's countenance has been signed upon us — that is, inscribed, engraved in our hearts, and in that light we know all those good things which only heaven can give. Is there a cure, brethren, for those who heard of the coming of Christ to earth and yet still ask: who will show us good things? If Christ has not revealed and proclaimed all those good things by His radiant Birth, His radiant miracles, His radiant Resurrection, His radiant Church — truly the dark earth will not reveal them, for it cannot; men will not reveal them, for they do not know. There is, there is a cure for everyone, even for the most hardened unbeliever; there is a cure until the very hour of death. That cure is in repentance from one's wickedness, in the cleansing of one's heart, in the fulfilling of the commandments of Christ. The healthy can see the light of the Lord's countenance, but not those who are sick in soul, impure in heart, and crooked in mind. O Lord our God, light unto angels and men, help us that by our sins we do not darken the light that Thou hast given us, and in which we behold the good things of heaven. Deprive us not, O Most Merciful One, of those good things. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Many say: who will show us good things? The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, hath been signed upon us.”