Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY APOSTLE PHILIP
By origin from Caesarea of Palestine. He was married, and in marriage fathered four daughters, all four endowed by God with the gift of prophecy, and all four consecrated virgins for the sake of Christ. When the holy apostles were choosing deacons, Philip was also chosen alongside Stephen and the others. And Philip served the poor and the widows with great diligence. When the persecution of Christians began in Jerusalem, the Apostle Philip withdrew to Samaria, and there he preached the Gospel and confirmed it with many miracles — casting out demons, healing the sick, and so forth. Seeing the miracles of the holy apostle, even the famed Simon the Sorcerer was baptized. Saint Philip also baptized the eunuch of Queen Candace. After that, an angel of God instantly and invisibly transported him to Azotus, where he taught and preached and converted many to Christ. He was appointed Bishop of Tralles. He ended his life peacefully in deep old age and departed to the joy of his Lord.
2. COMMEMORATION OF THE SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL
This Council was held in the year 787 in Nicaea, during the reign of the pious Irene and her son Constantine, and during the time of Patriarch Tarasius. This Council definitively established the veneration of icons, having justified it by Holy Scripture, by the testimony of the Holy Fathers, and by reliable examples of miracles manifested through holy icons. Among other cited examples of miracles, Bishop Constantine of Cyprus offered this one: a certain shepherd from the city of Constantia, having driven out his flock to graze one day, saw an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, all adorned with flowers by the faithful. "Why render such honor to a stone?" said the shepherd (no doubt raised in iconoclasm), and he struck the icon with his iron staff and damaged the right eye on the image of the Mother of God. But no sooner had he left that place than he stumbled and with that same staff put out his own right eye. Returning to the city blind in one eye, he cried out weeping and declared that punishment had befallen him from the Theotokos. This Council also decreed that holy relics of martyrs must unfailingly be placed in the antimins. Three hundred sixty-seven Fathers participated in the Council. By their prayers may the Lord have mercy upon us and save us.
3. VENERABLE THEOPHANES THE BRANDED
A confessor and writer of canons. Born in Arabia to wealthy and pious parents. Together with his brother Theodore (December 27) he was tonsured as a monk in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified. As very educated monks, Patriarch Thomas of Jerusalem sent them to Emperor Leo the Armenian to explain and defend the veneration of icons before the emperor. The wicked emperor grievously tormented these holy brothers and cast them into prison. A later iconoclast emperor, Theophilus, continued to torment them; and in order to expose them to the mockery of the world, he ordered that certain derisive words be inscribed upon their faces. After the end of iconoclasm, Saint Theophanes was released into freedom and soon consecrated as a bishop. He ended his life peacefully in 847. He suffered for the icons for twenty-five years. He wrote one hundred forty-five canons. He departed to the eternal joy of his Lord.
4. SAINT NECTARIUS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
While still a layman and a high imperial official, he was unanimously elected as patriarch after Saint Gregory the Theologian, in 381. He distinguished himself by his deep understanding, tact, and zeal for the Church. He reposed in peace in 397.
5. HOLY MARTYRS ZINAIDA AND PHILONILLA
They were blood sisters, by origin from Tarsus. They are called kinswomen of the holy Apostle Paul. As maidens they renounced the world for the sake of Christ, and having withdrawn to a cave they practiced asceticism. They knew the art of medicine and helped many who were ill. Philonilla in particular, on account of her great fasting, was deemed worthy of the gift of wonderworking. But certain unbelievers attacked them by night and stoned them to death.
“He was married, and in marriage fathered four daughters, all four endowed by God with the gift of prophecy, and all four consecrated virgins for the sake of Christ.”
Hymn of Praise
VENERABLE THEOPHANES THE BRANDED
Theophane of the Lavra of Sabbas, an excellent ascetic,
A profound theologian and most glorious poet,
A sufferer for Christ, a confessor of the faith,
An adornment of the Church, an Orthodox Father,
He left his cell for the sake of obedience,
From the deep silence he stepped again into the world,
To convince the wicked emperor with the truth
And bear witness to the true truth before the emperor.
A quarter of a century, and more than enough for happiness!
That passed in torment for holy Theophanes,
In the hardest torment, in a cold dungeon,
Bearing the torment inscribed upon his face.
But the saint of God, inspired by the Spirit,
Filled all his time with sweet hymn-singing,
Glorifying the Lord and the Lord's saints
With fervent love, with faith and with hope.
“A quarter of a century, and more than enough for happiness! That passed in torment for holy Theophanes, in the hardest torment, in a cold dungeon, bearing the torment inscribed upon his face.”
Reflection
Just as God's Providence gives healing and miraculous power to holy water or blessed oil, so also is such power given to icons. Saint Athanasius the Great cites a wonderful example of the miraculous power of holy icons. In the city of Berytus there lived a certain Christian who rented a house. When he moved out of that house, he left behind an icon of the Savior. After him a certain Jew moved into the same house. And in that city there were many Jews, and particularly those embittered against the Christian faith. When, therefore, the icon was found, the Jews carried it out to their meeting hall and began to mock it, just as their forefathers had once mocked the living Savior. And the Jews did to the icon the very same things that their forefathers had done to the Savior, namely: they pierced the hands and feet with nails, they put vinegar to the mouth on the icon, and in every way mocked the image of the Savior. Finally one of them took a spear and struck the divine image beneath the ribs. But, O wonder, from the pierced place there flowed blood and water, just as once from the living body of the crucified Lord. The fear and horror of the Jews cannot be described. Then they brought a vessel to catch the blood; and they brought many sick people — blind, deaf, lame, and possessed — who, as soon as they were anointed with that blood, were all healed. At this miracle the whole city gathered, and all glorified Christ God. And the Jews in that city all came to believe in the Lord Christ, the Living and Life-Giving.
“The Jews in that city all came to believe in the Lord Christ, the Living and Life-Giving.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the many iniquities of the people of Israel and the many punishments of God, namely:
1. How the princes of the people often turned away from God and did what was evil before God;
2. How God punished the people in order to correct them;
3. How, finally, under the wicked king Jehoiakim, the people of Israel were led away into Babylonian captivity.
“How the princes of the people often turned away from God and did what was evil before God.”
Homily
on the voice of the Lord upon the waters
On the Jordan the voice of the Lord was heard, when Saint John baptized the Savior. On the Sea of Galilee, when there was a storm and winds, the voice of Christ was heard, and the storm was stilled and the winds ceased. The voice of the Lord was heard at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, and water was turned into wine. On the Red Sea the voice of the Lord was heard, and the sea parted and opened a way for the people of God. In the wilderness the voice of the Lord was heard, and water flowed from a dry rock. What does this mean: the voice of the Lord is upon the waters? It means: the element of water is a work of God, and through it God works miracles when He wills and as He wills. No less are the other elements also the work of God — fire, air, and earth. And over them God is Lord; and through them God works miracles when He wills and as He wills. In the form of fire God the Holy Spirit appeared at Pentecost. In the Babylonian furnace the flame lost its power by the word of the Lord and did not harm the blessed youths; fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice of Gideon (Judges 6). Elijah brought down fire from heaven. The bush burned and was not consumed (Exodus 3). Fire from heaven fell and consumed the sacrifice to God (1 Kings 18). A pillar of fire went before the Israelites. All this by the word of the Lord. The earth opened and swallowed up the unjust Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16). The earth opened and hid Elizabeth with the infant John from the sword of Herod. The earth quaked when the Lord expired on the Cross, and the graves were opened. Through the air the Lord ascended into heaven. Through the air the holy apostles were transported to Jerusalem from various parts of the world. Through the air an angel instantly transported the prophet Habakkuk to Babylon. And all this by the voice of the Lord, by the command of the Lord. Oh, if only men were as obedient to the voice of the Lord as the mindless elements of nature are obedient to Him! But by "waters" are also truly understood those men who are obedient to the voice of the Lord: the apostles and the saints. Like water they poured out over the whole world with the preaching of Christ God. Like water they quenched the thirst of the world from the fountain of eternal life. And the world was renewed and blossomed. As upon ordinary waters, so also upon them innumerable miracles of God were manifested — for they were submissive to the will of God, obedient to the voice of God, like water, exactly like water.
O Lord Jesus Christ, help us to be obedient to Thy voice. Help us to be ashamed before the dead elements, which obey Thee better than we do. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. It means: the element of water is a work of God, and through it God works miracles when He wills and as He wills.”