Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY MARTYRS MARCIAN AND MARTYRIUS
These saints of God were clerics under Patriarch Paul of Constantinople in the time of Emperor Constantius. After the death of the great Emperor Constantine, the Arian heresy, which until then had been suppressed, came back to life again and began to gain strength. Even Emperor Constantius himself inclined toward this heresy. At the imperial court there were two influential nobles, Eusebius and Philip, both ardent Arians. Through their influence, Patriarch Paul was deposed from his throne and banished to Armenia, where the Arians strangled him. The patriarchal throne was seized by the impious Macedonius. At that time, when Orthodoxy had to wage two fierce battles — against the pagans and against the heretics — Marcian and Martyrius committed themselves with all their strength and determination to the defense of Orthodoxy. Marcian was a reader and Martyrius a subdeacon at the cathedral church, and under Patriarch Paul they had served as the patriarch's notaries (scribes). The Arians first attempted to bribe them, but when these holy men rejected this with contempt, they condemned them to death. When they were led to the place of execution, they raised their hands and prayed to God, thanking Him for the martyr's end of their lives: "Lord, we rejoice that by such a death we depart from this life. Deem us worthy to be partakers of eternal life, Thou our Life!" Then they bowed their holy heads beneath the sword and were beheaded, in the year 355. Upon their wonder-working relics, Saint John Chrysostom later built a church in their name.
2. HOLY MARTYR ANASTASIUS
He was a fuller of cloth and a zealous Christian. During Diocletian's persecution of Christians, this man of God presented himself voluntarily before the judge and torturer in the Dalmatian city of Solin and confessed his faith in Christ. He was inhumanly tortured and slain. His body was cast into the sea, but was afterward recovered and honorably buried.
3. SAINT TABITHA
Tabitha (which means "gazelle") was a disciple of the apostles and lived in Joppa, present-day Jaffa. She was full of good works and almsgiving (Acts 9:36). But she fell ill suddenly and died. At that time the Apostle Peter was in the city of Lydda. The grieving disciples sent for Peter, begging him to come and console the family. When the great Apostle of Christ arrived, he ordered everyone to leave the room where the dead woman lay, and he knelt in prayer. When he finished his prayer, he called out to the lifeless body: "Tabitha, arise!" And Tabitha opened her eyes and rose up. On account of this marvelous miracle, many believed in Christ the Lord.
“When they were led to the place of execution, they raised their hands and prayed to God, thanking Him for the martyr's end of their lives: "Lord, we rejoice that by such a death we depart from this life.”
Hymn of Praise
Tabitha did not die never to live again,
But that a miracle might be, that the world might marvel.
Beside the lifeless body Peter humbly stood
And poured out a warm prayer to the Lord.
Risen in the body! so the unbelievers heard.
He hearkened to the prayer of His apostle.
To the lifeless body He returned the living soul,
And Peter converted the faithless unto faith.
O wondrous miracle, unseen in all the world!
By the name of Christ death is conquered.
Death is conquered, and life exults.
Young Tabitha rejoices in life.
She rejoices more than in her very life
That she served as a miracle for an unbelieving world.
Risen in the body! so the unbelievers heard,
And their souls rose from the dead.
O great Peter, servant of Christ,
Pray for us to thy Savior,
Raise our souls, buried in the mire,
Thou who by God's power didst raise Tabitha.
“O wondrous miracle, unseen in all the world! By the name of Christ death is conquered.”
Reflection
Among other mysterious observations from the world of spirits, the saints also possessed the perception of a fragrant scent from good spirits and a stench from unclean spirits. At every appearance of bright and pure spirits a life-giving and fragrant scent was diffused; but at every appearance of dark and unclean spirits a suffocating and unbearable stench was spread. According to this or that kind of stench, the saints could discern by which passion a person was seized. Thus Saint Euthymius the Great perceived the stench of the passion of fornication upon a certain monk named Emilian in the lavra of Saint Theoctistus. Once, on the way to matins, Euthymius passed by Emilian's cell and sensed the stench of the demon of fornication. Emilian had committed no sin, except that at that moment he had impure thoughts that were thrust into his heart by the unclean demon. And the saint had already sensed the presence of such a demon near that monk. The power of this perception showed itself once in an even more wondrous manner with Saint Hilarion the Great. A certain miser and lover of silver had sent Hilarion some of his vegetables. When they placed them before Hilarion to eat, the saint said: "Take that away from here, I cannot endure the stench that comes from those greens! Do you not smell how they reek of avarice?" When the brethren were amazed at these words, Hilarion told them to take the greens and place them before the oxen, and they would see that not even the oxen would eat them. Hesychius, the disciple of Hilarion, took and placed the greens before the oxen. The oxen only sniffed them, then turned their heads away, bellowing.
“At every appearance of bright and pure spirits a life-giving and fragrant scent was diffused; but at every appearance of dark and unclean spirits a suffocating and unbearable stench was spread.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the miraculous revelation to the Apostle Peter (Acts 10), namely:
1. How Peter saw heaven opened and a sheet full of all manner of animals, beasts, insects and birds;
2. How he heard a voice: "Rise, kill and eat!";
3. How this was an admonition to him not to abhor the pagans, but to preach the Gospel to them as well.
“How Peter saw heaven opened and a sheet full of all manner of animals, beasts, insects and birds.”
Homily
on fleeing from the world and dwelling in the desert
From whom, brethren, did the prophet flee into the desert? From evil enemies, from passions and from vanity. Why did he flee into the desert? Because that is the way of victory over evil enemies, over passions and worldly vanity. Few contend for the desert, and that is why he fled into the desert. People contend for cities, and land, for power and wealth, but not for the desert. And the inner enemies of man — passions and various vanities — are constantly kindled with new fire in the cities, while in the desert they wither and vanish.
The fear of death assails me, says the prophet before that. And this too is a reason to flee into the desert. One must prepare one's soul for the other world, for the encounter with God. Not even a king can be saved from death, nor can he avoid judgment. Living in luxury and unceasing merriment, a man is truly as one lulled to sleep by the intoxicants of this world. And amid luxury and merriment, the thought of death startles him and awakens him. Ah, one must die! This world must be left! Before God and before the angels one must appear! Where is my soul? Where are my deeds? With what shall I depart from this world, and with what shall I enter the other? Thousands upon thousands of those who have been awakened by such questions from the sleep of sin have fled into the desert, to day and night correct their souls and purify their hearts through repentance, prayer, fasting, vigil, labor and other proven means by which a man slays the fear of death and becomes a child of God.
O Lord Jesus Christ, our Teacher most wise and most gracious, who didst Thyself sometimes withdraw from people into solitude, help us to gather our souls and prepare for Thy most radiant Kingdom. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Thousands upon thousands of those who have been awakened by such questions from the sleep of sin have fled into the desert, to day and night correct their souls and purify their hearts.”