Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY GREAT MARTYR DEMETRIUS
This glorious and wonder-working saint was born in the city of Thessalonica to parents both noble and devout. Having been implored from God by his childless parents, Demetrius was their only son, and for that reason was raised and educated with great care. His father was the military governor of Thessalonica; and when his father died, the emperor appointed Demetrius as governor in his father's place. In appointing him governor, the Christ-fighting Emperor Maximian specifically charged him to persecute and exterminate the Christians in Thessalonica. But Demetrius not only did not obey the emperor but, on the contrary, openly confessed and preached Christ the Lord in the city of Thessalonica. Hearing this, the emperor was greatly embittered against Demetrius, and when he was once returning from a war against the Sarmatians, Emperor Maximian stopped in Thessalonica specifically to investigate the matter. The emperor therefore summoned Governor Demetrius and questioned him about his faith. Demetrius openly confessed before the emperor that he was a Christian, and furthermore denounced the emperor's idolatry. The enraged emperor cast Demetrius into prison. Knowing what awaited him, Demetrius entrusted all his possessions to his faithful servant Lupus to distribute to the poor, and he went to prison joyful that suffering for Christ the Lord lay before him. In prison an angel of God appeared to him and said: "Peace to thee, O sufferer for Christ, be of good courage and be strong!" After several days the emperor sent soldiers into the prison to slay Demetrius. The soldiers found the saint of God at prayer and pierced him with spears. Christians secretly took his body and buried it with honor. From the body of this sufferer for Christ, healing myrrh began to flow, by which many of the sick were cured. Soon a small church was erected over the relics. A certain Illyrian nobleman named Leontius was sick with an incurable disease. He hastened to the relics of Saint Demetrius with prayer and was completely healed. Out of gratitude, Leontius built a much larger church in place of the old one. The saint appeared to him on two occasions. When Emperor Justinian wished to transfer the relics of the saint from Thessalonica to Constantinople, fiery sparks shot out from the tomb and a voice was heard: "Stop, and do not touch!" And so the relics of Saint Demetrius remained forever in Thessalonica. As the protector of Thessalonica, Saint Demetrius appeared many times and many times saved Thessalonica from great calamity. His miracles are without number. The Russians consider Saint Demetrius the patron of Siberia, which was conquered and annexed to Russia on October 26, 1581.
2. VENERABLE MARTYR JOASAPH
A disciple of Saint Niphon, Patriarch of Constantinople. He practiced asceticism on the Holy Mountain. He had such great love for Christ the Lord that all his ascetic labors seemed insufficient to him, and for that reason he desired to suffer out of love for his Lord. Therefore he went to Constantinople, where he openly confessed before the Turks the faith in the Holy Trinity and the Son of God. The enraged Turks cut off his head on October 26, 1536.
3. COMMEMORATION OF THE GREAT EARTHQUAKE
In the time of Emperor Leo the Isaurian there was a terrible and prolonged earthquake in Constantinople in the year 740. The people understood this as a punishment from God for their sins, and they prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos and Saint Demetrius with great repentance, until God had mercy and the earthquake ceased.
“Peace to thee, O sufferer for Christ, be of good courage and be strong!”
Hymn of Praise
Glorious Thessalonica glorifies its saint,
Holy Demetrius, servant of God Most High.
Demetrius the commander,
Servant of the Creator and the Lord.
Saint Paul bedewed Thessalonica with tears,
Demetrius watered it with his blood.
Demetrius the commander,
Servant of the Creator and the Lord.
The tears of the apostle and the blood of the martyr
Are Thessalonica's glory, salvation and pride.
Demetrius the commander,
Servant of the Creator and the Lord.
Let us glorify the warrior of Christ,
The myrrh-streaming saint, the courageous martyr,
Demetrius the commander,
Servant of the Creator and the Lord.
“Let us glorify the warrior of Christ, the myrrh-streaming saint, the courageous martyr.”
Reflection
A miracle of Saint Demetrius of Thessalonica. During his life Saint Demetrius was the military governor of Thessalonica, and he has remained so after his death. His presence in Thessalonica people have felt especially during times of great distress. He protects the city, averts misfortunes, repels invaders, and helps everyone who calls upon his name. Here is one marvelous instance of his extraordinary aid to people in distress. Once barbarians attacked Thessalonica and could not take it. Angered by this, they plundered the entire surrounding area and carried off into captivity two beautiful maidens, whom they presented to their chieftain. These maidens were skilled in embroidery with their hands. When the chieftain saw some of their handiwork, he said to them: "I hear that in your land there is a great god Demetrius, and he works great miracles; embroider his image on cloth." The maidens told him that Saint Demetrius was not a god but a servant of God and a helper of Christians, and at first they resisted embroidering the image of the saint, but when the chieftain threatened them with death, they did as commanded and completed the work by the feast day of Saint Demetrius. On the eve of the feast day, then, both of them gazed at their embroidery and wept, sorrowing on the one hand because they were spending the feast in captivity, and on the other hand because they had to give the embroidered image of their beloved saint to an impious barbarian. And both maidens prayed to Saint Demetrius to forgive them. Then Saint Demetrius appeared, and taking both maidens, as once the angel had taken the Prophet Habakkuk, he transported them to Thessalonica and set them down in his church. An all-night vigil was being served in the church, and there were very many people. And learning of the miraculous rescue of these Christian maidens, all glorified God and His great servant and commander, Saint Demetrius.
“Then Saint Demetrius appeared, and taking both maidens, as once the angel had taken the Prophet Habakkuk, he transported them to Thessalonica and set them down in his church.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the miraculous deliverance of Peter from prison (Acts 12), namely:
1. How Peter slept in prison, bound with two chains;
2. How the faithful prayed to God for Peter;
3. How a radiant angel appeared in the prison, freed Peter from his chains and led him out.
“How the faithful prayed to God for Peter.”
Homily
on a heart ready for God
Blessed is he, brethren, who can say this to his Lord! Blessed is he whose heart is wholly ready to follow the will of God. Therein lies the readiness of the human heart: to joyfully follow the will of God, and not to be troubled by any of one's own thoughts and desires. The repentant King David at first followed his sinful thoughts and desires, and he was like a boat on a stormy sea. But when he saw that the storm would drown him, he turned to God with great repentance and weeping, and surrendered the boat of his life entirely into the hands of God. My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready! he exclaims with great peace of soul, for he knows that he has surrendered his boat into the hands of the most skillful helmsman. Though the storm still rages, though winds and waves assail him, he is not afraid, for he is convinced that nothing can shatter his boat, and that he will peacefully sail into a quiet harbor. A ready heart means a heart cleansed of pride and humbled before the majesty of the power and wisdom of God. A ready heart means a heart emptied of all worldly desires and fantasies, and filled only with striving toward God and love for God. A ready heart means a heart healed of all anxieties, cares and fears, and calmed and emboldened by the presence of the grace of God. I will praise Thee and sing to Thee in my glory. Thus the Psalmist continues. And this shows how truly ready his heart is. For he does not boast of his royal glory, but ascribes it to God. He has humbled himself before God to nothingness, and all his sweetness is to magnify and glorify God. His personal glory gives him only an occasion for the glorification of his most glorious God.
O my brethren, let us strive that our hearts too may be ready as soon as possible before God — ready to hear the word of God, ready to follow the will of God, ready to glorify the living God. O Lord God, our immortal Creator, help us to prepare our hearts, that they may be vessels of Thy life-giving grace. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Blessed is he, brethren, who can say this to his Lord! Blessed is he whose heart is wholly ready to follow the will of God.”