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Transfer of the relics of St. Archdeacon Stephen, First Martyr On this day the transfer of the relics of St. first martyr. In the year 415, on one Friday night at the third hour, an elderly man, tall, magnificent, adorned with gray hair, with a long beard, dressed in white clothes, speckled with gold-like decorations that represented crosses, appeared in a dream vision to Lucian, the presbyter of the place where Stephen was buried, with a golden rod in his hand, with which he touched the presbyter, and he cried three times: Lucian, Lucian, Lucian, go to the city of Jerusalem, and tell St. John the Archbishop: How long shall we be shut up? During your priesthood, it is appropriate for us to be revealed: open our coffins immediately, because our relics lie neglected, sometimes wet by the rain, sometimes trampled under the feet of infidels; I don’t care so much about myself as about those saints who rest with me and are worthy of great honor. Open their relics, so that God will open the doors of mercy to His world, engulfed in many troubles. The presbyter, in horror, asked the one who appeared to him: “Who are you, and who are those who are with you?” I am Gamaliel, answered the one who appeared, Paul, the apostle of Christ, nourisher and teacher: but the archdeacon Stephen, who was stoned by the Jews and the high priests of Jerusalem for the faith of Christ, rests with me, whom I, having been thrown to be devoured by dogs, beasts and birds, took at night and brought to this mine all, laid it in my cave in the tomb prepared for me, so that I could have a share with him in the resurrection and the grace of the Lord. In another tomb, in the same cave, was laid Nicodemus, who was taught the Holy Faith by Christ the Lord Himself and received holy baptism (after the Ascension of the Lord) from the apostles. Having heard about his baptism and faith in Christ, the Jews were filled with anger and wanted to kill him, like Stephen, but they did not do this out of respect for me, but took away his leadership and property for the benefit of the church and, having cursed him, expelled him from the city with many bitterness and dishonor for him. I took him all over me and soaked him until he came. When he died: I buried him near the relics of the first martyr Stephen. There I gave Aviv, my dearest son, who received holy baptism from Christ’s apostles together with me, twenty years old from birth, who died before me, to burial in the third coffin, in the cave wall. When I died, I bequeathed to lay my body with him.” The presbyter also asked: “Where should we look for you?” Gamaliel answered: “in the foreground on the midday side, in the field, which is called Delagavri” (i.e., the field of the men of God). Having said this, the one who appeared became invisible. The phenomenon was repeated to the presbyter up to three times. He arrived in Jerusalem and told Archbishop John about the triple vision. So, the relics of the saints were found, as was revealed in the vision, and they were placed - the relics of Nicodemus, Gamaliel and Aviv in the church, which was soon built on the site of their discovery, and St. Stephen was transferred to Jerusalem and laid in the Zion Church. From here, the relics of the first martyr were soon transferred to Constantinople, to the church of St. Lawrence, and then to the newly built city of Tsar-grad in the name of the first martyr. Both the discovery and the transfer of his relics were accompanied by miracles, which were mentioned in the 5th century by Blessed Augustine. Commemoration of the transfer of the relics of St. Stephen to Constantinople has been celebrated in the Orthodox Church since the event on August 2. In the 5th century, Anatoly of Constantinople, in VΙΙΙ Damascene, in the 9th Theophanes, wrote many hymns in honor of the first martyr, now sung by the Church on days dedicated to his memory. Glorifying the ap. Stephen, the Church cries out in the words of St. Gregory of Nyssa: “Yesterday the Lord came to us in the flesh, and today the slave came from the flesh: yesterday the King was born in the flesh, today the slave is stoned: for this reason the divine Stephen dies as the first martyr.” “You were the first to be sown on earth by the heavenly worker, O all-valid Stephen; You were the first to shed blood on earth for Christ, O blessed one; You were the first to receive the crown of victory from Him in heaven, the beginning of sufferers, the crown of martyrs, the first sufferer.” St. martyr Stephen, Pope He ascended the throne in 253, converted many to Christ and denounced heretics. In 257, by order of Emperor Valerian, he was killed during a liturgy two miles from Rome. Hieromartyr Fructuosus, Bishop of Tarragona, and with him two deacons Augurius and Eulogius St. Fructuoso is the first known bishop of the city of Tarragona, in Spain. The ancient record of the martyrdom of him and the deacons with him is as follows. During the reign of Emperor Valerian, Bishop Fructuosus and deacons Augurius and Eulogius were taken to the consulate of Aemilian in Bassa, on January 16, the day of the sun (Sunday). – The bishop was already resting in his bedroom when six beneficiaries (corresponding to our gendarmes, from honored soldiers) entered the house and said to him: “Go with you; The presus (praeses) ordered that you and your deacons be presented.” Fructuoso replied: “We will go, just let me put on my shoes.” “When they were brought in, they were immediately sent to prison. Here the brothers (i.e., believers) visited them, served them and asked for prayers for themselves. The next day, the bishop in prison baptized a certain Rogatsian, who had hitherto been a catechumen (preparing for baptism). Six days later, precisely on January 21, they were brought to trial. Presus (praeses) Aemilian said: “bring in Bishop Fructuosus, Augurius and Eulogius.” The answer came from the court office: “they are here.” - Presus said to the bishop: “Did you hear the command of the emperors?” Bishop: “I don’t know what they commanded; but I am a Christian." Presus: “they commanded to honor the gods.” Bishop: “I honor one God, who created heaven and earth and the sea and everything that is in them.” Presus: “Do you admit that there are gods”? Bishop: “I don’t admit it.” Presus: “Soon you will be convinced of their existence.” The bishop turned his eyes to the Lord and began to quietly pray. Emilian said: “whoever does not pray to the gods, does not respect the face of the emperor, to whom else can he pray in the hope of being heard”? - Then he said to Augurius: “don’t listen to the chatter of Fructuosus.” Diakov Augurius: “I pray to Almighty God.” Aemilian then said to Eulogius: “Aren’t you praying to Fructuosus?” Eulogius: “I pray not to Fructuosus, but to Him Whom Fructuosus begs.” Then the presus asked Fructuosus: “Are you a bishop?” Fructuoso: “I am a bishop.” Emilian: “You were a bishop, and you won’t be anymore.” And he condemned all three confessors to be burned alive. When Fructuosus and the deacons were brought into the amphitheater, all the people showed him compassion, because even among the pagans he was loved. But when some offered him wine to strengthen him, Fructuosus said: “The time has not yet come to allow fasting.” Then it was four o'clock in the afternoon, and the ancient Christians on Wednesday on Friday fasted until the ninth hour. Having consoled those who accompanied him and given them a blessing, the blessed bishop and the deacons fearlessly accepted martyrdom (259 years). † Blessed Vasily Yurodivy, Moscow Blazh. Vasily was brought up near Moscow 1. In the years of his living youth (sixteen years old), leaving his parents' house, he spent the life of a holy fool. Without shelter or shelter, he walked around Moscow almost naked and in winter endured such frosts that the ground cracked, and in summer he roasted in the sun; During the day he walked the streets, unresponsively accepting shocks, and at night he lay down on the church porch and spent time in prayer. He had neither friendship nor acquaintance with anyone - he was a stranger to everyone: so deprived himself of all earthly consolation! He sometimes bowed his head to only one poor widow: the mind of Blessed Basil was constantly occupied with prayer and contemplation of God. On his tomb hang heavy chains that the blessed one wore, who already had so little rest for his flesh. So high in spirit, blessed one. Vasily spoke little and did not scatter instructions 2. Holy Scripture does not approve of verbosity and talkativeness for anyone. “To talk a lot is not to avoid sin; and whoever controls his mouth is wise.” (Prov.10:13). “Whoever guards his mouth guards his life; but whoever opens his mouth wide will have trouble.” (Prov.13:4). This is what inspired wisdom teaches. Holy Scripture, having entrusted the work of teaching to well-known persons, demands from each and every one a pure and holy life, and such a life assimilates the power of the most powerful instruction. “You shine as lights in the world,” wrote the apostle; So live that you may be pure, innocent children of God, blameless in the midst of a wicked and corrupt city” (Phil. 2:15). Such was the life of the blessed one. Vasily! Recalling the terrible time of the young Ivan the Terrible, we can imagine what a reproach Vasily’s life was then to depraved people, and how it consoled those innocently suffering from the tyranny of wild passions. – It was not easy for the righteous to look at human sins. Loving people, he cried for them and with his tears called them to repentance. In 1547, “Basily the holy fool,” says the chronicle, came to the Monastery of the Exaltation, which is called on the island, and stood before the church, touchingly in vain and intelligently making a prayer to her, crying inconsolably; But when people saw him, they marveled.” The next day in Moscow there was a terrible fire that started from the Ostrovsky Church; both cities, old and new, burned down; churches, houses, palace c. The prince disappeared, “copper like water spilled” 3. Those who were attentive to their salvation noticed that when Vasily passed by a house in which they were madly having fun, singing songs and drinking, he hugged the corners of that house with tears. "What does it mean"? they asked Vasily. “Sorrowful angels, breaking the silence,” he answered, stand at this house and lament over the sins of people, and with tears I begged them to pray to the Lord for the conversion of sinners.” The blessed one rose to wonderful spiritual states. “He was seen walking on the sea as if on dry land; unbelieving people saw him and marveled; When they came to Russia they said: we saw such a man walking on the sea. The testimony is true: given by enemies.” These were Persian merchants rescued by Vasily at sea during a storm 4. Metropolitan. Macarius, having learned about blessed Vasily, informed the king about him, and both praised God, who raised such an ascetic in their time. Once Tsar John stood in the church and thought about how to decorate his new palace on the Sparrow Hills. After the service, Vasily came from the church to the Tsar. “Where have you been, Vasily? I didn’t see you in the church.” “And I saw you,” answered Vasily, only you were not in the church, but on the Sparrow Hills. Let us now put aside every care of this life, the Church sings to us.” Ivan the Terrible decided to invite the holy fool to his name day. They brought a cup of health. The holy fool took it three times and poured it out the window. Ivan the Terrible raged, mistaking the holy fool’s action for disdain for the Tsar. “Don’t get angry, Ivanushka,” said the holy fool; it was necessary to douse the fire in Novgorod, and it was doused.” – Ivan the Terrible was not one of the gullible people; a messenger was sent to Novgorod and the truth turned out to be on the side of the blessed one. One rich nobleman loved the saint. Vasily, and Vasily visited him from time to time. Once Vasily came to him in severe frost. The compassionate boyar began to beg him to at least protect his body from the frost with clothes at such a time. “Do you want this?” said the holy fool. “I love you with my sincere heart, brother, accept it as a sign of my love,” said the boyar. The blessed one said with a smile: “So be it, and I love you.” The boyar joyfully put a rich fox fur coat on Vasily. The blessed one ran down the street as usual. Unkind people, seeing the holy fool in a rich fur coat, decided to take it from him by deception. One lay down on the road, pretending to be dead, the comrades began to ask Vasily to donate something for the burial of the poor man. Giving away the fur coat, Vasily said: “those who deceive will be consumed.” When he left, the deceivers found their comrade dead. Lately, the blessed one was lying on his bed, seriously ill. Tsar and Queen Anastasia with their children John and Theodore came to him to ask for his prayers for them. The blessed one, already near death, said to Tsarevich Theodore: “all the property of your ancestors will be yours - you are the heir.” And then he died. It was August 2, 1552. Of the 88 years of his life, the blessed one. Vasily spent 72 years in feats of foolishness. - The Tsar and the boyars carried his bed. Metropolitan Macarius with the council of clergy performed the funeral service for the buried 5. The body of the blessed one was buried in the cemetery of the Trinity Church on the moat, where in 1554 Tsar John ordered the construction of the Intercession Cathedral in memory of the conquest of Kazan 6 . In 1588, “blessed Basil of Moscow appeared, says the chronicle, and there was much healing from his relics.” By the will of the c. Theodore, at the same time, a silver robe was erected over his relics and it was established to celebrate his memory on the day of his death 7. Afterlife miracles bl. Basil's services were varied and were performed both at his tomb and in distant places for those who called for the help of the saint. The boyar's son Kopyatov, a resident of Vologda, had been sick with his legs for a whole year. He prepared to walk on crutches to the coffin of Blessed. Vasily. He had walked quite a way, but at last he was completely exhausted. “Help me, blessed one,” he cried from the depths of his heart. Then I heard an answering voice: “If you want to receive healing, go to my tomb.” And at that very moment I felt healing. Not for healing, but out of a feeling of gratitude, he came healthy to the blessed one and told about what had happened to him. The Pskovite Evdokia was both blind and did not control her right hand. Deciding to wander to the tomb of the blessed one, in Rzhev she became very exhausted and called on the blessed one for help. On the road, the blessed one healed her by his appearance and she fulfilled her vow at his grave. Poor Osip was mute from birth, wandered along Pokrovskaya Street in Moscow for alms; from time to time he would be attacked by fits of madness, and then he would be dangerous to those who met him. With difficulty they brought him to the tomb of the blessed one; when they sang a prayer service and sprinkled it with St. water, he began to speak calmly and meaningfully. Chernorizets Gerasim was without legs for twelve years and lived on alms at the Spassky Gate. “How many years have you been crawling on your knees?” asked Vasily, who appeared to him. “Twelve years and everything I had, I gave to the doctors, but to no avail,” answered the elder. “Why,” Vasily told him, “don’t you believe in the saints, from whom you can receive healing without any payment? Do you believe that God can heal you? “I believe, Lord,” said the poor man; I believe, he added, that through your prayers God will have mercy on me.” “Okay,” said the one who appeared, go to the holy fool’s tomb. Gerasim went and completely recovered 8. “Blessed Basil! from your youth you cared to stand on the day of judgment without fear and fear, and boldly, rejecting all bodily pleasures, you followed Christ; I collected spiritual wealth through labor and patience, with a candle always ready. And you joyfully ascended to heaven. Pray for our souls to be saved.” “As a true and invincible sufferer, you appeared with purity of soul and body for Christ, having exhausted your body with every need. That is why I received the gift of healings from Him. And now, blessed Basil, pray for us who glorify your dormition.” 9 RKP. his life and his word; at Tsarsky No. 128, in music. Rumyantseva, No. 364. Prologue Aug 2 Menaion for August, M. 1646. Step. book 2, 245. 246. A vision that happened to Basil in 1521. The Glory of the Mother of God (3.40–42. M. 1853) is attributed by some to St. Basil. But a) according to the legend about the ranks, the vision was to Vasily “Novogorodets” (Vivliof. VΙ, 195–198); and blessed Vasily was a Muscovite; b) Blessed Basil became famous under the Terrible Tsar. Step. book 2, 245–248. Karamz. 8, pr. 173. The day of the terrible fire, June 24, is correctly shown in the royal book: in a power inaccuracy. – This fire was preceded not so much by strong fires, April. 12 and 20. Song 6 of Konon in the Menaion for August, M. 1646. Father's son 1839 12. News pp. 65–69. Collection l. 4, 320. New chronicle. page 28. Blessed memory. Basil in the charter of 1608 among Rumyans. in description music p. 712. Icons of the blessed one. Vasily in Khutynsky monastery. according to the inventory of 1642 Zap. archaeol. total IX. 431 459. RKP. life of the blessed Vasily. Stichera and troparion of the service August 2 in the Menaion M. 1646. Service of the bl. Vasily to the synod. RKP. No. 313. Tsarskogo No. 563.