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Eusignius, a native of Antioch, a warrior, served under the kings Dioclychian, Maximian, Constantius, Constantine the Great and his sons. He was an interlocutor with the martyr Basilisk (May 22), who suffered in 308, and described his death. Having spent sixty years in the army and leaving service during the reign of Constantius (from 337), he returned to Antioch and lived until the time of Julian the Apostate. When Julian arrived in Antioch (at the end of June 362), it happened that two pagans, in a dispute among themselves, asked Eusignius to judge them. The saint judged their dispute fairly, but the one found wrong accused Evsignius before the king that he was a Christian. The king demanded Evsigny to come to him, and Evsigny accused him of apostasy, glorifying Christianity and Tsar Constantine. Julian ordered to behead him. † On the same day St. Nonna, mother of Gregory the Theologian The mother of the Theologian Gregory, blessed Nonna, was the daughter of good Christians, Filtat and Gorgonia, the aunt of St. Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium 31. Her parents raised her according to the rules of Christian piety. By marriage they united her with Gregory of Arianz, a wealthy man, owner of lands and slaves in the Arianzvon and Nazian districts 32 . The marriage was beneficial according to earthly calculations, but difficult for Nonna’s pious soul. Gregory of the Arian was a pagan, and of an improved cut. He was a follower of the sect of the Supremes (Ipsistarians), revered the Supreme God and observed some Jewish rituals, but at the same time bowed to fire and lamps 33. Pious Nonna shed many prayers and tears for her husband’s conversion to the holy truth. Let's listen to what Nonna's son, St. Grigory. “She did not tolerate, he says, being in union with a non-believer, and although she was the most patient and courageous of wives, she could not endure this calmly, so that one half would be in union with God, and the other - a part of herself - would remain alienated from God. On the contrary, she wanted the spiritual union to be added to the carnal union. And therefore, day and night, she fell to God, in fasting and with many tears she asked Him to grant salvation to her head, she tirelessly acted on her husband, trying to win him in various ways: reproaches, persuasion, services, excommunications, and most of all, with her life and fiery zeal for piety, which most strongly inclines and softens her heart, voluntarily giving herself a message to virtue. She had to, like water break through a stone with the continuous fall of a drop, from time to time expect success in what she tried, as the consequence justified. She asked for this, expected this not so much with the fervor of her youth, but with the firmness of faith. And no one relied on the tangible as boldly as she did on the expected, knowing from experience the generous love of God. At the same time, reason helped the cause of salvation, healing little by little, as well as sleepy visions, which God often sends as a gift to a soul worthy of salvation. What is this vision? This is where the most enjoyable part of the story begins for me. It seemed to my father that (which he had never done before, although his wife asked and begged about it many times) he was singing the following verse of David: we rejoiced at those who said to me: let us go to the house of the Lord (Ps. 122:1). And the singing is unprecedented, and along with the song comes desire! When the one whose wish was granted heard about this, she took advantage of the time and explained the vision in the kindest way possible, in which she was absolutely right; with her very joy she discovers the greatness of the good deed and speeds up the work of salvation, so that nothing interferes with the calling and does not upset what she tried so hard for. At that time, many bishops were gathering in Nicaea to confront the fury of Arius, the recent heresy that had fragmented the Divinity. The parent surrenders himself to God and the preachers of truth, reveals his desire to them and seeks their help for salvation. Among them was the famous Leonty, who then ruled our metropolis” 34. So, after much work and prayers, St. Nonna, her pagan husband, became a Christian in 325. Since at the baptism of Gregory the grace of God tangibly descended on him and even unconsciously something from the rank of the priesthood was added 35: then soon after baptism Gregory was ordained a priest. And he was a priest of God for about 9 years 36. Gregory, illuminated by the grace of God, deeply understood the calling of a Christian and a Christian priest. Therefore, he completely devoted himself to the affairs of his new calling; and he left the care of the estates and the care of the house to his wife. So new labors now began for the pious Nonna. And she worked as a sincere Christian 37. In the same way, Nonna was especially responsible for raising the children who were born at this time 38 . Nonna had two sons: Gregory and Caesarius and a daughter, Gorgonia. The first was asked from God through the prayers of the mother. Following the desire, common for many mothers, to have a son, Nonna prayed to God for a son. And God listened to her fervent prayer. This was revealed to her in a vision in which she saw the image of her future son and heard his name. The pious Nonna dedicated Gregory to God at his very birth 39 . How zealously she cared about her husband’s conversion to St. faith: with the same zeal she raised her children in Christian piety. “Not only does she herself possess piety, but she also passes it on to her children 40 . Having accepted from her ancestors the faith pleasing to God, she bound those born with it with this golden chain” 41 . She loved children dearly, but Christ above all; therefore, she cared most of all that Christ would be portrayed in the children. Son Gregory, even in the later years of his life, recalled how his mother once told him the story of the sacrifice of Isaac, trying to arouse in his soul a fiery desire to fulfill the vow made before this birth; how at the same time she handed him an expensive treasure - St. Scripture, so that he, studying in it from his youth, will be filled with its spirit 42. When her priest husband was ordained a bishop, the pious Nonna also devoted herself to more zealous service to the Lord. Blazh. Jerome spoke to Jovinian, the detractor of virginity; “You must admit that one who would have children in the bishopric cannot be a bishop; If such a person were found, he would be considered not a spouse, but an adulterer. Bishops are elected from virgins or widows, or cease to be spouses if they have wives.” This, he adds, is the general law in the West and in the East 43. As was common practice, the bishop's ex-wife, Nonna, was ordained a deaconess. “Nonna stepped to the altar, praying at it, the pure sacrifice was taken from here” 44. In the rank of deaconess, she helped her bishop a lot in his administration, so that his successes in difficult cases were attributed to the especially intelligent thoughts of the deaconess 45 . A wonderful picture of the life of St. Nonna, drawn by her son, was taken especially from her last years. “She knew,” says St. Gregory, one true nobility is to be pious and to know where we came from and where we will go; One reliable and inalienable wealth is to spend your property for God and for the poor, especially for impoverished relatives. Satisfying only their needs, in her opinion, did not mean ending the disaster, but reminding them of it; She considered doing good with all generosity a deed that could bring both her lasting glory and complete consolation to them. If some of the wives are distinguished by frugality, and others by piety, for it is difficult to combine both qualities: then she surpassed everyone in both, and in each she reached the height of perfection, and was able to combine both in one herself. By diligence and vigilance, according to Solomon’s instructions and rules for a wife more noble, she multiplied everything in the house, as if she knew no piety at all. But she was also so zealous for God and for everything Divine, no matter how much she was involved in household chores. One did not suffer damage from the other, but one was mutually supported by the other. What time and place of prayer was hidden from her? This was her first thought every day. It’s better to say, who, when starting to pray, had so much hope of receiving what he asked? Who showed such respect for the hand and face of priests? Who valued so highly every kind of wise life? Who more than she exhausted the flesh with fasting and vigil? Who stood more reverently than her during all-night and daytime psalmody? Who more often praised her virginity, although she herself bore the bonds of marriage? Who was the best intercessor for widows and orphans? Who alleviated the plight of those who were crying to such an extent? 46. Truly a generous wife! If they had allowed her to draw from the Atlantic or other vast seas, she would have lacked even that. So great was her desire to give alms. All the property that they had and that was subsequently added, she considered meager for her desire. If it were possible, I would give myself and my children for the benefit of the poor (as I heard from her more than once)” 47 . “An empty word did not come out of her mouth and an effeminate laughter did not play on her cheeks 48 . In sacred meetings and places, except for the necessary and mysterious proclamations, her voice was never heard. She honored the shrine with silence”; never turned her back to the venerable meal; I didn’t spit on the floor in God’s church. Having met a pagan, she never clasped hands with each other, did not touch lips to lips, even though the one she met was distinguished by modesty and was one of the closest; with those who ate an unclean and nasty meal, not only voluntarily, but also under duress, she did not share salt, she could not, contrary to the demands of her conscience, pass by, and even see a defiled house; She did not desecrate either her hearing or her tongue, with which she received and broadcast the divine, with pagan stories and spectacular songs, because everything unsanctified is not fitting for the sanctified. But the most amazing thing is that, although she was greatly struck by sorrows, even those of others, she never indulged in carnal crying until a mournful voice erupted before thanksgiving, or a tear fell on her eyelids, mysteriously sealed, or at the onset of a bright holiday sad clothes remained on her, although many times many suffered her sorrows. For the God-loving soul tends to subordinate everything human to the divine. I will keep silent about even more hidden affairs, to which God alone is a witness, and about which only the faithful slaves, who were her confidants, knew. Such perfections were partly already in her, and partly they multiplied and grew gradually. Just as the sun produces the most pleasant effect with its morning rays, but its midday rays are warmer and lighter; so she too, having shown no small success in piety from the very beginning, finally shone with the most abundant light” 49 . The last years of Blessed Nonna brought her a series of sad events that were very close to her heart. In 368, her youngest son, Caesarius, died, a young man who showed brilliant hopes; the following year, daughter 50 died. According to her son, the courageous old woman endured these losses with submission to the will of God. In 370, Elder Bishop Gregory participated in the consecration of the great Basil as bishop of Caesarea 51. The very old man stayed on the ground only by a miracle. Blessed Nonna, who was not much younger than her bishop, was also ready to move on to another life: but through the prayers of her loving son she was kept on earth for a while. “My mother,” says the son, has always been strong and courageous, she has never felt any illness in her entire life: but illness befalls her. Of the many sufferings, so as not to multiply words, I will name the most severe - aversion from food, which lasted for many days and could not be cured by any medicine. How does God feed her? He does not send down manna, as he did of old to Israel; He does not open a stone to pour out water for thirsty people; He does not feed through ravens, like Elijah; not through the admired prophet does he satisfy, as once Daniel did, tormented by famine in the ditch. But how? She imagined that I, who was especially beloved by her (even in her dream she did not prefer anyone else to me), suddenly appeared in her at night with a basket and the whitest loaves, then, having said a prayer over him and sealed them with the sign of the cross, according to our custom, I gave her a taste, and thereby restored and strengthened her strength. And this night vision was something truly significant for her; for from that time on she came to her senses and was no longer hopeless. And what happened to her was revealed in a clear and obvious way. When, at daylight, I went up to her early in the morning, from the first time I saw her in a better former position; then, as usual, he began to ask: how did you spend the night, and what did she need? Without any hesitation, she said eloquently: “You yourself, dear son, nourished me, and then you ask about my health. You are very kind and compassionate!” At the same time, the maids showed me signs so that I would not contradict, but would accept her words indifferently, and would not dishearten her with the discovery of the truth.”52 At the beginning of 374, the centenarian old bishop died. Blessed Nonna, who almost never left the church to pray, soon after his death, died praying in the church on August 5, 374 53. Opera s. Gregorii Nazianz. 4, 61. ed. Migne. About her relationship with the saint. Amphilohiem ibid. I, 82–91. Chetye-Minea about ev. Nonna only in the life of her son St. Gregory, Jan. 25. Maren also has little. Or. s. Gregorii 3, 390. 391. Creativity. St. Gregory 4, 283. 284. Creation St. Gregory 2, 104; 4, 282. Or. s. Gregorii 3, 979. 1367. Ullmann de Hypsistaristis. Heidelberg 1823. Creation St. Gregory 2, 110–112. Or. s. Gregorii 4, 46. Creation St. Gregory 2, 112. 113. Blazh. Gregory the Elder died in 374, being one hundred years old and having been a bishop for 40 years (Or. s. Gregorii 4, 38); track. he was a bishop from 334, and until then he had been a priest since 326. Creation St. Gregory 2, 115. 120. “ουπω τοσουτον ἐκμεμετρησας βιον, Οσος διηλθε θυσιν Εμοι χρονος. “You haven’t measured out so much life, How much time have passed for me as victims? Carmen de vita sua. n. 512. The papists, wanting to protect their wifeless priests, twisted these words in different ways (Weiss. Leben d. Heiligen VI, 286. 287): but they cannot in any way remove from them the meaning of the reproach of the wifelessness of the priests. The idea is irresistible that Gregory of Arian, being a priest, gave birth to children with his wife. The same idea is visible in other words of St. Gregory. According to his confession, when in 355 he decided to return to his homeland; then, as he says, “he spent a lot of time on science and was already almost 30 years old” Και γσρ πολυς τετριπτο τοις λογοις χρονος. Ἠδη τριακοςόν μη σχεδον τουτι ην έτος. Carmen de vita sua. n. 238. Op. s. Gregorii 3, 1002. 1034. 1035. 1367. Creation St. Gregory 1, 243. Creation St. Gregory 3, 379. Poems about the circumstances of your life. Lib. 1. Iovinianum. n. 72. Creation St. Gregory 2, 107. 108. Creation St. Gregory 2, 109. 110. “The first Caesarea is a general sorrow; then Gorgonia; and there is the beloved father; not much later - mother. The list of souls is sad for Gregory. I will also include my death, the last one. One stone covers the glorious Gregory, father and son, both priests. Another received the noble Nonna with the great son Caesarius. So the stones separated the coffin and the children. But they have the same love for heavenly life.” Op. s. Gregorii 3.1445. Creation St. Gregory 4, 94. Creation St. Gregory 2, 129. 130. Op. s. Gregorii 4, 53. 58. Her memory in the Greek and Roman churches is celebrated on August 5. Memory of St. Gregory the Elder, in Greek. Minae, Feb. 1, according to the martyrology of Jan. 10. About the year of death – Menaion Op. Greg. 1, 982. 983.